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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Friday, March 12, 2010

Daily Clips for March 12, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

Everglades deal clears hurdle, but faces several more

By Paul Quinlan and Michael C. Bender

Palm Beach Post

Worsening economic projections, a looming U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandate and even rising sea levels now threaten to scuttle Gov. Charlie Crist's half-billion-dollar Everglades restoration land deal with U.S. Sugar Corp. before its new, Sept. 30 deadline.


Economist: State could support 8 more casinos

By Martin Merzer

The Associated Press

Are cash-strapped Florida lawmakers ready to roll the dice on Las Vegas-style gambling resorts - or is it just a bluff?

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Charlie Crist's Identity Theft Problem

By Daniel Tilson

Progress Florida

Coincidentally enough, Florida is the state with both the highest rate of identity theft, and with a governor suffering through the most prolonged identity crisis in recent political history.


Go! Go! Ru-bi-o!

By Brian S.

Incertus

Don't freak, everyone--I haven't changed sides. I'm just rethinking my earlier position on the Crist-Rubio race.


Filming "Mayberry, Florida"

By Beach Blogger

Pensacola Beach Blog

State representative Stephen Precourt (R-Orlando) has proposed using state tax dollars to promote the production of "family-friendly" movies and television productions.


If Congress is banning earmarks, why should voters re-elect Bill Young?

By Peter Schorsch

St. Petersblog 2.0

Anyone else get the feeling that the race for Florida Congressional District 10 just got a whole lot more interesting now that House Democratic leaders on Wednesday banned budget earmarks to private industry, ending a practice that has steered billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to companies and set off corruption scandals.


The Rubiolution will be televised

By Joy Reid

The Reid Report

March sure is early to be going on television for a primary in August ... which tells me Team Rubio is at least somewhat concerned that AMEXgate and the $134 back wax might begin to stick.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Mental health, child abuse, substance abuse programs on chopping block

By Michael Peltier

News Service of Florida via Palm Beach Post

Screaming for more money, the Senate panel that writes the health-care budget unveiled a proposed spending plan Thursday that cuts children's mental health services, hearing aids and child abuse programs and hundreds of state jobs.


Stricter oversight sought for state workforce boards

By Steve Bousquet

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

Outraged by revelations of high living and cronyism, state lawmakers want stricter oversight of Florida's 24 regional workforce boards that try to find jobs for people.


Lawmakers propose eliminating all state funding for libraries

By Dara Kam

Palm Beach Post

With Florida's economy in the tank and unemployment at a record high, more Floridians are turning to public libraries to search for jobs, apply for services and get free entertainment.


Bennett has filed a bevy of insurance bills

By Sara Kennedy

Bradenton Herald

State Sen. Mike Bennett is a prolific filer of bills, and again this year, he's proposing a number of changes to state insurance laws.


Horse-cruelty bill aims to combat horse-meat black market

By Carlos Medina

Ocala Star-Banner

In response to a spate of horse killings in South Florida, reportedly for black-market meat, two Florida legislators introduced a bill that would make the practice a felony.

POLITICAL RACES

Rubio says GOP credit card paid with 'my money'

Staff Report

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Politifact

The story about Marco Rubio's Republican Party of Florida American Express card has devolved into a game of soundbite one-upsmanship.


Must Marco Rubio amend his tax returns?

By Adam C. Smith

St. Petersburg Times Buzz Blog

Given that Marco Rubio acknowledged that he double-billed the state and Republican party for eight plane trips in 2007 (and now will reimburse the party $3,000), people are suggesting he needs to amend his income tax returns.


Can Rubio turn a Crist 'crown jewel' into clunker?

By Michael C. Bender

Palm Beach Post

Marco Rubio is attempting to do just that with this web video released today, just hours before the South Florida Water Management District takes another critical vote on the Charlie Crist-backed plan to buy up U.S. Sugar land in the name of Everglades restoration.


Marco Rubio hardens his stances as he raises his profile

By David Catanese

Politico

Marco Rubio's meteoric rise from long-shot Republican Senate candidate to national conservative celebrity has left some in Florida's political establishment scratching their heads.


Crist in town to stump for Senate

Staff Report

Florida Times-Union

Gov. Charlie Crist is scheduled to be in Jacksonville today for a U.S. Senate campaign fundraiser before hosting a town hall meeting on the port system.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Environmentalists Say NY Times Ignored Politics in Everglades Story

By Scott Finn

WUSF Public Radio Tampa

Florida water managers have voted to keep alive a half-billion dollar plan designed to restore the Everglades.


Board Extends Deadline for Everglades Land Deal

By Damien Cave

New York Times

Facing legal challenges and growing deficits, South Florida water officials on Thursday gave themselves six more months to finance a controversial $536 million purchase of land from United States Sugar for the Everglades.


State to have trouble meeting water needs

By Ron Word

Gainesville Sun

Despite receiving more than 54 inches of rain a year and having 7,700 lakes, 50,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 700 springs, Florida will have problems supplying enough water to satisfy the needs of its 18 million residents, a Senate committee was told Thursday.


Like Apple Pie: Everyone Wants Water

By Gina Jordan

WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee

A veteran Florida lawmaker has an idea that may help the state in a water quality dispute with the EPA. However, James Call reports farmers and septic tank owners may not like it.

LGBT

Florida film bill's anti-gay bias is a big-screen blunder

By Scott Maxwell

Orlando Sentinel

Tallahassee lawmakers seem obsessed with homosexuality.


Local fights for gay rights in DC

Staff Report

WSVN 7 News South Florida

A South Florida man took his fight for adoption rights to the nation's capitol Thursday.


'CNN Presents' tells Largo sex-change tale

By Walt Belcher

Tampa Tribune

A CNN documentary about what happened, personally and professionally, to former Largo City Manager Steven Stanton after he decided to become Susan Stanton debuts on the network this weekend.


How Steve became Susan

By Jay Handelman

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Steven Stanton lost his job as city manager in Largo after he announced that he planned to live as a woman.

EDUCATION

Senate bill would tie teachers' pay to students' performance

By Katie Tammen

Northwest Florida Daily News

Florida Senate Bill 6 is not popular among local teachers, to say the least.


Private school voucher bill comes with expensive price tag

By Gary Fineout

The Fine Print

A private school voucher bill being pushed by top Republicans in the House and Senate could have a huge financial impact unless changes are made to the legislation.


Renewable Energy On College Campuses

By Whitney Ray

Capitol News Service

College students could soon have the option to raise their own tuition and use the extra cash for renewable energy.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Republicans one-up Democrats, ban all earmarks

By Alex Leary

St. Petersburg Times

In a rapid display of gamesmanship, House Republicans vowed Thursday to ban all budget earmarks, a day after Democrats said they would not award them to for-profit companies.


Senate extends parts of stimulus to help unemployed

By Andrew Taylor

The Associated Press

The Senate voted Wednesday to extend key pieces of last year's economic stimulus measure, including help for the jobless and money to help financially strapped states pay for health care for the poor.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

New kind of plan for state workers?

By Jim Saunders

Health News Florida

With Florida lawmakers trying to rein in employee-benefit costs, two major insurers have offered a way to shift more responsibility for health care to state workers.


Abortion battle in health reform bill is more about philosophy than funding

By Kris Hundley

St. Petersburg Times

Inside Congress, battles over federal funding for abortion have posed the latest threat to health care reform legislation.


Sen. Nelson to meet Acreage residents, announce bill to add federal heft to cancer cluster probes

By Mitra Malek and Adam Playford

Palm Beach Post

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will sponsor legislation aimed at giving federal agencies a bigger role in investigating cancer clusters such as the one recently identified in The Acreage, his office announced this evening.


Miami hospitals won't get state bailout cash

The Associated Press

Miami Herald

An effort to secure up to $100 million in emergency funding for Miami's struggling major hospital system has failed.


FEMA asked to intervene in Florida drywall issue

By Michael Braga

Palm Beach Post

At the request of Gov. Charlie Crist, the state has reached out to the federal government to conduct a preliminary damage assessment and to provide financial assistance to Florida families suffering from property damage and potential health problems linked to Chinese drywall.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

State closes investigation into Dozier School for Boys

By Holly Moore

Tallahassee Democrat

Criminal charges will not be filed following an investigation into the Dozier School for Boys, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.


Eggelletion to be sentenced Friday

By Amy Sherman

Miami Herald

Relatives and friends of disgraced ex-Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion have sent letters singing the politician's praises to the judge who will sentence him Friday to a likely prison term.

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