FEATURED STORIES
Inquiry into Gov. Rick Scott's deleted transition e-mails opens amid complaint from Alex Sink
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened an investigation Monday into missing e-mails from Gov. Rick Scott's two-month transition amid a complaint from former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink about a possible conflict of interest.
Scott explores higher-ed reforms
By Denise-Marie Balona
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott is exploring dramatic higher-education reforms that are similar to those already under way in Florida's public school districts.
Timeline For Redistricting Draws Fire
By Brandon Larrabee
News Service of Florida
As lawmakers move toward the end of their statewide tour to gather voters' input on the once-a-decade redistricting process, the timeline for the next step in the redrawing of the state's political maps is becoming more contentious.
Assisted living facility operators have hold on Florida legislators, so good luck keeping Granny safe
By Carl Hiaasen
TC Palm
Anyone who's been following the Miami Herald's investigation of the wretched conditions in some of Florida's assisted living facilities might wonder how the state could have cruelly turned its back on so many sick and helpless people.
Florida: Nelson's re-election bid mirrors Obama's
By Hastings Wyman
Southern Political Report
The current political situations, and possibly the ultimate fates, facing President Obama and Florida US Sen. Bill Nelson are startlingly similar.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Associated Industries of Florida says survey shows support for Scott's policies
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Associated Industries of Florida on Monday touted survey results showing support for some of Gov. Rick Scott's policies and said the results showed overall increased support for the governor.
Fact-checking the calls on the robocalls
By Amy Sherman
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald PolitFact
Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott and a liberal-leaning group, Pink Slip Rick, are engaged in a robocall spat that has made national news.
POLITICAL RACES
West closes door on Senate bid
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
After flirting with entering the U.S. Senate race, U.S. Rep. Allen West officially shut the door on that race Monday and said he will instead seek re-election.
Senate debate: Candidates discuss opposition to abortion
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
All four GOP candidates featured at this weekend’s Florida Senate debate, hosted by the Florida Family Policy Council in Orlando, discussed their views on a range of controversial social issues, including abortion.
Obama fundraiser this week at home of recount lawyer – who represented Bush
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Barry Richard, the lawyer who was instrumental in keeping Al Gore out of the White House a decade ago, is hosting a fundraiser for President Obama at his Tallahassee home on Wednesday.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Will Hurricane Irene miss Florida?
By Kate Spinner
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A good drenching might be in store for Southwest Florida later this week — but not a direct hit — as Hurricane Irene passes the Florida Peninsula on Thursday and Friday.
Natural gas pipeline project in gulf forced to adapt to economic reality
By Craig Pittman
St. Petersburg Times
Ships carrying liquefied natural gas will anchor in the Gulf of Mexico 28 miles southwest of Tampa Bay, in water 100 feet deep, at one of a pair of buoys permanently moored far enough from land that no one on the beach can see it.
Utility regulators to consider Gulf Power interim rate hike
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The Public Service Commission on Tuesday will consider approving Gulf Power Co.'s interim rate hike request of $38.5 million.
EDUCATION
Class Size Crutch
By Whitney Ray
Capitol News Service
Students heading back to school today were met by fewer teachers, larger classes, and online instructors.
Budget cuts hit after-school programs
By Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald
Miami-Dade schoolchildren return to the classroom this week, but as many as 4,500 may not be returning to their after-school programs.
New university regulations aim to stop academic turf wars
By Kim MacQueen
Florida Current
Ever since the ink dried on a new agreement between Florida State University and the film group Digital Domain, scuttlebutt has surrounded a “turf war” between FSU and Florida Atlantic University.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Layoffs cause more Floridians to fall behind on mortgages
By Donna Gehrke-White
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Florida still leads the nation in foreclosures and layoffs are adding to the state's woes as more families are falling 30 days behind on paying their mortgage in the second quarter, a new survey shows.
Job creation for African-Americans a priority in South Florida
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
With unemployment in Florida remaining at over 10 percent, members of the Congressional Black Caucus who have said job creation is a priority will host several job fairs in Miami-Dade this week.
Florida Metros Dominate List of "Cities Where Americans Can't Get To Work"
By Matthew Hendley
Broward New Times
Gov. Rick Scott loves to use the phrase "let's go to work," but another problem to list on top of his job-building woes is that people in Florida literally can't get to work.
Reports provide recommendations for new Department of Economic Opportunity
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
An 82-page consultant's report issued Friday lays out recommendations for the new Department of Economic Opportunity and its mission of encouraging job creation in Florida.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Pharmacies prepare for new prescription drug database
By Richard Martin
St. Petersburg Times
Less than two weeks before the launch of the state's much-anticipated prescription drug monitoring program, pharmacists and others are scrambling to get ready to meet the requirements of the law — some more than others.
Providers for disabled feel budget pinch
By Joe Seelig
Tampa Tribune
Due to budget constraints by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott, the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) must cut about $90 million in funding it pays to service providers throughout the state.
Broward doctor faults Florida Medical Association effort on Medicaid reform
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
A Florida Medical Association letter to the federal government opposing the expansion of Medicaid managed care statewide has fallen short of some doctors' expectations.
Vets with PTSD Require Family Education and Patience
By Bobbie O'Brien
WUSF Public Radio Tampa
Army mental health specialist Cheyenne Forsythe was trained to help combat troops in Iraq deal with the onset of Post Traumatic Stress.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Scott's office overrides Florida prison system contract for second time in a weekBy Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Under pressure from Gov. Rick Scott's office, Florida prison officials quietly terminated a $180,000, 10-month contract with a Washington, D.C. woman hired to oversee the state's planned privatization of health care for prisoners.
Thousands in Florida Jails Could Be Released If Drug Law Deemed Unconstitutional
By Kyle Munzenrieder
Miami New Times
Late last month, an Orlando-area judge ruled a major Florida drug law that's been on the books since 2002 unconstitutional.
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