FEATURED
STORIES
Nightmare Election Day scenarios worry both parties
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Here in a county that knows a thing or two about Election Day meltdowns, both parties are fretting over what might go seriously wrong before, during or just after the Nov. 6 presidential election.
Anti-Obama DVD floods local mailboxes
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
A conservative, California-based filmmaker said this week that his company is distributing more than a million free copies of a conspiracy-laden DVD that claims much of what the public knows about President Barack Obama's early life is false.
Crist Joins Dems in Blasting Romney-Ryan Budget Plan
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
Former Republican-turned-Independent Florida Governor Charlie Crist continues stumping for President Barack Obama.
Fla. judge says legislators can be put under oath
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
In a major blow to the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature, a judge has ruled that legislators and legislative staff may have to answer questions about a contentious lawsuit over new congressional districts.
Fla. justices on ballot say bias argument flawed
By Erin Jester
Associated Press
The three Florida Supreme Court justices up for merit retention said Thursday the state Republican Party and others hoping to remove them base their arguments on a handful of cases out of thousands of rulings and haven't presented evidence of partisanship.
BEST
OF THE BLOGS
GOP Senate Candidate Goes To Incredible Lengths To Avoid Question On Violence Against Women
By Greg Noth
Think Progress
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (D) and his challenger, Rep. Connie Mack (R), were asked about reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) during a debate on October 17.
Rick Scott Outsourcing Job Of Branding Organization That Brings Jobs To Florida
By Martha Jackovics
Beach Peanuts
Cruel irony alert. Rick Scott, "The Jobs Governor" has just outsourced the job of branding Florida's public/private organization devoted to statewide economic development to a market research firm in...Tennessee.
Big electric companies behind 'grassroots' ad campaign in Florida
By Theodoric Meyer, ProPublica
Facing South
Since August, a dark money group called Defend My Dividend has spent nearly $90,000 running ads on South Florida TV stations warning seniors about a looming increase in the tax rate on dividends.
Scott & Cannon Deny CNN Interview Requests: Florida GOP Arrogance Personified
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
The Political Hurricane
CNN Presents on Sunday featured an outstanding documentary on the legislative battle and fallout from Florida’s voter purge law.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
FSU Senate Votes against Voter Purge/Election Law
By Whitney Ray
Capitol News Service
The FSU Student Senate is condemning changes to Florida’s election laws and recent voter purge efforts.
Hand-copying bad Palm Beach County absentee ballots likely to lead to errors, lawsuits, election observers warn
By Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post
Despite Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher’s assurances that safeguards will be in place to make sure as many as 27,000 absentee ballots are copied accurately, there is no way that many ballots can be duplicated without mistakes, a local GOP leader and a former Florida secretary of state said Thursday.
Rick Scott to Citizens: Firing of corporate integrity team is 'troubling'
By Toluse Olorunnipa
Miami Herald
Gov. Rick Scott told Citizens Property Insurance on Thursday that the recent decision to abruptly disband the Office of Corporate Integrity was concerning to him. |
POLITICAL
RACES
After a few laughs, Romney, Obama back to the fray
By Kasie Hunt
Associated Press
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are returning to the sometimes-nasty rhetoric of a close presidential campaign after a brief truce, renewing their focus on two battleground states and preparing for next week's final, perhaps pivotal, debate.
Politics kicks into high gear as Romney, Ryan visit Biketoberfest in Daytona
By Ludmilla Lelis
Orlando Sentinel
Related: Ann Romney to walk in breast cancer 5K in Orlando
Biketoberfest is back today with the return of thousands of roaring Harley-Davidson riders in their leather and jeans, gearing up for rock concerts and beer.
GOP vice presidential candidate Ryan rallies Lee, Collier county voters, donors
By Bob Rathgeber
Ft. Myers News-Press
Life appears to be pretty good for Paul Ryan. He spends a couple of hours in Naples and walks away with a check for $1.2 million.
Obama to make post-debate campaign stop in Delray Beach on Tuesday
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
President Obama will campaign in Delray Beach on Tuesday following Monday night’s debate at Lynn University, the Obama campaign announced this evening.
Joe Biden to make Saturday stop in St. Augustine
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Vice President Joe Biden will be making a Saturday stop in St. Augustine.
Michelle Obama in Davie Monday, tickets available noon today
Staff Report
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Just hours before the final 2012 presidential debate takes place in Boca Raton, First Lady Michelle Obama will be speaking to supporters in Davie.
Buchanan, Fitzgerald clash in televised debate
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and Democratic challenger Keith Fitzgerald fought over the future of Medicare, immigration and how the balance the nation’s budget during their first of two campaign debates.
Boca family appears in anti-West ad over congressman’s stance on stem cell research
By Jennifer Sorentrue
Palm Beach Post
A Boca Raton mother and her 12-year-old son will be featured in a TV spot sponsored by a Democratic super-PAC taking aim at U.S. Rep. Allen West for opposing the use of federal money for embryonic stem cell research.
Democratic Florida Senate candidate Sachs says not focused on GOP ethics accusation
By Ana M. Valdes
Palm Beach Post
The chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party said Wednesday he filed a complaint with the state Commission on Ethics accusing Democratic Sen. Maria Sachs of violating financial disclosure laws by failing to report income earned as a state representative and her ownership of a Tallahassee apartment.
Million-dollar battle rages for state House seat near UCF
By Jason Garcia
Orlando Sentinel
Another million-dollar battle for a seat in the Florida Legislature has erupted in Orange County.
Fundraising success for RNC host committee came from small number of big checkbooks
By Richard Danielson, John Martin and Darla Cameron
Tampa Bay Times
In the months leading up to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, local boosters talked a breezy, confident game: Fundraising? Going well.
BALLOT
INITIATIVES
Amendment 8 Would Lift Ban on Taxpayer Funding of Religious Groups
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Floridians will get to decide the fate of 11 ballot measures in November.
What you don't know about Amendment 8
By Brennan Asplen
Gainesville Sun
Amendment 8 will have a direct, if not sobering, effect on all of our public schools in Florida, including charters.
Amendment 3 will force more cuts
By Brendan Fonock
Ft. Myers News-Press
As voters in Florida, we will all see 11 constitutional amendments on our ballots, which I urge voters to take the time to educate themselves on before they cast their vote.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Florida Expects Federal Approval Of New Water Quality Standards
By Trimmel Gomes
WFSU Tallahassee
Despite pending legal challenges, Florida officials are expecting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sign off on new water quality standards for the state’s lakes and streams.
Florida Governor Scott, cattle producers urge EPA to waive ethanol requirement
By David Royse
News Service of Florida
Gov. Rick Scott joined several other governors from both parties this week in asking the federal government to suspend the requirement for putting a certain amount of ethanol into America's gas tanks, saying it's causing a shortage of cattle feed for Florida ranchers.
LGBT
NY appeals court nixes Defense of Marriage Act
By Larry Neumeister
Associated Press
Saying the gay population has "suffered a history of discrimination," a divided federal appeals court in Manhattan ruled Thursday that a federal law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman was unconstitutional, adding fuel to an issue expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court soon.
Romney Military Adviser Wanted Separate Housing for Gay Troops
By Adam Serwer
Mother Jones
A military adviser to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney recommended housing servicemembers separately on the basis of sexual orientation.
EDUCATION
Rick Scott Eyes Reelection, Softens Stance On Public Education
By Gina Jordan
StateImpact Florida
Gov. Rick Scott has spent the last few months extending an olive branch to educators.
Early learning advocates call for equity in state child care funding
By Brittany Shammas
Naples Daily News
Funding for subsidized child care should be based on a region's poverty levels, the number of children younger than five and the number who fall into "must serve" categories, local child care providers and advocates told a state early learning leader on Thursday.
Superintendent committee looks for ways to reduce red tape for Florida teachers
By Jeff Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
A committee of seven superintendents has quietly begun its review of rules and regulations that might stand in the way of teachers' classroom instruction -- a problem recently highlighted by the Pasco teachers' union grievance seeking relief from an increasingly burdensome work load.
Tough Times, Even Higher Debts For College Graduates
By Mark Memmott
NPR
Two-thirds of American college graduates left school last year with student loan debt hanging over their heads and the average amount they owed was $26,600, up 5 percent from the previous year.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Pam Bondi, lawmakers haggle over millions in foreclosure cash
By Toluse Olorunnipa
Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau
Florida is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the number of homes in foreclosures and the number of people on the verge of losing their homes.
Citizens defends dismantling watchdog office, Scott not pleased
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. officials defended the move to fire four members of its Office of Corporate Integrity on Thursday, saying it is “realigning” the functions of reviewing complaints of corruption, malfeasance and harassment under different offices.
Enterprise Florida wants a brand
By James Call
Florida Current
Enterprise Florida has selected a Tennessee firm to research what people think of the state as a business destination and a Jacksonville company to handle the creative aspects of a marketing campaign.
President Obama declares parts of Florida a disaster area for damage in Tropical Storm Isaac
Staff Report
Tampa Bay Times
President Obama on Thursday declared 11 Florida counties a disaster area for damage sustained in August from Tropical Storm Isaac.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Dispute forces seniors to choose
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
A fractious contract dispute between UnitedHealthcare and Tampa Bay’s largest hospital network has heated up, leaving patients stuck in the middle.
CIVIL
RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Human Trafficking Forum Seeks To Curb Practice Of 'Modern Day Slavery'
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
Human trafficking is a 34-billion dollar industry that state, national, and international groups and leaders are hoping to curb.
Free workshop for immigrants is Saturday in Alachua
By Katherine Kallergis
Gainesville Sun
The Alachua Hispanic Church is hosting a free workshop Saturday to help undocumented immigrants apply for work authorization and reprieve from deportation under the DREAMer deferred action policy.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Lawyers in Zimmerman murder case will fight over medical and social media records Friday
By Frances Robles
Miami Herald
Lawyers in the George Zimmerman murder trial are expected to face off in court Friday over whether to allow subpoenas of Trayvon Martin’s school and social media records to proceed.
New execution date set for John Errol Ferguson
By Jon Silman
Gainesville Sun
The state of Florida has scheduled a new date to execute John Errol Ferguson, a man found guilty of six counts of first-degree murder in 1978.
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