Jose Baez Wants To Stiff Florida For Half Million Dollars

State Of Florida vs. Casey Anthony - Costs Of Investigation Sought

The state of Florida got off to a late start at 10:45 a.m. after scheduling a hearing Friday morning for 10 a.m. seeking a half million dollars in costs associated with the prosecution's investigation of the Casey Marie Anthony murder case.

Anthony was found guilty only of lying to law enforcement officers, but the state is arguing that as a result of her lies, huge law enforcement activities took place from December 2008, until the trial two year later, for which Florida laws make Anthony responsible for paying back.

Three different Florida government agencies were involved in the investigation, the primary expenses paid by the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando, Florida. The FBI declined to participate in cost recovery.

Linda Drane Burdick before bringing witnesses to the stand, argued case law that covers the recovery of costs against convicted offenders. All costs can be recovered she said except salary costs of the court, county clerk, and state attorney. The cost of sheriff's personnel was to be included, except for costs in aiding private search companies in attempts to locate Caylee Anthony.

Chief Judge Belvin Perry must decide if the "cutoff" date for costs is in October when Anthony was indicted for murder or in December when 2-year old Caylee Anthony's body was found in the woods near the Anthony home.

She called Randy Means a representative of the state attorneys office as the first witness who identified invoices for costs of his office, including court reporter costs and expert witnesses. The defense attacked Means about his non-knowledge of the specific charges against Anthony and dates involved in the case.

William Moore testified about phone record searches and electronic surveillance by the Metropolitan (Orlando) Bureau of Investigation, aiding the Orange County Sheriff from July 2008 to October 2008.  The defense attacked overlapping times of case fact discoveries by the Sheriff and his office, insinuating unneeded time was expended by his office.

Jack Massey of the Florida Department Of Law Enforcement testified about agents in all seven Florida regions involved in finding what was believed to be a missing Caylee Anthony. He was attacked for not knowing dates occurring during the investigations. 

Leona Kaylene Talamas of the Sheriff's department answered questions about employee payroll costs during the investigation.

At noon, the Judge recessed the court until 1:30 p.m. The prosecution has one more witness and the defense will then present it's arguments.

Update: In the afternoon session, no witnesses were produced by the defense and only an argument that costs should only be assessed until the end of September 2008 when detectives were convinced the case was no longer a missing persons case, but one of murder. The prosecution believes costs should run until December when the body was found.

Judge Perry, after hearing there was really no case law on the subject, asked what the intent of the Florida legislature was when writing the statute dealing with restitution costs, and suggested the attorneys present briefs on the subject by next Friday, September 9. Perry will most likely rule on the costs by September 23rd.

Consumer Confidence Among Floridians Hits Low

By Milenko Martinovich

Consumer confidence among Floridians decreased to a near-record low in August, according to a new University of Florida survey. This month's mark of 62 is only three points higher than the record-low 59 set in June 2008.

"Although none of the index components were at record lows, the combined decrease in confidence across all five components is remarkable," said Chris McCarty, director of the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. "If past history of this index is any indication, we are in, or at least very near, a recession. We are not likely to know for certain until after the fourth quarter."

All five of the index's components decreased, most notably perceptions of U.S. economic conditions over the next year, which fell six points to 51; perceptions of U.S. economic conditions over the next five years, which dropped six points to 63; and confidence to purchase big-ticket items such as cars and appliances, which dipped five points to 70. Perceptions of personal finances now compared with a year ago dropped four points to 54, and expectations of personal finances a year from now fell one point to 74.

A loss in confidence among women and seniors played a major role in the fall. Confidence among women dropped eight points to 59 and confidence among those age 60 and over fell nine points to 57. The loss in confidence among seniors was surprising because confidence among seniors rose five points in July, McCarty said, but the debate in Washington over raising the debt ceiling and other issues may have finally taken their toll.

"This is no doubt influenced by debt reduction talks, which now routinely include modifications to Medicare and Social Security as part of the solution," McCarty said. "As there are no clear details about potential changes, some seniors are becoming unnerved. Their concerns are further fueled by wild swings in the stock market."

Despite the significant drop in confidence, state and national economic indicators were not much different from last month when overall confidence rose two points. State unemployment remained steady at 10.7 percent and national unemployment dropped 0.1 percent to 9.1. Gas prices have declined since the beginning of August, McCarty said, and the median price of a single-family home in Florida declined to $136,500 from $138,000 in June. McCarty said tourism in Florida continues to be a positive, offsetting job loss in construction and government employment.

"Over the next few months, we do not expect consumer confidence to decline much further," McCarty said. "While we are near record lows, as is the rest of the country, the economic circumstances are not anything like they were in 2008. At a certain point, it becomes difficult for the index to go much lower."

The research center conducts the Florida Consumer Attitude Survey monthly. Respondents are 18 or older and live in households telephoned randomly. The preliminary index for August was collected from 412 responses.

The index is benchmarked to 1966, so a value of 100 represents the same level of confidence for that year. The lowest index possible is a 2; the highest is 150.

Bird Watchers Wanted In Hendry-Glades County

By Margaret England

The Hendry-Glades Audubon is looking for a few birders, folks who would like to hike out to some of the best locations in Hendry and Glades county to count birds for the Fall Migration Count of local birds.

September 17th is the 6th year that Hendry and Glades County have participated in the Florida Fall North American Migration Count (NAMC). The area of a count is not a circle, but the boundaries of a County.

(photo: Florida Scrub Jay spotted in Muse)

The idea is to have a contiguous interlocking set of non-overlapping counts across North America.

Volunteers will be using various modes of travel including cars, boats, and bicycles or will be on foot during their search for birds. The following teams, who will be meeting at 7 a.m., need additional counters, compilers and photographers: Lake Okeechobee, LaBelle, STA5, Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, Lakeport Area and South Hendry (833/835).

Most of the teams will be surveying wetland areas where they will identify birds by sight or sound.

Reports of Owls, Woodpeckers and Scrub-Jays found in other habitats are needed in order to get a more accurate snapshot of the birds in inland Florida. During the 2010 NAMC teams did not observe Florida Scrub-Jays.

The Florida Scrub-Jay is identified as a legally protected Threatened Species by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is Florida’s only endemic bird species (occurring nowhere else). They prefer living in Florida’s scrub oak and scrubby Flatwoods habitat with nutrient-poor soil where trees are 3-10 feet tall. Each family will maintain a permanent territory ranging from 5 to 50 acres, but the average range is about 25 acres.

This large songbird has a blue gray head, wings and tail with a pale gray-brown back and underparts. Juveniles who are less than about 5 months old will have a dusky brown head and neck, but the rest of the body will be like the adult. It often makes a harsh and scratch call with the female making a dry rattling sound.

They eat a variety of acorns, seeds, peanuts, insects, tree frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards and young mice. Occasionally they have been observed robbing other birds of their eggs or nestlings. Acorns from a variety of oaks are buried by the Scrub Jays in the fall to be eaten in the winter or spring,

They are one of the few cooperative breeding birds in North America with families ranging in size from 2 to 8 birds. The young will remain in their parent’s habitat for several years where they help rear the young, act as sentries who watch for predators and defend the territory against other Florida Scrub-Jay groups.

If you would like to volunteer for the September 17th NAMC or join Hendry-Glades Audubon volunteers for the October 15th STA5 bird trip, send an e-mail to Margaret England, at sta5birding@embarqmail.com with your name and contact information including an emergency cell number for the trip day, the date you want to go, and the number in your party.

You may also leave this information at (863) 674-0695 or (863) 517-0202. Bring water, snacks, and lunch.

Only 3 LaBelle Homes Sold

Summer Doldrums Slow Sales?

LABELLE, FL. -- In recent weeks an apparent slowdown in west Hendry county home sales, possibly a result of school starting and family vacation time. Only three homes were reported sold in the last two weeks.

From 8/16/2011 to 8/30/2011, there were 3 homes sold in the LaBelle area for an average price of $52,667. The homes sold included:

1)	$20,000	on	Albany Road in Port LaBelle
2)	$125,000	on	Trader Road in Hendry county
3)	$13,000	on	West Dolly Street in LaBelle

Alligator Bites Florida Woman

Leg Amputated After Gator Attack

COPELAND, FL. -- A 90-year old Collier County, Florida woman was seriously injured Wednesday afternoon when an alligator apparently jumped out of a canal and grabbed the woman's leg, pulling her into a canal. She was rescued by a driver passing by this remote area between Everglades City and Immokalee. 

At about 2 p.m., Investigator Gregg Stastny with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission was dispatched to an alligator attack in Copeland, Florida at 25750 State Road 29.  According to the incident report, Margret Webb was on the water's edge of a canal along the front of her house when a 7' to 8' alligator grabbed her left leg.  

Dwain Daniels was driving by the scene at that time and observed the victim in the water.  Mr. Daniels pulled the victim out of water. During the escue, the alligator came back to the water's edge three more times according to the report.  The victim's son, James Webb arrived and both noticed her leg was damaged severely. 

Mr. Daniels took out a .22 magnum rifle and shot the alligator between the eyes when the alligator had come back onto the bank. After the alligator was shot it submerged and disappeared into the water.  

The victim was transported by Med Flight to Fort Myers Hospital Trauma Unit. The victims left leg was amputated from the knee down and she had received another bite on her right leg. She is currently in stable but critical condition.  

Officers were on scene to locate the alligator until midnight Wednesday and will be out again Thursday. If found alive the alligator will be killed, as standard procedure when an attack on a human is made.