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August 6, 2010

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I-Team: Close Calls On The Rise Reporting Stephen Stock MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ An alarming number of airplanes are getting too close and some federal officials want to know why. The CBS4 I-Team first warned you about close calls in our skies back in 2007.

After the I-Team’s first report aired the problem appeared to improve as safety officials moved to address the issue and make improvements to the nation’s aviation safety system.

But now, as I-Team investigator Stephen Stock discovered, a growing number of close calls recently has gotten federal officials’ attention. Experts worry that unless something is done to reduce these mid-air close calls disaster could result.

The two planes came so close that a 747 would not have fit between them. It all happened this past February, 2010, as one commercial jet descended through 5,000 feet while on approach to land at Dallas Forth Worth International Airport.

Almost without warning the jet nearly collided with another jet that was taking off.

Only a last second evasive action by the crew landing prevented a mid-air collision. The plane taking off passed less than 200 feet underneath the plane that was landing.

“Two hundred feet is enough to see the pilot’s face in the window and it’s very scary,” said retired pilot Jay Rollins of Hollywood, Florida.

Rollins serves as an aviation safety consultant and runs his own aviation blog.

Rollins retired after 25 years as a pilot at American Airlines and 6 years in the Navy.

“I mean we’re talking about not a car moving at 20 miles an hour,” said Rollins.

“We’re talking about jets that are passing each other at hundreds of miles an hour.

And to get that close (200 feet) is frightening indeed.”

Then there’s the near collision at Melbourne’s airport in March, 2010. A

crew of a commercial air carrier on final approach cleared to land reports coming within 500 feet of a helicopter out of Patrick Air Force base that commercial pilots said suddenly “came into view”.

“To the extent that you’re 500 miles an hour in this jet 500 miles an hour in the other one that closure can be fast indeed and the distance between them has to be profound,” said Rollins. That’s what safety officials call separation. And there are strict rules to keep aircraft to maintain separation in the air.

But in a growing number of cases, those separation rules (safety distances) are being violated; something called Airborne Conflicts and Near Mid-Air Collisions or NMAC’s by NASA. According to NASA there were 134 Airborne Conflicts and 33 NMAC nationwide which happened just in the first three months of this year alone. Many of them, including the two close calls just described earlier in this story, were the result of air traffic controller inattention or heavy workload.

The anonymous complaints filed by pilots to NASA are called the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). After peaking in the early 2000’s then dropping dramatically the number of NMAC’s reported to the ASRS has been climbing since 2006.

In 2006 there were 152 reports. In 2007,166. In 2008 there were 185. In 2009, 157. In 2010 there have already been 33 NMAC’s reported in the first three months of the year.

The same trend holds true with airborne conflicts.

The rise is even more dramatic in FAA “official accident and incidents.” After holding steady at around 20 or 30 incidents a year for a decade there was a jump to 175 incidents in 2009 after only 21 incidents in 2008.

And there has been an increase in errors by air traffic controllers as well.

In Miami, according to a source within the federal aviation community who asked not to be named, operational errors by air traffic controllers are also rising. * In 2008 there were 13 operational errors by air traffic controllers.

* In 2009 there were 14 operational errors. * In the first six months of 2010 there have been 16 operational errors at MIA. “Particularly in the last year it looks like its spiking,” said Aviation Expert Rollins.

“And I don’t think it’s completely clear why.”

This is what’s going on in my industry,” said one local air traffic controller who asked to remain anonymous. The air traffic controller asked the I-Team to remain anonymous for fear he’d lose his job for speaking out.

“In my experience (working in the tower) it’s been feet (between airplanes that have nearly collided,” said the air traffic controller.

I-Team investigator Stephen Stock asked to be sure, “Feet?”

“Feet,” answered the air traffic controller.

Feet between aircraft where the pilots actually acknowledge a problem later on the radio.

“They’ve come out and said “That was close.” And uh... it shakes you up,” said the anonymous air traffic controller.

The FAA confirms that operational errors by air traffic controllers nationwide rose from 2.44 for every million flights in 2009 to 3.28 per million flights through June 30, 2010. That’s a 34.4% increase.

“As far as I’m concerned this whole thing is the Titanic. We’ve already hit the iceberg. It’s sinking,” said the air traffic controller. “It’s my fear that they’re not going to recognize it’s sinking until two big airplanes make contact and I think it’s inevitable.”

The rise in close calls coincides with an increase in the number of new air traffic controllers who are beginning to replace a work-force fast approaching retirement age.

These incidents also come as the FAA attempts to bring on-line new technology that will track airplanes through satellites and computers rather than just through radar.

“It is absolutely critical that this (issue of increasing close calls) is addressed,” said safety consultant Rollins.

The FAA says neither trainees nor new technology are contributing to this rise in close calls.

But when the I-Team tried to talk about this problem on camera with both FAA officials and leaders of the air traffic controllers union both refused.

One source told the I-Team that both sides quote “wanted the issue to go away.”

“It’s only a matter of time (before something happens),” said the anonymous air traffic controller, a veteran of several decades directing airplanes from the tower.

A matter of time, he says, before these socalled near misses turn into actual collisions. He’s so worried about it he won’t fly with his family.

“I’m not going to put my family through it,” the controller said. “And quite frankly, I’m worried about your family even more than I ever was because of what’s going on.”

“We’re asking for trouble if these statistics continue going in the direction that they’re going we’re going to see something terrible,” said Jay Rollins.

While declining to go on camera to answer questions, an FAA spokeswoman did send us a statement saying quote “The FAA is concerned...”

But the agency blames this rise in close calls on a new anonymous reporting system which quote “are resulting in more reporting which will help spot problems before an accident occurs.”

The FAA is convening a special summit of employees and safety experts on August 17, 2010, in Washington D.C. where they will discuss this issue and ways to stop the growing number of close calls.

This will be the third time in less than four years the FAA has hosted a meeting like this to address urgent aviation safety problems. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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I-Team: Stimulus Money Not Fixing Broken Bridges Reporting Stephen Stock MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ A CBS4 IT e a m investigation into your safety and your taxpayer money discovered that nearly $450 million is being spent in South Florida on infrastructure improvement through the U.S. Stimulus Bill. The I-Team wanted to know how much of that stimulus money is going to fix dozens of bridges it exposed as in critical need of repair.

It turns out, you may not like the answer I-Team investigator Stephen Stock uncovered.

Inspection records show 52 different bridges in South Florida are classified by engineers as structurally deficient; a rating as bad or worst than the bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis nearly three years ago, on August 1, 2007.

Experts say that fixing those deficient bridges here in South Florida would cost millions of dollars.

At news conferences around the country during the past year, Congressional representatives trumpeted the fact that the U.S. Stimulus bill would help pay those

costs to fix bridges and other crumbling infrastructure.

In fact, here in South Florida the Department of Transportation has committed or spent $448,924,679 in stimulus funding for 234 infrastructure projects.

These are projects such as like fixing bridges, resurfacing dozens of roads, building new lanes on highways, putting in guardrails or lighting or building or fixing sidewalks, bike ways or trails.

But the CBS4 I-Team crunched the numbers and discovered that even though there are 52 deficient bridges, 18 in Broward County, 21 in Miami-Dade County and 13 in Monroe County (the Florida Keys); only 10 of those bridges, zero in Broward, 8 in Miami-Dade, and 2 in Monroe are getting any stimulus money.

The total cost of the ten projects amounts to $5,590,311. Those bridge rehabilitation projects are getting a total of $4,574,150 from the stimulus package.

When you compare the amount of infrastructure stimulus money spent in Miami-Dade County: $3.5 million ($3,524,042) are being spent on fixing bridges, while $3.1 million ($3,116,025) are going to sidewalks, $3.3 million ($3,352,486) are going to bike paths and trails, and $9 million ($9,094,489) to lighting of roadways.

“One of the problems with the stimulus bill is that less than 7% of that huge bill goes to transportation infrastructure,” said US Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, (R) West Miami-Dade. “Which is something that I frankly, don’t understand.”

bridges to be fixed.

South Florida Congressman Diaz-Balart sits on the House Transportation Committee.

Thibault also says some deficient bridges that need rehabilitation may not have qualified for US Stimulus funding because they weren’t shovel ready as required by the rules established by Congress.

Earlier this year Diaz-Balart worried aloud to the I-Team that not enough stimulus money was going to fix things like crumbling and deficient bridges and roads.

“Once again Congress has not emphasized one of the most important things that Congress has an obligation to do which is pay for and fix and maintain and improve our infrastructure,” said Diaz-Balart.

Florida’s Department of Transportation’s Kevin Thibault put it all in perspective.

“Less than 1% of our bridges are structurally deficient,” said Thibault.

Thibault is Assistant Secretary for Engineering and Operations for Florida’s Department of Transportation who oversees infrastructure spending.

Thibault agrees that some stimulus dollars may not be going to fix all the deficient bridges. But he says they are all in the Florida DOT “program” or the list of

“They’re all in our program,” said Thibault. “In the state highway system, many of those bridges that are sufficient are in our program.”

“There will be a function (of) if the project is ‘shovel ready’,” said Thibault.

If you haven’t done a lot of work it may not be because of the timing something that you could do right now.”

But even Congress’ own investigating arm...the General Accountability Office...or GAO...isn’t satisfied.

In the report released July 21, 2010, the GAO says one out of every four bridges in America are deficient and need to be repaired or replaced. While the GAO says progress has been made, it also says more could be done to improve investment and get the money to those bridges that need it most. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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I-Team: Metromover System In Decay Reporting David Sutta MIAMI (CBS4 I-TEAM) Ñ M i a m i ’ s Metromover moves eight million people a year around Downtown Miami. So when the system came to a crashing halt Tuesday many took notice.

While Metromover has a fairly good track record, documents obtained by the CBS4 I-Team show it is a troubled, decaying system.

The 2009 Transit Development Plan spells it out: The system that runs the Metro-Mover has “reached its end-of-life cycle.” It goes on to say that “the software is also an antiquated system that needs to be replaced.”

The report shows the heart of the rail, the fiber optics in the track, are, “well past its useful life. A total of six stations will need to have fibers replaced.”

CBS4’s David Sutta asked Peter Cruz, a

Metromover technician, what the fiber optic cable is used for. “It’s what runs information from one station to the next.” said Cruz.

Cruz told Sutta they’ve had rail problems for years.

“We had a big problem with rats in the system eating fiber optic years ago. And it’s an ongoing problem that we have to clean up.” he said. CBS4’s David Sutta asked if they are still dealing with rats?”

“Of course; rats never go away,” he replied.

In addition to the rodents, parts of the rail are more than two decades old.

“This is one area where they have been treating transportation like a stepchild,” said Talib Nashid, President of the Transit Workers Union #291. “They don’t think we are important.”

The Transit Workers Union believes the Metromover is outdated and in dire need of an overhaul.

you have to change the car. You have to get a new car. That’s basically it.” said Nashid.

With funding cuts to transit, the union is hoping this accident will force the county to put money back in.

“When the union speaks, they say all we have is personal interest because all we are looking out for is our members. No. We are looking for the safety also,” Nashid told Sutta.

The CBS4 I-Team asked Miami-Dade for comment on our findings. They told Sutta they would get back to us Thursday.

With that said, nearly half of the Metromover cars have been replaced with new ones. Yesterday’s accident involved one of the newer models, which is telling experts Sutta spoke to that this is likely a rail wide problem and not a car issue. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

“If you have an old car you have to keep the maintenance up on it, and after awhile

August 6, 2010

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I-Team: Congress Poised To Act On Clean Lunchrooms Reporting Al Sunshine MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ It was three years ago when Hialeah 5th grader David Hernandez told CBS4’s chief consumer investigator Al Sunshine about what he saw in his school cafeteria. The Hialeah Miami-lakes student told Sunshine, “Like sometimes they’re doing, they’re cooking and their hair comes out and it’s in the food.”

And as Sunshine has repeatedly reported for more than a decade now, parents had no way of knowing what was going on in their school kitchens. Several years ago, local health inspectors were finding potentially serious violations in about 1 out of every 3 schools they checked out.

A common violation included insect infestations, known by inspectors as a

violation of Vermin Control. Sunshine asked the Miami-Dade Health Department what the violations meant and was told quite simply, “They had bugs in the kitchen.”

the School and also on-line for parents, students and anyone else to see them.

U-S Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the CBS4 Investigations prompted the Congress to take action too.

great idea for the rest of the country to follow Florida’s lead in mandating parents see what kind of work is being done behind school kitchens to serve the safest food possible.

Plus, don’t forget what happened when CBS4 started asking local schools to see those reports? Instead of showing the Public Reports one local school official ordered Al Sunshine off-campus and warned, “I am going to call the resource officer so they can come and arrest you.

The Broward Democrat said, “It was all thanks to you and your investigatory work”.

Full Congressional Debate on the proposed amendment is expected to heat up later this fall. Supporters expect the inspection report provision to sail through the hearing process.

Sunshine asked for the second time, “Can you please show me the cafeteria inspection report?”

Congress is now formally debating making Open Inspection reports and Online Postings the law across the country. Congresswoman Schultz said just last week an amendment to the national school lunch program passed its first committee hearing.

Administrators refused, but CBS4 was able to find his school’s report, and all the problems inspector had found, at the Miami-Dade Health Department.

It requires schools nationwide to follow Florida’s lead and publicly post sanitation reports inside their schools and online where anyone can see them.

As a result of the exclusive CBS-4 I-Team investigation, Florida lawmakers passed a series of new regulations several years ago requiring to schools to publicly post those cafeteria reports in Public Areas of

And when Sunshine recently had a chance to meet with the heads of the Miami-Dade and Broward School Systems; both Superintendents Alberto Carvalho and James Notter said they thought it was a

No matter what happens in Congress, don’t forget under current Florida law you have the right to see your public school’s cafeteria inspection report. It’s also required to be posted online. If it’s not, it may soon be a violation of not only State law, but Federal law as well. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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New MB Law: Adults At Playgrounds Must Have Kids Saturday. “If they’re not with children, they don’t need to be there. Why would they be there?”

“I guess if it gives the authorities another way to protect the kids, I guess it’s good.

I can’t see any drawbacks to it,” James Orlowsky, a father, said.

MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) Ñ Adults in Miami Beach will soon be warned that they must be accompanied by a minor if they wish to use one of the city’s numerous playgrounds.

In a move aimed at protecting children, Miami Beach City Commissioners have approved the new regulations that mirror ones passed in San Francisco and New York City. The new regulation goes into effect on Sunday.

Miami Beach Commissioner Jorge Exposito introduced the ordinance after receiving complaints from numerous parents.

“Went out and walked one day with some of the parents and happened to find a gentleman who was sitting there and had been warned on three numerous occasions to stay away from the children’s parks area. And he was asked to leave again,” Exposito explained.

Until now, police did not have much in the way of authority to do anything about such a situation. The new law gives them arresting powers for those who won’t budge.

Now, park attendants will be tasked with reporting lone adults to police in addition to their park equipment repairing duties.

Some adults have said they support any legislation that keeps children safe.

“It makes sense,” grandmother Joeanna Janvier told CBS4’s Tiffani Helberg

But not everybody is in favor of the new ordinance. Two women sitting alone at a playground told Helberg in Spanish, “It’s not right. I’m just sitting here having a talk with my sister and I’m visiting from Jacksonville. I want to be able to sit down and have a conversation with her and also, at the same time, enjoy the scenery.”

Under the law, she’ll be able to do so - as long as she’s outside the playground area.

The parks will not actually be manned by police; it will be up to parents and park attendants to contact the authorities as necessary.

CBS4’s Tiffani Helberg contributed to this report. (© MMX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report) news powered by

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S. Fla. Stadiums Among Worst For Food Prep Safety safety recommendation made by the appropriate local and state inspectors.”

AmericanAirlines Arena management also responded to the ESPN report.

MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ Tens of thousands of people head to stadiums across South Florida, but a report from ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” program found that you may want to bypass the hotdog, pretzels, and a drink when you watch your favorite team.

“It’s (stadium food) usually sitting out or stale, not the best quality food,” said fan Mike Bolduc.

ESPN examined health inspection records for food vendors at stadiums including Sun Life Stadium and AmericanAirlines Arena and found both were tied for third worst in the country with 93 percent of vendors having critical violations found by health inspectors.

According to the ESPN report, an employee said that small insects and other debris were blended into frozen alcoholic drinks at a stand where equipment wasn’t cleaned. Health inspectors issued a critical violation for a buildup of slime inside the frozen drink machine.

“At AmericanAirlines Arena, food safety is a top priority,” said Kim Stone, executive vice-president and general manager of AmericanAirlines Arena. “None of the violations mentioned in ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” story were related to issues with the food and beverages we serve at AmericanAirlines Arena. We have received equipment related violations, but they were repaired immediately. Fans and guests can be assured that when they visit our venue for a sporting or entertainment event, all of the food is prepared with the cleanest, safest environment possible.”

The Verizon Center in Washington, DC, and Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg were the only stadiums found with more critical violations. Both had 100 percent of vendors with critical violations. According to the report, the worst performing stadiums in the country were in Florida, with the exception of the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The only major professional sports stadium in Florida not to have more than 75 percent of the vendors with critical violations was the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.

Source: ESPN.com Outside the Lines (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

Centerplate, the company that provides the vendors at the stadium issued a statement saying employees are trained and operations are routinely inspected to ensure that they meet standards for safe operation. Any deficiencies that are identified are corrected usually in the presence of the inspector.

Sun Life Stadium management said they take the health inspection reports seriously.

“It is important to note that the stadium has passed every health inspection,” Sun Life Stadium management said in a statement.

“Any past inspection infraction has been corrected and we expect our concessionaire to meet every health and

August 6, 2010

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Citizens Property Insurance May Hike Rates have few options and authorized a new round of rate hikes.

The changes must still be approved by Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation. (© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) news powered by

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) Ñ The governing board of Florida’s public insurance carrier is recommending a rate hike averaging 8.4 percent statewide.

The rate hike is the latest by property insurance companies including State Farm, Allstate, Royal Palm, and Castle Key. It’s leaving Floridians with a bitter taste in their mouth.

“Now it’s going up as of August to $5400, so it’s painful,” said Kendall resident Elena Blanco. “I don’t have it in escrow; so it comes straight out of my pocket.”

Blanco, a health insurance executive, at one time could have saved some money going into the state-run Citizen’s Insurance. But with the expected rate hikes, even Citizen’s insurance is becoming unaffordable.

The increases suggested Monday for Citizens Property Insurance Co. would vary by location. In some parts of South Florida, prices could increase as much as 11.3 percent. In others, like Miami Beach and coastal Broward and Palm Beach counties, rates could actually decrease.

The insurer says the rate adjustments are necessary to offset increasing claim payouts for fires, sinkholes and other calamities. Citizens was formed to cover property owners who can’t find a private company willing to insure them.

And with no progress in Washington to offer more affordable rates through a national windstorm program or federal underwriting funds to drop re-insurance costs for the industry; Florida lawmakers

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How Do They Compare? The Droid-X Versus The iPhone Reporting Al Sunshine D O R A L (CBS4) Ñ It’s about the same size as an i P h o n e , wrapped in a high-tech, highgloss black plastic case. It’s got multimedia capabilities and can shoot and show HD Video right into your Computer Monitor or HDMI-Connected Big Screen TV. It’s the latest entry into the highly competitive Smart Phone battle for the hearts, minds and dollars of American technophiles.

It’s the Droid-X by Motorola.

Motorola’s latest high-tech 3g cellular network-wonder features a speedy 1 gigahertz processor and an 8 megapixel camera capable of shooting stills or HD video. It went on sale July 15th Morning at Verizon stores nationwide.

Doral’s Verizon store off NW 87th Avenue and 14th street sold out its first 30 units in just a few minutes.

Mateo Alvarez, the store’s sales manager, told CBS4’s Al Sunshine that there was a crowd waiting in line as soon as he store opened. “They just wanted the phone; we

sold out in just a few minutes,” he sighed.

Okay, so what’s under the high-tech covers?

The Droid-X runs on Google’s Android operating system and features its own app store for extra programs. But it does have fewer apps than Apple’s more established iTunes store.

It’s a touch-screen system with no actual keyboard, just like Apple’s iPhones and it’s clearly targeting the popular Apple iPhones with a more-open platform featuring Verizon’s network.

Consumers shopping for a new phone at Verizon liked what they saw. But the new Droid-X is also adding to the confusion of what to buy and who has the better phone.

Tatiana Santos has a Blackberry that’s being exchanged because it’s broken. She likes the new Droid-X but added, “It’s pretty confusing. I like the iPhone too.

But I may wait until January to decide to get the Droid, depending on what happens with the iPhone.”

But is the Droid-X really that much faster than some of the older phones on the market?

We tried an unscientific “Speedtest”

using a new Droid-X and Sunshine’s year-old iPhone 3GS under Apple’s older 3.1.3 Operating System. It runs on AT& T’s network. He was right in the middle of a Verizon store, and yet the old iPhone beat the new Droid-X in download speed, by about 1.9 Megabits to about 896 Kilobits per second.

But the new Droid-X, with an improved 3GS upload capability, beat my upload speeds. Mateo Alvarez confirmed that when it came to downloading data that afternoon, Sunshine’s old iPhone turned in better numbers.

Sunshine really liked the Droid-X, and it’s gotten some pretty good reviews. It costs about $299 with a 2-year Verizon contract, but you also get a $100 rebate in the form of a debit card through Verizon.

Starter planes - featuring unlimited data and limited voice and text - start at about $70 a month, not counting all the extra fees that seem to add about $10-$20 bucks a month to your bills.

For another $20 a month, you can use your Droid-X to provide wireless network service, so-called tethering, to 5 other wireless devices. AT&T is just starting to roll-out that option under the iPhone’s new iOS 4 operating system, for about the same monthly cost.

Expect lots of heated discussion who’s got the best smart phones through the summer of 2010, and don’t be surprised to start hearing more about over-crowded cellular networks slowing down even more from all the new digital devices signing into them.

There’s really only one sure bet: expect even more smart phones to be released by other manufacturers through the rest of the year, as the phone makers keep trying to attract new customers with the lure of the latest high-tech toys. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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One In Four Americans Considered “High Risk” in four Americans now have credit scores so low (599 and below) they are considered poor risks. In a time when banks are tightening their standards as they struggle to survive they less likely to give credit cards, auto loans or mortgages to those considered high risk.

WASHINGTON DC (CBS4) Ñ As more and more Americans are sinking into debt their credit scores are sinking with them.

New figures from FICO indicate that one

scores, or repair damaged ones, should pay their bills on time, reduce the outstanding balance, improve their long term credit history and don’t apply for too many credit cards or credit reports.

Part of reason for the decline in scores is the sagging economy, an unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent nationwide and millions who are in or facing foreclosure.

Once the damage is done, it could be years before the score can be restored with hard work.

On the up side, the number of consumers with the best score of 800 or more has increased in recent years. Analysts these people were able to cut their spending whicl paying off debt during the recessionary years. Roughly 18 percent of Americans consumers fall into this category, up nearly five percent from the historical average of 13 percent.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, those who want to boost their

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Spirit Now Charging For Carry-On Bags Members of Spirit’s special fare club only pay $20 for a carry-on and if their bag is small enough to fit under their seat it’s free.

Umbrellas, camera bags, strollers and car seats are among the items that will remain free of charge.

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) Ñ Spirit Airlines passengers may want to log on and save some cash before heading out to the airport. Beginning Sunday, the air carrier instituted new charges for carry-on bags.

Passengers who pay in advance, either online or by phone, have to fork over $30.

For those who don’t pay before arriving at the boarding gate, the fee jumps to $45.

Spirit says extra employees will be on hand at airports to assist passengers. The airline is expecting to handle 23,000 passengers Sunday, including 5,800 in Fort Lauderdale.

including 5,800 in Fort Lauderdale.

Spirit reduced its lowest fares by an average of about $40 ahead of the new carry-on fees. The average one-way base fare for August is $63, Pinson said. She said passengers have been paying the carry-on fee in advance but she did not have specific numbers.

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Most airlines have found fees for extras to be lucrative. Besides checked bags, travelers have been paying extra for things like more legroom and refreshments.

Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson says the airline wants to ensure an easy transition for customers and employees.

“We’ll have to see how things go over the next week or so,” she said.

A recent study by consulting firm IdeaWorks showed that worldwide, carriers took in $13.5 billion from fees in 2009, a 43 percent jump in just one year.

The Miramar based air carrier has about 150 daily flights. The airline is expecting to handle 23,000 passengers Sunday,

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Get Ready To Pay To Park At Some Miami-Dade Parks Reporting Tiffani Helberg $5 Parking Fee Goes Into Effect Oct. 1 Parking Fee Will Only Be In Effect On Weekends And Holidays.

MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ Six of Miami-Dade’s largest and most popular parks will soon begin charging a fee to park.

The Miami-Dade Parks Department will start charging a $5.00 parking fee per car on October 1st. The parks are A.D. Barnes and Tropical parks in West Miami-Dade; Kendall Hammocks Indian Park, Kendall Soccer Park, Larry and Penny Thompson Park in South Miami-Dade; and a portion of Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah. The parking fee will only be in effect on weekends and holidays.

“I think that will definitely bring down the amount of people who come here,”

said Andy Tomayo, as he watched a game of basketball at Tropical Park. “They’ll go and find somewhere else to play.”

Even the Parks Department admits that will likely be the case. But with a $35 million budget shortfall, park officials said they had no other choice. The department has already laid off more than a quarter of its workforce.

With plummeting property tax values, the primary source of funding for the parks is diminishing.

“This isn’t something that we’re happy to be doing,” said Doris Howe, Parks Department Communications Manager.

“We are discouraged to be in a position where we have to do this.”

She said the county selected those parks for the fee because they are large, popular and expensive to maintain. And they aren’t the first county parks to charge a parking fee. Crandon in Key Biscayne and Haulover in North Miami Beach have charged for parking since the 1970s.

Broward County charges $1.50 per person for parking at 19 of its parks on

weekends.

News of the new fee has outraged some park goers. Many have called into the local commission office to complain.

“There’s people at this moment, there’s so many families going through foreclosures unemployment,” said Miami Dade County Commissioner Javier Souto. He said he plans to try and repeal the parking fee legislation at the next commission meeting in September.

will be made for patrons who reserve a picnic shelter before fees go into effect. In addition, annual passes will be available for purchase. The cost has not yet been determined. (© MMX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report) news powered by

“It is the parks that save the kids from going to gangs and to other drug using and all that stuff,” said Souto. “To come up with this idea, its totally totally out of the question.”

Miami-Dade County will invest about $500,000 to install toll booths and pay machines at the parks, at an average cost of $14,000 to $15,000 each. The parks department expects the parking fees to generate an estimated $300,000 in revenue in the first year, followed by $750,000 per year after that.

Officials also said special arrangements

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August 6, 2010

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Miami Refuses Prop. Tax Hike To Plug Budget Hole Reporting Gary Nelson MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ Miami City Commissioners have held the line on property taxes, refusing to raise the millage rate, despite an anticipated plunge in revenues and projected $100 million shortfall in the coming year.

“This is a moral issue,” said Commissioner Francis Suarez. “With unemployment at an historic high and

property values plunging, we can’t in good conscience put any greater burden on taxpayers.”

Mayor Tomas Regalado said commissioners demonstrated “political will” in their unanimous vote. Regalado said city police, fire and other unions will have to agree to wage and benefit concessions or face layoffs.

The city manager has said without concessions, the city would have to lay off some 1,100 employees in the coming budget.

While individual cases will vary, the bill on a non-homestead property valued at $200,000 will drop by about $230

according to city Budget Director Mirtha Dziedzic.

The same home, with homestead exemption, would likely see an increase of about $46. It’s estimated that only one in five property owners will see an increase.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

The tax rate passed by the commission does increase the bill for debt service, mandated by voters, but Regalado said the increase for homeowners due to loan obligations would be “tiny.”

The city of Miami’s decision to hold the line on taxes comes after Miami-Dade Commissioners this week imposed a tax hike on property owners, averaging 12 percent county-wide.

Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Coming Up Reporting J o h n MacLauchlan Sales Tax H o l i d a y : August 13 - 15

TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) Ñ In just about four weeks, summer break will end and thousands of South Florida school kids will head back to class. But before they do so, their parents will have to make sure that they’re kids are stocked up for the new school year with new school duds, supplies and books.

To take some of the pinch out of all that shopping parents are urged to take advantage of the back-to-school sales tax holiday is scheduled for the weekend of August 13- 15.

Passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor earlier this year, no sales tax will be collected on sales of books, clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $50 or less, or on certain school supplies selling for $10 or less.

According to the measure, the term ‘books’ refers to a set of printed sheets bound together and published in a volume.

Therefore the sales tax exemption will not apply to newspapers, magazines or audio books.

While most clothing is covered under the exemption, watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, or sporting equipment are not.

As for school supplies, the sales tax exemption applies to pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, protractors, compasses, and calculators.

“Our children deserve to have the resources and materials they need to be successful and competitive in the classroom. I am confident this tax break will help students, families and businesses

as they prepare for a new school year,” said Governor Charlie Crist when he signed the measure earlier this year in a Target store in Orlando. “It is important that we continue to alleviate the tax burden on Floridians, as well as seek ways to improve the economic future of our state.”

This is the first ‘back to school’ sales tax break since 2007 and it is expected to cost the state $26 to 30 million in revenue. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

The Adtimes Newspaper - CONSUMER

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Bank Repossessions Surging In South Florida Reporting Tim Kephart MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ While some areas of the nation have s t a r t e d recovering from the housing m a r k e t collapse; South Florida foreclosures are still growing almost two-fold from 2009.

Banks have repossessed roughly 4,000 properties per month in the first half of 2010, according to condovultures.com.

The numbers translate to an 83 percent increase from the same time in 2009.

Miami-Dade County was the worst performer with a 125 percent jump in repossessions. Broward County saw repos of homes rise 42 percent year-over-year.

According to the condovultures report, the current pace will see nearly 50,000 properties repossessed combined in the South Florida area including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. That would be a huge increase from 2007 when just 10,100 properties were repossessed.

“South Florida’s real estate market is at a crossroads,” said Peter Zalewski, of Condo Vultures.”The number of bank repossessions in 2010 is higher than at any time in at least two decades. This additional bank-owned inventory will undoubtedly be coming onto the resale market in the near future as discounted REO product.

“The flip side is, the number of new foreclosure filings in South Florida is down 34 percent in the first half of the year, putting the region on pace for less than 70,000 actions in 2010 compared to 97,000 in 2009.”

Bank-owned properties represent only six percent of the 67,000 homes for sale in the South Florida region, according to the report. South Florida’s residential inventory jumped on a weekly basis for five of the last six weeks. However, the overall inventory is down 37 percent from November 2008.

Condovultures said one reason repos have increased in 2010 is a new online auction technology used by South Florida courts

that allowed hundreds of properties to be auctioned off more efficiently.

Lenders repossessed 15,100 properties between April and June 2010, representing a 152 percent increase compared to the 6,000 properties repossessed during the same three month period in 2009, according to the report.

Miami-Dade experienced more than 11,000 bank repossessions in 2010. After experiencing only 700 and 750 repossessions in the first two months of 2010, the repossessions spiked to 1,300 in March, 1,700 in April, and 2,500 in May. In the month of June, Miami-Dade’s repossessions eclipsed 4,000 in 30 days.

Source: condovultures.com (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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August 6, 2010

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Disconnecting On Vacation Becoming Difficult Task Reporting Al Sunshine B O S T O N (CBS4) Ñ It’s the time of year when most of us try to get away and unplug from the pressures of work. But thanks to technology and the changing expectations of the workplace, many workers are taking the office on vacation with them. So while you might be packing the swimsuits, sunscreen, and paperbacks, you’ll also be bringing along a laptop and a Blackberry.

As the general manger of The Back Bay Hotel in Boston, Stephen Johnston sees evidence of this trend everyday.

“Our leisure travelers are armed with the most amazing collection of devices,” he explained. “Their iTouches, their

iPhones, their laptops.”

About 90 percent of the visitors to The Back Bay Hotel now want access to free wireless.

“Sometimes you do see people, well more often than not actually, who just can’t put that Blackberry down,” said Johnston.

It wasn’t hard to find vacationers who think as much about their Blackberry as they do the beach.

Peter Crowley works in the Back Bay and said, “I definitely need to be in touch. I am checking it right now.”

A woman visiting from Florida admitted she was constantly checking her Blackberry too. Staying connected to work while on vacation seems to be the norm. In fact, over the last five years, 50 percent more people admitted to checking work email when they’re off.

Elaine Varelas, a career management consultant at Keystone Partners in Boston, believes that vacation is important.

“People need to unplug and see things in a new light, to get re-energized,” she added.

Varelas sees two main reasons why people can’t disconnect from the office.

“One is people who may think they’re more important than they actually are in an organization,” she explained.

Another, she said, is fear. They may worry the organization will figure out they’re not essential. These types of anxieties have ramped up with a rising unemployment rate.

The key is to strike a balance.

While checking out completely might no longer be realistic these days, you can

successfully take time off if you strategize.

“I think the expectation is probably that you’re going to check in at least once a day, certainly by email, potentially by voicemail,” said Varelas. “Just a check in call saying, ‘You know where I am, here’s my number if you need me.’”

Some vacationers now suffer from “Leisure Sickness” once they are away from the office.

They report flu like symptoms, fatigue, and muscle pain. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

HURRICANE SECTION 2010 Everything You Need To Know To Be Prepared This Hurricane Season.

• Tracking Map • Emergency Phone Numbers • Safety Information • Important Articles

The Adtimes Newspaper - HURRICANE

For information call: 305-477-1699

August 6, 2010

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Do You Have Proper Insurance? damage. You or your agent can obtain flood insurance by calling the National Flood Insurance Program at (800) 6386620, but be advised there is a waiting period, so you must do this in advance of a hurricane threat.

If you rent, purchase renter’s insurance for your personal property.

(CBS4) Review your homeowner’s policy every year before hurricane season begins on June 1st.

If your property value has increased, you’ve added an addition, or you’ve purchased expensive items such as computers, stereo equipment, etc., you may want to increase your coverage.

Check your policy for windstorm and flood coverage. Depending on where you live, you may need an additional policy to cover wind damage from hurricanes.

Know what deductible your policy has.

Know what your policy does and does not cover. Many policies will NOT give you the money to replace the damaged contents of you home. You will just get the cash value, which is often far less than the cost of replacement. Be sure to check and see if your policy will pay for temporary living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable. Ask your agent detailed questions to be sure you know what coverage you have.

For insurance problems, you can call the Florida Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-2762

ng AREYOU looki TO

increase Your business?

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

Your standard policy does not cover flood

Get Your Home Ready shrubs allows the wind to blow through easily. DO NOT hat-rack trees. o Plan to bring in or tie down outside items, including patio furniture, garbage cans, potted plants, and mailboxes. Assign responsibility for these items to family members as part of your hurricane plan.

(CBS4) To get your home ready for a hurricane: o Trim trees and bushes BEFORE a hurricane threatens. Make sure you have time to dispose of all cut branches, because they can become projectiles in a storm. TRASH COLLECTION IS NORMALLY SUSPENDED RIGHT BEFORE A STORM. Proper trimming of trees and

o Plan to take down your TV/ham radio antenna if you have one. Be especially careful if it is near the power line to your home. The threat of electrocution is very real. o Inspect your roof for loose tiles or shingles. Remove any debris.

o Have plenty of large plastic garbage bags on hand to WRAP or COVER electronic equipment, including your VCR and your computer’s central processing unit and monitor. Buy the extra-heavy duty contractor bags. Put the wrapped or covered electronics in an interior closet. o Photograph or videotape your home and your personal belongings to help document any losses. Put copies, negatives, or tapes in a waterproof container or your safe deposit box. You can also send them for safekeeping to a friend or relative who lives out of town. o Protect your pool.

o Know the location of the main electric breaker, water valve, and gas valve. o Back up important computer files regularly. Keep backup diskettes in a waterproof container.

o IMPORTANT: BEFORE a hurricane threatens, practice putting up your shutters to make sure they fit and that you have all the parts. Keep track of how long it takes to install them. This will give you

an idea of how much time you will need when there is a Hurricane Warning. It 2019;s also great practice for when you might have to do it in a hurry. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

The Adtimes Newspaper - HURRICANE

For information call: 305-477-1699

What To Do NOW, Before A Storm or develops suddenly, flights will be canceled. You can’t stay in the airport to ride out the storm.

DO plan to stay in South Florida. Make your hurricane plan NOW. Plan NOW how you are going to protect your home and property.

Category 1 hurricanes are dangerous, and Category 5 storms can be survived. How well you and your family come through any storm depends on preparation. The things you do before a storm will have a dramatic effect on your situation after the storm, and NOW is the time to start your preparation. HURRICANES ARE NOT LIKE EARTHQUAKES. YOU HAVE TIME TO PREPARE. If you answer the following questions correctly, the odds are very high that you and your family will ride out the storm without serious problems.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO BE READY FOR A STORM: Decide NOW where you and your family will go when the next hurricane threatens.

Decide on a specific place. Know if you live in an evacuation zone. If you must leave your own home, the best place to go is a well-protected house of a friend or relative who lives nearby but outside the evacuation zone. A shelter is a last resort. It is not recommended that you stay in any structure without good shutters or properly installed hurricane protection during any hurricane.

DO NOT count on driving north on I-95 or the Turnpike. Being stuck in your car in a traffic jam is probably the worst place to be in a hurricane. There is no guarantee that the storm will not turn north and follow you. Even if you do reach your destination, you will likely be in a weaker building than you would be if you stayed in South Florida. There is a very real shortage of shelter spaces throughout Florida, and there aren’t enough motel rooms for large numbers of people leaving South Florida.

DO NOT count on going to the airport and flying out. If the hurricane moves quickly

Learn about shutters and other alternatives for protecting your house or apartment.

See the hurricane protection information on this site. If you have doubts about the safety of your house, have it evaluated by an engineer. Most South Florida houses can be strengthened fairly easily.

Have a family plan and rehearse it. DO NOT wait until a hurricane is approaching to decide who is going to be responsible for each task in preparing your home. A hurricane preparedness drill will give you an idea of how long it will take to complete your plan. Remember, a plan that takes 12 hours or more is NOT a realistic hurricane plan.

Decide where you will park your car(s). A garage is the best place. Right next to the house is second best. Avoid trees and anything else that could fall and damage your car.

Plan to move your boat early. People die in every hurricane trying to save their boats.

DO NOT let that happen to you.

Plan NOW for your post-hurricane water supply.

You DO NOT need to buy bottled water.

It’s easy to prepare your own supply. Have enough containers on hand to hold one gallon of water per person per day, and fill them with tap water. Sterilize your containers with a little non-flavored bleach and water. Slosh it around, rinse the container, and then fill it.

You’ll also need water for washing and flushing the toilet. The bathtub is a good place to hold non-drinking water. Use caulking to seal the drain.

DO NOT end up in line for water after a hurricane. A little planning now will save you a lot of time and frustration. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

August 6, 2010

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August 6, 2010

The Adtimes Newspaper - REAL ESTATE

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Housing Discrimination In S. Fla. Still A Problem Reporting Tiffani Helberg

NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CBS4) Ñ Terri Milsap wanted the best for her two sons. So the single mom tried to find a safe, beautiful place for them to live.

While driving on the turnpike one day she says she saw the Sanctuary Cove complex in North Lauderdale and immediately fell in love.

“Wow that’s nice. That would be nice,” said Milsap. “Its breath taking.”

But, she said when she inquired at the rental office they told her she would have to pay extra money to rent a three bedroom, beyond what her two bedroom section 8 voucher would cover.

“How can you do that? They would allow a married couple, a gay couple, they would allow three 18-year-olds to occupy that same two bedroom,” recalled Milsap.

“But they would not let a single mother and her two children occupy that same two bedroom. So where’s the logic in that?”

Milsap’s case was not an isolated one. A non-profit agency called H.O.P.E, Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc investigated other moms’ complaints and in some cases sent in undercover agents to check for discrimination.

It found several apartment complexes violating the law by preventing more than one child from living in a bedroom or stopping some families with children from living in second floor units.

“That’s been the number one basis of complaint in terms of what we’ve gone to court or referred for litigation,” said Keenya Robertson, President and CEO of H.O.P.E. “We’ve seen advertising on the internet that indicated a preference of no children, which is illegal under the fair

housing laws. We’ve seen occupancy restrictions that limit units to families that have certain numbers of children or of certain sizes, rules that exclude families or children of certain ages from some of the amenities.”

H.O.P.E. filed a lawsuit against Cornerstone, the parent company of Sanctuary Cove. Now, five years later the company settled out of court giving an undisclosed amount of money to mothers like Milsap.

“The resolution was that there was no finding of any wrong doing,” said Cornerstone’s owner, Lenny Wolfe. “We wanted to get this past us and move on.”

Wolfe said his company misinterpreted the law and has since changed their policies to do the right thing.

In the end, Milsap said she no longer wanted to move into Sanctuary Cove. But she believes her complaint accomplished something important.

“I stood up for my boys,” she said. “I did a

good thing. So that’s what I’m proud of, that I’m realizing now that I did a good thing.”

For more information on your rights or to file a complaint you can go to H.O.P.E’s website: www.hopefhc.com. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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Treasury Dept. Pushing Mortgage Mod. Program Reporting Al Sunshine

WASHINGTON (CBS4) Ñ As foreclosures continue to climb across the country, the U.S. Treasury Department is trying to do more to let struggling homeowners know about the latest programs to stay in their homes.

Wednesday, they released their latest figures showing the “Making Home Affordable” program has already helped more than one million families avoid foreclosure actions. But, it also found that 1 out of every 5 borrowers in Florida are behind on their mortgage.

Critics have argued the federal program is a failure and too little, too late.

In an attempt to quell the criticism, the federal government started a new campaign to get the word out about free help for families to keep their homes and avoid the growing number of mortgage scams sweeping the country.

The federal program offers incentives for private loan officers to process homeowners’ claims and arrange for lowcost federal loans.

But some homeowners across the country have complained about being unable to get any help from the feds and ended up being victimized by the growing number of mortgage modification scams still sweeping the country.

The timing of today’s announcement out of Washington might be just a coincidence.

But latest national foreclosure numbers are being released Thursday and they will show foreclosures are still a growing problem in South

Florida and across the country.

Earlier this week, the FTC got a federal court order to prohibit eight companies from advertising they could help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Victims alleged the companies made promises to get them cheaper financing and modify their existing mortgages. The FTC charged they did nothing more than take their victim’s money and leave them with worse legal problems than they originally had.

For more information on the program, call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673). (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

August 6, 2010

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For information call: 305-477-1699

The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

August 6, 2010

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Doctors Excited About New Skin Cancer Treatment

MIAMI (CBS4) ÑAs the summer season really heats up, doctors and health professionals are stressing sun exposure protection and the dangers of skin cancer.

They’re also excited about a breakthrough treatment for a serious form of skin cancer.

For 43-year-old Beth Case, the new treatment means a second chance at life.

She has stage IV melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. It started with a mole on her back then spread into her lungs and brain.

“Of course you get scared,” said Beth.

Pain from the cancer was so excruciating even walking was difficult. Beth was devastated and desperate when she joined a clinical trial in January. Days after she began to take an experimental new drug, Beth’s pain was gone.

After just six weeks of being on the medication, Beth’s tumors shrank by more than 50 percent.

“I think it’s revolutionary. I think it’s transformational in terms of the approach,” said Dr. Schuchter.

“I was astonished at the transformation,” said Beth.

The unprecedented results quickly changed Beth’s outlook and quality of life.

“This is really key to the future of cancer therapy,” said Dr. Lynn Schuchter, who is leading the research on the experimental drug at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s an unbelievably exciting time, and it’s really the most optimistic time I’ve ever seen for patients with advanced melanoma.”

“I think it’s great. I think it’s amazing. It’s incredible the kind of science that’s going

on,” said Beth.

Doctors said this treatment is more effective than anything they’ve seen before and with far fewer side effects. They think this same approach will also eventually be used for breast, lung and colon cancer. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

Scientists discovered a mutated gene in some melanomas called BRAF, and that’s what the drug targets to stop cancer cells from growing.

“They take a pill and within a short time we see actual shrinkage of their melanoma,” said Dr. Schuchter.

Program Seeks To Eliminate Medication Errors Reporting Cynthia Demos MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ When you go to the hospital, one of the last things you feel like you have to worry about is getting your medication properly. However, according to the Institute of Medicine, more than a 1.5 million Americans are injured each year from medicine errors in health care facilities.

But a local hospital has a program they say will protect the patient simply through better communication; and the program comes as medication errors increase.

National statistics show one out of every fifteen kids are harmed by medical mixups, accidental overdoses, or bad drug reactions each year. These errors not only cost the health care system, but also delay the recovery for patients.

Memorial Health Care System created a simple solution to battle the potentially deadly problem. The system has a daily print-out of medications for every patient.

“We give them a list of their medications and they’re aware of what they’re getting; why they’re getting it; when it’s due; it’s all listed on their medication administration record,” said Elizabeth Reed, nurse manager of Memorial Regional Hospital.

Reed said every day, nurses and pharmacists team up to educate patients.

Karen Roper is one of the patients. She’s on a number of medications and they are all listed in her record every day.

“Blood pressure pills, maybe there’s 3 of them; my binders that I have to take after meals two of those my heart medication,” Roper said.

“Since you’re on two different drugs to help your heart rate rhythm; just really watch out if you start to feel any extra chest pain or palpitations; make sure to call

the doctor and get to the ER immediately,” Reed told Roper.

The program also encourages patients and family members to ask questions which the hospital said will improve communication to prevent medication errors.

“It empowers the patient to ask and it provides them with information to keep them safe,” Reed said.

Memorial Hospital has been rolling out the program for the last two years and hopes it will be adopted by hospitals across the country. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

For information call: 305-477-1699

August 6, 2010

The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

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Xylitol Is A Hidden Danger To Dogs that,” said Chris. “When I typed in the type of gum, immediately, it started to pop up issues with these, this chemical xylitol.”

said Dr. Ken Drobatz, a veterinarian at the University of Pennsylvania’s animal hospital. “Seizures, coma, things like that.”

What Chris read shocked him.

Dr. Drobatz said xylitol can also cause liver failure, requiring follow-up testing for several days.

“One of the posts said, ‘Call the vet immediately. Don’t hesitate, get off the computer, call the vet,’” said Chris.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS4) Ñ Dog owners know to keep their pets away from things like chocolate. Ingesting it could be fatal to a dog. But some owners don’t know about another potential danger, one that could be in your pocket or your purse.

When Rita the Pomeranian mix chewed a pack of sugarfree gum like this a few weeks ago, her owner Chris Boyer of Downingtown didn’t think it was a huge health risk at first.

“But I went and checked on it on the internet anyway, thinking she might have an intestinal problem or something like

It turned out that xylitol, a popular sweetener in products like mints and sugarfree gum like the Stride gum Rita ate, can be fatal to dogs.

“I felt like I was going to lose a child,” said Angela Boyer. “I mean, she’s part of our family.”

“I was scared to death, yeah,” said 17year-old Miranda Boyer. “I didn’t want anything happening to my dog.”

As little as one piece of gum per ten pounds of dog can cause a fatal drop in blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.

“It is a life-threatening thing and it, it can hit the pocketbook pretty bad, too,” said Dr. Drobatz.

Pennsylvania has already had 104 reports of accidental xylitol ingestion this year; New Jersey, 126, according to the ASPCA. Their Animal Poison Control Center says reports are up nearly 40 percent between 2006 and 2009.

No one knows whether the increase is because there are more products with xylitol, more dogs eating them, or better awareness.

Angela is trying to get the word out to friends.

and grapes and raisins. Had no idea about this gum situation.”

The Stride gum website notes that “xylitol (an ingredient often used in sugarless gum) is toxic for dogs.” In a statement, Stride’s makers, Kraft Foods, said they applauded efforts to get information out to dog owners.

The Boyers would like to see gum makers add warnings to their packages.

Angela said, “It should be listed on a package somewhere saying if your animal gets in contact with this, you need to seek help immediately,” so that dogs like Rita don’t die of curiosity.

So how is Rita doing? She looks energetic and healthy. However, she needs to go back for at least one more round of tests before she gets a clean bill of health. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

“And the manifestation of hypoglycemia are neuro, primarily neurologic signs,”

“They were like, they had no idea,” Angela said. “They knew about chocolate

For information call: 305-477-1699

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August 6, 2010

43

New Treatment Giving Hope To Spider Vein Patients Reporting Cynthia Demos BOCA RATON (CBS4) ÑWhile most South Floridians look forward to breaking out the shorts, for some women, it can be quite traumatic if they have spider veins. They are unsightly, purple veins that stand out, but for the first time in 60 years, the FDA has approved a new treatment to make the veins disappear.

37-year-old Maria Schainuck of West Boca hate that spider veins run up and down her legs. The mother of three has her own idea how the spider veins turned up.

“Being in the military for 8 years and being on my feet and also having 4 children having 4 c-sections,” Maria said.

Boca Raton dermatologist Marta Rendon said patients are always complaining

about the deep purple veins and looking for ways to get rid of them. Plus, it’s a younger population that is displaying the problematic veins. The younger patients are still active and want their legs to look good.

“Remember these blood vessels are caused by pregnancy, by obesity, genetics, aging people who have professions who are on their feet all day long,” Rendon said. “So, it’s a very, very common problem I would say moreso for women than for men.

But, a new substance called asclera that’s injected directly into the veins that fights the spider vein problem.

“Once you inject the substance into the blood vessel, it immediately disappears, temporarily of course,” Rendon said.

“And over time, the vessel will close and it gets reabsorbed and will change into other tissues.”

United States this year.

“It’s been 60 years before the FDA approved a new sclerosing agent,” Rendon said. “So we’re very excited to have something that we know works well, works fast, and has a very high degree of patient satisfaction.”

Count Maria as one of those women who is completely satisfied with the results.

“I think it looks awesome they’re not as predominant,” Maria said.

Dr. Rendon said clinical trials conducted in the United States and Europe found there was a 95 percent patient satisfaction rate. The prices vary, but one 20 minute session could cost between $200 and $500. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

Asclera has been used in Europe for some time, but was just approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the

Pet Dementia A Growing Problem For Owners Reporting Cynthia Demos

from that standpoint you know she doesn’t know where she is.”

Veterinarian Dr. Mike Hutchinson said Samantha’s symptoms are a classic sign of cognitive dysfunction, or dementia.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS4) ÑMuch like humans, pets are living longer nowadays.

Unfortunately, just like people, pets are developing cases of dementia as they age.

“They’ll start barking at strangers, or they won’t greet you the same,” Dr. Hutchinson said. “They won’t wag their tail. They won’t give you that famous hello when you come into the house. They act like they are not interested, they aren’t barking when someone comes to the door.”

Pet owner Andy Oshop bought a cocker spaniel puppy named Samantha for his wife 16 years ago as an anniversary present. But as Samantha has aged, the Oshop’s have noticed some subtle changes in her behavior.

Research from the University of California-Davis showed as many as 39 percent of aging dogs show at least one sign of dementia. Other Veterinary research suggested doggy dementia isn’t much different than Alzheimer ‘s disease in humans.

“We have to carry her in and outside and you put her out in the grass and she’d never find her way back in,” Oshop said. “She would just walk around the back yard; so

“They found that they had the same plaques with protein -- amyloid -- that was blocking these neurotransmitters or these chemicals in the brain from sending

messages between the cells,” Huthcinson said. “So it was the exact same problem we are seeing in people.”

Dr. Hutchinson said dementia tends to be more prevalent in smaller breeds, mainly because they live longer. But, he believes what we feed our pets makes a big difference.

“We know that does a lot of good,” Dr. Hutchinson said. “A lot of the diets, a lot of the dog food companies are starting to put these things into their senior diets because they have become well aware of it, and I for one, believe in it and always have.”

For the Oshops, they aren’t ready to let go and continue to enjoy the time they have with their beloved pet, Samantha.

“She’s still functionally very well and I don’t feel like she’s in pain or anything,” Andy said. “As long as she’s eating and comfortable, I just...she may last another year I don’t know.”

Dr. Hutchinson said dogs with dementia are generally not in pain. He encourages playing with the pets and interacting with them and to keep things as normal as possible. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

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The Adtimes Newspaper - HEALTH

August 6, 2010

45

E-Diets Brings Weight Loss Into Digital Age Reporting Cynthia Demos

for e-diets. The program is based in South Florida and uses a digital diet and food delivery program.

“I didn’t really want to involve anyone because I didn’t want to admit how much I weighed,” Cathy said of her apprehension about diets. “I didn’t want anyone to know in case I failed. So ediets seemed really good to me.”

F T .

LAUDERDALE (CBS4) Ñ Americans are battling the bulge to the tune of $40 billion a year. One of the countless weight loss plans has ties to South Florida and the e-diet is becoming very appealing to certain dieters.

Cathy Cox of Pompano Beach is like many American who’ve struggled with weight over the years. Her biggest problem is finding the motivation to lose it.

nutrition and fitness experts and even get help when choosing a restaurant.

“It gives people the ability to do it 24 hours a day,” Ofstein said. “It gives the convenience factor. It gives the experts; which I’m a huge proponent on.”

Registered and licensed Pamela Ofstein is one of e-diets online nutrition experts who works with people like Cathy.

According to the Fort Lauderdale company, the plan encourages losing one to two pounds a week; which is considered a healthy approach to weight loss. The cost is also said to be competitive to other similar diet plans.

“We provide you with the meal plans,” Ofstein said. “We have our digital plans, as well as our meal delivery plans.”

But the CEO of E-Diets, Kevin McGrath, said his program is different because of a focus on the best food for the best value.

So what can you expect with the e-diet plan?

“We want our customers to stick with us for 6 to 8 or 10 weeks on meal delivery move over to the digital side of the house; and then a year from now when they’ve gained a few more poundsl; come back to us because they like the food and they know it’s consistently good,” McGrath said.

“I didn’t know how big I really was until one day somehow I saw a picture differently than I had seen it any other number of times; and I was like really is that me,” Cathy said.

“In terms of the meal plan, we do it according to calorie levels.” Pamela said.

“We base it upon the balance nutrition ratios, carbohydrates, fat, protein; we also take into account for the saturated fat, as well as transfat, sodium levels, all of those things.”

Cathy finally found the inspiration to drop the weight after seeing an ad online

Members can choose from a wide variety of menu options and ask questions of

the company.

“I work a lot with our most successful members that have reached their weightloss goals and write up their stories and share them with our community; and try to sort of just drum up motivation and inspiration for everyone,” Cathy said.

The E-Diet runs around $5 per week. The delivery program costs a little over one hundred dollars a week. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

For dieters like Cathy, she lost 115 pounds and has kept the weight off for four years. She said E-Diets changed her life so much, that she went to work for

No One Inspects Food At Hospitals & Nursing Homes facilities have sickened hundreds of Florida consumers in at least 15 separate outbreaks since 1995. Experts say people at these facilities are the most vulnerable for foodborne illnesses.

At the same time, the Department of Children and Families has temporarily taken over the inspection of food preparations at day care centers.

TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ÑHospital and nursing home patients and their families won’t like to hear this, but no one is inspecting food preparations at Florida’s hospitals and nursing homes. The inspections were halted as a way to save money due to budget limitations.

Food borne illnesses linked to these

The decision to end the inspections due to lack of funding came after the federal government gave more inspection authority to the states. The health department had inspected facilities four times a year before they stopped this year.

Governor Charlie Crist’s spokesman, Sterling Ivey, said multiple agencies will

work together until the Legislature can re-examine the cuts it made next year.

redistributed. The Associated contributed to this report.)

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or

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The Adtimes Newspaper - ENTERTAINMENT / DINING

Add Some ‘Miami Spice’ To Your Summer Dining Reporting Lisa Cilli More Than 100 Participating Restaurants Discounted Three Course Meals MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ Grab a friend and your appetite for another one of South Florida’s mouthwatering restaurant promotion events.

Miami Spice is getting ready to kick off its annual Summer event which provides delicious deals at some of the Miami’s best restaurants.

The culinary event, which takes place every summer, has become so popular it expanded its promotions this year to include winter and spring deals as well.

The event provides diners the opportunity to savor delicious, specially priced threecourse meals at some of the area’s top

restaurants at reduced prices.

More than 100 of Miami’s top restaurants are offering three-course meals featuring signature dishes created by worldrenowned chefs.

Organized by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the restaurants offer special three-course lunch menus for $22 and special dinner menus for $35 during the months of August and September.

Each restaurant will include an appetizer, entree and dessert as part of the fixed price.

Click Here for a list of participating restaurants, menus and special offers. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

August 6, 2010

47

For information call: 305-477-1699

The Adtimes Newspaper - ENTERTAINMENT / DINING

August 6, 2010

49

Hot, Hot Homes For Dream Team Players Reporting Lisa Petrillo MIAMI (CBS4) Ñ Now that superstars Chris Bosh and LeBron James have signed with the Miami Heat, they’re going to need some new digs.

But what would a six foot plus tall NBA player be interested in for a new pad.

CBS4’s Lisa Petrillo got the ‘hook up’ from some very special pros in the know.

The first stop on their Miami Heat mansion tour was in Golden Beach where Petrillo checked out a 14-thousand foot, five bedroom oceanfront home with 24 foot high ceilings.

“That means when one of them walks through the door they won’t hit their heads,” said realtor Jill Eber.

Eber along with her partner Jill Hertzberg are known as “The Jills”. Since 2005

they’ve been the number one ranked real estate sales team in the state with sale of more than one billion dollars. So who was one of their biggest clients?

“I think the biggest was Shaq O’Neal” said Eber. The Jills sold him a house a Star Island.

So what do basketball stars look for in a house?

“They want things done,” said Hertzberg.

“True turnkey in perfect condition so they can focus their energy on other things, like winning!”

The house in Golden Beach, with 100 feet of the ocean front, has elegantly furnished rooms, including a ultra comfortable media room to watch re-plays of the game, an elevator and a dramatic staircase for $18.5 million.

Moving to the gated community of Sunset Island, the Jills say James or Bosh may enjoy a Mediterranean style bay front mansion where luxury meets quality.

A dramatic staircase sets the scene for the

13-thousand square foot, seven bedroom home complete with a media room, billiard room and an aquarium.

“You have 200 feet of waterfront so you can have any size boat or yacht you want,” said Eber.

The home is available for rent at $65 thousand a month, asking price for sale is $12.5 million.

On Palm Island, the Jills suggest a two story, 14 thousand foot palatial Mediterranean style home with a jaw dropping oversized patio and pool which boasts a Versace style mosaic tile. It has 200 feet of waterfront space It’s five minutes from South Beach, and even better, five minutes to the American Airlines Arena.

The separate pool house features a custom onyx bar, a steam shower, sauna, his and hers cabanas and a full gym.

Price tag – about $16 million.

Finally the what could be the most

expensive home which is fit for a ‘King’ is located on exclusive Indian Creek Island.

While it’s still under construction, owners Shlomi Alexander and Felix Cohen say the ten bedroom mansion comes with lagoons inside and out. It also comes with a “Dream Team” price of $60 million dollars. (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

The Adtimes Newspaper - SPORTS

For information call: 305-477-1699

1986 Miami Hurricanes Most Hated Team Ever Reporting Tim Kephart M I A M I (CBS4) Ñ Sports fans often argue about the best player, best team, or even who has the best fans. But Sports Illustrated went to the other end of the spectrum and came up with a list of the most-hated teams of all-time. Not surprisingly to most college football fans, the 1986 Miami Hurricanes topped the list.

SI described the team as “visionaries, early practitioners of an in-your-face brand of football that went out of its way to belittle and intimidate opponents.”

The 86 Canes famously arrived in Tempe, Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions wearing fatigues. It was a contrast to the coat and ties worn by Penn State players.

UM’s head coach at the time, Jimmy Johnson, famously called Penn State’s legendary head football coach Joe Paterno, “St. Joe.” UM was led that year by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde and were favorites to win the Fiesta Bowl. The team made sure everyone knew who they were and reveled in their hated status.

However, the game didn’t turn out nearly the way the Canes thought.

Testaverde threw five interceptions and Miami had seven total turnovers in a 1410 Penn State upset victory.

The rest of the top ten were: the 19881989 Detroit Piston; the 1992 Dallas Cowboys; the 1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers; the 1978 New York Yankees; the

2007 New England Patriots; the 19931994 New York Knicks; the 1976 Oakland Raiders; the 1989-1990 UNLV Running Rebels; and the 1998-1999 Manchester United team.

Source: Sports Illustrated (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) news powered by

August 6, 2010

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The Adtimes Newspaper August 6, 2010 Edition

For information call: 305-477-1699

The Adtimes Newspaper - AUTOMOTIVE

AutoNation: 2nd Quarter Profit Up Nearly 30% “Compared to a year ago, the biggest difference is the credit environment,” said company CEO Mike Jackson. “This year we have credit for our customers.

Last year we did not, and that’s what led to the downturn in sales.”

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) Ñ AutoNation Inc., the country’s largest auto dealership, beat Wall St.’s expectations Thursday morning when they announced that their second quarter net income was up 29 percent.

Based in Ft. Lauderdale, AutoNation posted net income of $47.2 million, or 29 cents per share, during the three months ended June 30. That compares with $36.7 million, or 21 cents per share, earned in the same quarter last year.

Jackson pointed out that new cars were selling for about a thousand dollars more on average and even sales in “ground zero” states of the housing meltdown, Florida and California, were up 20 percent.

of a double-dip recession. Industry sales are up 17 percent for the first six months of the year. Most analysts and automakers expect full-year sales of between 11.5 million and 12 million cars and trucks. That’s an improvement from the historic low of 10.4 million last year, but still well below the record high of more than 17 million in 2000.

Jackson said he expects new vehicle sales of 11.5 million in 2010, standing by a previous forecast.

Jackson said he expects sales to continue climbing in the third quarter, despite the absence of the highly successful Cash for Clunkers program that sent sales soaring in the year-ago period.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

“This is a real, genuine recovery in the auto industry,” Jackson said.

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Automakers have been posting higher sales in 2010, but the pace of recovery has slowed in recent months amid fears

August 6, 2010

53

The Adtimes Newspaper August 6, 2010 Edition

The Adtimes Newspaper

August 6, 2010

55

Horoscopes provided by www.astrology-online.com

NEWSPAPER news powered by

Virgo

(July 23-Aug. 23)

(Aug. 24-Sept. 22)

A trip to visit relatives should be rewarding.

Don’t be too quick to respond to a plea for help. Rely on the one you love for support and affection. You will find their philosophies worth exploring. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

PUBLISHER Tony Gambirazio

Don’t hesitate to sign up for creative courses or physical fitness programs. Travel will be fun and entertaining. Avoid any over indulgences. Your contributions will be valued and helpful. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday.

Sagittarius

Libra

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Scorpio

DIRECTOR OF SALES Cesar Rodriguez

Do your own thing without drawing attention to it. Expand your knowledge and sign up for courses and seminars. You might not be as reserved on an emotional level as you’d like. You’ll have great insight. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Ines Collado Ayla Sedlacek INSIDE SALES Sarah White OFFICE MANAGER Montserrat Surroca FRANCHISING Tony Gambirazio • DISTRIBUTION The AdTimes Newspaper powered by CBS4.COM is distributed in high foot traffic locations in the Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county areas such as Publix, Winn Dixie, Sedano’s, CVS, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Blockbuster, 7-Eleven, Bally’s Fitness, Sears, Big Lots, K-Mart, Regal Cinemas & Sawgrass Mills Mall.

ADVERTISING Advertising information can be obtained by calling our general sales office at 305-477-1699. visit us online at www.theadtimes.com

GENERAL INFORMATION 7210 SW 57th Avenue Suite 206 Miami, FL 33143 305-477-1699

©2009 Advertising Times Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written consent, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is strictly prohibited.

Don’t let your emotional upset interfere with your professional objectives. Limitations with females could lead to unfortunate circumstances. You will find that friends or relatives may not understand your needs.

Don’t overspend on luxury items. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

Aquarius

Taurus

(Jan. 21-Feb. 18)

(Apr. 21-May 21)

Don’t overreact if your partner has a poor attitude. Control your temper by getting immersed in your work. Partnerships will be successful. You will need to do a lot of research if you wish to get to the bottom of things. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

Someone around you may not be trustworthy.

Focus on forming business partnerships. Stand up and propose your ideas, and you’ll be surprised how many people will follow you.

Don’t push your mate if you want to keep this union going. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

Pisces

Gemini

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

(May 22-June 21)

You can expect to face opposition on the home front. Pleasure trips will bring you into contact with new and interesting people. You may be uncertain about some of your coworkers and your boss. You’ll find it easy to talk about your feeling this month. Don’t hesitate to find out what your mate’s intentions are. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday.

Your dedication and fortitude when dealing with humanitarian groups will enhance your reputation.

Don’t make mountains out of molehills if you want to avoid conflict. Don’t expect new acquaintances to be completely honest about themselves. Make changes around your house and plan to do some entertaining.Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday.

2 5 7 8 4 6 3 9 1

If you’re uncertain of your feelings, keep your opinions to yourself. You could have a change of heart if an old flame waltzes back into your life. Unexpected bills may set you back. This is a great day to mingle with people you would like to impress. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.

Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 20)

Renovations or purchases made for your home will payoff. A little rest will do wonders.

Your ability to be a self starter will help get things done and motivate others. Your efforts won’t go unnoticed; however, someone you work with may get jealous. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

All your energy should be directed into moneymaking opportunities. Try to enlist the help of those you trust in order to fulfill the demands being made of you. You will find that you are able to clear up a number of small but important details. You’re in the mood to spend time with your lover. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday.

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3x3 box Iin black borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

July 16th Solution

8 3 9 2 1 5 4 7 6

(Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

Romantic opportunities will develop through friends or relatives. Avoid letting children and friends borrow. You’ll find travel or involvement in large groups gratifying. Your mate will enjoy helping out. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

ART DIRECTOR Tammy Kukic

Capricorn

6 1 4 9 7 3 8 5 2

4 2 3 6 5 8 9 1 7

5 7 1 4 3 9 6 2 8

9 8 6 1 2 7 5 4 3

3 6 5 7 9 1 2 8 4

7 4 8 5 6 2 1 3 9

1 9 2 3 8 4 7 6 5

9 4 1 7 4 6 8 7 5 6 5 2 5 1 2 6 5 9

Look For Our Next Edition: AUGUST 20, 2010

3 1 6 8 7 9 4

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Leo