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Progress Florida -- Progressive Solutions for Florida

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Daily Clips for June 16, 2010

FEATURED STORIES

Bill McCollum's campaign for Florida governor in trouble

By Steve Bousquet

St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Attorney General Bill McCollum's once-certain path to the Republican nomination for governor is in trouble, with supporters for the first time voicing anxiety about his chances and questioning his strategy.


President's speech outlines long-range restoration, BP aid fund for gulf disaster

By Alex Leary

St. Petersburg Times

Related: President Obama walks Pensacola Beach with Gov. Crist

Related: More than 900 pack Palladium in St. Pete for oil spill forum

Related editorial: Obama offers more than just rhetoric

Using his first Oval Office speech to underscore the severity of the gulf disaster, President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday night to hold BP accountable for its "recklessness" and urged Congress to pass a broad energy plan to break the nation's dependence on oil.


Estimates of Oil Flow Jump Higher

By Justin Gillis

New York Times

Related: In Oval Office Speech, Obama Calls for New Focus on Energy Policy

A government panel on Tuesday released yet another estimate of the amount of oil flowing from BP's damaged well, declaring that as much as 60,000 barrels a day could be spewing into the Gulf of Mexico.


FCAT testing firm vows to pay for tardy scores

By Kathleen McGrory and Hannah Samson

Miami Herald

The president of the company in charge of administering and grading the FCAT promised Tuesday to fully reimburse the state and local school districts for expenses related to the late release of this year's scores.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Special session could bring veto overrides to Tallahassee

By Abel Harding

Florida Times-Union

A special session of the Florida Legislature could hand Republicans an opportunity to override some of Gov. Charlie Crist's vetoes, State Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, said in an interview today.


Chamber calls John Thrasher most valuable legislator

By Adam S. Smith

St. Petersburg Times

Sen. John Thrasher has been named the 2010 Most Valuable Legislator by the Florida Chamber for his leadership on pro-business issues this year, becoming only the second senator to win that honor (the first was Garrett Richter).

POLITICAL RACES

Bud Chiles rejects Palm Beach County Democrats' appeal not to run against Sink

By George Bennett

Palm Beach Post

Democratic Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson is making an 11th-hour appeal to Bud Chiles to drop his independent bid for governor, suggesting his late father would not want him to damage Democrat Alex Sink's chances in the governor's race.


McCollum may have broken campaign finance law in soliciting money for shadowy 527

By Luke Johnson

Florida Independent

As Florida attorney general and Republican candidate for governor Bill McCollum looks to capitalize on an endorsement from Mitt Romney in Jacksonville, the St. Petersburg Times reports that McCollum may have broken Florida election law by using his name to raise money for the shadowy 527 group Florida First Initiative.


Did Rick Scott help finance remittances for illegals?

By Aaron Deslatte

Orlando Sentinel

GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott was the first Florida political candidate to embrace a controversial Arizona immigration law that gives police the right to ask for immigration paperwork from anyone they have stopped or arrested.


Romney, introduced as "hopefully" the next president, raises money for State Sen. Thrasher

By Virginia Chamlee

Florida Independent

Former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney further cemented his support of State Sen. John Thrasher at a fundraiser in Jacksonville Tuesday.


Romney helps Thrasher raise money

By David Hunt

Florida Times-Union

In a year when voters are taking aim at incumbents, state Sen. John Thrasher could be wearing one of the biggest bull's-eyes.


Candidates for agriculture commissioner post tout sheriffs' endorsements

By Bill Cotterell

Tallahassee Democrat

In a test of star power versus volume, the Democratic and Republican candidates for Florida agriculture commissioner boasted of their law-enforcement credentials today.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Redistricting in Fla. and elsewhere

By David Hill

The Hill

While many look at control of Congress as the biggest story of the 2010 elections, it's likely that state legislative races across the nation and some Florida ballot measures will end up having more impact on party and other political fortunes in the long run.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Most Vulnerable Animals in Oil Spill

By Dr. Debbye Turner Bell

CBS News

While billions of dollars is being spent on cleanup efforts and compensation for the people affected by the BP oil spill, it's impossible to put a price tag on the livelihood and existence of the countless species of fish, birds and other wildlife that occupy the region.


Gulf residents seek more than talk from Obama

By Jay Reeves

The Associated Press

Restaurant owner Regina Shipp was near desperation before President Barack Obama's address on the Gulf oil crisis.


Obama calls for renewable energy, Gulf restoration plan

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

President Barack Obama told a military audience in Pensacola Tuesday that the administration will do everything it can to deal with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill including calling in the military if necessary.


Florida PSC members feud during meeting

By Bruce Ritchie

FloridaEnvironments.com

The three remaining members of the Florida Public Service Commission traded accusations of "pettiness" and "silliness" during a tense discussion Tuesday on commission policies and procedures.

LGBT

Healthcare equality a must in American hospitals

By Janice Langbehn

Miami Herald

What happened to me and my family is unimaginable for most people.

EDUCATION

FCAT contractor: We're sorry we're tardy

By Leslie Postal

Orlando Sentinel

The president of Pearson, Florida's testing contractor, apologized Tuesday for delays in releasing FCAT scores, saying the company "deeply regrets" the holdup and all tests should be out by June 28.


FEA: Governor's Task Force on Education a Vast Improvement

By Gina Presson

Public News Service Florida

Gov. Charlie Crist has announced the creation of a new task force on education, and one of its goals will be to work toward winning up to $700 million in federal funding through the Race to the Top grant program.


Teaching: It's a hot career choice as boomers retire

By Luis Zaragoza

Orlando Sentinel

Broward County schools handed pink slips to more than 500 teachers this month.


Crist re-appoints Sibley to BCC

By Michelle Spitzer

Florida Today

Dedra Sibley was re-appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday to continuing serving as a Brevard Community College trustee, despite failing to win Senate confirmation.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Foreclosure tsunami swamps South Florida courts

By Harriet Johnson Brackey

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Lori Rodriguez lost her insurance billing job two years ago and was in danger of losing her house -- until a judge forced her lender to try to work out new loan terms in court-ordered mediation.


Florida's pension fund not seriously threatened by BP stock investments

By Jim Ash

Tallahassee Democrat

Florida's pension fund, the fourth-largest in the nation, has seen the value of its BP investments plunge more than $67 million since the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig, but the paper loss is too small to seriously threaten the fund's $112.4-billion bottom line, managers said Tuesday.


Florida tackles outbreak of fruit fly pest

By Susan Salisbury

Palm Beach Post

The first major outbreak of Mediterranean fruit flies in Florida in more than a decade will probably be quickly eradicated just like previous outbreaks, but state and federal officials are not taking any chances.


Public, private sectors pair up

By Rebecca Basu

Florida Today

A marine products company fixes a dock and gets a sign in the park recognizing its work.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Cutting C-sections helped babies

By Cynthia Washam

Health News Florida

Florida hospital administrators for years have said the state's high rate of preterm births -- and the infant health problems that result -- are beyond their control.


2 distinct FL voices at AMA

By Carol Gentry

Health News Florida

Even as Winter Park internist Cecil Wilson stands to take over as president of the American Medical Association, a more controversial Florida physician is also running for AMA office: St. Petersburg neurosurgeon David McKalip.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

South Florida man wins death row review

By Travis Pillow

Florida Independent

The United States Supreme Court ruled Monday that Albert Holland, a man convicted of killing a Pompano Beach police officer, could have his death sentence reviewed even though his lawyer missed the one-year filing deadline.


Test of justice

Editorial

Miami Herald

The U.S. Supreme Court won't win any popularity contests with its 7-2 decision offering a second chance to a convicted cop killer on Florida's death row, but it was undoubtedly the right call.

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