Daily News Clips for October 3, 2012

FEATURED STORIES

Presidential debate likely to focus on economy
By David Lightman and Anita Kumar
McClatchy News Service
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney — who has struggled to find momentum — will offer voters two starkly different prescriptions for fixing the ailing economy as they duel Wednesday in their first and perhaps most critical debate.

Firm hired by Florida GOP knew weeks ago of possibly fraudulent voter registrations
By Michael Van Sickler
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Nathan Sproul was hardly unknown when his firm, Strategic Allied Consulting, was hired over the summer to register voters for the Republican Party.

Bill Nelson tries to weather third-party attacks in U.S. Senate race
By Katie Sanders
Tampa Bay Times
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said Tuesday he's taking nothing for granted in his race against Republican Rep. Connie Mack IV despite a lead in most polls.

Public-school cuts weigh on Republicans in state races
By Jason Garcia
Orlando Sentinel
In May 2011, in front of hundreds of cheering supporters in The Villages, under a banner proclaiming "Promises Made, Promises Kept," Republican Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a state budget that cut nearly $1.4 billion from Florida's public schools.

Groups hope to revive debate over felons' civil-rights restoration
News Service of Florida
Ft. Myers News-Press
Hoping to take advantage of a nationwide focus on new voting restrictions, advocates of allowing former felons to more easily gain the right to vote called Tuesday for Gov. Rick Scott and the state clemency board to reverse a decision last year making the restoration of those rights more difficult.

G.O.P. Aims to Remake Florida Supreme Court
By Lizette Alvarez
New York Times
In a bid to remake Florida’s judiciary, Republicans are asking voters to oust three state Supreme Court justices and give the Legislature greater power over Supreme Court appointments and judicial rules of procedure.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Florida GOP Caught in Voter Fraud Scandal
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
In the mother of all ironies, the Florida Republican Party is embroiled in a voter fraud scandal, putting hundreds of voter registration forms in about 10 counties in question.

Un-Suppressing The Vote: Victories Against GOP Voter Suppression Efforts
The Progress Report
Think Progress
Republicans have been on an all-out crusade against voting ever since they took control of numerous state legislatures in 2011.

Democrats' voter-registration effort swamps GOP's
By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel
Since the Republican Legislature passed laws last year to regulate groups that independently register voters in Florida, Democrats have swamped Republicans in registering new voters.

Fewer troops requesting absentee ballots in Florida
By Howard Altman
Tampa Tribune
With only a few weeks left for those in the military or overseas to cast a ballot, the number of absentee ballots requested by those groups has dropped nearly 50 percent in Florida compared with the last presidential election, according to a military voter watchdog group.

Gaetz's olive branch looks like a spear
By Daniel Ruth
Tampa Bay Times
There's an old line that says if you are going to plot to kill the king, you darn sure better pull it off. Otherwise, unpleasantries ensue.

Hardball politics back at Disney?
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
Years ago, Orlando was pretty much a one-mouse town.

Maitland Vice Mayor Phil Bonus on prostitution-ring client list
By Susan Jacobson
Orlando Sentinel
Maitland Vice Mayor Phil Bonus acknowledged Tuesday night that his name appears on the same prostitution-ring client list that last week led state Rep. Mike Horner to abandon his re-election campaign.

POLITICAL RACES

Five things to watch in the presidential debate
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Related: Pay attention to the candidates' logic, or lack of it
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney hold their first debate tonight at the University of Denver, and by some estimates it may be Romney's best and last chance to shake up the race and overtake the president.

Mitt Romney's Outsourcing History Highlighted In New Obama Ad
By Andy Kroll
Mother Jones
In July, Mother Jones broke the story that Mitt Romney, when he was running Bain Capital, had invested in Global-Tech Appliances, a Chinese manufacturing company that profited from US outsourcing.

Campaigns for Hispanic vote in Florida not spending heavily on Spanish-language media
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
For months, you've heard how Hispanics could decide the presidential race in crucial battleground states like Florida, Colorado and Nevada.

Out-of-state donors pour cash into Mack Senate race
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Related: Suffolk University Florida poll: Obama up 3, Nelson up 6
Outside spending by independent groups helping Rep. Connie Mack IV's Senate campaign — mostly by attacking his opponent, Sen. Bill Nelson — has reached nearly $22 million, according to Nelson campaign figures.

West, Murphy exchange fire in congressional campaign attack ads
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Democratic congressional challenger Patrick Murphy, responding to an ad that features Murphy’s mug shot from a 2003 arrest, released a new ad Tuesday that slams Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West for a 2003 incident in Iraq in which West fired a gun near the head of a detainee during an interrogation.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Court ruling takes teeth out of health care amendment
By Mary Shedden
Tampa Tribune
 It's been surprisingly quiet around the state regarding Amendment 1, a constitutional proposal to block the controversial insurance mandate in the federal health care law.

Environmental opposition announced to Amendments 3, 4
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Some environmental groups have joined the opposition to Amendment 3 while others may be opposing Amendment 4, saying they are concerned that both proposals could restrict support for environmental programs.

Measure opens door to tax support for church schools
By Joie Cadle
Orlando Sentinel
No matter what we hear about the benefits of Amendment 8, I can only shudder at the unintended consequences that may erupt if it passes in November.

No to these amendments
Editorial
Miami Herald
Unaware Floridians may be in for a shock on election day when they discover what’s in store for them in the voting booth.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Duke Energy customers face $1 billion-plus tab whether nuclear plant is fixed or not
By Ivan Penn
Tampa Bay Times
Duke Energy faces a potentially $3 billion decision on whether to fix its busted Crystal River nuclear plant. Regardless of their choice, however, customers will still get stuck paying for the billion-dollar-plus blunder.

Rumors about BP fine settlement talks raise ire
By Nate Monroe
Pensacola News Journal
Rumored settlement negotiations between the U.S. Justice Department and BP are raising concerns that millions of anticipated dollars from the recently passed RESTORE Act could be diverted from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Menu favorites endangered as federal regulators consider protections for conch
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
Forget those crispy fritters or spicy chowder if queen conch is put on the Endangered Species List.

Water policy must change at state level
Editorial
Citrus County Chronicle
Issuing a permit for a well in Crystal River to provide water for a bottling plant in Ocala continues to stir outrage among residents who have been urged to take water-conserving steps like flushing toilets less, taking shorter showers, using less water bathing and putting in rain barrels to cut outdoor water use.

LGBT

Florida justices hear lesbian custody dispute
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press
A bitter child custody dispute between two lesbians went before the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday, but the justices suggested the case may be sent back to a lower court and lawyers on both sides said it is unlikely to affect other couples, gay or straight.

EDUCATION

After a parent complains, Dunedin High School stops promoting student volunteer opportunity for Obama group
By Curtis Krueger
Tampa Bay Times
The principal at Dunedin High School has stopped promoting a student volunteer opportunity tied to President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party after a parent complained.

Pasco School Board denies K12 charter school application
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Despite an expected challenge, the Pasco County School Board on Tuesday denied a virtual charter school application from a group that is under investigation.

State Board of Education wants $442 million for school technology upgrades
By Tia Mitchell
Tampa Bay Times
The Florida Board of Education is putting finishing touches on the budget request that it will send to Gov. Rick Scott, and at the center of its plan for the upcoming fiscal year is a $442 million technology initiative.

Study: Race-neutral college admissions can work
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
As the Supreme Court revisits the use of race in college admissions next week, critics of affirmative action are hopeful the justices will roll back the practice.

Florida schools deserve the best
Editorial
Ocala Star-Banner
This is one hire that Florida has to get right.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Consumer advocates blast Citizens’ rate increase, question plan to move customers
By Charles Elmore
Palm Beach Post
Regulators announced approval of a 10.8 percent rate increase for homeowners with Florida’s last-resort insurer Citizens Tuesday, but sparks are flying over a plan that would write $350 million in checks from the ratepayers’ surplus to lure private insurers to take over customers.

Pension promises still unmet
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
The slew of negative ads that Gov. Rick Scott ran two years ago about his opponent's role with the state public pension fund helped him win the election.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Doctor with the Midas touch
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Dr. Kiran Patel of Tampa, who donated $12 million to University of South Florida on Tuesday, can well afford the gift.

Fla. Lawmaker, Activists Push Labeling Of Genetically Engineered Foods
By Jessica Palombo    
WFSU Tallahassee
Genetically engineered food was the subject of a demonstration at the Florida Capitol on Tuesday. 

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Florida Supreme Court considers: Can immigrant illegally in U.S. practice law?
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In a unique case followed closely by immigration experts, the Florida Supreme Court will consider whether an undocumented immigrant can practice law in Florida.

Criminal justice coalition schedules summit
By James Call
Florida Current
A coalition of business groups, think tanks and mental health advocates is planning to develop alternatives for handling low-level criminal offenders.