In a decision that will adversely affect many of Florida's hospitals, state lawmakers decided Thursday "to cut $521 million from hospitals." Nearly one-fifth of those hospitals affected are in the Tampa Bay area.
According to Tampa Bay Times ("Lawmakers are cutting $92 million from Medicaid in Tampa Bay. Which hospitals are hardest hit?"), the cuts will "mostly impact the facilities that take on the largest number of Medicaid patients, including the state’s safety net hospitals." Under this plan, hospitals in the Tampa Bay area will lose $91.7 million.
This plan is expected to pass the state House and Senate today.
To read the article in its entirety, including the list of hospitals (which includes Tampa General, All Children's, Bayfront Health-St. Petersburg, and Moffitt Cancer Center), click here.
Monday, May 8, 2017
Friday, March 31, 2017
NC 'Bathroom Bill' Reset Leads to Uncertainty
Negotiations to overturn North Carolina's "bathroom bill" Friday have given way to uncertainty. According to a report by the Associated Press, while House Bill 142, titled "An Act to Reset," was signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday, critics say that this is not "a true repeal" of the law created by House Bill 2. Critics say that "it still exposes gay and transgender people to discrimination."
To read the AP article, which gives also gives background on the law, in its entirety, check "North Carolina Future Uncertain After 'Bathroom Bill' Reset."
To read the AP article, which gives also gives background on the law, in its entirety, check "North Carolina Future Uncertain After 'Bathroom Bill' Reset."
Trump U. Settlement: $25 Million
A judge has approved an agreement that would settle lawsuits over President Donald Trump's now-defunct Trump University to the tune of $25 million. The agreement ends "nearly seven years of legal battles with customers who claimed they were misled by failed promises" of learning real estate success, the Associated Press reports.
According to the AP, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel's ruling on Friday will settle two class-action lawsuits, as well as a civil lawsuit. Under the settlement's terms, Trump admit no wrongdoing.
Curiel, an Indiana-born judge, was repeated assailed by Trump, who insinuated that the "judge's Mexican heritage exoposed a bias."
Two former students objected to the settlement.
To read the article in its entirety, check "Judge Approves $25 Million Trump University Settlement."
According to the AP, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel's ruling on Friday will settle two class-action lawsuits, as well as a civil lawsuit. Under the settlement's terms, Trump admit no wrongdoing.
Curiel, an Indiana-born judge, was repeated assailed by Trump, who insinuated that the "judge's Mexican heritage exoposed a bias."
Two former students objected to the settlement.
To read the article in its entirety, check "Judge Approves $25 Million Trump University Settlement."
Thursday, January 26, 2017
FL DCF Under-Performing in Foster Kids' Help
The Florida Department of Children and Families has been given 90 days to figure out how to improve care for foster kids after a study by a federal agency found it "underperforming in critical areas."
The Tampa Bay Times reported that a study "compiled by the Children's Bureau", titled "Children and Family Service Review", found in more than half of the 80 foster care cases handled by DCF from April 1 to September 30, children were removed "from homes without first providing appropriate services and were lax in following safety plans."
The Children's Bureau, which rated DCF's performance as "needing improvement in 11 of 14 categories," is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Click here to read the article in its entirety.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that a study "compiled by the Children's Bureau", titled "Children and Family Service Review", found in more than half of the 80 foster care cases handled by DCF from April 1 to September 30, children were removed "from homes without first providing appropriate services and were lax in following safety plans."
The Children's Bureau, which rated DCF's performance as "needing improvement in 11 of 14 categories," is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Click here to read the article in its entirety.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Florida Polytechnic Has First Grad Class
Florida Polytechnic University held its first commencement Tuesday afternoon for fifteen students. The school, which has yet to achieve accreditation, splintered off from the University of South Florida in 2012.
The school is "Florida's first university dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math," according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The students were offered free tuition, while others saw a "chance to shape a new school."
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was expected to decide on Florida Polytech's accreditation last year, but couldn't get all the information it needed. While a SACS campus visit is scheduled for February, "a final decision likely won't be made until December 2017." However, accreditation would cover Tuesday's group.
To view the article ("Florida Polytechnic celebrates an early milestone as first grads turn their tassels") in its entirety, click here.
The school is "Florida's first university dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math," according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The students were offered free tuition, while others saw a "chance to shape a new school."
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was expected to decide on Florida Polytech's accreditation last year, but couldn't get all the information it needed. While a SACS campus visit is scheduled for February, "a final decision likely won't be made until December 2017." However, accreditation would cover Tuesday's group.
To view the article ("Florida Polytechnic celebrates an early milestone as first grads turn their tassels") in its entirety, click here.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Trump To Be 45th President
Donald Trump has become the United States' president-elect. After an especially contentious election, which became closer than many had anticipated, Trump reached the necessary 240 electoral votes needed to pull off a surprise victory.
According to an Associated Press article, while Hilary Clinton spent month warning that "Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president," she was unable to sell many voters on her candidacy, while facing "questions about her honesty and trustworthiness."
Exit polls showed that while women supported Clinton over Trump by a double digit margin, men were "significantly more likely" to vote for Trump. The discrepancy between white, black and Hispanic voters was also significant: Trump was backed by more than half the white voters, while two-thirds of the Hispanic voters and 90 percent of black voters cast their ballots for Clinton.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press also reported that amendments for marijuana use, gun control, and minimum wage hikes were winners in the polls. Massachusetts, Nevada and California voters approved legalizing recreational use of marijuana, while Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas "voted to allow pot for medical purposes." Arizona voters rejected recreational use of marijuana.
Gun control was also on the ballot in California, Maine, Nevada and Washington state. In Maine, Colorado and Arizona, a minimum wage of $12 and hour was approved, to be implemented in phases by 2020. In Washington state, where the current minimum wage stands at $9.47 an hour, the new minimum wage of $13.50 an hour was approved. That also would be phased in by 2020. The current federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour.
To read the two AP stories in their entirety, click here and here.
According to an Associated Press article, while Hilary Clinton spent month warning that "Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president," she was unable to sell many voters on her candidacy, while facing "questions about her honesty and trustworthiness."
Exit polls showed that while women supported Clinton over Trump by a double digit margin, men were "significantly more likely" to vote for Trump. The discrepancy between white, black and Hispanic voters was also significant: Trump was backed by more than half the white voters, while two-thirds of the Hispanic voters and 90 percent of black voters cast their ballots for Clinton.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press also reported that amendments for marijuana use, gun control, and minimum wage hikes were winners in the polls. Massachusetts, Nevada and California voters approved legalizing recreational use of marijuana, while Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas "voted to allow pot for medical purposes." Arizona voters rejected recreational use of marijuana.
Gun control was also on the ballot in California, Maine, Nevada and Washington state. In Maine, Colorado and Arizona, a minimum wage of $12 and hour was approved, to be implemented in phases by 2020. In Washington state, where the current minimum wage stands at $9.47 an hour, the new minimum wage of $13.50 an hour was approved. That also would be phased in by 2020. The current federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour.
To read the two AP stories in their entirety, click here and here.
Monday, September 5, 2016
USPS 'Boldly Launches' ‘Star Trek™’ Stamps
The United States Postal Service (USPS) dedicated the new Star Trek Forever stamps, "nearly 50 years to the day" of Star Trek's original airing. The September 2 first-day-of-issue ceremony of the three-day celebration was "expected to draw thousands of Star Trek fans," according to the USPS press release.
The stamps are sold in sheets of 20 stamps, and have four digital illustrations inspired by the iconic show. These include:
"The Starship Enterprise inside the outline of a Starfleet insignia against a gold background;
"The silhouette of a crewman in a transporter against a red background;
"The silhouette of the Enterprise from above against a green background; and,
"The Enterprise inside the outline of the Vulcan salute (Spock’s iconic hand gesture) against a blue background."
The words "Space...the Final Frontier" appears at the bottom of the stamp sheet.
To view the press release, click here.
The stamps are sold in sheets of 20 stamps, and have four digital illustrations inspired by the iconic show. These include:
"The Starship Enterprise inside the outline of a Starfleet insignia against a gold background;
"The silhouette of a crewman in a transporter against a red background;
"The silhouette of the Enterprise from above against a green background; and,
"The Enterprise inside the outline of the Vulcan salute (Spock’s iconic hand gesture) against a blue background."
The words "Space...the Final Frontier" appears at the bottom of the stamp sheet.
To view the press release, click here.
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