LOOKING BACK
YEAR IN REVIEW: MAY
Gov. Rick Scott signs a bill into law. Contributed photo
MAY 3
Add another entry to the list of controversial
Rick Scott line item vetoes: $100,000 for a fetal alcohol diagnostic and intervention clinic here in Sarasota. The Florida Legislature
approved the funding for The Florida Center
for Early Childhood program after tense negotiations between the House and Senate and
strong advocacy by the Suncoast���s legislative
delegation. Florida Center President and CEO
Kathyrn Shea credits state Sen. Mike Bennett,
R-Bradenton, and Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, for their work securing the additional
$100,000 for the program this year. But their
efforts were for naught.
Working to dispel myths, representatives of
Florida Power & Light Co. tell members of
the Siesta Key Association May 3 that the
new Smartmeters the company is installing
throughout its territory do not transmit personal information. Steve Anderson, a manager of the project, says one of the common
myths about the meters ���is that we���re going
to know when you���re home and when you
cook toast,��� for example. ���That is not true,���
he adds. He compares a Smartmeter to a scale
which shows a person���s weight, but not what
the person consumed to get to that weight. A
customer also will be able to calculate monthly bills with considerable reliability, Anderson
says.
