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Groups hosting voter registration drives could soon become subject to stricter penalties for turning in applications late or not at all. As Whitney Ray tells us, non-profit groups could be hit with thousands of dollars in fines.

Hear it Here: Fines Target Non Profit Groups

Voter registration drives may be the most convenient way to sign up to vote, but they could also be risky. The Florida Secretary of State is drafting rules for stricter penalties and deadlines for groups that host registration drives.

“We have had times in the past where some of these drives have turned in the applications after Election Day or have turned them in with bad information,” said Jennifer Davis, a spokeswoman with the Secretary of State.

Florida’s League of Women Voters is suing, calling the new rules unfair. League President Marilyn Wills says a thousand dollar penalty for late applications would discourage registration drives and keep some people from casting ballots.

“There are some groups who are registered mostly through third party registration, like you’re Hispanic voters and your black voters,” said Wills.

The rules come at a time when record numbers of Floridians are signing up to cast ballots in this year’s presidential race.

Three hundred thousand people registered to vote already in Florida this year. About 200,000 of them registered Democrat. Some election supervisors say the new rules could kill the momentum.

“To actually chill people’s first amendment right to register people to vote by threatening them with erroneous fines is really nothing more than a gambit to suppress voter registration in Florida,” Ion Sancho, the Leon County Supervisor of Elections.

Florida is already below average when it comes to signing people up to vote. The new rules are expected to go into effect in August. Third party groups say they’re rushing to collect voter applications before the rules change. The deadline to sign up to vote in the August primary is July 28th

Development plans to build a Lowe’s near the everglades were shot down by the Florida Department of Community Affairs. Earlier this year the Miami-Dade County Commission approved plans to build past the urban development boundary, which is set up to protect the Everglades. Environmental groups gathered 2,000 signatures in less than a month asking Governor Charlie Crist to intervene. Damien Filer works with Progress Florida, the group that fought the development and hosted the petition signing. Filer said his group couldn’t have stopped the development without help from Floridians.

“People made their voices heard, they said we already have over a hundred Lowe’s in Florida, we only have one Everglades, it’s a national treasure and we want to protect it. Thousands of people made their voices heard. The state of Florida listened and they paid attention,” said Filer.

Filer expects Lowe’s to appeal the decision. Filer set up a link on Progress Florida’s website (www.progressflorida.com) directing people to send an email to the President of Lowe’s. So Far more than a hundred people have participated.

The state’s Chief Financial Officer is calling for the resignation of Florida’s top mortgage regulator. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the resignation is being sought after a report that as many as 10 thousand felons have been working in Florida’s mortgage industry.

Hear it Here: Mortgage Originators Cause Concern

The investigation found that one in every 12 loan originators or just over 10 thousand people had a criminal history. Despite their records, over 4 thousand passed criminal background checks giving them access to sensitive credit card and social security information.

Many work in fly-by-night offices. We opened the phone book and got a message saying the call could not be completed as dialed.

In many ways, it’s the fox guarding the hen house.

Florida’s Banking Industry says there may be a reason a bank turned you down and if someone else’s deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

“A bank wants to put you in a home but it wants to put you in a home you can afford to keep,” Pam Ricco with the Florida Bankers Association said. “And it doesn’t help anybody if people have to be foreclosed on or if they lose their home. It doesn’t help anybody.”

The mortgage industry says it has worked for years to ban those with criminal records with no help from state lawmakers.

“Our association is definitely in favor of licensing all originators, whether they be mortgage brokers which of course are licensed already or unlicensed originators, and that includes all unlicensed originators,” Mortgage Broker’s Association President Elect Valerie Saunders said.

The fraud has cost millions of dollars, helping Florida achieve a dubious honor. It has the highest mortgage fraud rate in the country.

The state and national mortgage industry has been asking Florida lawmakers to license all lenders since 2002,but no action has been taken.

Florida’s lost more jobs than any other state in the nation and ranks second in foreclosures. A report released today shows a drastic increase in the state’s unemployment rate. The news comes as the governor is overseas on a 10 day trade mission. As Whitney Ray tells us, some say Crist is spending too much time out of the state.

Hear it Hear: Florida Hurting, Governor Gone

As Governor Charlie Crist mingles with ambassadors, meets with royalty, and sits down with European reporters. Back in Florida, people are struggling to make ends meet. In May, Eric Monroe joined half a million other Floridians on the state’s unemployed list. Eric’s been meeting with career councilors to try to find work.

“Everyday I come down here and I try to find sources, network with people to try and find a job,” said Monroe.

Florida’s unemployment rate grew by 1.5 percent, according to the latest jobless report. The news comes as Governor Crist tours France as part of his 10 day trade mission. Florida Democrats say Crist should spend more time in the state.

“Florida’s leading the nation in job loss, we have record foreclosures and where is Charlie Crist? He’s sipping lattes on a state financed vacation in Europe,” said Jeff Jotkoff, a spokesman for the Florida Democrats.

While some cite the growing unemployment rate as a reason why the Governor should have stayed in Florida, others are using it to defend his trip. Lt. Governor Eric Kottkamp said Crist is trying to bring jobs to Florida.

“The Governor couldn’t do a better thing than what he’s doing right now, which is being very aggressive about expanding our economy,” said Kottkamp.

The trip is costing taxpayers a quarter of a million dollars. Governor Charlie Crist will travel to Russia this weekend in an effort to expand trade and attract Russian tourism.

The Food and Drug Administration says it’s now okay to eat tomatoes. The FDA still thinks tomatoes could be the cause of more than 1,200 cases of salmonella in the US, but says if there were tainted tomatoes, they’ve rotted by now. The tomato scare had consumers boycotting tomatoes even after Florida’s crops were placed on the safe-to-eat list. Florida farmers lost an estimated one hundred million dollars during the scare. Florida Department of Agriculture spokesman Terry McElroy said farmers need to be compensated for their losses.

“We want congress to seek federal reimbursement for losses sustained in Commissioner Bronson is 100 percent behind that, is supporting Allen Boyd and others in Congress, because he thinks its fair and the right thing to do,” said McElroy.

The FDA hasn’t ruled out Florida as the source of the outbreak, but they’ve added hot pepper as a source. They’re asking seniors and people with weak immune systems to avoid jalapeños and serrano peppers.

People who want to learn more about hurricane safety and insurance need only one website. An FSU professor has created a one stop shop online with updates on hurricane warnings and insurance. The site has tips on how to harden your home and links to sites that compare insurance companies and rates. FSU professor Pat Maroney created the site at the request of lawmakers. Maroney says he hopes the site will teach people what to do when a storm hits.

“We want to make sure people evacuate during a storm. We assume people evacuate. The facts show us a lot of people do not evacuate when they should and certainly there can be some dire consequences, so our research efforts are focused in that area,” said Maroney.

You can find the site at www.stormrisk.org.

State Farm is asking to raise rates 47 percent. Now state regulators have to decide whether or not to approve the rate hike. As Whitney Ray tells us, State Farm isn’t the only insurer in Florida seeking a double digit hike.

Hear it Here: OIR Balancing Act

Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 devastated Florida’s coast, and bankrupted several insurance companies. Insurers who want to raise rates to prepare for a big storm have to go through the Office of Insurance Regulation for approval.

“Our analysts and our actuaries look at every file very carefully,” said Ed Domansky, spokesman with the Office of Insurance Regulation.

This year a few small rate hikes have been approved, but none as high as State Farms request. State Farm is asking for a 47 percent rate increase. The request shocked some, but not Gary Landry with the Florida Insurance Council.

“In Florida, as we said many times before, there’s two trillion dollars of risk out there and we’re collecting inadequate premiums to cover this risk,” said Landry.

State Farm isn’t the only insurer seeking a double digit rate hike. Farm Bureau is asking regulators to approve a 28 percent increase.

Florida Association of Insurance Spokesman Bob Lotane said companies need rate hikes to keep from going bankrupt after a hurricane.

“There’s only one thing that’s angrier than a person whose insurance rates have been increased, and that’s a person who can’t get their claim paid in a timely manner,” said Lotane.

State Regulators say there’s a balancing act involved when considering a rate increase request.

“Consumers want to pay the least amount they have to for their insurance but at the same time too the companies that are paying for those policies need to have money to pay claims when claims should come in,” said Domansky.

A public hearing has to be held for any insurance company wanting to increase rates more than 15 percent. The public hearing for State Farm’s rate increase request will be held August 12th. Farm Bureau’s hearing is scheduled for July 30th State Lawmakers froze rates for state-run insurer Citizens, but unlike a private company, Citizens can levy assessments to cover claims.

A Florida Environmental group says some alternative fuels are actually harder on the environment than gas. Environment Florida studied the effects biodiesel, liquid coal fuel, and ethanol have on the environment. The report claims soy biodiesel and liquid coal fuel release 50 percent more harmful emissions than gas. Environment Florida Spokeswoman Holly Binns says despite the recent push for more ethanol production, not all ethanol is better than gasoline.

“Corn based ethanol really has very few benefits both in terms of fuel efficiency and in terms of pollution, especially global warming pollution, and in fact in a number of cases could be worse than conventional gasoline,” said Binns.

By 2010 all gas sold in Florida has to contain at least 10 percent ethanol.

State Farm Insurance filed a 47.1 percent average statewide rate hike this afternoon. The company says it needs the increase to cover potential losses from any storms that might hit the state. Spokesman Justin Glover says current rates are not adequate to pay claims for the company’s one million customers. State regulators say they are going over the filing with a fine tooth comb and remain committed to keeping rates affordable. The state will hold a hearing into the rate hike on August 12th in Tallahassee.

The price you pay for almost everything is going up. The Consumer Price Index made its largest jump in almost 20 years during the month of June. In a report released Wednesday, state economists said the economy is weaker than they expected. As Whitney Ray tells us, some people are cutting back just to eat.

Hear it Here: Worse Than We Thought

Shoe Time sells footwear and women’s accessories. Elliot Monroe began working at the store in January. Since then sales have slowed.

“When I first got here business was between 10,000 to 15,000 maybe even more within a week’s time. Now we’re making maybe 7,000 dollars a week,” said Monroe.

Despite discounted prices and huge sale signs posted throughout the store… customers are buying less.

“Before I would buy maybe three or four pairs of shoes a month. Now I only buy one,” said Shoe Time customer Sabrina Wester.

Shoes aren’t the only commodity people aren’t buying. A recent study found nine out of every 10 Americans are cutting back to meet the demands of four dollars a gallon gas and high prices

The Consumer Price Index grew by a percentage point in June. It’s been 17 years since the Index rose that fast. FSU business professor Wayne Hochwarter says while prices are up, pay checks aren’t.

“There’s no raises, so this real distance between what things cost and what folks are bringing in continues to grow,” said Hochwarter.

Some people are cutting back just to eat.

“Things that use to be a dollar, a dollar fifty, are now three dollars, four dollars, like sandwich meat, lunch meat,” said Nicole Tune

Floridians spending less means sales tax collections will tank. The state has already slashed five billion dollars from the budget.

State economists say Florida’s financial health is worse than they expected. A report released late this afternoon, claims four dollar a gallon gas and high food prices are taking a toll on the state’s economy.

The state budget has declined two years in a row for the first time in Florida’s history. Next year’s tax collections could be lower still. The state hasn’t released those estimates yet. Economists say things will likely get worse before they get any better.

Voter registration is up in Florida. Since January State Democrats and Republicans have registered nearly 300,000 new voters. More than 200,000 voters registered Democrat. Eighty-two thouand people have registered with the state Republican Party since January. Florida Democrats Spokesman Eric Jotkoff said he’s not surprised his party is winning the voter registrations battle.

“They want change, so they’re coming over to join the Democratic Party. They see Democrats as the party that will rebuild the economy, that will create jobs that will lower home owner’s insurance rates, lower gas prices and make the state a better place to live,” said Jotkoff.

Both Parties are hosting voter registration drives across the state.

Another Company is claiming it’s exempt from the state’s new gun law. The guns at work law went into effect on July 1st. The law allows licensed gun owners to keep their guns locked in their cars while they’re at work. Disney says it’s exempt because of a loophole allowing companies that store explosives to keep guns off their property. A Florida paper company is also claiming their exempt because of they use a lot of fuel. Now the Jacksonville Electric Authority says it can keep guns out of its parking lot. NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer said the companies don’t have the exemptions they’re claiming.

“I do not believe that any company that’s claimed an exemption has a valid reason for claiming exemptions. They’re all phony. They’re trumped up,” said Hammer.

An injunction filed to temporary suspend the law was filed in late June. A federal judge is expected to make a decision on the injunction this week.

Four dollar a gallon gas has more people buying motorcycles and scooters. Bike sales are skyrocketing in Florida. As Whitney Ray tells us, motorcycle dealers are having a hard time keeping some bikes in stock.

Hear it Here: Cycle Sales Skyrocket, So Do Safety Concerns

Business for Florida MotorSports owner Kent Johnson is booming.

“Our scooter sales and our small displacement motorcycle sales are up over 250 percent,” said Johnson.

Motorcycle Sales in Florida totaled one hundred thousand last year. Half way through 2008, 82 thousand bikes have already sold. The reason is obvious.

“I fill this thing up for about 8, 9 dollars and I get 70 miles a gallon,” said Mike Goff who drove his scooter 600 miles since he bought it in May.

These new scooters don’t need a drop of gas to run. An electric cord stored in the seat gives drivers all the juice they need to get around town. Constantine Dragut has been waiting months for the Vectrix to come on the market.

“No gas, no oil, no maintenance, it’s all electric. Just plug it into any regular power outlet,” said Dragut.

While riding a bike may help ease the pain at the pump, statistics show a trip to the hospital is more likely for bikers than other drivers.

Fatal motorcycle accidents have increased every year since 2000. Tina McElhenny lost her son in a bike wreck.

“He was obeying the law and a car veered over and ran him off the road,” said McClhenny.

The Department of Motor Vehicles is more concerned about saving lives than gas money. The DMV launched a biking safety campaign this week. The DMV is asking bikers to wear bright colors and add lights to their bikes.

Three new solar farms were granted approval by state regulators today, including the largest of it’s kind in Desoto County. Florida Power and Light says it will spend 688 million dollars to create a 25 megawatt photovoltaic solar facility, another 10 megawatt plant at the Kennedy Space Center as well as convert an existing gas powered plant to run on steam generated from solar cells. All total, the plants will provide power for about 110 thousand homes. Public Service Commission Chairman Matt Carter told fellow commissioners the plants are a step in the right direction.

“We’re not just talking the talk, we’re walking the walk. 110 megawatts is nothing to sneeze at,” PSC Chairman Matt Carter said.  “It’s a tremendous beginning, as Commissioner Scop said, it’s very innovative. You’ve gotta be innovative when you’re doing new things and I think it shows that we’re doing more than just wringing our hands, saying there’s a problem, the sky is falling. It’s a very, very significant movement.”

The plants should all be operational by the end of 2010, with the Desoto County facility expected to be generating electricity by the middle of 2009.

Florida has 5 nuclear plants, but could have 9 over the next decade. A state regulatory agency today gave the go ahead for 2 new plants on the gulf coast near an existing plant at Crystal River. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, it will take at least 8 years for the power to start flowing, but electric users will see a bill as early as next year.

Crystal River is the home of one of the state’s 5 nuclear plants. It’s owner, Progress Energy, will build two new plants on land ten miles to the north.

The plants received unanimous approval from the Florida Public Service Commission.
Progress Energy says the plants are safe, will cut down on carbon emissions, and will wean the state from foreign oil.

“Nuclear will provide a stable energy source for the future, as well as help with the concerns about global warming and greenhouse gas because this is zero emission,” Vincent Dolan with Progress Energy said.

The plants will cost 14 billion dollars and require another 3 billion in upgraded transmission lines.

The plants won’t be online until 2016 or later, but the bills start showing up in January.

The plants will add seven to nine dollars a month to the cost of each 1000 kilowatts used. The 2006 legislature allowed companies to recoup expenses early as an incentive to build new plants. Florida’s Public Counsel says this is the first time the law will apply.

“It’s certainly a departure from past practices,” Public Counsel J.R. Kelly said.

And as a sign that high gas and oil prices are taking their toll, just one opponent of the plants showed up for the vote.

When operational the plants will produce enough electricity for about a quarter million homes.

Progress is considering allowing other investors such as cities and electric cooperatives to buy into the plant. Those customers will also pay a proportional share of building the plants.