Welcome to

A US Supreme Court case challenging the citizenship of President-Elect Barack Obama has been dropped, but that hasn’t stopped some here in Florida from asking the state’s electors not to vote for the president-elect.

Florida’s 27 electors have received dozens of letters claiming Obama was born in Kenya and his birth certificate was forged. Florida Elector Rick Minor says he is receiving a letter or two a day.

“They’re claims have no basis in fact whatsoever. Barack Obama was born August 4th, 1961, in Hawaii and he has the birth certificate to prove it and both the Department of Health in Hawaii and the Register of Vital Statistics have verified that there is no doubt he was born in the United States,” said Minor.

Florida’s Electors cast their votes next Monday.

Thurgood Marshall became the nation’s first black Supreme Court justice in 1967, the Beatles sang about Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, and it was the last time a sitting Florida Governor got married after taking office. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, Florida’s current bachelor chief executive appears excited about the change in his life this Friday.

Hear it Here: Goin’ to the Chapel, and Crist’s Gonna Get Married

Governor Claude Kirk showed up at his January 1967 inaugural ball with a woman he would only identify as Madam X. She was 33-year-old Ericka Mattfield. The two were married before the year was out. Like Charlie Crist’s impending vows, the press was kept out. In a year end interview, the current governor says that he and Carol Rome, his bride to be, will split their time between three Florida cities.

“I look forward to her spending a lot of time at the mansion,” Crist said. “I also rent a place in St. Petersburg, she also owns a home in Miami. So between those three, that’s where we’ll be.”

Crist met 39-year-old Carol Rome through mutual friends in New York. He and others describe her as caring and compassionate.

“She’s got a great heart and cares deeply about children,” he said. “We went to a March of Dimes event, for example, this weekend. So I think things like that will come natural to Carol.”

The soon-to-be first lady has two daughters from a previous marriage. They attend school in New York. So it’s unclear if the sound of young children will grace the Governor’s mansion anytime soon.

Crist has been a bachelor since a brief marriage in 1980.

Most details of the wedding, including the guest list, are being kept secret.
A pool reporter will be at the wedding, but no television cameras will be allowed inside the church.

Governor Charlie Crist is calling an investigating into the deaths of 32 students of the Florida School for Boys who died in the 1950s. The human remains were discovered in October. Yesterday four former students of the school who say they witnessed racially motivated beatings and the disappearance of several black students asked the governor to call an investigation. In response Crist ordered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Department of Juvenile Justice to investigate.

If foul play is discovered charges could follow. Read the letters here: 2008-12-9-peterman

2008-12-9-bailey

You can hear the entire pre cabinet news conference and Q & A here: raw-pre-cabinet-1209

Governor Charlie Crist defended this summer’s pricey overseas trade-mission.

In July Crist and 25 state officials toured England, France, Russia, and Spain to meet with foreign business and political leaders. The trip lasted 12 days and cost taxpayers 430,000 dollars. Charlie Crist defended the spending and pointed to the fruits of his South American trip as proof that trade missions create jobs.

“I hope they are benefited by the jobs it creates. Embraer is a good example. They are creating a 50 million dollar plant in Melbourne. 200 jobs, not at 30,000 each by at 50,000 each. We’ve got to keep fighting for Florida,” said Crist.

Crist’s own expenses on the trip totaled 30,000. His tab was paid with private investment dollars.

DCF Points People Goes Cyber to Keep Up With Food Stamp Request

Florida’s Department of Children and Families is pointing people to the web to lighten the load on its call center.

The number of calls to the state’s food stamp hotline double last month to three million with 1.7 million Floridians receiving food stamps. The increased need is taking a toll on hotline operators. Today DCF Secretary George Sheldon joined Governor Charlie Crist to launch the “My Access Account” website. The site allows people to check the status of their food stamp applications and Medicaid accounts. Sheldon said DCF will spread the word to people put on hold.

“We’re actually going to be putting on our call center voicemail to drive people to the web. Drive people to “My Account” so they can begin doing things for themselves,” said Sheldon.

Besides allowing people to check their food stamp and Medicaid status, the site also allows people who qualify for to print temporary Medicaid card. To access the site go to www.myflorida.com/accessflorida

Governor Charlie Crist isn’t answering questions about his pricey overseas trade mission to Europe. In July taxpayers picked-up a 430,000 dollar tab for Governor Crist and 25 state employees to travel England, France, Russia, and Spain. The goal of the trip was to bring jobs to Florida, but as Whitney Ray tells us, some say the trip was a waste of taxpayer money.

Hear it Here: Overseas Trade-Mission Costs Taxpayers 430 K

This summer Governor Charlie Crist mingled with royalty, met with foreign business leaders, and sat down with overseas journalists. The cost: 430,000 dollars. Florida Democrats are outraged and have asked the governor to refund the money.

“Since he’s been there we’ve lost 48,000 jobs and 150,000 people have lost their homes. It’s completely indefensible and he should reimburse the treasury,” said Florida Democrats spokesman, Eric Jotkoff.

The governor’s expenses, including a one night stay in a 2,000 dollar hotel suite and a 1,300 dollar mini-bar tab, were paid for with private dollars. But tax dollars paid for nine FDLE agents, four staffers, a spokeswoman and a photographer to tag along.

The governor’s office denied our request for on on-camera interview to discuss the expenses.

Instead, they released a statement highlighting Florida’s relationship with the countries. England, France, Russian and Spain operate more than 900 companies in the state and employee 50,000 Floridians. Florida Chamber of Commerce spokesman Dan Krassner said the trip will help boost the state’s economy.

“We want to see those Florida companies add jobs. We want to see them expand and the governor’s trip overseas provided a great opportunity to get dialoged going with those companies,” said Krassner.

One of the oddest expenses of the trip was 320 dollars spent on electric fans. Governor Crist uses fans to stay cool while giving speeches.

Four men who survived beatings at The Florida School for Boys in Marianna are calling on state and federal officials to investigate.

The men attended the segregated school in the 1950s. They said teachers and counselors at the school killed black students. Survivor Roger Kiser said he expected kids were being killed, but was too afraid to tell anybody.

“If you had the slightest frown on your face of even said the slightest word out of context, it could cause you to be sent to the White House and be viciously beaten to the point where you would become unconscious and bleed profusely down your legs and back,” said Kiser.

The men decided to call for the investigation after 32 people were found buried near the school in unmarked graves.

The nation’s unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent today. Unemployment could skyrocket if the country’s three biggest automakers fold. Congress is still debating a bailout package and as Whitney Ray tells us, more than 76,000 Floridians who work at car dealerships are keeping their fingers crossed.

Hear it Here: Florida Car Dealers Watching Washington

Many Floridians depend on car sales to feed their families. There are about a thousand new-car dealerships in Florida, and they employ 76,000 people. Declining sales forced this Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Dealership in Gadsden County to cut staff.

“I usually employ about 30 people, we had to cut that by probably 15, 20 percent minimum, we’re probably expecting more cuts just because we’ve got to survive the down fall here,” said the dealerships owner operator Wayne Chandler.

The state budget also suffers when car dealers struggle. Car sales generate about 20 percent of total retail sales in Florida. The drop in sales has helped spur Florida’s two billion dollar budget shortfall, but economics professor Randy Holcombe says the state could survive.

“Car dealerships are important to a degree but the big three automakers from Detroit could sell the same amount of cars with fewer dealerships,” said Holcombe.

But fewer dealerships mean fewer jobs at a time when the state’s unemployment is at a 15 year high.

Car dealers aren’t just cutting positions; they’re also lowering prices. The dealership we visited in Gadsden County lowered prices on some of its newest cars by 50 percent.

For just the second time in its history, Florida’s University faculty members are supporting a tuition hike. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the United Faculty of Florida say funding for state universities is approaching an emergency situation.

Hear it Here

At 14%, faculty turnover at Florida’s universities is the highest in the nation. Facing even more budget cuts, the faculty union, for just the second time in its history, is supporting tuition increases of up to 15 percent a year for the next 6 years.

“Last year 30 percent of the faculty said they were looking for another job. 40 percent said they would be looking for another job this year,” Jack Fiorito, United Faculty of Florida, FSU President said. “So when you lose faculty, you can’t offer classes, students can’t get classes.”

In the end, not being able to get the classes you want, could end up extending your college career and costing more than higher tuition.

Music major Kyle Gilcher says he is already finding some non-major classes hard to get.”

“If it doesn’t work out with getting classes in need right away, then I will probably need to stick around for a semester or two to finish the minor in business, which would be unfortunate but then I get to stay in college longer,” Gilcher said.

Universities can also expect to see less cash from their foundations next year. The FSU Foundation has seen its investment decline by over 100 million dollars, a 25% drop.

“If you look at the state economy, it’s not good and it’s beginning to have an impact on higher education,” FSU Foundation president Charles Raspberry said.

The plan to hike tuition 15 percent a year would double the cost over six years, but it would still only raise the tuition rate to the national average.

Florida currently ranks 46th in tuition nationally. The only other time the faculty union has supported a tuition hike as last year.

Florida State University’s Foundation has lost more than 100 million dollars this year. The fund is now at 318 million dollars, down from 424 million. The foundation gave 14.7 million to the school last year. Foundation President Charles Raspberry says the decline could mean less money going to the university next year.

“It’s for scholarship support, to support faculty who are in endowed positions, some of it goes to build facilities,” Raspberry said. “The new Student Success Center came from private support, then got matched by the state. That’s where a lot of it goes. This past year we gave the university 14.7 million from the endowment that we had. So I’m hoping in coming years that won’t go down significantly.”

The Foundation says it will not concentrate on large gifts this coming year, but will instead focus on gifts in the one hundred dollar to one thousand dollar range.

For just the second time in its history, Florida’s University faculty members are supporting a tuition hike.  Jack Fiorito, President of the United Faculty of Florida FSU Chapter says funding for state universities is approaching an emergency situation. You can hear the interview here: Jack Fiorito

250,000 unemployed Floridians, who turned to the state for help finding a job, now have to worry about their credit. The State Agency for Workforce Innovation is blaming a computer security breach for exposing the job-seekers names and social security numbers online. As Whitney Ray tells us, the state is investigating the computer security breach.

Hear it Here: State Investigates Computer Security Breach

Johann Warren, a chef by trade, is struggling to pay his bills.

“I’ve got a light bill coming up and I’m out of work,” said Johann.

For months Johann has been visiting this job center, entrusting his personal information to the state. Now Johann is second guessing his decision to give the state his information.

And that’s because the names and social security numbers of 250,000 Floridians were published online.”

Weak security on a backup test server allowed Google to gather the data of people who used a state job center during the past six years. The Agency for Workforce Innovation is investigating the security breach.

“This information has only been made available to one individual outside our public domain, so I think we’re in good shape,” said AWI Director Monesia Brown.

Still the state set up a search engine for people who are worried about their IDs. We helped Johann with his search.

“I don’t want anyone getting my social security number without me knowing, because things are already hard enough for me already,” said Johann.

The state promises to respond to the searches within 24 hours and let people know if their information was posted online. To see if your information was published online visit www.floridajobs.org/security/security.htm

The official state Christmas tree is now on display in the Governor’s Office.

Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson delivered Christmas trees to the governor and other cabinet members today. The trees were donated by the Florida Christmas Tree Association. Association member Toney Harris grew the trees and said real trees are better than fake ones.

“A fake tree doesn’t smell at all. Have you every smelled one? You’ve got to have the smell of Christmas at your house. That’s what you need. A live tree helps keep a lot of people employed and makes for better Christmas all around as far as I’m concerned,” said Tony Harris, owner of Ergle Christmas Tree Farm.

Commissioner Bronson used the occasion to warn Floridians about holiday scams.

“If you’re going to give money to charity make sure it’s a legitimate charity; don’t get taken advantage of. If you’re going to buy pets for family members and others, make sure the story you’re buying from is reputable and you have the health certificates and those types of things and know the pet lemon law,” said Bronson.

Inspectors from the commissioner’s office are checking out pet stores statewide to make sure the animals they sell are healthy and meet the state requirements.

Gas companies may be getting a present from the state just in time from Christmas.

Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson plans to finish his gas price gouging investigations next week and hand out Christmas present fines to any company that ripped off customers. The investigations started in September after drivers began complaining about five dollar a gallon gas. Gas stations blame the price hike on Hurricane Ike disrupting supply in the Gulf. Commissioner Bronson said he has problems believing that excuse.

“Can you imagine almost five dollar gasoline just a few weeks ago and now it’s down to $1.80. I find that kind of hard to believe that if it’s really worth five dollars it could have dropped this fast. So it tells me that somebody was manipulating the system after an emergency was called and we take that seriously,” said Bronson.

The state’s Attorney General is also investigating complaints. In October the AG’s office settled with a Quincy gas station for overcharging customers a total of 1,500 bucks.