FEATURED STORIES
$4.6 billion in federal stimulus money stays unspent in Florida
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
More than two years after the controversial federal-stimulus program began, Florida has yet to spend more than $4.6 billion of its stimulus money, even as the state starts seeing new layoffs of teachers and others paid with stimulus money the past two years.
State law limits citizens' ability to get amendments on ballot
By Catherine Whittenburg
Tampa Tribune
A controversial new law has made it easier for the Legislature -- but harder for citizens -- to change Florida's constitution.
Director of PSC resigns under pressure
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
The executive director of the Public Service Commission, hired by four consumer-friendly commissioners who were ousted last year, has been ousted himself.
Out-of-state school choice cash winning votes, splitting Democrats
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Over the past five years, a multimillion-dollar effort by a small number of deep-pocketed school-choice advocates has tried to sway state-level elections and rewrite education laws across the country.
FSU faculty group plans review of Koch deal
By Katie Sanders and Kris Hundley
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Related: The Koch brothers' ideological war
Stung by widespread criticism of its unusual contract with a conservative billionaire donor, Florida State University has turned to its faculty for guidance on avoiding such a fiasco in the future.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Are Florida Democrats regaining momentum?
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida Democrats gained something in Jacksonville this week that they have not felt in more than a year.
Florida's early voting remains at 96 hours
By Kurt Browning
St. Petersburg Times
Related PolitiFact article: Flexibility in early voting could mean fewer hours to vote
One of my most important responsibilities as secretary of state in Florida is preserving the integrity of the voting process while increasing access to the ballot box.
It’s not just Florida pushing tougher voter laws
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
The Wall Street Journal published a review over the weekend of states pushing tighter elections laws.
Lobbyists spent $55 million to lobby Florida lawmakers and governor, analysis shows
By Kathleen Haughney and Aaron Deslatte
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Florida utilities, casino operators, local governments and a host of other interests spent more than $55.1 million to lobby Tallahassee lawmakers and the governor during the first three months of the year, according to a Sun Sentinel-Orlando Sentinel analysis of lobbyist compensation data released this month.
POLITICAL RACES
Gov. Rick Scott says he won't run for president
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has added his name to the list of prominent Republicans who say they are not running for president.
GOP's best 2012 hope spelled J-E-B
By Keith Koffler
Politico
Republicans are not happy about their choices for the 2011 presidential nomination.
Jeb ignores home cooking; still ‘no’ to prez run
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
With former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty making a beeline to Florida for a Tampa fund-raiser on the heels of making his presidential candidacy official Monday, Florida’s own former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, was — again — quick to rule out his own potential run.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty makes Tampa a first campaign stop
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
He is the son of a truck driver with a record of slashing spending, taking on public employee unions and quoting the Will Ferrell movie Talladega Nights: The Ricky Bobby Story.
Polls open for Miami-Dade election; voters show low interest
By Matthew Haggman and Martha Brannigan
Miami Herald
As election day begins Tuesday morning to pick a new mayor for Miami-Dade County, voters are showing less interest in choosing a replacement than they did in throwing the previous officeholder out.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Environmentalists decry plan to do away with Florida DCA
By Kate Bradshaw
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
Since 1986, the Florida Department of Community Affairs has tried to prevent sprawl throughout the state, often to the chagrin of developers.
Regulators raised new concerns about reactor
By Curtis Morgan
Miami Herald
Citing “technical issues,’’ federal regulators have delayed approval of a next-generation nuclear reactor design picked by Florida Power & Light for its proposed expansion at Turkey Point in South Miami-Dade County.
EDUCATION
Broward Teachers Union organizes public protest
By Carli Teproff
Miami Herald
More than 2,000 teachers, parents and students are expected to gather outside of the Broward School Board building in downtown Fort Lauderdale Tuesday evening in protest of recent budget cuts.
Baker County school board adopts abstinence-only sex ed program
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Last week the Baker County school board unanimously voted to adopt a strict abstinence-only sex education program.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
DCF to lay off 500 workers
By John Kennedy and Ana Valdes
Palm Beach Post
About 500 state employees who work for the Department of Children and Families will lose their jobs by the end of next month to cover a $48 million budget cut, according to the agency's secretary.
Group hunting for 'turkeys' in Florida's budget
Associated Press
Bradenton Herald
Florida TaxWatch is conducting its annual 'turkey' hunt.
Business groups press governor to veto cuts they say will cost jobs
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Road builders heightened the pressure Monday on Gov. Rick Scott, delivering close to 3,600 petition signatures opposing a proposed $150 million shift of gas tax dollars they warn will cost thousands of jobs.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Report: Lawmakers divert funds from public hospitals to for-profit and faith-based hospitals
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
According to The Miami Herald, Florida’s legislature has redirected millions of dollars for low-income hospital patients in South Florida to private and faith-based hospitals.
Child Death Exposes Failure of Attorney General’s Office
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
“Agency Fails Another Child,” read the headline in Saturday’s St. Petersburg Times, referring to the Department of Children and Families.
Study: Florida still failing children's dental health
By Kimberly Moore Wilmoth
Ocala Star-Banner
For the second year in a row, Florida has received an F grade for the oral health care of the state's children, although The Pew Center on the States, which issued the report, said things are improving.
Fill gaps in Florida's child protection system before more kids perish
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
A judge tried to intervene. So did social workers and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Yeah, but they still get to keep the 'Taj Mahal'By Howard Troxler
St. Petersburg Times
So now there are formal misconduct charges against Paul M. Hawkes, the main judge in the "Taj Mahal" courthouse scandal in Tallahassee.
Trimmed-down version of Florida's foreclosure court to remain in service
By Roger Bull
Florida Times-Union
The funding that created Florida's foreclosure courts is gone but, at least in Jacksonville, the court will continue — with a change.
No comments:
Post a Comment