PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Decemeber 12th Weekly Show
By Gayle Andrews
The Blu Vu: Florida’s Political Reality Show
This week: Will Genting devour Miami? Is the Governor continuing to send lucrative contracts to his pals? Damien tells us what’s up with Dirti Hari and Bill Nelson scores big with a US Senate hearing on voter suppression.
FEATURED STORIES
Alleged FAMU Hazing Homicide Stirs Florida's Tense Racial Past
By Tim Padgett with Michael Peltier
Time Magazine
Florida Governor Rick Scott didn't exactly endear himself to the African–American community earlier this year when he told black state legislators, "I grew up probably in the same situation as you guys. I started school in public housing.
Florida loses out on Race to the Top grant for early childhood programs
By Leslie Postal
Orlando Sentinel
Florida has lost its bid to win $100 million to boost the care and education of young children, the Obama administration announced this morning.
Critics keep up attack on new voter registration law
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
New rules in Florida are causing voter-registration rates to drop and turning "civic participation into a mountain of red tape," League of Women Voters of Florida President Deirdre Macnab said in Orlando on Friday.
In Senate bid, Connie Mack no longer boasts of getting budget pork
By Marc Caputo and Alex Leary
Miami Herald
There was a time in Rep. Connie Mack’s career when his website proudly highlighted a hometown paper article praising him for “bringing home the federal bacon.”
Washington delivers win for Florida consumers
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
The Obama administration made the right call last week by denying Florida's waiver request that would have let the state's health insurers charge more for less care.
EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK
By Jeff Parker
Florida Today
Artist's commentary: One Man(ipulation), One Vote
FLORIDA POLITICS
After first year in Washington, Rubio frustrated by inaction
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
Marco Rubio's first year in the nation's capital has made him a deeply frustrated senator.
Autocratic Sen. Alexander casts big shadow
By Lindsay Peterson
Tampa Tribune
State Sen. JD Alexander wields a lot of power.
Florida legislators to take aim at shrinking Citizens
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Florida policymakers are still trying to overcome the outbreak of the populism in 2007 that led them to try to lower insurance rates in hurricane alley by expanding the size and competitiveness of the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Failed claims bills revived in Florida Legislature
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Emotion-packed bills that would compensate two men whose lives were turned upside down by governmental mistakes will get another chance during Florida's 2012 legislative session after the measures died in the frantic final hours of the 2011 session.
POLITICAL RACES
Romney's camp calm over Gingrich
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Related: Pro-Mitt Romney group attacks Newt Gingrich on the air in Florida
Absentee voting in Florida's primary is just around the corner, and Newt Gingrich is trouncing Mitt Romney by an average of about 18 percentage points, according to Florida polls.
Talk of jobs takes center stage in Florida primary campaign
By Don Walker and John McCarthy
Florida Today
As soon as the flames from shuttle Atlantis illuminated the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, the 20-plus-year career Johnny Curry had as a flight control engineer went up in smoke.
North Florida's big names, deep pockets all in for Mitt Romney
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
North Florida support for Mitt Romney started during a 2007 lunch at Jacksonville insurance executive Tom Petway’s house. It was a fitting setting for a presidential candidate whose early regional backers comfortably fit into a single room.
McAuliffe poll tests lines of attack on Aronberg in state attorney race
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Bracing for a possible 2012 Democratic primary challenge, Palm Beach County State Attorney Michael McAuliffe's campaign conducted a poll this month that test-marketed some potential attacks on state Sen. Dave Aronberg.
That 'first-in-the-nation' tag once belonged to Florida
By Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg Times
Four years ago, Democratic presidential candidates terrified of antagonizing party activists in the exalted early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire signed a pledge to boycott Florida's earlier-than-allowed January presidential primary.
Law imposes unfair rules for potential opponents who want to switch political parties
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Give state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, credit for honesty, at least.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Panel warns of ongoing hazards posed by offshore drilling
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
A new report issued by The National Academy of Engineering, a government-created nonprofit, concludes that the lack of regulation and ineffective safety management practices that led to BP’s catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have not been fully remedied — leaving communities in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana potentially vulnerable to another oil spill.
Large Corporations Cash in on Florida Environmental Fund
By M.C. Moewe
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
When Wilma Council’s parents bought a home in Marion County 38 years ago, they didn’t know the gas station across the street had already begun to poison their dreams.
State study of St. Johns river withdrawals not perfect, but good, says federal panel
By Steve Patterson
Florida Times-Union
A state project to predict environmental effects of pumping water from the St. Johns River is using sound science, but spotty data could hinder some forecasts, a federal panel says.
Putnam says his department is putting finishing touches on energy bill
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says his department is working to finish a draft energy bill before the holidays.
Publix executive identified as next state citrus leader
By Tia Mitchell
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A marketing manager at Publix is the top choice to become market Florida orange juice worldwide as the head of the state's Department of Citrus.
LGBT
South Florida same-sex couples tying knot in other states
By Georgia East
South Florida Sun Sentinel
They have been friends for 53 years, partners for 36. And now they are finally married.
EDUCATION
Fla. Legislature shifts focus to higher education
By Christine Armario
Associated Press
Last year, Florida legislators made historic changes to education. Tenure for new teachers was eliminated. Instructor evaluations were revamped and linked to student test scores.
New FCAT scoring will mean 'blood on the table'
By Leslie Postal
Orlando Sentinel
Florida is poised to ratchet up its standardized-testing system, making it tougher for students to pass key math and reading exams.
Drum major's death ruled homicide as tensions rise between FAMU students and Gov. Rick Scott
By Katie Sanders
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Investigators ruled the death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion a homicide on Friday, a somber but not unexpected announcement that capped a tumultuous week for the country's largest historically black university.
FAMU board to consider president's suspension
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
Florida A&M University's Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet Monday to consider Gov. Rick Scott's request that President James Ammons be suspended while authorities continue investigating the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion.
Toughen the law
Editorial
Miami Herald
Before there was a federal Race to the Top for education reform, governors throughout the nation looked to infuse competition into a stale public school system that was leaving behind millions of children, mostly in poor neighborhoods.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Late deal on tax break offers relief to Floridians
By Laura Green
Palm Beach Post
The prospect of higher taxes for 9 million Floridians and an economic loss of $5.6 billion for the state was held hostage Friday as Congress debated whether to extend a payroll tax holiday.
Florida unemployment numbers improve in November
By Brent Kallestad
Associated Press
Gov. Rick Scott and state labor officials are getting a bit of cheerful holiday news with Florida's latest unemployment report.
As Florida government costs are cut, some grumble
By Bill Cotterell
Ft. Myers News-Press
Gov. Rick Scott is off to a fast start toward keeping his campaign promise to shrink the size and cost of Florida’s relatively small and inexpensive state government, according to a new state personnel report.
No Scrooge, Scott gives workers paid day off
News Service of Florida
Orlando Sentinel
Citing their diligent service and acknowledging they have not received cost of living raises in five years, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday gave state employees an extra day off with pay as he ordered state buildings to be closed Friday, Dec. 23.
As Disney fights casinos, Universal sits on sidelines
By Jason Garcia
Orlando Sentinel
As state lawmakers weigh whether to allow casino developers to build massive resorts in South Florida, most of Central Florida's biggest tourism businesses have come out against the plan. But one influential interest — Universal Orlando — has so far remained on the sidelines.
Florida banks still teetering, compared with rest of nation
By John Hielscher
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The nation's financial system is continuing to mend from the wounds of the Great Recession, with nearly two-thirds of U.S. banks and credit unions now earning top ratings from analyst BauerFinancial Inc.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Scott budget takes carrot, stick approach to fixing disabled agency
Staff Report
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott's new budget proposes a combination of cost-saving measures and conditional funding to address the persistent budget gap that has dogged the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Investigations Shine Light on Florida’s Lifesavers and Caregivers
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
When you’re someone who spends a lifetime helping folks, often in the face of society’s nastiness — folks like police officers, firefighters, sometimes doctors — you’re elevated to a certain standing and level of respect.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Florida judges ask to have mandatory retirement age raisedBy Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post
If longtime Palm Beach County Judge Nelson Bailey had his druthers, he'd seek another four-year term in August.
Judges may not have to beg
Editorial
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Florida's court system is a co-equal branch of state government, but it has operated more like a struggling car maker lately, forced to depend on government loans to keep running.
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