PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Haridopolos deal the only Brevard Community College book contract in last 10 years
By Cooper Levey-Baker
Florida Independent
Excerpt: Although Haridopolos abandoned his campaign for the U.S. Senate this Monday, opponents are continuing to dog the lawmaker for the Brevard arrangement. Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Florida, wrote to Haridopolos on Wednesday, calling on the state senator to return the $152,000 he earned writing Florida Legislative History and Processes for the college, where he worked as an assistant professor.
FEATURED STORIES
Gov. Rick Scott's office rethinks fee schedule for public records
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times
Related editorial: A welcome dose of sunshine
Gov. Rick Scott will charge less for public records, according to a memo circulating within his office and executive agencies since Tuesday and released to the media this morning.
Governor is no reformer
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Post reporter Stacey Singer's July 10 story about how Rick Scott ran the Solantic Urgent Care chain should not have surprised anyone, given how Rick Scott ran the Columbia/HCA hospital chain.
Consumer health advocates say Florida lawmakers made a mistake in turning away federal health care dollars
By Kate Bradshaw
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
State lawmakers turned away tens of millions in federal money for health care by refusing to apply for grants, giving money back, or saying thanks, but no thanks. Among those hardest hit were low income seniors and families.
Florida attorney general's office fires back at its former foreclosure investigators
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post
The Florida Attorney general's office released a cutting statement Thursday criticizing the work of two former state foreclosure fraud investigators after a week of national attention paid to the duo's forced resignations.
Feds investigate Congressman David Rivera on casino contract
By Scott Hiaasen and Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
Federal investigators have opened a second criminal probe of U.S. Rep. David Rivera, examining undisclosed payments from a Miami gambling enterprise to a company tied to the Republican congressman, The Miami Herald has learned.
West-Wasserman Schultz duel continues as West cites double standard for black conservatives
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
In the aftermath of his scathing email to Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Allen West told conservative radio talker Mark Levin Wednesday that, as a black conservative, he's subjected to a double standard in the politics of victimization.
BEST OF THE BLOGS
The coming Haridopocalypse
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
If there is one lesson to have been learned from Florida politics these past two years, it’s that it sucks to be an establishment Republican.
Florida GOP Rejects Money To Fight Child Abuse And Neglect
By Guest Blogger
Think Progress
In a partisan stand against the Affordable Care Act, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) and GOP lawmakers are turning away much-needed federal funds aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect.
GOP Should Sacrifice Rivera
By Jake
Rantings From Florida
I know. Why should they care what I have to say. But with the entry of Luis Garcia into the race, the writing on the wall is getting more clear.
Why does the Tea Party and The Bible hate Manatees?
By CatJab
Daily Kos
Are they gay? Are they too fat? Are they just too adorable?
FLORIDA POLITICS
A new question in the West-Wasserman Schultz feud: Where does West live?
By Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact
Most of the she-said, he-said, back-and-forth between South Florida Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Allen West has been good for political theater but bad for fact checkers.
Florida's redistricting meetings move to I-4 corridor next week
By David Royse
News Service of Florida
Lawmakers next week take the discussion of how to redesign the state's political map to one of the areas most in need of updating to account for demographic change - and the area probably most closely watched because of its current political competitiveness.
Brown again raising bucks to fight Fair Districts
By Mark Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
Don’t like the Fair Districts amendments that passed last year?
Attacking democracy, underpants, & Pam Bondi strikes back
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
In today's Friday Files, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes back against the former investigators who say Bondi's office ousted them for too aggressively going after fraudulent — and deep-pocketed — foreclosure firms in this state.
Jesse Jackson coming to Tampa to protest new election law
By William March
Tampa Tribune
The Rev. Jesse Jackson will headline a rally in Tampa Tuesday to protest a new Florida election law Republicans say is intended to cut costs and prevent fraud, but that Democrats and civil rights organizations say is aimed at suppressing voter turnout to improve Republican 2012 election chances.
Rick Scott's Office Unveils a Slightly Less Ridiculous Plan for Records Requests
By Matthew Hendley
Broward New Times
Since Gov. Rick Scott's office decided that the public and reporters had to pay a price for open government in early March, it's been a huge complaint.
POLITICAL RACES
Florida's Republican contenders for U.S. Senate to debate Aug. 20
By Amy Hollyfield
St. Petersburg Times
The Florida Family Policy Council and Central Florida Tea Party have announced a GOP U.S. Senate debate next month in Orlando.
Allan Bense considering entering U.S. Senate race
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense is considering entering the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, after numerous "very high-profile" Republicans urged him to in the wake of Mike Haridopolos quitting the race.
Barack Obama's re-election campaign missing big bundlers from 2008
By Ben Smith, Maggie Haberman and Byron Tau
Politico
When Sen. Barack Obama began running for president in 2007, a small handful of determined, inspired supporters found a new political calling.
Susie Wiles leaves Huntsman campaign, denies a shakeup
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Susie Wiles, campaign manager for Republican Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, said she's leaving the campaign.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Federal legislation would direct 80 percent of oil spill fines to Gulf states
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
U.S Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio joined Thursday to co-sponsor a bill in Congress that would direct 80 percent of federal oil spill penalties collected from BP to Gulf Coast states.
Activists protest Mica's plan to weaken EPA water rules
By Kevin Spear
Orlando Sentinel
A diverse group of environmental advocates on Thursday protested U.S. Rep. John Mica's sponsorship of legislation that would rein in federal authority to establish water-pollution rules in Florida and other states.
Friends of the Everglades calls on Scott to make polluters pay
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
Earlier this week, a U.S. appeals court rejected an attempt by the state of Florida, sugarcane growers and the South Florida Water Management District to block a federal EPA plan to protect the Everglades from cane farming pollution.
Another fish kill, this time in Collier County
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
Yet another widespread fish kill materialized in Florida this week — this time in Collier County.
Feinberg agrees to audit of oil spill claims operation
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that oil spill claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg has agreed to an audit of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
LGBT
Nation's fourth-largest school district adds gender identity protections
From Equality Florida
Miami Herald
Miami-Dade School District, the fourth largest in the nation, has added gender identity to their harassment and anti-bullying policy.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to certify that gays can serve openly in the armed services
By Lolita C. Baldor
Associated Press
Defense officials say Pentagon chief Leon Panetta will certify that gays may serve openly in the armed services. News of his decision comes two weeks after top military leaders agreed that repealing the 17-year-old ban will not hurt military readiness.
EDUCATION
More money on the way for Florida charter schools
By Jeff Solochek
St. Petersburg Times
Florida already has more than 400 charter schools serving more than 135,000 children.
Parents implore Hillsborough County to spare after-school programs from cuts
By Bill Varian
St. Petersburg Times
Flanked by her three children, ages 6 to 16, Kim Herman had a straight-forward message for Hillsborough County commissioners Thursday night: "Leave the kids alone."
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Florida taxpayers pick up the tab for security when other governors visit
By Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
When Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana visited Jacksonville to campaign for Rick Scott last fall, state law enforcement agents provided extra security — and Florida taxpayers picked up the tab.
Unemployment itself can be biggest obstacle to getting a job
By Jeff Harrington
St. Petersburg Times
Robert Spidella, an accountant in Pinellas Park who has been unemployed nearly three years, thought he'd be a perfect fit for an opening advertised by staffing agency Aerotek.
Fla. economists skip summer revenue estimate
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
State economists are skipping their summer estimate of Florida's general revenue.
CFPB Open For Business
By Whitney Ray
Capitol News Service
A new financial regulation bureau is promising better protection for borrowers.
Deutch urges probe of guest worker visa program, saying it costs U.S. workers jobs
By John Lantigua
Palm Beach Post
Boca Raton Congressman Ted Deutch is calling for the U.S. Labor secretary to investigate a work visa program that he says allows hundreds of foreigners to take hospitality jobs at the expense of qualified Americans.
After state aid ends, how to pay for SunRail?
By Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
Now that the SunRail commuter train is a go in Central Florida, area politicians have to decide how to pay for the service and the extra buses that will be needed to get passengers to and from their destinations.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
State fights $60M in public rebates
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Floridians could miss out on an estimated $60 million in health-insurance rebates next year if state officials successfully block enforcement of spending rules in the year-old reform law.
Groups upset state won't take federal funds for health care
By Andrew Ford
Tampa Tribune
Jennifer Trujillo is expecting twins. Though she makes decent money, her zip code and her high-risk pregnancy qualified her for home visits by the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, which is funded by federal grants.
State regulators asked to sign off on medical malpractice deal
By Gary Fineout
Florida Current
The nation’s largest medical malpractice carrier on Thursday defended its proposed acquisition of Jacksonville-based FPIC Insurance Group in a more than two-hour hearing before state regulators.
AIDS Institute wants Obama administration to reverse decision on AIDS drug funds
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
Carl Schmid, deputy executive director of The AIDS Institute, tells The Florida Independent he had to wait over a week to confirm that the Obama administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Programs are limiting how much money each state can receive from recently approved AIDS Drug Assistance Program “emergency relief funding.”
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
DCF still trying to find sites for welfare drug testingBy Catherine Whittenburg
Tampa Tribune
Three weeks after the law took effect, Florida's social service agency is still rushing to get the state's new drug-testing program for welfare applicants up and running statewide.
New Florida study tracks ex-felons after they won back voting rights
By Gary Fineout
Florida Current
A new state report shows that roughly 11 percent of ex-felons who won back the right to vote in the last two years committed new crimes or were placed back under state supervision.
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