In order to eject homeowners from the state insurance plan -- the company is using unlicensed inspectors who submit fake inspection reports so the insurer can drop them. This is what DeSantis and his crony GOP legislature has put in place. In push to remove homeowners from Citizens, state-run insurer uses unlicensed inspectors https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article281979663.html
Remember all those crisis stories about the giant seaweed blob that was going to eradicate the beaches in Florida. Well it turned into a nothing-burger. What happened to that giant sargassum seaweed blob headed for Florida? It shrunk, scientists say Seaweed abundance quite small now, USF report says https://www.clickorlando.com/news/l...-headed-for-florida-it-shrunk-scientists-say/ That giant blob of stinky seaweed that was headed to Florida earlier this year has shrunk, and what’s out there is less than scientists have seen in recent years. That’s according to a report by researchers at the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab. The report for October says there was an estimated .15 million metric tons of sargassum seaweed detected in the Caribbean Sea throughout the month, and much of it had dissipated by the end of October. There was also very little sargassum overall in the Gulf of Mexico, and nearly half of the sargassum in the Central Atlantic was situated west of the African coast. “Even for this time of year, these abundances are quite small compared to recent years,” the report said. The latest report can be read on the USF website. Scientists say minimal sargassum is expected in all regions in November. If there is going to be a new bloom for 2024, the first indications will appear in December. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a mass of seaweed stretching from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, caused quite a stink online earlier this year when scientists were concerned the belt would leave large amounts of seaweed on Florida beaches, leaving a smell of rotten eggs, caused by a toxic gas that can be a problem for people with respiratory issues. Scientists say there was evidence the seaweed was carrying Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria. But in June and July, indications showed the blob was shrinking and moving. News 6 Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells talked to one of the researchers studying the sargassum belt back in April on “Talk to Tom.” Watch that episode below. (Article has video)
How bad is homeowners insurance in Florida? One company is suing dozens of its customers claiming they broke their policies by making some repairs to their own homes after Hurricane Ian. Homeowners insurance company takes dozens of Southwest Floridians to court https://winknews.com/2023/11/20/homeowners-insurance-company-takes-southwest-floridians-to-court/ People Trust claims its customers broke their policies by repairing their own homes after Hurricane Ian. But, one homeowner’s lawyer believes the State of Florida needs to get involved. People’s Trust sued Mary Stewart in September, 2023, nearly a year after Ian. She still lives with the damage in her Port Charlotte home and the suit centers around her trying to get her home back together. “It’s just too much. The depression, I have to fight it every day because of the number of things coming my way,” said Stewart. Abidemi Oladipo of the Mubarak, Sharif and Oladio Law Firm agreed to take Stewart on as a client “What People’s Trust is saying in the lawsuit is that because Ms. Stewart allegedly carried out some repairs in her home for damage to her home caused by Hurricane Ian that they should no longer be able or be responsible for paying any part of her claim,” Oladipo explained. Before fighting for policyholders, he used to represent insurance companies, including People’s Trust. He told WINK News Consumer Investigator Andryanna Sheppard that the firm represents at least five homeowners People’s Trust has sued for repairing their homes with their own contractors. “Once People’s Trust invoked their right to repair through rapid response team, that the individuals from People’s Trust would tell the homeowner that that rapid response team could not get to their repairs for a period of eight to 12 months in varying degrees from different clients,” said the lawyer. People’s Trust told Sheppard they have an exclusive contract with a preferred contractor, Rapid Response Team or RRT. On its website, it claims to be the state’s largest insurance restoration general contractor made up of more than 200 full-time employees that operate out of 9 response centers around the state. People’s Trust’s COO said both the insurance company and RRT are owned by the same person, President and CEO George Schaeffer. He also said the insurer received more than 12,000 Hurricane Ian claims. “As the homeowner, you’re sitting there in your damaged home, with a tarp on your roof, trying to protect your family and your property,” said Oladipo. “If they cannot perform the repairs within a reasonable period of time, you have to question why they invoked the right to repair on so many homeowners policies.” Sheppard brought those concerns to People’s Trust. Initially, the company said the COO Tom Gallagher would do an interview. When he called, he was hesitant to talk on the record. “I’m doing a story on this so I wanted to give you guys the opportunity to speak on the record about what’s going on. Are you able to do an interview on the record?” Sheppard asked. After a little back and forth, he went on the record later that same day. (More about the abuse of these homeowners by an insurance company owned by GOPers including a former state insurance commissioner at the url above)
Put the serfs to work... Florida lawmaker declares 16-year-olds are ‘not children’ but ‘youth workers’ https://www.rawstory.com/florida-labor-shortage/
Where else would a Russian propaganda mill be headquartered? But in the middle of DeSantisLand. Inside The Russian Propaganda Mill Beaming Out Of A Florida Strip Mall https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/...anda-mill-beaming-out-of-a-florida-strip-mall
Obvious DeSantis fascism supporter and ex-HOA president leaves 'hand drawn photo of gun' and tears down Hanukkah poster. Spends his time harassing Jews in the neighborhood when not attending neo-Nazi "This is DeSantis Country" rallies. Hallandale Beach ex-HOA prez cuffed after leaving gun drawing on resident’s doormat, cops say He’s previously been seen cursing at female residents https://www.local10.com/news/local/...ng-gun-drawing-on-residents-doormat-cops-say/ HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Police arrested the former president of a Hallandale Beach co-op building — the subject of multiple Local 10 Investigates stories — after they said he left a hand-drawn photo of a gun on a resident’s doormat. That resident, Deborah Erlichson, had taken out a restraining order against Larry Reinfeld, 75, after she said he subjected her to constant verbal abuse and harassment. He’s also been caught on camera hurling curse words at other female residents. Erlichson said the drawing made her fear for her life. “What sick person would do something like that?” she asked. Erlichson said in February that in one instance, Reinfeld, upset she “didn’t leave him room for parking,” called her a “f---ing b---- Jewish whore.” He has also made fun of her speech impediment, called her a drug addict and threw a chair at her door, she said. Reinfeld, who resigned after Local 10 News’ first story about him in February, was arrested for violating that court order. It mandated he have no contact with Erlichson and stay five feet away from her residence. A witness reported seeing Reinfeld writing something on a piece of paper and leaving it on Erlichson’s doorstep Sunday, according to an arrest affidavit. That witness told investigators he also ripped down her Hanukkah poster. In body camera video, Reinfeld told Hallandale Beach police officers that he didn’t understand why he was being taken to jail. “You’re not telling me why I’m being locked up,” he said on the video. Reinfeld wasn’t happy to see Local 10′s Jeff Weinsier and grabbed his camera as he questioned him about the arrest. He claims he didn’t draw the photo. “What I want to know is if that is your artwork?” Weinsier asked. “It’s not,” Reinfeld said. “There’s a witness that says it is,” Weinsier replied. “She has cameras,” Reinfeld retorted. “Why isn’t it on the cameras?” Reinfeld later told Weinsier that he’s the real victim in the case and that there’s a group of residents aiming to get him thrown out. Erlichson said she plans to go back to the judge and let him know about the drawing.
Florida man stands his ground against leaves. Tire shop owner shoots landscaper for blowing leaves onto his property in NW Miami-Dade The landscaper was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local...s-onto-his-property-in-nw-miami-dade/3193778/
This is likely an overpayment scam and could happen anywhere. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/sin...f-steals-driveway/TMHDDYQF2VE2XMUTGTUXGXIDHU/
Just when you thought Florida could not be any stupider... Florida school district removes dictionaries from libraries, citing law championed by DeSantis https://popular.info/p/florida-scho...ionaries?publication_id=1664&post_id=14053064