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Showing posts with label Miami-Dade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miami-Dade. Show all posts

Saturday, 15 June 2013

Less Money, More Problems: Crime and Income Disparity in Greater Homestead

Posted on 17:28 by Unknown


According to US News and World Reports using 2010  figures from the Department of Justice, the less you have, the more you have to lose, apparently. Looking at the correlation between property crime and household income levels, the DOJ found that those with a household income of less than $7,500 were subject to the highest rate of property crime--200 per 1,000 households. Households earning $50,000 or more were victims of far fewer incidents of property crime--less than 140 per 1,000 households. See the graphic to the left to get a better sense of the data.

HIH used ZipAtlas to bring below poverty level numbers into perspective for the Greater Homestead zip codes. One can quickly discern the more affluent areas in blue from the less affluent areas in red and everything in between.  This Google Map with poverty data overlay reflects zip code 33031, Redland and Redland Edge areas as having the least household poverty at 4.79% followed closely by zip code 33035, Keys Gate at 5.23%.  Conversely, Florida City in red has 34.54% of households below the poverty level. 
According to the Census Bureau Quick Facts the City of Homestead has a median income of $38,724 below Miami-Dade county average of $43,957 and well below the Florida average of $47,827.  The map reflects an obvious disparity between haves and have nots with no meaningful geographic boundary with the exception of the Florida Turnpike. The highway by itself is not a significant deterrence as well as the gates for the communities limiting access to residents and authorized visitors. The contrast in income may be indicative of why sporadic crime waves occur in Keys Gate as recently experienced in North Gate.  It appears Keys Gate is a relatively more affluent enclave surrounded by significant poverty and nothing short of more community vigilance, activation of the AT&T Protection One alarm system by residents and increased police patrols is going to work to minimize property crime in the area.  
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Posted in AT&T Protection One, Florida, Florida City, Greater Homestead, Homestead, Keys Gate, Miami-Dade, North Gate, Poverty Level, Redland, Redland Edge | No comments

Sunday, 26 May 2013

Miami-Dade County PAB Meeting: Proposed Annexation to Florida City

Posted on 15:05 by Unknown
When: On Monday June 3rd 2013 at 3:30PM 
Where:  111 NW 1st Street 
               Miami FL 33128 
County Commission Chambers 

This notification is located in the Neighbors Section of the Miami Herald Page 19SW on Sunday May 26th 2013.



"An application to annex the area depicted below in the City of Florida City has been filed.  As required by Section 20-7 of the Miami-Dade Code, this letter is to notify you that a public hearing on a boundary change application filed by the city of Florida City is scheduled for June 3rd 2013, 3:30PM in front of the Miami-Dade county Planning Advisory Board (PAB) at the address shown above.  The Code requires notification to all property owners within the boundaries of the proposed annexation and 600 feet thereof.  you are welcome to attend and participate in the public hearing.  This area is approximately bounded on the North by SW 352nd Street, on the South by SW 384 Street on the west by SW 192nd Avenue and on the east by SW 180th Ave.  In general, the municipal type services currently provided by the County are local police, public works, code enforcement, and building services.  If annexation is approved, the City of Florida City will provide these services.

Municipal millage rate for the proposed annexation area is the FY 2012-13 unincorporated millage rate of 1.9283.  If the area were part of the City of Florida City the FY 2012-13 millage rate of 7.75 would be applied, and increase of 5.8217 mills, the average property owner would pay an additional $233 in municipal taxes."

HIH POV:

We believe this notification should have been made available online and not in an obscure section of the Miami Herald tucked away where no one reads it.  There is a significant impact to the residents in this area and they need to be notified directly and publicly with the widest dissemination possible.  A newspaper is not sufficient with advances in technology.  It would have cost less money to place the add online unless of course the motive was to not inform the residents. Then the objective may have been achieved if not for citizen volunteers that offer this information to this blog.

You may direct inquiries to:
@pzdirector@floridacityfl.com
@mayor@floridacityfl.com

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Posted in Annexation, Florida City, Miami-Dade, PAB, Planning Advisory Board | No comments

Saturday, 25 May 2013

Miami-Dade property assessments online next week

Posted on 03:47 by Unknown

BY MARTHA BRANNIGAN

MBRANNIGAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM


The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser plans to post assessed values for 2013 on its website by June 1 as part of an effort to make it easier for residents to contest assessments..
In the past, the information hasn’t been available until TRIM notices get mailed in mid to late August.
Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who took office as property appraiser in January, said the goal is to provide additional time and opportunity for property owners to question valuations directly with the appraiser and seek changes outside the formal appeals process.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/24/3414585/miami-dade-property-assessments.html#storylink=cpy

Read full article on link below:

Miami-Dade property assessments online next week - Business - MiamiHerald.com

HIH POV:

This is a significant revamp to the system and potentially a defining moment in Carlos Lopez-Cantera's tenure as Miami-Dade Property Appraiser.  If this turns out to be his only improvement at least it's a good one.  This change will have a positive
lasting effect on the citizens of the county.
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Posted in Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Miami-Dade, Property Appraiser, Property Assessments, Property Taxes, TRIM | No comments

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Proposed New Southwest Expressway: A Highway to Urban Sprawl in South Dade

Posted on 15:36 by Unknown
The proposed Southwestern extension of 836 MDX Toll Expressway appears to be a breath of fresh air to the residents of West Kendall.  An alternate route to the job centers of Miami-Dade county that will enable the residents to cut their commute time and frustrations of bumper to bumper traffic on Florida Turnpike (SR 821) and Don Shula Expressway (SR 874).  Residents won't be able to escape the tolls though as all expressways ran by MDX have this funding mechanism.

With a highway of this magnitude in the western reaches of the county one can only expect more housing, shopping centers and other aspects of urbanization or in the case urban sprawl.  It happened in Broward county and we will be no different. You can expect there will be a push to extend the UDB further west.  The forces to make this happen are gearing up for a fight on both sides of the issue.  On one side the Developers and construction interests.  They are very powerful in the county as they are able to influence MDX and the Board of Commissioners via lobbyist as well as campaign contributions for the latter.  On the other there will be Farmers and Environmental Activists who would like to preserve their agricultural way of life and the Everglades.  A compromise is inevitable so stay tuned as the study gets underway.

Purple Route:  Non-Starter.  It traverses residential areas along SW 137th Ave from the current terminus of SR 836 at NW 12th ST/SW 137th Ave to The southeast corner of Tamiami Executive Airport. The North Kendall residents are very vocal and worse for politicians:  They Vote!

Red Route:  Traverses Urban Development Boundary (UDB).  Environmentalists will be up in arms.  Miccosukee Tribe may support the effort if they buy off on the value of an entrance/exit to their casino. If not, they will align with the Environmentalists and Farmers and this route will be doomed from the get go.

Blue Route:  The most cumbersome route going in a southwesterly direction along the UDB until it aligns with Krome Avenue. This may be the path of least resistance but will be challenged by the Farmers and Environmentalists alike as it will bring urban sprawl to the western part of the county nearest to the Everglades. 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/10/3277911/new-expressway-idea-for-southwest.html#storylink=cpy


Reference Links:
New expressway idea for southwest Dade draws fire

Fred Grimm: Build it, and the strip malls will come – to Krome Avenue

MDX Future Projects
Image FPO

MDX State Road 836 Southwest Extension

This conceptual project would extend SR 836/Dolphin Expressway from NW 137th Avenue west and then southwest to SW 136th Street. This will provide interconnectivity with the SR 874/Don Shula Expressway Ramp Connector project. Such a connection would provide improved north-south access and mobility throughout the southwestern section of Miami-Dade County. 
General Information 
Public Kickoff Meeting
Alternatives
Public Workshop

Public Hearing
Project Conclusion Summary

Reference Link:
http://www.transitmiami.com/miami-dade-transit/lost-vision-miami-dade-transit-40-years-on
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Posted in 836, 874, BCC, Don Shula, Environmentalists, Expressway, Kendall, Krome, MDX, Miami-Dade, Miccosukee, Tamiami, Tribe, UDB, urban sprawl | No comments

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

City Shut Out of Election Wait Time Investigation

Posted on 09:35 by Unknown


By Christina Veiga

cveiga@MiamiHerald.com

Homestead wants to be part of an advisory group looking into why voting took so long in Miami-Dade County on Election Day — but the city won’t get a seat at the table.

Voters in Homestead waited more than four hours in some cases just to cast ballots during early and regular voting for the November general election. Many others around the county faced similar, monumental wait times.

So Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez put together an advisory group to look into what went wrong at the polls, and how to fix it.

Homestead City Clerk Elizabeth Sewell sent the county a letter on Nov. 19 requesting that she or the city manager be part of the group. But when Gimenez announced on Nov. 20 who would be on the task force, neither Homestead’s city clerk nor the city manager were on the list.

County spokesman Fernando Figueredo said the group members were chosen to give “wide representation” of county voters. The advisory group meets for the first time this week.

“The mayor wanted to go ahead and move forward with this group,” Figueredo said. “Now remember, this is the first meeting, so they might consider adding more folks as they move forward.”

Said Vice Mayor Jon Burgess: “It would be great if we had someone there...but we can’t, and now we need to look at what our next best avenue is.”

That next best avenue, Burgess said, may lead Homestead to the county Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Lynda Bell was named part of the task force, and she is a former mayor of the city whose current district includes Homestead. She still lives in the city.

Representatives in commissioner Bell’s office said they offered to the county several names of volunteers who had asked to be part of the task force. Of those volunteers, one was named to the group: Alice Ancona of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.

Homestead city officials did not make a request through Bell’s office to be part of the advisory committee, according to the commissioner’s chief of staff.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/27/3115831/homestead-officials-shut-out-of.html#storylink=cpy
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Posted in 2012 Elections, Homestead, Miami-Dade, Votes | No comments

Saturday, 20 October 2012

District 8 Commissioner Lynda Bell Gets Apology From Beacon Council After Discussing Funding And Oversight Changes

Posted on 03:00 by Unknown


Late Breaking Related Content:
Miami-Dade commissioner gets apology after calling out county's economic development agency
The chairman of Miami-Dade's top economic development agency apologized to County Commissioner Lynda Bell on Wednesday, a day after Bell publicly called out Beacon Council leaders from the dais.
 

"I feel very bad, personally, about any bad feelings you have about the meeting we had Monday," Joe Pallot, chairman of the Beacon Council's board of directors, said at a meeting of the commission's economic development and social services committee. "We really do want to work with you."
 

"I appreciate the apology," Bell said. "I think it may have come from the wrong person, but I do appreciate it."
 

Piped in Nero: "I echo anything my chairman may have said."
 

On Tuesday, Bell had said Pallot and Beacon Council President and CEO Frank Nero treated her and her staff "very rudely and disrespectfully" in a private meeting Monday, held in part to discuss Bell's proposal to renegotiate the 27-year-old Beacon Council's open-ended contract with the county.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/10/miami-dade-commissioner-gets-an-apology-after-calling-out-countys-economic-development-agency.html#storylink=cpy



By Patricia Mazzei
pmazzei@MiamiHerald.com


Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell turned up the heat Tuesday on a simmering political feud with the county’s economic development agency, the Beacon Council.
Bell proposed renegotiating the county’s open-ended contract with the Beacon Council — a move that agency leaders fear could threaten the 27-year-old council’s existence, or at least create uncertainty in its plans to expand and recruit businesses to Miami-Dade.

Friction between the Beacon Council and Bell became public in recent weeks, after Bell sent a letter to the editor raising concerns about the agency to a community newspaper that had published an editorial questioning the Beacon Council’s effectiveness — particularly in South Miami-Dade, where Bell’s district is located. The editorial prompted the Beacon Council’s lawyer to send the paper a letter demanding a retraction.

The Beacon Council has a big-picture focus, its leaders say, intended to attract businesses to grow the county’s economy as a whole. At least some commissioners, however, counter that the agency doesn’t do enough to help small businesses in their districts. More than half of the agency’s annual budget comes from $3.7 million in county funds.

The tension was evident Tuesday when Bell briefly presented her plan to have the commission more closely oversee the Beacon Council.

“I report to the people and to the taxpayers, not the Beacon Council or its board,” Bell said. “Many in my community, and many in yours on the dais, have been crying out for help.”

She ultimately deferred her measure at the meeting of the internal management and fiscal responsibility committee — but only after several other commissioners praised her proposal and vowed to support it. Bell pledged to bring back the legislation after meeting with members of the Beacon Council’s board of directors.

She sat down with the council board’s chairman, Joe Pallot, and with the Beacon Council’s president and chief executive officer, Frank Nero, on Monday in what Bell described as a contentious meeting.

“I was treated very rudely and disrespectfully, insulted — as was my chief of staff,” Bell said.
Nero and Pallot, who did not attend Tuesday’s committee, said in an interview before the meeting that they were concerned by Bell’s proposal, which they said they learned about only shortly before sitting down with the commissioner.

“My fear is that if our contract — and by extension our existence, our structure — is opened up, we’re going to chill all of the wonderful efforts of One Community One Goal,” Pallot said, referring to the five-year plan for the county’s economy. One of the people chairing that initiative is Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Pallot quickly added that he doesn’t think Bell wants to do away with the Beacon Council. But he said the agency and the commission could make some of the changes Bell proposed without renegotiating the entire contract.

The key proposal in Bell’s measure would delete the automatic renewal to the Beacon Council’s contract. Bell and other commissioners said they would prefer a contract set for a certain number of years with an option to renew.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/16/3052984/miami-dade-commissioner-takes.html#storylink=cpy

  http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2012/10/17/miami-dade-commissioners-want-more.html?page=all

  http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/121018/story3.shtml

  http://southdadematters.com/2012/10/10/bell-to-beacon-council-its-miller-time

 http://www.communitynewspapers.com/pinecrest/commissioner-bell-responds-to-beacon-council-questions/
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Posted in Beacon Council, Board of County Commissioners, City of Homestead, District 8, Florida City, Lynda Bell, Miami-Dade | No comments

Saturday, 22 September 2012

County Looking For Volunteers To Cleanup Environmentally Endangered Lands This Fall

Posted on 18:35 by Unknown


http://www.miamidade.gov/development/endangered-lands-volunteer.asp


You can get involved by participating in one of the workdays organized by the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program and helping to protect and restore natural areas in Miami-Dade County. The workdays are fun, hands-on activities throughout all kinds of interesting natural areas. Community hours are available through this volunteer program.

The 2012-13 volunteer season is here! Check out the Volunteer Workdays calendar .
Register in advance by emailing eel@miamidade.gov. You can also call 305-257-0933, ext. 227.
Workdays take place from 9 a.m. to noon. Please fill out the Volunteer Workdays form  and bring it to the event.
The next scheduled EEL Volunteer Workdays:
Wednesday, Sept. 26
Nixon Smiley Pineland Preserve
Entrance at SW 124th Street and SW 127th Avenue
Saturday, Sept. 29National Public Lands Day
Various locations
Please call 305-755-7973
Saturday, Oct. 6
Rockdale Pineland Preserve
SW 144th Street and SW 92nd Avenue
Saturday, Oct. 13
Florida City Pineland Preserve
SW 344th Street and SW 8th Avenue

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Posted in Environment, Miami-Dade, Things To Do | No comments

Friday, 21 September 2012

County Commission Approves $6B Budget

Posted on 18:42 by Unknown


$6 Billion Budget Approved in Miami-Dade

Mayor's plan approved, will close $400 million gap

By Julia Bagg
|  Friday, Sep 23, 2011 
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/6-Billion-Budget-Approved-in-Miami-Dade-130412143.html

After a late-night meeting that lasted from Thursday evening to Friday morning, Miami-Dade County commissioners finally approved a $6.12 billion budget for next year.

Commissioners got a late start on their debate, after hearing more than five hours of public comment beginning at 5 p.m., according to the Miami Herald.

Things didn't wrap up until after 3 a.m. Friday.

Under the plan, the county will close a $400 million budget gap in part by cutting more than 1,100 positions, some 500 of which are already vacant.

Mayor Carlos Gimenez's revised plan keeps a slimmer version of a popular "boot camp" alive for young offenders. It also keeps firefighters on water patrol.

Commissioners did get rid of a controversial tax rate hike that passed last year and approved Gimenez's plan to reduce the numbers of county departments from 42 to 25.
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Posted in Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade School Board, Taxes | No comments

Wednesday, 18 July 2012

Water I$$ue$: Julio Brea Says 36 PSI Can Be Lowered To 20 PSI, This Could Get Ugly

Posted on 05:51 by Unknown



Mayor Bateman discussed a letter that was received from the South Florida Water Management District pertaining to the non-compliance of the City of Homestead in terms of water usage. He noted there was a need to educate the City residents on water conservation measures.


City Manager Gretsas stated the Director of Public Works had crafted a memorandum about the initiatives that had been taken pertaining to this issue.

He mentioned the City Public Works Department had been working

closely with the South Florida Water Management District to handle this issue.


He commented from a practical perspective the Public Works Director had been avoiding purchasing water from Miami Dade County because of

the cost. He explained as staff starts reducing the water pressure there will be complaints from residents.

He suggested at this point the City may have to start purchasing waterfrom the County which would bringthe City into compliance with the South Florida Water Management District.


Unfortunately it is going to be costly for the City. He pointed out as the City commercial areas have grown and the customers have increased there is additional demand on the water.


Public Works Director Julio Brea stated the City could decrease the water pressure to 20psi and the water pressure is currently at 36psi but this could be a problem because of the public expectation regarding the water pressure. 

Does Anyone Like The Sound Of That?






He explained the City has different projects such as mandating that low flow toilets have to be installed for all new construction and the City gives rebates to customers that change their toilets from regular flow to low flow not only toilets but also faucets and shower heads. These programs were implemented along with the District to try and curb the public behavior in terms of water usage.


Mayor Bateman stressed his emphasis on this issue was pertaining to water conservation. City Manager Gretsas stated the short term solution to getting the City water usage from the South Florida Management District into compliance would be to purchase water from the County along with an education campaign.


Councilman Shelley stated the City was working on a project for increasing its deep water injection which would avoid this problem. He asked staff what was the status of that project. Public Works Director Julio Brea stated those were some of the long term solutions that involved the waste water treatment.



He commented if the capacity of the treatment plant was increased then the City could recharge back down but that was also costly. He advised the City design engineers have generated reports for the Department of Environmental Protection which is the state agency that is in charge of the waste water treatment plant.
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Posted in City Council, City Manager, Julio Brea, Mayor Bateman, Miami-Dade, SFWMD, Water | No comments

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Seminar To Address Political Corruption Next Wednesday

Posted on 11:23 by Unknown

                         FLORIDA IS #1

Joseph Centorino, Executive Director COE

How Can We Squeeze the
Sleaze Out of Florida Politics?

Political corruption may be common
It may even be pervasive
But is it INEVITABLE?

This recent report on WTSP 10 NEWS (Tampa/St. Pete) provides a good backdrop for this program
http://www.wtsp.com/video/1673055064001/1/Florida-Number-1-in-US-for-political-corruption

Featured Speakers

Dan Krassner
Executive Director
Integrity Florida
Integrity Florida is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute based in Tallahassee, Florida
whose mission is to promote integrity in government and expose public corruption.
SEE CURRENT NEWSLETTER @ http://tinyurl.com/7juept2
ATTACHED: CORRUPTION RISK REPORT – Florida Ethics Laws – FINAL REPORT 2012
www.IntegrityFlorida.org

Sabina Covo
Radio host and TV Contributor
CARACOL 1260
Covo is co-host of La Ventana with Pedro Sevcec and a regular contributor for news programs on
W Radio, ADN Chile, America TeVe, Telemundo and Mega TV. She is also a columnist for El Nuevo Herald
http://www.caracol1260.com/comunidad/bloggers/sabina-covo/blogs/1464823.aspx

Joseph Centorino
Executive Director
Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust
Centorino assumed this position following a 25-year career at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office where he was
Chief of the Public Corruption Division and oversaw the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed by public officers and employees
http://www.miamidadeethics.com/index.html


MODERATOR
Seth Gordon
GDB Miami
New Miami Forum

--------------------------------------------
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
8:30 – 10:00 A.M.

Breakfast Fee:
Members - $20.00
Non-members - $30.00

RSVP to: Cali@GDBMiami.com
(please include your name, organization, phone # and email address)
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Posted in 2012 Elections, City of Homestead, Corruption, Costs, Florida City, Investigation, Miami-Dade | No comments

Friday, 29 June 2012

Bowie's 1984 and Big Brother Come To Mind; Warrantless Cellphone Tracking Challenged In Courts

Posted on 18:43 by Unknown


May 25, 2012, 12:27pm, (Issue #736)
Posted in:Congress,Executive Branch,Law Enforcement,News Feature,Privacy,Search and Seizure
special to Drug War Chronicle by investigative journalist Clarence Walker, cwalkerinvestigate@gmail.com

In the wake of the US Supreme Court's January decision in United States v. Jones, in which the high court forbade the warrantless use of GPS tracking devices to surveil people's movements, law enforcement and the Obama administration are scrambling -- not to find ways to comply with the spirit of the ruling, but to find ways around it.




 Police in many states have switched tactics by obtaining mobile data to zero in on someone's prior movement and by tracking them through their cell phones, usually without a warrant. Whenever a cell phone is used, it "pings" an electronic signal to the nearest cell phone tower, allowing law enforcement to use the cell phone to find or track people. And cell phones containing GPS devices, which are increasingly common, "ping" constantly.

In April, the  American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released an extensive study of state, federal, and local law enforcement's surveillance practices that illustrate how police track citizens through their cell phones. The findings were staggering. Warrantless cell phone tracking "has become a powerful and widely used surveillance tool for police officials, with hundreds of departments, large and small, often using it aggressively with little or no court oversight," the report found.




After poring over 5,500 pages of records in responses from over 200 local law enforcement agencies, the ACLU researchers reported that "only a tiny minority" -- 10 agencies total -- had obtained a warrant before tracking someone through his or her cell phone.

"What we have learned is disturbing," said ACLU staff attorney Catherine Crump, who helped file public information requests with some 385 law enforcement agencies. "The government should have to get a warrant before tracking a cell phone. Instead, what we found was that the cops track people with no supervision, or in some cases, mostly drug cases, the cop will go to court and only show that it would be relevant to an investigation, which is a lower standard."

The ACLU is calling for law enforcement agencies to desist from using cell phone tracking without a warrant, and is calling on state and federal lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a warrant before police use location tracking in non-emergency situations.

A bill to address the problem is pending in Congress. Senate Bill 1212, the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance (GPS) Act, is sponsored in the Senate by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). Companion legislation in the House, House Resolution 2168, is sponsored by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI.). The bills would require law enforcement agents to obtain a warrant in order to access location information.

Another Senate effort, Judiciary Committee chair Senator Patrick Leahy's (D-VT) Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act, Senate Bill 2011, offers a partial repair of the problem. It includes a warrant requirement for real-time tracking, but not for historical location information.

The Obama administration disagrees that any action is needed. At a State of the Mobile Net conference held in May, Justice Department Deputy Assistant Attorney Jason Weinstein argued, "[t]he need for such warrantless cell phone tracking is important so it won't cripple the government and law enforcement."

The administration's lawyers insist that when a person turns on a cell phone, the information from the phone is transmitted through a third-party, such as the wireless carrier, and the user thus has no "expectation of privacy."

Warrantless cell phone tracking "should be illegal," said Washington, DC, appellate attorney Stephan Leckar, who successfully represented DC nightclub owner Antoine Jones in the case cited above.

In that case, the Supreme Court reversed Jones' conviction and sentence of life without parole in a cocaine trafficking case after they found substantial evidence that the FBI placed a GPS device on Jones vehicle for 28 days without a search warrant. When police monitored Jones vehicle without a warrant, the court said, "This violated his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure."

According to Leckar, the "third-party" doctrine is a means for law enforcement to get around the Fourth Amendment. "As the law reads," he said, the 'third-party' doctrine doesn't violate the Fourth Amendment. To change this, people will have to petition Congress to change that doctrine."

Unbelievable Story Continues:  http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2012/may/25/warrantless_cell_phone_tracking/25/warrantless_cell_phone_tracking


 
Read More
Posted in 2012 Elections, Community, Crime, Feds, Homestead Police, Miami-Dade, Watchdog | No comments

Friday, 4 May 2012

Miami-Dade County Links For Saving Energy, Green Living

Posted on 19:54 by Unknown














Track your utility usage: http://www.mygreenquest.com/app.php

Access and choice are the main drivers in healthy lifestyles and a healthy community. The way a community is designed, its open spaces, paths for biking and walking, and access to healthy foods, as well as healthcare facilities, all contribute to a healthy and sustainable community.

Whether it's the various volunteer programs offered by Miami-Dade County, contests to engage our elementary and high school students, or just simple suggestions to live a sustainable lifestyle, there are many ways for residents of all ages to live green.

Adopt-a-Tree

Miami-Dade County residents are eligible to receive two free trees at the various Adopt-a-Tree events taking place each summer.

Artificial Reef Program

Natural reefs receive protection and artificial reefs made of concrete, steel and other materials are sunk underwater to enhance the tourism and fishing industries while keeping the ecosystem healthy.

Baynanza

Taking place every April, volunteers descend upon more than two dozen locations along Biscayne Bay to help keep Miami-Dade beautiful.

Bike Trails

Bicycle trails are being developed across Miami-Dade County, offering wonderful opportunities to experience beautiful landmarks in the open air while ditching vehicles.

Environmentally Endangered Lands Program

Volunteers can sign up to help restore natural areas in Miami-Dade County that have been acquired for conservation.

Every Drop Counts kids poster contest

Elementary school students combine messages of water and energy conservation with their artistic talents, leading up to the announcement of the winners in April during Water Conservation Month.

Fit to Play, Green it Up Summer Camps

Miami-Dade Parks offers kids many ways to stay fit and go green with an array of summer camp programs that also guarantee lots of fun.

Florida Friendly Yards

Get tips and ideas while creating the perfect Florida-friendly yard, from what plants and trees you should have to easy ways to minimize water waste.

Get Your Green On video contest

High school students with film-making talents can convey their messages of sustainable living, with videos posted on YouTube and the winning commercial airing at Miami-Dade movie theaters.

Green Tips

From the home to the office to the road, discover dozens of easy ways to conserve and practice sustainable living.

Rain Barrel Program

Learn how to use a rain barrel to conserve water use and keep a healthy, green yard.

http://green.miamidade.gov/
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Posted in Miami-Dade, Things To Do | No comments
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