Daily Clips for October 30, 2009

FEATURED STORIES

Benson enters GOP attorney general race
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Holly Benson, former state health care administrator, made her expected announcement Thursday that she's running for attorney general, entering a Republican primary that already includes Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and may include others soon.

Butterworth to help FPL figure out why rate case hit bumps
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Bob Butterworth forged a reputation as a troubleshooter cleaning up after government scandals.

Australia oil spill fuels debate here
By Catherine Dolinski
Tampa Tribune
Aug. 21 was a mess for the oil industry. That was the day an oil platform off the northern coast of Australia began leaking 300 to 400 barrels of oil a day into the Timor Sea.

Five signs that will signal Florida's recession is ending
By Jeff Harrington
St. Petersburg Times
Congratulations. The recession is over.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Opt-out: still a bad idea for Florida
By Sinfonian
Blast Off!
Normally I don't re-run blog posts, but in light of the announcement today by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Noballs) that the Senate would move forward with the "public option with opt-out" on health care reform, I think it's important to reiterate what I said on October 8: Florida will opt out of any federal health care scheme if it is allowed to do so via legislation.

God Loves Oil
By Julie Hauserman
Progress Florida
I didn't realize that those of us who oppose oil rigs off Florida beaches were a bunch of Godless voodoo worshippers until I watched the WFSU-Gannett oil driling debate last night.

Obama In Florida: Power & Light
By Daniel Tilson
Progress Florida
President Obama's appearance today at America's largest solar power plant, a Florida Power & Light (FPL) facility in DeSoto County, was of course planned to rally support for the administration's renewable energy efforts and green economy initiatives.

Here's what Charlie Crist can do to save his about-to-be-in-danger campaign
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
It's been a long time since I helped out on one of your campaigns.

In Florida, don't get too close to FPL, President Obama: you could get a shock
By Gimleteye
Eye On Miami
Today President Obama takes the bully pulpit for a new energy future to a rural, conservative town in Florida; Arcadia where Florida Power and Light is building the largest solar energy facility in the nation.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Vice President Biden touts economic recovery, raises money for Dems in Boca Raton
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
The Obama administration's South Florida money-raising blitz continued today when Vice President Joe Biden headlined a $1,000-and-up lunch for the Democratic National Committee at the home of key party financier and former Lehman Brothers investment banker Mark Gilbert.

2010 RACES

Ag industry hears from gubernatorial hopefuls
By Ron Hurtibise
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Voters won't cast ballots for Florida's next governor for another year, but the race to succeed Charlie Crist is already considered one of the nation's hottest.

Politically inept imposter claims to be Charlie Crist
By Ron Littlepage
Florida Times-Union
Someone obviously has kidnapped Charlie Crist and replaced him with a bungling imposter.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Tired of dead-end development? Let's take back our cities!
By Mel Kelly
Destin Log
What does "growth" really look like to Florida communities?

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Forever isn't political
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
This week, gubernatorial candidates Alex Sink and Bill McCollum seemed the last people capable of agreeing on anything, given their freewheeling attacks on each other for failing to stop rogue debt collectors from threatening Floridians.

EDUCATION

Duval parents will soon see grades via online portal
By Mary Kelli Palka
Florida Times-Union
Most Duval County parents will have access beginning next week to their children's grades and attendance thanks to a new online portal that has been phased into service since January.

Brogan advocates for universities
By Angeline J. Taylor
Tallahassee Democrat
Frank Brogan, chancellor of Florida's university system, was deemed a visionary after he spoke during the Capital Tiger Bay Club luncheon Thursday.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

House Dems unveil health bill, cheered on by Obama
By David Espo
The Associated Press
Cheered by President Barack Obama, House Democrats rolled out landmark legislation Thursday to extend health care to tens of millions who lack coverage, impose sweeping new restrictions on the insurance industry and create a government-run option to compete with private insurers.

Federal drywall report has few answers
By Aaron Kessler
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A report issued Thursday by federal agencies investigating Chinese drywall left open most of the fundamental questions surrounding the problematic wallboard.

Sen. Gaetz: Cancer patients in trials need coverage
The Associated Press
Panama City News Herald
Don Gaetz wants insurance companies and HMOs in the state to stop denying coverage of routine medical treatment, such as doctor's visits and X-rays, for Florida cancer patients participating in clinical trials.

Hundreds arrested in Florida pill-mill probe
By Scott Hiaasen
Miami Herald
State and federal agents in Kentucky have arrested more than 300 people in the past two days for trafficking in prescription painkillers bought at pain clinics in Florida and other states.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Fla. justices respond to death penalty confusion
The Associated Press
Gainesville Sun
The Florida Supreme Court revised standard jury instructions for death penalty cases Thursday in ways the justices hope will reduce widespread confusion among jurors disclosed by an American Bar Association survey.



Progress Florida promotes progressive values through online organizing, media outreach, networking with Florida's leading progressive organizations, and empowering citizens (that's you) to push for progressive change throughout the Sunshine State. To learn more and take action visit www.ProgressFlorida.org.





”Progressive Solutions for Florida!”

Daily Clips for October 29, 2009

FEATURED STORIES

Offshore-drilling debate reveals upcoming battle lines
By Josh Hafenbrack
Orlando Sentinel
Related editorial: Caveat emptor on drilling
Envision oil derricks cluttering Florida's sunset views. Oil spills threatening marine life, turning beach sand black and scaring away tourists.

National issues creeping into Florida governor's race
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Hoping to capitalize on President Barack Obama's declining popularity in Florida, Republican governor candidate Bill McCollum is trying to tie his Democratic opponent, Alex Sink, to Obama and national issues pushed by Democrats.

As Slaying Trial Rolls On, Hate Crime Laws Expanded
By Jason Geary
Lakeland Ledger
The parents of Ryan Keith Skipper sat Wednesday in a Bartow courtroom, listening to evidence in the trial of a man accused of killing Skipper.

Though Gov. Charlie Crist had signed a death warrant, court stays execution
By Steve Bousquet and Marc Caputo
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday blocked the execution of a triple murderer and expressed frustration over Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to sign a death warrant while the killer still had appeals pending.

FLORIDA POLITICS

A partisan ploy fit for the wastebasket
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite apparently does not have enough to do in Washington.

2010 RACES

National GOP vets new challengers for Grayson
By Mark K. Matthews and David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
National Republicans met with two potential challengers to U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson on Wednesday as the GOP establishment continued to search for a candidate who can topple the outspoken freshman Democrat from Orlando.

Sen. Nelson backs Meek
Staff Report
Pensacola News Journal
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has endorsed U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek for the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Senate candidate tours Northwest Florida
By Tom McLaughlin
Northwest Florida Daily News
U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio admitted, perhaps somewhat disingenuously, that he's not sure where he and his Republican primary opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist, differ on the issues.

Crist takes his lumps, and rightly so
Editorial
Ft. Myers News-Press
It's been a tough couple of weeks for Gov. Charlie Crist, who is losing ground in his fight for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

City OKs benefits for same-sex couples
By TaMaryn Waters
Tallahassee Democrat
City Hall chambers erupted in cheers and applause Wednesday after the Tallahassee City Commission unanimously voted to change its benefits policy to include same-sex and domestic partnerships.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Cash cow or curse? Drilling experts offer familiar promises, warnings
By Jim Ash
Tallahassee Democrat
Related: Viewers respond, raise their own concerns about off-shore drilling
Offshore drilling would bring 20,000 new jobs and $2 billion a year to Florida, or it would doom a $60-billion-a-year industry that draws millions of tourists to Florida's pristine beaches.

Everglades at mercy of county, group says
By Paul Quinlan
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A high-profile growth watchdog group called on the state of Florida Wednesday to rein in the Palm Beach County Commission, whose land use decisions, they fear, will cripple the multibillion-dollar Everglades restoration.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

GOP lawmakers may be warming to changing Florida unemployment system to get more federal stimulus cash
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post via News Service of Florida
With Congress poised to extend jobless benefits, the red ink flooding Florida's unemployment compensation system is deepening and now also spurring renewed calls for change from both Democrats and Republicans.

Ares I-X flies -- but will program?
By Robert Block
Orlando Sentinel
After a one-day wait for the clouds to clear, the Ares I-X test rocket finally blasted off from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday morning in a picture-perfect launch certain to heat up the debate about the future of NASA's human-spaceflight program.

Room-tax battle heats up between Fla. counties and online travel bookers
By Steve Bousquet
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
The big-money battle between Florida counties and online hotel booking companies reached the apex of state government Tuesday, but there's still no solution in sight.

EDUCATION

Commissioner of Education discusses ``very conservative'' budget proposal
By Patricia Mazzei and Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald
Echoing the calls of President Barack Obama, state Commissioner of Education Eric Smith on Wednesday urged parents to play a greater role in their child's schooling.

Statewide education cuts draw parental attention in Manatee
By Natalie Neysa Alund
Bradenton Herald
A group of Manatee County parents who are concerned about cuts in state education funding is making efforts to let state lawmakers know they are fed up.

Group pushes regulations for restraining disabled students
By Janine Zeitlin
Ft. Myers News-Press
Florida parents behind a renewed push to prevent seclusion and restraint in classrooms are buoyed by a federal report that raises concerns about potentially deadly misuse.

Insurer's ties to Broward School Board member Stephanie Kraft raise concerns
By David Fleshler and Megan O'Matz
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
During the 2006 race for Coral Springs City Commission, Vista Healthplan and its affiliates donated the maximum allowed by law to the campaign of a political novice who had recently lost his job as Tamarac city attorney.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Panic time as subsidy nears end
By David Gulliver
Health News Florida
Hearing a phrase like "COBRA subsidy termination" makes your eyes glaze over -- until your family's health rides on it.

So far, South Florida escaping brunt of swine flu
By Fred Tasker
Miami Herald
Is South Florida catching a break from the H1N1 virus, or is this only a lull before the storm?

Insurers may have to cover cancer trials
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Health News Florida
Insurance companies and HMOs in Florida may be required to keep covering their policyholders who have cancer when they enter clinical trials.

Federal officials eye ban on Gulf oysters
By Lise Fisher
Gainesville Sun
Federal officials plan to ban sales of raw oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico unless the shellfish are treated to destroy potentially deadly bacteria.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

List of nominees for judicial seats heading to Crist
By Cindy Swirko and Karen Voyles
Gainesville Sun
Area residents who want to back a specific candidate for one of the open judicial seats may write to Gov. Charlie Crist's staff.

Progress Florida promotes progressive values through online organizing, media outreach, networking with Florida's leading progressive organizations, and empowering citizens (that's you) to push for progressive change throughout the Sunshine State. To learn more and take action visit www.ProgressFlorida.org.





”Progressive Solutions for Florida!”

Daily Clips for October 28, 2009

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

An analysis: In Obama's juggling of key priorities, hints of urgency
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Excerpt: "It shows we don't have the luxury of fixing our problems one at a time," said Damian Filer, political director for Progress Florida.

FEATURED STORIES

President Obama uses FPL solar electric plant to announce $3.4 billion for smart energy grid
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Invoking America's construction of an Interstate highway system half a century ago, President Obama today called for creation of a "clean energy superhighway" in remarks at what Florida Power and Light Co. bills as the largest photovoltaic solar plant in the nation.

In Florida, Obama Trip Trips Up Governor
By Damien Cave
New York Times
Quite a few Floridians knew that President Obama would be visiting a Navy base in Jacksonville on Monday. Gov. Charlie Crist was apparently not one of them.

The public option has Crist riled
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
As prospects for a government-run insurance plan increase in Washington, Gov. Charlie Crist and other top Florida officials in Tallahassee are openly hostile to the idea or at least very reluctant to embrace it.

Consumer groups criticize banks' lobbying against reforms
By Richard Burnett
Orlando Sentinel
Consumer activists assailed big U.S. banks on Tuesday, calling for the financial industry to halt a multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign against federal regulatory reforms they said would help average Americans.

State regulators delay vote on Progress Energy, FPL rate increases
By Marc Caputo
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Handing Gov. Charlie Crist a win, state utility regulators voted Tuesday to delay a decision on large rate increases sought by Progress Energy Florida and Florida Power & Light.

Start to cap gusher of hype
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Take the reader poll: To drill or not to drill?
Over two hours Wednesday, the question of allowing oil and natural gas drilling off the Florida coast will get a more honest debate than the issue got last spring over several days in the Legislature.

FLORIDA POLITICS

President Obama rallies Florida Democrats in Miami Beach
By Beth Reinhard and Steve Bousquet
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
President Barack Obama dashed from a Navy hangar in Jacksonville to a swanky Miami Beach hotel Monday to buff his image in a recession-weary state and bag $1.5 million to defend the Democratic majority in Congress.

Gov. Charlie Crist shrugs off criticism
By Steve Bousquet
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
It was a bizarre Tuesday for Charlie Crist.

Working every day for Florida
By Gov. Charlie Crist
St. Petersburg Times
Editor's note: Gov. Charlie Crist responds to Saturday's article in the Times, "Schedule: Crist takes 10 weeks off a year,'' and Tuesday's editorial, "A part-time governor for a full-time job.''

Brown-Waite to Obama: Don't pick up that Peace Prize so fast
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
While many people were wondering what President Barack Obama did to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite began researching another question: Can he even accept the award?

Alan Grayson apologizes for remarks about woman lobbyist -- but he may have crossed a line
By Mark Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
Since taking office in January, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson has elbowed his way into the national spotlight by insulting Republicans and posting the verbal attacks online.

2010 RACES

State law: Both Alex Sink's and Bill McCollum's offices should police debt collectors
By Aaron Deslatte and Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink blame each other for the state's lax oversight of abusive debt collectors, but state law indicates that both bear some responsibility for protecting the public.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Leon commissioners defer on 'Hometown Democracy' stance
By TaMaryn Waters
Tallahassee Democrat
Leon County commissioners decided not to take a stand on the heavily disputed proposed Hometown Democracy amendment during a workshop Tuesday.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Amid controversy, Buju Banton to play in Jacksonville on Thursday
By Heather Lovejoy
Florida Times-Union
Despite nationwide protests by gay rights organizations and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton is "absolutely coming" to Jacksonville, says Plush nightclub owner Tom Fisher.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Obama touts billions for 'smart grid' plan
By Zac Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
President Barack Obama came to this rural community Tuesday to tout an ambitious energy reform plan working through Congress, but he also came bearing gifts in the form of $200 million for Florida Power & Light to install 2.6 million "smart meters."

Launch of New Campaign uses Power in Numbers to Oppose Off Shore Drilling (includes video)
By Meagan O'Halloran
WJHG NBC News Panama City
The battle over off-shore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf is escalating.

Promise of drilling is vastly overblown
By Thomas Ballentine
Tallahassee Democrat
Related AP story: Fla. offshore drilling being debated on Internet
The recent hype concerning offshore oil and gas drilling in Florida falls into the category of "Much ado about almost nothing."

McCollum, Sink Agree on Funding for Florida Forever
By News Service of Florida
The Jacksonville Observer
For a mere $15 million, Florida lawmakers can secure $300 million for the state's Florida Forever program, a bargain even during cash-strapped times, the top contenders to replace Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday in a bit of campaign camaraderie.

Study raises new red flag on coastal development
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
As early as the 1980s, scientists warned that rising seas could submerge vast portions of Florida's coast.

Sen. Bennett chides DCA secretary over new growth management law
By Catherine Dolinski
Tampa Tribune
Mike Bennett, chairman of the Senate Committee on Community Affairs, was by no means pleased this month when state Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham told Bennett's panel that a new growth management law hadn't freed urban-area developers from transportation concurrency rules as lawmakers had expected.

Activists meet with feds over environmental racism
By Dionne Walker
Tampa Tribune
Environmental and racial justice activists from six states met with federal Environmental Protection Agency officials Tuesday to demand a revamp of the agency they accuse of overlooking years of chronic environmental missteps in minority communities across the South.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

State consumer confidence is no longer on the rise
By Anthony Clark
Gainesville Sun
Florida's consumer confidence leveled off in October after inching up the previous two months, while U.S. confidence fell unexpectedly, according to separate indexes.

Home prices edge up
Staff Report
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Home prices rose for the third straight month in August, a key ingredient for a broad and sustained housing recovery.

EDUCATION

After Complaints, Gates Foundation Opens Education Aid Offer to All States
By Sam Dillon
New York Times
Last July, Bill Gates sat down with lawmakers from 15 states in a conference room in Philadelphia, and he had good news.

Fla. Supreme Court denies NCAA motion for a stay
By Brent Kallestad
The Associated Press
The NCAA's bid to delay a court order to release its records on academic cheating at Florida State was rejected Tuesday by the Florida Supreme Court.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Democrats struggle to find unity on health plan
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
The Associated Press
Democrats are still struggling to find a strategy that will let them push a health care overhaul through the Senate and fulfill President Barack Obama's goal of signing a bill this year.

Public option on roll, but not here
By Gary Fineout
Health News Florida
As a public option in health reform gains momentum in Washington, Republican officials uniformly condemned it today.

Boyd, Miller stay put on health care
By Matt Dixon
Panama City News Herald
While the news cycle swirls around word a version of the government-run public option will be in the Senate health-care reform bill, the tailwind has not swayed area members of Congress.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Court Asked to Block Scheduled Execution
Staff Report
Lakeland Ledger
Lawyers for Paul Beasley Johnson, a triple murderer from Polk County, requested Tuesday that his execution scheduled for next month be halted.




Progress Florida promotes progressive values through online organizing, media outreach, networking with Florida's leading progressive organizations, and empowering citizens (that's you) to push for progressive change throughout the Sunshine State. To learn more and take action visit www.ProgressFlorida.org.





”Progressive Solutions for Florida!”