05/19/2007
The big news breaking this week is Florida Blogging Gone Wild.It all started with a great idea called Blog Florida Blue, a concerted effort to bring Democrats back into the Florida political power seat.
The Florida Progressive Coalition Paul Revere-ed the cause with "The Dems are Coming! The Dems are Coming!" and dished up great ideas about organizing Florida's progressive bloggers as a united front here.
The Florida DNC will lunch with Florida bloggers at the upcoming Jefferson Jackson Gala to discuss ideas to help deliver Florida’s 27 electoral votes to the Democratic nominee in 2008. The event is June 9, 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood. Read more (and get your ticket!) here.
Kudos to Sinfonian of Blast Off! for running with the Frog's drop-kick to Dave Weldon-R-FL. The site shares a common reverence for the Main Man, Howard Dean-The Frog loves, LOVES the good Doctor-whose recent appearance on The Colbert Report is YouTubed as "a political hero" for your viewing pleasure. Check it out.
I'm a sucker for two things: Floridalia and the protection of civil liberties. Newcomer blogger Talk to Me foxworthies "You know you're a Floridan when...." here. (Be certain to take the poll at the end of the post).
As far as serving up civil liberties with an ex post facto punishment twist, activist Terry Brown will take up residence under the Julia Tuttle Causeway in Miami, June 15. (The story was originally broadcast by CNN and USA Today.) Although viewed as a political grenade to those in power who refuse to address the collateral damage of hysteric state and federal laws based on the misrepresentation of cold, hard facts, let us never forget-these methods have been effectively implemented by a modern Western nation before. Fear, segregation of a powerless people, Draconian laws and the use of children quickly turned the German people into sheeple by none other than the biggest war criminal of that time...Adolph Hitler.
To end on a lighter-ironic-note. Tampa Bay's Back Door Ways serves up Mark Foley on a Plate with a classic Wanda Sykes skewering. View the YouTube here. (Mucho gracias, Vox)!
FYI...it's gator mating season. Keep an eye out for gators on the p-r-o-w-l.
See ya.
7 comments:
Sunny, thanks for this. In these witch hunts I see so many similarities to Hitler. If I had more time today I have an excellent photo demo of something very close to what you are discussing here. Excellent !!!
It is another exact grab for 'protect the children' (this way, the witch hunt way, the hitler way) it's sick.
I am enamored of your writing. Not sure how I survived without people like you !
We all seem to find each other eventually-through writing, through activism in whatever way-and that's a good thing for the sheeple...because honestly, vox-the "I don't know, I don't know, everything is status quo for me, so everything must be OK" types really do not know what end is up as their heads are so far up that same rear end!
But it's the others whose lives have been impacted by laws are based on hysteria and flat fabrication-those are the people we fight for.
And that includes children-those kids that suffer the collateral damage and victimizations of these laws, the kids politicians don't want to think about-but I guess some children in this country are worth more than others.
My sweet revenge is when these impacted kids-the ones who have watched their parents stripped of self-respect, of the ability to make a living, the American way, whatever that is these days-grow up to be pro bono civil rights attorneys....ha HA!
What cracks me up is the fact that Mark Foley was a driving force behind the Adam Walsh Act...un-freaking-believable.
Have a great rest of the day!
Time to come back to reality!!!! Hitler was a democrat enough said.
Thanks for not moving the conversation forward with your comment, Anon.
People gotta know what's really going on and why. Usually its all about Big $$$$$$.
These days Surfside is governed by officials who idolize Sunny Isles and examples of overdevelopment. They hide behind phony concocted PR images and publicity stunts while they masquerade as "preservationists" -- they are just building a Trojan horse to fool people and to destroy one of the last remaining posts of public service oriented home towns. The new town government has already begun changing rules to favor developers and variances, passing larger and more wasteful budgets to siphon off public money for special interest gains, and turning the tide to sell out Surfside's future. Mayor Charles Burkett and Vice Mayor Howard Weinberg lead the fakery that fronts for profiteers.
Looking back in the recent past though Surfside and its former officials stood up for the public interest and proved themselves worthy of holding public office. Just look at the facts of the County's effort to bring commercial development to Haulover Regional Public Park and Marina, and figure it all out for yourself. Check it out. Find the facts. People like Paul Novack, Alan Rubin, Tim Will, Frank Macbride, Melba Manero, Eduardo Rodriuez, Orestes Jimenez, and other really courageous people stood up consistently for serving honesty and public service, not the closest connection to a buck. Look very closely at how "business" in South Florida really works.
Haulover Regional Park "Development Plan"
Timeline of Facts and Events
(All Source Documents Are Identified in Parenthesis and all are available for verification)
The people of Florida vote to reject a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have legalized casino gambling. (State election records)
The people of Florida vote to reject another proposed state constitutional amendment that would have legalized casino gambling. (State election records)
03-87 An "obscure amendment" to a bill pending before the Florida Legislature is sponsored by then State Senator Gwen Margolis; the amendment and the bill are enacted into law, thus "legalizing" gambling ships known as "cruises to nowhere." (Source: Gambling Magazine, Gambling News, article #14/41)
Alpha Hospitality Corporation is incorporated in Delaware with offices in New York. (Source: Alpha corporate/public documents, SEC filing)
The people of Florida vote to reject a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have legalized "limited casinos." (State election records)
01-96 President of an Alpha casino operation in Mississippi convicted of laundering $200,000.00 in cocaine profits, no evidence of company involvement. (Source: Miami Herald)
Mississippi gambling commission agents serve emergency order of closure and suspension upon Alpha's gambling ship "Jubilation" in Lakeshore, Mississippi. (Source: Miami Herald)
Miami-Dade County obtains State permit to expand marina at Haulover Park
County Parks and Recreation Department issues "Presolicitation Review Request" seeking to initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) process instead of the Competitive Sealed Bid process in order to "secure a concessionaire" to provide a gaming vessel to be based at Haulover Beach Park Marina. (Source: County document, public record)
Miami-Dade County issues and publishes a Request for Proposals (RFP140) to solicit a gambling and entertainment vessel at Haulover Park. (Source:County document, public record)
03-98 Alpha sells its interest in Mississippi based gambling ship "Bayou Caddy's Jubilee Casino" to Greenville Casino Partners, L.P., and obtains an interest in GCP in Greenville, Mississippi. (Source: Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
03-98 Alpha Hospitality Corp. becomes a "holding company" and "vehicle to effect acquisitions." (Source: Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
Alpha responds to Miami-Dade County's RFP with a proposal to install and operate a gambling vessel at Haulover, stating in its proposal that "Alpha has had a keen interest in developing the entertainment cruise business from Haulover Beach Park Marina for some time." (Source: Alpha response to County RFP, public record)
The Bal Harbour Village Commission votes to retain lobbyist Ron Book to lobby for the development of an "executive golf course" at Haulover Park; County Commission Chair Gwen Margolis told village officials that "Ron Book represents [as a lobbyist] the County Parks Department and he is the logical person to hire;" a conflict of interest issue was raised but disregarded based upon the assurance from Commissioner Margolis that "this is the way [the County] does business all the time." (Source: Minutes of the Bal Harbour Village Council meeting of 4-21-98).
Jeffrey Crowley files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
Regina Hensley files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
Theodore Negro files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
Eston Melton files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
Chad Williard files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) adopts resolution regarding intended County acquisition of state submerged land adjacent to Haulover Park; payment from County to State in the amount of $2.50 per acre; 81.2 acres of submerged land in Biscayne Bay requested to be transferred from the State of Florida to Miami-Dade County; uses of said submerged land shall be strictly restricted to public purposes only. (Source: County document, public record, Legislative Item, file no. Thomas Carlos files Lobbyist registration reflecting representation of Alpha Hospitality Corporation before the Board of County Commissioners. (Source: County public record)
The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, State of Florida, approves conveyance of submerged lands to Miami-Dade County to be "used solely and perpetually for public purposes." (FDEP record)
02-99 Miami-Dade County releases Request for Proposals (RFP) with regard to the management of "highly profitable" county marinas, and the county has its own Parks Department seek the "award" of that RFP. (Source: County RFP, public records)
Resolution introduced into agenda of M-D Board of County Commissioners to approve execution of lease/contract with Alpha Hospitality, Inc. for operation of gambling vessel at Haulover (adopted and approved on 4-27-99). (Source: Master Report, File Number, County public record)
M-D Board of County Commissioners authorizes County contract with Alpha Florida Entertainment Corporation to operate a gambling vessel from Haulover Beach Park Marina. Commission records reflect a discussion recognizing that "the proposed resolution would be a significant change in Commission policy" that would "set a precedent for other marinas and parks to institute gambling as a common park feature." (Source: County public record, Master Report, File Number According to Alpha documents, Miami-Dade County notifies Alpha Florida Entertainment Inc. and parent company Alpha Hospitality Corporation of final lease approval for Haulover Park, regarding a five year lease with two subsequent options each for additional five year periods. (Source: Alpha corporate/public documentation, SEC filing)
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) votes to approve lease at Haulover to Alpha. Lease provisions include compensation to the County as follows: guaranteed base rent in the amount of $126,000.00 per year, $5.50 per passenger boarding the gambling vessel, plus 5% of all gross sales for retail items sold from Alpha's facility to be built inside of Haulover Park. (Source: Memorandum from County Manager to BCC regarding later assignment of lease from AFE, INC. TO AFE LLC, County public record)
Alpha sells gambling vessel "Jubilation" in Lakeshore, Mississippi to Casino Ventures; Alpha obtains an interest in Casino Ventures. (Source: Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
07-00 County Manager recommends and Board of County Commissioners approve of the selection of the County's own Parks Department as "winner" of RFP for management of county marinas, including a Memorandum of Understanding with marina employees that provides for bonuses ("gainsharing") for employees should marina financial targets be exceeded. (Source: Efficiency and Competition Commission Efficiency Projects, status document, County public record)
A Resolution is introduced to the Board of County Commissioners such as to assign the contract and lease for the operation of a gambling ship at Haulover Park Beach Marina from Alpha Florida Entertainment, Inc., and its parent company Alpha Hospitality corporation to Alpha Florida Entertainment LLC (said Resolution was withdrawn from the agenda process by the Board of County Commissioners on November 14, 2000, after the matter had been deferred at the request of the County Manager on October 3, 2000). (Source: Public records, Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners)
10-00 Miami-Dade County implements new "Memorandum of Understanding" with which county employees at public park marinas would be entitled to "gainsharing" - "financial bonuses" linked to their marina exceeding financial "targets." County employees at Haulover would be entitled to receive payments for Haulover Marina providing even more profit to the county than anticipated. See: "Efficiency and Competition Commission Project Report," County Park and Recreation Department, public record.
10-00 Alpha Florida merged into Alpha Florida LLC, acquiring 75% of the ownership of AF, and receives $900,00.00 from an "unrelated third party" for a 25% interest in Alpha Florida LLC. (Source: Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
Inaugural cruise of "Ella Star" from Haulover Park. (Source: Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
Miami-Dade County applies for State FDEP permits to modify marina project to accommodate a gambling vessel with a 200 foot berth and the relocation of piers and expansion of walkways.
The Surfside Town Commission votes unanimously to oppose the development of a major commercial marina and to oppose the introduction of significant commercial activities into the public lands and waterways of Haulover Park and Marina.
At end of first nine (9) months of 2001, Alpha revenue reported to have risen from $187,000 to $3,000,000. (Alpha corporate/public document, SEC filing)
Alpha "temporarily suspends" operation of Ella Star from Haulover, citing an economic downturn, pending review of potential reopening or divestiture. (Alpha press release and Alpha corporate/public document, SEC)
Alpha parent company's stock hits 52 week high. (Source: Finance/market guide, Internet reports regarding ALPHA)
FDEP issues notice of denial to Miami-Dade County, denying applications for environmental resource permit and for use of submerged lands. The denial notice finds that the County's present use and its intended future use of the submerged lands it obtained from the State violated the "public purpose" restrictions of the transfer and to be inconsistent with the protection of the environment, the interests of the Biscayne Aquatic Preserve, and inconsistent with policies regarding the management of public property. FDEP finds that the submerged lands previously conveyed to the County have automatically reverted to the State of Florida. County officials appeal the FDEP Denial Order; County Parks Department seeks to proceed with the project.
Gambling ship "temporarily" leaves Haulover Park Marina as County moves forward with plans for Park "redevelopment" and development of commercial marina.
Miami-Dade County appeals the FDEP Denial Order claiming that a casino operation operated out of a public park and marina serves a "public purpose" and that it may lease public property for casino gambling and other commercial operations at Haulover Park and Marina.
"Miami-Dade County files an appeal from a state agency decision to deny permit modifications and to take back marina sovereign land at Haulover Beach Park, a move that could delay the County's planned redevelopment of the marina. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection took back the submerged marina land Nov. 30 because the County allowed the Ella Star casino boat to operate there. The Department of Environmental Protection sold the county for a nominal amount, provided it be used "solely and perpetually for public purposes." The county said in its administrative appeal, filed Thursday, that a casino boat has a public purpose and that the state's decision betrays an anti-gambling bias. DEP officials have denied such a bias." (In South Florida, the Miami-Herald, Saturday, December 15, 2001).
Sierra Club (Miami Chapter) meets to hear and review Haulover Park Redevelopment Project presentation from representatives of Miami-Dade County. After considering the plan the Sierra Club declined the County Parks Department's request for an endorsement of the project.
Town Council of the Town of Golden Beach re-opens discussions on County's Haulover Park Redevelopment project, hears presentations from Miami-Dade County Parks Department and from the Town of Surfside, reviews plan related documents and drawings; Golden Beach Town Council unanimously reiterates its opposition to commercial development of Haulover Park and Marina and its support of the position taken by the Town of Surfside.
According to Alpha's parent company: "On December 19, 2001, the Company's subsidiary, Alpha Florida Entertainment, Inc., terminated its lease with Miami-Dade County, in connection with its Ella Star Casino. No provision has been recorded for any future amounts related to any contractual agreements entered into by Alpha Florida Entertainment, L.L.C. ("Alpha Florida LLC") or Alpha Florida Entertainment, Inc., its predecessor." (SEC filings of Alpha Hospitality Corp.).
County terminates its contract with Alpha Entertainment Corporation. The Ella Star has left Haulover, and the trailers it had been using as ticket and administrative offices inside of the Park have been removed. The County still appeals the FDEP order, seeking to have it voided, and attempting to proceed with as much of the commercial development plan as possible, particularly the commercial marina in public waters. (Source: County public records)
Howard Gregg, Assistant Director of County Park and Recreation Department, predicts that the County will settle the Haulover matter with FDEP and that "settlement will effectively result in the withdrawal of the County appeal, nullification of the DEP's order, and the issuance of a permit for the new marina project." See: Memorandum from W. Howard Gregg to Patricia A. Keon, County Commission Aide, public record.
Board of County Commissioners votes unanimously to approve the County's own plan for "redevelopment" of Haulover Park and waterway. County continues negotiations with the state seeking to retain County control over Haulover's pubic waterways and to obtain final permits for construction of major commercial marina in Biscayne Aquatic Preserve.
Four former officers of Alpha Hospitality Corporation are indicted on charges including tax and bank fraud; the 33 count indictment is issued by federal authorities in New York. Stanley Tollman, one of the individuals indicted, had stepped down as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha in February 2002. According to Alpha documents "the company is not involved in this proceeding and has no information concerning circumstances related to the indictments, other than that made public by the parties." Source: Miami Herald, Wire Service Report and Alpha Hospitality Corp's SEC filings.
9-16-02 Officials of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Miami Dade County conclude a settlement without public meetings or hearings that effectively nullifies most of the prior FDEP denial order and allows the County to proceed with its plans for the development of a major new marina in public waters of the Biscayne Aquatic Preserve and Manatee Protection Area. See: Settlement Agreement, public record of the State of Florida. Funding for the implementation of those plans remains unidentified.
And the drum beat of the profiteers continues as they seek new angles to ply their trade.
The timeline of events and players in the situation at Haulover Park in the Miami area reflects the problem that Florida faces. Big money, developers, lobbyists, politicos, self service, influence peddling for profit, all overshadowing the public interest, overcoming preservation and rationality, using public money for private gain, and squandering Florida's environmental and economic resources.
How can we stop it?
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