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The tragedy of a murder-suicide on the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay over the weekend points to a growing problem with the recession. Domestic violence is increasing. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, Shelters for abused women across the state are over capacity and turning people away.

Lele is picking up the pieces of her life. Pregnant and abused, she roamed the streets homeless until she found this shelter.

“I lost my job in June and everything just went downhill from there,” Lele said. “Light bill couldn’t be paid, rent couldn’t be paid. We didn’t have food, I didn’t have food stamps. Just things like that tore us apart.”

Advocates say there is a link between rising unemployment and increased domestic violence.

“If the batterer is unemployed, which many are right now, then he’s home more of the time, he has the opportunity to batter more often, and the severity is often worse,” advocate Tiffany Carr said.

“My husband couldn’t find a job and he was really, really stressed about it,” Deborah, an abuse victim, said.

Deborah says when the economy soured, so did her relationship.

“I went from sleeping in a car to staying in the waiting room at hospitals,” Deborah said. “I slept where ever I could sleep that made me feel safe. Until I got here.”

Not everyone is able to find the help or shelter they need.

Last year, more than 7,000 women and children were turned away from shelters like this one because there was no room.

Another three thousand victims across the state have been jammed into overcrowded shelters.

The catch 22 is that while the demand for shelters is at all time high, funding is at it’s lowest level in decades.

Some Stimulus cash has started flowing to domestic violence shelters to help homeless women and children. Shelters say they are seeing people who have never been homeless before.

The Attorney General’s office conducted a seminar for state agencies on how to preserve public records in new media and technology. The need came to light when it was disclosed that BlackBerry PIN numbers had been given to utility lobbyists. Deputy Attorney General Joe Jacquot says determining if something is public requires being able to save the material.

“The goal is to look at technology, the blackberry pins, to look at voice over IP, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, and figure out how can agencies retain those messages and look at them and see if they are indeed public records,” Jacquot said.

An investigation by the Department of Law Enforcement has concluded that no criminal laws were broken when the PSC Pin numbers were given to the utility.

A six hundred and ninety-five page NCAA report on cheating by FSU athletes is now a public record. FSU released the records today after the First District Court of Appeal agreed with a trial court that the records were indeed public. Deputy Attorney General Joe Jacquot says the court fight sets an important precedent.

“You can’t hide public records behind new technology. As the technology grows, it needs to keep pace with the law. It’s important for Florida, for FSU. We’re talking about Bobby Bowden wins here and the public deserves to see documents related to that.”

If left to stand, the NCAA sanctions are important because they take 14 wins away from Coach Bobby Bowden, who trails Penn State’s Joe Paterno by four games as the winningest coach in college football history.

Governor Charlie Crist on Wednesday is asking the state Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate public corruption by government officials. The request comes on the heels of recent indictments of two elected officials and a well-connected Republican Party donor in Broward County. In calling for the investigation, Crist says no one case spurred the request.

“It doesn’t center around any one case at all,” Crist said. “Since I’ve been governor, unfortunately I’ve had to remove over 30 people from public office. That’s almost one a month. It’s obvious to me that something is wrong with the system. And that’s why I think it’s important to have a grand jury investigate, look into these string of crimes, if you will, and those that aren’t conviction yet, at least allegations.

If the court agrees, Statewide Prosecutor Bill Shepard could take up to 18 months for the investigation.

Democrat Alex Sink out raised her leading Republican in the race for Governor by a two to one margin during the last three months. Sink collected more than 1 point six million in cash, while McCollum raised just 852 thousand dollars. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the money is coming from big and small donors.

In the last three months Republican Bill McCollum raised 852 thousand dollars. But that is just half of the 1.6 million, raised by his likely Democratic opponent, Alex Sink.

“So we raised plenty of money,” McCollum said. “And we raised a lot of money into the party this last time. We put a lot of our efforts into that, which is of course essential for our race as well.

McCollum had over 4200 contributors. 1324 of them gave the maximum 500 dollars. But 349 of them gave less than 10. One of them is Retired judge Jene Owen. He gave McCollum 2 dollars because he said it’s important to be part of the process.

“It’s important, even to two dollars,” Owen said.

What is important to remember is that there’s still more than 10 months left in this race. And what’s been raised in this last quarter is going to be just a small fraction of the overall totals at the end.

Democrat Alex Sink says big numbers early do matter.

“It’s an important sign of the level and the type of support and enthusiasm that a candidate is getting when they go out and ask people, really to make an investment,” Sink said.

While Sink’s quarter looks strong, McCollum’s quarter is inviting to potential opponents.

A breakdown of Sink’s contributors was not immediately available.

Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Michael Arth, who complained he was shut out of the State Party Convention over the weekend, raised just 8 hundred dollars, although he did loan himself almost 12 thousand dollars.

The first H1N1 vaccines began arriving in Florida last week. Governor Charlie Crist was briefed by Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros that more is on the way quickly. The Governor says people should rely on common sense.

“I think that we’re getting about 100,000 vaccines that started coming in on Friday. That’s good news,” Crist said. ” [Dr.Viamonte Ros] informs me we’ll have probably 3 million by the end of the month, which is great. I think that the common sense approach is what we’ve talked about from the outset. That is, if you feel sick stay home. If you have to cough or sneeze, do so into your sleeve, you know, not into your hands. And to wash your hands periodically. And continue to apply those common sense rules.”

People are also being reminded to get not only H1N1 vaccine, but seasonal flu shots as well.

Two bills have been filed. One by a Democrat the other by a Republican, to require vacancies in the US Senate to be filled by election. George LeMieux was appointed to the seat vacated by retiring Mel Martinez in August. Governor Charlie Crist indicated he would sign the legislation if it reaches his desk.

“I prefer Democracy,” Crist said. “You know, I was happy to carry out my duty, but I think it’s always preferable to have the people win.”

Until 1917, US Senators were selected by state legislatures.

October is Hispanic Heritage Month in Florida. Governor Charlie Crist met with Hispanic business leaders about the difficult economic times, increased trade missions and possible countries for increased exports. The Governor says listening to business people from across the state helps him better understand their needs.

“The Hispanic community of Florida is extremely important to me as governor and for the health and vibrance of our entire state,” Crist said. “And to have the opportunity to visit with these small business leaders throughout the state and hear their concerns only helps us to be better stewards and servants for them.”

October is also Small Business Month.

The State’s Price Gouging statute is under attack by Exxon Mobile. The Oil Company says the statute is unclear. But Governor Charlie Crist, who used the law to clamp down on companies raising prices after hurricanes as Attorney General, disagrees.

“Oh yeah. I think is very clear,” Crist said. “You know, I think you know it when you see it. And I know a jury certainly would. And any consumer that has a good common sense approach would understand it very well, I think.”

The law doesn’t specify how much of a price increase constitutes price gouging, but rather suggest inappropriate increases during an emergency are wrong.

$1,156,837.31 of which $852,917.74 was in cash and $326,043.06 was in-kind, mostly from the Republican Party of Florida.

1324 people gave $500.00

2403 people gave 100.00 or less

349 People gave $10 or less

25 people gave $1.00

Latest fund-raising reports suggest former House Speaker Marco Rubio is now a viable contender against Charlie Crist in the GOP primary for the US Senate. Rubio reports almost one million in the last three months. Crist raised 2.4 million. While a million pales in comparison to Crist’s numbers, the million dollar quarter has put Rubio on the map

The almost 1 million raised by former House Speaker Marco Rubio has made him something he hasn’t been until now…a contender. Rubio’s fund raising still trails Charlie Crist’s by at least a four to one margin, but the money makes Rubio viable, and most imporantly, able to raise even more cash.

Political scientist Lance DeHaven Smith says Crist should take note.

“I think he’s got to excite the base a little bit more than he’s done,” DeHaven Smith said.

Claude Kirk was the first governor allowed to seek a second term, and he  did in 1970. Every other Governor all the way through Jeb Bush in 2002 has as well, except for our current governor.

Frank Smith and Julie Carter are registered Republicans from the Tampa area who we met touring the state capitol. Both know more about Crist than Rubio, but neither are ready to commit.

“I’m not going to automatically vote for Charlie, until I look at the opponent and what he’s done,” Smith said.

The 38-year old Rubio was featured on the cover of the conservative National Review, as a rising star of the right. DeHaven Smith says so what.

“Republicans have got to think though, that Charlie Crist would be a better candidate in the general election,” DeHaven Smith said. “So there’s going to be that concern, calculating voters, saying ‘gee, I like Rubio but can he win the general election.'”

Which makes Rubio’s road an uphill battle.

GOP party chair Jim Greer personally endorsed Crist. So has the National Senatorial Campaign. The state GOP refused to comment for this story.

Thousands of Floridians will head to the water this weekend to fish from piers and the shoreline. Since August, shore anglers have been required to pay about 9 dollars for a license, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, there is an effort underway to repeal the fee.

For the first time ever, people fishing from shore need a 9-dollar license to fish. It’s rubbing a lot of people, like Bill Williams, the wrong way.

“Why mess with something that’s good?” Williams said. “You’ve given that benefit to your people all along, why take it away?”

But the state argues the federal government will impose even bigger fees, 15 to 25 dollars,  on all fishing licenses if the shore license goes away. The purpose says Henry Cabbage, is to keep track of the catch.

“Shoreline anglers are taking from the resources,” Cabbage of the FWCC said. “It’s just a matter of what’s right, that they should contribute to maintaining the resources.”

Citing the economy, State Senator Don Gaetz has filed legislation to repeal the fee.

“There’s a way to ask people to keep track of their catches, without charging them money to fish,” Gaetz said.

Right now, only about one of every ten people who are expected to need the new license have actually gotten one so far.

Sam Cobb says if you want to fish, you need to pay the price.

“You probably don’t need to be fishing, because half the bait and lures cost more than 10 dollars,” Cobb said.

Ironically, the fact so few have purchased the license actually make it’s repeal more palatable, that’s because it will take fewer dollars out of a very tight state budget.

Two of Florida’s 67 Counties received the first shipment of the H1N1 Mist vaccine today. Most counties will receive the first wave of the vaccine by the end of next week, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the mist vaccine isn’t for everyone.

Craig Wilson works with kids at the Jefferson County Health Department. Because his work is on the priority list, Craig became one of the first people in Florida to receive the mist vaccine.  He says it is safer than doing nothing.

“It’s a lot scarier to not have some protection as this comes around,” Wilson said. “So I feel a lot better now.”

Rural Jefferson County received 100 does of the mist vaccine Thursday morning.

This mist isn’t for everyone. No one under 2 or over 49 should take it, and it’s not for pregnant women.

48 Counties, including Jefferson, plan to use schools to administer the vaccines. Kim Barnhill is Jefferson County’s Health Officer.

“Where we’re sending most is into the schools, both the seasonal vaccine, as well as the H1N1,” Barnhill said.

Florida Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros held a statewide conference call to brief
reporters on the vaccine. Asked if someone not in the priority group asked for the initial vaccine, she says no one will be turned away…but.

“We’re asking folks and we’re confident that Floridians will understand why we’re doing so,” Viamonte Ros said. “There’s limited supply, we want to make sure that those individuals in those targeted groups are protected first.”

One hundred-thousand doses of the mist vaccine are expected to be in Florida in the coming weeks, but it could take 8 to 12 weeks for the injectable vaccine to arrive for those who can’t take the mist.

The suicide of a seven year old Florida foster kid has state lawmakers enraged and looking for answers. Gabriel Myers was on several mind-altering medications when he hung himself in Broward County this April. As Whitney Ray tells us, his death is shedding light on the overwhelming number of foster youth being subscripted psychotropic drugs and could lead to legislation to fix the problem.

No one knows what was going through seven year-old Gabriel Myers head when he decided to hang himself on April 16th. But experts believe the foster kid had nowhere to turn, and his actions were influenced by a slew of prescribed drugs. State Senator Ronda Storms is heading a committee in search of answers.

“I can’t accept or believe that a little child can’t be reached after terrible things have been done to him, except by drugging him, and drugging him, and drugging him,” said Storms.

Gabriel’s death spawned an investigation, uncovering an alarming trend. Three thousand, or about 15 percent, of Florida’s foster kids are being prescribed mind-altering medication. There are even kids in the system as young as two years old on the drugs.

Robin Rosenberg is a foster parent and advocates for children. She says part of the problem is foster kids rarely have stability and they switch doctors frequently.

“If the child is in a group home for example there will be a therapist that is attached to the group home. The say the child goes to live with grandma, that therapist doesn’t follow the child as the child goes to Medicaid and the community,” said Rosenberg.

The Department of Children and Families is responsible for the care of foster kids. Still many rights, like signing off on a doctor’s prescription, remain in the hands of the biological parents.

“Parents will sign anything when a child is being taken away. I don’t think that is the appropriate gauge,” said DCF Secretary George Sheldon.

State Senators are considering requiring a third party to approve any prescriptions being give to foster kids. The senate committee will also consider legislation to improve communication between psychiatrists, who prescribe drugs, and psychologists, who counsel patients. Lawmakers believe opening the lines of communication between the doctors will lead to more counseling and fewer prescriptions.

Two Democratic state lawmakers say the oil drilling debate is being rushed and more time is needed to educate the legislature.

State Senators Dave Aronberg and Ted Deutch have filed legislation to create a taskforce charged with investigating the economic impact of coastal drilling. The lawmakers say no one has put a price tag on an oil spill or how property values would be affected by drilling. Aronberg says the environmental costs need to be calculated before the House and Senate vote.

“We have these reviews that are being done pretty quickly, by people who have business backgrounds, but what about environmental analysis? We haven’t had a full environmental analysis of oil drilling and that is what we want to do,” said Aronberg.

The state legislature is expected to vote on drilling next spring. If a taskforce is formed, its report wouldn’t be done until 2011.