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M O N T H LY

I n t e r c e p t e d :

The Future of

drUG

SMUGGLInG

SUBS Automotive pg. 41 Home Improvement pg. 47 Marketplace pg. 53

monthly / M a r c h 2 0 1 3 - K e y B i s c a y n e E d i t i o n

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Contents Featured Editorial Could Semi-Subs Graduate From Smuggling Drugs To People, Weapons?

On the high seas off South America, the smuggling game has changed. Criminal bands are spending millions to build semi-submersibles, capable of moving several tons of drugs at a time between the Americas.

08 18 24

Caution Before Co-signing On A Student Loan Are you trying to figure out how to pay for your child’s college tuition? If you’re thinking about co-signing on a student loan, there’s information that you should know before you sign on the dotted line.

New Way To Raise Money For Your Medical Bills From rising healthcare costs to high deductible insurance policies to unforeseen accidents or illnesses, many people are left with medical bills they can’t afford to pay.

Even Adults In The Workplace Have To Deal With Bullies In this economy people are doing what they have to do to keep their jobs even if it means being subjected to “workplace bullying.”

[ 2 ] March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne

Paying More For Kids 1 1 Parents To Play Sports 2 3 Events Calendar Investigates: 2 6 CBS4 Drink Can Germs Bartending Classes 3 6 Best In Miami PRINTED IN THE USA, COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY MARCO G, INC. All rights reserved. The CBS4 News Magazine, a free publication, is published monthly by MARCO G, Inc. Material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission from Marco G. Inc. or WFOR CBS4. Requests for permission should be directed to: info@cbs4newsmagazine.com. CBS4 and/or Marco G. Inc do not assume any liability for products and/or services claimed in advertisements herein. CBS4 and its logo (s) are protected through trademark registration. The use of logos, content and/or artwork in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. For more information please contact 786-565-4556.

BUENAVENTURA, Colombia (CBSMiami.com)

I n t e r c e p t e d :

The Future of

drUG SMUGGLInG SUBS Reporting Brian Andrews

Clearly, money is no object.

“We’re talking mega money,” said Colombian Coast Guard Captain Carlos Delgado. Delgado is a leading authority on the drug war and the agency’s efforts to catch semi-submersibles. He’s also charting the future of the smuggling threat in the Americas. “Right now, they’re using them to move drugs, but in the future, we think they could use it to move people, guns, even chemical weapons,” said Delgado. So far this year, the Colombian Coast Guard has intercepted one semi-sub off the country’s southern coast. When they came upon it adrift in the Pacific, the Coast Guard said it had been abandoned and it appeared the drugs the semi-sub had been carrying were offloaded to either a go-fast boat, or another semi-submersible. The sub, along with more than a dozen others seized through the years, are housed on Malaga Bay, in a museum

“We never sleep. We’re always ready to go, to act on intelligence information we receive to stop these semi-subs from leaving our coast” honoring the Coast Guard’s efforts. The bay is also home to the Pacific Command for the Colombian Armada, or Navy, which has been very busy in recent months chasing down smugglers at sea. “Our busiest times are the middle of the night, the weekends, and when the national soccer team is playing,” said Delgado. The Captain said the traffickers don’t keep bankers hours. They move their subs full of drugs when they think law

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 5 ]

“The Coast Guard said the semi-subs cost around one million dollars to build, but add that traffickers make the money back ten-fold when the sub successfully delivers their load of narcotics”

enforcement is sleeping. However, Captain Delgado said the motto for his men and women is “on the offensive.” “We never sleep. We’re always ready to go, to act on intelligence information we receive to stop these semi-subs from leaving our coast,” Delgado said. The Captain said the semi-subs seem to be a real problem in the deep south of the country. Farther north, the Coast Guard said it’s seeing more traditional methods of smuggling involving fishing vessels and go-fast boats. One method they’ve seen used is a steel cylinder that looks like a torpedo, which gets towed on a line behind the boat. If the captain of the boat feels he’s about to be caught, he can easily cut the line. That sends the torpedo to the bottom of the ocean, which divers can retrieve later using GPS. The Coast Guard said the semi-subs cost around one million dollars to build, but add that traffickers make the money back ten-fold when the sub successfully delivers their load of narcotics. The route of travel is usually due west from the Colombian coast, and then a hard right at sea, north, to Central America, where the sub’s clandestine cargo is offloaded at sea and run ashore using go-fast boats. In some cases, the dope is buried on the beach. The dealers then sell the “location” of the buried dope to their clients so not to be involved in a delivery that could result in a set-up or someone getting killed. “There’s a lot of money in this business,” said Captain

Delgado. He said the newer subs that have been intercepted at sea are much more developed than one from years gone by. “They’re becoming better with technology,” he said. Typically, the subs are made from wood, fiberglass, and diesel engine parts pulled from old 18-wheelers. The Navigation systems are usually hand held and, often, purchased from electronics stores, in of all places, the United States. “They’re determined to move their drugs, but, we are determined to stop them,” said Captain Delgado.

“They’re determined to move their drugs, but, we are determined to stop them”

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 7 ]

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Caution Before Co-signing On A Student Loan

Are you trying to figure out how to pay for your child’s college tuition? If you’re thinking about co-signing on a student loan, there’s information that you should know before you sign on the dotted line. The average interest rate at graduation has increased and the unemployment rate is high. The amount of debt increasing each year makes it even more difficult for students to be able to afford their student loans.

When the payments,

interest and tight due dates on his son’s student loan became too much for the recent college grad, Steve was forced to take over payments. He had cosigned and didn’t want it to go into default, tanking both their credit ratings. “I had to rethink my whole financial situation whether I could retire, will I have to work more? It, it kept me up at nights,” said Steve. A whopping two-thirds of undergrads now graduate with student loan debt, totaling $1 trillion waiting to be paid back. For the first time ever the student loan default rate now exceeds credit card delinquency rate. “Unemployment is high, average interest rate at graduation has increased. The amount of debt each year increases, making it much more difficult for students to be able to afford their student loans,” according to Mark Kantrowitz, of FinAid.org. Nowadays if loans are private, more often than not there’s more than one signature on the bottom. “More than 90 percent of new borrowers have a cosigner

“When a student defaults and a parent is called back from retirement to go back to work to make these payments it’s certainly not a good chapter in the parent child relationship” on their student loan, that’s up from less than half before the credit crisis,” said Kantrowitz. Experts warn it’s a recipe for disaster for students and parents. “Parents are basing their decision to cosign upon the traditional view that when you went to college your earning power was exponentially greater than if you didn’t go to college, and that rationale no longer holds,” according to attorney Ann Margaret Carrozza.

“Experts say families should be sure they’ve exhausted all federal loan possibilities before taking out a private student loan”

So what options do you have if your child defaults and you cosigned? Carrozza suggests you contact the lender immediately and ask for an interest rate adjustment deferment. This gives you a temporary reprieve from the payments where the interest does not accumulate or forbearance where the payments are temporarily suspended but the interest still accumulates. No matter what, a default can put a lot of stress on a family. “When a student defaults and a parent is called back from retirement to go back to work to make these payments it’s certainly not a good chapter in the parent child relationship,” said Carrozza. Steve said he didn’t think cosigning on the college loan would have this result, but he has no regret. “If I didn’t do it and he didn’t pursue it I’d feel guilty maybe that he didn’t get the education he wanted or deserved,” said Steve.

“Parents are basing their decision to cosign upon the traditional view that when you went to college your earning power was exponentially greater than if you didn’t go to college, and that rationale no longer holds” Experts say families should be sure they’ve exhausted all federal loan possibilities before taking out a private student loan. It’s usually difficult to get student loans dismissed in bankruptcy court.

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 9 ]

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Parents Paying More For Kids To

Reporting Shannon Hori

If you have kids, you know how expensive it can be to raise them but many parents are shelling out more money than ever to pay for their kids to play.

For instance, a spot

in the high school marching band can cost $1,000 a year. Specialized clinics to earn a pitching title can cost $90 a class and dance class costumes can cost nearly $100 for a costume worn once. While the memories may be priceless, the amount you pay to play isn’t. Just ask Karen LaFlamme who pays for two children to play sports. “For Chantal’s swimming, it costs approximately $4 thousand a year,” LaFlamme explained. For her son Andre, it’s about $3,700 for baseball. He’s got a new $300 bat and the family pays for traveling expenses, gate fees and hotel bills. Experts say some parents are now shelling out up to a thousand dollars a month, and that’s just for one child and one sport. Why such a high price to play? “There is constantly more demand than facilities available and therefore drives the price of facility use up and secondarily insurance provided by the youth sports program,” explained Jon Butler, Executive Director Pop Warner Little Scholars Inc. Butler said 40-percent of families participating in extracurricular activities don’t have medical insurance, forcing the organizations to provide coverage. Another factor driving up costs is the elite level of coaching and play demanded by parents who are more competitive than ever.

“I think there is a whole societal issue now of parents who have grown up and are successful and want nothing but the best for their child,” said Butler. Soccer coach Jim Caruso agreed. “I know kids and have friends that have kids who travel all over the U.S. to play,” said Caruso of Future Soccer Stars Academy. “It’s no longer just volunteers doing the coaching, either. Highly paid assistants are brought in to help out. There’s also an increase in pricey high tech gear. Trainers prefer $300 bats to the $20 models and coaches say $40 swimsuits don’t compare to the $250 version. But experts say don’t invest until you know your child hits that elite level and loves the sport. Buy used equipment at thrift stores and franchise outlets. Ask about scholarships. Try community-based programs for new sports for your child. Karen’s kids love their sport, and although she doesn’t like

“I think there is a whole societal issue now of parents who have grown up and are successful and want nothing but the best for their child,” the hit her bank account is taking, she sees the benefits of her kids participating. “I want both my kids to be well-rounded and you know I think sports play is an important part of that,” said LaFlamme. Here’s another saving tip. Ask about sibling discounts because most programs offer them. If your child is involved in a community based program, the uniform is more than likely included in the registration cost. Parents usually have to pay extra for a pair of athletic shoes.

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 13 ]

Livestock WEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami.com)

“On The Moove” From South Florida Ports Reporting Brian Andrews

There’s a lot more leaving South Florida ports than just cruise ships: exporters say the area’s ports are seeing a large increase in the number of Florida livestock setting sail. Before pigs can fly out of MIA and cattle cars can set sail from both ports, however, the animals have to spend some quality time at a South Florida quarantine facility.

Renee Strickland

owns Strickland Ranch & Exporters and is one of the folks ready to move ‘em on out. “A huge load of cattle heading across the ocean to a far away country for breeding…or to become a great steak,” Strickland explained to CBS4’s Brian Andrews. “It ain’t as easy as it looks,” she cautioned. Strickland said moving beef is big business. “It’s huge. We ship over 800,000 heads of calves a year out of the state of Florida,” Strickland said. “We’ve got great cattle here in Florida. We are one of the largest producers in the country.” There’s a huge demand for beef and dairy cattle in Middle Eastern countries, and for pigs in Asia. “Miami is considered the gateway to the Caribbean, South America and Central America. The Europe market is growing here…the Middle East…Asia. So it’s a growing market,” explained Tony Alessandrini of Themes Farms.

Strickland, a rancher from Central Florida, decided to try her hand at cattle exporting when the recession hit. She had to do more than raise cattle: she needed to sell them herself and learned exporting is a risky business. “You can make some good money and you can lose a lot of money in this business,” Strickland warned. While a lot can go right, a lot can go wrong: weather, bureaucracy…and humans. For example, what if a trucker doesn’t show up to move the cattle and the ship has to wait? “All of a sudden, to the tune of $15,000 a day, you pay extra because it had to stay another day for your cattle to get there,” Strickland said. She added that most of her business starts with email from Asia, the Middle East, or some other far away place with a reqeust for her to go find someone a specific type of cow. “They’ll come over, select them, make sure they like what I’ve picked for them. Then, I handle all of the logistics from March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 15 ]

the time they bought those cattle all the way to where they get to their farm in whatever country they are in,” Strickland said. She works out of a cattle quarantine facility in western Miami-Dade. Some countries require cattle shipments to be separated from other animals for 30 days before they’re shipped. They have to get a final inspection and, sometimes, blood work. “We get a nice set of USDA health papers. Those are very important; they travel with the cattle,” Strickland said. “All types of animals pass through the facility on their way out of the country. We see everything…from camels to llamas to zebras, to porcupines, to cattle,” she added. Alessandrini said this business has taken him everywhere. “Yeah, I’ve been all over the world,” he said. “The very first time I ever got on an airplane, I got on a plane with horses.” Strickland said exporting livestock is her dream job. “I’m dealing with animals and livestock, which is what I like. I’m dealing with people all over the world. The phone rings, I never know what country it’s going to be. It’s always interesting and I can truely say I have friends all around the world,” she said. Miami-Dade is the number one county in the state for international trade traffic. Broward comes in fifth and foreign trade accounts for more than half a million jobs statewide.

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 17 ]

New Way To

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Raise Money For Your

Medical Bills Reporting Cynthia Demos

From rising healthcare costs to high deductible insurance policies to unforeseen accidents or illnesses, many people are left with medical bills they can’t afford to pay. In the past, some in need have turned to bake sales and car washes to help raise funds. These days, all you need is a computer and a little kindness from strangers.

Born with a rare

genetic disorder, little Madden needs multiple surgeries just to stay alive. The costs are overwhelming for his family. “ER visits, medication, he’s on a special formula,” said Madden’s mother, Mandy Sheridan. Madden’s mother is not the only one facing tough calls when it comes to medical costs. Health care expenses in the US continue to rise, according to a recent study by the Health Care Cost Institute. And even those with insurance are often strapped with high deductible plans and out of pocket expenses. “In 2011 we watched out of pocket spending rise for the commercially insured by 4.6 percent. Those would be things that are like over the counter drugs and medical devices that weren’t prescribed,” explained Carolina Herrera from the Health Care Cost Institute. Now thousands are getting help online. Their stories shared on crowdfunding websites where friends, family and even strangers pitch in. “It was so exciting, the first donation that came in, and then by the end of the day there were so many. It was inspiring.” Crowdfunding has been used in recent years, mostly to finance creative startup projects, such as video games or movies. Now experts say it’s exploding in the nonprofit sector as well. March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 19 ]

Brad Damphousse is the co-founder and CEO of GoFundMe, one of several online fundraising sites. He said last year people raised more than eight million dollars for medical causes on GoFundMe alone. “Our medical, illness and healing category is the most popular area of usage,” said Damphousse. Suzanne Revell started her crowdfunding campaign after a gymnastics injury left her needing a wheelchair that her insurance company refused to cover. “If I’m going to have to pay for the chair out of pocket, then maybe I could get friends and family members to help donate,” said Revell. She was shocked by the response, not only from friends and family, but strangers, raising more than eight-thousand dollars in just a week. Anyone can set up a campaign for free. Just write up your story, add photos or video, and then send out the link to your social media contacts. “As a campaign grows in popularity, other people begin to show their support,” said Damphousse. The money is collected through the websites, which take a small cut per transaction. In addition to donations, people can leave messages of support. “To see all the words of encouragement, that was the biggest part of it. It wasn’t just the financial part,” explained Sheridan. While the sites have systems in place to prevent fraud, it’s still possible for scammers to slip through the cracks. Damphouse recommended you donate only to registered charities and to friends or friends of friends. More than $11,000 has been raised for Madden so far. His mom said she can’t wait to tell him the story someday. “I will tell him that strangers came together and helped save his life,” said Sheridan. Unlike other crowdfunding websites, where you have to meet your monetary goal before the project is funded and you get your money, with cause related crowdfunding the money is available for immediate use even if you don’t reach your goal.

“To see all the words of encouragement, that was the biggest part of it. It wasn’t just the financial part”

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 21 ]

calendar Sprung!

uLTrA MuSIc FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL

Boasting the World's best DJs, unparalleled production, and location in the beautiful city of Miami, ULTRA Music Festival is the premier two-weekend electronic festival.

BEEr March 9, 2013

A true spring and summer craft beer festival like no other. Sprung! will give beer fans the opportunity to sample over 150 spring and summer craft beers, which are considered to be some of the best seasonal beers of the year. Peacock Park, Coconut Grove

March 15 - 17, 2013 / March 22 - 24, 2013

305-358-7550 / ultramusicfestival.com

ThE MIAMI TASTE oF BrIckELL Food & WInE FESTIVAL March 23 - 24, 2013

A food wine festival, featuring over 50 fine dining establishments & vendors, wine garden, live concert and Kids Zone. 786-355-4800 / tasteofbrickell.com

Igotsprung.com

AnnuAL JAzz In ThE gArdEnS MuSIc FESTIVAL March 16 - 17, 2013

The current concert tour roster includes artists such as Charlie Wilson, New Edition, Earth Wind & Fire, Najee, Rachelle Ferrell, Neyo, Monica, Mary Mary and more. 877-640-JAZZ

jazzinthegardens.com

Adriano Castelli / Shutterstock.com

corAL gABLES gALLEry nIghT March 1st, 2013 - 6 to 10 pm.

Various galleries Held the first Friday of the month, Gallery Nights showcase the various works from European and Latin American art masters to outstanding contemporary artists. Be on the lookout for the orange paintbrush on the side of the Trolley and on special Trolley stop signs to find a dedicated Gallery Night Trolley that will loop between Coral Gables galleries and art venues participating on Gallery Night. Download the Gallery Night map at: citybeautiful.net

Coral Gables

Farmers market March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30: 8 a.m. – 2p.m. - Free Merrick Park, in front of City Hall – 405 Biltmore Way

The 22nd season of the Coral Gables Farmers Market will feature live music, just-picked produce, baked goods, and a variety of plants for sale. There will be a Tai Chi class offered at 8 a.m., a gardening workshop at 9 a.m., a cooking demonstration at 10 a.m. and a children’s activity at 11 a.m. For more information, visit coralgables.com/farmersmarket. The Coral Gables Passport Acceptance Facility at City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

WorLd BASEBALL cLASSIc March 12 - 16, 2013

See the best teams from all around the world compete. 877-411-2012 / worldbaseballclassic.com

Sony ErIcSSon opEn

ThE MIAMI hoME dESIgn & rEModELIng ShoW March 22 - 24, 2013

Largest home improvement event featuring thousands of products and service for the home including an international collection of residential decorating, remodeling an home improvements. homeshows.net

MIAMI InTErnATIonAL FAShIon WEEk March 20 - 24, 2013

Featuring the world's top-ranked pros in men and women in singles competition and men's teams and women's teams in doubles competition.

The venue is transformed into a state of theart "Fashion City" built to house all fashionshows, exhibitions, culinary style cafe and sponsor lounges as the world's fashion elite flock to Miami Beach to participate in this world class event.

305-365-3500 / sonyopentennis.com

miamifashionweek.com

March 18 - 31, 2013

In ThE nIghTS March 6, 2013 - April 7, 2013 - Every Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday. Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. For tickets call 305/444-9293 actorsplayhouse.org March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 23 ]

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thirty-five percent of all companies have workplace bullying which can leave workers suffering from depression and companies suffering financial lossâ&#x20AC;?

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Adults In The Workplace

Even

Have To

Deal With Bullies Reporting Cynthia Demos

In this economy people are doing what they have to do to keep their jobs even if it means being subjected to “workplace bullying.” Thirty-five percent of all companies have workplace bullying which can leave workers suffering from depression and companies suffering financial loss.

Wiping tears

from her eyes, Carla Parmejano recounts how she was treated while working at a restaurant where she was bullied by the owners and her coworkers. “You know, I think we’re here, and we’re not perfect and we’re here to help, and to get something like this, it’s really frustrating,” Parmejano said. Parmejano was hired to work in the front but was relegated to cleaning in the back, where she was constantly made to feel left out, causing her to suffer from anxiety and depression. “I’m not the only one and not the only person who’s been through this and I’m not going to be the last one,” Parmejano said. Workplace bullying, according to psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Bober, is a very real problem that’s enduring and occurs over time, and even one that can be compared to domestic violence. “Berating employees in front of other employees, hiring people who have conflicts with other people, all these are things that create a difficult working environment for everyone,” he said. Psychological and emotional abuse isn’t the only concern when it comes to workplace bullying; it’s the financial interest the company should also consider. “It’s not just morally wrong, it’s economically foolish,” he said. The economic loss to a company caused by workplace

bullying is up to forty percent, if the employee decides to quit rather than staying and continue getting bullied. Many options for employees who are being harassed can be considered, including the Workplace Bullying Organization’s suggestions, which include taking time off to heal, advising Human Resources and launching a counterattack by researching state and federal laws. Employees can take legal action twenty-five percent of the time, especially if they are in a protected class being singled out because of race, sex or age. Parmejano never took any legal action but she did quit her job when she was finally able to get another, but thinking of the way she was treated forever changed her. “The first week I worked there [my coworkers] almost destroyed my life,” Parmejano said. “Destroyed what I had in me.”

“Psychological and emotional abuse isn’t the only concern when it comes to workplace bullying; it’s the financial interest the company should also consider”

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 25 ]

Miami (CBSMiami.com)

CBS4 Investigates:

Drink Can

Germs

Reporting Al Sunshine

Pop the top of your favorite soda and you can expect to find carbonated water, sugar, even a little sodium. But look closer. Could you also find some Bacillus? How about a splash of Staphylococcus?

CBS4 Investigates

discovered nearly a dozen different germs lurking on the tops of 20-soda cans during a random test. We checked out groceries, gas stations, restaurants, universities and vending machines. We found this soda can in a Doral gas station with dark soot on the top. “I really wasn’t expecting these to be as bad as they actually are, considering the sources they came from,” said Karen Deiss a Microbiologist. She showed us the black furry mold that was hiding on this can from a store. “Oh wow,” was Deiss’s reaction. “The thought of that growing in your mouth after your drink, is awful. A potent odor came from the yeast that was on the energy drink we bought from a vending machine. The big question for consumers is how are the cans stored before we buy them. The ones we bought have a plastic cover on top which does a pretty good job of protecting them from any dirt or germs.” But it’s what happens when the plastic is torn off, or there’s nothing to protect the cams, that causes problems. A waitress delivered us the staph during lunch. We found

“I started getting throbbing cramps on the left side of my lower abdominal. I didn’t think much of it, but the pain was there.”

Pseudomonas Aerugenosa apparently growing on a can inside this vending machine. That’s a bacteria that can cause skin or ear infections… typically associated with dirty Hot Tubs. Take a look at the dust on the top of this energy drink from a gas station. That’s enterobacter…. a coliform bacteria. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Cedric Spak explained that if that really meant something from the can was living there. “It’s something from the rectum, would be a better way to describe it. It’s coliform, it something that lives in human and animal large intestines. March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 27 ]

“It could mean the store clerk did not wash his hands after going to the bathroom, or it could be from a rat in the warehouse”

Dr. Spake said it could mean the store clerk did not wash his hands after going to the bathroom, or it could be from a rat in the warehouse. “You’ll find out it can cause infections in patients with a variety of serious medical conditions. “I started getting throbbing cramps on the left side of my lower abdominal. I didn’t think much of it, but the pain was there.” Oscar Izquierdo of Westchester is proof that it’s not just dirty soda cans to be on the lookout for. He said he got sick drinking from a contaminated bottle of water he bought three weeks ago. He didn’t notice the entire package had bottles with grey-patchy “blobs” floating inside… a sign of contamination. “I completely freaked out, there’s a blob grey-ish tint to

it floating around in the water. I started thinking oh my God could this possibly be the reason why I am getting the cramps and two of my three kids are getting sick?” asked Izquierdo. Dr. Spak is quick to point out wherever they come from, these germs are all around us. He said the bottom line is that they should not cause concerns in most healthy people. “It’s not that bad and it’s not that surprising at all,” said Dr. Spak. Fresh tap water or an alcohol based sanitizer can be an effective wipe-down to get rid of any dirt or germs on cans. Bottled water doesn’t last forever. If you see anything floating inside… don’t drink it!

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 29 ]

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Unclaimed Cash

Could Be Just A Mouse Click Away! The odds of winning the

Powerball are a whopping one in 175 million. The odds of you finding out that a government entity or a business, like an insurance company, owes you money are about one in 600. Ralph Zeth knows. He said he couldn’t believe it when he found out there was nearly $3,000 waiting for him from an insurance policy taken out by his mother who passed away in 2002. “I said, you know, ‘Jeesh, from the grave she’s still having an impact on my life’, it’s amazing,” said Zeth. Zeth used the money to help pay for a trip to Italy, something, he said, his mother would have loved. It turns out his pay out was just a drop in the bucket. Experts believe there is approximately one billion dollars in benefits from misplaced or forgotten life insurance policies waiting to be claimed. While million dollar payouts are extremely rare, some have reached into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. For more than a decade, CBS4 had told viewers about Florida’s unclaimed property program and its fltreasurehunt. org website. Currently there is more than a billion dollars in twelve and half million unclaimed accounts. In Miami-Dade County alone there is more than $303 million dollars waiting to be claimed. Broward has another $184 million and there is $8 million in Monroe County accounts.

So who’s owed money around South Florida? CBS4 Chief Consumer Investigator Al Sunshine found accounts for the Florida Marlins, Miami Dolphins and even several local county agencies. Along with the state some insurance companies, like John Hancock and Metlife, are also making it easier for benefactors to collect their unclaimed money. All they have to do is type their name into their policy finder websites, fill out a form and provide proof of a connection to the account. Florida’s unclaimed property program used to advertise account holders several times a year in local newspapers. To save money, however, that practice was discontinued several years ago. The search site is operated free of charge by the state. The program also includes the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes. The “treasure” found inside has included diamonds, gold, precious gems, even autographed baseballs from Babe Ruth. Under state law, the contents are auctioned off if their rightful owners can’t be located after several years. CHECK THESE WEBSITES: www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Government-Unclaimed-Money.shtml www.fltreasurehunt.org/

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 31 ]

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Cruise Ship Contracts May Leave Passengers All Wet

Reporting Ted Scouten

After the disastrous journey of the Carnival Triumph, many passengers are questioning exactly what their rights are when it comes to cruise vacations.

“What are my legal rights,”

asked Camille Horvat, jokingly. “Can I have a copy?” She’s excited to go on her cruise and joked about what she agreed to when she bought her ticket to cruise. But not many people know, when you buy a ticket, you agree to bunch of legally binding rules, regulations and conditions set by the cruise company, spelled out in a lot of fine print. “I do that whole ‘agree thing,’” said passenger Bruce Welnez, talking about how he checks the “agree” box when he make his purchase. “I don’t read thru that whole thing. It’s a huge thing you scroll through.” “I think it’s just a page and a half or two at the most,” said fellow cruiser Donna Malone. “Thumb through that,” suggested CBS 4’s Ted Scouten as he handed her a cruise agreement. “How many pages are there?” “One, two,” said Malone as she began counting. “Eight!” she said after finishing her count. “Let me get my attorney to read this,” her husband Joe joked. “I probably didn’t read it to be honest with you,” Donna admitted. “A lot of people don’t know that some of their rights,” said Hollywood attorney David Singer. “On a cruise, they’ve signed

away even before they enter the ship.” Singer knows these cruise conditions very well. “This is what I would call a contract of adhesion, take it or leave it,” he explained. “Really, it’s a gun to your head.” Singer pointed out most cruise lines say if you’re going to sue, you must file a notice to sue within six months and file suit within a year. And many cruise lines require you sue only in Federal court and only in Miami. Something else people don’t realize, in some cases the passenger agrees to not sue at all, but go thru arbitration. “If it was any other contract with anybody under the sun, you could cross out clauses you could negotiate this and that,” he said. “Ya just dampened my style,” said Horvat. “I’m gonna read it though, it’s one of the bags somewhere. I’m gonna take a look at it tonight before we get on the ship; so I’ll be prepared.” Once you read all the fine print and you find you don’t like what you’re reading, you do have an option; however you may not like it. That is to stay home. Attorneys suggested if you decide to go on the cruise, you should read through the fine print, just so you know what you’re getting into.

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 33 ]

Best

Bartending Classes InÂ Miami

If there is a city that will always need bartenders, it is Miami. Miami is filled with hospitality venues from hotels to nightclubs to pool bars. In the tourist-filled areas of a city like South Beach, there can be 20 or more venues with bars on any given block. The bartending schools of the city teach cocktail knowledge, speed, accuracy and insider tips needed for working specifically in south Florida. Some schools even teach bonus material such as utilizing POS systems and the fun and gratuity-attracting flair bartending.

South Beach Bartending

www.sobebartending.com South Beach Bartending is a fun, 10-day comprehensive bartending school with both South Beach and Hollywood locations.Students are given the most famous cocktails to study and practice as well as south Florida-specific drinks. The classes entail 40 hours of training plus students may practice as many additional hours as they like. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mock bar setups are perfect for experiencing the real environment to get a great handle on maneuverability, comfort and speed. South Beach Bartending offers classes in English, Spanish and Russian.

ABC

Bartending www.abcbartending.com The 34-year-old bartending school, ABC Bartending, has two additional locations in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Classes are offered in English or Spanish and cover all bases like cocktails, POS transactions, behavior/etiquette/ personality behind the bar and flair bartending. The two-week courses finish with assistance in job placement and ABC has a history of many graduates from the school receiving employment at fine South Florida establishments including 94th Aero Squadron, The Rusty Pelican and Trump International Resort. The convenient class schedules are offered mornings, afternoons and evenings and accelerated one-week courses are also available.

Elite

Bartending School www.elitebartendingschool.com Another great bartending school with event staffing is Elite Bartending School in Miami Beach. The classroom is in Club Play, a top South Beach nightclub equipped with the latest and greatest in POS technology so students also get to learn the technological process of working at a bar. Certain days a week, students are encouraged to visit the venue during club hours to see their bartending staff in action with a full house of nightclub guests and celebrities. Elite also has a bar store with a host of supplies like openers and shakers, a flair bartending class included with tuition, employment assistance and for those who request it, special Spanish-only courses. The school offers a unique lifetime membership with tuition allowing students to return at any time to practice or sit in on courses to ask questions, utilize the online forums and more.

March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 37 ]

AUTOMOTIVE

[ 42 ] March 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne