Blogger, corruption-fighter and Friend-of-the-Blog Chaz Stevens getting his due yet again, as Buddy Nevins of Broward Beat connects-the-dots on what we've known for awhile: "Blogger Beats Sun-Sentinel Like A Drum"; irrelevancy of South Florida Sun-Sentinel

So, did you happen to read this the other day?
More thoughts re the almost-complete irrelevancy of South Florida Sun-Sentinel and blogger, corruption-fighter and Friend-of-the-Blog Chaz Stevens getting his due yet again.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel gets scooped again by eccentric blogger http://t.co/ixrnJ1ilY2
— Buddy Nevins (@Buddynevins) February 12, 2014

Broward Beat
Blogger Beats Sun-Sentinel Like A Drum
By Buddy Nevins
February 12, 2014

Blogger Chaz Stevens has done it again – prompting prosecutors to launch an investigation of a city official.

This time it is Jonathan K. Allen, city manager of Lauderdale Lakes, who is being probed for alleged bid rigging.

Stevens has been pounding Allen for quite some time.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://www.browardbeat.com/blogger-beats-sun-sentinel-like-a-drum/

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See my previous blog posts below about Chaz doing what others, including (unfortunately) the vast majority of South Florida's reporters, were reluctant to do: actual investigating and fact-checking and holding elected officials and govt. bureaucrats accountable.
Where there's smoke there's not only fire, in South Florida, there's usually incompetency & corruption, too.  

December 6, 2010
South Florida's apathetic news media; Giving credit where credit is rightly due: Buddy Nevins: "Blogger Chaz Stevens Scores Again"
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/south-floridas-apathetic-news-media.html

April 17, 2011
Blogger Chaz Stevens vindicated, Sylvia Poitier arrested: An ethical journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/blogger-chaz-stevens-vindicated-sylvia.html

June 27, 2011 
A visit to The Institute for the Advancement of Political Corruption, in Deerfield Beach, is a trip your kids will never forget! And neither will you!
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/visit-to-institute-for-advancement-of.html

October 7, 2013
Chaz Stevens' latest blog post is a reality gut-check for the State of Florida re their lax enforcement of rules and laws re municipal CRAs, including where he lives in the Grand Duchy of Deerfield Beach, where bureaucratic self-enrichment is a tradition, not a rumor
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/chaz-stevens-latest-blog-post-is.html

Find more on Chaz here:

@TweetsByMAOS - https://twitter.com/TweetsByMAOS
www.myactsofsedition.com

re Hyde Beach Resort project on Hollywood Beach: In the year 2014, nobody at Hollywood City Hall in Planning Dept. or elsewhere was able (or willing) to answer simple question re what happened the night before at its own Planning & Development meeting. Really?

Looking SW at City of Hollywood City Hall. January 28, 2014 photo by South Beach Hoosier. © 2014 Hallandale Beach Blog, All Rights Reserved

Per my last blog post, February 8, 2014, Latest news re The Hyde Beach Resort project on Hollywood Beach -the former Beach One Resort- right next to the Hallandale Beach Water Tower on State Road A1A: goes to the Hollywood Planning & Development Board on Thursday February 13th at 6 p.m.
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/latest-news-re-hyde-beach-resort.html

...since I was at the developer's meeting at Ingall's Park in SW Hallandale Beach re the new 24-hour CVS drug store being proposed for Northeast Hallandale Beach on the NW corner of Hallandale Beach Blvd. & Three Islands Blvd., I was not able to attend that meeting up in Hollywood at the same time.

Looking NW at corner of City of Hollywood City Hall. February 9, 2014 photo by South Beach Hoosier. © 2014 Hallandale Beach Blog, All Rights Reserved

It's patently ridiculous that in the year 2014, that when I or anyone else wants to find out the basics of what happened at the City of Hollywood's Planning & Development meeting Thursday night at City Hall regarding whether Hyde Beach Resort's owners received those flex units they wanted, there's not only nothing on the city's website, but when you show up at Hollywood City Hall in person and go up to the Planning Dept. to find out, as I did, you're told that nobody there at Hollywood City Hall can answer your simple question.

Really?

This failing is definitely something I will bring up soon to Hollywood's City Manager the next time I see her.

Latest news re The Hyde Beach Resort project on Hollywood Beach -the former Beach One Resort- right next to the Hallandale Beach Water Tower on State Road A1A: goes to the Hollywood Planning & Development Board on Thursday February 13th at 6 p.m.

Notice that the artist's rendering of the project above, to the right, which I snapped at Hollywood's Planning Dept. this week -a plan which is completely different in design and scope from the original plan approved by the Hollywood City Comm. for the Beach One Resort, which was truly beautiful- does NOT show the Apogee right next to it 

And also does NOT show the effect of The Related Group's North Beach plans for a building where the old Beachside Cafe was located.

(Which the City of HB had ZERO renderings of at the beach for residents and visitors to see at both its groundbreaking weeks ago or at any point since then, contrary to common sense or any sense of getting the community to buy into it.)

Also NOT shown -the iconic HB Water Tower.

That's THREE neighbors NOT shown in one rendering.

But then the rendering for Apogee wasn't so accurate back in 2012 either, were they?
Just saying.

Below, from February 2012.

February 10, 2012 photo by South Beach Hoosier © 2012 Hallandale Beach Blog, All Rights Reserved

My previous blog posts on this very important parcel on A1A are here:

June 2008 Artist rendering of aerial view of Beach One Resort, Hollywood, FL

Carlos A. Ott, Architect from submitted documents to the City of Hollywood Development Review Board. September 11, 2008 photo by South Beach Hoosier

October 4, 2008

Naming Names Herald-style -Beach One Resort Hotel in Hollywood Passes Round One 

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/naming-names-herald-style-beach-one.html and 

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/re-naming-names-herald-style-beach-one.html

October 18, 2008

Beach One Resort's Approval in Hollywood Provokes Wrath and Harsh Words at Hallandale Beach City Commission
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/beach-one-resorts-approval-in-hollywood.html


October 21, 2008
Cleavage Grows Larger b/w City of Hallandale Beach and Hollywood After Beach One Resort Approved

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/cleavage-grows-larger-bw-city-of.html

December 5, 2008

Sue-happy Hallandale Beach vs. Hollywood re Beach One Resort
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/first-shoes-drop-sue-happy-hallandale.html

JUNE 15, 2012 
Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper's old threats & lawsuits re-emerge as Hollywood's Beach One Resort sues over its access to the beach, the latest shoe to drop in The Related Group's Beachwalk project that'd make HB's North Beach a de facto private beach for The Related Group's properties, NOT a public beach for HB residents
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/hallandale-beach-mayor-joy-coopers-old.html

Robert Wechsler analyzes it @CityEthics and I can confirm it: Despite best efforts of Broward Inspector General, the state of ethics in Broward County, FL at municipal level is poor and getting worse with "friends" like the Broward League of Cities, fresh from their trying to create loopholes in Broward's hard-won, voter-approved ethics laws, and now looking for a paid spokesmodel to peddle their anti-taxpayer nonsense that's paid for in large part BY Broward's taxpayers; Hallandale Beach City Hall continues to be one of the true ethics hotspots in Florida, given the unwillingness of its elected officials & high-paid staff to follow state & federal laws, esp. those re transparency & participation

Above, Broward Inspector General John W. Scott at a Broward League of Women Voters event in Coconut Creek, FL on January 24, 2013. photo by South Beach Hoosier.© 2013 Hallandale Beach Blog, All Rights Reserved. From my May 31, 2013 blog post at
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/given-longstanding-mismanagement-and.html

Robert Wechsler analyzes it @CityEthics and I can confirm it: Despite best efforts of Broward Inspector General, the state of ethics in Broward County, FL at municipal level is poor and getting worse with "friends" like the Broward League of Cities, fresh from their trying to create loopholes in Broward's hard-won, voter-approved ethics laws, and now looking for a paid spokesmodel to peddle their anti-taxpayer nonsense that's paid for in large part BY Broward's taxpayers; Hallandale Beach City Hall continues to be one of the true ethics hotspots in Florida, given the unwillingness of its elected officials & high-paid staff to follow state & federal laws, esp. those re transparency & participation

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Editorial
Next step for ethics reform in Broward
January 30, 2014

The Broward Office of the Inspector General needs help. So do local politicians who want to attend community events while staying on the right side of the county's ethics code.

Inspector General John Scott is calling for the addition of an ethics official or commission to ensure government leaders get consistent advice about accepting gifts or trips -- and an impartial review when rules might have been violated. 

Scott is working on such a proposal for the November ballot. 

And he is on the right track. 

Already, some politicians are objecting, decrying another level of bureaucracy. Some fear an independent body might call out those who are simply trying to do the public's business. 

They should look to history and remember how we got to where we are today. 

Two years ago, voters demanded a new ethics code after watching far too many elected officials hauled off in handcuffs, charged with bribery and public corruption. The headlines continue even today, as readers of the Sun Sentinel well know. 

To enforce the ethics code, commissioners tasked the inspector general's office with investigating and prosecuting potential violations. However, since the referendum's passage, Scott and his staff have discovered problems that need addressing. 

For example, for advice on accepting a gift or free trip, local officials now mostly turn to their city or county attorneys. The result is a plethora of local opinions about what politicians can accept as a freebie. In the past two years, some 900 legal advisories have been served up countywide, the inspector general's office reports. 

These advisories can put government attorneys in the awkward position of having to tell their bosses bad news about taking free stuff -- or how to find a way around the law's intent. They also provide cover to politicians who may be seeking personal gain. 

After recently reviewing legal opinions from Weston to Sunrise to Fort Lauderdale, Sun Sentinel reporter Brittany Wallman found politicians are accepting questionable gifts and perks. 

In Miramar, for example, city attorney Jamie Cole told Commissioner Winston Barnes he couldn't accept 10 free tickets to the circus last year, but suggested the circus could provide "promotional" tickets to the city that could then be given to Barnes guilt-free. 

City attorneys similarly told the mayors of Miramar and Hallandale Beach they could accept free trips to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, though it's hard to see the public benefit there. 

Hallandale city attorney V. Lynn Whitfield told Mayor Joy Cooper the trip was allowed if it somehow promoted "the exchange of ideas between, or the professional development of, governmental officials or employees." She even said Cooper could bring along her husband, all expenses paid, so long as she reported it as a gift. Cooper went, but did not take her husband along. 

The vast majority of local politicians work to do the right thing, no question. But a recent report shows public corruption in Florida continues to rank among the worst in the nation. Between 1998 and 2007, 824 Florida officials were convicted on public corruption charges at the local, state and federal level. The New York Times says the totals may be worse than in any other state. 

Ironically, in the face of this news, Florida lawmakers are considering a proposal to loosen the ethics reins. Legislation filed this month by Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, would strip many gift-reporting requirements for public officials and officially protect them if they have a legal advisory in hand. 

Meanwhile in Broward, the person responsible for investigating ethics complaints says that to improve the process, the system needs to be tweaked. We encourage county commissioners and the Broward League of Cities to embrace his goal and ensure that public officials countywide play by the same rules and definitions. 

Given our history with public corruption, it's time we got this right. 
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-01-29/news/fl-editorial-broward-ethics-code-fix-dv-2-20140129_1_ethics-code-ethics-reform-inspector-general-john-scott

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Broward needs an ethics czar, inspector general says 2014 could bring next phase of reform, but it's sure to spark controversy with city officials 
By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
January 5, 2014
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-01-05/news/fl-ethics-code-changes-20140105_1_ethics-czar-city-attorneys-inspector-general

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Inspector: Ethics system flawed
Brittany Wallman , Staff writer 
February 1, 2014
When it comes to public ethics, nobody does it like Broward County. And that's not a good thing, the county's top corruption cop says.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-01-31/news/fl-broward-ethics-reform-20140131_1_ethics-code-broward-league-corruption-cop

Keep in mind as you digest the thoughts expressed above that this outrage comes from the same Tribune Company-owned newspaper editorial board that has refused to post a single editorial in over two years on the Hallandale Beach CRA scandal that has cost tens of millions of dollars with very little tangible to show for it.
Yes, people do notice those things.
People like me.

Which is why I made a point of not only attending the Broward IG's oversight meeting on November 8th in downtown Ft. Lauderdale but actually spoke there, one of the few citizens to do so in a meeting where the public comments were largely from municipal officials who were trying desperately to plead for the right to keep their parochial self-serving way of doing things, rather than having one firm set of ethical rules covering all officials.

And did you notice that the Sun-Sentinel editorial didn't name the attorneys for the Broward League of Cities who are trying to dig holes and loopholes for its members, even though they know full-well who it is? 

Why do you suppose that is?
(Sam Goren, the attorney who wears multiple hats in this county, just like Steve Geller did.)

Yes, because they also love to quote him on other matters and don't want to "out" one of their reliable Usual Suspects who will talk on any subject, no matter how poorly-informed he is, because he knows the paper will never mention his egregious conflicts-of-interest.

The following links from Robert Wechsler are placed here in reverse chron order:

City Ethics blog 
Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals I - Preventing the Filing of Complaints
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/florida-league-cities-ethics-reform-proposals-i-preventing-filing-complaints

New post: Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals I - Preventing the Filing of Complaints http://t.co/CWmKCdeOHN
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 27, 2014

City Ethics blog 
Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals II - Gifts, Ethics Advice, and Training

by Robert Wechsler

http://www.cityethics.org/content/florida-league-cities-ethics-reform-proposals-ii-gifts-ethics-advice-and-training

New post: Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals II - Gifts, Ethics Advice, and Training http://t.co/XOjtE37jZC
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 27, 2014

City Ethics blog 
Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals III - Placing Shackles on Countywide Ethics Programs
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/florida-league-cities-ethics-reform-proposals-iii-placing-shackles-countywide-ethics-program

New post: Florida League of Cities' Ethics Reform Proposals III - Placing Shackles on Countywide Ethics Programs http://t.co/jqMf7Wh6IB
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 28, 2014

City Ethics blog 
FL League of Cities' Ethics Proposals IV - Local Govt. Assocs. Should Not Lobby re Conflicts of Interest
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/fl-league-cities-ethics-proposals-iv-local-govt-assocs-should-not-lobby-re-conflicts-interes

New post: FL League of Cities' Ethics Proposals IV - Local Govt. Assocs. Should Not Lobby re Conflicts of Interest http://t.co/2rvHfqoJMn
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 29, 2014

City Ethics blog
Good News from Florida Legislative Leaders
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/good-news-florida-legislative-leaders

New post: Good News from Florida Legislative Leaders http://t.co/8TP5fl889e
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 29, 2014

City Ethics blog
A Government Attorney Ethics Advice Case Study from Florida
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/government-attorney-ethics-advice-case-study-florida

New post: A Government Attorney Ethics Advice Case Study from Florida http://t.co/Oz5qEzrt6w
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) January 31, 2014

Broward Beat
Update: Ethics Police Won’t Punish Sheriff Israel 
By Buddy Nevins
January 30, 2014
http://www.browardbeat.com/ethics-commission-wont-punish-sheriff-israel/

City Ethics blog
Broward County IG Report on Countywide Ethics Program
by Robert Wechsler
http://www.cityethics.org/content/broward-county-ig-report-countywide-ethics-program

New post: Broward County IG Report on Countywide Ethics Program http://t.co/dVX1wBLqHP
— City Ethics (@CityEthics) February 3, 2014

*By the way, the Broward League of Cities is now looking for spokesmodel to peddle their anti-taxpayer nonsense that's paid for BY taxpayers -here's the RFP
http://www.browardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-Marketing-and-Public-Relations-Consulting-Services-RFP.pdf

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Inspector general has cases cooking 
By Brittany Wallman 4:23 p.m. EDT, 
October 31, 2013
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/broward-politics-blog/sfl-inspector-general-tallies-a-year-of-work-20131031,0,5917466.story 

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Corruption watchdog gets positive review 

By Brittany Wallman

November 9, 2013 

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-11-08/news/fl-broward-inspector-general-eval-20131108_1_inspector-general-corruption-watchdog-public-officials

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Inspector general's Hallandale probe painful

By Brittany Wallman

November 11, 2013

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-11-11/news/sfl-inspector-generals-hallandale-probe-painful-20131111_1_inspector-general-john-scott-hallandale-beach-city-officials

Not mentioned in the Broward IG article above about Hallandale Beach is the testimony that came out of the Broward IG Oversight Committee meeting I was at that caused nearly everyone in the room to start laughing out loud, and even hoot.
That is, everyone but Hallandale Beach CRA Attorney Stephen W. Zelkowitz and CRA Director Daniel Rosemond.
It was all I could do to not record myself laughing on my videocamera!

It turns out that someone accompanied Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper to her meeting with the Broward IG's office.
Like all people who had to speak to them, Mayor cooper was allowed to bring someone with her if she chose, but when asked who the person with her was, she told them that it was here attorney when it was NOT.
The truth came out in a way that really hammered home Mayor Cooper's well-known mendacity -the person that the mayor had claimed was her attorney was actually one of her mayoral campaign workers, who taped her comments.

It's not mentioned in the Broward Politics blog tweets below or the articles but as many of you may recall from my emails in November, I specifically recommended that either the Broward IG Oversight Comm. or the Broward County Commission formally require that in the future, when the IG's office is formally investigating a specific Broward city or a CRA, that they be required to have at least one public forum for the affected community to attend and get the basic info on what is -and is NOT- happening, and what the process consists of so that everyone is on the same page.

A public meeting that is NOT for city employees, administrators or elected officials to show-up at and complain about being picked on, blamed, or made the scapegoat for others, etc.
Anyone drawing a govt. paycheck there whom the IG Office wants to interview under oath should NOT have a chance to poison the public well before they know what the process is.

I mentioned publicly during my testimony that despite how much I've written about this subject and what I've sent to most of you in emails with links to that's appeared elsewhere, esp. in the Broward Bulldog, that I was forever running into people all over the area who asked me what was the latest news with  the investigation, despite the fact that their Final Report came out in April.

I usually just shake my head after I tell them what's what and after they've told me, as they often do, that they're "surprised that Mayor Cooper hasn't been arrested yet."

I didn't see the reporting via tweets below until after I'd sent an email out about what happened.
Once I read it, I realized that my intuition was correct about who some of the people were on the other side of the room who didn't speak and whom I didn't recognize.

Photo gallery: Local politicians turned out for inspector general evaluation http://t.co/i4K9nmmSCL - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Susan Starkey, Davie councilwoman, complains that the inspector general tweets out his reports. She doesn't think he should - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Attorney Bruce Rogow says he opposes an ethics commission for Broward and also thinks I.G. should spend more time on other things - BW
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Activist David Smith of Hallandale Beach is here, with his giant tripod and FLIP camera, speaking about ethics in his city - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

"I'm a lawyer; the room is filled iwth lawyer,'' IG John Scott says at his review. Replies Bruce Rogow: "There are never enough.'' - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Lauderdale by the Sea Commissioner Mark Brown urges inspector general to stop keeping tipsters anonymous. Un-American and unfair, he says -B
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Attorney Bruce Rogow is grilling Broward Inspector General John Scott about politicians' rights when they are interviewed by him. - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

"When the attorney general and the FBI decide to start recording interviews, we'll be happy to record ours as well,'' inspctr gnrl says - B
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Mayor Joy Cooper brought a campaign volunteer with her when the inspector general invited her to talk, during his probe - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Three ethics issues I.G. wants addressed: application 2 constitutional officers and muni employees, and cities trying to opt out. - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

I don't think the elected officials here like being referred to by the inspector general's office as "the defendant'' - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Third option for Broward is a combo ethics officer with volunteer ethics commission. This appears to be John Scott's favorite.- Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Another alternative for Broward, inspector general says, is an ethics officer.Currently each city attorney fills that role for electeds - BW
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Inspector general making case for another wing of ethics government: an Ethics Commission for Broward - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Aside: There are two men in this room wearing bow ties this morning: Bruce Rogow, attorney, and John Scott, inspector general - Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

Mayor Ortiz has arrived at Broward inspector general review- Britt
— Broward Politics (@browardpolitics) November 8, 2013

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Broward inspector general says ethics system needs reform - Sun Sentinel http://t.co/KEgwl3JXGQ via @ArchiveDigger
— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) February 1, 2014

Starkey's BLC is 1 of least-transparent groups in #SoFL, receives taxpayer funds to boot; @MiamiHerald & @SunSentinel refuse 2 investigate
— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) February 1, 2014

@BrowardIG Susan Starkey, Davie councilwoman/head of anti-taxpayer Broward League of Cities, continues to NOT be at all persuasive on ethics
— HallandaleBeachBlog (@hbbtruth) February 1, 2014

South Florida Sun-Sentinel's incomplete stories re red-light cameras finally getting the boot in Hallandale Beach, and the city's longstanding problems with signage, is just another example of their shallow reporting that consistently misses-the-mark when residents want genuine depth and context

Would've been nice if the Sun-Sentinel, for a change -FOR ONCE- actually focused on the myriad reasons why HB citizens have been calling for RLC to go for years, including an honest accounting of the the history of Mayor Cooper, City Hall and HBPD consciously deciding NOT to share public info on traffic accidents so that citizens could actually see where largest number of accidents occurred.

Or why they are supposed to indulging mayor Cooper's edifice complex to the tune of just under $400k.

But once again, when presented with stories on a silver platter about dysfunctional Hallandale beach government and public policy, stories that cried out for some genuine depth in it, the Sun-Sentinel went for the bury-'em-with-quotes approach with the RLC story that left HB's unique circumstances and perspective completely unexplored, and has instead left objective observers just as confused as to why this happened here instead of happening in another city.

And how can they bring the word trend into the story as a hook without ever explaining how it all happened? It's dumbfounding.

What are those elements here that could be found in other cities be that could make it happen elsewhere?

They don't say.

Until that paper is sold and new management, better editors and better and more-enereprising reporters are there, that paper is an afterthought when it comes to local news and political coverage.

No mention at all of the city starting a RLC program before the state authorized one, and with so little attention to detail by the City, HBPD or then-City Attorney David Jove that required warning signs were actually obscured from the public driving by, as I noted at the time with photos connecting-the-dots.

All these years later, there's still ZERO warning signs on either east-bound or west-bound Hallandale Beach Blvd. approaching U.S.-1

Those required warning signs on the median near NW 10th Terrace were NOT there when the city started their program or when the state did but much later.

I know because I have the photos that show that lack of attention to detail at the time, and most of you have already seen them.

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/search?q=red-light

They didn't want to do that because they knew that if the facts came out, they'd be hard-pressed to explain why they were so insistent on placing cameras in places that'd clearly generate less REVENUE, including the illegal right-hand turn money they were getting hand-over-fist at the beginning that got the city so much negative media coverage across the state.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Hallandale to dump red-light cameras

By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel

1:30 p.m. EST, January 23, 2014

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/hallandale/fl-red-light-cameras-hallandale-20140122,0,1085153.story

Video at: http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91082&sitesection=sesunsentinel&VID=25551375

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Hallandale hesitates on $300,000 marquis welcome sign

Commission wants to know what rest of signs throughout city will cost

By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel

11:19 a.m. EST, January 23, 2014

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-welcome-sign-hallandale-20140123,0,2880239.story

Yes, I know that marquee in the way it's used here is not spelled marquis, but that's the Sun-Sentinel in a nut-shell!

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Red-light cameras kicked to curb - Hallandale yanks them, but will others follow?

By Susannah Bryan and Ariel Barkhurst, Staff writers 

January 24, 2014

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-01-23/news/fl-red-light-cameras-bye-20140123_1_red-light-cameras-camera-programs-american-traffic-solutions

As of January 16th, the whole topic of "short yellow" within the context of traffic lights, has never once appeared in the Miami Herald or the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Really.

I was going to mention this salient fact a few months ago in a blog post after some outstanding reporting by WTSP-TV's Noah Pransky on the subject which showed how common the problem was, but held off on doing so.

@noahpransky https://twitter.com/noahpransky

http://www.noahpransky.com/

Just checked the Herald and Sun-Sentinel's archives.

Still the case.

Just saying...

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SaintPetersblog

Short yellow signal problems reveal deeper issues in St. Petersburg’s Traffic and Parking Dep’t

by Peter Schorsch

http://www.saintpetersblog.com/short-yellow-signal-problems-reveal-deeper-issues-in-st-petersburgs-traffic-and-parking-dept

One year ago today, I arrived with my South Florida tan intact to beautiful-but-cold-and-snowy Stockholm; ABBA, Arlanda, Södermalm, Hammarbybacken

The welcoming party that greeted me at the luggage carousel at Arlanda Stockholm Airport back in January was... ABBA.  As seen in my May 7, 2013 blog post titled, "A" is for Awesome and ABBA as the new ABBA Museum in Stockholm officially opens this afternoon. Monday night's gala premiere brought Anni-Frid, Benny and Björn together, cheered on by a select group of invitees from across Swedish society and the music industry, who are, in the end, just fans of the band like everyone else, and very excited that this amazing museum is FINALLY a reality; #abba, #AbbaMuseum, #ThankYouForTheMusic, @stockholm, @sweden. 
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-is-for-awesome-and-abba-as-new-abba.html

With four slopes and two lifts, Hammarbybacken provides for downhill skiing in central Stockholm. pic.twitter.com/lHaAZYg1Cp
— Sweden.se (@swedense) January 8, 2014

Hammarbybacken. Stockholm.December 2012 from AnitaN on Vimeo.
Hammarbybacken. Stockholm.December 2012 from AnitaN on Vimeo.

AnitaN's Vimeo video: Hammarbybacken. Stockholm. December 2012

http://vimeo.com/56294641

Originally, when I thought I was going to be in Stockholm right before Christmas 2012, I was going to be staying at the Park Inn Stockholm Hammarby Sjöstad, 

http://www.parkinn.com/hotel-stockholmhammarby a nice new-ish Radisson property
that's not-too-far from the slope seen in the video in nearby Hammarby: 

http://www.skistar.com/en/Our-Destinations/Hammarbybacken/

http://www.skistar.com/sv/hammarbybacken/

I only changed my plans when I got the chance to stay in a more centrally-located place that made it much more convenient to meet with some people I hoped to be meeting with and possibly even interviewing.

My some great and fortunate stroke of luck, by coming in January, I was able to stay at what is Stockholm's #1 B&B, in Södermalm, at the wonderful 4Trappor B&B 
As I've previously mentioned, this B&B is the top-rated one in the greater Stockholm area by Trip Advisor -and for very good reason!
And the breakfast -and the views thru the kitchen windows- are amazing!

I stayed there the first five days of my January trip, before spending my last five days at the very comfortable and affordable Omena Hotel Stockholm on the north side of town, Norrmalm, which is walking distance to the downtown business/retail district, Central Station and Gamla Stan. http://www.omenahotels.com/our-hotels/sweden/stockholm/

You could hardly find a more central location to rest at in-between exploring the sights of this amazing city, and there's a popular sports bar/restaurant on the ground floor which features a terrific lunch deal for 95 SEK.
I highly recommend the ravioli -and a window seat!

As you can see below, too much bright sunshine was definitely NOT the problem we had that first full day of mine in Stockholm, both excited and jet-lagged at the same time.

Looking west on Gotlandsgatan from in front of TripAdvisor.com's #1 B&B in Stockholm, B&B4trappor, in Södermalm, with the beautiful Katarina södra skola to the right. January 12, 2013 photos by South Beach Hoosier. © 2013 Hallandale Beach Blog, All Rights Reserved.

Above, using my Latitude app on my Samsung cell phone to find out where people I knew were once I checked into the B&B in Södermalm before I tried to reach them by phone or email.  

And now, from my January 1, 2013 blog post titled, Baby, It's Cold Outside! But by sled, ski or snowmobile, everyone who's anyone -yes, even baby princesses- is eager to be part of the scene in chic, sexy, snowy (and Venture Capital-loving) Stockholm, and who can blame them? I'll soon be joining them!; Niklas Zennström, Andreas Ehn and other entrepreneurs on the secrets to their success and why Sweden "punches above its weight" when it comes to producing tech start-ups; #stockholm, #sweden
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/baby-its-cold-outside-but-by-sled-ski.html

If it snows too much next Sunday to do much walking around and sightseeing, I may go here around Noontime, and then just do some people watching while reading the papers and drinking coffee outside, and do some filming of the whole crazy scene. 

And THEN head to a sports bar to watch the NFL playoff games!

That's when that six-hour time difference finally works to my advantage.

(More thoughts -and photos- of that crazy NFL football predicament I faced in Stockholm 12 months ago can be seen on the blog over the coming weekend!)



RetardedVideos2013 YouTube Channel video: Crazy snowmobile ride in Stockholm (SWEDEN). Uploaded on December 6, 2012. http://youtu.be/j7sCpSFRKww 

Dave 

Twitter: @hbbtruth, https://twitter.com/hbbtruth

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