Michael Pizzi gets the recognition he deserves
Commissioner Bermudez mentions the fact that Michael Pizzi has been a great Dad and former Miami Lakes Mayor, now Medley Attorney proudly points toward the table where his son is seated...
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said Monday that school bus stop-arm violations would be put on hold for all drivers who wish to contest their ticket, a move aimed at addressing the chaos following the roll out of the school district’s hastily-approved contract with school bus safety company, BusPatrol America.
To take advantage of the temporary reprieve, drivers must contest their violation at a website, alertbus.com.
The bad news, though, is that the sheriff’s statement didn’t provide any answers for drivers who were ticketed while driving on the other side of a raised median and just paid the violation. “As to the median citations already paid, fees were never collected by the Sheriff’s Office,†the statement reads. “Therefore, we don’t have legal purview concerning the payments already made. All payments were collected directly through BusPatrol.â€
The sheriff department’s statement follows an investigation by the Miami Herald and the nonprofit newsroom The Tributary, which revealed that the tickets were being issued in error and challenges were going unheard.
The Herald/Tributary investigation found that many Miami-Dade drivers were ticketed by the school district’s bus safety program while driving on the opposite side of a raised median from a stopped school bus. That’s legal, but they got the $225 ticket anyway.
On Friday, the sheriff’s office issued a statement saying they would be suspending median violations but didn’t indicate whether drivers who had already paid would get any reprieve.
BusPatrol America, the vendor in the program, did not respond to the Herald/Tributary’s questions in time for publishing about whether the company would provide refunds for those who paid median violations.
Steve Randazzo, Chief Growth Officer at the company, said that BusPatrol does not make “enforcement decisions†or “act in any discretionary manner around ticketing†when the Herald/Tributary asked for a statement last week after the Sheriff suspended all action on median violations. The school district said it would respond to questions about refunds from program revenue but did not issue a statement in time for publication.
The Herald/Tributary investigation also found that when drivers tried to fight the violations, they were stuck in limbo waiting for a court date that never came. Previously drivers who wanted to contest their violation had to mail in a form to an address in Virginia. Often drivers would just pay the fine. It’s unclear how many drivers have been improperly ticketed, but school district figures for revenue and violations indicate the number could be substantial: In total, the program is issuing around 400 violations per day and generated more than $20 million as of last month.
Barby Rodriguez, the Chief of Staff at the Clerk of Courts and Comptroller, said that as of this morning, the sheriff’s office has filed 1,364 contestations in the statewide E-Filing portal. She added that the Clerk does not schedule the hearings and that it would fall under the purview of the courts.
A spokesperson for the 11th Judicial Circuit did not respond to questions about the scheduling of these hearings in time for publishing.
The school bus safety program is a collaboration between the school district, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and BusPatrol, which was awarded the contract by the school district.
BusPatrol installed cameras on all Miami-Dade school buses to catch motorists in the act of illegally passing a school bus with its “stop-arm†extended. As of Dec. 19, 120,000 drivers had received violation notices in Miami-Dade County for illegally passing extended school bus “stop arms.†BusPatrol gets most of the revenue – 70%, although that cut will be reduced to 60% after two years.
The school district receives the rest and is supposed to spend it on bus safety.
Nandhini Srinivasan is an investigative reporting fellow with The Tributary, a Florida nonprofit investigative newsroom.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article301843539.html#storylink=cpy
WPLG Local 10 News:
News by Channel 6
Florida lawmakers investigating report about property insurance company profits
Published:?March 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Florida House members Friday began digging into questions about property-insurance companies sending money to affiliated firms and shareholders while arguing the industry was losing money. During a three-hour hearing, the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee grilled state Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky and former Commissioner David Altmaier about a 2022 report that, in part, detailed money going to affiliated firms.
TALLAHASSEE
State regulators told lawmakers on Friday that a state report showing insurers losing money while their affiliates made billions “raised red flags†but was incomplete because it was never finished.
During a three-hour hearing, Florida’s current and former insurance commissioners were grilled by Republicans and Democrats about why the report was left undone in 2022 and never given to the Legislature.
“I find as a legislator that that’s outrageous, that we’re getting something so antiquated and so full of flaws,†said Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach.
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article302060259.html#storylink=cpy
Tags: 2025 legislative session, Adam Anderson, Adam Botana, Berny Jacques, Brad Yeager, Danny Alvarez, Erika Booth, Hillary Cassel, Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, Joel Rudman, Karen Gonzalez Pittman, Kevin Chambliss, Kevin Steele, Lisa Dunkley, Marie Paule Woodson, Michael "Mike" Caruso, Monique Miller, Susan Valdés
Click below to watch:
02:30 Commissioner reviewed a complicated subject, how affiliates work.
03:28 How they all interact, a family tree, that is how Insurance Companies work, a parent company, then how child companies / holding groups / affiliate which is an entity that is defined by common ownership, depending on the percentage of ownership. MGAs are particular type of affiliates, MGA Managing General Agent
05:11 Requires a Licensed Agent to be involved, same system that exist in any business practice today -food distribution, etc.
05:52 Requirement in the law to allow one company to work with another fair and reasonable relationship which will be talked about a lot through the hearing by the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee on Friday, 03-14-2025
07:30 First question, in that family tree you are describing who is responsible for Mal-practice? Common ownership, for regulatory purposes within a bifurcated structure / system, rests with the behavior of the insurer himself... no authority to deal with the MGA Managing General Agent but yes to deal with the insurer... WHAT?
What is an MGA: Managing General Agent
An MGA (Managing General Agent) in insurance is a specialized type of insurance intermediary that underwrites and manages insurance policies on behalf of insurers, operating as an independent business with authority to issue policies.?
Here's a more detailed explanation:
What they do:
MGAs act as a bridge between insurers and clients, handling tasks like underwriting, policy issuance, and claims management.?
How they differ from traditional agents:
Unlike traditional agents who represent a single insurer, MGAs can represent multiple insurers and often specialize in specific insurance products or regions.?
Independent Businesses:
MGAs operate as independent businesses, meaning they are not legally part of the insurer they work with, but have the authority to underwrite and pay out insurance contracts
Specialization:
MGAs tend to specialize in certain types of insurance, such as personal auto coverage, while brokers handle other types of insurance like commercial property, life, and workers' compensation
Compensation:
Instead of receiving commissions like brokers, MGAs are compensated through their own brokerage firm
Examples:
MGA Insurance Company, Inc. is a subsidiary of GAINSCO, which sells auto insurance policies under the brand GAINSCO Auto Insurance. TJ Jerger MGA, LLC specializes in residential property insurance in Florida
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez is the sponsor of legislation that would instruct the county’s Water and Sewer Department to stop adding fluoride to drinking water, a practice that began more than 60 years ago. Gonzalez’s legislation is up for a vote on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Miami-Dade County could be one vote away from removing fluoride from its drinking water, a change pushed by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis and opposed by medical advocacy groups. County commissioners could pass legislation Tuesday instructing the Water and Sewer Department to discontinue adding fluoride to tap water within 30 days, a directive championed at a Miami hearing this week by Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general under DeSantis.
The legislation officially brings the fluoride fight to Miami-Dade, home to the largest county government in Florida and a place where President Donald Trump has reshaped the political landscape.
A solidly Democratic county when he lost to Hillary Clinton by 30 points in 2016, Trump won Miami-Dade in November by 11 points — including four of the seven commission districts represented by Democrats.
Democrats hold a one-seat majority on the officially nonpartisan board of 13 members.
Ladapo and other advocates for an end to fluoride in drinking water have pointed to studies linking fluoride consumption to early-development issues with children, including lower IQ levels. They contend the practice is based on outdated science and ignores the ready access to toothpaste that will keep teeth healthy without people having to drink tiny amounts of fluoride too. The Miami-Dade legislation calls for a public education campaign on the importance of using toothpaste with fluoride.
Groups representing physicians, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to endorse adding fluoride to drinking water as a way to reduce tooth decay and lessen the prevalence of cavities. They say the research continues to see no risk in the tiny amounts of fluoride added to tap water, a practice declared one of the greatest achievements in public health in the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The legislation to end fluoridation of Miami-Dade’s drinking water comes from Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, a Republican who was elected to a full four-year term in August after DeSantis appointed him to the board two years ago. Gonzalez, who is chair of the county’s Health and Safety Committee, this week presided over a hearing of that committee featuring Ladapo and three other advocates for ridding tap water of fluoride.
No advocates for fluoridation were invited to speak.
That means commissioners will go into their March 18 meeting without hearing from any experts who say Miami-Dade residents benefit from fluoride being added to the county’s drinking water. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a second-term Democrat who oversees the Water and Sewer Department, released a statement this week praising the use of fluoride but has not said whether she would veto Gonzalez’s legislation if it passes.
If all 13 commissioners attend Tuesday’s meeting, Gonzalez would need seven votes to pass his legislation. The board would need nine votes to override a Levine Cava veto.
Commissioners could also dodge the issue by voting to defer the legislation to a future meeting. That could let commissioners wait to see the fate of a bill in the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature that would ban local governments from adding fluoride to their water supplies.
It’s unlikely a vote on fluoride would break down along party lines.
Commissioner Raquel Regalado, a Republican representing Miami and its southern suburbs, praised the county’s water quality during the Ladapo hearing.
On Wednesday, Regalado said the Gonzalez legislation, which wasn’t on an agenda until after the Ladapo appearance, should get a committee hearing before facing a full vote by the board. “There’s been no opportunity for commissioners to hear both sides,†she said.
With three working days left before Tuesday’s meeting, two Republicans and one Democrat on the County Commission said Wednesday they didn’t have enough information to make a decision on fluoride.
The office of Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, a Democrat, said she hasn’t had a chance to see the discussion from the Ladapo hearing at the Health and Safety Committee, where Cohen Higgins isn’t a member.
In text messages, Republican commissioners Juan Carlos Bermudez and René Garcia said they needed more research before they could announce their positions on the Gonzalez legislation. “I need to study the issue,†Bermudez said. Garcia said: “I’m gathering all the information to try and make an educated decision on this very important matter.â€
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article301938734.html#storylink=cpy
Yesterday, the Senate approved a House-passed bill to extend government funding by six months, hours before the shutdown deadline.
After days of speculation about its ultimate fate in the upper chamber, the Senate agreed to final passage of the bill in a 54–46 vote on Friday evening.
The legislation now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump, who’s expected to sign it.
Though a handful of Democrats voted to advance the bill earlier that day, only Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Angus King (I-Vt.) supported final passage.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to oppose the package, citing budget concerns.
The legislation passed the House on March 11 in a 217–213 vote and?extends government funding through Sept. 30, the final day of the fiscal year.
It increases defense spending by about $6 billion while cutting non-defense spending by $13 billion compared to last year’s levels. Overall, the measure reduces spending by about $7 billion from the previous year.
Four proposed amendments to the package—including one to reduce its duration to 30 days and another from Paul to implement certain recommendations made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—were defeated ahead of the bill’s final passage in the Senate.
In an earlier procedural vote, 11 Democrats joined Republicans to advance the measure:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.),
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),
Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-N.Y.),
Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii),
Gary Peters (D-Mich), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.),
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.),
Shaheen, and King.
The bill’s advancement was due in large part to Schumer’s announcement on Thursday that he would vote to avert a shutdown, describing it as the best of multiple bad options.
The minority leader previously said that Senate Democrats wouldn’t support the bill and thus the Republicans wouldn’t have enough votes to pass it.
Trump congratulated Schumer for “doing the right thing,†adding that the latter’s final decision took “’guts’ and courage.†“A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights,†Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Friday morning, calling it a “really good and smart move by Senator Schumer.â€
The Senate also passed by a voice vote a bipartisan bill related to funding for Washington that reverses an approximately $1.1 billion cut to the city’s budget included in the stopgap spending bill.
For Democrats, the fight over the bill could have implications stretching beyond the current dispute—particularly for Schumer, who is facing criticisms from the progressive base and some House Democrats.
Speaking minutes ahead of the cloture vote on March 14, Schumer reiterated his position that the stopgap “is a bad bill. But as bad as [it] is, I believe that allowing Donald Trump to take more power is worse.â€
Schumer said that a shutdown would enable Trump and Elon Musk to unilaterally implement many of the personnel and funding cuts proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
This would be a result of the heightened authorities the president has during a shutdown to determine which employees and services are essential, Schumer said.
The Musk-led DOGE was ordered by Trump to audit federal agencies to reduce government spending.
Those comments came after Schumer had already faced a great deal of pressure from House Democrats.
Twenty-one Democrats signed on to a letter led by House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) urging Schumer to oppose the bill following his March 13 remarks. “We urge all Senate Democrats to stand with House Democrats and with the American people, reject this [funding bill], and force House and Senate Republicans back to the negotiating table,†the letter read.
Top-ranking Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have also been hesitant to rubber-stamp the move.
During a press conference on Friday, Jeffries dismissed questions about whether he has confidence in Schumer.
Pelosi also rejected Schumer’s plan in favor of an alternative 30-day funding bill put forward by DeLauro and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). “Democratic senators should listen to the women,†Pelosi said in a Friday statement, saying that DeLauro and Murray “have eloquently presented the case that we must? … keep the government open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement.â€
“We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People,†she added. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a progressive Democrat seen as a potential Senate contender one day, has criticized her state’s senior senator.
She called the move “a huge slap in the face,†describing “a wide sense of betrayal†within the party.
Joseph Lord
The Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar
On March 15, 44 BCE, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius. Caesar's death marked a pivotal moment in Roman history, leading to political turmoil and ultimately the rise of the Roman Empire under figures such as Augustus.
This event, occurring on what is famously known as the Ides of March, remains one of the most well-documented and consequential assassinations in history.
The Plot Against Caesar
Julius Caesar had risen to unparalleled power in Rome, declaring himself dictator for life.
His political reforms, military conquests, and concentration of authority sparked fear among the Roman Senate, many of whom believed he was dismantling the Republic in favor of monarchy.
A faction of senators, including his former ally and reputed friend Brutus, conspired to remove him from power.
On the fateful day, they lured Caesar to a Senate meeting at the Theatre of Pompey, where they surrounded and stabbed him 23 times, ensuring his death.
The conspirators believed that by eliminating Caesar, they were restoring the Republic and preventing tyranny.
However, their actions had the opposite effect, plunging Rome into a power struggle that ultimately led to the end of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
The Aftermath and the Fall of the Republic
Rather than restoring senatorial authority, Caesar’s assassination created chaos.
Public opinion swiftly turned against the assassins, and Rome descended into civil war.
Mark Antony, one of Caesar’s closest allies, and Octavian, Caesar’s adopted heir and future Emperor Augustus, joined forces to defeat the conspirators.
The resulting conflict led to the defeat and deaths of Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE.
The power vacuum left by Caesar’s death allowed Octavian to consolidate power, eventually taking the title of Augustus and becoming Rome’s first emperor.
The assassination, meant to preserve the Republic, ironically facilitated its transformation into an autocratic empire that would dominate the Mediterranean world for centuries.
Caesar’s Legacy and Lasting Impact
Julius Caesar’s assassination continues to be a defining moment in world history.
His death signified the end of the Roman Republic and set the stage for a new era of governance under imperial rule.
His legacy also endured in political thought, literature, and culture. William Shakespeare immortalized the event in his famous play Julius Caesar, popularizing the phrase “Et tu, Brute?†as a symbol of betrayal.
Moreover, the Ides of March has become a cautionary tale about power, ambition, and political maneuvering.
Modern leaders and historians often reflect on Caesar’s fate when considering the dangers of absolute authority and the fragile nature of republics.
His name, Caesar, even evolved into titles used by rulers for centuries, including the Russian Tsar and the German Kaiser.
The assassination of Julius Caesar remains one of the most significant events in history, shaping the course of Western civilization. What was meant as an act of liberation ultimately reshaped Rome, paving the way for an empire that would influence the world for nearly 500 years.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQDrkOWnB9w Book Details at 7:50
Good Mafia Story: We now have a Mafia Democracy...
Buy the book. What is the definition of Mafia by Google:
An organized international body of criminals, operating originally in Sicily and now especially in Italy and the US and having a complex and ruthless behavioral code.
Any organized group using extortion and other criminal methods. So, you do not have to be Italian, just a group that uses extortion to get money out of others...
A closed group of people in a particular field, having a controlling influence. This definition though, it reminds us of the government, a mafia. Not Republicans or Democrats but how the government of the United States works.
It is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity.—Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
Greed. Lies. Corruption. These are the foundational elements of the American Mafia story.
Here, the pursuit of power overshadows even the desire for a dollar, and self-interest outweighs the greater good.
It’s a world that’s foreign to the average American—or is it?
The values of our democracy and those of Mafia culture are separated by a thin line that’s quickly disintegrating.
No one sees this more clearly than former mob boss Michael Franzese.
Born into one of New York’s most feared crime families, Michael spent eight years in prison before he walked away from the Mafia for good.
Now, he’s sharing the undeniable parallels between mobster and politician.
In Mafia Democracy, Michael exposes our government for what it’s become, revealing the psychology behind the gangster lifestyle and how these ideologies have infiltrated the landscape of American politics.
With in-depth investigation and astounding examples, this book is your chance to see politicians through a new lens, hold them accountable, and reclaim the democratic ideals that once united our great nation.
What's it about? This book delves into the striking similarities between the American Mafia and the current political landscape, shedding light on the corrupting influence of power and the erosion of democratic values.
Popular highlight: “People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage, they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them, there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.â€
Popular highlight:
You must appear to be honest and respectful, but you can’t let morals and ethical behavior undercut your power.
Power, control, and influence are everything to a made man.
CHAZZ PALMINTERI, ACTOR, DIRECTOR, SCREENWRITER, PRODUCER, AND PLAYWRIGHT
No one in America knows more about organized crime than Michael Franzese. He lived it. He paid the price for it. He's the real deal.
PAUL MANAFORT, DONALD TRUMP'S CHAIRMAN AND CAMPAIGN MANAGER, 2016
Michael Franzese was one of the most notable figures in New York's Mafia. In this very important book, he lifts the curtain on the Washington, DC 'swamp' and exposes what our government operation has really become:
A Mafia Democracy.
JOSEPH D. PISTONE, FORMER FBI AGENT, A.K.A. DONNIE BRASCO
I have always maintained that the government is no different than the Mafia. Franzese's book, A Mafia Democracy, is a perfect example of this, written by a real Mafia insider who, after leaving 'the life,' became a successful businessman and productive citizen. A definite must-read for those who do not know the inside dealings of both our government officials and the Mafia.
Doctor William Rodriguez shares the story and video link to The Boy on the Beach - Omaha Beach 2014
This Video was created in Memory of D-Day: 06-06-1944
The person who posted it thinks it is appropriate for the times we are living where many disrespect our United States Flag and what is stands for...
Thousands of young men of every race, color and creed risked their lives for something they had in common that was worth saving.
Every one of their lives mattered, and they succeeded, at great cost, for many the ultimate price for they gave their very lives for freedom.
The sacrifice represents American values of courage, loyalty, and the commitment to defending the deeply rooted ideals of a country with a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.
The video was done as part of Project Vigil which started with a boy on Omaha Beach and his father in 2013.
The boy's name is Richie... to learn more about them, click:
The boy's name is Richie... to learn more about them, click:
The boy's name is Richie... to learn more about them, click: