FEATURED
STORIES
Now a Democrat, Charlie Crist regrets signing anti-gay marriage petition
By Adam C. Smith and Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times
Former Gov. Charlie Crist completed his conversion to the Democratic Party on Thursday at a camera-ready media event at which he revised his views on yet another issue: same-sex marriage.
Mel Martinez on higher taxes: ‘Republicans are going to have to swallow the pill’
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
Florida’s former senator and one-time head of the national Republican Party, Mel Martinez, said Thursday that members of his own party need to get ready to go along with higher taxes.
Dems to Justice Department: probe Florida election law
By Dara Kam and John Lantigua
Palm Beach Post
A divided U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will not convene hearings on Florida’s new election law, despite a request from the state’s six Democratic members of Congress, who charged that the measure intentionally limited access to the polls by blacks and many other Florida voters.
Florida to let Washington make health care decisions
By Donna Koehn
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
When uninsured Floridians sit at their computers next October to select mandated health insurance, they will shop options compiled by the federal government, not the state.
What ‘Right to Work’ Has Meant For States Like Florida
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
This week, Michigan became the country’s 24th Right to Work state, which has prompted close examinations of what such laws mean for a state’s economy.
BEST
OF THE BLOGS
Florida's projected 2013 budget surplus comes at a steep price
By Daniel Tilson
West Palm Beach Liberal Examiner
High on the list of Good News, Bad News stories in Florida this week was the Dec. 5 announcement that the state budget now has (drum-roll please) - a $436 million surplus.
Florida Elections Chief Begins His "Not Listening Tour" On Election Problems
By Martha Jackovics
Beach Peanuts
On Monday Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner began what's being phrased as a "listening tour" of elections offices where there were problems in the November elections, but from early reports it sounds more like window dressing.
In Florida, An Actual Bipartisan Discussion On How To Deal With Climate Change
By Christina DeConcini
Think Progress via WRI’s Insights
“Think globally, act locally” is a slogan that aptly describes what I witnessed last week at the Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit.
Crist Now a Democrat: Reaction
By Kartik Krishnaiyer
The Political Hurricane
Governor Crist has finally made official what was coming for months. On Friday, he officially declared himself a Democrat and in doing so has set of a wild frenzy of speculation as to whether progressives will embrace him or simply brandish him as a turncoat.
Let The Consternation Begin
By Jake
Rantings From Florida
We saw it coming. Now the moment has arrived. Charlie Crist, whose early political stances earned him the nickname Chain Gang Charlie, is now a Democrat.
FLORIDA
POLITICS
How to Fix Florida's Elections Mess
By Paula Dockery
Florida Voices
To fix a problem, you first need to understand it.
Florida elections chief, in St. Lucie, says recount deadlines may be too tight for counties to meet
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post
Emerging from three hours with the elections supervisor of St. Lucie County on Thursday— the only county that missed the deadline for filing final election results — Secretary of State Ken Detzner said he was concerned that current deadlines may not give counties enough time to complete recounts.
It's official: Former Gov. Charlie Crist is a Democrat
Staff Report
Tampa Tribune
What had been the worst-kept secret in Florida politics the past few months is official.
Tant wins Leon Dems chair, can now run for state chair
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Prominent Tallahassee Democratic fundraiser Allison Tant was elected chairman of the Leon County Democratic Party Thursday night, making her eligible to run for state party chairman against Alan Clendenin of Tampa.
POLITICAL
RACES
Private poll: Crist has big lead in Democratic primary
By Steve Bousquet
Tampa Bay Times
A new private poll of 1,000 Democratic voters gives former Gov. Charlie Crist an overwhelming advantage over all other Democrats in a hypothetical primary for governor, including a 21-point lead in a test matchup against Alex Sink, the party's 2010 nominee.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Revive land buying for environment, economy
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
It might not make its owners rich, but undeveloped land can be among the most valuable property in Florida.
Regulators tweak settlement agreement, award FPL a $350 million rate increase
By Susan Salisbury
Palm Beach Post
Despite the objections of the Office of Public Counsel, Florida Power & Light on Thursday was granted a $350 million base rate increase beginning Jan. 2 and $165.5 million for its new Cape Canaveral plant starting in June.
Gator hunt plan for Loxahatchee wildlife refuge sparks angry response
By David Fleshler
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Hundreds of letters and emails to the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge were clear: Don't kill the alligators.
Fla. Asks: Should Silver Springs Be A State Park?
By Jessica Palombo
WFSU Tallahassee
The state of Florida is taking public input on a proposal to turn Central Florida’s Silver Springs attraction into a state park.
EDUCATION
Shocking upset in Indiana steered new education chief Tony Bennett to Florida
By Curtis Krueger and Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
Related: Indiana failed to well serve migrant students during Bennett's tenure, report shows
Tony Bennett's loss in the Indiana school superintendent's race last month was so shocking that the teachers union president calls it the biggest political upset in state history.
Surprise us
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
It's no surprise that Tony Bennett, Florida's newly hired education commissioner, would be bullish on testing, vouchers and charter schools, or that the state's largest teacher union would object to his appointment.
Holding voucher schools to account is overdue
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Gov. Rick Scott campaigned two years ago as an outsider who would bring a fresh perspective to Tallahassee.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Narrow 'fiscal cliff' bargain gains currency
By Andrew Taylor and Jim Kuhnehenn
Associated Press
Hopes dimming for a wide-ranging bargain, the White House and many congressional Republicans are setting their sights on a more modest deal that would extend current tax rates for most Americans, raise rates for top earners and leave other, vexing issues for the new year.
Citizens to postpone action on controversial loan program
By Michael Peltier
News Service of Florida
Citizens Property Insurance Corp will shelve a controversial $350 million loan program while it gathers data and looks at more options to reduce its number of policies.
Florida women earning 84 percent of median wages earned by men
Staff Report
Tampa Bay Times
Women workers in Florida are earning about 84 percent of the weekly earnings of their male counterparts, the second-highest ratio since 1997, according to government data released Wednesday.
Florida tops foreclosure list for third straight month
Staff Report
Florida Current
There were 29,612 foreclosure filings in Florida in November – one in every 304 housing units in the state, according to a report released Thursday by the foreclosure tracking company RealtyTrac.
Fla. economists to draw up new budget forecast
Associated Press
Miami Herald
Florida economists are drawing up new a forecast for how much money the state is expected to collect in taxes over the next few years.
Florida lauded for controls on economic incentives
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Amid growing legislative scrutiny of corporate tax-incentives, a new non-partisan report gives Florida props for capping how much taxpayer money it uses to entice companies to keep or expand jobs here.
State appears ready to get on board with Orlando-to-Miami train
By Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
The state appears set to approve a key step in All Aboard Florida's quest to build a privately financed $1 billion train to carry tourists and business travelers from Miami to Orlando International Airport.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
FL Says It's Protecting Kids; Meanwhile...
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
Two state agencies announced steps Wednesday that they say will keep Florida's children -- especially disabled, abused and foster kids -- safer.
Premiums Take 20% of Workers' Wages: Study
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
The average cost for family coverage in employer-sponsored plans rose 62 percent in Florida since 2003, according to a report from the Commonwealth Fund.
CIVIL
RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Victims Of Alleged Abuse At Dozier Want Feds To Grant Nelson Request For Probe
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson is calling on the U.S. Justice Department to continue a probe into the Infamous Dozier School for Boys, after recent findings show there were at least 50 graves at the North Florida reform school----that’s 19 more than were found when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated two years ago.
Fla. won’t restore rights to famed jewel thief ‘Murph the Surf’
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
Florida is turning down a request by famed surfer and jewel thief Jack Murphy to win the restoration of his civil rights.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Clemency board grants full pardon to wrongfully convicted man
By Brittany Alana Davis
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
After a wrongful murder conviction that put him behind bars for 27 years, William Michael Dillon received formal forgiveness from the state Thursday.
Crank it up! Supreme Court says police can't shut down car stereos
By Brandon Larrabee
News Service of Florida
Motorists are free to blast Justin Timberlake -- or any other music they choose -- as loud as they wish, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
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