FEATURED
STORIES
How Governor Rick Scott Is Preventing Eligible U.S. Citizens From Voting In Florida
By Judd Legum
Think Progress
The Miami Herald reports that “Florida’s quest to identify and remove non-U.S. citizens from the voter rolls was started at the direct urging of Gov. Rick Scott."
A Florida voter on Gov. Rick Scott's "Non-U.S. Citizen Voter Purge List" shows his U.S. passport to Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel. Photo tweeted by Supervisor Ertel.
Millions of dollars fuel onslaught of campaign TV ads in Florida
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Millions of dollars in political ads are flooding Florida TV, including two new spots Wednesday by President Barack Obama's campaign and an anti-Obama ad from a super PAC, the new breed of political action committee powered by unrestricted donations.
State education chief gets an earful about FCAT and testing scores
By Cara Fitzpatrick
Tampa Bay Times
Related: For-profit standardized testing industry can't be trusted
Related: Department of Education does "full-court press" to explain FCAT changes to parents
Florida's education chief said he wanted to have a spirited discussion about the state's testing system — and he got it Wednesday night.
Mack opens big lead in Florida GOP Senate contest
By Brent Kallestad
Associated Press
Related: Mack campaign retracts endorsement news release
U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV of Fort Myers has become the frontrunner in a three-way contest for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, a Quinnipiac University poll released today shows.
FAMU program to funnel funds not a secret to Senate president, budget chief
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
A "pass through" program used to help send millions of dollars to nonprofits with close ties to two state senators has at least been on the radar of two of the Senate's most powerful members: Senate President Mike Haridopolos and budget chief JD Alexander.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Romney, Obama, Rubio, Nelson, (Jeb) Bush all will address Hispanics in Orlando
By Bob Shaw
Orlando Sentinel
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will address the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) convention on back-to-back days in June at the group’s convention in Orlando.
Did Rick Scott make a royal oops with the king of Spain?
By Brian J. Crowley
Crowley Political Report
El gobernador de Florida - that would be Rick Scott - met with King Juan Carlos of Spain this week and his first words to the king was about elephant hunting.
Scott will make call if hurricane menaces GOP convention
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
If a hurricane threatens the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August, Gov. Rick Scott will have the final say on whether or not to postpone the festivities, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll said Wednesday during emergency management drills for the upcoming hurricane season.
To Tweet or Not to Tweet
By Paula Dockery
Florida Voices
I admit it, I’m a social media junkie.
POLITICAL
RACES
Why Mitt Romney’s Time At Bain Capital Matters
The Progress Report
Think Progress
As we discussed yesterday, Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital is once again back in the news — big time.
Search for Romney running mate in audition phase
By Kasie Hunt
Associated Press
Mitt Romney's vice presidential search has entered a new phase: auditions.
Obama, Democrats redoubling money efforts to keep edge
By Ken Thomas
Associated Press
His cash advantage threatened, President Barack Obama and his party are redoubling their fundraising efforts after robust hauls by Republican rival Mitt Romney and a slew of GOP-leaning super PACs that are raking in cash from the party faithful highly motivated to topple the Democrat.
Statewide ads by Republicans in Florida target U.S. debt
By Laura Green
Palm Beach Post
The new television ad now running in Florida opens with a woman looking out the window, watching her children play basketball, imagining the promise of their future.
U.S. House whip stumps for Rep. C.W. Bill Young challenger Democrat Jessica Ehrlich
By Angie Drobnic Holan
Tampa Bay Times
Jessica Ehrlich is the latest Democrat to attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Shores.
Legg decides to challenge Norman for state Senate seat
By Laura Kinsler
Tampa Tribune
A well-known Pasco lawmaker is jumping districts to run against incumbent Sen. Jim Norman.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
All talk no action on water
By Annette Long
Gainesville Sun
In Sunday's Gainesville Sun, Drew Bartlett, from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, wrote that his department is working to "get the water right" here in Florida.
Florida panther-on-panther deaths take toll
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post
The death of three rare Florida panthers in six days brings the endangered cat's death toll this year to 12 - a pace that has wildlife officials concerned about the fewer than 160 remaining in the wild.
Anti-nuke activists in Iowa and Missouri thank Florida ratepayers for raising concerns about nuclear advance cost recovery
By Sean Kinane
WMNF Tampa
Many Floridians aren’t happy they’re paying now for new nuclear plants that may never be built.
LGBT
Republicans urged to get on board as attitudes about gay rights are shifting rapidly
By Wayne Ezell
Florida Times-Union
The consideration by Jacksonville politicians about whether to adopt a gay anti-discrimination ordinance is playing out against a backdrop that shows the rest of the country has already embraced a much bigger social change -- same-sex marriage.
Battling banners will fly over Disney for Gay Days
By Sara K. Clarke
Orlando Sentinel
Tourists in town next week could see two very different messages if they look skyward once Gay Days rolls into town: One will warn them away from an annual gay-and-lesbian celebration at Walt Disney World, while the other will welcome LGBT travelers and the dollars they spend in Orlando.
EDUCATION
Board hears litany of hurdles Florida's newest university faces
By Kim Wilmath
Tampa Bay Times
Related editorial: Details make Florida Polytech look even worse
Florida's newest university is already millions over budget for the construction of its new campus, has no faculty to attract students, few people volunteering to govern it and no money for technology labs.
When FCAT going gets tough, Florida gets out the erasers
By Michael Mayo
South Florida Sun Sentinel
For those of you who missed it – or are lucky enough to not be involved with Florida's standardized-test crazed schools – Florida education officials had to do some serious backpedaling last week after the writing results for this year's FCATs crashed.
Florida education commissioner Robinson responds to concerns over testing of English-language learners
By Jeff Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
The Florida Board of Education's recent decisions to change the state's school grading system continue to draw criticism from Hispanic leaders who remain dissatisfied with the way students still learning English are to be treated in the model.
ACLU: Half State's School Systems Fail to Comply with SS Number Enrollment Explanation
By Regan McCarthy
WFSU Tallahassee
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida released a report card grading how well school systems in the state comply with a law requiring them to make it clear that social security numbers aren’t required for enrollment.
Push continues to get UF to tap into reserves to avoid cutbacks
By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville Sun
One speaker at a rally Wednesday compared the University of Florida's reserves to money stuffed in a mattress that can be removed to deal with a budget shortfall.
Are We Facing a Student Loan Bubble?
By Dennis Maley
Bradenton Times
In Sunday's column, I asked whether a college education was in danger of being priced out of its value, as tuition continues to soar while more and more recent grads remain unemployed or are forced to take low-paying jobs that don't require their degree.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
State projects $1.1 billion cushion in general fund
By Travis Pillow
Florida Current
Florida lawmakers narrowly hit their target of keeping an extra $1 billion in reserve for the state's general fund, according to a draft fiscal outlook released Wednesday.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Consumer index hints of lower COLA in 2013 for seniors
By Donna Gehrke-White
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Seniors be warned: Your Social Security cost of living adjustment for next year may be less than half of this year's 3.6 percent increase.
FL says no to PSA guidelines
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Leading urologists in Florida say they’re disappointed with a government panel’s advice against routine prostate-cancer screening.
CIVIL
RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
'Stand Your Ground' issue drawing public interest
News Service of Florida
Ft. Myers News-Press
As policymakers study the controversy surrounding the "stand your ground" self defense law, the issue is drawing interest from a broad swath of the general public.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Rick Scott Vetoes Early Prison Release Bill
By Troy Kinsey
WCTV Tallahassee
Florida now has the nation's third-largest prison system...with more than one-hundred-thousand inmates.
Several George Zimmerman witnesses change their accounts
By Rene Stutzman and Jeff Weiner
Orlando Sentinel
Evidence released last week in the second-degree-murder case against George Zimmerman shows four key witnesses made major changes in what they say they saw and heard the night he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford.
Files from FAMU Hazing Death Released
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
There is new insight tonight into the hazing incident that killed a drum major at Florida A&M University last November.
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