A COMSUMER ALERT MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Hello Everyone,

 

Evelyn Here,

 

Below is a consumer alert message from Bill McCollum, Attorney General for the State of Florida.

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Bill McCollum

Attorney General

News Release

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Date of release: August 2, 2007

 

 

 

McCollum Announces

Florida’s Participation in Multistate Tire Inquiry

 

Consumers are urged to check tire numbers for potentially dangerous recalled tires

 

 TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today joined several state Attorneys General in issuing a consumer advisory about potentially dangerous tires that were imported from China and sold from 2002 to 2006 for light trucks, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans. More than 450,000 tires may not meet the minimum specifications provided to the tire manufacturer and therefore may be unsafe. The tires were distributed in the United States under the names Westlake, Compass and YKS.

 

 “It is important to make the public aware of the potential danger to consumers due to the safety hazardscreated by inadequate tires,” Attorney General McCollum said. “We want to ensure that proper safety standards are in place when Floridians are on the road.”

 

 The tires were made by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. (HZ) and distributed by Foreign Tire Sales, Inc., a small tire distributor in New Jersey. Foreign Tires Sales recently filed a non-compliance report on certain tires with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Affected tires may lack a sufficient layer of rubber between their steel belts which could cause tire treads to separate, creating potential safety hazards on the road.

 

 In the interest of public safety, the Attorneys General have asked tire dealers not to charge for the safety inspections for these tire brands. Consumers of these particular tires should not drive their vehicles for long distances on hot roads until the vehicles have been checked. If an inspection indicates that a vehicle has unsafe tires, the consumer should immediately contact Foreign Tire Sales, Inc., and report the problem. Because of the safety concerns, a multistate working group of Attorneys General has been created to investigate the issue. Further information can be obtained from FTS’s web site at http://www.foreigntire.com.

 

 As part of general tire safety, Attorney General McCollum reminded Florida consumers to keep the following tips in mind:

 

- At least once a month and before every long trip, inspect tires for patterns of uneven wear that could damage tires. Check tire inflation pressure in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

 

- Do not overload your vehicle. Excess weight can place extra stress on your tires. Check your tire placard or vehicle owner’s manual for the maximum amount of weight your vehicle can safely carry.

 

- Develop safe driving habits. Observe speed limits and avoid fast stops, starts and turns. Avoid contact with potholes, objects and curbs when driving or parking your vehicle.

 

- Keep your vehicle properly maintained. Rotate tires regularly, get wheels balanced and get a front-end alignment as necessary.

 

- Use the proper tires for your vehicle. Check the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations before replacing a tire with a different size and/or construction.

 

- Be aware of how the outside temperature affects your tires. Hot weather can be especially hard on tires, causing them to expand. As the outside temperature drops 10 degrees, tire pressure drops about one or two pounds per square inch.

 

- Have any tire problems checked out by professionals. If you find that one of your tires is losing pressure, take it to a tire expert for a complete internal inspection.

 

- Be careful of buying used tires. Check used tire numbers and do not buy any that are specified in this inquiry.

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Evelyn out

News Flash! Governor Crist to Appear on Shaq's Big Challenge Tonight

Hello Everyone,

Evelyn here,

Governor Charlie Crist will appear on the Shag's Big Challenge tonight at 9 PM on the ABC network. Check you local listing.  To learn more about more the efforts of Governor Crist and Shaquille O'Neal efforts read the notice below and remmber to tune into the show later tonight.

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Governor Crist to Appear on Shaq's Big Challenge Tonight

 

Governor Charlie Crist will appear on the prime-time television show Shaq’s Big Challenge tonight, July 31, 2007. Please tune-in to your local ABC affiliate at 9:00 p.m., to hear more about the efforts of Governor Charlie Crist and Shaquille O’Neal, NBA Miami Heat basketball star, to encourage children and young adults to adopt healthy lifestyles that include daily physical activity and healthy eating habits.  In tonight's episode they participate in a rally with students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend.

 

Shaq’s Big Challenge tells the story of six Broward County middle-school children struggling with weight problems as they meet with O’Neal’s team of experts, including a medical doctor, personal trainers, nutritionists and motivational professionals.  The team has developed the Shaquille O’Neal Wellness Wheel physical education curriculum that includes three components for overall health:  physical fitness, teen health and healthy home economics.  The curriculum has been successfully implemented by Olsen Middle School in Dania Beach and Pines Middle School in Pembroke Pines.

  

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Evelyn out.

A JOURNEY FROM IMMIGRATION TO CIIZENSHIP

Hello Everyone,

 

Evelyn one,

 

This entry is on a local level and very close to home. I once stated the when things go right in the office “they go right.” For several more months now, I have work alongside a remarkable woman. What is so special about her? Her name is Lyudmila Kashirina and she is from Russia. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Lyudmila and her family were among thousands of Russians who left their homeland for the United States. Her family was also one of millions who suffered financial lost with the collapses of Russia’s banking system. 

 

On Friday, July 20, 2007, Lyudmila passed the nation’s naturalization examine for citizenship. We, her co-workers, supervisors and boss, were very excited and pleased with her success. This past week in Tampa Lyudmila was among some 350 others people who attended the official ceremony that formally celebrated and announced them as our newest US citizens. This Wednesday, we at the office also had a little celebration for our newest citizen and special friend.

 

Lyudmila Kashirina is a beautiful woman who knows what it means to be have one civil liberties and rights honored, upheld, and respected after living in a country where such rights were once unthinkable and suppressed.

 

                                                      

 

Congratulation, Lyudmila!

 

 

May we who were borne here in the US need to remember that we gained these same rights at birth, and may we neither abuse these rights, the rights of other people, nor take them for grant in any way. 

 

Evelyn out.

 

GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST ANNOUNCES THE NATION’S FIRST STATE RESPONSE CENTER

Hello Everyone,

 

Evelyn here,

 

Today’s entry is from Florida’s Honorable Governor Charlie Crist. The topic is the state’s coastal areas efforts to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Among his other duties, Governor Crist visited one family as they purchased hurricane disaster supplies. He also visited Camp Blanding, the main training base for Florida National Guard. The base serves as the command post for operations and training of our federal, state, and local partners in disaster response. While in Orlando the governor announced the grand opening of the nation’s first State Response Center based in Florida.

 

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Dear Friends,

 

It is essential for every Florida family and business to prepare for Hurricane Season. "Get a Plan Day" was a great opportunity for the people of Florida – and for our State Emergency Response Team to evaluate our levels of preparedness.

 

Family Disaster Plan

I joined the Toller family as they purchased disaster supplies at a local Lowe's in Jacksonville. In addition to organizing a family disaster kit, families should develop a disaster plan.  Details should include how to protect your home, where to go if you are ordered to evacuate, and what items to take with you. Floridians have a personal responsibility to prepare, so the state'sresources can be focused on those most vulnerable.

 

State Response Center 

In Orlando, I announced the grand opening of Florida's State Response Center. The new facility is the first of its kind in the nation. It warehouses emergency supplies and provides a home base and safe staging area for state and federal responders.

 

Camp Blanding 

This week, I also visited Camp Blanding, the major training base of the Florida National Guard. The camp serves as the command post for operations and training of our federal, state and local partners in disaster response. This world-class facility enables Florida's Army and Air National Guard to remain the best of the best - protecting you under any circumstance.

 

The past several years have required Florida to reach new levels of preparation. Our families, our military and our state and local emergency responders have risen to the occasion. We hope and pray that the season remains quiet, but we must continue to prepare for the very real possibility of a storm or other natural disaster.

 

May God continue to bless and protect you and the great state of Florida,

  

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Evelyn out.

 

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL JOINS THE UNIQUE EFFORT TO SOLVE COLD CASES

Hello Everyone

 

Evelyn here,

 

 

In this week's Attorney General's News Briefs you will find that Attorney General Bill McCollum, Commissioner Bailey of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Secretary McDonough of the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Association have united to implement an idea created by the US military in its efforts to find terrorists. The idea – to employ the use of specially designed playing cards to help solve cold cases. Please read.

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July 27, 2007

A Important Message from Attorney General Bill McCollum

In 2003, our forces in Iraq developed an ingenious way to seek information from the local residents about wanted criminals. A deck of playing cards was designed, each card featuring the wanted person's name, a picture if available, and the job performed by that individual.
The decks of cards were handed out to Iraqi civilians in an effort to generate information about where these criminals might be hiding.

This week, I joined with Commissioner Bailey of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Secretary McDonough of the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers to implement this idea in an innovative way. More than 100 of Florida’s unsolved cold cases were printed on two decks of playing cards and distributed among prison inmates with the intent that the cards would generate tips from the inmates to crack these cold cases.

Each card features a photograph and factual information about an unsolved homicide or missing person case. What is important to consider, however, is that each case featured on the cards is more than just a case file. The pictures represent victims with families who have
never had the closure so necessary when a loved one disappears or a life is cut tragically short.

Joining us as we distributed the cards at one of Florida’s correctional facilities were the families of several victims whose cases were among those featured in the decks. These people are holding steadfast to the hope that information about their loved ones is just a phone call away. Approximately 100,000 decks of cards were distributed, surely reaching individuals with specific knowledge essential to solving these crimes.

This is an exceptionally unique and creative approach towards solving cold cases, one that has already proved successful in Polk County. I believe this initiative will have an enormous effect on those cases which have eluded even the finest law enforcement officers throughout the state
and I look forward to the day when we will hear of the first cold case cracked from an inmate’s tip, knowing that day will mean so much to so many people. Thanks to innovation and cooperation, reaching that day and many more like it is only a matter of time.

[The decks can be viewed on the Department of Law Enforcement’s website
at http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/OSI/Unsolved. They can also be purchased
online at http:// www.EffectivePlayingCards.com.]

Thank you.

 

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Evelyn out.

CyberSafety Initiative Program To Be Integrated Into Florida's Schools Statewide

Hello Everyone,

 

Evelyn here,

 

The Attorney General’s news release below is an additional updates to the procedures and steps taken by his office since increasing the number of agents and other employees into the CyberSafety Initiative program.  As of this writing the program is now to be phased into every school in the state of Florida.

 

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Bill McCollum

Attorney General

News Release

July 20, 2007

 

               

Florida School Resource Officers Endorse Attorney General's CyberSafety Initiative

 

 

~ Next phase of awareness campaign focuses on education ~

 

                TALLAHASSEE, FL - Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced the official endorsement of the Florida Association of School Resource Officers in support of his cybersafety initiative. The next phase of the educational campaign will take the Attorney General's cybersafety  program into schools statewide.

 

                "Our goal is to empower students to recognize, avoid and report instances of predators attempting to exploit them through the Internet. The support of Florida's School Resource Officers will be instrumental in this endeavor," said Attorney General Bill McCollum. "As technology continues to evolve and has a more significant role in our children's lives, we must take every precaution to keep them safe. That process begins with education and outreach."

 

                The School Resource Officer Program is a collaborative effort by certified law enforcement officers, educators, students, parents, and the community to offer law related educational programs in the schools. The purpose of the program is to reduce crime, drug abuse, violence and provide a safe school environment. The Florida Association of School Resource Officers has committed its support to the Attorney General's Office which will begin presenting a 50-minute cybersafety program in Florida middle and high schools this fall.

 

               "I commend Attorney General McCollum for placing such a high priority on our children's safety," said Robert Tricquet, President, Florida School Resource Officers Association. "The Association is committed to supporting the Office of the Attorney General to ensure Florida students are provided with the information needed to keep them safe while online."

 

                The Association held its annual conference this week in St. Pete Beach where the Office of the Attorney General recognized Deputy Michael Cohen of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office as the 2007 School Resource Officer (SRO) of the Year.

 

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Evelyn out.

Attorney General Bill McCollun Speask About National Weather Disaster Relief

Hello Everyone,

 

Evelyn here,

                                                                      

In this week's edition of the Attorney General's News Brief, General Bill McCollum speaks on the preparedness during the hurricane season, and the measures that can be taken the assist those left with damage property after a national weather disaster.

 

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Attorney General's News Briefs 

July 20, 2007

 

Message from Attorney General Bill McCollum

 

As July begins to come to a close, we have weathered one-third of the

hurricane season. While the season has been mild to this point, I want

to remind Floridians not to grow lax in your efforts to stay prepared in

the event a storm should threaten our state. Every measure we can take

to be ready in advance of a natural disaster certainly improves our

chances of successfully protecting our families and homes to the

greatest extent possible.

 

This week, the State Board of Administration took an additional step

towards early preparation by increasing cash reserves available through

the state’s catastrophic insurance fund to pay claims immediately after

a major storm. As a member of this Board, it is my responsibility to

ensure that the State of Florida is in a position to provide as much

assistance as possible to our residents in the wake of a natural

disaster.

 

While this action will certainly help protect our state in the coming

months, there are additional steps which I feel must be taken to ensure

our long-term protection against devastating storms and relief from

extremely high windstorm insurance premiums. Therefore, I proposed a

Cabinet resolution which was passed urging Congress to create a National

Catastrophic Insurance Program. The risk of catastrophic events like

hurricanes and earthquakes should be spread across all states, not

shouldered by one.

 

The federal government already provides billions of dollars in taxpayer

supported assistance to victims of national disasters. By creating a

National Catastrophic Insurance Program, we will assure that more

property losses from windstorm or earthquakes or other national

disasters are covered by private insurance, thereby reducing taxpayer

costs and the costs to the federal government when disasters strike.

It is my hope that this resolution will encourage the debate and the

passage of legislation now being discussed in Washington for a national

catastrophic plan.

 

The skyrocketing cost of insurance is one of the greatest problems

facing Floridians today, if not the most severe problem. Only by

creating such a national program can we expect to see homeowners’

insurance premiums in Florida significantly reduced and stabilized

for the future.

 

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Evelyn out.