Congressman Mario Diaz Balart honored those who fight against Human Trafficking in Florida Tuesday - with a flag that once flew over the nation’s Capitol.

Republican Congressman Mario Diaz Balart was in Naples to present the flag to the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking and its founder Anna Rodriquez in recognition of their efforts to stop trafficking and rescue victims. When Rodriguez was working for the Collier County Sheriffs Department she discovered a 19-year-old woman at what appeared to be a routine domestic violence call. The woman, Maria, had been kidnapped from Guatemala, smuggled into the United States and was being kept as a slave. She was forced to work without pay in the tomato fields and raped at night.
Diaz Balart says the American flag is an icon for liberty around the world and he wanted it to draw attention to the tireless efforts of Rodriguez and the coalition.

“So for me to be able to represent what I believe is the most important symbol of freedom and of dedication and of the best qualities of human-kind, which are the stars and stripes. For me to be able to present a flag that was flown over the United States capitol to a person who I believe shows what free people can do when they have the right intentions and when they’re willing to work hard.”
Thanks to Rodriguez’s persistence, Maria was rescued and her captor is now in prison. Maria became the first adult recipient of the new T-Visa created under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

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Anywhere from 700,000 to four million people around the world are trafficked across or within national borders every year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human services says 50 percent of the victims are children. In Florida, one person is being honored for working to identify and rescue these victims. Anna Rodriguez founded the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking in 2004. Today (Tuesday) Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart honored her for her service.

“Human trafficking is not some strange thing that happens in far away counties. It’s something that happens here in our country and even in our community. And Anna has been an advocate for the people who are victims. She’s actually traveled the world looking for victims of human trafficking and when people are victims of human trafficking they’re also often victimized a second and a third time.”
As a law enforcement victim advocate in Naples, Rodriguez discovered a victim of human trafficking and helped rescue her. The incident became a major case study and was instrumental for the creation of the T Visa, which allows victims to remain in the US to help authorities investigate their case.

Florida is reportedly the second largest hub of human trafficking in the U.S. However, since 1996 only 6 cases of slavery have actually been brought to federal court.

Florida’s senior Senator – Democrat Bill Nelson – is on his way back to the states after spending nearly 2 weeks in the Middle East.

Senator Nelson met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders…as well as officials from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He also met with U-S military commanders in the region.

During the past two days Nelson traveled around Iraq – and met with a group of Floridians stationed there…

“They are in high spirits. They are doing their duty gladly. They miss home, but they are happy to be serving their country.”

Nelson says after sharing several meals with a group of Florida troops there’s one thing he IS sure of…that they’re well fed, and happy for it.

But the other thing he says he’s sure of is that there’s no longer a military solution in Iraq…and that it’s time for honest realism in formulating a new approach to deal with the growing crisis there, not hard headed ideology.

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During a press conference from Kuwait, Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson told reporters the point of no return is fast approaching in Iraq.

Nelson spent 2 weeks traveling across the Middle East – meeting with regional leaders and U-S military commanders.

He says the level of violence he witnessed makes it clear to him that it’s time for honest realism, not hard headed ideology.

“I was having meetings with Floridians…marines in Anbar Provence. Every night when they’re out on patrol…every time they drive down the road they have to encounter IED’s.”

IED’s – or improvised explosive devices – are soldiers’ single greatest threat as they travel the Iraqi roadways.

Nelson says while he is co-sponsor of a bill to increase the overall military by 20-thousand troops – an increase specifically in Iraq won’t do any good without a proper plan.

A decision issued by a federal judge against the South Florida Water Management District over the pumping of polluted water into Lake Okeechobee could have nationwide implications. WGCU's Mike Kiniry explains.

Water managers are preparing to install emergency pumps on the south end of Lake Okeechobee in case the lake’s water level gets too low.

2006 is turning out to be one of the driest years on record - and once the amount of water in Lake Okeechobee drops below a certain level, gravity will no longer direct its flow through existing structures.

In response, the South Florida Water Management District has purchased 14 massive, portable electric pumps in case it needs to move water out of the lake to meet demand from the area to the south.

Deputy Director with the watershed management department at the District – Susan Gray – says they haven’t started installing the pumps just yet.

“What we’ll do now is test the pumps and make sure they’re wired and have supporting infrastructure necessary to put the pumps in place. But because they can actually interfere with discharges under higher stages we wouldn’t actually install them until the lake was at 10 and a half.”

Gray says rainfall has been well below average in past few months… the worst drought the area’s seen the since the winter of 2000 and 2001.

The pump installation is temporary. They will be removed for use elsewhere once water levels in the lake rise.

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The South Florida Water Management District has purchased 14 massive electric pumps – in case water levels in Lake Okeechobee get too low.

Water is pumped out of the lake to the south to meet demand from both homes and agriculture. But once it drops below a certain level – gravity no longer ‘works with’ water managers. Deputy Director of the District’s Watershed Management Department Susan Grey – says it’s been so dry lately that point is fast approaching.

“Lake Okeechobee level right now is 12.07 which is very unusual for this time of year. And it’s actually almost as dry in terms of lake stage as it was in 2001 – which was like a 1 in 100 year event. So it’s quite dry…we’re looking at potentially the second driest year ever.”

Gray says rain needs to fall to the north of the lake to really help the overall system recover from the current dry conditions.

The pumps won’t be installed until the lake level gets to about 10-and-a-half-feet.

About 450 riders on horseback took a 40 mile trip back in time earlier this month, as part of the 2006 Great Florida Cattle Drive. For four days, lifelong ranchers worked alongside weekend horse enthusiasts, driving cattle from south of St. Cloud to Silver Springs. As Justin Gilken of the Palm Beach Post reports, riders of all levels say they cherished the chance to experience a way of life in Florida that is rapidly disappearing…

This December 7th marked the 65th Anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor - which propelled the United States into World War II. A 92 year old Ft. Myers woman was an eyewitness to the attack. Monica Conter Benning was an Army Nurse. Here’s her story.

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Monica and Barney’s romance was dramatized in the film “Pearl Harbor”. Barney died in 2005.

The Southwest Florida Legislative Delegation met with a diverse group of constituents yesterday – at the third annual Solutions Forum.

More than 200 people turned out for the forum at Florida Gulf Coast University. They included county and municipal officials, developers, educators and environmentalists. State Representative Mike Davis of Collier County – who together with FGCU President Bill Merwin launched the annual conference 3 years ago – says the diversity leads to constructive dialogue.

“that’s essential for us having a good discussion and a good presentation because if we have any one faction missing then I don’t think we get where we want to be when we stop to consider about how we want to see southwest florida develop over the next 50 years…”

This year’s conference focused on Growth and Transportation issues – which Davis says are of paramount importance to the people in seven county area. The legislative delegation includes several newly elected members – Davis says they’re quickly getting up to speed and becoming team players.

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Area lawmakers heard from a cross-section of constituents today at the 3rd annual Southwest Regional Delegation Forum at Florida Gulf Coast University. The seven county region will be represented by many newly elected lawmakers in Tallahassee year. Veteran area lawmaker Mike Davis of Collier County – says the forum contributes to team building.

“and frankly – Gary Abishon, Doug Holder, Nick Thompson and our other new members have immediately embraced this whole regionalism concept – and understand – they’re quality people and I know they understand how important it is to be part of the team because we go up against some pretty big metropolitan areas – so we’ve gotta work harder and work smarter if we’re gonna win”

The more than two hundred people at the forum included local officials, educators, conservationists and developers. Florida’s annual legislative session begins March 6th.

A coalition of five conservation groups is claiming victory in its efforts to protect the Cocohatchee Slough in northern Collier County.

Cocohatchee Slough is a natural flow way adjacent to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary – home to the largest endangered wood stork rookery in the United States.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit in February for a 16-hundred home community called The Parklands adjacent to the Cocahatchee. But environmental groups cried foul – suing the Corps, claiming the 650-acre golf course community would destroy more than 200-acres of the slough, devastating the wood stork colony.

Attorney Jan Goldman-Carter represents the coalition. She says rather than go to trial - all parties agreed to start over at the beginning of the permitting process.

“The Corps of Engineers recognized that they had not really conducted the necessary environmental review when they issued the permit back in February. And rather than have a judge tell them that and send them back to fix their permit, they decided they’d do it on their own.”

Goldman-Carter says the settlement contained two stipulations: that all development cease until the review is completed…and that the public be allowed comment during the process.

The Parkland development is one five in the area north of Immokalee Road being challenged by the coalition …which includes the Collier County Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Audubon of Florida, Conservancy of Southwest Florida…and the Florida Wildlife Federation.

Lee County Commissioners have approved the purchase of a 126-acre island in Charlotte Harbor through the Conservation 20/20 program.

The 2.5-million dollar purchase is for a portion of Cayo Pelau Island which is in Lee County near Gasparilla Sound. The island consists of about 116 acres of wetland mangroves and 10 acres of uplands. Cayo Pelau contains a large diversity of native plant communities, including rare tropical hardwood hammocks and three beaches. And the island has long been associated with tales of buried pirate treasure. The President of the Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island, Bud House, says the purchase is important environmentally and archaeologically.

“Pristine archaeologically significant large scale maritime properties such as Cayo Pelau become available for acquisition just once in a blue moon. We are fortunate to have willing sellers and a conservation minded real estate agent who brought the property to the attention of the Lee County 2020 staff for all the right reasons.”

The island was home to prehistoric Native Americans, Cuban fishermen, and Columbus B. McCloud, a 19th century Audubon warden. House’s group has pledge 20,000 dollars toward the purchase. Closing is expected to occur within 90 days.

Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 Program is funded through a property tax of 50 cents for every 1,000 dollars of taxable property value. The program generates 43 million annually and has purchased nearly 18,000 acres so far.

The Chamber of Southwest Florida’s annual Regional Economic Outlook Conference starts Thursday at the Harborside Event Center in Ft. Myers. Every year the conference focuses on a different economic theme...this year it is the region’s Health-Care industry. Steve Tirey is the Chamber President and conference organizer.