July 28, 2004

PSC officials may have broken the law: Documents released by the Florida Commission on Ethics propel this story by Beatrice E. Garcia at the Miami Herald on how four Florida Public Service Commission members may have violated a state law forbidding commissioners from accepting gifts from the companies they regulate. “Documents released by the Florida Commission on Ethics Tuesday show that 10 companies and an industry trade group paid for eight of the 10 meals, coffee breaks and receptions held” during a four-day Miami Beach conference in June 2002. The PSC commissioners who attended the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners meeting were Braulio L. Baez, Lila A. Jaber, J. Terry Deason and Rudolph ''Rudy'' Bradley. The matter will go to a state administrative hearing officer for further investigation. Depending on what is determined, the commissioners could face up to $10,000 per violation and be removed from office, according to an Associated Press story. An attorney for the four commissioners called the allegations “absurd,” saying registration fees covered the conference costs and his clients received no financial benefit from utilities, the AP story said. The public records handbook covers Florida Commission on Ethics records on Page 166.

July 27, 2004

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Gardens hospital fined $95,000 over infections: A public records request can yield life-impacting news for consumers – which is a big reason why the public is better off having records sooner rather than later. A request to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration by Phil Galewitz of the Palm Beach Post resulted in this story about what is believed to be the largest fine ever paid by a Florida hospital to the state. Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center paid $95,000 “for ignoring rampant infection-control problems, improperly storing medicine and failing to alert health officials when patients were unexpectedly returned to surgery with postoperative infections.” Officials actually levied a $323,800 fine against the hospital but settled for the lesser amount. Although the hospital now complies with state regulations, ACHA’s 55-page complaint “painted a detailed picture of a dirty hospital that left dust and dried blood on medical equipment and stretchers and neglected to deal with infections that forced patients to undergo additional surgery.” The hospital paid the fine in May 2003, and a related Post editorial (“State health regulators show skewed priorities”) chastises ACHA for not making public the complaint and fine last year. “By releasing the complaint to The Post only after a public records request,” the editorial notes, “state health officials failed their responsibility to patients, who could have benefited from the information when the problems were found during surprise inspections in 2002 and 2003. Making problems known to the public would empower patients to demand better — even if it means choosing other medical centers — and would discourage other hospitals from skimping on patient safety. Obviously, it also would compel the hospital to fix the problems sooner.” The public records handbook profiles ACHA licensing and regulation files of hospitals and other health care facilities on Page 156.

HIV law is used to make arrests: Criminal court records help Missy Stoddard of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel report how authorities are using Florida's transmission of HIV law to nail arrests. Records show Delray Beach has charged five prostitutes with criminal transmission of HIV in the past year. Ten people in Broward County have been charged with the crime since the law's inception in the early 1990s, although only one prosecution resulted. The story draws upon court records to provide more detail about those arrested. The story delves into the nuances of using the law, which has been used sparingly over the years. The public records handbook covers criminal court records on Page 103.

July 26, 2004

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Shot mandate looms over start of school: An audit by the local health department obtained by Donna Wright of the Bradenton Herald offers important details for this story about how 2,000 Manatee County students lack state-required immunizations. The May audit explored the shot records for all sixth-graders bound for seventh grade this fall and found only 730 of 2,803 students had completed shot requirements. “More than two-thirds, or 1,998, had either not started or completed the required hepatitis B vaccine series or received the required tetanus/diphtheria booster shot. The spring audit found no records for 75 other students, and two had received an exemption from the vaccine requirements because of religious beliefs.” Manatee students won’t be allowed to attend class when school begins Aug. 9 unless their shot records are up to date. The public records handbook doesn’t include these types of audits, but it does covers school system audits by the Florida Auditor General’s Office on Page 162.

Real estate transactions: Enjoy catching up on the latest property transactions in your local newspaper? Public records – along with the newspaper – make it possible. This list in the Bradenton Herald Living section offers snippets of recent real estate sales, including the seller and buyer, the amount, the date and even the book and page listing for the deed in the official records at the local circuit court clerk’s office. The public records handbook explains how to research deeds and outlines the types of information found on them starting on Page 113.

July 23, 2004

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Two top DCF officials resign: Revelations from public records can shake up state agencies and the officials who manage – or mismanage – them. Crutis Kruger of the St. Petersburg Times reports that a stinging inspector general’s report prompts the resignations of two Department of Children and Family Services officials and puts its director on the hot seat. The report says Ben Harris and Glenn Palmiere, the two top technology officials who resigned, “had such close social ties with the computer company InterSystems that they ‘failed to safeguard their ability to make objective, fair and impartial decisions in conjunction with DCF contracting actions.’ ’’ Among other items, the report raps both for accepting free massages, noting “massages are not an authorized form of honorarium." The story notes the report also criticized Palmiere and Harris for having friendships with representatives of InterSystems that "were unethical or gave the appearance of ethical impropriety." Palmiere, the report says, once e-mailed a DCF official to "make sure that all the potential roadblocks that once existed in getting a contract signed with InterSystems do not exist." The report is also highly critical of DCF chief Jerry Regier for lapses that created the appearance of conflicts of interest, including attending a birthday party for himself hosted by businessman James Bax who held had obtained millions in DCF contracts. The fallout from the report continues, as evidenced by this South Florida Sun-Sentinel story from Megan O’Matz about records that show DCF officials “who directed millions of dollars in work to Florida State University since 2001 overpaid in at least five contracts and purchases.” Also see Carol Marbin Miller’s piece in the Miami Herald titled “Lobbyist’s DCF links prompt concern.” The public records handbook outlines inspector general report records on Page 251.

July 20, 2004

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Hood late on paying taxes on her house: The county tax collector’s delinquent tax list can include some surprising names. The records resulted in Mark Schlueb’s story in the Orlando Sentinel about Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood being late on her property taxes for her Lancaster Park home until questioned about it by the newspaper. “Within hours of a call from the Sentinel to her Tallahassee office, Charles Hood (Glenda Hood’s husband) dropped off a cashier's check at the Orange County Tax Collector's Office. Total bill: $4,117.27, including interest and fees.” The former Orlando mayor, who has faced some very taxing voting issues lately, missed the March 31 property tax payment deadline. A delinquent tax certificate was sold on the property, which “amounts to a lien and allows the certificate holder to charge interest on the debt and ultimately put the property on the auction block if the bill isn't paid within two years.” A Hood spokeswoman said the bill should have been paid by the couple’s lender and amounted to a mix-up. The public records handbook profiles county property tax rolls on Page 326.

July 15, 2004

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State fines two hospitals $10,000 each: Regulatory documents released by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration drive this fines story by Phil Galewitz in the Palm Beach Post. The records show Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach and West Boca Medical Center absorbed rare state fines of $10,000 each for failing to alert health regulators before eliminating emergency neurosurgery services last year. The fines resulted from a probe ordered by Gov. Jeb Bush after Post stories revealing “how emergency neurosurgery patients are increasingly being transported from Palm Beach County hospitals to hospitals in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, and sometimes as far as Tampa and Gainesville.” The practice contributed to the death of at least one 61-year-old woman who had a stroke. The story notes the “fines were disclosed in documents dated May 7, though state officials refused to release them until Wednesday. State officials were unavailable for comment.” The public records handbook profiles ACHA licensing and regulation files on Page 156.

July 14, 2004

Motorcyclist dies after fleeing deputy: State driving records add to this story by Andrew Marra and Pamela Perez of the Palm Beach Post about a man who died in a motorcycle crash after trying to outrun a sheriff’s deputy who flagged him down for speeding. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says it had clocked a 24-year-old man "going about 60 mph on Melaleuca Lane during a 10 a.m. speed trap. (The man) stopped when a sheriff's deputy waved him down, but sped off when the deputy approached his bike, the sheriff's office said. As he fled, the deputies measured his speed at 121 mph.” No officers were pursing him at the time, authorities said. Records from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles showed the man had been cited previously for 28 traffic violations, including six speeding tickets. The public records handbook profiles driver history records starting on Page 134.

Documents detail more voting machine flaws: Public records can bring important issues to light that wouldn't be exposed otherwise. E-mails from the Florida Governor's Office obtained by the Miami Herald's Mary Ellen Klas show various flaws with touch-screen voting machines that "have never been publicly ackowledged and are not expected to be fixed" by new programming. "The situation has led to a fractious relationship between Miami-Dade, the state and the touch-screen machine maker, Electronic Systems & Software of Omaha, Neb. At one point, a state Division of Elections e-mail shows, Miami-Dade Assistant County Attorney Murray Greenberg threatened to sue the company – and make it 'close up shop nationally' – if more problems were discovered with the equipment that was certified as working two years ago." One computer expert said a major fundamental problem is the "data formats were never designed to handle a county "as big as Miami-Dade." The public records handbook addresses e-mails on Page 140.

July 13, 2004

July 12, 2004

Cement factory fined for violations: Public records generated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are major sources of information about company violations of environmental laws. A 10-page department consent order helps Greg Bruno of the Gainesville Sun report this story about nearly $205,000 in fines to Suwannee American Cement for violating air quality and other environmental laws. The violations stem from the company’s controversial plant near the Ichetucknee River. “Five of the six reported violations were related to air quality, lapses that included the release of more sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and total hydrocarbons than allowed by the facility's permit. The final violation – which was recorded by the company 138 separate times before being corrected – was for producing too much material used to produce cement, a practice state officials said could have adversely impacted area natural resources. The public records handbook covers FDEP permit and regulation records on Page 179.

July 9, 2004

Extra college classes costing taxpayers more: State audits are essential documents for providing taxpayers information on how their tax dollars are being spent. A legislative audit report reviewed by Gary Fineout of the Miami Herald says students “at Florida state universities are taking too many classes that don't count for graduation and are costing taxpayers at least $62 million a year.” The audit by the state Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability suggests state lawmakers either crack down on these students or offer rewards to those who graduate in four years. “The chief budget writer for the state Senate said Wednesday that lawmakers will have no choice but to consider the recommendations from the auditors, given the continued growth of student enrollment predicted for colleges and universities.” The public records handbook profiles the OPPAGA Web site on Page 212.

July 8, 2004

State returns nearly $100M in unclaimed property: Knowing about public records can pay off – literally. This staff report from the Naples Daily News says the Florida Department of Financial Services returned nearly $100 million in unclaimed property in the last fiscal year, surpassing the previous year's record of $78 million. The story explains: “The property comes from many sources including abandoned bank accounts, insurance proceeds and stocks. Under Florida law, the holders, such as banks and utilities, are required to forward their unclaimed holdings to the state for safekeeping. The state attempts to locate owners or their heirs to return the property. When efforts fail, public auctions are held.” The state’s database of unclaimed property is searchable at www.Fltreasurehunt.org. A catalog of auction items is available at the same Web address.

Resident seeking easement for dogs at the beach: The mere possibility of creating a public record can result in news. Jane Musgrave of the Palm Beach Post reports a Boynton Beach dog lover “plans to record a document in the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts office saying that dogs have a right to use the beach because they've been doing so for at least 25 years and no one has stopped them.” Bob Brown plans to be dogged in his efforts to muzzle the Palm Beach County Commission’s proposed ordinance to boot dogs from a 600-foot strip between Briny Breezes and Gulfstream Park. Brown’s proposed lawsuit would “set the stage for a legal battle in which he will argue that county residents and their dogs have what is known as a proscriptive easement to use the beach. More commonly known as squatters' rights, people can argue that since they've used land for years they have the right to continue to do so even if someone else owns the property.” The public records handbook explains how to research civil lawsuit case files that do exist on Page 82.

July 7, 2004

County's courts handling thousands of strangers' asbestos cases: Court records help Mary McLachlin of the Palm Beach Post report how South Florida has become a mecca for asbestos cases that – unlike typical civil lawsuits – often have no local connection. Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties set up systems to handle asbestos claim cases over the years. The story explains that the state's retiree pool “provided a concentrated source of people with asbestos-related disease symptoms, which show up decades after the mineral's microscopic fibers have found their way into lungs and viscera.” A South Florida plaintiff can get on what lawyers call the asbestos "rocket docket" and stand a better chance of getting a settlement without going through a trial. Outside plaintiffs also have jumped on board in droves, saying courts elsewhere just can't handle asbestos cases as efficiently or effectively as the South Florida courts do. But at least one Palm Beach judge, Timothy McCarthy, is fed up with the drain of the outside cases on the local system, saying taxpayers in Palm Beach County and the rest of Florida shouldn't have to face delays in their cases or “have to pay for lengthy asbestos trials between nonresidents whose alleged exposure to asbestos didn't occur here.” McCarthy is dismissing more of the cases and asking lawyers to justify why some cases shouldn’t be transferred or dismissed. In Broward County alone, one court official estimated the number of active asbestos cases to be between 5,000 and 8,000. The public records handbook profiles civil lawsuit case files on Page 82.

Florida moves to eliminate racial-based names on maps: Local government maps are public records that seldom spring to the public’s attention, but there are exceptions. Janine A. Zeitlin of the Naples Daily News reports on a new state law requiring local governments to remove racial, ethnic or religious slurs from Florida's maps. “I don't see any reason in the state of Florida, in 2004, why we should be having places like Negrotown," said state Sen. Steven Geller, D-Hallandale Beach. "I'm offended by that kind of language. I presume most people are." The story notes it’s up to the local government to determine which names are derogatory or offensive. “Under the new law, local governments are charged with locating derogatory geographic names and recommending replacements to the state by October. By March, the state will choose a new name and formally request the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change them so new versions will appear on future maps,” the story says. Geller’s bill behind the new law can be looked up through the state Legislature’s Online Sunshine Web site. The public records handbook profiles the Florida Online Sunshine site on Page 216.

July 6, 2004

July 2, 2004

Commissioners' war of memos spurs sweeping legal questions: Dueling memos from feuding Palm Beach County commissioners provide ample fodder for this gotta-love-it column by Frank Cerabino in the Palm Beach Post. Cerabino writes that County Commissioners Mary McCarty and Tony Masilotti have gone "Fallujah on each other," making allegations and counter allegations about one another in memos to County Attorney Denise Nieman. "Unconcerned citizen" Cerabino addresses his column to Nieman in the form of his own memo, which poses some real hardball questions, such as “Would it be considered illegal if both Masilotti and McCarty were forced to settle their grievances with peanut butter, axle grease and fun noodles at the next commission meeting?” and “Would it be considered illegal to sell tickets to that event, make it pay-per-view, and gamble on the outcome, with McCarty posted as a 3-2 favorite?” Cerabino’s column includes links to images of the actual memos from McCarty and Masilotti. McCarty raises some interesting questions about Masilotti and the use of homestead exemptions and public property. In his memo, meanwhile, Masilotti refers to McCarty’s request for a legal opinion as the “Latest Childish Personal Attack From Bloody Mary.”

July 1, 2004

Clubs face bouncer complaints but cases hard to prove: Police reports and lawsuits bolster this story by Jay Stapleton of the Daytona Beach News-Journal about “a growing list of customers who say security guards at many local night clubs go too far in an attempt to maintain order.” In one case, a 23-year-old Orlando man told police he was roughed up and robbed by two staffers at the Lollipops Gentleman’s Club after he argued with the bouncers about how much he owed for a lap dance. An attorney for the bouncers called the criminal robbery charges harassment and added that law enforcement "appears to not be applying the same rules" for patrons and club staffers. A Jacksonville man sued the same club for injuries he said he received in March 2003 during an argument about how much money he owed a dancer. “According to police records, there were 18 reports of battery of varying degrees at Lollipops during 2003, but in some cases they were incidents of patrons attacking other patrons, and in at least two incidents, of patrons attacking club employees.” The public records handbook covers arrest reports on Page 23, police incident reports on Page 312 and civil lawsuit case files on Page 82.

Remodel of Harris Teeter into Publix gets the all clear: Building permits often offer newsy tidbits on the new store or development coming to the neighborhood. A building permit obtained by columnist Karen Brune Mathis of The Florida Times-Union shows “that the Mandarin Oaks Shopping Center owner will spend almost $550,000 to renovate the 48,000-square-foot store (formerly a Harris Teeter) for Publix.” North Carolina-based Harris Teeter closed the Mandarin store in May after operating there almost six years. The public records handbook explores building permits and inspection reports on Page 58.

June 30, 2004

How the Scripps deal was done: Public records can be windows into how government works behind the scenes. Among other documents, Tony Doris of the Palm Beach Post tapped property records, corporation records, state and federal campaign contribution records and e-mails from the governor and his chief of staff in exploring how Florida landed The Scripps Research Institute, the “most promising corporate fish in the state since Walt Disney World.” The handling of the Scripps deal “sets a precedent for speedy stealth deal-making in projects of major public concern. The governor and two members of the county's Business Development Board worked so quickly, so privately, that most of the county's elected officials didn't know what was happening until the location was all but locked in. As a result, a development that will cost federal, state and local taxpayers more than a billion dollars, trigger explosive growth, overburden an already jammed road network, slash through wetlands and forever change the area's character was essentially sped into place with very little public input.” This special report – which includes a second and a third installment – is important reading. The public records handbook covers property appraisals on Page 322, corporation records on Page 96, state campaign finance reports on Page 60 and e-mails on Page 140.

Cops say Magic announcer abused trust: An arrest affidavit obtained by Pedro Ruz Gutierrez of the Orlando Sentinel spells out the Orange County Sheriff’s Office case against Orlando Magic TV commentator Jack “Goose” Givens, who is accused of fondling a 14-year-old girl in a swimming pool and in her bedroom. The affidavit quotes e-mail dialogue between the 47-year-old Givens and the girl after the alleged incident. Part of the exchange occurred after investigators urged the girl to e-mail Givens about what had happened. “"What you did, you do admit that was wrong, am I correct?" the affidavit quotes the girl as asking Givens. The affidavit goes on to include Givens’ reply, which no doubt will be a cornerstone in the case against him. The story says Givens coaches a team in a league where the victim played against Givens' daughter, who is on a different team. Officials said no other girls have come forward to complain. Givens, who denies the allegations involving the girl, has no prior arrests in Florida, where he has lived since the late 1980s. The public records handbook profiles arrest affidavits on Page 23 and explains how to do statewide criminal background checks on Page 101.

June 29, 2004

June 28, 2004

Jaguars guard arrested after scuffle at bar: Police reports generate news of all kinds on a regular basis. The records trigger this story by Ken Lewis of The Florida Times-Union about Jacksonville Jaguars football player Christopher K. Naeole’s arrest on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge after a bar tussle. “According to a police report, a Jacksonville Beach police officer saw a 320-pound man in a shoving match with staff members of the Ritz Bar at 185 Third Ave. N. at closing time and ordered them to stop. The big man lunged at one of the employees again, and the officer zapped him, the report said. The 6-foot, 3-inch man was cooperative after being tased, said the officer, who had been working off-duty for the Ritz.” Naeole is a guard on the Jaguars’ offensive line. The public records handbook covers arrest reports on Page 23.

Lauderdale police cracking down on jaywalkers: Public agencies keep a wide variety of interesting statistics that are part of the public record. Stats on jaywalking from the local circuit court clerk’s office add context to this story by Buddy Nevins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about efforts to crackdown on jaywalkers in Fort Lauderdale. “On average, 400 jaywalking tickets are issued in Broward every year, according to the Clerk of Courts Office. That is just a tiny fraction of the average 500,000 traffic tickets handed out annually in Broward, according to state statistics.” Of course, such efforts by law enforcement aren’t appreciated in all quarters. “"How in God's name a city that is going broke can afford to have police officers stationed around a building just to issue $47 tickets …. I guess they don't have anything better to do," Olmedo Ramos complained in an e-mail to the Sun-Sentinel. The story also draws upon a study by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which shows that “there were 484 Florida pedestrians killed and 7,447 injured in 2002.” The public records handbook profiles traffic court records at the circuit court clerk’s office on Page 354.

June 25, 2004

Lawsuits over Orange Convention Center multiply: Lawsuit case files drive this story by Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel about construction companies suing to collect millions of dollars they say they are still owed from the expansion of the Orange County Convention Center, described as the largest public construction project in Central Florida history. Says the story: “As Orange County heads toward a possible trial with one subcontractor, at least five others have filed lawsuits related to the $748 million expansion project, which added a 3 million-square-foot building to the convention center. It opened in September.” The documents outline an array of gripes about disorganization and unpaid bills on a project one subcontractor called “a screwed up mess.” Only one of the lawsuits, however, targets Orange County government as a defendant. One company that installed air-conditioning ducts is suing a trade contractor above it and being sued by a subcontractor below it. The public records handbook covers civil lawsuit case files on Page 82.

Cost of road project balloons: Public records can help alert taxpayers about potential budget problems before they happen. Joe Humphrey of The Tampa Tribune compared the solicit-for-bid documents to the actual bidding results for a major state highway project in Hillsborough County to show how the project’s budget will burst. “The lowest bidder for the project tabbed Links I – a reconstruction of the roads and ramps that connect State Road 60, Memorial Highway, Interstate 275 and the Veterans Expressway – said it could do the work for about $185.8 million.” That's more than $15 million beyond the budget the Florida Department of Transportation proposed to pay for the untangling of those highways, vital links that carry drivers to northwest Hillsborough County, Clearwater and Tampa International Airport. The story says the payout could go up about another $5 million – pushing the project’s total cost to nearly $195 million – because of performance-based incentives. The public records handbook covers bids and contracts records on Page 33 and Florida Department of Transportation project files on Page 201.

Church Street, Orlando near deal: City agreement documents and lien records assist Mark Schlueb of the Orlando Sentinel in this story about an effort to add new attractions to downtown Orlando's Church Street Station, once one of the state's most prominent tourist spots. A new agreement proposed by the city would pay the developers $1.5 million in incentive money over three installments, the first due 10 days after it's signed. The developers vow to bring at least 300 employees by the end of this year and 500 by the end of next. Previous work backed by the city stalled when owners Lou Pearlman and Robert Kling failed to pay contractors. The story says they owed at least 10 companies a total of $2.1 million based on construction liens filed against the property. The public records handbook profiles legislative action by local governments on Page 263 and liens records on Page 266.

June 24, 2004

June 23, 2004

June 22, 2004

Ocala eatery closed over food violations: Public records can provide diners with important details about their local restaurants. Restaurant inspection reports assist Austin L. Miller of the Ocala Star-Banner in reporting about the shutdown of the Chinese Super Buffet in Ocala due to health violations. Authorities closed the eatery – at least temporarily – after they found it “in violation of more than two dozen regulations including food being left out overnight, the presence of dead roaches in the kitchen and the restaurant being used as a living quarters.” Inspection reports dating to December from the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation indicated various previous violations, including dead roaches and a mop sink near the employee restroom being used as a urinal, the story said. The public records handbook covers DBPR restaurant inspection reports on Page 334.

June 21, 2004

June 18, 2004

Slain EWC student's family files campus-safety suit: A lawsuit prompts this story by Tia Mitchell of The Florida Times-Union about a family suing the private Edward Waters College for wrongful death in connection with a son’s April shooting death on campus. Authorities still have no arrest in the April slaying of 18-year-old freshman Johnathan Glenn from Chicago, who was killed outside his dorm by a robber the very week he had written a paper for class on his concerns about campus security. Among claims from the plaintiff: Some school video cameras have been inoperable for years, campus lighting is inadequate and the college failed to secure the campus perimeter by building fences, walls or controlled-access gates to prevent unauthorized people from entering. The public records handbook covers civil lawsuit case files on Page 82.

June 17, 2004

Investigation focuses on blueprints: Details from a search warrant power this story by Akilah Johnson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about a business owner under investigation in the peddling of jet engine blueprints stolen from Pratt & Whitney's Hartford, Conn. headquarters. Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents searched Russell Mazer's Riviera Beach aircraft supply business last week and seized blueprint copies, invoices, and typewriter ribbons, the search warrant said. Mazer and two others were arrested and charged in March with making $1.5 million in fraudulent insurance claims after alleging that a small fire caused structural damage to his Boca Raton home. The search warrant also included information about that fire as provided by one of Pratt’s employees, the story says. The public records handbook covers search warrant records on Page 340.

June 16, 2004

Schools graded as a success by state, a flop by feds: The release of public information – such as Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores for schools – can result in localized news stories popping up statewide the next day. In this one, Ron Matus and Matthew Waite of the St. Petersburg Times explore how schools can land an A on state-level test scores but yet fail under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. “Under the state's grading system, nearly half of the schools earned A's. Under the federal system, nearly 80 percent were deemed in need of improvement. The oddity: Hundreds of schools fell into both categories.” This is a good explainer piece for parents on how and why state and federal standards clash and what it can mean. Incidentally, while school FCAT scores are public record and readily available from schools and the Florida Department of Education, individual test scores are not public. The public records handbook profiles the state DOE Web site on Page 177.

June 15, 2004

Veteran Lauderdale Lakes commissioner claims no improper re-election campaign donations: Campaign finance records are at the heart of this story by Toni Marshall of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about veteran City Commissioner Levoyd Williams’ scramble to explain finance records showing that $1,450 in contributions listed in his March re-election campaign were reported after a state-mandated deadline. The story notes the “inconsistencies surfaced in public records due last week as part of a final accounting of campaign collections and spending in the March 9 city election. State law requires that contributions halt five days prior to Election Day and that any late dollars collected must be returned.” The story, based on a review of the records, goes into detail about when the questionable contributions were made and by whom. Williams blamed his campaign treasurer for sloppy bookkeeping and signing the commissioner's name on public documents as part of what the commissioner termed “a big mess.” The public records handbook profiles candidate campaign finance reports on Page 60.

June 14, 2004

Debate centers on budget, skill: What isn’t public record factors heavily into this sheriff’s race story by Grant Boxleitner of the Fort Myers News-Press. Lee County Sheriff Rod Shoap says challenger Mike Scott does not have the knowledge or experience to be sheriff. Scott disagrees but admits he did not pass his sergeant’s promotional exam given by Santa Fe Community College two years ago, a fact Shoap doesn’t let go unnoticed. Scott said he never wanted to be a sergeant; he wants to be sheriff so he can cause change. His opponent, however, says the test underscores how Scott isn’t up to the task and he accused his opponent of trying to hide the results from the public. The exam Scott did not pass tests knowledge of writing reports and identifying accurate information in prepared reports, a sheriff’s office official said. The actual results are exempt by law, however, and so far Scott “has refused to sign a waiver request by sheriff’s attorney George Mitar that would make his sergeant’s exam a public record.” Scott said he didn’t want to drive all the way to Gainesville to look at his test, and he doesn’t plan to make it public. He said he still hasn’t seen it. “Those laws are there for a reason,” he said.

Waterfront prices skyrocket: Property appraiser records analyzed by Matthew Waite of the St. Petersburg Times drive this jaw-dropping special report on the rising prices of waterfront properties in Pinellas County. Prices of waterfront homes and condos have increased more than twice as fast as real estate off the water and rising as much as 10 times faster than inflation. A couple who bought a home for $295,000 three years ago on the Intracoastal Waterway and added $275,000 for improvements just put it on the market for $717,000. One Clearwater Beach Realtor reports selling an $880,000 condo over the phone to an out-of-state buyer who didn't see the unit until just before closing the deal. Notes the story: “The median price of waterfront single-family houses in Pinellas tops a half-million dollars. That's 136 percent more than in 1998. Waterfront condos have a median price of $270,000, up 106 percent since 1998.” The public records handbook covers property appraiser records on Page 322.

June 11, 2004

City leaders bracing for budget cuts: City and county budgets are public record, and residents statewide are soon to be seeing stories such as this one in the Tallahassee Democrat about the annual budget preparations now underway. Staff writer Todd Wright reports that Tallahassee “City Manager Anita Favors' budget proposal already calls for $8.4 million in service cuts and eliminates 23 city positions, but more cuts could be added as budget discussions progress.” While state government’s fiscal year begins on July 1, the budget year for most cities, counties, special districts and authorities begins on Oct. 1. More and more local governments are posting their budgets online, as they should be. The public records handbook covers budget records on Page 53.

June 10, 2004

Case closed against ex-chief: State attorney files in a criminal case become public record after the case has ended. Records obtained by Casey Woods of the Miami Herald figure prominently in this story about the state attorney’s conclusion that sufficient evidence didn’t exist to prosecute a criminal allegation against a former North Bay Village police chief accused of writing obscene letters to a city activist. Notes the story: “Former police chief Irving Heller was not entirely vindicated, however: the investigation report included sworn statements that implicate him in the writing of the two letters to activist Fane Lozman, and in the possible misuse of official police searches to seek information on Lozman. Heller also lied to Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators about the latter, according to the report.” The FDLE probe began after the city manager reviewed the letters to Lozman and, thinking the handwriting could be Heller’s, decided to call the state agency. The story says the letters were scrawled with obscenities and included a crude drawing of two men engaged in a sexual act. For more on state attorney case files, see Page 328 of the public records handbook.

June 8, 2004

Grade schools pressed to offer foreign language: Statistics from the Florida Department of Education assist the Orlando Sentinel’s Denise-Marie Balona and Tania deLuzuriaga in this story about Florida’s push to begin foreign-language instruction in the lower grades to boost reading and math skills. “The movement has critics, many of whom question whether public schools should take on Spanish, French and other languages when 34 percent of third-graders can't read well in English, according to 2004 statewide test scores.” The story also notes that in 2003, 57 schools – 3 percent – offered some type of world-language instruction compared with 88 percent of high schools, state records show. The most common language taught: Spanish. Orange County plans to slowly expand language programs starting next school year and to have every elementary school teaching foreign language within 10 years, the story says. The public records handbook explores a wealth of FDOE statistics on Page 177.

June 7, 2004

Copter crash victim's children sue pilot's widow, estate: A video of a copter crash turned over to The Tampa Tribune by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after a public records request aids reporter Joshua B. Good in reporting this unusual lawsuit story. The video is the center of a lawsuit involving a copter pilot who crashed into his friend videotaping his flight on the ground below. William Harter died after his buddy and copter pilot Donn Goodson crashed into him after flying over him four times in a row. “On the fifth pass, Harter didn't flinch until the two-seat helicopter crashed into him. It all was caught on tape,” the story says. Goodson later died as well. Harter’s children are suing Goodson's widow and his estate in Hillsborough County circuit court, claiming horseplay resulted in wrongful death. Goodson, a prominent strawberry farmer, did not have a federal license to pilot the copter, according to the story. The public records handbook covers civil lawsuit case files on Page 82.

SFCC’s student president arrested: Public records often generate some the hottest news going on a college campus. An arrest report obtained by Lise Fisher of the Gainesville Sun indicates the “student body president at Santa Fe Community College is facing a felony grand theft charge, based on allegations he stole text books.” College police arrested Syed Hasan, 20, a citizen of Pakistan, in regard to the theft and resale of four textbooks to the college books store. He was released Friday from the Alachua County jail but was ordered by a judge to surrender his passport. A school spokesman said Hasan had been elected student body president about a month earlier. The public records handbook covers arrest reports on Page 23.

June 4, 2004

June 3, 2004

State fines Sumter candidates: Documents from the Florida Elections Commission reviewed by Jodie Munro O’Brien of The Daily Commercial in Leesburg indicate two Sumter County political candidates received fines for election law violations. A $500 fine went to Villages resident Richard J. Belles, a candidate for the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections, while Villages resident Dick Hoffman received a $200 penalty. Hoffman is running for the District One seat on the Sumter County Commission.” The fines for both involved omissions on political advertisements and stemmed from complaints to the elections commission. Notes the story: “The consent orders from the elections commission also state the commission found the violations ‘minor’ and that both Belles and Hoffman ‘neither admits nor denies’ any violations occurred.”

June 2, 2004

Water users targeted: Information from a database on water users from Jacksonville’s public utility aids P. Douglas Filaroski of the Jacksonville Business Journal in this story about efforts to curb water use by high-end users. The story lists several examples of people who made more of a splash than water officials preferred, including a couple who used more water to irrigate property at their 9,600-square-foot home than the average Jacksonville Electric Authority customer would use in 29 years. “In May, JEA officials approved a targeted rate hike aimed at slowing the flow among such high-end users after state regulators asked the utility to do more to encourage conservation of the Floridian aquifer. Now the question is how much the rate hikes set to take effect after the summer will affect high-end water users.” The public records handbook covers public utility customer records on Page 332.