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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Friday, May 28, 2010

Daily Clips for May 28, 2010

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

Spill Baby Spill


Group opposing coastal drilling sponsors website

By Rob Shaw

Tampa Tribune

Move over, "Drill, Baby, Drill.'' Make way for, "Spill, Baby, Spill.'' That's the name of a new website - http://www.spillbabyspill.com/ -- sponsored by a group called Progress Florida, which opposes drilling off the coast of Florida.


Florida PR, SpillBabySpill.com and the danger of a hurricane hitting Haiti

By Tristram Korten

Florida Independent

Excerpt: Meanwhile, Progress Florida, a statewide nonprofit that has long opposed offshore drilling, launched SpillBabySpill.com as a clearinghouse for real-time oil spill information. It also features "BP BFF of the Week," to highlight public officials who supported the oil expansion agenda. The premiere BFF is U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio.

FEATURED STORIES

BP wants Houston judge with oil ties to hear spill cases

By Scott Hiaasen and Curtis Morgan

Miami Herald

Related: Current shift could spare Florida of oil

Related: 3 million feet of boom in Gulf, but does it help?

Related: Gulf oil spill's economic impact will be long term

Facing more than 100 lawsuits after its Gulf of Mexico oil spill killed 11 workers and threatened four coastal states, oil giant BP is asking the courts to place every pre-trial issue in the hands of a single federal judge in Houston.


USF researchers confirm oil plume deep in gulf

By Craig Pittman and Katie Sanders

St. Petersburg Times

Related: Oil spill likely worst in nation's history

The sight of an oil slick spreading across the surface of the Gulf of Mexico is bad enough.


Abortion bill sidelined as proponents inundate governor's office with calls for approval

By Steve Bousquet and John Frank

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

When he signs the state budget on Friday, Gov. Charlie Crist will be waiting for just one major piece of legislation from the 2010 session: a highly controversial abortion bill.


Today is deadline for Crist to sign budget

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

Today is the deadline for Gov. Charlie Crist to sign the $70.4 billion state budget, and he is expected to use his veto pen vigorously.


House Votes to Allow Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Law

By David M. Herszenhorn and Carl Hulse

New York Times

The House voted Thursday to let the Defense Department repeal the ban on gay and bisexual people from serving openly in the military, a major step toward dismantling the 1993 law widely known as "don't ask, don't tell."

BEST OF THE BLOGS

While Most Talked, He Took Action Against Oil Drilling

By Inkberries

Beach Peanuts

It's been over a month since the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion, which killed 11, injured many others and caused the still gushing oil "spill" that threatens to devastate wildlife, along with the fishing and tourism industry in Florida.


Looks like Bob Graham was right, again.

By Steve Schale

Steve Schale

I'll admit it, I am an unabashed fan of Bob Graham.


Tempers flare at City Council

By Rick Outzen

Rick's Blog

The Pensacola City Council cut off BP Civic Affairs Director Liz Castro three pages into her PowerPoint presentation after the community liaison failed to answer simple question about the boom decontamination operation BP wants to establish at Pensacola Shipyards on Bayou Chico.


What about the Cubans?

By Brian S.

Incertus

This morning, The Miami Herald reported that Republican candidates for statewide races had come out firmly in support of Arizona's recent immigration laws, and have suggested Florida should follow suit.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Crist signs Fla. bong ban, debt collectors bills

The Associated Press

Tampa Tribune

Gov. Charlie Crist has signed bills banning bong sales, cracking down on rogue debt collectors and helping lure baseball teams to Florida for spring training.


Bill requires ex-felons to have state, national checks before working with children, elderly, disabled

By Jim Turner

TC Palm

Gov. Crist signed a bill, co-sponsored by Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, that closes a loophole in the state's screening and licensing process that had enabled ex-felons to work with children, the elderly and disabled.

POLITICAL RACES

Shadowy Republican-linked interest group running anti-Scott ads statewide

By Luke Johnson

Florida Independent

A Republican-linked interest group under investigation by the Nevada Secretary of State, Alliance for America's Future, has bought more than $906,000 in negative television advertising targeting Florida GOP candidate for governor and former health care executive Rick Scott.


Meek consistent in oil drilling opposition

By Lesley Clark

Miami Herald

With the Gulf oil spill threatening Florida's pristine beaches and public support for offshore oil drilling waning, Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek of Miami has accused his rivals of backing oil drilling at one time or another, and says he's the only candidate to consistently oppose expanded offshore exploration.


Incumbent politicians get cash from afar

By Scott Powers

Orlando Sentinel

U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando has raised more campaign cash from people living in California and New York than fellow freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas has raised in Orange County.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Spill tops Exxon Valdez as McCollum, Sink weigh in

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

A BP official said Thursday that it was too soon to know whether the "top kill" operation aimed at ending the gush of oil from the damaged oil well off the Louisiana coast was working.


Florida officials: 'Top Kill' success may limit significant damage to state's coast

By Dara Kam

Palm Beach Post

Florida and Palm Beach County officials say the success or failure of the unprecedented "Top Kill" experiment to staunch the massive oil geyser in the Gulf of Mexico won't have any impact on their preparation for the disaster.


Oil slick: A political cheat sheet

By Gary Fineout and Bruce Ritchie

Florida Tribune

Since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, there has been a rapid change in how many politicians view the need for offshore drilling, especially the need for drilling in Florida waters.


City Council, residents grill BP officials

By Jamie Page

Pensacola News Journal

Pensacola City Council members cleared the air with BP officials Thursday night over their displeasure with the oil company's unannounced relocation of its oil spill response staging area from Pensacola Naval Air Station to Bayou Chico.


Gulf Kill

The Progress Report

Think Progress

Thirty-eight days after BP's Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and killed eleven workers, fifteen to 40 million gallons of toxic crude have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico.


Officials see active storm season

By Jim Waymer

Florida Today

As many as 14 hurricanes could form this year in the Atlantic, four more than the long-term average, federal forecasters said.


PSC approves Gainesville biomass plant

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

A biomass power plant proposed by Gainesville was narrowly approved Thursday by the Florida Public Service Commission after nearly being voted down in February. The commission split 3-2 in favor of the plant.

LGBT

Crist switches on 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy on gays in the military

By John Kennedy

The News Service of Florida

Gov. Charlie Crist's switch on the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy Thursday left the no-party Senate contender caught in a crossfire of criticism from his Democratic and Republican opponents.


Charlie Crist changes his tune on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

By Lesley Clark

Miami Herald

Related: Kendrick Meek: Crist only cares about self preservation

Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he'd likely support repealing the policy that bars openly gay people from serving in the military -- reversing what he told reporters three days ago.

EDUCATION

New $23B for teacher subsidies falters in House

The Associated Press

Palm Beach Post

A $23 billion payout to save thousands of educators' jobs faltered Thursday -- perhaps for good -- to election-year jitters among moderate Democrats over deficit spending and only lukewarm support from the White House.


Crist May Veto Shift Of Money To Schools

By John Kennedy

News Service of Florida

Already ridiculed by the Legislature's ruling Republicans, Gov. Charlie Crist is poised to further antagonize many of those in his former party when he signs Florida's $70 billion budget today.


FCAT scores hold steady

By Iricka Berlinger

Tallahassee Democrat

Third-grade students can now let out a sigh of relief after finding out their FCAT scores Thursday.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Ten things you may not know about the state budget

By Gary Fineout

Florida Tribune

Gov. Charlie Crist could act sometime Thursday on the $70.4 billion budget that state lawmakers adopted during their spring session.


State Gets Initial High-Speed Rail Payment

News Service of Florida

Lakeland Ledger

A chunk of the $1.25 billion Florida won in federal economic stimulus money for high-speed rail is in the state's hands now, transportation officials said Thursday.


Avoiding the next meltdown

Editorial

Miami Herald

Reacting to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Congress has chosen to reprimand Wall Street with new regulations that amount to more than a sharp rap on the knuckles but far less than a thorough flogging.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Nurse in hep C outbreak named

By Marty Clear and Carol Gentry

Health News Florida

The nurse accused of causing an outbreak of hepatitis C in Hillsborough County last year through sloppy practice has finally been identified by state health authorities in an order suspending her license.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Fla. lawmaker considering Arizona immigration law

The Associated Press

Miami Herald

The head of the Florida House's criminal justice committee says he's considering the introduction of an Arizona-style law against illegal immigrants.


While some take cover, Connie Mack takes heat over immigration stance

Alex Leary and Adam Smith

St. Petersburg Times

No one would have expected a Republican from Fort Myers to jump into the battle over illegal immigration in Arizona.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Scott Rothstein judge to hear financial claims against admitted Ponzi scheme operator

The Associated Press

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

A federal judge is set to begin sorting through more than 40 claims on real estate, bank accounts and other assets linked to admitted Ponzi scheme operator Scott Rothstein.

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