FEATURED STORIES
Gov. Scott signs Medicaid billing changes; counties could be on hook for $325.5 million
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Against the wishes of counties and tea party leaders, Gov. Rick Scott signed a controversial bill into law Thursday that will change the way counties are billed for Medicaid costs and could set up a legal showdown.
Gov. Rick Scott on pros and cons of splitting off USF Polytechnic
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott continues to get a lot of advice from both sides as he considers whether to sign or veto a bill that spins off USF Polytechnic in Lakeland into a 12th state university.
Lawmakers scramble for redrawn seats
By Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
As the Florida Legislature finished its historic special session and sent a revamped redistricting map back to the state Supreme Court this week, another kind of history was being made.
American Apartheid? The Republican "Dream" Scheme
By Michael B. Keegan
Huffington Post
The Senate GOP seems to be banking on the assumption that Latino voters are stupid, don't read the fine print – or are not paying any attention at all.
Capital Orlando
By Dave Plotkin and PJ Tamayo
Orlando Weekly
A first look at Florida's new capitol complex coming to downtown Orlando.
BEST OF THE BLOGS
Surprise! Scott Can't Justify His $1 Billion Business Tax Giveaway With Job Creation
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
Once again Rick Scott has gathered around big business leaders for a ceremonial tax giveaway to the tune of $1 billion, cuts that he can't justify with job creation.
Why "Stand Your Ground" Is Actually "Shoot First"
By Ray Seaman
Progress Florida
The tragic death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin at the hands of self-appointed "neighborhood watchman" George Zimmerman has reignited the debate over Florida's so-called "Stand Your Ground" law.
Big Sugar: Great Destroyers of Florida Foist Costs of Pollution on Taxpayers
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
One of the repeated claims by the Unreformable Majority of the Miami-Dade County Commission is what good environmentalists, farmers are.
Group That Promotes ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws Reportedly Funded by Microsoft, Amazon, Dell, AT&T, Dozens More
By Jon Ponder
Pensito Review
It has rightly become the subject of outrage nationwide that George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla., was not arrested last month after he allegedly stalked and killed a teenager, Trayvon Martin, whom Zimmerman apparently believed to be a neighborhood prowler.
Voter Registration Groups Halt Florida Efforts Due To Anti-Voter Election Law
By Zachary Bernstein
Think Progress
Voter registration tableLast May, Florida radically overhauled its election law. In the name of preventing voter fraud, the bill slashed the early voting period nearly in half, shifted many voters to provisional ballots which often are never counted, and invalidated absentee ballots if the voter’s signature did not match official records.
POLITICAL RACES
Outside political spending four times greater than in 2008
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Super PACs and other outside groups are already spending four times as much money on this upcoming presidential than in 2008, the Sunlight Foundation reports.
New Birther lawsuit filed in Florida
By Virginia Chamlee
Florida Independent
A Broward County Democrat is asking state officials to remove Barack Obama’s name from the 2012 election ballot on the grounds that he has not documented that he is eligible for the office.
Rubio gives Romney a tea party boost
By William E. Gibson
Orlando Sentinel
So now that Sen. Marco Rubio has finally endorsed Mitt Romney, what does it mean for Florida, Hispanic voters, himself and Republican chances of beating President Barack Obama in November?
Romney Continues to Trip Over Blades of Grass as he Limps to the Finish Line
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
A trouncing in Louisianna and his campaign's Etch-a-Sketch comment are only the most recent blunders by the still probable GOP presidential candidate.
Civil liberties advocate takes issue with some provisions of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's proposed rules for RNC protesters
By Sean Kinane
WMNF Tampa
Yesterday Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced a proposal for a temporary ordinance during the week of the Republican National Convention in August.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
In the Everglades, Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Industry's Mess
By Erika Eichelberger
Mother Jones
The fragile wetlands of the Everglades have long been choked by pollution, especially phosphorus from fertilizers used in industrial agriculture.
Mighty python: Local forest rangers catch 15-foot snake
By Eric Staats
Naples Daily News
Jean Bernard Tarrete had the python by the tail, walking in circles to keep a step ahead of the huge snake’s attacking head.
EDUCATION
Newspaper finds suspicious school tests scores nationwide
Staff Report
Florida Current
A newspaper analysis of school testing results for 69,000 public schools in 200 districts across the country has found high concentrations of suspect math or reading scores, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
New law allowing ‘inspirational messages' in school worries officials locally
By Jackie Alexander
Gainesville Sun
Alachua County Public Schools officials and religious leaders say they are wary of a new state law signed last week allowing “inspirational messages” in public schools, dubbing it a potential “Pandora’s box.”
Student Group Asks Gov. Rick Scott To Veto Tuition Bill
By John O'Connor
StateImpact
University of Florida senior Andrew Hecht understands the bind in which university president Bernie Machen finds himself.
UF trustees ponder how to survive budget cuts while students protest tuition hikes
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
As some University of Florida students protested rising tuition Thursday, university officials and trustees discussed the survival of public research universities at a time of dwindling state support.
College cuts imperil state
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Florida legislators say they want a premier higher-education system whose graduates can fill high-paying jobs that will boost the state's economy, but their actions belie their words.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Is governor on track to add 700,000 jobs?
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
Is Gov. Rick Scott ahead on his seven-year plan to create 700,000 jobs, or behind?
More changes to retirement plans of some state workers could be coming
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
On the last day of the 2012 session, state lawmakers voted to reduce contributions to the retirement accounts of 100,000 public employees, many of whom work in higher education or law enforcement.
Rick Scott makes pitch to 100 New York businesses
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott is making a pitch for New York businesses to make the move to Florida.
Audit report cites DEP lack of financial controls, use of park funds to cover cafeteria losses
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
A state audit report on Thursday slammed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for failing to conduct annual reviews of state park financial operations, for not documenting efforts to collect fines and for covering $327,496 in losses at its headquarters cafeteria with trust fund money designated for state parks.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
5 Supreme Court takeaways
By Josh Gerstein and Jennifer Haberkorn
Politico
The Obama administration rushed its landmark health law to the Supreme Court to get some clarity over its future.
The Supreme Court Arguments Are Over - What Happens Now?
Staff Report
Kaiser Health News
News outlets sum up the oral arguments and preview when to expect a decision, what impact the legal review might have on politics and what other ripple effects could occur.
Counties will have to pay millions in disputed Medicaid bills
By Kathleen Haughney
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott Thursday signed legislation that will force the state's 67 counties to fork over tens of millions of dollars to the state in disputed Medicaid payments, putting a strain on already overburdened local budgets.
The Financial State Of Florida’s Medicaid
By David Gulliver
HealthyState.org
Gov. Rick Scott and his key lieutenants have been saying for years that Medicaid will break Florida’s budget.
If law goes, opponents responsible for fixing health care
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Now that the five most conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court have signaled they are considering striking down part or all of the health reform law, the question falls to the law's opponents: How do you propose fixing America's broken health care system?
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
What does new video of George Zimmerman mean in debate over Trayvon Martin's death?
By Jeff Weiner
Orlando Sentinel
Related: Anonymous witness to Trayvon Martin shooting describes scene
Related: Residents march in Leesburg to protest shooting death of Trayvon Martin
A newly released six-minute video of George Zimmerman at Sanford police headquarters has reignited online debate about whether he was defending himself when he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Hammer Is the Woman Behind Stand Your Ground
By Michael Daly
The Daily Beast
The woman behind the Stand Your Ground Laws at the center of the Trayvon Martin shooting is unapologetic about her love of guns.
In Florida, 130 Self-Defense Claims Like George Zimmerman’s
Staff Report
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
The Tampa Bay Times has taken a fresher look at the impact of Stand Your Ground, and the newspaper finds the controversial redefinition of self-defense has been invoked at least 130 times in Florida since it became state law in 2005.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
Gov. Scott signs Brody, 8 other claims billsBy Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
The family of Eric Brody will receive $10.75 million now that Gov. Rick Scott has signed his claims bill into law.
Appeals court quashes Kriseman subpoena, upholds legislative privilege
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Rep. Rick Kriseman will not be compelled to testify in a pending case involving online travel companies, the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Thursday.
In Sarasota, House Speaker Cannon defends failed court reforms
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon knows he lost.
No comments:
Post a Comment