Daily Clips for July 6, 2011

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

Florida’s Top Political Tweeters for July
By Peter Schorsch
St. Petersblog 2.0
Note: Progress Florida is again listed among the top political tweeters in Florida, and ranks first among organizations. Follow us at http://twitter.com/progressflorida.

FEATURED STORIES

Hundreds turn out to oppose RV camping sites at Honeymoon Island state park
By Craig Pittman
St. Petersburg Times
Florida's most popular state park, Honeymoon Island, should be left the way it is with no additional camp sites or spaces for recreational vehicles, a stream of devoted Honeymoon fans told state park officials Tuesday night during a public hearing that lasted about four hours.

Florida Democrats struggle to capitalize on Hispanic surge
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida Democrats have seen their registration numbers swell in recent years, due in large part to a surge in Hispanic voters.

Florida Watch Action ties Haridopolos to Scott in new video clip
By Cooper Levey-Baker
Florida Independent
In a new YouTube clip titled “Mike Haridopolos–Pink Slip Puppet,” the progressive group Florida Watch Action uses a series of short sound bites to tie Florida Senate President and U.S. Senate hopeful Haridopolos to Gov. Rick Scott, specifically highlighting his positions on education funding, offshore drilling and high-speed rail.

Teachers’ union sends Scott a message from Chicago
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
The state’s largest teachers’ union, which has already sued Gov. Rick Scott over the new law requiring payroll contributions to the Florida Retirement System, went a little more public Tuesday with its criticism of the Republican governor.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Another departure for Scott administration
Staff Report
Florida Tribune
Brian Hughes, the combative second-in-command for the press shop of Gov. Rick Scott, is leaving his job to join the Republican Party of Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott's net worth drops by $115 million
By Michael C. Bender and Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott's net worth dropped by $115 million in 2010, but his income soared nearly 40 percent in the sluggish economy.

Governor Scott Stops for Food, Gets Booed
Staff Report
First Coast News
A dinner in San Marco Tuesday night came to a rather unpleasant end for Governor Rick Scott.

Scott touts Florida's 'military-friendly' perks for active-duty members and vets
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Surrounded by war memorabilia on the day after the Fourth of July, Gov. Rick Scott held ceremonial bill signings at the Armed Forces Military Museum, showing "just a very small part" of the state's gratitude for veterans' service to the country.

Hacker Claims to Have Revealed Part of Florida Voter Database
By Matthew Hendley
Broward New Times
A hacker going by the name Abhaxas claims to have hacked part of the Florida voter database and publicly posted his findings.

Former Republican Party of Florida chair Jim Greer has same attorney as Casey Anthony
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Why should Jim Greer be smiling after the Casey Anthony verdict?

Hearings take redistricting questions to communities
By Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Will Weatherford
Daytona Beach News-Journal
This summer, lawmakers from across the state will begin the process of redrawing Florida's boundary lines for equal representation.

POLITICAL RACES

Introducing the St. Petersburg Times' Florida Insider Poll
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
He's an obscure former state House member competing against a former U.S. senator and Florida Senate president, but dozens of smart Florida politicos see Adam Hasner as the favorite to win the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.

Haridopolos Raises $900,000 in 2nd Quarter
By Joshua Miller
Roll Call
Florida Senate hopeful Mike Haridopolos raised more than $900,000 in the second quarter, a significant drop-off from his first-quarter haul.

Tampa's GOP convention a security challenge
By Josh Poltilove
Tampa Tribune
Presidential conventions typically have 3,500 to 4,200 people helping with public safety. Every day.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Rick Scott's Quiet Campaign Against the Environment
By Lisa Rab
Broward New Times
​Remember the environmental apocalypse Rick Scott was supposed to create?

Budget cuts a step back for marine research
By Kate Spinner
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Crippled by debt and funding cuts, the ocean research institute that played a critical role in responding to last year's oil disaster is struggling to keep its science ships afloat.

Fire Danger Lessening
By Whitney Ray
Florida Capital News
This morning there were 96 wildfires burning in Florida, down from more than 430 active fires just two weeks ago, but the danger isn’t over.

DEP still working to fill high level vacancies, including modified positions
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has filled one high-level job vacancy, eliminated another and modified two vacant positions to go along with three other remaining vacancies.

Increase mileage standards
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
America lags behind China, Europe and Japan in demanding better fuel efficiency from its vehicles.

EDUCATION

State asks court to toss school-quality lawsuit
By Leslie Postal
Orlando Sentinel
Can Florida's courts judge whether the state's public schools are high quality and adequately funded?

Central Florida schools scramble to find money as federal stimulus funds run out
By Erica Rodriguez
Orlando Sentinel
Central Florida school districts are saying goodbye to nearly a half a billion dollars in federal economic-recovery money this week as they close their budgets for the 2011-2012 school year.

Duval County appeals to maintain control of intervene schools
By Topher Sanders
Florida Times-Union
Avoiding lawsuits, creating a new partnering organization and lacking a valid way to compare this year's FCAT with previous exams are some of the reasons why Duval County Public Schools wants another year to manage its four most struggling schools.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Public workers flooded DROP as pension changes took effect
By Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
Applications to the state’s deferred retirement program, known as DROP, spiked leading up July 1, when major changes to the public pension plan took effect.

Will the professional deregulation bill return?
By Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times
Floridians logged more than 45,000 complaints to a state consumer hot line during the latest fiscal year, up 20 percent from the year before.

Legislature short-changes homeowners on solar rebates
By Frank Cerabino
Palm Beach Post
It bugs Timothy Rowe to hear about a new rebate program for homeowners who install solar panels on their roofs.

Atlantis' final launch inspires bittersweet celebration
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
Call it a goodbye party, attended by perhaps a million people.

Storms may wash out last space shuttle launch Fri.
By Marcia Dunn
Associated Press
NASA's last space shuttle countdown is under way, but lousy weather may delay Friday's launch attempt.

SEC launches investigation into St. Joe
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The St. Joe Co. says the Securities and Exchange Commission has begun a "private investigation" of the company's business practices.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Cuts at nursing homes: Local centers have options, say they won’t reduce staff
By Stacey Singer and Toni-Ann Miller
Palm Beach Post
Starting this month, Florida's 70,000 nursing home residents could find fewer nurses at their bedside after the Florida Legislature voted to lower the homes' minimum staffing standard by about 8 percent to help them absorb another round of Medicaid budget cuts.

U.S. Rep. Deutch tells seniors Medicare benefits shouldn't be cut
By John Lantigua
Palm Beach Post
Gerald Kanovsky, 75, worries Washington politicians, in the midst of negotiations to reduce the federal budget deficit, are going to sell Medicare recipients like him down the river.

State seizes thousands of pills during pill mill crackdown
Staff Report
Florida Tribune
State agents swept through pain clinics and doctor offices on Tuesday as part of a new crackdown authorized by the state's new law aimed at battling pill mills that prescribe drugs such as Oxycodone.

Many who skipped dental visits in the recession now face pricey procedures
By Sonja Isger
Palm Beach Post
When the economy tanked and some people felt they had to choose between their groceries and their gums, many went with the groceries and skipped those dental cleanings and checkups.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Florida business leaders oppose E-Verify immigration bill
By Alfonso Chardy
Miami Herald
If Congress passes a law mandating that private businesses verify the immigration status of employees, the requirement could disrupt or wreck certain businesses including Florida’s farms and hospitality industry, which thrives on international tourism, according to business leaders from several states, including Florida.