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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Friday, May 7, 2010

Daily Clips for May 7, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

Giant box close to being over oil-spewing well

By Harry R. Weber and Tamara Lush

The Associated Press

A mission to the bottom of the sea to try to avert a wider environmental disaster progressed early Friday as crews said a 100-ton concrete-and-steel box was close to being placed over a blown-out well on the Gulf floor in an unprecedented attempt to capture gushing oil.


From above the site of the spill, there's a different sense of scope

By Paul Flemming

Tallahassee Democrat

Related: Democrats seize on oil drilling as campaign issue

Related: Oil cleanup funds available in short-term

Related: Fla. officials to make decisions on local response

Related: McCollum: BP pledges to act on financial claims within two days

Related: Oil-spill threat to Apalachicola seafood industry still uncertain

The sharp smell of petroleum permeated the air Thursday above the sunken remains of the Deepwater Horizon rig that blew up more than two weeks ago.


Crist eyes special session to put drilling ban on November ballot

By Mary Ellen Klas, Jennifer Lebovich and Joseph Goodman

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

With the gulf oil spill beginning to reach land, political tensions in Florida rose Thursday as Gov. Charlie Crist said he may call a special legislative session to put a drilling ban on the November ballot, bucking Republican leaders.


Gov. Charlie Crist feeling pressure on abortion bill

By John Frank

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

Facing an intense public outcry, Charlie Crist confronts possibly the toughest decision of his term as governor: whether to sign or veto a bill anti-abortion advocates call the "most significant pro-life measure that's ever happened in Florida's history."


Fla. Sen. candidate Rubio now thinks Ariz. law OK

By Brendan Farrington

The Associated Press

Florida's Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio is supporting a controversial new Arizona immigration law, saying Thursday he changed his position after lawmakers tweaked language in a way that critics say makes it even more harsh.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Before the Oil: One Last Sunday on Pensacola Beach

By Beach Blogger

Pensacola Beach Blog

Five of us gathered yesterday on Pensacola Beach, feeling much as one of our friends described -- like Roman citizens who are utterly powerless to stop the Gothic onslaught.


Forget "Race To The Top", the "Keep Our Educators Working Act" Is What We Need

By Ray Seaman

Progress Florida

There's been a lot of talk in Florida about education funding (and the lack thereof), most recently focusing on the federal government's "Race to the Top" (RTTT) $4 billion grant program.


Gov. Crist Announces Protections In Wake Of Oil Spill

By Inkberries

Beach Peanuts

Normal Florida weather returned today and people were once again out enjoying the sun and the beach.


Crist Finally Comes Out; Opponent Rubio Follows

By Trish Ponder

Pensito Review

Coming out of the closet and admitting who he really is has made Gov. Charlie Crist more popular.


Florida Republicans: bringing traffic cameras to your bedroom soon

By Gimleteye

Eye on Miami

Maybe this is the first effect of the Deepwater Horizon disaster: forcing Floridians to take a close look in the mirror and wonder: have I really been combing tar balls into my hair all these years?

FLORIDA POLITICS

Republican assault on government is ruining Florida

By Stephen Goldstein

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Whatever positives about Florida Kingsley the Misguided may believe, our best years are behind us and our future is dismal -- unless the November election changes the political landscape.


Push for Florida bestiality law goes 'back to square one'

By Cristina Silva

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

From every angle, a ban on bestiality, long pushed by state prosecutors and animal rights activists, seemed poised to finally become law this year, with Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of the Florida Legislature joining forces to push it through.

POLITICAL RACES

Poll: Crist lead may be house of cards

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

Grabbing the media spotlight by leaving the Republican Party gave Gov. Charlie Crist a bounce in the U.S. Senate race -- but his lead may be a "house of cards," according to a poll released Thursday.


Poll shows Crist leading Senate race as independent

By Beth Reinhard

St. Petersburg Times

Gov. Charlie Crist holds an early lead as an independent candidate in the U.S. Senate race, but his edge is a "proverbial house of cards," according to a new poll, because support from Democratic and black voters is unlikely to hold up through the Nov. 2 election.


Nelson Predicts Crist-Meek Matchup in November

By David M. Drucker

Roll Call

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) on Thursday predicted the three-way race for Senate in the Sunshine State would boil down to a contest between Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) and Gov. Charlie Crist, who last week defected from the GOP to run as an Independent.


In governor's race, McCollum seeks the black vote

By David Hunt

Florida Times-Union

State Attorney General Bill McCollum has tapped Northeast Florida's Republican leadership in an effort to go after the black vote in the governor's race.


Rick Scott, multimillionaire political rookie, gunning to be governor of Florida

By Adam C. Smith

St. Petersburg Times

You may be wondering about that bald guy, Rick Scott, who keeps popping up on TV talking about getting elected governor of Florida.


Brown's rival in primary: She hasn't improved district

By David Hunt

Florida Times-Union

Scott Fortune said he might not be able to out-politick U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, but he's confident he can out-legislate her.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Two sides clash in a debate over Amendment 4

By Dale White

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

In a raucous debate Thursday that showed how divisive the issue has become, a proponent and an opponent of Amendment 4 blasted each other over the growth management measure.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Crist Considers Ban on Oil Drilling

By Michael Peltier

News Service of Florida

Faced with the potential loss of millions of dollars and Florida's "sand-between your toes" reputation, Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he'd consider calling lawmakers back to put an offshore drilling ban into the Florida Constitution.


Gulf Oil Spill Could Remain Threat for Years

By Steve Newborn

WUSF Public Radio Tampa

Only a fraction of the oil coming out of the Gulf gusher is visible on the surface.


Author says oil slick only the visible tip of problem

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

An environmental author told an environmental summit in Tallahassee Thursday that the spreading oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico is only the most visible aspect of the nation's dependence on fossil fuels.


Cannon, Haridopolos: No oil drilling talk in 2011

The Associated Press

Tampa Tribune

Florida's two top incoming legislative leaders say there will be no discussion of offshore oil drilling in the 2011 session and perhaps for years to come.


Florida sprawl's free-for-all even worse without the DCA

By Dan DeWitt

St. Petersburg Times

The Florida Department of Community Affairs is good at telling developers how their plans to build subdivisions out in the country -- think of Hickory Hill and the Quarry Preserve -- can cause sprawl, clog roads and destroy the environment.


PSC payback

Editorial

Gainesville Sun

When the Florida Public Service Commission broke with tradition last summer and rejected big rate hikes for the state's two largest power companies, it was hailed as historic because no one could remember the last time the PSC had turned down the utilities.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Coast is clear, Florida tells tourists worried about oil

By Kevin Spear

Orlando Sentinel

With forecasters calling for just a few clouds, a high near 80 degrees, and a monster oil slick still far from the state's beaches, Florida tourism officials sought Thursday to avert a different kind of coastal disaster, this one marked by vacant hotels, idle charter-fishing boats and empty restaurants.


Report Ranks Florida in Top 20 Safest States For Workers

By Gina Presson

Public News Service Florida

A new report from the AFL-CIO lists Florida as one of the twenty safest states for workers, but among the leaders in on-the-job accidents, with 291 fatalities and 210,000 injuries in 2008.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Local efforts being made to banish 'pill mills'

By Halle Stockton

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

As other regions in the state crack down on pain clinics that dole out high quantities of powerful narcotics, local governments and health groups fear Southwest Florida could become their next stop.


Thousands of seniors miss out on Medicare drug help

By Bob LaMendola

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Tens of thousands of South Florida seniors are passing up as much as $3,900 a year in Medicare help paying for their prescription drugs because they are eligible but have not applied.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Rubio now supports Arizona law, hardens immigration line

By Ben Smith

Politico

Marco Rubio now says he backs Arizona's controversial immigration law, after changes aimed at somewhat limiting the circumstances in which people can be asked for immigration papers, but leaving the central thrust of putting immigration enforcement in the hands of local authorities.

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