Daily Clips for January 20, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

McCollum calls health plan unconstitutional, may sue feds

By Marc Caputo

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum said Tuesday that Congress has no constitutional right to force people to buy health insurance -- and he'll sue to stop the proposal if it becomes law.

The Undecideds: No regrets about Obama, but hardly any enthusiasm either

By Adam C. Smith

St. Petersburg Times

Related editorial: A year of progress, a tough road ahead

Democrat Rhonda Laris can't understand why President Barack Obama is so consumed with overhauling health care, instead of helping people like her husband find work.

Meek: What Haiti needs is leadership on the ground

By Luisa Yanez and Elinor Brecher

Miami Herald

Related: Pedro Pan plan for Haiti unlikely to happen

What the relief effort in Haiti desperately needs is generals, said U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, speaking in Miami on Tuesday hours after ending a two-day visit to Port-au-Prince.

Fla. emergency responders help US citizens return from Haiti

By Paul Flemming

Tallahassee Democrat

Florida emergency responders have taken the lead coordinating the return home of U.S. citizens from Haiti following the devastating earthquake there last week.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Sansom asks House for another delay

By Alex Leary

The Buzz Blog

Rep. Ray Sansom sent a letter today to the House Select Committee asking that it postpone any action, including his motion to dismiss the case against him, while he seeks a new attorney.

Florida Legislature could take a look at regulating Internet poker

By Brandon Larrabee

Florida Times-Union

Lawmakers could consider regulating Internet poker during the coming legislative session, with options ranging from banning the activity altogether to allowing and drawing revenue from the games.

Florida tattoo artists face tighter safety regulations

By Shannon Colavecchio

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Flanked by several tattoo artists whose body art peeked through the tops of their three-piece suits, South Florida Rep. Mary Brandenburg on Tuesday unveiled legislation that she said would make tattoos safer for teens and adults.

Disney gave $550,000 to Florida politicians and political groups in 2009

By Jason Garcia

Orlando Sentinel

Walt Disney World donated more than $407,000 to Florida politicians and political groups in 2009, according to updated state records.

Nonprofit Web site to cover Florida news

By Zac Anderson

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

One of Florida's largest foundations is forming a nonprofit news agency to increase coverage of statewide issues and their local impact.

POLITICAL RACES

Axelrod downplays threat to Florida Democrats

By Alex Leary

St. Petersburg Times

Marco Rubio has gotten a lot of juice in his Republican U.S. Senate bid by forcefully criticizing some of President Barack Obama's top priorities.

GOP hopes momentum travels south after big win in Massachusetts

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

If Republicans can win liberal lion Ted Kennedy's old Senate seat in Massachusetts, could the GOP capture fire-breathing liberal Robert Wexler's old congressional seat in South Florida?

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Pols want to rig votes -- and use your money to do it

By Scott Maxwell

Orlando Sentinel

There's a good chance Florida politicians are going to spend your money telling you how to vote this year.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

South Miami approves benefits for domestic partners

By Laura Morales

Miami Herald

When South Miami Mayor Horace Feliu and Commissioner Valerie Newman are on the same page, you know the issue transcends politics.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Florida oil drilling opponents challenge report

By Mary Ellen Klas

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

Related: Nelson: Oil drilling is incompatible with military training

Oil drilling opponents attempted to refute one of the most potent arguments against drilling off Florida shores Tuesday with a new report that suggests that weapons testing and pilot training is compatible with oil rigs and pipelines.

Bill would require permit votes again

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

SB 142 by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Mount Dora, would reverse the Legislature's elimination last year of a requirement that water-management district boards vote to approve water-use permits.

Florida has a few fixes for Lee plan

By Gabriella Souza

Ft. Myers News-Press

Lee County will look at state-recommended changes in the next few weeks to a plan to protect 83,000 acres in southeast Lee County.

New EPA water rules worth every penny

Editorial

Miami Herald

Few things are more deadly to a healthy watery ecosystem than algae, much of which comes from nutrients in fertilizers and pollutants that wash from the land into waterways during rainstorms.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Space Caucus unveils jobs agenda

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

A day before a Senate appropriations committee planned to discuss a$2.6 billion budget shortfall, the newly formed Florida Space Caucus unveiled its agenda for dealing with the loss of 4,500 jobs when NASA retires the shuttle later this year.

Biotech: Florida's $759M has created 1,100 jobs so far

By Aaron Delatte

Orlando Sentinel

Florida has invested $759 million to pay for equipment, lab space and salaries at eight biotechnology campuses since 2003, all in the hope of kick-starting the creation of "clusters" of high-paying jobs around them.

Slogans won't heal state economy

Editorial

Tampa Tribune

With the state's unemployment rate at levels never before seen by today's workers, the Legislature is under pressure to act.

Other people's money

Editorial

Daytona Beach News-Journal

The Wall Street bonus season isn't about rewards for jobs well done. Citigroup and Merrill Lynch lost a combined $54 billion in 2008, about the same amount they received in tax-funded bailout money.

EDUCATION

Obama plans to bolster Race to the Top program

By Kathleen McGrory

Miami Herald

President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced his plans to extend the federal Race to the Top initiative for an additional year.

School Board intends to take part in Race to the Top

By Harriet Daniels

Gainesville Sun

While many questions remain unanswered, the Alachua County School Board joined most districts around the state in stating its intent to participate in the Race to the Top federal grant process, which could mean millions of dollars for the state.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Florida attorney general: Requiring Americans to pay for health insurance 'unconstitutional'

By Josh Hafenbrack

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum said Tuesday that requiring Americans to buy health insurance or face a government penalty is unconstitutional and vowed to file a lawsuit to block it.

Daschle tells UF crowd health reform won't be revisited anytime soon

By Nathan Crabbe

Gainesville Sun

If Democrats fail to pass health care reform, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said he expects it will be a long time before Congress revisits the issue.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Florida bill would lift time limit on wrongful-death claims

By John Frank

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

The 30-year mystery of Jeffrey Klee's disappearance ended with the discovery of his remains in a watery grave in Broward County two years ago, but his family's fight for justice continues.

Courtrooms adjusting to a new Florida Supreme Court order against restraining juvenile defendants

By Colleen Jenkins

St. Petersburg Times

Judges and court security staffs statewide are scrambling to comply with a new rule that ends the indiscriminate shackling of juveniles in courtrooms.