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August 2018

GOVENOR SCOTT'S HUGE, HIDDEN STAKE IN CHINESE COMPANY SUPPLYING MAKER OF BRIGHTLINE TRAINS

THE SCOTTS HAD AN GARGANTUAN FINANCIAL STAKE IN A CHINESE RAILWAY COMPANY THAT SO HAPPENS TO SUPPLY COMPONENTS TO THE U.S. CONTRACTOR BUILDING BRIGHTLINE, a high-speed passenger rail project that Gov. Rick Scott strongly backed.

The company Quingdao Victall Railway Group Co. Ltd. became an interest in October 2014 when it partnered with Scott's company, Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) to form a 50-50 joint venture. In January of 2017, CSP was sold to the Japanese conglomerate Teijin for $825 million.

HERE WE GO AGAIN | BRIGHTLINE GETS APPROVAL FOR $1.15 BILLION IN TAX-FREE BONDS FOR EXPANSION TO ORLANDO

BRIGHTLINE GOT THE OK TO BORROW $1.5 BILLION THROUGH TAX-FREE BONDS, despite the objections of numerous Treasure Coast officials who attended the meeting.

This is the second time the state board approved bonds. The first was back in August 2015 when the agency approved of $1.75 billion of bonds, but Brightline canceled the request and instead sought for separate approvals for $600 million and the $1.15 billion approved yesterday.

DRIVER, 94, SURVIVES COLLISION WITH BRIGHTLINE TRAIN

A 94-YEAR-OLD DRIVER SURVIVED A COLLISION WITH BRIGHTLINE TRAIN TUESDAY IN POMPANO BEACH, authorities said.

The driver was apparently stopped in the middle of the railroad crossing due to traffic when the northbound train struck the back of his vehicle.

Luckily, the driver was not harmed, and paramedics did not treat him. No other injuries were reported.

Read more here.

LET'S NOT GIVE UP FIGHT AGAINST DANGERS OF BRIGHTLINE | OPINION ARTICLE

BRIGHTLINE AND FEC ARE NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS, states Paul D. Popson, as the two have failed to listen to any concerns about having a high-speed passenger ripping through densely populated areas of the Florida Treasure Coast.

Popson highlights various times in which Brightline has "broken all the rules of common sense" and that we should focus on electing candidates who will "continue to push for defeating and or detouring Brightline up the middle of the state."

TEXAS TRAIN CRASH LEAVES AT LEAST TWO DEAD, POLICE SAY

AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A TRAIN CRASHED INTO A DUMP TRUCK IN TEXAS, authorities said on Saturday. The two deceased persons were found inside the truck, while eleven people on the train were injured and hospitalized. Fox J reported that two of the eleven were in critical condition while three others had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

It is still unclear what caused the crash.

Read more here.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY'S CHALLENGE TO BRIGHTLINE WELL WORTH THE COST | OPINION

IT HAS BEEN $4.56 PER YEAR FOR EACH INDIAN RIVER COUNTY RESIDENT TO STOP BRIGHTLINE/ALL ABOARD FLORIDA FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, states Nicholas Schaus of Indian River Shores. He states that this is little compared to the more substantial cost to taxpayers for rail crossing improvement brought on by Brightline.

Read more about this opinion article here.

DESPITE 'DISASTER RISK,' TRAINS WILL HAUL HAZARDOUS GAS CARGO IN SOUTH FLORIDA ALONGSIDE BRIGHTLINE

WHILE THE FLORIDA EAST RAILWAY (FEC) EXECUTIVES PUSHED FLORIDA'S EAST COAST CITIES AND COUNTIES TO APPROVE OF BRIGHTLINE'S HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER TRAIN, they also quietly obtained permission to haul extremely flammable liquified natural gas along those same tracks.

Liquified natural gas (LNG) is a natural gas which is kept chilled and stable. When warmed, it can make natural gas to generate electricity. However, if a spill or puncture of a container during a train derailment would be deadly. When exposed to the air, LNG can "burst into flames."

CARE FL - RICK SCOTT KILLS ONE TRAIN FOR ANOTHER - A MUST-READ ARTICLE REGARDING ALL ABOARD FLORIDA

Dear Loblolly members,
below is an interesting, must-read article taken from the Miami Herald and Tamps Bay Times regarding All Aboard Florida.  

TALLAHASSEE

As one of his first acts in office in 2011, Gov. Rick Scott canceled a $2.4 billion federally funded and shovel-ready bullet train from Orlando to Tampa because it carried “an extremely high risk of overspending taxpayer dollars with no guarantee of economic growth.’’

RICK SCOTT KILLED A HIGH-SPEED RAIL PLAN. THEN ALL ABOARD ROLLED UP AND HE BOUGHT IT.

ONE OF GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT'S FIRST ACTS WAS THE CANCELATION OF A $2.4 BILLION FEDERALLY FUNDED HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT, saying it was "an extremely high risk of overspending taxpayer dollars with no guarantee of economic growth." Apparently he "switched gears," as he and his wife last year invested at least $3 million in a credit fund for All Aboard Florida's parent company, Fortress Investment Group, according to recently disclosed financial documents.