Daily Clips for December 23, 2009

FEATURED STORIES

Diaz-Balarts withdraw endorsement of Gov. Crist for U.S. Senate
By Lesley Clark and Beth Reinhard
Miami Herald
Miami Republican U.S. Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart have pulled their endorsement of Gov. Charlie Crist for the Senate, dealing his campaign a significant blow in South Florida's Hispanic community.

Lawmakers announce jobs forum
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
The incoming leaders of the Florida Legislature announced plans Tuesday for a statewide conference on job creation next month in Orlando.

Punch-drunk Charlie Crist reels in tax-cut bait
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Charlie Crist nowadays is looking more beat-up than Rocky at the end of his bout with Apollo Creed.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Alex Sink wants reform for the State Board of Administrators
By Joshua Holton
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Almost one million Floridians rely on the state's $112 billion pension fund.

Legislators seek extra day off for state workers
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
State Rep. Alan Williams asked Gov. Charlie Crist Tuesday to give state employees a day off for Christmas Eve.

Florida Senate report urges blood business to open up
By Mike Clary
Orlando Sentinel
While asserting that Florida's blood supply is safe and adequate, a state Senate committee recommends that nonprofit blood collection centers open up about their business practices to increase competition and reassure the public that they are ethically and fiscally sound.

What's cooking with 'Wafflegate?'
Editorial
Tampa Tribune
Officials with the state Department of Transportation spent months negotiating in secret with CSX Railroad to cut the deal that would eventually become SunRail - the $495 million purchase of 61 miles of track for commuter rail near Orlando.

Lobbyists' spending still too secretive
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Businesses and other special interests spent an estimated $116.5 million last year trying to influence the Florida Legislature.

2010 RACES

Political grandstanding or making sure that "justice" is done?
By Gary Fineout
The Fine Print
The battle to become Florida's next Attorney General may hinge on one simple question: What is the proper role for the state's top legal officer?

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Regulators set to release opinion on FPL rate hike
By Susan Salisbury
Palm Beach Post
Another step along an unexpectedly bumpy road for Florida Power & Light Co.'s proposed $1.4 billion rate hike is due Wednesday.

FGCU solar field switched on to provide power to part of campus
By Leslie Williams Hale
Naples News
There was no flip of a giant switch or flickering of lights.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Citizens No-Bid Contract Questioned
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
Citizens, the state-run property insurance company, is under fire for awarding a contract worth up to 60 million dollars without a bid.

Tampa Bay home sales surge 34 percent over last November
By James Thorner
St. Petersburg Times
Department stores use the tactic all the time: attract bargain hunters with promises of soon-to-end sales.

In Southwest Florida, number of home sales begins to level off
By Tom Bayles
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Stability has returned to the Southwest Florida real estate market -- for now.

Job creation is Job 1
By Mike Haridopolos and Dean Cannon
Tallahassee Democrat
When the throngs gather in Times Square to herald a New Year of hope, many Floridians will be all too glad to close the books on 2009.

EDUCATION

Florida's graduation rate nothing to be proud about
By Lawton 'Bud' Chiles
TC Palm
It's past time to move beyond political myth and rhetoric regarding Florida's educational quality and move toward a real awareness of and solution to a major crisis facing our state -- the education of our kids.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Lessons of reform: progress in spite of noise and fury of opposition
Editorial
Daytona Beach News-Journal
When New York Times/CBS pollsters asked respondents if they understood "the health care reforms under consideration in Congress" back in September, 59 percent said they were confused.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Rothstein's office contents to be sold at auction
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Belongings of a South Florida lawyer charged with operating a $1 billion Ponzi scheme are going on the auction block.