Sun Sentinel Newspaper Hit By Cyber Attack

Cyber attack disrupts newspaper distribution across US

A cyber attack caused major printing and delivery disruptions on Saturday at the Los Angeles Times and other major US newspapers, including ones owned by the Tribune Publishing Co.

The cyber attack appeared to originate outside the United States, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.

The attack led to distribution delays in the Saturday edition of The Times, Tribune, Sun and other newspapers that share a production platform in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Tribune Publishing, whose newspapers also include the New York Daily News and Sun Sentinel, said it first detected the malware on Friday and reported it to the FBI. Sun Sentinel failed to publish it's Saturday Paper and sent it out on Sunday.

Spread The Vote Names New Florida State Director

Spread The Vote Names New Florida State Director

Spread The Vote, a national non-profit organization committed to helping people get government issued IDs so they can vote, apply for jobs, get housing, receive medical care and much more, has named a new Florida State Director.

Matthew Tisdol has been named Spread The Vote’s new Florida State Director, and will continue to expand the organization’s presencence across the state.

Tisdol, a Miami native, comes to Spread The Vote with a background in non-profit and grassroots organizing and has dedicated his professional career to fighting for those without a voice.

“We are thrilled to have Matt on board to lead the Spread The Vote Florida team,” said Spread The Vote Founder, Kat Calvin. “For too many Floridians, getting an ID has been extremely challenging, but we know that with Matt’s experience in fighting for justice, he can help people across state with the barriers they face in getting identification.”

Prior to Spread The Vote, Tisdol worked for years at a fair housing organization, where his investigations led the organization to recovering over $1 million dollars in damages and housing fees for victims of housing discrimination in South Florida.

“Spread The Vote is doing very powerful work, helping people in communities across Florida who are too often forgotten and left behind,” said Tisdol. “As state director here in Florida, my mission will be to continue and expand on the work that has been done to ensure that Floridians across the state get the IDs they need to not only participate in our democracy, but have access to more opportunity.”

Leading up to the midterm elections Spread The Vote’s Florida chapter helped hundreds across the state receive IDs. These IDs have not only helped people vote, but get a job, healthcare, housing and make them feel like a person again.

Spread The Vote Florida currently has local chapters in South Florida, Palm Beach, Tampa, Central Florida, Northeast Florida, Tallahassee, and Northwest Florida Miami, and will only continue to expand under Tisdol’s leadership.

To learn more about Spread The Vote, visit www.spreadthevote.org.

Mayor Mark Bogen Announces Mayor's Council of Broward County

Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen will bring together the Mayors of all thirty-one cities for the newly created Mayor’s Council of Broward County.              

“This is precedent setting. The Mayor’s Council of Broward County will unite all city leaders to address issues and solve problems together in the spirit of cooperation to better serve our 1.9 million residents,” said Mayor Bogen. The Council also has the support of the Broward League of Cities.  

Mayor Bogen and the thirty-one city Mayors will meet on a quarterly basis with initial meetings scheduled for January 28^th, 30^th, and 31^st. 

“For a number of years, the cities and County have not always gotten along.  In some cases, there have been lawsuits and tension.  This coming year, we’ll meet face to face to set an agenda and discuss whatever issues are brought to the table. We’ll open up lines of communication and the end result will be progress,” said Bogen.

The Mayor’s Council of Broward County is part of the Mayor Bogen’s overall theme this year to “get things done.”  He’s incorporated a Triple A strategy that includes accountability of government, achievement on a countywide basis and award incentives for ideas that will lead to more efficient government. 

Deutch Statement on Reports that Trump Admin. Plans to Withdraw US Forces from Syria

Deutch Statement on Reports that Trump Admin. Plans to Withdraw US Forces from Syria

(Washington) Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made the following statement in response to reports that the Trump Administration would withdraw U.S. forces from Syria:

“Today the Trump Administration announced it would begin pulling U.S. forces and personnel from Syria. I’m deeply concerned about this decision and the impact it will have on the ground and on our ability to influence a political resolution to the conflict.

“The decision to remove our forces contradicts the Administration’s stated goals of ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS and countering Iran’s dangerous expansion in Syria. The removal of U.S. forces and the lack of stabilization efforts will only exacerbate the conditions that make a resurgence of radicalized actors more likely.

"This move directly contradicts public statements made by Trump Administration officials. Just last month, the U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement Ambassador James Jeffrey told the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee that 'such an untimely U.S. military departure from Syria would enable ISIS to return, allow Iran to fill the vacuum, place Iraq’s stability at risk, and increase the threats to Syria’s neighbors such as our key allies Israel, Jordan, and Turkey.'

“In addition, this move makes our partners on the ground, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), more vulnerable to aggression from Syrian regime forces backed by Iran and Russia and Turkish-backed opposition forces. The SDF has fearlessly and selflessly sacrificed to help our mission in combating ISIS.

“The Administration is yielding American leadership to powers like Russia, Iran, and Turkey to decide the future of Syria. The removal of U.S. troops will not further our national security objectives in Syria or secure our allies in the region. In fact, this move plays into Iran's long-desired goal to establish a land bridge from Tehran to Beirut to extend its regime and terror proxies.

"This decision contravenes advice from both the State Department and the Pentagon, once again showing the Administration’s lack of a cohesive and coherent strategy. Unfortunately, this haphazard decision may well further destabilize the region, threaten our key allies, and threaten U.S. security at home.”