Conexion Miami / ‘Dreadful’, or not, care at nursing homes 

MIAMI.- Families for Better Care in Tallahassee recently noted that Florida ranks third after Kentucky and Texas for federal fines against nursing homes in the state over the past three years. “That staggering $100 million figure in nursing home fines portrays a marketplace that is chronically failing to protect the welfare of elderly consumers,” said Brian Lee, executive director of the organization. Countering Lee’s comments, an organization representing more than 500 of Florida’s 685 nursing homes paints a different picture. The Florida Health Care Association points to government data showing 73 percent of Florida’s skilled nursing centers maintain staffing levels above the national average, and says when fines do occur, the full story includes corrective actions that improve care.

Columba: Jeb’s a natural

“Jeb [Bush] is a natural-born politician, but I’m not a political person,” Columba Bush told the Miami Herald in January 1989, shortly before her father-in-law, George H. W. Bush, became president. “Now, there is a new question confronting Mrs. Bush: What kind of candidate’s wife will she be?” asks The New York Times, adding, “In a party (Republican) looking to soften its image and expand its tent, the prospect of the nation’s first Latina first lady could be a powerful draw for Hispanic voters disenchanted with many Republicans’ hard-line stance on immigration.”

Disney offers more – to the well-heeled tourist

Even Disney World in Florida has become exclusionary, with their sights apparently set on the one percenters of this world. Disney announced this past weekend that one-day ticket prices will rise to $105 plus tax at the Magic Kingdom. “The hike – 6 percent for the Magic Kingdom – also underscores how aggressively Disney has raised prices as experts say Orlando in general offers more to well-heeled tourists,” says the Orlando Sun-Sentinel.

Gardens helping the Garden

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a haven from the urban world that surrounds it. And starting on March 14 they will offer what they tout as a Miami Beach garden tour, which will take you on an exploration of seven lovely private gardens, all within a short drive or bike ride of each other. The tour will happen between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Cost is $30 per person. Money benefits the Garden. For more info, click here.

Another Cuba-hater eyeing bigger role

Some think that South Florida Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is eyeing a run at the U.S. Senate seat that might be left open if Marco Rubio decides to pursue the presidency in 2016. At Progreso Weekly we’d like to see both Rubio and Wasserman-Schultz pursue their ambitions… There’s a good chance both would lose. It would be a nice way of ridding ourselves of a pair of Cuba-haters.

Sunshine State lacks solar power

Liberal environmentalists and tea-party conservatives have banded together in Florida to press for something that ironically is in short supply in the Sunshine State: solar power. They have launched a campaign to place an initiative on the state’s 2016 ballot that would eliminate restrictions it says are suppressing the solar industry and protecting utilities from competition. Florida ranks 13th nationally in installed solar capacity. The group says it resorted to a ballot effort because elected officials in Florida have failed to develop a comprehensive clean-energy policy and utilities have used their monopoly position and lobbying muscle to stifle competition from the solar industry.

Impacting Florida’s capitol

With a flyer that announces, “Are you ready to make our state better in 2015,” the Florida League of Women Voters is asking Floridians to join them in Tallahassee on March 10 through 12 for what they call Capitol Impact Days. Calling “your voice critical” they seek answers to these questions: Should Florida take Federal Funds to make healthcare more affordable? Should Florida allow guns on college campuses? How should Amendment One money be spent? For more info, click here.

Equality for LGBT people

The Equality Federation is seeking support for Equality Florida, whom they are partnering with to empower local leaders to build a strong movement for equality that secures critical grassroots wins at every level. To win equality for LGBT people in Florida and every corner of this country they are asking for support from individuals who have long been engaged in advocating for the LGBT community.

Rubio and Cruz: Missed votes’ leaders

Sen. Marco Rubio has another distinction he might NOT want to add to his resume. Sen. Rubio is number one on the list of “most missed votes in the senate.” Since 2011, Sen. Rubio has missed 99 votes in the U.S. Senate, of a total of 1,198 votes cast. That comes out to an 8.3% absentee rate. In the number five spot is another Progreso Weekly non-favorite, Ted Cruz, with 45 missed votes of 712 cast.

Birds of America

HistoryMiami announces The Complete Audubon: The Birds of America exhibition, on view at the Museum’s expanded facility, 101 W. Flagler St. Miami, 33130, which now includes the former Miami Art Museum (now Perez Art MuseumMiami) building at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center. John James Audubon’s The Birds of America (1826–1838), considered a masterpiece of early American art, consists of 435 life-size prints depicting 457 species of North American birds in their natural environments.

Final Obamacare tally for Florida

The final tally is in. A total of 1,600,006 people in Florida signed up for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace provided by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Of those, 93% qualified for an average tax credit of $297 per month.

Lego’s powerful, but Apple’s most valuable

In the interesting department (if you like this type of list)… Lego has replaced Ferrari as the world’s most powerful brand. We suppose the Lego Movie must have helped. Others on the list included Red Bull, L’Oreal, Burberry, Rolex and Nike. The world’s most valuable brand, you ask? It’s Apple. The fastest growing? Twitter. This information, according to Brand Finance.

Standardized testing Florida students

In the “Speaking Up for Students” tele-town hall sponsored by Progress Florida more than 6,000 mostly teachers and parents said that it’s time to reclaim Florida’s public schools from high-stakes testing. Participants were asked if our schools were on the right track and only 13 percent thought so. Their greatest concern regarding Florida’s public schools? 50 percent of respondents cited too much standardized testing. Vouchers taking away public school resources and lack of funding for essential services were the primary concern of 18 percent and 16 percent of those polled, respectively. What would most strengthen our education system? The runaway winner was reducing standardized tests at 43.5 percent. Testing, vouchers… sounds like Jeb Bush to us.

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