Rate Increase Bypasses Keys by RYAN Mccarthy Rep
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WWW.KEYSNET.COM SATURDAY,APRIL 27, 2013 VOLUME 60, NO. 34 ● 25 CENTS STATE LEGISLATURE Rate increase bypasses Keys By RYAN McCARTHY Rep. Holly Raschein (R-Key But new Citizens Property policies structure that has a dwelling Lastly, language was added [email protected] Largo) intact. That means replacement cost of $1 million from Raschein’s House Bill avoiding windstorm insur- elsewhere in Florida will see hikes or more, or a single condo- 819, which would add an addi- After twice delaying a vote, ance rate hikes of up to 137 minium unit that has a com- tional member to the Florida the state Senate on Thursday percent in Monroe. Florida’s 66 other counties. the Keys from a cap on insur- bined dwelling and contents Commission on Hurricane approved a controversial bill The amendment language The average windstorm ing homes above a certain replacement cost of $1 million Loss Projection Methodology. that could mean significant states that the exception is for premium in the Keys is value. That amendment or more, is not eligible for The bill says the member Citizens Property Insurance “counties where [Citizens] $2,900. Had the rate hike drops Citizens’ coverage lim- coverage by the corporation.” would be “a licensed profes- Corp. premium hikes on new provides more than 75 per- included Monroe County, that its in phases to as low as The bill also says that sional structural engineer policies statewide. cent of the personal lines res- same average policy could $300,000 statewide, but a $1 homes insured by Citizens as who is a full-time faculty The good news for Keys idential policies providing cost a new customer $6,873. million limit will remain in of Dec. 31, 2013, “may con- member in the state universi- residents is the bill passed wind coverage.” As written, In addition to the premi- place in Monroe. tinue to be covered by the ty system and who has 24-15, with a “carve-out” that applies only to Monroe um relief, an amendment was “Effective January 1, 2014, corporation until the end of amendment brokered by state County and not to any of added to the bill that exempts a personal lines residential the policy term.” ● See Insurance, 2A CENTRAL SEWERS THROW TO THIRD Legislators have ‘left us high and dry’ Senate President Don Gaetz, Expected $50M not to issue bonds. She said for sewers they cited information from the 2012 Debt Affordability not in budget Report issued by the state Division of Bond Finance. By RYAN McCARTHY No bonding means no sec- [email protected] ond installment of the $200 million Mayfield grant Optimism that state legis- authorized in 2009 to support lators would OK a second Keys sewer projects to straight $50 million state improve water quality. The bond this year supporting first allocation was finalized Keys sewer construction was in January 2012. Keynoter photo by KEVIN WADLOW apparently all for naught. That $50 million was split Island Christian School infielder Kirsten Tangen (left) stretches for a throw to third base in an attempt to catch a State Rep. Holly Raschein between Monroe County and Westwood Christian runner in Thursday’s state Region 4-2A playoff game. The Eagles, champions of District 16-2A, (R-Key Largo) broke the news Islamorada. It’s the city of ended their season in a 17-3 loss. Story, 1B Tuesday morning to a sizable Marathon and Key Largo Keys contingent that the state Wastewater Treatment District budget or 2013-14 will not losing out on $20 million include bonding or new debt. apiece this time around. ANIMAL CONTROL The group was in Tallahassee According to an agree- for the annual Florida Keys ment worked out by local Day lobbying day. governments, the Florida Shelter remains quarantined “The state is above its 7 Keys Aqueduct Authority percent debt capacity. The would have received $5 mil- former Director Katie and Marathon resident Cora SHARK board members. 2013 budget does not include lion, Key West $4 million and And Bentley Bentley, who said she Baggs is overseeing day-to- Neither could be reached for any debt or bonding at all. Key Colony Beach $1 million still looking remains at a loss for reasons day operations at the shelter comment. [Raschein] was limited in that from this year’s allocation. why the board of Safe Harbor until a new director is chosen. Baggs said there would respect,” said Kate DeFoor, Wastewater Treatment for answers Animal Rescue of the Keys, “We’re still under quaran- be “another four weeks of Rachein’s executive secretary. District Vice Chairman which runs the shelter under tine,” she said. Veterinarian quarantine before we DeFoor said Gov. Rick Andrew Tobin, an Upper By RYAN McCARTHY a country contract, forced her Mike Dunn “was here reopen,” but that the shelter Scott made the decision, in Keys attorney, said the state [email protected] to resign April 12. She said [Thursday] night and every- is still accepting cats and conjunction with House kennel cough is common at one is looking really good. other animals that don’t Speaker Will Weatherford and ● See Sewers, 2A The canine population at animal shelters. There are some that didn’t catch kennel cough. There the Marathon animal shelter is “There won’t be one shel- get it in the beginning and it are 36 dogs and around 60 on the road to recovery after ter you contact that says, kind of runs its course.” cats there. an outbreak of kennel cough ‘No, we’ve never had kennel Dunn and Geraldine “We’re accepting volun- WALL GETS A MAKEOVER forced a three- to six-week cough.’ It’s a very common Diethelm, chief of staff at teers to come in and help and quarantine of the shelter. thing,” Bentley said. the Marathon Veterinary The same can’t be said for Founding board member Hospital, are ex-officio ● See Shelter, 6A CRIME FRONT Details emerge from Gardner murder site his boat, Flo To Me, at the throughout the cabin. Police say Gardner had Video, photos Oceanside Marina on Stock Jurors first watched the allowed Whitmore, 44, to show bloody Island on Feb. 10, 2009. video and then Chief Assistant stay on his boat and that she LeBaron, 36, faces a pos- State Attorney Manny led LeBaron to the vessel boat cabin sible death sentence if con- Madruga had Williams come intending to rob Gardner. victed. down from the stand and Instead, LeBaron allegedly By RYAN McCARTHY The video was shot by describe the scene in the pho- beat Gardner to death and [email protected] Monroe County Sheriff’s tographs he took. stole his car. The couple was Office Sgt. Ralph Williams, Williams was later asked arrested in Midvale, Utah, 12 If jurors in the first-degree who at the time was working to open a series of sealed evi- days after the killing based on murder trial of Jonathan Leo as a crime-scene technician. dence bags containing items an anonymous tip to police. LeBaron had any doubt how He spent the better part of he catalogued from the crime Whitmore pleaded guilty brutal the killing he’s accused Wednesday afternoon’s court scene. Among them were a to second-degree murder and of was, it was dispelled session on the witness stand. tank top allegedly worn by is serving 18 years in prison Keynoter photo by LARRY KAHN Wednesday afternoon. The video is graphic and LeBaron’s then-girlfriend in return for her testimony Members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office,the Fraternal The 12-member panel shows Gardner’s badly beat- Kristin Whitmore, the bloody against LeBaron. was shown a lengthy video en face and his body lying shorts Gardner was wearing, Prior to Williams, FBI Order of Police and others repaint the wall separating U.S. 1 and about 100 photos detail- underneath a table in the at least one of his teeth that agent Kevin White testified from Home Depot in Marathon Thursday morning.It’s part of ing the violent beating and kitchen and dining area of the was knocked out during the that he found Gardner dead Sheriff Rick Ramsay’s effort to clean up areas where there’s a death of Cape Coral resident boat cabin. The photos illus- attack, zip ties and a large, need. Home Depot provided the supplies. Richard Gardner, 57, aboard trate extensive blood splatter bloody flashlight. ● See Trial, 2A INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .7B recycled newsprint Canes Eye of the Living . .3B CONTENTS © 2013 storm KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. finished Business . .5A Monroe County will now The baseball Hurricanes pay hurricane shelter Opinion . .4A of Coral Shores High end workers because not their season at the hands Sports/Outdoors . .1B enough people are of St. Brendan. Story, 1B volunteering. Story, 3A Crossword . .3B 7786790 22222 2A Saturday, April 27, 2013 KeysNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS CRIME FRONT Murder scene Bondi rewards Keys detective Keys Death Row inmates was bloody ● Monroe County Sheriff’s If convicted, motive was theft — missing Michael Tanzi, 36, sen- From Trial, 1A tomer service representative Office Detective Manny were her 1988 Ford Taurus, tenced to death on April 11, for Porter Allen Co., an insur- Cuervo was among seven LeBaron would a $5,000 ring and $4,200 in 2003. while helping police in ance company. She was ques- Florida police officers and cash. Allen was caught in Tanzi, a Cape Coral with a missing- tioned about a journal she victim advocates given be fourth California. drifter from persons report. He worked purchased in 2007 and even- awards Wednesday by Police say at the time she Mass- in the Keys at the time.