FEATURED STORIES
GOP division seen as strength, weakness
By William March
Tampa Tribune
"The Republican Party - at war with itself, not ready to lead."
Florida GOP's No. 2 leader steps down
Staff Report
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A top Florida Republican leader and a key critic of outgoing party chairman Jim Greer announced his resignation Thursday.
Oil drilling researchers face deadline
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A group that stands to have considerable influence over the future of oil drilling off the Florida coast is unlikely to present its findings to the Legislature until the first week of March.
In Sansom case, prosecutor 'just trying to do what I think is right'
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Some 25 years ago in a Baptist church in Tallahassee, Willie Meggs was listening to a preacher philosophize over his fiery condemnations.
BEST OF THE BLOGS
So Long, "Big Jim," I'll Miss You
By Buck Banks
Pensito Review
Jim "Big Jim" Greer announced today that he is resigning as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, effective Feb. 20.
More on Crist's base (or lack thereof)
By Steve Schale
Steve Schale
This weekend, both the Times/Herald bureau and the Sentinel papers tackled this issue of Crist and his base. Now that this is the political question de jour, I wanted to see if the data backed it up.
Rep. Rick Kriseman debuts '53 Fixes' effort
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
Launching a new online effort called "53 Fixes", Rep. Rick Kriseman demonstrates again why he is one of Florida's leading Democrats.
2010 Legislature: More of the Stuff That Doesn't Work
By Ray Seaman
Progress Florida
Senator Mike Haridpolos and Representative Dean Cannon aren't Senate President and House Speaker yet, but they're already set to do a bang up job during this year's legislative session.
Florida leads the nation in international migration
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
The New York Times analyzed new statistics by the US Census Bureau, and concludes "Florida is now 45th in domestic migration growth after ranking first from July 2001 to July 2005."
FLORIDA POLITICS
Crist to GOP: Return to basics
By Rick Neale
Florida Today
Related editorial: Open the books
Using football analogies, Gov. Charlie Crist called on the Florida Republican Party to regroup after a tumultuous week and craft a game plan for the November elections.
State review raises questions about Juvenile Justice secretary's spending
By Steve Bousquet and Lee Logan
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Florida juvenile justice chief Frank Peterman's extensive travel at taxpayer expense includes thousands of dollars in extra charges because of missed flights as well as $2,300 in airport parking costs called "excessive" in an ongoing state review.
Meeting set to discuss Sunshine Law bill
By Matt Dixon
Panama City News Herald
A meeting next week will get the ball rolling on legislation that could determine how the Sunshine Law applies to certain economic development groups.
When an official texts, is it a public record?
By Josh Hafenbrack and Kathy Bushouse
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
From the school board to the state Capitol, public officials love texting.
2 lawmakers say Venezuela belongs on U.S. terror list
By Casto Ocando
Miami Herald
Citing ``overwhelming'' evidence and recent federal reports that confirm growing ties between Venezuela and international drug trafficking networks, Republican members of Congress have this week asked the Obama administration to put the oil-producing country on the list of nations that require monitoring because they pose a security risk.
POLITICAL RACES
Senate hopeful Kendrick Meek visits UF
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
While national attention has been focused on Florida's Republican contenders for the U.S. Senate, Kendrick Meek has been flying under the radar.
Election laws in play as Kelly, Baxley try House flip
By Bill Thompson
Ocala Star-Banner
State Rep. Kurt Kelly's decision to run for Congress, and a subsequent announcement by Dennis Baxley, Kelly's predecessor, that he will run for his old seat, offers voters a lesson in the nuances of election laws.
Bill McCollum uses health care block to burnish his conservative credentials
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
As Congress negotiates the final version of health care reform legislation there is a move to derail the effort through legal action among Republican lawmakers and state attorneys general, including Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Crist short on details on help for Brevard during visit to Space Coast
By Robert Block
Florida Today
With the Space Coast facing the loss of as many as 19,000 jobs when the space shuttle is retired later this year, Gov. Charlie Crist came to town to check out what the state might be able to do to soften the blow.
Fannie Mae relaxes Florida condo standards
The Associated Press
Gainesville Sun
Fannie Mae, which had been restricting loans to buyers of condominiums in Florida, is now relaxing some of those standards.
EDUCATION
Florida student spike straps schools
The Associated Press
Florida Times-Union
Florida's public schools are facing a midyear money crunch due to an unexpected increase of 12,310 students after four years of declining enrollments.
Cyber-Bullying a Growing Epidemic for Florida Kids
By Gina Presson
Public News Service Florida
Bullying is no longer limited to playgrounds and school hallways - it's happening to kids on-line and on cell phones.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Jackson Health System halts dialysis for poor patients
By John Dorschner and Juan Carlos Chavez
Miami Herald
The financially strapped Jackson Health System has stopped paying for dialysis treatments for 175 poor patients with failing kidneys -- a decision that experts say could be deadly.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Florida Supreme Court reprimands ex-Rep. Miguel De Grandy
The Associated Press
Miami Herald
The Florida Supreme Court has reprimanded former state Rep. Miguel De Grandy, now a special counsel for the House.
Fort Myers man denied death-sentence appeal by Supreme Court
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
The Florida Supreme Court denied a death-sentence appeal Thursday in the case of a Fort Myers man who refused to let lawyers show mitigating facts that might have kept him off of Death Row.
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