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newspaper April 2013

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April 2013

Reporting Jim DeFede

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MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

A little before midnight on a recent Friday, paramedics from the City of Miami brought in a man who had been found passed out in a Dumpster. Whether the man crawled into the Dumpster on his own or was tossed inside by others wasn’t clear. A short time later a pair of car accident victims were flown into Ryder with serious – but not life threatening – injuries. All in all a quiet night at Ryder. But as is often the case with Ryder, it was merely the calm before the bedlam. By 3 am, the trauma center’s radio would crackle with news that two men had been shot in the City of Miami. “Apparently we’re getting someone who was shot multiple times and we don’t know where all the injuries are,” said Dr. Brian O’Connell, as he and the other members of his team scramble to prepare a trauma bay. “We’ll have the anesthesiologist ready in case we have to intubate the patient if they need that,” he explained, “and if we have to do emergency procedures – put in central Venus lines, put in chest tubes or something like that. Sometimes it turns out to be nothing but we just get ready.” O’Connell has worked at Ryder for more than five years. Ryder is one of the busiest trauma centers in the country averaging just under a thousand stabbing and shooting victims a year which is why doctors refer to the trauma center as The Knife and Gun Club. With the national debate about gun control taking center stage at the time – and a seemingly endless parade of shootings in recent months in Miami Dade County, CBS4 News wanted to go behind the scenes at the trauma center to see the issues from the perspective of those who treat the wounded. “I don’t know if I can remember the last day or night where we haven’t seen someone affected by gun violence come in,” said Dr. Tanya Zakrison, “which is a very sorry state.” Zakrison is a trauma surgeon from Canada who came to work at Ryder because there weren’t enough shootings in Canada to keep her skills sharp. “I love home, I love Toronto Canada, I think our healthcare system is fantastic,” she said. “But I was quite underwhelmed and under challenged as a trauma surgeon. In other words we didn’t have enough violence.” That’s not a problem in Miami. As politicians debate the future of gun control, the folks at Ryder deal with today’s realities. So-called assault weapons – AR15s and AK47s – fire what are known as high velocity

rounds. “A high velocity round has the power to blow off a limb just about,” offered Aramis Martinez, a trauma nurse at Ryder for six years. “You can have somebody shot in the leg and it can blow off half that leg. It’s not a little hole and the bone doesn’t just get fractured it gets shattered.” The vast majority of gun shot wounds at Ryder however, come from handguns. But these low velocity rounds offer their own dangers. “Low velocity, high velocity, I find that it really doesn’t make a difference in the sense that the damage is excruciating, it’s

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terrible,” said Zakrison. “It’s like a bomb going off on the inside. Even if you have a low velocity, small bullet you still have what’s called tumble and yaw.” Tumble and yaw: the ability of the bullet — because it is moving slower – to move end over end often curving or looping through the body; ripping apart tissue, blood vessels, and organs. As doctors and nurses wait for the arrival of that night’s shooting victim, paramedics call in with an update. The victim has been shot three times but his vital signs are good. Before long detectives from the Miami Police Department’s homicide unit show up – whether the victim lives or dies the case is theirs. Approximately 22 minutes after being shot – the 23-year-old victim is brought in by paramedics and taken to one of the trauma bays. “Wiggle your toes,” O’Connell told the patient. “Squeeze my hand.” The victim was shot standing in the street around NW 67th street and Third Court. He has a long history of arrests for drug dealing and a variety of crimes involving firearms. None of which matters to the doctors and nurses working on him. “We have people who get shot again and again and they keep coming back,” said Martinez. “For the grace of God they haven’t died – and our good work. But they keep coming back.” Does that frustrate Martinez? “It doesn’t so much frustrate me as it blows my mind that somebody can keep coming back over and over getting shot,” he said. “If I get shot one time I think I’ve learned a lesson but they keep coming back and they don’t change.” At Ryder they are known as Frequent Flyers. And tonight’s victim just became a member. This was his second trip to Ryder with gun shot wounds. Although it is difficult to estimate, hospital officials believe that every gun shot victim costs the hospital at least $46,327 in medical bills. Costs that

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are almost always absorbed by the taxpayers of Miami Dade County. “Knife and gun club people they don’t carry insurance,” noted O’Connell. As doctors work on the patient, social worker Janice Price called the patient’s loved ones. Dealing with the family members of gunshot victims may be the hardest job in Ryder. And for Price, who is African-American, seeing mostly young African-American victims can take its own toll on her. “I have a son who’s 19 years old and always you think about this could be your child,” said Price. “And you think about the parents and the feeling that you have when you have to give them the information.” And while not every case may take an emotional toll, some do. Both Zakrison and O’Connell were on duty when the youngest shooting victim of 2012 came through the doors. A victim so young she hadn’t even been born yet. “We had a young woman who was 27 years old who came in and was shot,” Zakrison said. “She was also eight months pregnant and she was shot in her abdomen. She was actually shot through her uterus so her unborn child, her unborn daughter actually was shot through the arm “ She was talking about Tiffany Davis, who was shot as she stepped outside a convenience store in Overtown. The person standing near her was killed. “It makes you a little bit ashamed to be a human being, to be part of the same race that’s executing pregnant ladies – that’s a little bit rough,” said O’Connell. “But that was a big save. That lady was shot in the abdomen and the head. That’s usually a fatal injury.” Tonight’s victim will also survive. Shot three times he’d be home in a matter of days. “I don’t know why some people can get shot several times and walk away from it,” O’Connell said. “He has some fractures, so it’s not like he got off scott free. But to be shot three times and survive, I think is pretty lucky.”

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April 2013

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

The Money Test:

Are You Saving Enough? Reporting Al Sunshine

How good are you with your money? Do you spend everything you make or save for a rainy day?

Saving isn’t much fun, but it is a necessity. Ask yourself how long you could get by if you lost your current salary. The answer should be six months. Dana Levit of Paragon Financial Advisors said six months is a standard number when it comes to emergency funds. “Reason being, how long will it take you to get another job, that is what it is tied to.” If you’re dreaming of golf and warm weather in your golden years, there is a savings bench mark for that too. “Ten percent of your gross income, compounded over a lifetime should get you in a pretty good position for retirement,” said Levit. “If you’re one of those people that didn’t start saving until you are 30 or 40, that number goes up significantly.” Americans have gotten better with their credit cards, but there is a warning sign here too. Are balances getting smaller from year to year? “The red flag for me is that means people are living pay check to pay check,” said Levit. Other potential potholes are deals which let consumers make a big purchase with payments and interest being deferred. It might sound like a great way to get a new TV, but if you don’t pay it off in time, the interest clock gets reset, back to the beginning. Levit said the rates on these types of programs can be very high. Experts also say these deals can cause us to spend more overall. That’s because it’s easy to forget about a payment that’s years away, and buy other things in the meantime.

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April 2013

“Sir. I am writing to you because I am in urgent need of preventing a crisis from occurring”

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

CBS4 Investigates:

Standoff With A Soldier

Reporting Michele Gillen

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April 2013

“Sir. I am writing to you because I am in urgent need of preventing a crisis from occurring.” It was an e-mail that stopped its reader in her tracks. An e-mail that made its way to a specialized Miami-Dade mental health program, the 11th Judicial Circuit Criminal Mental Health Project, created to interface counselors with police and the courts. The goal is to save lives and reduce the number of people with mental illness in the criminal justice system. The e-mail arrived on the heels of the Sandy Hook tragedy in

Connecticut and just days before December 21, 2012 – a date that some believed signaled the end of the world. In fact, a worried family member of a young Iraqi soldier wrote of her unsuccessful attempts to get the young soldier help. A man the family member said suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Schizophrenia and more. She detailed that she believed the young soldier was going to kill himself and others and included a laundry list of weapons he allegedly possessed, including shotguns, rifles and handguns. “The amount of weapons that he had would have been enough to create a catastrophe.” said Miami-Dade Judge Steve Leifman, one of the nation’s leading experts on the treatment of

the mentally ill. Leifman, who also chairs the Florida Supreme Court Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues, tells CBS 4 Chief Investigator Michele Gillen that neither he nor his team had ever gotten a letter like this. “It would’ve made the situation in Connecticut look mild,” Leifman cautioned. The 26-year-old solider was living in an Miami apartment complex just steps from an elementary school. The front door to his apartment is emblazoned with cryptic

“The amount of weapons that he had would have been enough to create a catastrophe.” messages. Chief Investigator Michele Gillen read the last line of the email back to Judge Leifman. “I’m concerned for his safety. He has pre-meditated murder [on his mind] and he needs to be stopped!” the note said. “I still get the chills even when you read it back to me.

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699 It’s horrifying,” says Leifman. “She had tried everything to get him help and just by the grace of God happened upon our office.” His team immediately called a specialized and specially trained team at Miami-Dade Police. Units were quickly dispatched. “That’s when the second best of luck happened. We got a hero who came out who turned out to be an Iraqi vet himself.” said Leifman. “He was in crisis and he truly believed that what he was doing was the right thing,” says Victor Milian. To the judge, a hero in this story. Millian is not only a Miami-Dade Hostage negotiator, but also a veteran of the Iraqi war, a senior sergeant, and when he arrived at the soldier’s apartment complex he was determined to get the troubled soldier out alive, while trying to make sure that residents and his fellow officers were kept safe. When he approached the apartment and went right up to a window that was all that separated himself from the former soldier, he did not know exactly how many weapons were inside the apartment. “All I knew [from the] initial report was that there were multiple assault weapons and possible grenades so that just raised the ante even more. It was very tense. I initially observed that there was a school across the street so that immediately raised to that tension and that stress factor,” Millian said. How did he decide how close to go? “Part is gut but part is that you have to establish that rapport. And then again being a vet myself and having been around vets and dealing with the vets when they come back, one of the hardest things to establish is that issue,” Millian shared with Gillen. “There were dynamics that I felt compelled me… I needed to go that close.”

Gillen asked what he saw in the soldiers’ eyes. “The calm of a soldier,” Millian said. Chilling in that… “He had a ballistic vest on which is pretty much the same thing that we wear. And he was armed. I saw what I believed to be a barrel of a firearm of a rifle and it was behind him,” says Millian. Surrounded by SWAT and Crisis Intervention teams, all residents having been evacuated, Millian spent 5 and half hours talking down the young veteran and getting him out to safety. He walked into the house to get an idea of the mental state of the soldier. “When you walked in that house, were you shocked?” asked Gillen. ” Yes, yes,” he responded. “What stays with him from looking inside the apartment?” Gillen asked. “What it could have been. What it could have been.” If there was one thing said that will always stay with Millian? “They don’t care. They don’t care. We are just a word, Veterans.” Something he says he has heard from other veterans. On this day, Judge Leifman says all came together in a perfect storm. Not always the case, given the needs to treat people with mental health issues in South Florida, the specific needs of veterans and the fractured system of getting them help. In this case, the young solider would be hospitalized and is now in a facility being treated. He thanked Officer Millian as he walked out of his apartment. For Millian for those 5 and a half hours he was back in the arena of war. And for Millian, the greatest feeling was, “I kept one of mine alive.”

April 2013

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South Florida Renters

Falling Victim to the

Newest

HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami.com)

Leasing Scam It’s a great house for a young family, but for the folks who live in the little yellow house in the on 24th Court in Hollywood, it’s gone from a dream to a nightmare. They thought they signed a legit lease when they handed over $3700. They were wrong.

“They’re obviously incredibly shell

shocked because now they suddenly have to move,” said the real owner, Doug Barnard. “They were just all happy with their house, introducing themselves to the neighbors.” Barnard didn’t know strangers were in his home until it went under contract for sale and his real estate agent called him with the shocking news. “The appraiser called me Monday morning and said, ‘I thought you said the house was vacant, there’s a family living in there,’” said real estate agent Esther Templin. “My first reaction was, ‘oh my gosh, we got squatters.’” The family living here did not want to talk, but Barnard said they showed him a lease and everything seemed to be in order – except that whoever drew up the rental agreement is not the owner and the family got duped. “These poor people,” said Templin, shaking her head, “they were taken, they have small kids and a new puppy, they seem like very nice people, it’s a shame, it’s a real shame.” “I know how they feel! I know that’s very sad,” said Victoria Penagos on the verge of tears. She feels their pain. A couple months ago, she fell victim to a similar scam, handing over 850 dollars thinking she was going to get into an apartment. It was all a fraud leaving her and her daughter with nowhere to go. “I was having a lot of my stuff in the car, inside the car, homeless,” she said. “I was homeless. I was here, I was at a friend’s house, another friend’s house and another friend’s house.”

Now she and her daughter live in a room at her brother’s place, and they’re back to square one trying to save money for a deposit on their piece of the American dream. “Right now I have nothing, I have to start on the bottom again,” said Penagos. “It’s hard.” The family that got scammed in Hollywood is packing up their things. They expect to be out of the house by Friday. Police and real estate experts say if you are looking for a rental, it’s best to hire a real estate agent to help you weed out the frauds, or have an attorney check out the lease agreement. And the cardinal rule, according to victim, police and experts, never hand over cash.

“Police and real estate experts say if you are looking for a rental, it’s best to hire a real estate agent to help you weed out the frauds, or have an attorney check out the lease agreement”

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April 2013

Full-Time Jobs Elusive

WASHINGTON (CBSMiami.com)

As Unemployment Drops To 7.7 Percent Reporting Al Sunshine

The latest jobs numbers give hope to workers, employers, and the government that the Great Recession and jobs crisis may be slowly starting to retreat permanently.

According to the Labor Department,

236,000 jobs were added to U.S. payrolls in February. The unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent as a result of those additions, which marked the lowest unemployment rate in four years. In addition, according to the Washington Post, private sector pay rose 0.6 percent as both wages and hours increased in February. Still, the labor did shrink and many simply gave up looking for work. Plus, the numbers reflected the time period before the massive across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration actually hit this month. Breaking down the numbers, the construction sector added 48,000 jobs in February, which was the most since

March 2007. In addition, despite the payroll tax increase, Americans kept spending at a pace that allowed retailers to add more than 23,000 jobs. The unemployment rate may have been even lower if the federal and state governments weren’t continuing to shrink their payrolls. The federal government cut 4,200 jobs in February while state governments cut 8,000 and local governments cut 2,000, according to the Post.

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April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Parents Face

Diabetes

Discrimination In Schools AndÂ Daycares

Diabetes in children is on the rise. Some experts have predicted a 23 percent increase in the number of children with Type 1 diabetes by 2050. This increase has impacted daycare centers and schools, some of which have had a hard time dealing with the growing number of students who need special care.

Reporting CynthiaÂ Demos

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When Jared Kuper was diagnosed with diabetes at eight years old, his mother sat day after day, all day, at his school so that she could monitor his blood sugar levels herself. “It’s a minute to minute disease,” said Laura Kuper. “So the wind could blow and their sugar changes. It’s, it’s a constant worry.” Three years later, she counts on the school nurse for help. Diabetes care is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Schools have to comply and it means they’re required to provide services for children with disabilities and if a daycare receives federal funding they have to comply with those same rules,” said Linda Siminerio with the American Diabetes Association. A growing number of parents, however, say they are facing discrimination. “Some daycares don’t accept kids with disabilities,” said Kuper. Health experts said there is a lot of confusion about who is responsible for what when it comes to serving kids with special needs. “Families still face some challenges in getting some resistance at the daycare and school level,” said Siminerio. Those ‘challenges’ include who is responsible for monitoring insulin levels and who is responsible for giving injections, if needed. Those areas are not spelled out in state or federal law. The American Diabetes Association said some parents end up staying

at the school all day. “There’s parents that work and shouldn’t have to worry and don’t have that luxury,” said Kuper. So what can parents do? There are currently complaints filed with the Justice Department over care for children with diabetes. The ADA believes it is stressful enough having a child with the disease, fighting the system only escalates the stress. “What we need to do is be able to think of ways to be able to support services to help those children have access to things that children who don’t have diabetes have access to in the school setting and the daycare,” said Siminerio. Kuper said she’s been able to work out a deal with her son’s school where the nurse will monitor his condition. She, and other parents like her, say they just want their children to have access to the same opportunities other children have. “They shouldn’t be denied, um, you know, being taken care of just because they have a disease,” said Kuper. The laws vary from state to state. In Florida, trained non-medical staff may monitor blood glucose and administer emergency medication injections. A 2010 Florida law forbids public school districts from assigning a student to a particular school based on diabetes.

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A Few Tricks To

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April 2013

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Help You Lose Weight Reporting Cynthia Demos

What if something as simple as changing the color of your plate helped you lose weight? Or if clenching a fist put an end to a fattening craving? Turns out there are ways to trick ourselves into better health.

Many of us don’t give it much thought. We eat what we want, and often too much of it. When Kathy Young started feeling heavy and sluggish, she joined a lifestyle program out of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and learned simple tricks for eating healthier. “I think the one that’s made the most difference is using smaller plates,” she said. When doling out food, Young’s dietician teaches that the biggest portion should be veggies, with smaller portions of protein and starch. Dietician Jennifer Ventrelle has other tricks. “Some research shows you might eat less if there’s a higher contrast. So one trick is to eat off of a plate that may be a different color,” she said. Serving white pasta on a white plate is a recipe for overeating. Serve on a black plate and you’re likely to eat less. “I don’t want to hit the mid-afternoon slump at 2 or 3 in the afternoon,” Young said. “So I knew I had to make a change and nothing else was working. “ She said the new tips did the trick. She’s lost 18 pounds. Young said leaving serving dishes in the kitchen was one of the toughest changes. “That’s been really hard, because we like to eat family dinner, and used to put all the dishes in front of us. So now we dish up in the kitchen and bring it in so we have to stop and think about whether you want seconds,” she said. Some dieticians recommend clenching your fists for 30 seconds to resist a craving, or buttering your toast from the bottom, so the taste hits your tongue sooner, satisfying your hunger quicker. To make a vegetable like broccoli more appetizing, steam it to neutralize the smell. Or try roasting veggies like sweet potatoes to enhance the natural sugars. Ventrelle said it’s all about mindful healthy eating, and using some tricks of the trade. “If that allows them to make a couple of good choices then they realize that their bodies feel differently when they make good choices,” Ventrelle said. Another tip: if you crave sweet and salty, go for foods with vinegar. The taste of vinegar tends to those same taste buds.

April 2013

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Keep Up

With

Your Kids On

Social Media Reporting Vanessa Borge

Remember when the best way to keep your kids safe on the internet was to make sure the computer was in a common area? Now, kids can carry the Internet in their pockets and keep moving to social networks many parents don’t even know about.

So, how can parents keep up?

The newest app is called Snap-Chat, which allows users to send private messages that disappear in seconds. That makes it easy for sexting and hard for parents to track. Just ask Scott Bohnson who is having a hard time keeping up with the technology being used by his kids. He has an 18-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter and he’s worried about security, stalkers, and creeps who use the same technology. “I’m in technology. I think I’ve got the latest greatest wherewithal but as soon as I get on top of it they’re on to some other means of social networking,” explained Bohnson. “I mean I don’t think adults can keep up with it, so even if they do, they’re late to the game and need to find the next thing to keep up on.” The same technology that keeps the kids connected with their grandparents in Arizona, gives them the freedom to move to sites their parents haven’t discovered. Like comment streams in Instagram, a photo-sharing site, where the comments often stray far from the pictures. Cinemagram is also hot. It’s a site for sharing short videos. But the scariest sites may be Snap-Chat and

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Facebook Poke where private video messages disappear after one to ten seconds. Maggie Bohnson said more than half of her friends are on Snap-Chat because they like the idea of disposable videos. Her father doesn’t like the idea at all. “Is this the one that disappears? And they can never get to that again? That’s scary,” said Scott to his daughter. “I don’t know. “There are definitely some apps Sexting and things like that worry parents are not going to find any me. It has the potential to be a reward in: poking each other or sexting machine, because the besending snap shot pictures of lief in the kids is ‘wow, there’s this each other, but I encourage them new thing where it disappears’.” to try it and figure it out” Parenting expert Dr. David Walsh thinks the disposable video feed is a false sense of security, because nothing on the Internet is have? Respect, decency, honesty, integrity: those are the things that all truly private. of us parents want our kids to have and we need carry those values into “If the head of the CIA can’t keep a secret on the Internet, then the the cyber world as well,” said Walsh. rest of us don’t have a chance,” said Walsh. Walsh said the key is having lots of conversations about social media Greg Swan tracks social media trends. Even he can’t predict where and expectations, not just laying down rules. kids will end up next, but he says parents should still try. It should be not to spy, but to understand the issues their kids face as new apps keep emerging. “If the head of the CIA can’t keep a “There are definitely some apps parents are not going to find any reward in: poking each other or sending snap shot pictures of each other, secret on the Internet, then the rest of but I encourage them to try it and figure it out,” said Swan. us don’t have a chance” That may be the key to security in this new media world: focus less on backseat driving, and more on teaching the rules of the road. “How do we want to be perceived? What kind of values do we want to

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April 2013

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Enjoying Condo Sale Resurgence Reporting David Sutta

It’s the biggest purchase most of us will ever make in our life; the purchase of a home. JoLinda Herring is excited about it. “Downtown Miami has had a resurgence. It’s a great place,” she told CBS4’s David Sutta. The attorney is looking to finally stop renting in downtown Miami. She wants to settle into a condo of her own, right on Brickell if she can get her way. But just months into her search though, it hasn’t been easy.

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“I may end up having to go as far as Aventura. Not necessarily ideal, but I have had to wrap my mind around something different. New experiences,” Herring said. Some may find it hard to believe, but the 22,000 empty units that once flooded Downtown Miami six years ago are now practically gone. “What we are finding is that there are way too many buyers and not enough units, believe it or not, that are really available for sale,” Peter Zalewski of CondoVultures.com told CBS4. “And the units that are for sale, the prices are high and as the offers are coming in; the prices are going higher.” More often than not the deals that are closing are all cash deals. “Cash is no longer king. Cash is a requirement today,” Zalewski explained. Herring is in trouble competing with that. “I don’t think I would ever just go pay cash for a condo. I’m just not that kind of person. That doesn’t make financial sense to me,” Herring said. It doesn’t make sense to a lot of people, but that is what many buyers are up against. Zalewski found in a recent review on condo purchases just one of ten sales involve a homestead exemption. The property tax benefit can only be used by homeowners who use the property as a primary residence. In other words nine out of ten condo sales involve someone buying as a second home, investment, or rental property. At the bottom of the downtown market in 2009 you could buy a 1,000 square foot condo for roughly $250,000. Today, that same condo is going $400,000 grand. That is a 60% markup in just four years. Zalewski said we are seeing the beginning of a boom. “Ultimately we are beginning the cycle all over again. I’ll tell you if you would compare this to a party. The setup staff is coming in. The speakers are being setup. The DJ is being brought in. The caterers are starting to arrive. And we are getting ready to party and 2014 is probably going to feel very reminiscent of anybody who was down here during the last boom and ultimately bust,” he said. Herring hopes she’ll get in before the party starts. “I think I may be able to own a place. I may just have to regroup though in terms of I may not get exactly what I want,” she said.

“Ultimately we are beginning the cycle all over again. I’ll tell you if you would compare this to a party. The setup staff is coming in. The speakers are being setup. The DJ is being brought in. The caterers are starting to arrive. And we are getting ready to party and 2014 is probably going to feel very reminiscent of anybody who was down here during the last boom and ultimately bust”

cbs4 Newspaper April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Relief from everyday aches and pains may be as simple as opening your refrigerator or pantry.

A big part of living in South Florida is living life naturally. More and more people are choosing to do that by pushing prescription or non-prescription medication aside and eating foods that will help them feel better. “I’m in pain all the time, my back and my neck,” said Bruce Cuneo. “I was swollen and not feeling good, fatigued and I couldn’t get out of bed,” said Melinda Farina. While Cuneo and Farina each suffer from different debilitating conditions, they are both being treated with foods to help cure them. “Here are so-called anti-inflammation foods like vegetable oil, fish, walnuts, those things that are going to reduce the swelling, inflammation,” said Cuneo pointing out his new dietary standards. “I eat properly, I try to. I love fish, I like salmon. I like olive oil, I use extra virgin olive oil on everything. We’ve really streamlined my diet big time and added in a lot of beets, a lot of really good vegetables and fruits.” Farina, 30, has gallstones. “I didn’t want to go the route of taking out my gallbladder, that was scary for me,” said Farina. She knew she needed relief. Before she turned to surgery, however, she met with nutritionist Robin Kaiden. “You want quick pain relief, you take a pill and ‘bam’ things get better,” said Kaiden. “But what people don’t know is food, like olive oil, has a compound in it that acts like ibuprofen in your body and spices like turmeric can act like Motrin with the side effect.” Many health experts say there are foods that can be fixes for a variety of aches and pains. For example, honey is known to soothe a sore throat; blueberries, garlic and onions can help reduce inflammation; the magnesium in oatmeal can help prevent migraines as

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can black coffee. Even the heat in hot peppers can make you feel better. “Capcasin is the compound in hot peppers that’s definitely known as anti-inflammatory. If you think about it, medication originally came from natural sources, plants and foods, and we are really trying to promote a health diet and lifestyle to step away from having too many medications,” said registered dietician Rachel Wantiak. Through changes in diet, Wantiak is working with Cuneo to reduce his chronic pain from arthritis. “If you’re eating foods high in antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, these are certain elements in foods that actually help reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain,” said Wantiak. If you are considering an eating lifestyle change which could impact your health, experts suggest you check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications.

“If you’re eating foods high in antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, these are certain elements in foods that actually help reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain”

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April 2013

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

The Great

Shark Count

Off South Florida’s Shores Reporting David Sutta

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It’s a gorgeous winter day in South Florida. Tourist Angelina Gaudino is wading in the water just off the Deerfield Pier. “It’s nice to be in the water in the end of January when my friends in New York are freezing.” Gaudino said. She has no idea she was just swimming with sharks, hundreds of them.

“In the height of February we are looking at 11 to 14,000 sharks per survey. That’s a lot of sharks”

“That’s why I don’t go all the way out there.” She replied when CBS4’s David Sutta told her. From a plane above you can see them. The massive amounts of black dots are presumably black tip sharks. The congregations are all along Palm Beach’s shoreline and slowly thins out as you move towards Miami-Dade County. “It is overwhelming when you first see it. You just can’t believe that there are that many sharks.” FAU graduate student Shari Tellman said. Tellman, a shark enthusiast is carrying out research on the massive congregations for FAU. She tells us a majority of the sharks are about four to five feet long. They first started documenting them in 2011, during bi-weekly flights along the Palm Beach coastline.

their bi-weekly flights cameras roll and snap. They capture everything from the beach about 200 yards out. It’s then Tellman’s job to go cross-eyed counting each one. “You can’t do it in one day. You have to stop and you have to go back because it will make you crazy and you will go blind,” Tellman said. Which leads to the question ‘Why on earth would anyone do this?’ “We are able to get an idea of their migration patterns and where they are along the shoreline.” Tellman explained. We now know the sharks are snowbirds. They come down here for the warm water. By summer when temperatures have risen up North they are gone.

SHARKS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY COUNTING SHARKS CBS4 first reported on their two year-long study last February. Today the study is yielding definitive numbers. “In the height of February we are looking at 11 to 14,000 per survey. That’s a lot of sharks,” said Tellman. How they got to that number is painstaking to watch. During

The shark research is also now proving to be instrumental in other work that may be conducted off our shoreline to create renewable energy. Tellman is being funded by FAU’s Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center. Program manager Gabriel Alsenas said they are working on cutting edge research on how to extract energy from our ocean.

cbs4 Newspaper April 2013 “If you combine all of the water, of all the fresh water rivers in the world and multiply that by 30, that’s how much water is flowing by our shores everyday.” Alsenas explained. But before they drop the first turbine in the ocean they want to know what will be affected. “If what you end up doing causes more damage than fossil fuels is, for example, to our environment there is no point.” he said. The footage is also documenting rarely captured moments. One shot captured showed hundreds of manta rays moving in a pack. Another image taken feet from the shoreline showed dinner time for a pack a sharks. A quarter of the image looks blacked out but it’s actually a wall of bait fish. Within the black wall are white spots – sharks. The fish wisely swimming away. “If you are looking at swimmers along the beach line and you look at pictures of these sharks, the sharks are right there. These swimmers may or may not know that. But if they did they probably wouldn’t be in the water.” Tellman said.

MASSIVE SHARKS – MINIMAL ATTACKS Upon hearing the news of the number of sharks offshore one beachgoer responded “Oh my God. Don’t scare me.” Many people near the Deerfield Pier were not aware they could literally throw a rock and hit a shark. “I can’t believe that they can come so close. They can? Really? How many people they bite,” one person asked. Records dating back to 1892 show just 60 attacks in Palm beach and 22

For Information Call: 305.477.1699 between Broward and Miami-Dade County. None of them were fatal. That changes though as you move North. “These sharks aren’t a threat to humans in clear water. They are following the bait fish and as long as they can tell the difference between a human and bait fish it’s okay. When you get up further North where the water is a bit more turbid it’s not as easy to tell, “Tellman said. Gaudino, visiting from New Jersey, said if she comes face to face with a shark she’s got a plan. “I’ve heard that if you see one you punch him in the nose.” she said. The sharks that we are seeing here in great numbers will likely be gone sometime in March. They are not going to bother you but still it’s good advice to take to not swim along the ocean during dawn and dusk. It’s when sharks feed.

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April 2013

CBS4 Investigates:

Miami-Dade

GunÂ Violence

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In recent weeks there have been several people shot in the City of Miami, including three teenagers. Two of the teens were killed. The spate of shootings has now become so common, most don’t even make the evening news or the morning paper. But the numbers are staggering.

“In 2012 more than 500 people were shot in Miami Dade County, according to a review of police records compiled by CBS4 News”

In 2012 more than 500 people were shot in Miami Dade County, according to a review of police records compiled by CBS4 News. Police officials maintain the number of shootings and murders has remained fairly constant in recent years. They do acknowledge, however, that solving the cases has grown more difficult. Last year the county’s two largest departments – Miami Dade Police Department and the City of Miami Police Department – solved fewer than half its cases. The homicide clearance rate for Miami Dade County was 42 percent last Fall, according to homicide investigators. In other words nearly six out of ten killings would go unsolved.

For the Miami Police Department the homicide clearance rate was 50 percent. The national average is between 60 and 65 percent, according to experts. And the clearance rate for shootings – in which the victim survives – in the City of Miami came in at 43 percent. On a recent afternoon, Sgt. Eunice Cooper, the acting commander of Miami’s homicide unit since May, was standing in front of her “murder board” – two large white panels mounted on the wall listing each of the 72 homicides in the city last year. Next to each victim’s name is either “Open” or “CBA.” CBA stands for Closed By Arrest.

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April 2013

“I don’t think it’s that the crimes are harder to solve, I think the people have changed and the times are different”

Thirty six of the homicides were marked “Open.” Asked how she would rate her unit’s performance, she said: “I wasn’t impressed.” She told CBS4 investigator Jim DeFede she expects some of the murders in November and December to be solved. Police have good leads, she noted, in at least four of the cases. But overall, she admitted, the cases are harder to close today. Witnesses are afraid to speak. Many of the shootings are the work of gangs and residents in the neighborhood are unwilling to point a finger at them. “I don’t think it’s that the crimes are harder to solve, I think the people have changed and the times are different,” said Cooper, who has been in homicide for 25 years. “When I first came to homicide we could go to Granma and sit down and talk to Granma and tell Granma here’s what we got and this involves your Granchild. Or we could go to mom and they would actually bring them in and sit down and allow you to talk to them.” Several Friday’s ago, two of Cooper’s investigators – Sgt. Carlos Castellanos and Detective Frank Perez – showed up at the Ryder Trauma Center before the shooting victim even arrived. They had been cruising the area around 3 am, heard the call of a person shot, and went to the hospital. While other detectives went to the scene of the shooting, Castellanos and Perez went to the hospital so they could speak to the shooting victim as soon as possible. “The sooner we get on the case, the sooner we can start the wheels rolling in terms of what needs to get done,” said Castellanos. Perez agreed it is difficult getting both witnesses and even victims to talk.

“That thought of snitches end up in either stitches or ditches is very large in this community – and the fear factor of what might happen to them has a lot to do with it,” Perez explained. Added Detective Daniel Valladaros: “I don’t know where but somewhere in society it has gotten to the place where it is almost wrong to do the right thing.” Asked if he ever arrives on a scene and think to himself there is no way this case is ever going to be solved, Castellanos said: “No way, no way. You can’t have that approach in this assignment. You have to take on the approach: Is it challenging? Yes. Is it difficult? Yes. Do you have a lot to work with? Maybe not. Well if it were easy anybody could do it. So this isn’t easy. Never has been and never will be.” And even if the case isn’t solved right away it stays with you, Castellanos said. “That case is in your mind, that family is in your mind,” he added. One thing that has changed with time is the attitude of those holding the guns. Cooper said years of witnessing violence has bred contempt for life and acceptance of death. “I’ve had young people come in and tell me I’ve had two or three friends killed, I’m not going to live until 21,” Cooper said. “I don’t expect to live until I’m 21. And that’s just how they feel. That’s just how it is. It’s almost as if they are immune to the violence.” CBS4 News plotted nearly every shooting in Miami Dade

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County for 2012; the scar that cuts through the county is evident from Overtown to Miami Gardens. In the midst of this carnage lives Robert Malone. Every day Malone picks up his 12-year-old nephew from school to make sure he arrives home safely. “I pick him up from school by 3:30, we come in and he’s in the house,” Malone said. “There is no playing around like I did. I played basketball and football and walked home and played with my friends.” But Malone said that sense of nostalgia isn’t worth the risk. “We see the violence, we see the senseless violence,” Malone said. “Not only do I fear for him, but I fear for my entire family. I fear for the families that are in this community,” President of the Hadley Park Homeowners Association, Malone lives with his mother, sister and nephew behind a series of gates, locks and bars. “We all sort of govern ourselves by certain rules,” Malone said. “My sister goes out at night I don’t go to sleep until she’s in the house.” At night when his mother takes the Metrorail home from work, he picks her up at the station, even though it is only a few blocks away. “She’s not going to walk home – that’s not going to happen because anything can happen,” he said. There is a realization that even though neither he nor any member of his family has been shot, it doesn’t mean they haven’t been af-

“I want kids to be able to grow up in this neighborhood and not fear for their lives.” fected by the violence since it changes the way they live. “That’s right,” Malone acknowledged, “and again we have some great families in this community, who care about the community.” Malone said the one thing he is tired of is the posturing of politicians. “If some young kid is killed then everyone wants to get together and they want to have a press conference and say no to violence,” Malone said. “Or they want to collect guns off the street.” Malone said it’s a nice effort but the guns are everywhere. “These kids are resourceful,” he said. “You can get a gun real quickly in this community, real quickly. If you really want one, you can get one – and that’s shameful, that’s shameful.” Better to find long term solutions. “We are reacting to the crime rather than trying to be proactive and address issues of poverty, issues of poor education, issues of jobs and job training,” he said. “I want kids to be able to grow up in this neighborhood and not fear for their lives.”

featured Artist

www.ggartwork.com

GG: THE FORCE BEHIND MIAMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW AGE ART MOVEMENT Gabriel Gimenez, better known as GG, has a relentless curiosity in exploring his imagination through art. A Venezuelan born transplant, now residing in Miami, GG is one of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought-after pop artists taking over Midtown, Wynwood and Downtown Miami with his infamous character, Fado, and other friends. Gg is at the forefront of a stylistic movement happening right in the heart of South Florida. Character based pop art that is a deliberate attempt at blurring the lines between hi brow / low brow art and commercial / fine art. GG discovered his passion for the arts early in his childhood through doodles on notepads that later grew into an interest in painting and led him to his current unique, pop art style. The self-made artist took his inquisitive enthusiasm to the next level and built himself an international career and name for himself and has participated in multiple art fairs, gallery showings and events. His work is based on a way of expression using characters, symbols and shapes, evolving into his many creations over the years. His inspirations spring from personal life experiences, feelings, emotions, goals and events that affect our environment in a negative or positive way - a personal life analysis expressed through his characters that yells at you from the canvas. To meet and vibe with Fado, on canvas, you may visit him and his friends at their current exhibit NAC gallery solo show, March 15th to April 15th - sure to be a treat for the day! For more information on GG and a list of his upcoming galleries go to www.ggartwork.com

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April 2013

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Identity Theft

Exploding Across South Florida

Reporting Al Sunshine

The acting head of the IRS announced a massive national crackdown is underway to prevent billions of dollars in taxpayer refunds from being stolen nationwide.

The agency is also apologizing to identity theft victims over how long it’s taking for scammed taxpayers to get their legitimate refunds back. The national crackdown follows recent warnings the IRS could possibly issue as much as $21 billion dollars worth of bogus tax refunds over the next 5 years. Task forces in 32 states began the year focusing on trying to make it harder for ID thieves to rip off taxpayer identities in the hardest hit areas of the country including New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Tampa and Miami. Federal prosecutors say South Florida remains one of the worst places in the country for Identity Theft and warn tax ID theft here is spreading like a virus. U.S. Attorney for South Florida, Wifredo Ferrer explained, “We just had someone who owned a dry cleaning business got involved in this. We have ex-NFL football players here in South Florida committing this kind of crime. We’ve seen individuals working for holocaust survivors. We have seen folks in Social Security offices commit this kind of fraud and we’ve also had an

indictment of an ex-marine who was committing this kind of fraud.” The IRS said it’s also trying to get legitimate refunds back to identity theft victims like South Miami-Dade’s Lauri King. She’s been waiting since last March to get her refund back after learning her tax ID had been ripped off. The agency confirmed it’s still got about 300,000 taxpayers waiting to get their refunds back after processing about one-half million checks so far for earlier victims. It says it’s trying to cut processing time, which is still running about 180 days. Lauri King said she’s needs her refund now and said, “I think it’s insane. This is crazy, it’s ridiculous. I mean we’re going on 2013 already and I haven’t even settled up on 2011 yet, it’s ridiculous.” Her case has finally been referred to the agency’s taxpayer advocates’ office after her problem was brought up to Senator Bill Nelsons’ office. The IRS said it’s issued more than 700,000 special taxpayer identification numbers the past year to try and prevent victims like Lauri from having her tax refund ripped off a second time this tax season.

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April 2013

calendar

SECOND SATURDAYS AT

ARTSOUTH April 13, 2013

Enjoy artwork by resident artists, refreshments and live music while you browse four galleries and open artist studios. Relax in the artistic and tropical atmosphere of ArtSouth. Children are welcome. 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 305/247-9406 www.artsouthhomestead.org

GREAT TASTE OF THE GROVE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL April 14, 2013

Attendees can sample small tastes from more than 20 of Coconut Grove’s top restaurants in the three giant “Great Tasting Tents” for only $1-$8 per small plate. Cost is $10 for adults to get in and $5 for kids Under 12 (free for kids under 3). Noon-7 p.m. 305/444-7270 / www.thegreattasteofthegrove.com

LAS OLAS WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL April 19, 2013

Your street festival ticket includes a complimentary wine glass (6½ oz.), butler tray and unlimited sampling from over 70 of the best local restaurants, 45 tables of wine and micro brews from 7.30 p.m. – 10 p.m. The street festival takes place on Las Olas Boulevard; between 6th Ave. – 11th Ave. – four city blocks of food, wine, & fun! ** Please note you must be 21 or older to participate with a valid I.D./I.D.’s will be checked at the door. www.lasolaswff.com

CRAFT BEER TASTING VERITAGE MIAMI April 17, 2013

Craft beer tasting featuring pilsners, ales, stouts and more. Part of Veritage Miami food & wine festival Tickets available at website. www.veritagemiami.com/

Bike Tour: Spain in the Gables April 21st, 2013

Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue, at 11a.m. $10 non-members, $5 members Inspired by Spanish architecture and language, George Merrick created Coral Gables. This tour will focus the architectural and cultural presence of Spain in our city. Enjoy charming Mediterranean Revival homes, glorious churches and towers, fountains and more. For more information, visit www.coralgablesmuseum.org.

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THE FOOD AND GARDEN FESTIVAL April 20 - 21st, 2013

Come see what’s cooking at Fairchild during the annual celebration of local foods and the gorgeous gardens they grow in, then take home spectacular plants from the Annual Spring Plant Sale. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 305/667-1651

The Unexpected Italy at the Coral Gables Museum April 12 - 28, 2013

Traveling to Italy to discover modern architecture might seem like a paradox, but for the students and faculty of the University Of Miami School Of Architecture it is a relevant layer of Italian history in which a continuity with former traditions such as, ancient, medieval, renaissance and baroque is revealed. The exhibit will focus on the analysis and documentation of buildings and spaces representative of Italian modern movements such as Metaphysical, Futurism, Novecento and Rationalism which emerged during the first half of the 20th century in Italy when artists and architects worked towards shaping a new national image of modernity. These buildings are characterized by their stripped-down aesthetic, use of curtain walls, floating cantilevers, extensive glazing, abstraction and other attributes of the International Style. The exhibit also draws upon recent projects in Italy that have become urban catalysts by reshaping the existing fabric and proposing new opportunities for the city. Using mediums such as photography, modelmaking, drawing and painting, upper level students study the modern and recent architecture of Italy while participating in the school’s semester long Rome Program. For more information and times, visit www.coralgablesmuseum.

NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

MOZART AND DVORÁK April 14, 2013

Chamber music series. Program features Mozart: Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola; and Dvorák: String Quintet No. 2. Elissa Lee Koljonen, violin; Roberto Diaz, viola. 2 p.m. 305/673-3331 / www.nws.edu

MIAMI GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL April 27 - May 05, 2013

The festival aims to enrich, entertain and educate the public, encourage a sense of community through international and culturally diverse film, video and other media presentations in the greater Miami area that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience. 305/751-6305 / www.mglff.com

April 2013

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The invention of the computer has changed society profoundly. Ironically, there are still folks who prefer to send smoke signals, communicate by drum beat or talk through soup cans tied to string. Okay that may be a bit of a stretch. But if you are looking to learn or hone your computer skills in south Florida, there are a variety of schools and organizations that truly offer something for everyone, regardless of your skill level.

Keiser University

Elevate Miami

Formerly known as Keiser College and with a series of campuses across the state and throughout south Florida, this university provides a diverse array of computer courses that can be taken online or on campus, depending on your needs. Associate degrees are offered in Computer-Aided Drafting, Computer Programming, Crime Scene Technology, Design and Multimedia, Information Technology, Video Game Design and Web Design Development, as well as Bachelor’s programs in Management Information Systems and Network Systems and Data Communications.

Administered by the City of Miami and run chiefly on donated funds, computer equipment and broadband services, Elevate Miami specializes in helping lift up residents who might not otherwise have an opportunity to learn computer skills because of limited resources or difficult access. Free courses are offered in English, Spanish or Creole at a variety of community locations and are geared toward youth, seniors, adults or business folks. Many of the locations are able to obtain computers with recent programming and broadband access via community donations and support.

Florida Career College

Miami-Dade College

For 30 years, FCC has taken pride in preparing students and workers of today’s society to be marketable and successful after proper career training. Since computers touch virtually every aspect of society, the “college that cares” offers degree and non-degree programs in Management Information Systems, Network Administration, Computer Security and Engineering, as well as certification curriculum in Cisco Certified Network Associate, Microsoft Certified Professional and a variety of other specialties.

Formerly known as Miami-Dade Community College, this local university is one of the largest city colleges in the US. For computer geeks, nerds in training or professionals who want to hone and update their skills, MDC offers a variety of computer classes. State-of-theart computer labs and expert instructors guide students young and old through such disciplines as Microsoft Specialist Certification, Web Page Development, Digital Imaging & Graphic Design, Quickbook and even a “Boomers Club” for seniors over 55.

(305) 596-2226  / www.keiseruniversity.edu

(888) 852-7272 www.careercollege.edu

(305) 416-1555 / www.elevatemiami.com

Kendall Campus (305) 237-2222 www.mdc.edu/kendall

Institute For Mathematics & Computer Science (954) 791-2333 www.imacs.org

Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, IMACS is an independent teaching and educational research institute that offers mathematics and computer classes after school for bright and talented elementary and secondary education students. Classes are available after school and on weekends, and others are hosted by various independent teaching facilities. Accepted and aspiring students can study computer programming and virtual robotics based on a specially designed program geared toward children that mimics courses offered at MIT. Older students can participate in university-level computer science courses that are recognized nationally as the gold standard computer science program being offered to secondary education students.

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April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Reporting AlÂ Sunshine

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Joyce Galbut said the white tuna she ordered a few weeks ago at a South Florida restaurant just didn’t taste right. In fact, she doesn’t even think it was tuna. The local nurse explained: “It happened to my son and I a while back when we had sushi tuna.” A new study confirms that so-called “white tuna” is one of the most frequently substituted seafood products across the country. It found consumers usually end up with a species of mackerel, one that researchers said can cause severe digestive problems. It’s a problem CBS4 has been investigating since 2007: local restaurants charging high-grade prices but serving low-grade fish. “I think that’s quite frequently done and it’s because they substitute cheaper product, for instance like imitation crab when they say you’re getting a crab sandwich..and like when they are giving you grouper they are substituting a cheaper fish. It tastes quite differently, they have a different flavor to them so immediately you know it,” Galbut added. The latest national study by the non-profit Oceana Foundation found just how bad the problem is in Miami and across the country. The foundation concluded that, with 38% of the seafood tested around South Florida, consumers are being served something other than what they ordered. Where in the U.S. is the problem most severe? Southern California tested at 52%, while Seattle came out the best at

about 18%. In Boston, the number was 48% while New York was 39%. Longtime Miami River restaurant owner Luis Garcia is worried it’s still a major problem here. “It’s probably getting worse and it’s very difficult to get what you ask for. I think there’s a big epidemic in South Florida here, in respect to mislabeling products and it happens more often than you think,” he said. It turns out there are a growing number of smartphone apps like the Monterey Aquariums’ “Seafood Watch”. Consumers can learn more about the seafood they’re buying, know what it looks like and where its’ supposed to come from. So the next time you go shopping for seafood or visit your favorite restaurant, how do you know you’re getting what you pay for? If you’re going to a seafood market, buy the whole fish so you know what you’re getting. If you’re at your favorite restaurant, ask the waiter about their fresh seafood. If you don’t like their answer or how it tastes…eat somewhere else. For more information visit:

www.oceana.org

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April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Obamacare May Bite You At The Vet’s Office

Reporting Eliott Rodriguez

Pet owners listen up: You may want to start saving more money for veterinarian care this year. The reason goes all the way back to Washington and an unintended consequence from medical reform.

Dog owner Lori Heiselman was surprised where her veterinarian posted a warning on Facebook. The notice read: “Because medical equipment and supplies will be going up in cost, that extra expense will have to be passed on to the customers.” So Lori is already tightening her belt to pay for the increase in her dog’s care. Though she doesn’t like it, she’s willing to pay more for her pets. “They’re very important. They’re members of the family,” said Heiselman. Why the increase? Its part of a new 2.3-percent federal excise tax on certain medical devices that just went into effect. The tax will help fund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, intended for people, not pets. Manufacturers pay the tax, but a recent survey found more than half plan to pass it along. Some vets say they can’t afford it. Dr. Mike Hatcher is one of them. He explained, “I’m extremely concerned how this is going to be a hidden tax to our consumers that is going to be passed on.” How does this work? Medical devices used only on animals are exempt. However, items including IV pumps, sterile scalpels and anesthesia equipment, which are medical devices that have a dual use, meaning they can be used on people and animals, will be taxed. Hatcher said, “Putting off an equipment purchase is something that can terribly affect our clients’ ability to have quality care.” The American Veterinary Medical Association represents 82,000 vets. At this point, they don’t know how much this new tax will indirectly cost them. The organizations members are waiting to hear from more device makers.

Dr. Mark Lutschaunig is the director of the Governmental Relations Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

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“Congress never intended for this tax to impact veterinarian medicine and unfortunately it has, and I think that’s very unfortunate that veterinarian medicine now is subsidizing human health care,” said Dr. Lutschaunig. Congressional sources who worked on the Affordable Care Act said lawmakers tried to exclude vets from being affected by the dual use medical devices tax, but it was too complicated. Carol Smock knows about complications. She founded a charity that helps struggling pet owners pay for vet care. Smock started Brown Dog Foundation after struggling to pay for her chocolate lab’s medical bills while she was unemployed. Her organization is a 501c3 public charity that provides funding to families who find themselves in similar situations: A sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to an unforeseen circumstance, there is not enough money immediately available to make it happen. Smock is afraid The Brown Dog Foundation is going to be overwhelmed with requests. “The impact this price increase is going to have on any of those families I

think will be pretty devastating.” Lori Heiselman said she worries about other families too, but she’ll find the money for her four-legged friends. “We’ll just have to cut back somewhere else.” Veterinarians say, if your pet is sick or acting strangely, don’t delay care. That could just cause medical problems to get worse. If you’re concerned with the cost of vet care, be sure to talk with your vet about payment plans or other financial options.

“Congressional sources who worked on the Affordable Care Act said lawmakers tried to exclude vets from being affected by the dual use medical devices tax, but it was too complicated”

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April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

New Patch Silences Snoring

Reporting Vanessa Borge

It’s called Theravent, an FDA-approved treatment that sleep specialist Ron Popper said his patients call a “miracle”. It’s a problem that affects 60 percent of people at some point in their lives: snoring. Now there’s a new option for those seeking some silence and you may not have to see a doctor to get it. Cheryl Belfer has lived with her husband Milt’s snoring for over three decades. He never realized how bad it was until she took a video of his not-so-silent nights. “It’s like a freight train coming throughout the bedroom,” said Cheryl. “It’s almost like, I can’t believe a human can produce those sounds.” Milt said he has tried to stop snoring using various methods, including even getting a mouthpiece at one point,but nothing worked until recently when a new over-the-counter treatment became available. It’s called Theravent, an FDA-approved treatment that sleep specialist Ron Popper said his patients call a “miracle”. Here’s how it works. Before going to bed, the user puts a patch on over their nostrils. The patch has a valve-like flap which creates just enough pressure to keep the airway open during sleep. “With Theravent, 50 percent of people have no snoring and probably 80 percent have reduced snoring,” said Popper. But Popper warns that people considering it should be careful that they are not masking a more serious problem. Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea, a life-threatening condition which causes people to repeatedly stop breathing at night. For people diagnosed with sleep apnea, a C-Pap machine is used, or Provent, a much stronger version of Theravent, but that takes a doctor to prescribe. Theravent is sold online and in some doctor’s offices. A two-week trial is free, and after that it costs $25 for a month’s supply.

“It’s like a freight train coming throughout the bedroom,” said Cheryl. “It’s almost like, I can’t believe a human can produce those sounds.”

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April 2013

Best Pet-Friendly Getaways Near South Florida

For pet owners, the opportunity to travel with a beloved pet is a special treat. What can be challenging is finding lodging that is pet friendly. Near South Florida are a number of hotels, motels and inns that accommodate pets, most with reasonable fees or no fees at all. For your next vacation, whether it’s an extended trip or a quick getaway, instead of calling a kennel, book a reservation. You can experience an unforgettable trip with your pet at any one of these “best of” options for pet-friendly getaways.

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Doubletree by Hilton – Deerfield Beach/Boca Raton

Mango Street Inn – Ft. Myers Beach

Located in between Fort Lauderdale in Broward and Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, this Deerfield Beach hotel property provides guests with access to some of the best features that both counties have to offer. Near the hotel are pet-friendly dining options and county parks, including Canine Beach, where pets can splash along the Atlantic coastline . The hotel accepts both small and large pets, up to 50 pounds, and requires a $75 deposit. An onsite kennel is available, which includes a select number of beds and bowls available for use. In-room accommodations include free wireless internet access, cable and a work desk. Guests that reserve a suite also get a microwave and wet bar.

If you’re looking for a cozy, quaint, home-like experience, Mango Street Inn will exceed your expectations. In addition, a recipient of the 2012 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellent, this family-owned lodging option focuses on creating the comforts of home for you and your pet. De-clawed cats and small dogs who weigh less than 20 pounds are welcomed as guests; a feel of $20 is required for each. Guests have access to a full kitchen, cable television, free WI-FI and bicycles as part of the in-room accommodations package. In addition, a central pantry onsite contains kitchen staples like food processors and juicers.

Four Seasons Resort – Palm Beach

Vero Beach Hotel & Spa – Vero Beach

(954) 427-7700 / www.doubletree3.hilton.com

(561) 582-2800 / www.fourseasons.com

The Four Seasons is synonymous with opulence, elegance and luxury – these are the symbols of the brand. Guests and their pets can enjoy a luxurious experience while receiving the five-star treatment. As a pet-friendly hotel, the Four Seasons provides accommodations for your pet that include an onsite kennel, feeding bowls, beds and dry snacks. With the signing of a pet waiver, your pet of less than 15 pounds can be accommodated with no additional fee. The surrounding areas of Palm Beach County contain championship golf courses and superlative shopping destinations – most notable being CityPlace in West Palm Beach. Your stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach includes access to the onsite spa, fitness center, sports courts and concierge. Room accommodations can include ocean views, garden views, private bars and plasma-screen TVs.

La Quinta Inn and Suites – Naples Downtown (239) 793-4646 / www.lq.com

As a recipient of the 2012 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, this property consistently provides excellent service and superior accommodations for all of its guests, including its pets. Small pets are welcome, and no deposit is required (management only requires a leash for the pet). Hotel amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, free parking and no fee access to its onsite pool. In each room guests can enjoy free access to the internet via wireless connection, cable television (including nearly three dozen HD stations) and a Samsung flatpanel TV. The hotel’s location is ideal, as it’s only a mile away from the beach and is in the center of one of the most popular shopping and entertainment communities in the area.

(239) 233-8542 / www.mangostreetinn.com

(772) 231-5666 / www.verobeachhotelandspa.com

Vero Beach is an excellent option to get away from the hustle and bustle of big-city life, without having to take a long trip from your South Florida home. It’s also the home of one of the best pet-friendly lodging options near the South Florida area; some may even call it “pet-centric.” The Vero Beach Hotel and Spa offers excellent accommodations for pets, which include in-room bowls for food and water, VIP amenities, a list of nearby veterinarians and personalized attention at check-in. The hotel’s five-star accommodations include spa packages for both pet and pet owner, as well as luxury suites, full-access concierge, plush bathrobes and evening wine service in the lobby. Guests can select from a number of amenities, such as in-room spa services and laundry/dry cleaning offerings.

cbs4 newspaper

April 2013 MIAMI (CBSMiami.com)

Audio Recording Gives

Rare Insight Into

Identity Theft 18 minutes. Lauderhill Police detective Alex Iwaskewycz says that’s all the time identity thieves needed to open a new bank account and begin siphoning thousands of dollars from an elderly victim’s savings.

To prove it, Iwaskewycz played the recording for CBS4 News. Throughout, the Wells Fargo Bank employee treats the call as routine business. Iwaskewycz says the employee has no reason not to. WELLS FARGO: How may I assist you? CALLER: Yes. I was calling back to open up that joint account with my grandson. Lauderhill police say the caller posed as the husband of a woman whose purse had been stolen on January 4th in Pompano Beach. Iwaskewycz says there was tons of personal info in the purse — more than enough for thieves to begin ripping off the victims. On the call, the Wells Fargo employee asks a series of questions designed to verify the identify of the account holder. “Your full social (security number) please?” “Your date of birth?” “Your address please?” The caller knew each of the answers. Iwaskewycz says the identity thief was good. “When the questions are asked, there’s no hesitation,” he told CBS 4’s Carey Codd. “There’s no fumbling of paperwork. He knew exactly what would be asked and what he needed to say.” Iwaskewycz says the caller even “spoofed” the victim’s phone number — making it appear that the call was coming from the victim’s phone number. To add to the ruse, police say the caller put his phony grandson on the line to open the new account.

“The biggest thing that you can do to protect yourself is just remain vigilant. Check your mail, check your statements, scrutinize them each month.” WELLS FARGO EMPLOYEE: Now, sir, would you please state your first and last name for me? DIAH: Raheem Diah. Iwaskewycz says he has several surveillance photos of Diah at Wells Fargo banks all over Broward as Diah withdrew more than $11-thousand dollars before January 8. Iwaskewycz says Diah and the other man knew how much money the victims had. CALLER: What’s the balance on my savings? WELLS FARGO EMPLOYEE: Ok, let me check your savings. Your investment account currently has $163,425.21. At the end of the call, the bank employee thanked the pair for their business and reminded them that the account was up and ready. WELLS FARGO EMPLOYEE: Funds are available as soon

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

as you need them. Even if you wanted to step into a branch today you could pull ‘em out if you had to. Iwaskewycz says Raheem Diah turned himself in and admitted that he’s in the pictures and on the audio recording. Diah was not home when we went to his home. His mother told CBS4 News that he was at work. We left a message and sent an email to his lawyer but did not receive a response. Diah is charged with criminal use of personal identification information, grand theft over $10,000, theft from a person 65 years or older and obtaining property by false pretenses. Assisting the thieves, Iwaskewycz says, was the fact they could open the account without showing their faces. “They’ll do it via telephone or via internet to make it a lot safer for them to get away with these crimes,” the detective said. With identity theft rampant in Florida and particularly in South Florida, Iwaskewycz says people need to be careful what they carry around with them and check their bank statements often. “The biggest thing that you can do to protect yourself is just remain vigilant,” he said. “Check your mail, check your statements, scrutinize them each month.” Iwaskewycz recommends people:

* Leave Social Security cards and passwords at home. * Don’t leave personal items unattended in your car or in stores. * Ask banks for additional security — like a secondary pin, security questions or extra password on your account. If your information is stolen, Iwaskewycz says, you need to contact your bank and credit card companies immediately. He also recommends filing a fraud alert with each of the three major credit bureaus. “Once your information’s been compromised or you realize your information’s been stolen it’s a race — you versus them — to put stops as soon as you can,” he said.

“Once your information’s been compromised or you realize your information’s been stolen it’s a race — you versus them — to put stops as soon as you can”

305-883-1218

WWW.POWERPARTYEVENTS.COM

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For Information Call: 305.477.1699

April 2013

Best Resources For

Job Seekers In South Florida

For unemployed workers in South Florida, there is great news. There are many recruiters always looking for top candidates. Looking for a job is a full-time job, and those who aggressively seek out the jobs get them before those who sit around sulking about being unemployed. Refer to these South Florida resources for help in your job hunt.

ASAP Staffing Services (305) 961-1183 / www.asapstaffingservices.com The key to finding a job, according to recruiters, is to network. “It is all about networking now a days,” says John Parafinczuk of ASAP Recruiters. ASAP offers both temporary and full-time employment opportunities. “Telecom and hospitality are hot now. We are coming into the season in March, and it’s going to be moving.” How does John locate great talent? “At a lot of networking events, on LinkedIn, at local chamber of commerce events and at special events,” he says. John strongly recommends going to events; “Each industry has its own events. You can go to those and learn and network. “

All In One Employment Services (305) 263-6969 / www.allinoneemployment.com Gary Gilmore operates a full-service permanent placement and direct-hire agency, as opposed to a short-term employment office. “Here, we screen perspective hires and make sure they meet requirements, prepping them as best we can. Then they have to sell themselves once they meet the employer.” If you are looking to relocate, “Lots of areas outside Florida have open sales positions,” says Gary. These are not just commissiononly jobs, these positions offer a base plus commission. “We offer assistance on all levels from aviation to maritime and from pharmacy to floral.” Gary also recommends The Ladders.com, another search engine job board for executive positions.

The Beacon Council

Future Force Personnel Services

(305) 579-1300 / www. beaconcouncil.com

(305) 557-4900 / www. futureforcepersonnel.com

The Beacon Council is a wonderful resource for learning about the largest employers in the county. Top companies are listed by sectors as well. This is a great resource to discover were the opportunities are and which sectors are strongest. The Beacon Council sponsors events as well so you can meet the people who are hiring. The website is loaded with ideas and suggestions.

With offices both in Miami and Orlando, Future Force has been a leader in recruiting top talent and filling requests of many diverse businesses for many years. The website includes a blog with great posts on how you can improve your chances of getting hired. Topics such as befriending a company veteran and observing top performers will help you keep your job once you are hired. There is a tremendous assortment of business groups for most professions, as well as minority business groups, women’s groups and Hispanic groups. The list goes on and on. Some of the groups are open to everyone as well.

Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (305) 397-8914 / www.gogaymiami.com The Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is open to the general public, with 700 members and affiliations with 560 companies, according to CEO Steve Adkins. “Now that the economy is back, we are doing large events and they are very popular.” What are the hot sectors today? According to Steve, “Well from our perspective, hospitality is always strong, even when the economy was bad.” There are many openings currently for attorneys and non-profits.

cbs4 newspaper April 2013

For Information Call: 305.477.1699

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