Daily News Clips for August 17, 2012

FEATURED STORIES

Federal court says Florida's early voting restrictions could adversely hurt black voters
Associated Press
Tampa Bay Times
A federal court says a Florida law that restricts the number of early-voting days could result in a dramatic reduction in voting by blacks.

State, feds reach deal to screen voters
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida election officials announced today that they have signed a formal agreement with federal authorities to let the state use an immigration database to screen voters.

Jon Costello, legislative affairs director to Gov. Rick Scott, is leaving effective Sept. 7
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday that his legislative affairs director, Jon Costello, is resigning effective Sept. 7.

Executive says he didn't get airport post after refusing to give to GOP
By Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
An aviation-company executive contends he was not picked to serve on the board of Orlando International Airport because he would not raise money for Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

Romney says he's never paid less than 13% in taxes
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney declared Thursday he has paid at least 13 percent of his income in federal taxes every year for the past decade, offering that new detail while still decrying a "small-minded" fascination over returns he will not release.

BEST OF THE BLOGS

Random Post Primary Thoughts – House Edition
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Political Hurricane
Related: Random Post Primary Thoughts – Senate Edition
We’ll have our first post-primary House race ratings on Friday, but until then some thoughts about specific House results.

Without Obamacare, Families Making Under $5,000 Aren’t Poor Enough For Medicaid In Some States
By Tara Culp-Ressler and Adam Peck
Think Progress
The Affordable Care Act’s expansion of the Medicaid program would provide states with federal funds to help insure millions of Americans who currently can’t afford coverage, especially the low-income Americans whose annual earnings are slightly above the cut-off to qualify for Medicaid in their state.

Inside a Mitt Romney Rally, or At Least Near It
By Trish Ponder
Pensito Review
I hope you faithful Pensito Reviewers appreciate my sacrifice in bringing you these crowd shots from Mitt Romney’s appearance in St. Augustine, Fla. on Monday, Aug. 13.

Greer: Rick Scott, Republicans Using "Voter Fraud" As A Marketing Tool To "Make Sure 2008 Doesn't Happen Again"
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer recently revealed in depositions that the Republicans in Florida conducted meetings to suppress the black vote in Florida.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Voting Rights Battles Re-emerge in the South
By Nick Andersen, Kassondra Cloos and Caitlin O’Donnell
News21
Raymond Rutherford has voted for decades. But this year, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to cast a ballot.

In session or out, lobbying remains a big business
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Current
The legislative lobbying doesn't stop, just because Florida lawmakers leave town to run for re-election.

POLITICAL RACES

A sharp Herald item on Ryan’s surprising Cuba record
By Brian E. Crowley
Columbia Journalism Review
Tucked somewhere into the recesses of the hidden place where only those with knowledge of the secret handshake can go, are the many files accumulated during the vetting process of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.

Exclusive Fla Insider Poll: One in 3 GOPers worry Paul Ryan hurts Romney in Fla
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
He's put entitlement reform at the center of the presidential race, and there's little reason to think he'll win over Hispanic voters.

Romney’s Clueless Campaign Visit to Cuban Miami
By Angel Castillo Jr
Florida Voices
We all know Florida’s 29 winner-take-all electoral votes are of critical importance in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

Paul Ryan to campaign at The Villages Saturday
By Jon Busdeker
Orlando Sentinel
Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan will make a stop Saturday at The Villages, the sprawling retirement community northwest of Orlando.

U.S. Senate candidate Connie Mack IV to address Republican National Convention
Staff Report
Tampa Bay Times
Nominated by Florida Republicans on Tuesday to run for the Senate, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV was named Wednesday morning as one of the headline speakers schedule to address his party's national convention in Tampa Aug. 27–30.

Nelson, Mack debate where to debate
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and challenger U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV say they're ready to rumble, but the question remains if they'll do so in the same place.

Tampa training center stuffing goody bags for Republican National Convention
By Lennie Bennett
Tampa Bay Times
Daniel Aboud walks down the line of boxes, stuffing a canvas bag with items ranging from a can of Coke to Mitt Romney's book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness.

Nail-biter Florida Senate race between Bernard and Clemens gets recount
By Andrew Abramson
Palm Beach Post
At 9 p.m. on Election Night, surrounded by family and friends at The Cottage in Lake Worth, Jeff Clemens raised his arms, exhaled and celebrated a close win over Mack Bernard in the State Senate District 27 race. 

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Hunting supporters fire back at criticism of 350-acre shooting park on conservation land
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Florida wildlife officials and a coalition of hunting supporters offered backing Thursday for a proposed 350-acre sport-shooting park on state conservation land in Central Florida.

Ag Commissioner Putnam calls for continued energy policy conversation during Orlando summit
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on Thursday called for a continuing discussion on energy to build on the passage of a modest energy bill earlier this year.

FPL rate settlement proposal continues to draw criticism
By Susan Salisbury
Palm Beach Post
Those who have opposed Florida Power & Light Co.’s $690.4 million rate case lashed out at a proposed settlement Thursday, calling it a terrible deal that shifts the burden to residential and small business customers from large industrial and commercial users.

EDUCATION

The Florida Districts Most Likely to Seclude Or Restrain Students
By John O'Connor
StateImpact
Leon County schools led the state in the number of students put into seclusion for behavior or safety reason in 2012, according to Florida Department of Education data.

FAMU Seeks Champion Settlement
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
Trustees at Florida A&M University today ordered their lawyers to negotiate with the family of a drum major who died after being hazed last November.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

More visitors to Florida boost jobs, taxable sales
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
More people visited Florida this spring than last, helping employ more than a million people, Visit Florida announced today.

Florida ranked 2nd in creating clean energy jobs last quarter
By Jeff Harrington
Tampa Bay Times
Florida's is chipping away at its reputation as an underperformer in creating clean-energy jobs.

Consumer advocate fears for insurance of troubled homes
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Insurance Consumer Advocate Robin Westcott  thinks “force-placed” or “lender-placed” insurance is impeding Florida’s economic recovery and wants a national insurance group to tackle the issue.

Citizens to change controversial reinspection program
By Charles Elmore
Palm Beach Post
Florida’s last-resort insurer Citizens says executives will talk Friday about changes to its controversial reinspection program affecting more than 225,000 customers.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Aide defends Scott's stance on health care dollars
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
An aide to Florida Gov. Rick Scott is defending the Republican's opposition to expanding Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul to cover another million state residents, even though the federal government would pick up most of the initial costs.

Medicaid Health Care Denied To Needy Due To Red Tape, Costs
By Jeffrey Young
Huffington Post
She jumped through hoops, wrangled with bureaucrats and overcame obstacles, but Gracie Fowler finally figured out how to make sure her kids weren't among the more than 500,000 Florida children without health insurance.

Bob Butterworth's Mental-Health Group Accused of Manipulating DCF Bid Process
By Stefan Kamph
Broward New Times
Bob Butterworth is something of an avuncular elder statesman of Florida politics, brought in to mend fences and rout corruption when something's amiss.

Revisit Medicaid expansion
Editorial
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott's opposition to expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act was already unfortunate from a humanitarian standpoint.

CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Groups Tell Migrant 'Dreamers' to Be Leery of Immigration Scammers With New Program
By Matthew Pleasant
Lakeland Ledger
The official start of a federal program offering undocumented immigrants protection against deportation Wednesday was cause for celebration but also caution for applicants nationwide.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Millions in court clerk funding to be restored
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A panel of lawmakers agreed Thursday to let Florida’s court clerks spend an additional $29.5 million to avoid layoffs and service reductions due to state budget cuts.

Legal fight over religious statue at Florida courthouse sent back to lower court
News Service of Florida
Palm Beach Post
Federal appellate judges this week ordered a lower court in Florida to plunge back into a dispute about whether a Ten Commandments statue outside the Dixie County courthouse is unconstitutional.