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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Daily Clips for January 21, 2010


FEATURED STORIES

Florida Democrats insist all is not lost

By Adam C. Smith and Beth Reinhard

Miami Herald

You know Democrats have a serious problem when Republicans can pick off Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in the bluest of blue states.


Massachusetts Senate election shines spotlight on Rubio

By William March

Tampa Tribune

As pundits nationwide debate the meaning of Tuesday's startling Massachusetts Senate election, the spotlight is shining brighter on Marco Rubio than almost any other political candidate.


Economist: Lawmakers will continue to face steep budget challenges

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

The bad news will keep coming, a state economist warned Wednesday, with already record joblessness likely to rise to all-time highs.


Senate chief says no new taxes, fees to balance budget

The Associated Press

Tampa Tribune

Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater told his chamber's budget writers today not to raise taxes or fees during this election year to close a projected spending gap of up to $3.2 billion.


FLORIDA POLITICS

Bill would curb Florida lawmakers' ability to benefit from votes

By Steve Bousquet

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

For the third straight year, state Sen. Paula Dockery is pushing for a state law to prevent legislators from voting on issues that would personally benefit them or their relatives.


Rep. Fetterman, Sen. Dockery team up for bi-partisan support to protect money in state trust funds

By Jim Turner

TC Palm

Rep. Adam Fetterman, D-Port St. Lucie, and Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, will host a news conference today to announce bi-partisan support to protect money in state trust funds and to halt lawmakers from voting on bills that may personally benefit them.


McCollum's MLK Day problem

Staff Report

The Buzz Blog

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican running for governor, said he regrets a long-ago 1983 vote he made as a congressman against making Martin Luther King Day a paid federal holiday.


The Fla GOP soap opera continues

By Adam C. Smith

The Buzz Blog

Republicans throughout the country have lots of reason for optimism one day after the bombshell election in Massachusetts.


Crist tours facility for Haiti quake survivors

The Associated Press

Palm Beach Post

Gov. Charlie Crist toured a facility that has become a point of entry for U.S. nationals and non-Haitian foreigners fleeing the earthquake-devastated nation.


POLITICAL RACES

Rubio speaks at school Crist once investigated

By William March

Tampa Tribune

Marco Rubio's campaign appearance in Tampa Wednesday was at a ribbon-cutting for Everest Online University, now finishing a building where it employs some 800 people.


BALLOT INITIATIVES

Giving voters the say on development plans

By Tom Lyons

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Related: Manatee's McClash favors amendment

As amendment titles go, "Hometown Democracy" is the apple pie kind that usually makes me suspicious.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

U.S. expects 200,000 Haitians to apply for protected status

By Ken Kaye

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services expects up to 200,000 undocumented Haitians nationwide to apply for Temporary Protected Status, which would allow them to obtain temporary work permits within 90 days instead of the usual six months.


ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

House panel considers Florida Forever funding

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

A House committee's budget exercise includes proposed new money for Florida Forever but the land-buying program may still face an uphill battle to get funded for the 2010-11 fiscal year.


Up against the law, fuel pumps go dark

By Kim Hackett

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Hundreds of Florida gas stations, including 39 in Southwest Florida, have closed since Dec. 31 because of an environmental protection law intended to protect drinking water resources.


New laws aim to rid South Florida of `injurious' snake species

By Curtis Morgan

Miami Herald

Federal wildlife managers said Wednesday they will pursue a ban on the import of Burmese python and eight other giant exotic snakes that threaten the Everglades.


Stimulus funds help Red Hills ecosystem

By Dave Hodges

Tallahassee Democrat

Federal stimulus dollars have found their way to Tallahassee yet again with the start of an environmental project designed to improve pine forest habitat for endangered species living in the Red Hills region.


EPA to Florida: No more rivers green as grass

Editorial

Daytona Beach News-Journal

Here's Florida's standard for clean water: "In no case shall nutrient concentrations of a body of water be altered so as to cause an imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora or fauna."


JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Economist: No Florida recovery soon, 12 percent unemployment looming

By Dara Kam

Palm Beach Post

Florida may have hit its economic rock-bottom but that doesn't mean it's on the road to recovery, a state economist told the Senate Wednesday, as the state's unemployment rate probably will climb to 12 percent within a few months.


New campaign to reduce the power of giant banks (audio story)

By Robert Lorei

WMNF Community Radio Tampa

The initiative is called "Move Your Money", and it's encouraging Americans to take their money out of big banks, and move it into locally-owned banks and credit unions.


Produce prices rising in wake of Florida freeze

By Susan Salisbury

Palm Beach Post

When it comes to damage from a dozen-day freeze that hit Glades area growers earlier this month, it's not just about withered sweet corn or green beans turned to mush.


Three hard truths about local tax cuts in Florida

By Howard Troxler

St. Petersburg Times

The phrase "ticking time bomb" is overused. But there's a story lurking out there about Florida's cities and counties that will only get bigger.


Space Florida's Vision for 2020

By Diane Sears

Florida Trend

Frank DiBello was named president of Space Florida in September after serving as interim chief of the organization, which leads development of the state's aerospace industry. He spoke with Florida Trend about Vision 2020, the organization's long-range plan.


New bill aims to create Florida jobs via entertainment industry

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

Republican House and Senate leaders on Wednesday suggested a cure to Florida's sluggish economy and record unemployment rate -- go to the movies.


$1.5 billion in public money for biotech hasn't paid off yet

By Jeff Ostrowski

Palm Beach Post

Florida taxpayers have spent more than $1.5 billion to turn the state into a biotech hub, but the payoff remains elusive, according to a new report by a legislative research group.


Officials: Rail service project needs support

By Heather Scofield

Daytona Beach News-Journal

Local and state officials have put on their fighting gloves in a battle to bring passenger rail service to Florida's East Coast using federal stimulus money.


EDUCATION

State official: Diploma doesn't prepare kids for college

By Catherine Whittenburg

Tampa Tribune

Florida is "not truthful" with parents about the fact that earning a high school diploma does not prepare students for college, said a top state education official who called for reform.


Florida Prepaid tuition plan: Still a good deal?

By Scott Travis

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Florida's Prepaid plan once seemed like a no-brainer when it came to saving for college.


HEALTH AND SENIORS

After loss, state's Democrats look ahead on health care

By Jeremy Wallace

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

A day after Democrats lost their filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate, some Florida Democrats said Wednesday they are sticking with health care reform, even if it means having to accept a U.S. Senate version of the legislation.


Final option: Send health bill to House

Editorial

Tampa Tribune

Now, at least, there is clarity in the battle over health care reform.


JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

At $280 a day, housing juvenile offenders is too costly, county officials say

By Bill Varian

St. Petersburg Times

Crime has a steep price for taxpayers when it's committed by a child in most parts of Florida.


At auction: nefarious Scott Rothstein knick-knacks

By Jay Weaver and Amy Sherman

Miami Herald

As con man Scott Rothstein idles away his time in a federal jail, an auction house Thursday will begin showcasing the eclectic collection of ``toys'' from his bankrupt law offices.

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