Daily Clips for May 10, 2011

FEATURED STORIES

Billionaire's role in hiring decisions at Florida State University raises questions
By Kris Hundley
St. Petersburg Times
A conservative billionaire who opposes government meddling in business has bought a rare commodity: the right to interfere in faculty hiring at a publicly funded university.

Florida legislators load November 2012 ballot with long-sought amendment proposals
By Mary Ellen Klas
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The just-finished legislative session will be remembered for more than the $3.8 billion deficit or the political meltdown that marred its finish.

Amid ‘war on voters,’ League of Women Voters announces it will cease registration efforts
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
The League of Women Voters of Florida, which previously decried an elections bill passed this session as an attempt at voter suppression, announced today that it will halt its efforts to sign up new voters if the bill becomes law.

5 biggest questions of the session answered
By Gary Fineout
Florida Tribune
Florida lawmakers in the early morning hours on Saturday finally wrapped up a contentious yet enormously productive session.

Florida's high-speed rail money goes to 15 states
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Related: Other states get Florida rail money
More than $2 billion in high-speed rail money that was rejected by Florida Gov. Rick Scott was redistributed Monday to 15 other states.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Gov. Scott says Florida has been turned around; Dems agree, for opposite reasons
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Rookie Gov. Rick Scott didn't get everything he wanted during the first legislative session of his administration, but he says Florida is headed in the right direction.

Capitol chaos exposes consequences of lawmaking behind closed doors
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
Any hopes for a picture-perfect ending to the 2011 legislative session were dashed some time around 11 p.m. on Friday, when Gov. Rick Scott’s communications directors told reporters the governor was headed home for the night.

Where is the Focus on Jobs We Were Promised?
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
Governor Scott and the majority of 2010 candidates vowed to make 2011 about jobs for struggling Floridians and getting our state's economy back on track.

This Legislature's 'smashing success' story: House Speaker Dean Cannon
By Mike Thomas
Orlando Sentinel
I am amused by Rick Scott's claims of victory in this legislative session.

The Legislature: a straw man here, a straw man there
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
There was a revealing episode early in this year's session of the Legislature.

Veteran lawmakers fight back against abuse of power
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
The Friday night meltdown of the Florida Legislature laid bare the immaturity of legislative leaders and their lack of respect for openness, fairness and their own colleagues.

The democratic process suffers if groups end voter registration drives
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
As expected, Florida's GOP-controlled Legislature rammed through a not-so furtive ploy last week to tighten the party's hold on power.

Anti-voter bill
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Legislature made needlessly damaging changes to Florida's election law last week.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Greens push Obama to save Everglades
By Bob King
Politico
Florida environmentalists are launching a national ad campaign urging President Barack Obama to rescue the lagging multibillion-dollar Everglades restoration effort, with some activists arguing it could give him an edge in the swing state in 2012.

Lawmakers flush septic tank inspection repeal
By Regan McCarthy
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
A bill expected to repeal a rule requiring septic tank inspections failed in the Florida legislature.

Fort Lauderdale demonstration to oppose offshore oil drilling
By David Fleshler
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Opponents of offshore drilling will hold their second annual Hands Across the Sand event June 25 in Fort Lauderdale, as part of a national day of demonstrations against the expansion of oil exploration off U.S. shores.

LGBT

Newly bipartisan Civil Rights Commission to hold bullying briefing, with focus on LGBT testimony
By Sofia Resnick
Florida Independent
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is scheduled to hold a briefing Friday on bullying and “peer-to-peer” violence in K-12 public schools.

EDUCATION

Trying to get through to Generation Huh?
By Daniel Ruth
St. Petersburg Times
For a minute there I had a flashback to my time teaching college students in a beginning reporting class.

School uniforms gaining popularity in Florida
By Leslie Postal
Orlando Sentinel
Put away the flouncy skirts, the baggy jeans and the Hello Kitty or Harry Potter t-shirts.

Gov. Scott names three to UF board of trustees
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
The University of Florida board of trustees is welcoming three new members with seven degrees from the university among them.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Florida still No. 1 in mortgage fraud, lenders say
By Jeff Ostrowski
Palm Beach Post
For the fifth year in a row, Florida owns the dubious distinction of mortgage fraud capital of the nation.

Online travel providers lose chance to settle tax dispute in Florida Legislature
By Steve Huettel
St. Petersburg Times
Online travel providers lost their bid to settle a hotel tax dispute with Florida counties in the state Legislature.

NASA: Next-to-last shuttle launch set for May 16
By Marcia Dunn
Daytona Beach News-Journal
NASA will try again next Monday to launch Endeavour on the next-to-last space shuttle flight, after replacing a switch box and plugging in new electrical wiring.

The Rejected Windfall
Editorial
New York Times
After Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Moderate Republicans joined Democrats in fighting abortion-restricting legislation
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Related: Planned Parenthood hosting rallies against most ‘anti-women legislative session in Florida history’
On the last day of Florida’s legislative session, Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach, received the ACLU of Florida’s “Defender of Freedom” award for the week.

Florida bills burden women's health
By Christopher Estes
St. Petersburg Times
In medical school, we learn that the patient comes first.

Hearings on health-care overhaul begins march toward U.S. Supreme Court
By Stacey Singer
Palm Beach Post
Round 1 of appellate-level hearings on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act begins today in Richmond, Va., the next step on the health overhaul's highly anticipated walk to the U.S. Supreme Court.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Gov. Scott signs Florida probation violator bill
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott has signed a bill honoring a Fort Myers police officer slain by a domestic violence suspect wanted for a probation violation.