| Keep sun shining on public records
One of Charlie Crist's first acts as governor was to publicly embrace the value of government in the sunshine. He created the Office of Open Government, saying that under his administration transparency will be "like never before." That's a welcome change in attitude from the prior administration. Today is "Sunshine Sunday," a day when we join other newspapers across the state in raising public awareness of the importance of open government. The goal is to remind citizens of their right and duty to hold their elected government accountable. Our state's commitment to public access to the workings of government allows not only the news media, but all Floridians, to act as watchdogs. Without open records laws, there would be no way to examine contracts surrounding large public works projects for sweetheart deals or conflicts of interest.
Spring break traffic clogs I-35
Throngs of spring breakers bound for vacation destinations caused traffic delays and a series of fender-benders throughout Central Texas on Friday. More than 14 wrecks, mostly on Interstate 35, slowed traffic, clogging roadways and bringing traffic to a standstill on Waco’s main thoroughfare about 7 p.m., a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman told the Tribune-Herald. The traffic marking the start of spring break was likened to that enlivening last year’s Thanksgiving holiday period. Friday’s congestion contributed to plenty of property damage in the area but no injuries, beginning about 2 p.m. and continuing well into the night. At 8 p.m., DPS troopers were working four wrecks along I-35’s northbound lanes from West to south of Bruceville-Eddy, the spokesman said.
Public Health tardy in paying daycare providers
The Government of Guam's bleak financial condition continues on its downward spiral, now affecting the island's children enrolled in daycare. Funding problems surrounding the Department of Public Health's Childcare Block Grant Program date back to October 2006 for some providers. Public Health openly admits to the fact they are late on their payments for their providers under the program. Chief human services administrator Diana Calvo stated as a result of concerns raised at last months meeting, a work group was established between Public Health and the Childcare Association Group to assist the agency get payments out to providers, saying, "It basically is a manual process and we only have a number of staff dedicated to preparing it on a monthly basis." She also confirmed, "As far as the calls that have come in today, we're really not sure what prompted the calls to be made, because one of the things that we had pledged to the providers was to really focus on getting the payments out as fast as we can."Agency director Art San Agustin in the meantime says Department of Administration deputy director Joey Manibusan informed him that payments for the childcare providers would be released.
Childcare centre built on pesticides site
WESTERN Australia is conducting a review of all its childcare centres after a centre was shut down after it was found to have been built on an old pesticides site. WA's Department for Community Development (DCD) yesterday suspended the licence of the Cuddles Child Care Centre in Carlisle, in Perth's east, after being advised the centre was built over an old pesticides facility owned by pharmaceuticals company Bayer. The state Health Department said it learnt this on Tuesday and told DCD the site was possibly contaminated because pesticide containers had been inappropriately disposed of there, probably in the 1980's and early 1990's. In an information sheet for parents on its website, the Health Department said the pesticide residue was later removed and soil monitoring in 1997 and 1998 showed pesticide levels met acceptable standards.
IT'S TODDLER POWER!
They are taking to the streets of Huddersfield - with mums and dads in tow - to protest at plans to axe three nurseries. And it will mean a hostile welcome for councillors going to tomorrow's vital Kirklees Council budget meeting. The toddlers, along with their older brothers and sisters, are expected to converge on Huddersfield Town Hall tomorrow afternoon. It is the latest step in a growing campaign to halt the closure of the Tiddlywinks, Sankofa and Cambridge Road nurseries in Huddersfield. .
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