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Trump University – a for-profit education system that has landed Donald Trump in hot water – continues to be a thorn in Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s side.  As Matt Galka tells us, left leaning groups in the state want the feds to get involved.

Florida’s Attorney General is in Ohio stumping for Trump but that’s not stopping progressive groups here back home from continuing to call for an investigation.

Liberal group Progress Florida delivered 6,000 petitions to the US Attorney General’s office asking for an investigation into campaign contributions from Donald Trump to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“Floridians complained about their involvement with Trump University Pam Bondi received the campaign contribution from one of Donald Trump’s foundations and now there’s no follow-up action to investigate,” said Damien Filer with Progress Florida.

Bondi is scheduled to deliver a primetime speech for Donald Trump Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention. Her office had not yet returned a request for comment.

His nicknames include Mr. 305 and Mr. Worldwide and one state agency believes rapper Pitbull can draw more people to the state. As Matt Galka tells us, he is getting paid with some of our money…but how much is unknown.

Pitbull’s new song titled “Sexy Beaches,” is an ode to dozens of Florida’s beaches and scantily clad women. State tourism agency Visit Florida hopes it’s also a reason more people come to the sunshine state.

Pitbull is getting paid to attract visitor’s to Florida, we just don’t know how many taxpayer dollars he’s actually getting. The rapper inked a deal with Visit Florida last year.  The agency receives around $80 million dollars in taxpayer funding…but the details of the contract are being kept secret with Visit Florida citing they’d be revealing trade secrets.

Barbara Petersen with the First Amendment Foundation says that’s not fair to Floridians.

“Visit Florida is claiming that the amount of taxpayer dollars they’re paying Pitbull to promote the tourism interests of Florida is secret. This is our money…how do we know we are getting our money’s worth if we don’t know what he’s being paid?” she said.

But not everyone thought the video was wasting money.

“I didn’t see anything negative in what you just showed me,” said taxpayer Osmond Johnson after we showed him the video.

The video is being distributed through the rapper’s social media accounts and already has more than one and a half million views on YouTube.

One of the two suspects accused of carrying out a hit on a beloved FSU professor was back in court this morning. As Matt Galka tells us, it coincides with the somber anniversary of the professor’s death.

“What’s going on with him?”

“I don’t know. The driver side window is all bashed in, and he’s got blood all over his head.”

That was part of a 9-1-1 call form July 18^th, 2014.  A neighbor found Florida State law professor Dan Markell in his garage. He was shot twice in the head.  It was a murder mystery with minimal information for 22 months before two men were arrested and charged with killing Markel.

On the two year anniversary of when Markel was shot and killed here at his house, one of the prime suspects in his murder appeared in court. Sigfredo Garcia’s case management hearing Monday morning lasted less than five minutes.  His attorneys requested a speedy trial.

“Our primary objective at this time is to familiarize ourselves with the state’s discovery, and so that’s what we are going to do, we are going to let our actions in the courtroom speak for themselves and focus on the case and that’s all I can say at this point because we literally just got the evidence yesterday,” said Saam Zangeneh

The request was granted. Garcia’s trial begins November 14^th.

“That’s a strategic move that we made,” he said.

Police believe Garcia and another man, Luis Rivera, were hired to kill Markel two years ago.  Documents show a suspected connection between the family of Markel’s ex-wife and the accused killers, but other arrests have yet to be made. The other man accused in the murder for hire plot is already serving time on unrelated racketeering charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 1^st.

Slimy and smelly algae blooms are wreaking havoc on some Florida beaches, and as Matt Galka tells us, the issue has become politicized with a US Senate Candidate and the Governor’s office butting heads.

It started with Congressman Patrick Murphy’s office asking the Small Business Administration to hold off on a business relief announcement for people affected by invasive algae blooms. He wanted to do it at a Thursday press conference. The SBA had no problem, but Governor Rick Scott’s office did. The announcement was made Wednesday night.

The email chain was posted to the state’s Project Sunburst email database.  Murphy’s office denied that the Congressman wanted to delay any aid…and suggested the Governor’s office was playing politics with the emails they released.

The business relief center is now open and aims to help a handful of counties affected by the crisis.

“We are seeing that with the algae blooms there is economic injury to businesses within the effected counties. So we’ve gotten about 60 applications so far,” said Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Cissy Proctor.

Businesses have the ability to get a quick low interest loan to help alleviate the hits on their bottom line.

“For instance, a fishing charter will say I’ve got customers who are cancelling the reservations to go on the fishing charter because of the fact that the algae blooms are occurring in the water. It could be a restaurant on the beach, people may not want to go sit on a restaurant on the beach because of what’s going on,” said Proctor.

Businesses in 20 Florida counties are eligible to apply for the loans. Murphy is in the middle of a U.S. Senate campaign and the email flap has already provided fodder for some opponents. On the business side, you can see if you qualify for a loan by going to disasterloan.sbs.gov.

July is UV Safety Month but of course when you live here, you should always be aware of the damage our beloved sunshine can cause. As Matt Galka tells us, the American Cancer Society wants Floridians to be smart not only this month, but all year round.

A walk is part of the daily routine for Steve Starke. But today, he forgot sunscreen.

“I forgot to put it on I use it everyday,” he said.

Starke says he’s usually better about putting sunscreen on.  He says you have to be aware of sun damage when you live in Florida.

“It’s the smart thing to do, especially in the Florida sunshine all the time,” he said.

Skin cancer expert Dr. Len Lichtenfeld says it’s easy to forget the sunscreen when you’re not at the beach. But trying to prevent potentially fatal consequences is personal for him.

“When I was young people didn’t know about sun safety, we didn’t have sunscreen didn’t use it, so I was a lifeguard and I got burned badly, so the result to me so far has been skin cancers,” he said.

And the American Cancer Society says it’s not hard…when in doubt, just put more sunscreen on.

“Being outside is part of a healthy lifestyle, so take some precautions. We call it slip, slop, slap, and wrap. Slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen plenty of it, slap on a wide brimmed hat, and wrap – make sure you use UV protective sunglasses that cover the sides of your eyes as well, to avoid getting cataracts,” said Dr. Lichtenfeld.

Dr. Licthtenfeld says they’re also seeing an uptick of melanoma cases for people using tanning beds.  People trying to get some color from the tanning lamps before the age of 35 increase their risk of melanoma by 75 percent.

And parents don’t forget, a child who is sunburned runs more of a risk of developing melanoma later in life.

He’s known as Florida’s “prison Houdini” after escaping 7 times. As Matt Galka tells us, Mark DeFriest is one of the most unique prisoner’s in Florida history, and his case was before the state’s parole board Wednesday.

Mark DeFriest was only supposed to be locked up for four years – convicted of stealing tools his father willed to him. That was in 1980.  36 years later – DeFriest is still behind bars.

That’s because DeFriest became known as the “Prison Houdini” during that time.  He tried to escape jail 13 times, succeeding about half the time.

The Florida Commission on Offender Review voted to reduce his sentence in December of 2014 for good behavior. But DeFriest – who is now in an Oregon prison – has been acting out the past year.

“He continues to be a consistent risk to not only himself but to the communities which he has gone through,” said Commissioner Richard Davison.

Filmmaker Gabe London – who documented DeFriest’s story – says he’s not getting proper treatment for mental illness.

“We’re seeing somebody who is very old, you know, who has really tried to obey the system and to get along with the system up to a point, right? And then had a collapse when the system didn’t follow though on the reentry programs and the treatment he expected,” said London.

The commission agreed that DeFriest needed rehabilitation.

“I do not think that society would be best letting Mark DeFriest come out of prison without the benefit of any mental health treatment,” said Commission Chairman Melinda Coonrod.

People on the former prison houdini’s side are worried that if action isn’t taken soon, his chances of getting treatment will disappear.

The proposal – move DeFriest to a facility in California.  It’s something the commission seemed to agree on…if California will take the former escape artist.

DeFriest was originally set to be released in 2085 before the commission reduced his sentence.  They’re set to vote on what happens to DeFriest next on Thursday morning.

We might take it for granted when things like band aids, lip balms, and cough drops are tax exempt. But as Matt Galka tells us, women around the state are asking for the same treatment for feminine products they say are necessary to live healthy lives.

Guys, maybe you don’t think about it as much as women do, and maybe women don’t think about it when they’re buying them, but there’s a tampon tax in Florida. And now a Hillsborough County woman has filed a lawsuit looking to get rid of it

Tallahassee lawyer Dana Brooks is one of the attorneys representing the plaintiff.

“Female sanitary products, tampons, pads, stuff like that, used almost exclusively for women, are taxed. And have been taxed, and so we feel like that is discriminatory on its face, it obviously effects women disproportionately,” she said.

Three state agencies have been named in the suit as well as WalMart, Walgreens, Target, Publix, and CVS.

Barbara DeVane with the National Organization for Women supports the lawsuit. She says it’s absurd that tampons are being taxed and other products aren’t.

“If you can exempt bunion pads, why not menstrual pads? Petroleum jelly, wart removers, and for heaven’s sakes, ostrich feed. There are more women than ostriches in the state of Florida,” she said.

Brooks says the products are a necessity.

“It’s a public hygiene and safety issue that is being disproportionately, these costs are being taken on by women,” she said.

The class action suit is seeking money for women who have bought the products in the past three years.

The attorney in the lawsuit told us that she hopes the legislature will act and repeal the tax. The New York state legislature recently repealed the tax on feminine hygiene products, and California has a similar lawsuit pending.

Four Florida businesses, including a discount furniture store, are part of a lawsuit over whether the companies can charge extra to someone using a credit card. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the case could soon be on its way to the US Supreme Court.

Under Florida law, merchants can’t charge you more for using a credit card unless they post two sets of prices…one for cash, and one for credit. They can offer you a discount for using cash.

“So, everyone’s paying a higher price for goods for the few who choose to use credit cards” says Duana Palmer, owner of Tallahassee Discount Furniture.

Tallahassee Discount Furniture is a stones throw from the state capitol. It advertises prices well below retail. Duana was told to stop charging more for the use of a credit card or face a fine or jail.

“I had no idea it was illegal. It made sense to me to keep my prices down. So I said this is the price, this is what it costs if you use your credit card.’ says the owner.

Duana sued and won. A Federal appeals court said her pricing strategy was free speech. But Florida’s Attorney General is now asking the US Supreme Court to step in and up hold the law, arguing customers shouldn’t be “Ambushed” by higher prices at checkout.

“Why should it be a crime? And we’re being honest with them. This is what they are charging us, if you want to use this method of payment, then we have to pass that fee on. Certainly not trying to ambush anybody. My goal is to give the best pricing as possible” says Palmer.

Florida is one of just ten states that don’t allow credit card surcharges. Forty other states do.

The Attorney General’s Office declined comment, saying it would be inappropriate because of the on going litigation.

We asked if it wouldn’t be easier to just post two prices, one for credit and one for cash. Ms. Palmer responded that it would be time consuming and only add more over head for staff to post the prices.

Dozens of death cases across Florida remain in limbo after three judges have declared the states new sentencing scheme unconstitutional. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the question keeping some from going forward is whether or not a 10-2 jury death recommendation is constitutional.

Florida, Alabama, and Delaware are the only death states that don’t require unanimous jury verdicts to sentence someone to die.

“There are three states who are outliers\” said Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge LaBarga from the bench last month while it considered a death sentence declared unconstitutional in Osceola County.

Three circuit judges have ruled the law unconstitutional. But the Florida Supreme Court has gone on break for the rest of the summer without deciding whether the judges were right or wrong.

“My name is Ted Bundy”

Prosecutors invoked the serial killers name during the spring legislative session to argue against unanimous verdicts. Bundy went to the electric chair on a ten two vote.

Prosecutors repeatedly told lawmakers that requiring unanimity put too much power in one jurors hands.

“One person with total veto power, ah, that’s a bad thing” says Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs.

The State Senate originally held out for a unanimous decision to sentence someone to death, then it compromised, says Senate President Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando).

“The alternative is you have no guidance to give to state attorneys when it comes to these cases in the future if we hadn’t gotten something done.”
“Or there would be no death penalty?”
“exactly” Gardiner told us.

Each of the state’s 20 prosecutors is dealing with the uncertainty differently. Some are moving full speed ahead, but others, like Meggs, are not.

“Until they clarify it and make a decision and rule and we’re kinda gonna be in this limbo land.”

And 100 or more pending death cases could be impacted by what the state supreme court eventually decides. Prosecutors say there are 13 pending death cases in Pensacola, 23 in Jacksonville, and 7 or 8 in Tallahassee. Other state attorneys did not respond to our email.

While prosecutors pointed to Ted Bundy as a reason not to require unanimous jury verdicts, two other serial killers, Aileen Wuornos and Danny Rolling both went to their deaths with unanimous jury recommendations.

Videos showing deadly violence against African-Americans around the country may have prompted a retaliation attack against police in Dallas, Texas, and as Matt Galka tells us, some state legislators here in Florida want to do something about it and make the streets safer for first responders.

In November of 2014 in Tallahassee – a seemingly routine house fire ended with first responders taking gunfire. The ambush left one Leon County Sheriff’s deputy dead.

Florida Police Benevolent Association Executive Director Matt Puckett points to that incident – and now the attack on Dallas, Texas police officers last week that killed five – as the reasons that more officer protections are needed.

“We’ve had a number of South Florida cities pass resolutions asking for this legislation, and I think in the wake of, obviously, the tragic events of last week, these two legislators have said we’re going to put it on our shoulders and try to pass it,” he said.

Two Florida lawmakers say they’ll propose “Blue Lives Matter” legislation for next year’s legislative session.  The bills will make attacking first responders a hate crime.

Hate crimes traditionally involve attacks that involve race or religion, not place of employment.

Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump has represented multiple families involved in police shootings.  He says all people need the protections.

“If anything is motivated by hate and you commit a violent act upon it, you should be held to the fullest extent of the law,” said Crump.

Hate crime cases typically carry harsher penalties – usually steeper fines or longer prison sentences.

It’s been nearly a month since more than 100 people were shot inside a gay nightclub in Orlando. As Matt Galka tells us, there’s been plenty said since the shooting, but one of the most powerful legislators in the state – who also happens to have a close connection with the tragedy – has remained mostly silent until now.

Senate President Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando) remembers hearing about the news of the Orlando shooting tragedy.

“I woke up early that morning to helicopters flying around my house, we live about a mile away from the Pulse,” he said.

Of the 49 killed and more than 100 shot last month – many were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center where Gardiner serves as a Vice President.  He says his coworkers saved lives that night.

“Level 1 trauma centers are the real deal and, if it had not been for the level one trauma center being running distance from the Pulse, it would have been a completely different situation, and I’ve always respected my colleagues, but to see what they were able to do, it was beyond impressive,” said Sen. Gardiner.

And while Democrats were trying to trigger a special session for gun control, Senator Gardiner says he doesn’t regret voting no.

“We just thought it was wrong place wrong time,” he said.

He’s still optimistic that lawmakers can do something to help curb the violent attacks.

“when you look at incidents aroudn the country, whether it be my backyard or San Bearnardino, there were red flags. And how do you identify red flags and get people more comfortable in reporting those red flags?” he said.

Gardiner had quietly visited the site of the attack in the aftermath of the shooting, but mostly stayed out of the public eye during the crisis.

A ticking time bomb is how the union representing correctional officers describes the states prisons. As Mike Vasilinda tells, A riot, an uprising, and attacks against officers are fueling fear.

A quickly quelled riot at Franklin Correctional Institute in June, the second this year. And more than thirty attacks on officers in April and May are the reasons officers call the prisons a ticking time bomb. They want lawmakers to meet soon and provide raises and more staffing. Rick Orzechowski is a retired Major.

“This needs to be addressed as soon as possible, so that staff can feel safe. The more staff, the safer the surroundings” says the former correctional officer.

The Department of Corrections has not confirmed that there have been 30 attacks since April.

In a letter to the Governor and legislative leaders, the Teamsters say there are 11  hundred fewer officers than there were a decade ago, but they are overseeing 12 thousand more inmates. The letter says a session is needed to prevent imminent harm and necessary for th safety of officers, inmates and communities. Senate President Andy Gardiner questioned the timing of the letter.

“We’ve seen a lot of politics being played when it comes to demanding special sessions, demanding surveys so that people can use it in a political campaign” says the outgoing Senate President.

Last week, The Police Benevolent Association, a rival union, filed the paperwork necessary to force corrections officers to vote on who represents them. Matt Puckett says he agrees with the Teamster’s assessment, but…“So the timing of this is a little curious, but I don’t want to diminish that there are issues in the department that we would like the legislature to address” says Puckett.

The Department of Corrections  is in the middle of a hiring campaign. But salaries remain below most other law enforcement in the state, making retention of officers difficult.

The turnover rate at the DOC is 17%. One of every two officers on the job has five years or less with the prison agency.

For parents with children with disabilities, or Floridians living with disabilities, the future can be uncertain when it comes to work and finances. As Matt Galka tells us, a first of its kind savings plan hopes to alleviate those fears.

Jenn Sikora worried about her son Sean’s future on more than one occasion.

“For 13 years we lived in this kind of atmosphere of what are we going to do, what are we going to do when we’re gone? How are we going to plan for that future to happen,” she said.

Sean has Down Syndrome. He, along with millions of others in Florida, could have financial struggles ahead.

“8 out of 10 of American citizens with a disability are not in the workforce,” said Rep. Ray Rodrigues (R-Fort Myers).

ABLE United hopes to change that.  The ABLE accounts launched July 1^st and allow families to save up to $100,000 tax free.

“Now I feel like I can have a little deep breath and relax a little bit,” said Sikora.

Floridians with disabilities had previously only been allowed to receive Government benefits if they made less than $700 dollars a month and had less than $2,000 in assets. The account would allow people to keep their benefits…something Megan Atkinson says could be life changing.

“I’m able to save a little bit of money so we can get a house or other things like that and I can continue my education,” she said.

Disability advocates say the accounts could be the first step in ending poverty for the disabled.

“Prior to this you earned a paycheck and you had to spend it right away because otherwise you were penalized for saving money,” said advocate J.R. Harding.

Florida is one of only three states that have established the accounts since a federal law was passed in December of 2014. The money in the account can go towards expenses like housing, education, transportation, and healthcare.

A law change this year allowed more Florida growers to try and obtain medical marijuana licenses. As Matt Galka tells us, the state faced another challenge for a licenses Wednesday, as families who say they desperately need medicine for their children are still waiting two years after the original law was passed.

Holley Moseley and her severely epileptic daughter RayAnn thought they’d have medicine by now.

“We were told January 1, 2015, oil would be available to patients,” said Holley.

In 2014, the Moseley’s helped pass Florida’s first medical marijuana law. It allowed a low-THC cannabis known as Charlotte’s web to be grown and distributed in the state. It’s been shown to help seizure patients.

“There are kids waiting for treatment that deserve treatment,” she said.

And after two years – nothing.  The state licensed five growers originally, but things have been tangled in a web of legal issues causing a change in state law where a grower could challenge for a license if they weren’t originally granted one.

The Moseley’s traveled to Tallahassee Wednesday to support an administrative challenge from Gainesville based Loop’s Nursery – a business excluded from the original list of five.

“One of the reasons Loop’s nursery was selected as a partner is because they have greenhouse space, they’re ready to go, they can start growing immediately,” said Moseley.

The state argues the selected growers were qualified and that Loop’s is challenging based on just the ability to grow Charlotte’s Web.

“You have to prove that you have more than a brand name,” said Department of Health Attorney Eduardo Lombard.

The Department of Health’s Office of Compassionate use says their confident the medicine will be available this fall.

 

“It’s entirely likely that product will be available before September,” said OCU Director Christian Bax.

The lucrative licenses could mean millions of dollars in revenue if the marijuana industry continues to expand in the state.

The State’s Public Service Commission is reporting a 36 percent increase in the number of solar hookups between 2014 and 2015. and while an impressive increase, Mike Vasilinda tells us the number of people using solar remains tiny.

Ten million Floridians pay an electric bill every month. Now The Public Service Commission is reporting the number of connected solar users has jumped from just over 85 hundred to 11 thousand in 2015. A 36 percent increase. It’s a big jump,  but small numbers overall. Mark Futrell is the Deputy Executive Director at the PSC>

Q:”One tenth of one percent?”

“Well, I guess I would say  what that reflects is that Florida has had a pretty good history at keeping electricity reliable, and safe, and reasonably priced” says Futrell.
With solar penetration at just over one tenth of one percent, Kim Ross of ReThink Energy Florida says it’s regulatory barriers, not low cost electricity that is keeping people from adopting renewables.

“The utilities have a monopoly. they are the only one who can sell energy” says Ross.

Solar for an average house can cost about 16 thousand dollars. That’s before a thirty percent federal tax credit. Solar contractor Al Simpler says growth has been stagnant.

“if you don’t have it in your pocket, where are you going to get the money to put in that investment into solar?” asks Simpler.

The average return on a solar investment? About 11 percent a year.

In August, voters will see a constitutional amendment that will keep an investment in solar or other renewables from raising a businesses property taxes. Home assessments are already protected in the constitution.

In 2014, the PSC allowed the state’s investor owned utilities to reduce their commitment to renewable energy by 90 percent. Renewable advocates say the move sent a message to investors that the state did not care about renewable energy.