Volume 2 Number 37 September 12, 2005

As the nation continues to pull together to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina and to rebuild the devastated areas of the Gulf Coast, we also pause to remember the victims of 9/11 and their families.  Despite the passage of time, we will never forget the victims of those cowardly attacks on our nation.  In the same way our forefathers fought to win our freedom, we must fight against those who threaten to take it away.  As I watched our first responders carry out multiple missions to help our Gulf Coast neighbors overwhelmed by the hurricane, I thought back to the true heroism the New York City police and firemen displayed by charging toward the burning World Trade Center while everyone else ran to safety.    Please join my family and me in praying for the victims of the hurricane and for those working hard to help these folks rebuild their lives and their communities.  And also say a prayer to remember the victims of 9/11 and their families, the brave people who valiantly gave their lives in coming to the rescue and for those fighting for freedom in Iraq. Our nation bands together during difficult and challenging times.  We have overcome momentous obstacles throughout our history, and we will do it again.  The new courthouse in Indian River County, is named for the scenic body of water running between the barrier islands and the mainland along Florida's Treasure Coast. America's first National Wildlife Refuge was established on Pelican Island in the Indian River by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903.

GALLAGHER ANNOUNCES MILLIONS IN POTENTIAL SAVINGS FOR FLORIDA'S SMALL BUSINESSES Proposed Decrease in Workers’ Compensation Rates Could Save Millions The National Council on Compensation Insurance has filed an additional 2.7 percent decrease this year in proposed workers’ compensation rates, for a total decrease of 7.2 percent. Florida's Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher spearheaded passage of Senate Bill 50A in 2003 that reformed the state's workers’ compensation system, including tougher penalties for workers’ compensation fraud and premium evasion.  This year's proposed decrease will be the third consecutive drop in rates since the bill's passage.  If the proposed filing is approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation, the cumulative drop in overall rates since 2003 will total 24.3 percent. “This is exactly why we fought hard for workers’ compensation reform. Lowering rates and cutting costs will save Florida’s small-business men and women an estimated $237 million that can better be used to continue fueling our state’s record economic growth,” Gallagher said.  “Today’s news is a vindication for all of us who believe the best way government can grow an economy is by lowering the cost and burden placed on Florida’s small-business owners.” “I have asked Consumer Advocate Steve Burgess to independently review this filing to see if even greater savings for employers is possible.”

FLORIDA NEEDS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO FIGHTING METH A message from Tom Gallagher, Florida's State Fire Marshal Methamphetamine, or “meth,” may be the most destructive drug ever to hit Florida. It destroys the mental and physical health of the user and robs them of all motivation except to get or make more of the drug.  As a result, it poses a tremendous safety and health risk to our communities. The process used to make meth is volatile and the chemicals are deadly to both the user and innocent bystanders, which too often are children.  As Florida’s State Fire Marshal, I have learned that fires and explosions resulting from the manufacturing process have killed and injured hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters.  The fumes from such a fire can cause irreversible eye, throat and lung trauma.  And the byproducts of the meth-making process can contaminate the ground where makers often burn or bury their waste.  This poses serious health risks for entire neighborhoods.  Just last month, Osceola County sheriff’s deputies arrested two people caught making meth in a hotel room after a staff member noticed a strong chemical odor. CONTINUED

FLORIDA UNVEILS INTERNET PORTAL FOR HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY T o better assist the residents of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi displaced by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the State of Florida unveiled a new web portal for information on storm recovery and relief. The web site at www.myflorida.com includes one-stop information on the wide variety of services available for evacuees in Florida and direct access to relief organizations for donating supplies, services and funds. Those displaced by Hurricane Katrina that found solace and shelter in Florida need fast and easy access to the relief and services offered by governments, local organizations and charities. By providing critical services, we can help those impacted by this storm recover, find work and financial aid and, when ready, transition home to rebuild their communities. To locate services available to evacuees, make a donation or to volunteer for Hurricane Katrina recovery, visit www.myflorida.com. Visit www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on Florida's response to the hurricane.

CABINET ACQUIRES 1,651 ACRES WITHIN AIR INSTALLATIONS COMPATIBLE USE ZONE ADJACENT TO NOLF WHITEHOUSE The Governor and Cabinet, in partnership with the US Navy and the City of Jacksonville, preserved 1,651 acres adjacent to Whitehouse Naval Outlying Field (NOLF.)  As part of the Northeast Florida Timberlands Florida Forever Project, this acquisition ensures that the threat of incompatible uses will not encroach on NOLF Whitehouse. The acquisition is located within the northern portion of an Air Installations Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ). In addition to NOLF Whitehouse, Cecil Field is included in the same AICUZ boundary. Both facilities provide naval aviators the ability to train as if landing onboard an aircraft carrier. The purpose of the AICUZ is to achieve compatibility between air installations and surrounding uses, to minimize public exposure to potential safety hazards associated with aircraft operations, and to protect the operational capability of the air installation.