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Gov. McGreevey Airs Security Grievances
by Chloe Albanesius
Following a security breach at Newark International Airport Sunday afternoon, Gov. James McGreevey reiterated his displeasure with the attention his state is receiving from Homeland Security Department officials.
A man with a prosthetic device reportedly set off a walkthrough metal detector at the airport, but was not rescreened with a handheld wand, as required by law. He was never located.
McGreevey, a Democrat, said in a statement that he was "disturbed" by the incident, which proves that "more needs to be done." The governor penned a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge in May expressing frustration over the lack of communication between the agency and state officials. "I have asked for help from Washington, and I will keep asking until these security needs are met," he said Tuesday.
He called for "a change in Washington's priorities, and a serious overhaul of the way the federal government supports New Jersey and other states" in preparing to respond to a terrorist attack. Federal funding in 2004 and proposed money for 2005 are "inadequate," McGreevey said. "This reflects a flawed set of priorities for the Bush administration."
In other news, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday signed a public health bill that expands the power of state government in the event of a bioterrorism attack or infectious diseases outbreak. Among other things, the measure, HB 5164, allows for emergency access to medical records and information sharing between public health and law enforcement authorities. But Blagojevich assured citizens that the bill will "strike the appropriate balance between the needs of government and the appropriate civil liberties protections."
The need for such a bill was highlighted after Illinois' participation in last year's TOPOFF2 terrorism exercise, during which the intentional release of the plague was simulated in the Chicago area. "It became apparent during the exercise that the state's authority in the event of an emergency needed some improvement and the legal team was immediately convened to help draft this new law," said Eric Whitaker, state public health director.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson on Tuesday announced the formation of the Homeland Security Grant Review Board. The group, comprised of safety, law enforcement and fire fighting community members, will examine the use of grants for equipment purchases in order to avoid redundancies. "The well [of federal monies] may some day run dry, we should make sure we use our resources wisely," Benson said in a release.
In other funding news, New York Gov. George Pataki announced that last week's award of $2.6 million to Suffolk County means that 100 percent of the state's fiscal 2004 Homeland Security grants have been distributed to local governments. Approximately $82 million of the $103 million allocated by the department in late April for FY04 has gone directly to local responders, the governor said. The money was distributed quickly because of spending authorization in an emergency appropriation bill passed by the legislature. Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia also announced last week that two fire departments in the state will receive over $200,000 as part of the state's FY04 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
Ohioans To Receive E-mail Notifications
Ohio residents can receive e-mail notification when a registered sex offender moves into their neighborhood, Attorney General Jim Petro announced Monday.
Those interested will be asked to enter their home address and e-mail information at Petro's Web site in order to receive notices when an offender moves within one mile of their dwelling. "The program takes advantage of the instantaneous nature of e-mail to provide timely alerts for Ohioans who want to protect themselves and their children from the threat of sexual offenders," Petro said in a release.
The software provided by Petro's office to county sheriffs will help eliminate the administrative burden of mailing notifications to citizens living within 1,000 feet of a registered sex offender. It also will enable the sheriffs to expand that radius to 1,200 feet. Approximately 10,000 residents in Mercer, Lucas, Washington and Stark counties signed up to receive alerts during a pilot program, and about 40,000 e-mails have been sent.
In other news, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced last week that his office arrested a 55-year-old Portage man who sent obscene images and arranged a sexual encounter with whom he thought was a 14-year-old girl he met in an Internet chat room. The "girl" was actually an undercover Michigan officer, who arrested Michael Lee Lucas when he arrived for the encounter.
Pennsylvania PUC To Examine ID Theft
The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Friday opened a proceeding to examine whether its rules and regulations provide adequate protections against identity theft. The commission is seeking comment from the public, the state office of consumer advocate, state office of small business advocate, the attorney general's office and area utility companies. "The issue of identity theft as it relates to utilities and utility regulation warrants a more comprehensive review," Commissioner Wendell Holland said in motion approved unanimously by the PUC. He acknowledged the aggravation ID theft causes its victim and said the crime also results in "uncollected charges for utility service." In other news, the PUC also approved a rate hike of $1.50 per telephone line for the residents of Fulton County to cover 911 service.
Cingular Donates Money To Florida E-School
Cingular Wireless made a $10,000 donation to the Florida Virtual School (FLVS), the organization announced Wednesday. The school provides supplemental, online classes for Florida students in grades 7-12 looking for classes not provided by their schools. Those taking the online classes "will benefit from our commitment to creating the best possible technology network in both rural and urban communities," Dan Norman of Cingular Wireless' Northern Florida office, said in a statement.
In the program's first six years, FLVS was funded by a legislative line item that provided it with a set amount of money. Starting this year, the school was awarded money for each student served, Bruce Friend, chief administrative officer, said this month at the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting in Seattle. FLVS only receives money, however, if the student is successful in the course. The organization had 21,000 students for the '03-'04 school year, and expect about 50,000 next year, Friend said.
Tech Companies Add Area Jobs
Electronic data storage company Network Appliances will expand its operations in North Carolina's Research Triangle, Gov. Mike Easley announced Tuesday. Under the state's new Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program, the company was awarded a 10-year grant. If it meets its required performance targets, the state will provide Network Appliances with up to 65 percent of the state personal-income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs, potentially yielding the company as much as $8.9 million in the next decade. The company is expected to add 361 jobs and bring $59 million in additional investment to the area. In other news, Washington Gov. Gary Locke heralded Microsoft's announcement that it would add 3,000 jobs in the Puget Sound region. The move "will support other businesses in the area" and "are further proof that our state's economy is recovering faster than the national economy," Locke said in a statement.
North Carolina Site Promotes Healthy Lifestyles
In an effort to promote healthier lifestyles, North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley on Monday launched a Web site with information on fitness and wellness activities in various neighborhoods. The site includes listings of Healthy North Carolina Month activities by county, contact information for local health departments and event sponsors. Users also can find information on how to host their own fitness event.
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