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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Daily Clips for February 2, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

U.S. to pay for victims' treatment in Fla.

By John Dorschner, Beth Reinhard, Frances Robles and Elinor J. Brecher

Miami Herald

The U.S. government agreed Monday to pay for Haitian earthquake patients' treatment in Florida -- and to send some to other states -- five days after Gov. Charlie Crist's written request for federal relief.


Florida GOP aims to weaken class-size amendment as final caps take effect this year

By Dara Kam

Palm Beach Post

More than $16 billion and eight years later after voters put class-size limits into the state constitution, GOP lawmakers are once again trying to weaken the caps while teachers and Democrats are lining up to fight it.


Researchers warn of drilling dangers at symposium

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

Seismic testing associated with offshore oil and gas drilling could harm Florida's $6 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry, a Florida State University researcher warned on Monday.


Obama's NASA plans irk some Florida leaders

By Kris Hundley and Alex Leary

St. Petersburg Times

President Barack Obama wants to make dramatic changes in how NASA functions, jettisoning plans to return to the moon, letting private companies handle human transport into lower orbit and focusing the nation's space agency on new rocket technology.


Tampa among 4 finalists for 2012 Republican convention

By Christian M. Wade

Tampa Tribune

Tampa is a finalist in a bid to host the 2012 Republican National Convention.

FLORIDA POLITICS

House committee to hear Sansom's motions Tuesday

By Tom McLaughlin

Northwest Florida Daily News

State Rep. Ray Sansom's motion to have his legislative misconduct hearing put off until criminal charges against him are adjudicated will likely fall on deaf ears.


Legislature to grapple with plan to tighten ethics loopholes at PSC

By Mary Ellen Klas

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

Florida lawmakers will take up legislation Tuesday that would outlaw private conversations between Public Service Commission staff members and utility companies, a response to criticism that the agency is too close to the utilities it regulates.


More facing charges in GOP fundraiser Mendelsohn's case

By Jay Weaver

Miami Herald

Justice Department prosecutors now say they'll likely charge more defendants in March as part of the public corruption indictment against one-time major Republican fundraiser Alan Mendelsohn.

POLITICAL RACES

Rasmussen poll: Rubio 49%, Crist 37%; Obama disapproval at 58%

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows Marco Rubio opening up a 12-point lead on Gov. Charlie Crist in the GOP Senate primary race.


Wexler spent $346,998 in campaign funds after announcing retirement

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

Democrat Robert Wexler announced in October that he was leaving Congress.


Incumbent Rooney has fiscal advantage in race to keep his state District 16 seat

By Jim Turner

TC Palm

Florida's 16th District has been listed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee among its 26 "races to watch" in 2010.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Six measures make 2010 ballot

By News Service of Florida

St. Petersburg Times

Voters will decide on six proposed constitutional amendments this fall with Monday's end to the window for proposals to qualify for the ballot.


Elections: End gerrymandered districts

Editorial

Florida Times-Union

Citizens in Northeast Florida need to pay attention to the two redistricting amendments that will be on the November ballot.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Locals split over military's gay policy

By Troy Moon

Pensacola News Journal

People on both sides of the issue agree on one point -- gay men and women already serve honorably in the military.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

State backs down, won't ban throwaway bags

By Kevin Spear

Orlando Sentinel

No problem. That regular greeting at checkout counters doesn't look to go extinct in Florida's grocery and retail stores anytime soon after all.


Understanding of Gulf ecology lacking in drilling debate

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

Scientists' lack of understanding about the complex relationships between marine organisms should be considered in the debate about oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida State University researchers said today.


DEP questions proposed federal water standards

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

Some healthy streams and preserved streams in state parks and forests apparently won't meet new federal criteria for nitrogen and phosphorus, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.


FL Winter: "Expect the Unexpected" from Global Warming

By Gina Presson

Public News Service Florida

Record-breaking cold and frost in Miami, sinkholes caused by farmers watering crops to protect them from freezing in Central Florida, and extensive flooding near Tallahassee.


Getting It Right for Florida's Right Whales

By Glen Gardner

Public News Service Florida

A coalition of conservation groups wants the U.S. Navy to do the "right thing" for the right whales.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Obama's NASA plan: Swap rockets for research

By Mark K. Matthews and Robert Block

Orlando Sentinel

Related: NASA's new launch tower rises, but its mission is unclear

President Barack Obama outlined a dramatic new mission for NASA on Monday, getting the agency out of the rocket-launching business in favor of an aggressive expansion of research and development that would design futuristic vehicles capable of going beyond the moon.


$75M in crop damage spurs disaster declaration

By Bob Koslow

Daytona Beach News-Journal

Volusia County farmers suffered more than $75 million in crop damage, especially cut foliage, as a result of the hard freeze in January.


Demand for Social Services Up, Supply Down

By Margie Menzel

WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee

Florida's safety net for people in need is shredding in the face of escalating demand and dwindling resources, says the head of the state's United Way network.


Broward gets its shot as host of Super Bowl events

By James H. Burnett III

Miami Herald

Where can you go in South Florida to party with Playboy Playmates, NFL players, platinum-selling rappers and blues greats . . . in one week's time?


Florida's budget debate (or, Gov. Peppy vs. the Brothers Grimm)

By Howard Troxler

St. Petersburg Times

I dreamed that the governor of Florida was leading a big parade down the street.


Gov. Crist's budget proposal skirts reality, placing the state's fiscal future in jeopardy

Editorial

Orlando Sentinel

Hardly anyone in Florida hasn't felt the sting of the state's economy, from its hemorrhaging housing market to its dangerously high unemployment.


A budget rightly focused on jobs

Editorial

St. Petersburg Times

The president's proposed 2011 budget released Monday appropriately focuses on job incentives.

EDUCATION

Florida schools and working parents could fare well in Obama budget

By William E. Gibson

Orlando Sentinel

Florida's schools, working parents and waterways would fare well in President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the next fiscal year.


Florida officials wants high-quality-schools lawsuit dismissed

By Jeff Solochek

The Gradebook

The defendants in the high-quality-schools lawsuit filed a motion today to have the case dismissed.


Tens of thousands of Florida kids opt out of gym class

By Denise-Marie Balona

Orlando Sentinel

Tens of thousands of Florida children are ditching gym classes now that students in kindergarten through eighth grade can opt out with a note from Mom or Dad.


Time to kill the FCAT

Editorial

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

With the FCATs just around the corner, it is crunch time once again in South Florida's schools.


Don't abandon mandate for small class size

Editorial

Miami Herald

After years of supporting Florida's voter-approved class-size amendment, Gov. Charlie Crist now wants it to go away with a little creative math.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Organizations push for Florida Medicaid reform expansion

By Brandon Larrabee

Florida Times-Union

Managed-care organizations pressed Monday for lawmakers to move forward with a planned statewide expansion of the Medicaid reform program, while advocates for patients urged caution.


Blue Cross seeking rate increase on Cover Florida plans

By Jeremy Cox

Florida Times-Union

Cover Florida was designed to be what the state's 3.8 million uninsured residents had been waiting for: an affordable, accessible alternative to expensive health insurance plans.


Economic downturn? Not for these Tampa Bay nonprofit hospital chiefs

By Kris Hundley

St. Petersburg Times

While many workers in the Tampa Bay area have had their wages frozen or reduced in the past few years, life has been kinder to chief executives at nonprofit hospitals in the Tampa Bay area.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Selection to start for statewide anti-corruption panel

By Patricia Mazzei

Miami Herald

Selection will begin next week for a statewide grand jury created to look into public corruption and recommend changes to Florida law -- and state prosecutors are asking the public for tips on what to investigate.


Harry Singletary, first African-American to run Florida prisons, dies at 63

By Steve Bousquet

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Harry Singletary Jr., a basketball star at Florida Presbyterian College in St. Petersburg in the '60s who later became the first African-American to run the Florida prison system, died Friday (Jan. 29, 2010).


Florida juvenile justice chief Peterman repays state for travel expenses

By Steve Bousquet and Lee Logan

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Florida juvenile justice chief Frank Peterman has repaid the state about $25,000 for questionable travels from Tallahassee to St. Petersburg, where his family lives and where he still preaches at a Baptist church.

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