PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Democratic-allied groups call for Scott to veto elections bill
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Excerpt: Those calling for a Scott veto include groups not normally among the first the governor turns to for counsel: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSMCE), the American Civil Liberties Union, Progress Florida, and the Florida AFL-CIO. “These provisions needlessly infringe the voting rights of Floridians, particularly those among historically disenfranchised communities, including elderly, low-income voters, students and voters of color,” the group’s letter said.
AWAKE THE STATE IN THE NEWS
Orlando’s Awake the State rally slams Scott, local state GOP pols
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Excerpt: More than 200 protesters rallied outside Orlando’s chamber of commerce building downtown Tuesday night to denounce Gov. Rick Scott and local GOP state lawmakers who they say took part in “the most anti-middle class Legislature in Florida history.”
Protesters in Suntree blast Scott's budget
By Andrew Knapp and Bill Cotterell
Florida Today
Excerpt: Bill Rettinger, vice chairman of Brevard Democrats, said the Suntree protest took place outside Haridopolos' office because he helped lead the "dog-and-pony show" in Tallahassee. "They ran on jobs, jobs, jobs," Rettinger said. "And we got screwed, screwed, screwed."
Protesters criticize Florida's Republican Legislature at an Awake the State rally in St. Petersburg
By Nolan Ruark
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Excerpt: This year there have been rallies in Florida by people upset at policies pushed by the Republican-dominated state Legislature. Twenty-three Awake the State rallies were held across the state yesterday, including one at the office of Representative Jeff Brandes in St. Petersburg.
FEATURED STORIES
Florida Dems may skip 2012 presidential primary
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Call it a case of "once burned, twice shy." Florida Democrats got singed over the state's early presidential primary date in 2008, and this time around they're keeping their hands off the stove.
Mike Haridopolos and the meltdown
By Rachel Weiner
Washington Post
Asked in March about his campaign against Sen. Bill Nelson (D), Florida Senate president Mike Haridopolos pointed to his performance in the legislature.
Old people first on HMO list
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Until now, Florida’s plans to transfer Medicaid patients into managed care have focused on children and families, not the sick and frail elderly who need constant care.
In Florida, off-the-job conduct may put your unemployment benefits at risk
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
A just-passed overhaul of Florida's unemployment laws gives employers the ability to challenge jobless benefits to former employees for behavior that has little to do with how they conduct themselves at work.
Florida Legislature Votes to Ease Rules on Development
By Lizette Alvarez
New York Times
Just before the Republican-led Florida Legislature finished up its session for the year, it gave developers a parting gift: It pushed through measures that would reverse 25 years of growth management law by loosening state oversight of builders and making it harder for people to challenge development.
In Koch Deal, FSU’s Academic Integrity Questioned
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
The flashing lights, bells and whistles should be going off for Florida State alumni, students and prospective students, as well as any Floridian not already worried about the future of higher education in this state: FSU’s academic integrity is under attack.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Scott applauds lawmakers, says he won't stop pressing for tax cuts
By James Call
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
Advocates are calling the just-concluded Florida Legislative Session the worst in memory for the environment, workers and the poor.
State Sen. Jack Latvala leveraged his vote to slow down conservative march
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
State Sen. Jack Latvala failed to pass 29 of the 38 bills he sponsored this year, but he might have been the session's most effective lawmaker.
So What Bills Didn't Get Passed in the 2011 Florida Legislative Session?
Staff Report
Bradenton Times
While the Florida Legislature was able to pass a prolific amount of legislation this year, not all of the big issues were able to slide through.
Florida Elections Commission owed almost $1.4 million in unpaid fines
By Brandon Larrabee
News Service of Florida
Candidates, consultants and political organizations owe the Florida Elections Commission almost $1.4 million in unpaid fines from cases stretching as far back as 1990, state records show.
Sen. Marco Rubio urges more U.S. action against Syria
By Lesley Clark
Miami Herald
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday called for the Obama administration to ratchet up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has attacked anti-government protestors.
Kendrick Meek lands a new gig
By Lesley Clark
Miami Herald
The former congressman who was defeated in his bid for Senate has joined the website Politic365 as chairman of its editorial board.
Chilling democracy
Editorial
Tampa Tribune
It appears that state lawmakers achieved exactly what they wanted with their controversial election legislation.
POLITICAL RACES
Prepare to be 'primaried'
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Capital News
There's a new word popping up in Congress, a noun that's become a verb with sinister implications.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
The solution or the problem?
Editorial
Miami Herald
Has Florida lost its will to clean up and protect the Everglades?
Where the money is
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
Scientists have been pulling an unusual number of sick fish — with skin lesions, fin rot and other symptoms — out of the Gulf of Mexico.
LGBT
Navy halts move to allow gay unions by chaplains after 63 House members allege DOMA violation
By Lolita C. Baldor
Associated Press
Under pressure from more than five dozen House lawmakers, the Navy late Tuesday abruptly reversed its decision that would have allowed chaplains to perform same-sex unions if the Pentagon decides to recognize openly gay military service later this year.
EDUCATION
The new and improved FSU course catalog, brought to you by Charles G. Koch
By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
Sponsored and faculty approved by: Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.
Florida has a dumb way of treating teachers
By Ernest Hooper
St. Petersburg Times
We don't trust you, you've been sponging off the system, we're cutting your already exceptionally low pay and a lot of you need to be fired.
Will giving charter schools freer rein help make them better?
By Jackie Alexander
Gainesville Sun
Sweeping changes to the way charter schools are governed worry local education leaders, who argue that the changes open the door for corporation-backed schools with little accountability and comparative academic success.
Where does Florida Lottery education money go?
By Michael Mayo
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Where does Florida lottery education money go?
FCAT 2.0, graded on more of a curve, worries Jacksonville officials
By Mary Kelli Palka
Florida Times-Union
Scores on this year's Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test won't be based solely on the students' performances on the exam but on how they do compared to the other students in the state.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Fla. plans to close Glades, Hendry prisons, maybe leaving 600 jobless in impoverished region
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Florida officials apparently plan to shut down Glades Correctional Institution, possibly leaving its 300-plus workers without a job in an already-economically ravaged region by July 1.
Bill lets insurers delay payouts to homeowners
By Laura Green
Palm Beach Post
If Florida homeowners fall victim to a hurricane this summer, they may end up paying for some repairs out of pocket, under provisions in a property insurance bill that landed on Gov. Rick Scott's desk Wednesday.
Citizens looking to boost capital ahead of hurricane season
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
The state's largest property insurer is looking to increase the money on hand in case a hurricane hits Florida this year.
Growers Want Veto of Proposed Citrus Code Changes
By Kevin Bouffard
Lakeland Ledger
State Sen. J.D. Alexander and Florida's top citrus grower organizations have declared war against each other over control of the Florida Department of Citrus and its taxing authority.
$2 Million to Go to Fighting Citrus Canker
Staff Report
Lakeland Ledger
The final state budget approved early Saturday morning contains $2 million for research to combat citrus greening, a bacterial disease threatening the future of commercial citrus growing in Florida.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Medicare's future a senior concern
By Bob Rathgeber
Ft. Myers News-Press
The Medicare Advantage plan is gradually being gutted under President Barack Obama's health care plan.
Scott's review of taxpayer funded hospitals ready to gear up
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Tribune
Fresh off a bruising legislative session Florida hospital lobbyists will kick into gear again in May when a gubernatorial panel begins meeting to discuss the role of taxpayer funded public hospitals.
State employee health insurance bill died amid chaos of last night of session
By Gary Fineout
Florida Tribune
A bid to overhaul the state employee health insurance program was among the handful of bills that crashed and burned in the bizarre session meltdown on Friday night.
Attorney general cracking down on medicaid fraud
By Regan McCarthy
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
A Florida man charged with Medicaid fraud is in custody. Regan McCarthy reports the man collected more than 229-thousand dollars from illegitimate claims.
Passage of Florida's prescription drug overhaul is long overdue
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
It took a decade and was far too politically contentious, but the Legislature may finally have a comprehensive plan for attacking the prescription drug abuse epidemic that claims seven lives in Florida every day and contributes to the illegal drug supply across the eastern United States.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Law against blasting car stereos unconstitutional, Florida judges sayAssociated Press
Palm Beach Post
A state law making it illegal to blast loud music or other audio from a car stereo system has been declared unconstitutional.
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