Click here to subscribe for free to the best daily news roundup in Florida.

Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Daily Clips for April 8, 2010

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

St. Petersburg may (finally) go it alone in curbside recycling

By Michael Van Sickler

St. Petersburg Times

Excerpt: "It's good to see St. Pete take some steps toward recycling," said Rice, a board member of Progress Florida who lost a bid for the County Commission in 2008. "Mayor Foster deserves some credit for going ahead with this. It's nice we're getting leadership from the city while we wait for leadership from the county."

FEATURED STORIES

As Rubio gains, Crist shifts

By Adam C. Smith

St. Petersburg Times

When Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he raised a whopping $3.6 million over the past 90 days, it was another game-changer in the Republican U.S. Senate primary.


Crist hints he'll veto teacher merit pay bill (includes reader poll)

By Josh Hafenbrack

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Gov. Charlie Crist signaled Wednesday he might veto a bill tying teacher pay to student test scores, even as Florida legislators prepared for a final vote on the politically polarizing measure Thursday.


Legislature poised to pass education overhaul today

By Catherine Whittenburg

Tampa Tribune

A group of far-reaching education reforms appears headed for final passage in the Legislature today -- leaving the final say up to Gov. Charlie Crist, whose support for the most controversial part of the package may be wavering.


Ex-Gov. Bush having 'best session ever' with controversial education proposals

By Michael C. Bender

Palm Beach Post

It should come as no surprise that one of the most popular Republican governors in modern Florida history is enjoying another successful legislative session.


Greer's attorneys want McCollum to bow out of criminal investigation

By Lucy Morgan

St. Petersburg Times

Lawyers for former Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer say Attorney General Bill McCollum and the statewide grand jury he oversees should bow out of a criminal investigation into GOP expenditures and leave it up to federal authorities.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Senate panel approves a vote on children's service boards

Staff Report

St. Petersburg Times

A Senate committee Wednesday approved a controversial bill that would require eight countywide tax-supported children's service boards to be reaffirmed by voters every six years -- starting this November.


Crist does the right thing, and other topics

By Howard Troxler

St. Petersburg Times

It took gumption for Gov. Charlie Crist to veto one of the Republican Legislature's favorite bills -- maybe contrary to his own political interests.


Crist to veto anything that raises insurance rates

By Brent Kallestad

The Associated Press

Gov. Charlie Crist reinforced his message Wednesday to lawmakers considering legislation that would allow insurance companies to boost property insurance premiums on home and business owners.


Special anti-corruption session likely, Crist says

By Steve Bousquet

St. Petersburg Times

As Gov. Charlie Crist tries to salvage his U.S. Senate bid by increasingly running away from the Legislature, it looks like he'll call lawmakers into special session, possibly in May or June, to consider anti-corruption recommendations expected from a statewide grand jury.


Broward's multi-millionaire Sen. Jeremy Ring votes his mind, rankles critics

By Josh Hafenbrack

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jeremy Ring is the Democrat every Republican can love.


State bills ban red-light cameras

By Chad Smith

Gainesville Sun

Bills making their way through the state Legislature could put the brakes on cities' efforts to catch red light runners with cameras.

POLITICAL RACES

Rubio claims $3.6 million raised so far this year - more than all of 2009

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

As he rose in the polls to frontrunner in Florida's Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio raked in $3.6 million in contributions during the first three months of 2010 -- exceeding his money total for all of 2009.


Should Charlie Crist Reconsider an Independent Run?

By Arian Campo-Flores

Newsweek

During his recent debate against Marco Rubio on Fox News, Gov. Charlie Crist seemed to stamp out speculation that he'd run as an independent in the Florida Senate race.


Stop raising tuition, Meek says in SFC talk

By Thomas Stewart

Gainesville Sun

A college education shouldn't just be for the wealthy or well-connected, U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek told students at a roundtable discussion at Santa Fe College Wednesday night.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Transparency in Spending

By James Call

WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee

The Florida Senate is considering a uniform accounting system for any agency and entity that spends state money.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

High court could decide fate of ambitious plan to save River of Grass

By Bruce Ritchie

Florida Tribune

The future of Gov. Charlie Crist's ambitious plan to save the Everglades may be decided by the seven justices who sit across the street from the Capitol.


Committee bill would remove climate change language in state law

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

A proposed energy bill filed Wednesday by the House Energy & Utilities Committee appears to remove language in state law that addresses climate change and requires utilities to increase the amount of renewable energy they provide to customers.


Concern raised over nuclear waste storage at Turkey Point

By John Dorschner

Miami Herald

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has called a special meeting next week to discuss three apparent violations involving a spent-fuel pool at Turkey Point -- a critical issue as the long-held plans for storing waste in Nevada have collapsed.


Florida Supreme Court raises its own questions about Everglades land deal

By Andy Reid

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

After nearly two years of political fights and legal battles over Gov. Charlie Crist's Everglades-restoration land deal, the Florida Supreme Court now will decide whether the public benefit is worth the cost to South Florida taxpayers.


Sugar deal's sour politics; biggest critic has self-interest at heart

By Joel Engelhardt

Palm Beach Post

In 2008, before Florida Crystals began to criticize the U.S. Sugar land deal, the company offered to be part of it.

EDUCATION

Crist backs off support for teacher tenure bill

By Cristina Silva, Steve Bousquet and Mary Ellen Klas

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Related column: Florida legislators' lesson to us: Don't become a teacher

Using his strongest language yet, Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday that the Legislature should soften a controversial bill that would link teacher pay to student performance and criticized Republican leaders for trying to block any floor amendments.


House to vote on merit pay

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

House Republicans set up a floor showdown today on a sweeping education package that would relax Florida's class-size restrictions and implement a "performance pay" plan that would make it easier for schools to fire teachers.


Florida House debates three controversial education bills

By Ron Word

Gainesville Sun

The Florida House debated three controversial bills Wednesday dealing with public education.


House set to consider science and math testing for high school grads

By Hannah Sampson

Miami Herald via St. Petersburg Times

Florida high school students would have to take more advanced math and science courses in order to graduate under a bill set for a final vote Thursday, a move that backers hope will better prepare teens for college and work.


Senate amends plan to name 'flagship'

By Angeline J. Taylor

Tallahassee Democrat

In 24 hours, sentiments regarding a Senate bill that could create a ranking system among Florida's public universities have largely gone from outrage to appeasement.


No merit in merit pay plan: The biggest problem? There's also no plan

Editorial

Palm Beach Post

To implement a bold idea, you first need to have a real idea.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Casino deal bill could be signed within days

By Brent Kallestad

The Associated Press

An agreement with the Florida Seminole Indian Tribe that guarantees hundreds of millions of dollars for the state in the next few years could be signed by early next week, Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday.


Florida's option for unemployment payments by debit card stirs controversy

By Marcia Heroux Pounds

TC Palm via South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Florida residents drawing unemployment benefits will have the option of a debit card instead of direct deposit or a check beginning this fall, according to the state work force agency.


Tax Time: Save Instead of Splurge

By Gina Presson

Public News Service Florida

As Floridians face the April-15 federal tax deadline, now is the time to build tax-free savings for college, according to leading financial advisers.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Hospitals slam House plan

By Jim Saunders

Health News Florida

Hospitals and doctors Tuesday criticized a new House proposal to create a statewide Medicaid managed-care system, arguing it would limit power to negotiate with HMOs --- and possibly make it even harder to attract physicians to work in emergency rooms.


5 states to join lawsuit to stop health overhaul

Staff Report

Naples News

Five new states are joining a lawsuit initiated by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum to overturn the massive health care overhaul recently signed into law.


Health care overhaul spawns mass confusion for public

By Margaret Talev

Miami Herald

Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how -- and when -- the sweeping measure will affect them.


Health law will be costly for Floridians

By George LeMieux

St. Petersburg Times

The nation's new health care law represents a monumental series of missed opportunities.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

FDLE: Crime in Florida hits 39-year low

By Bianca Prieto

Orlando Sentinel

Crime in Florida hit a 39-year low in 2009 after years of record-breaking violence, state officials announced Wednesday.


Fla. High Court: Dempsey case a warning to judicial candidates

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

The Florida Supreme Court put the legal profession on notice Wednesday that ethical rules apply to what judicial candidates post online.


Protecting the innocent

Editorial

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sending innocent people to prison and keeping them there are among the worst mistakes government can make.

No comments:

Post a Comment