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

Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Friday, June 11, 2010

Daily Clips for June 11, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

Oil seeps into Florida waterways

By Jennifer Lebovich and Carol Rosenberg

Miami Herald

Related AP story: With each look at oil flow, the numbers get worse

Related: Tar balls attracting politicians

Brown gooey oil slopped into the Perdido Pass and an oil sheen burst into the Pensacola Pass on Thursday, the first confirmed invasion of oil from the Deepwater Horizon.


Poll gives Rick Scott 13-point lead on Bill McCollum in GOP governor's primary

By Steve Bousquet and Lee Logan

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

It's no longer far-fetched: Florida Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Jeff Greene.


A Life Engulfed by Pesticides

By Barry Estabrook

The Atlantic

Leaning on her cane, Linda Lee matter-of-factly listed her medical conditions: diabetes, lupus, high blood pressure, emphysema, and arthritis.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Crist Picks Oil Driller Lobbyist To Advise State

By Julie Hauserman

Progress Florida

To see how in bed oil drillers are with our government, look no further than Florida's Capitol. Gov. Charlie Crist appointed an oil driller lobbyist to head a team that's advising the state on its legal options in the BP oil spill disaster.


GOP candidate for Florida Governor Bill McCollum: riding the mechanical bull

By Gimleteye

Eye on Miami

If GOP Bill McCollum is elected governor of Florida, then George Rekers, the gay-hating expert who Attorney General McCollum paid $120,000 through taxpayer dollars to hound gays who want to be adoptive parents might be appointed Florida's next Cabinet Officer for The Long Stroke.


Where's Jeff?

By Beach Blogger

Pensacola Beach Blog

Our own Northwest Florida congressman, Jeff ("Mr. Oil Spill") Miller (R-Chumuckla) has been almost invisible the past several weeks.


News On The Street Illegal in St. Petersburg, FL?

By Inkberries

Beach Peanuts

Last week, the city of St. Petersburg, Florida sought to deal with the problem of increased panhandling on city streets, so the City Council unanimously approved banning all street solicitation.


In Which Robert Reich (Basically) Steals My Idea! (But It's Okay...)

By Benjamin Kirby

The Spencerian

There are giant oil plumes underwater, and the shit made landfall in Louisiana not that long ago. I hear it's hitting Florida shores now.


FLORIDA POLITICS


8 recommended to fill 2 seats on Florida's Public Service Commission

By Mary Ellen Klas

Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau

Gov. Charlie Crist was given eight candidates to choose from Thursday to replace his two ousted appointees to the Public Service Commission.


Lessons for Florida's GOP

Editorial

Miami Herald

Former Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer's arrest on money laundering and fraud charges should give pause to Gov. Charlie Crist, who defended him for months as GOP contributors demanded answers to find out where their money was being spent.

POLITICAL RACES

Crist cuddles with trial lawyers, criticizes abortion bill

By Mark Schlueb

Orlando Sentinel

In the Orlando area today, Gov. Charlie Crist again all but pledged to veto a bill that would require women seeking abortions to first pay for an ultrasound.


Scott takes surprising primary lead over McCollum in new poll

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

Republican newcomer Rick Scott's self-financed television campaign has hit a nerve with Floridians weary of politicians, catapulting him into a big lead in the GOP race for governor, a new poll indicated Thursday.


Sink not fazed by polls showing Scott ahead

By Kate Bradshaw

WMNF Community Radio Tampa

In November, Floridians will choose their next governor. In a year many say is defined by anti-incumbent sentiment, the polls are now showing voters favoring wealthy yet controversial newcomer Rick Scott, a Republican.


Rubio blasts Obama over Israel at Delray Beach event

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Marco Rubio accused President Barack Obama of supporting "outrageous" United Nations criticism of Israel and weakening America's historic relationship with the Jewish state during a speech Thursday west of Delray Beach.


With Rick Scott leading in polls, opponents pull out 'fraud' line

By Aaron Sharockman

St. Petersburg Times

Rick Scott's opponents for governor are telling reporters to essentially fluff off a June 2010 poll that shows the former Columbia/HCA hospital CEO beating both Attorney General Bill McCollum in the Republican primary and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in a hypothetical November match-up.


Congressional candidate Fortune presents case in gerrymandering documentary

By David Hunt

Florida Times-Union

Democratic congressional candidate Scott Fortune unveiled a documentary on Thursday criticizing geographic problems with Florida's 3rd District, saying the stage was well set earlier that day when his opponent tangled over the same issue with a talk radio host.


Florida exempts some political ads from disclosure requirements

By Amelia Hassani

Oh My Gov!

With primaries in a handful of states this week and elections approaching in November, it's safe to say that campaign season is well underway.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Great Debate Frames Amendment 4 for Local Voters

By Joe Shea

Bradenton Times

The Great Debate over Florida's "Hometown Democracy" Amendment 4, at the Manatee County Central Library Wednesday night, lent a frame to the broad impact of the November 2 initiative to require any changes to a county master plan to be approved by voters.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Oil spill: Obama will make stop in Pensacola

By Bart Jansen

Pensacola News Journal

Related: Officials: Split from oil unified command

Related: Congress ponies up funds for oil spill cleanup

Pensacola will be among President Barack Obama's stops when he visits three Gulf Coast states on Monday and Tuesday to inspect the BP oil spill emergency response firsthand, an aide said.


Wildlife experts assess oil's impact ... and shudder

By Kate Spinner

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Five species of sea turtles already on the verge of extinction face an even gloomier future, as oil gushing from a mile deep in the Gulf of Mexico continues to poison their food and foul their nesting beaches.


Coastal protesters to link hands against spills

By Wayne Parry

The Associated Press

In a grass-roots movement inspired by the 1980s Hands Across America human chain effort, beachgoers in 30 states and nearly a dozen countries plan to join hands this month to form symbolic barriers to protect the shoreline from oil spills.


Coordinating Volunteers Key to Oil Spill Response

By Lou Kellenberger

WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee

Tens of thousands of Floridians want to help with the oil spill, although so far their roles are limited.


AG McCollum asks BP $2.5 billion

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

Attorney General Bill McCollum, in a letter sent today, asked Deepwater Horizon rig operator BP to put $2.5 billion into an escrow account to cover Florida's anticipated losses from the worst oil spill in the nation's history.


Scientists: Dispersant Health Impacts a "Failure of Chemicals Policy"

By Eric Mack

Public News Service Florida

More than one million gallons of chemicals called dispersants have been sprayed into the Gulf of Mexico in an attempt to break up the plume emanating from the B.P. oil spill, but some of the key ingredients were kept secret until this week.


What if BP can't stop the Deepwater Horizon oil leak from gushing?

By Maryann Tobin

Hernando County Political Examiner

BP has made several attempts to control the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.


Who Decides if a BP Spill Claim Is Legitimate?

By Bryan Walsh

Time Magazine

Legitimate. It's the word that could come to define the extremely expensive, extremely litigious aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

LGBT

Campaign strategy: The gay and lesbian vote

By David Hunt

Florida Times-Union

A group called Stonewall Democrats is narrowing down which candidates to support in this year's election.


McCollum's bad judgment

Editorial

Pensacola News Journal

With the constant specter of the oil spill hovering off our beaches, we need comedic relief.

EDUCATION

Florida lawmakers question FCAT firm over scoring

By Hannah Sampson and Kathleen McGrory

Miami Herald

In a blistering phone call with Florida's top education official Thursday, several lawmakers questioned whether the results of this year's FCAT could be trusted and why the state would award the $254 million contract to administer and grade the test to a company with a long history of problems.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Tallahassee tap water "horribly polluted"

By Brett Ader

Florida Independent

The City of Tallahassee advertises that the water it provides to its 188,000 customers was voted "Best Tasting Drinking Water" in Florida, and that it meets or exceeds the guidelines set forth in the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Act.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Streamlining The Pentagon

The Progress Report

Think Progress

In the last 10 years, the defense budget has nearly doubled to $549 billion, an increase of $252 billion, or 85 percent.


Judge rejects St. Petersburg Times' effort to block street solicitation ban

By Colleen Jenkins

St. Petersburg Times

A federal judge refused Thursday to block the city of St. Petersburg's new ban on street solicitation, clearing the way for officials to begin enforcing it this weekend.

No comments:

Post a Comment