Daily Clips for August 27, 201-0

FEATURED STORIES SB 360 growth management bill declared unconstitutional By Lee Logan and Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A circuit judge on Thursday tossed out last year's controversial growth management law that relaxes building rules in an effort to spur economic development. Judge: Lawsuit against state over quality of public schools can proceed By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel A judge has denied Florida's request to toss out an education adequacy lawsuit, ruling the plaintiffs — including three Orlando mothers — can challenge in court the state's commitment to public education. Bill McCollum refuses to back Rick Scott, cites qualms By John Frank Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau Bill McCollum doesn't forget easily. Chiles doesn't rule out leaving governor's race By William March Tampa Tribune Bud Chiles, no-party candidate for governor, held a news conference Thursday to call for campaign finance reform, but also said he won't rule out withdrawing from the governor's race if he thinks he can't win. 90 years later, equality issues unresolved By Laura Stamper Miami Herald After months of researching candidates, 19 year-old Hannah Snitzer woke up early Tuesday to be one the first people at Nautilus Middle School in Miami Beach to cast her vote in the Florida primaries. BEST OF THE BLOGS Florida Republicans Now Forced to Play Nice with Rick Scott By Buck Banks Pensito Review Rick Scott, who looks like he could host “Tales from the Crypt,” beat Bill “Howdy Doody” McCollum to become the Republican nominee for governor of Florida on Tuesday. Kendrick Meek Can Beat Crist & Rubio By Daniel Tilson The Examiner After noting the surprising size of Kendrick Meek's primary win over Jeff Greene, the next word from most "expert" analysts was "But...". And The Race Is On By Inkberries Beach Peanuts It’s official. Last night voters in Florida kicked Bill McCollum and the GOP Jeb Bush establishment to the curb. Rick Scott: so you want to be governor? Support Amendment 4 By Gimleteye Eye on Miami The lobbyist class was down in its cups at the campaign headquarters of Bill McCullom last night. FLORIDA POLITICS Crist, Cabinet welcome Lt. Gen. Milligan By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet welcomed retired Marine Lt. Gen. Bob Milligan back to state government Thursday as interim head of the Department of Veterans Affairs. POLITICAL RACES GOP, Scott discord dicey By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune Shell-shocked by Tuesday night's primary upset, Republican leaders have begun to regroup and reach out to their party's new candidate for governor, Rick Scott. McCollum witholding endorsement By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Attorney General Bill McCollum refused to endorse Republican Rick Scott for governor Thursday, expressing lingering doubts about "his integrity and his honesty." Sink says Scott will have to do some explaining News Service of Florida Sarasota Herald-Tribune Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink said Thursday that Rick Scott's past and character will be at the forefront of the governor's race as she enters the arena, possibly foreshadowing a continuation of some of the same personal negativity that marked the primary. Scott may need urban strategy By Jeremy Wallace Sarasota Herald-Tribune Republican Rick Scott needs an urban renewal project if he hopes to get elected governor of Florida, judging by this week's primary election results. Chiles says voters should know who's behind those caustic political commercials By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Lawton "Bud" Chiles brought his bid for governor to a leafy Tampa neighborhood Thursday and condemned the influence of special interest groups that bankroll negative TV ads under the banner of innocent-sounding committees. Party-less Charlie Crist faces harsh reality By Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns Politico First, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist was supposed to be the Republican nominee for Senate. Crist visits Vinyl Music Hall to push his Senate candidacy By Thyrie Bland Pensacola News Journal A new Pensacola music venue opened its doors for the first time on Thursday, but it wasn't for a rock star. Palin goes rogue, uses anti-abortion event to tout her stance on health care reform By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent Despite the dismal turnout for Jacksonville anti-abortion group Heroic Media’s “An Evening of Hope” event, keynote speaker Sarah Palin still managed to stray from pregnancy to politics. Palin criticizes Obama, Crist on abortion The Associated Press Tampa Tribune Sarah Palin called President Barack Obama the most pro-abortion president ever Thursday and mocked Florida's governor for claiming to be pro-life after vetoing a bill that would have required women to get ultrasounds before having the procedure. McCollum’s illegal immigration, health care fights at issue in A.G. race By Robert Napper Florida Independent Republican icon Sarah Palin, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, legendary lawman Eliot Ness. Incoming Speaker of the House tells GOP candidates not to over-promise By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News The incoming speaker of the Florida House told Republican candidates Thursday to campaign as conservatives but not to over-promise about cutting fraud, waste and mismanagement in state government. The good, bad and ugly from the primaries By Scott Maxwell Orlando Sentinel Time to take a look back at the winners, losers and lessons learned from this week's elections. BALLOT INITIATIVES Time grows short for court decision By Jim Saunders Health News Florida The Florida Supreme Court continues to ponder whether the November ballot will include an attack on federal health reform -- and add a highly partisan issue to an already nasty campaign season. Vote No on 4 PAC's scare tactics By Kevin Gale South Florida Business Journal The Vote No on 4 political action committee sent out an e-mail Wednesday with a headline that reads: "Primary Voters Grapple with 47-page ballots outside polling places." ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Judge strikes down controversial growth law By Bruce Ritchie Florida Tribune A Leon County circuit judge on Thursday struck down a controversial measure that dropped a requirement in state law that developers pay for new roads and schools in many areas. Judge rules state growth law unconstitutional The Associated Press Miami Herald A judge on Thursday struck down a 2009 law loosening state planning requirements and controls on urban sprawl that development and business interests say are stifling Florida's growth. Some travelers leery of all Florida beaches, no matter how far from spill By Sara K. Clarke Orlando Sentinel Visitors to Florida may need a little lesson in geography, according to the results of recent surveys about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. LGBT Same-sex couples in Florida face myriad legal, financial hurdles By Nirvi Shah Miami Herald As dozens of attorneys gather in Miami Beach this week to brainstorm and share ideas, this fact remains: For thousands of gay couples in Florida and across the country, not being able to marry carries financial and legal burdens numbering in the hundreds. Finding Our Way Around Florida's Ban on Gay Adoption By Charles Perez The Huffington Post "Are you a homosexual?" she asked. "Excuse me?" I responded. Ken Mehlman -- ex-GOP chairman and George W. Bush campaign manager -- says he's gay The Associated Press Miami Herald Former Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman says in a magazine interview that he is gay. EDUCATION Florida's education system appears headed for trial By Ron Matus St. Petersburg Times Florida's education system is a step closer to being put on trial. Judge denies motion to dismiss education funding suit filed by parents By Topher Sanders Florida Times-Union A Tallahassee circuit judge has denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by parents from Duval County and across Florida that challenges the state on education funding. In local speech, national teachers' union head praises Hillsborough reforms By Tom Marshall St. Petersburg Times It's a tough time to be president of the nation's largest teachers union. National Education Association president questions competitive education grants By Sean Kinane WMNF Community Radio Tampa Congress could reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act later this year. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Slow BP cash flow could force budget cuts By Jamie Page Pensacola News Journal Ken Feinberg's independent claims process may be an improvement for struggling businesses, but it does nothing for taxpayers when it comes to getting local government's money back. Unclaimed property auction nets $1.1 million The Associated Press Tampa Tribune The state of Florida made more than $1.1 million at its annual unclaimed property auction in Orlando. HEALTH AND SENIORS Moffitt Cancer Center discovers patient consent was falsified for study By Richard Martin St. Petersburg Times The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center on Wednesday revealed that it is investigating whether hundreds of patient signatures were falsified on documents enrolling them in the hospital's largest cancer research study.