PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
The progressive movement gains momentum in Florida
By Brendon Rivard
Gainesville Sun
Excerpt: All across the state campaigns are being built opposing Gov. Scott and his crusade against the middle class. Responding to these policies, the progressive movement is being built to last, from the ground up…
Note: Brendon Rivard is a communications intern for Progress Florida and graduate student at the University of Florida studying political campaigning.
FEATURED STORIES
Florida AG Pam Bondi Pressured By Targets Of Investigations To Soften Approach, Critics Say
By William Alden
Huffington Post
Last December, when she was still investigating foreclosure fraud as a top lawyer in the Florida attorney general's office, June Clarkson gave a PowerPoint presentation to a legal association.
Special interest cash floods state Capitol in down economy
By Marc Caputo, Mary Ellen Klas and Toluse Olorunnipa
Miami Herald
The economy might be down in Florida, but the state Capitol is awash in special interest money.
Scott’s economic agenda continues to rely on tax cuts and budget cuts
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
This week, Gov. Rick Scott has begun unveiling his plans to grow Florida’s sputtering economy, a blueprint that continues to rely heavily on tax cuts and budget cuts.
Gov. Scott’s daughter has anthropology degree
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
When Rick Scott singled out anthropology degrees as job market losers, maybe he had inside knowledge.
Un-American? Radical? Hardly. Reasons to protest seem quite clear
By Robert Trigaux
St. Petersburg Times
I've never been much of a sign-wielding protester.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Jeb Bush leaves ‘a little opening’ for future presidential run
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
Jeb Bush was on CNN tonight and let's get this part over: Asked if he would run for president, he said he decided against it in 2012 not for political calculations but for personal reasons, by which he means family.
State senator files bill to expand early voting
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Sunrise, has introduced a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would expand early voting sites around the state.
Despite police warning, Occupy Tampa protesters vote to risk arrest and stay on sidewalk
By Sean Kinane
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
On the third night of their overnight occupation of part of a sidewalk near Curtis-Hixon Park, Occupy Tampa activists were told by Police they had to leave.
‘Occupy' Gainesville protest last into the night
By Chad Smith
Gainesville Sun
Far from Wall Street or Chicago or any consequential financial hub, a loosely defined group of protesters gathered in downtown Gainesville on Wednesday to stand against what they view as economic and social injustices carried out by corporations and safeguarded by politicians.
Occupy Wall Street migrates to Brevard
By John McCarthy
Florida Today
The Occupy Wall Street movement is coming to Brevard County this weekend.
A News Story Is Growing With ‘Occupy’ Protests
By Brian Stelter
New York Times
Splashed across the front page of the local newspaper here on Tuesday was the story of a 24-year-old Occupy protester named Keith Cuesta.
Gambling fight 2: Internet cafes – ban them or eliminate?
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald
Shrouded by all the talk of bringing Las Vegas casinos to South Florida a little fight has been brewing over the fate of Internet cafes.
Orlando legislator seeks to close loophole in voyeurism law
By Jeff Weiner
Orlando Sentinel
Ty Standley followed a 10-year-old girl closely through the aisles of an Altamonte Springs Sears in August 2009, cell phone in hand.
Future Senate leader got big bucks from business lobby
By Aaron Deslatte
South Florida Sun Sentinel
In our round-up last week of up-and-coming Florida Republican leaders raking in copious quantities of cash from interest groups, we missed one of the biggest fish: Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, the Orlando Republican likely to become Senate president in 2014.
Scott reappoints 3 Fla. ethics commissioners
Associated Press
Miami Herald
Three members of the Florida Ethics Commission are staying on through June 2013.
POLITICAL RACES
Senate candidate LeMieux wants to up retirement age, drill for oil and repeal health care law
By Kathleen Haughney
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, who hopes to return to Washington D.C., released a slew of policy recommendations Wednesday that included raising the retirement age to 69 for those currently under the age of 55, reducing the corporate tax rate, repealing the Obama health care overhaul and drilling for oil 100 miles off shore.
New Hampshire primary in December?
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner released a pointed statement today, suggesting that that if Nevada doesn't back off its plans for Jan. 14 caucuses, he may have no choice but set new Hampshire's primary for Dec. 6 or Dec. 13.
Health-care, gaming cash pours in for Florida Republicans
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
With billion-dollar resort casinos and health-care privatization efforts up for grabs, major gaming and insurance interests are dominating the political money chase in Florida, new state fundraising reports show.
Another blowout fundraising quarter for Allen West; his $1.9 million haul dwarfs Democratic rivals
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, raised an astounding $1.9 million during the third quarter of 2011, his campaign announced this morning.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Business groups target federal regulations designed to protect water quality, children
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Florida business groups on Wednesday announced new opposition efforts on two fronts to oppose federal regulations that they say are hampering job growth.
Wind energy industry slams Florida congressman
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
The wind power industry is lashing out at Florida Republican Cliff Stearns over comments the Ocala congressman made about the country’s competitiveness with China when it comes to renewable energy manufacturing.
Restoration yet to start one year after Florida’s $197 million Everglades land deal
By Andy Reid
South Florida Sun Sentinel
One year after Florida's $197 million land deal with U.S. Sugar Corp., the 26,800 acres of farmland that was supposed to provide a new hope for Everglades restoration remains citrus groves and sugar cane.
Water wars back on legislative agenda
By Doug Finger
Gainesville Sun
The water wars are back, but now Jacksonville is in the crosshairs of lawmakers aiming to protect the groundwater of North Central Florida.
LGBT
Board members hold fast to rejecting program affiliated with Boy Scouts
By Rebecca Catalanello
St. Petersburg Times
Related editorial: Board stands up to Scouts’ discrimination
Pinellas County School Board member Lew Williams was once a Boy Scout.
Pinellas residents talk about coming out of closet
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
National Coming Out Day began in 1988 as a means to give LGBT individuals the courage to live a life of authenticity.
EDUCATION
Appeal court rules college tuition rates to be set by Legislature
Staff Report
Florida Current
A three-judge panel ruled unanimously Wednesday that the Florida Legislature has the authority to set the tuition rates at state universities despite constitutional provisions that make the state Board of Governors "fully responsible for the management of the whole university system."
Key Florida lawmaker proposes class size penalty adjustments
By Jeff Solochek
Tampa Tribune
Florida State Sen. Ellen Bogdanoff, chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Finance, filed legislation on Wednesday that would blunt the financial impact for school districts that fail to comply with the 2002 class size amendment.
Pinellas teachers union: Don’t punish teachers by changing unused sick leave policy
By Ron Matus
Tampa Tribune
Pinellas teachers union executive director Marshall Ogletree submitted the following letter to the editor in response to last week's story about payouts for unused sick leave.
Parents, teachers watch changes to how FCAT is scored
By Allison Ross
Palm Beach Post
As the state revamps the way the FCAT is scored, parents and educators are watching to see how the changes could affect school scores, teacher evaluations, course assignments and how many kids repeat the third grade.
Florida’s college prepaid tuition soars up to $49,293
By Scott Travis
South Florida Sun Sentinel
The cost of prepaying for college will soar by as much as $4,000 when the Florida Prepaid College Plans go on sale Monday.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Here's What The Wall Street Protesters Are So Angry About...
By Henry Blodget
Business Insider
The "Occupy Wall Street" protests are gaining momentum, having spread from a small park in New York to marches to other cities across the country
Scott seeks to cut more Florida taxes and rules, but on more modest scale
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Related: Scott rolls another ‘7’, unveiling job creation and economic plan
Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his latest pitch Wednesday for reviving Florida's sputtering economy, calling on lawmakers to cut regulations, trim business taxes and create new job-training requirements for some unemployed workers.
Gov. Rick calls for jobs agency overhaul
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday he would push to overhaul how the state's 24 federally funded jobs agencies operate as part of his legislative plan that also includes lower taxes and fewer regulations on businesses.
Rubio joins Senate GOP in blocking jobs bill
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Related: Rubio cosponsors bill that would eliminate one out of every 10 federal jobs
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., yesterday joined Senate Republicans in stalling President Obama’s jobs bill.
GOP Goes On Record Against Jobs (Again)
Think Progress
The Progress Report
Yesterday evening, every single Republican senator and two Democrats — Sens. Ben Nelson (NE) and Jon Tester (MT) — voted against taking up the president’s jobs plan.
Florida lawmakers mostly praise passage of free trade agreements
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Time
The House this evening approved trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. The Senate followed, with Florida's Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio voting in the majority.
Will trade deals create Florida jobs?
By William Gibson
South Florida Sun Sentinel
The House and Senate on Wednesday are expected to overwhelmingly approve free-trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, a potential economic boon expected to create 11,685 jobs in Florida over the next year.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Americans United for Life: We are using economic crisis to attack Planned Parenthood
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Charmaine Yoest, the president of the anti-abortion group Americans United for Life, said in a recent interview that her organization is using the ongoing economic crisis to press for the defunding of Planned Parenthood.
Salmonella Lurks From Farm to Fork
By Jeffrey Benzing, Esther French and Judah Ari Gross
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
In chicken houses longer than a football field, newborn chicks huddle together for warmth, forming a fuzzy, moving yellow carpet.
Will FL plans win the stars?
By Brittany Davis
Health News Florida
Will Capital Health Plan hold on to its 5-star Medicare rating this year? Will other plans make the top grade?
Medicare open enrollment starts Saturday
By David Gulliver
Bradenton Herald
The open enrollment period for Medicare drug and health plans starts Saturday, and if that seems early, that’s because it is.
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Immigration backfire
Editorial
Miami Herald
The latest news from the war-against-immigrants front: Hispanics in Alabama skipped work on Wednesday to protest the state’s toughest-in-the-nation immigration law, forcing at least six poultry plants to close down or scale back operations and hurting business across the state.
Policy allowing guns in Florida Capitol worries some state employees
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Capitol staffers who deal with the public are clearly concerned about their safety after a new law went into effect Oct. 1 allowing anyone with a concealed weapons permit to legally bring a gun into the building.
Violence Against Women Act up for renewal amid threats to protections for undocumented women
By Marcos Restrepo
Florida Independent
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this year the Violence Against Women Act, which provides immigrant women with legal protections, is up for reauthorization by Congress.
Crime council looks for a place as legislature continues to push for de-reg
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
A group of law enforcement and victim advocates that review funding requests and discuss crime issues having the most impact on people in the state is uncertain of its future.
Doing better protecting vulnerable children
Editorial
St. Petersburg Time
Protecting vulnerable children is no easy job.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Gov. Scott approves $46.5 million courts loanBy Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
With the court system facing a shortfall resulting from declining foreclosure filing fees, Gov. Rick Scott approved a $45.6 million loan to the courts Wednesday.
Florida lawmaker proposes firing squads for death row inmates
By Toluse Olorunnipa
St. Petersburg Times
At least one Florida lawmaker wants to test the limits of cruel and unusual punishment with what he calls a "lead cocktail."
No comments:
Post a Comment