FEATURED
STORIES
Battle over government agency sick leave reaches governor's office
By Margie Menzel
News Service of Florida
A bill that would prevent local governments from setting sick-leave standards for workers hasn’t reached Gov. Rick Scott’s desk yet, but it certainly has reached his office.
Gov. Scott's efforts to raid out-of-state jobs ticks off other governors
By Steve Bousquet
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Gov. Rick Scott's latest tactic to attract jobs is to brag about Florida as much as possible while criticizing other states — whose governors don't appreciate it one bit.
Scott signs bill to speed foreclosures, evictions
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, ignoring veto pleas from consumer advocates, on Friday signed two measures into law that could affect renters and homeowners across the state.
Republicans search for secret to winning support from black voters
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Still reeling from losses they didn't expect, Republicans strategists are hoping black voters, who are the Democrats' most stalwart supporters, will help bring them future victories.
An obscure budget panel may be on the verge of tremendous power
By Gary Fineout
The Fine Print
This week the 1st District Court of Appeal rendered a really, really important decision.
Zimmerman trial could be explosive
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Related editorial: ‘Stand your ground’ on trial with George Zimmerman
On the surface, George Zimmerman’s second-degree murder trial is about the one-time neighborhood watch captain’s guilt or innocence.
EDITORIAL
CARTOON OF THE WEEK
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Tallahassee becomes real spin zone
By Stephen Goldstein
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Tallahassee is "Spin City" — the capital of duplicity. Elected officials turn pulling the wool over the public's eyes into high art.
Scott's HB 655 veto would give communities sick-time control
By Wanita Patterson
Orlando Sentinel
As a nurse practitioner, I frequently encounter patients who drag themselves into my office after being ill for days to weeks.
Scott criticized for sheriff's suspension
News Service of Florida
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The governor is starting to face criticism for his suspension of a sheriff from a rural north Florida county who allegedly destroyed documents tied to the arrest of a man charged with carrying a concealed firearm.
Ethics Changes Are Here
By Mike Vasilinda
Capitol News Service
For the first time in almost four decades, elected and appointed officials have a new code of ethics.
Koch Brothers Admit They're Interested in Buying Sun Sentinel
By Kyle Swenson
Broward New Times
After months of hot and sweaty speculation, we''re finally getting some answers out of the Koch Brothers about their interest in the media game.
Rep. Joe Garcia’s disgraced chief of staff has longstanding ties to the Miami congressman
By Patricia Mazzei
Miami Herald
At least one thing remained the same last year for Miami Democrat Joe Garcia as he shifted from candidate to congressman: his most trusted political adviser.
On way out, Mack issued parting gifts
By Ledyard King
Ft. Myers News-Press
GOP Rep. Connie Mack IV gave his staff a parting gift as he left Congress in January: more than $61,000 in bonuses and raises.
POLITICAL
RACES
Fellow Dems’ inattention generates attention for Nan Rich’s run for governor
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Not getting invited to speak at the Florida Democratic Party’s annual fundraising dinner this week might be the best thing that’s happened to Nan Rich’s underdog campaign for governor.
Shaky Democratic governor's race could benefit Crist
By William March
Tampa Tribune
The potential three-way Democratic primary for governor in 2014 already appears to be fracturing the Democratic Party in ways that could benefit former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist if he seeks the nomination.
Former Gov. Crist dips toes in Palm Beach County’s political waters with two south county visits
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
With former Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson as his chauffeur, former Gov. Charlie Crist toured some of southern Palm Beach County’s Democratic strongholds last week as he continues to mull a run for governor in 2014.
Early fundraising edge by Suarez in Miami mayoral battle forces Regalado to attack
By Charles Rabin and Kathleen McGrory
Miami Herald
Miami City Commissioner Francis Suarez has jumped early into campaign mode for the mayor’s race, embracing social networking, meeting with young professionals and banking well more than $1 million with five months to go until Election Day.
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
Nuclear plant closures show industry's struggles
By Ray Henry and Michael R. Blood
Associated Press
In Crystal River, Fla., and now in California, utilities decided it was cheaper to close plants rather than spend big money fixing them.
Tarpon's decision not to file oil spill claim is questioned
By Brittany Alana Davis
Tampa Bay Times
>From Tampa and Dunedin to Panama City and Key West, cities along Florida's west coast have filed claims against BP for lost tourism and other revenue, seeking damages as a result of an oil rig explosion that sullied the Gulf of Mexico and killed 11 workers in 2010.
DEP scrambles to evaluate work orders while drafting rules for petroleum sites cleanup program
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials say they're working extra hours to review petroleum tank site work orders in advance of a June 30 deadline.
Hurricane Season: Six "Big Ones" Predicted
By Stephanie Carroll Carson
Public News Service Florida
Hurricane season is underway for Florida and other east-coast and southern states, and experts predict as many as three times the number of major hurricanes this season as in years past.
LGBT
In 50 years, huge strides for gay-rights movement
By David Crary and Lisa Leff
Associated Press
Go back 50 years in time. Homosexuality was deemed a mental disorder by the nation's psychiatric authorities, and gay sex was a crime in every state but Illinois. Federal workers could be fired merely for being gay.
Once upon a time in Hillsborough: A tale of intolerance
By Sue Carlton
Tampa Bay Times
One day down the road, the silver-haired grandmas and grandpas of Hillsborough County may gather the children close to tell the tale of Ronda Storms and all she once wrought.
Tampa scout leaders take policy on gays 'day by day'
By Ray Reyes
Tampa Tribune
Protesters held rallies and conservative groups vowed to quit sponsoring troops if a ban on gay scouts was lifted by the Boy Scouts of America.
EDUCATION
Gov. Rick Scott hopes pen is mightier than past
By Marc Caputo
Miami Herald
Bearing the name and signature of Gov. Rick Scott, form letters like this are soon to arrive by express mail at each of Florida’s 67 school districts.
FSU Bucks Governor, Okays Tuition Increase
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
Florida State University is planning to increase its tuition rates.
Rick Scott opposes the tuition increases he once supported
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
Gov. Rick Scott is campaigning for reelection by campaigning for low university tuition, but he is part of the higher education problem in Florida.
Students struggle on FCAT math & reading tests
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
Many Florida students continue to struggle on high-stakes tests in reading and math, although new results released Friday showed signs of improvement for those students taking two key tests needed to graduate.
Bennett: FCAT results unacceptable
By James Call
Florida Current
Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett wants a renewed focus in public schools on reading, writing and math.
Large charter school businesses draw criticism
By Matt Dixon
Morris News Service
Jim Horne stood at the lectern addressing the House Education Committee. His testimony was relaxed. Like many Capitol regulars, pitching lawmakers for him is a low-stress event.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Scott reaches out-of-state for jobs, to improve Florida economy, fulfill campaign promises
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
A candidate in a sour economy, who is now governor in a still-recovering Florida, Rick Scott has made job creation his signature political theme.
State workers got what they feared
By Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee Democrat
Next Monday will mark the third anniversary of Gov. Rick Scott’s slightly rude introduction to Tallahassee, a city that candidate Scott certainly knew he was not going to carry — one, in fact, he was running against in his upstart, proudly “outsider” campaign.
Nelson to Scott: Coax Florida Republicans to back off furloughs
By Aaron Deslatte
Orlando Sentinel
Gov. Rick Scott took a shot at President Obama yesterday about the federal sequestration forcing some furloughs of National Guardsmen as the hurricane season ramps up.
Rental condos' costs to spike because of Cat Fund exemption
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Costs for condominium associations that rely on rental properties could jump -- and their fees along with it -- because the state reinsurance fund is denying them coverage.
Lack of regulation and meager penalties allow worst charities to thrive
By Kendall Taggart and Kris Hundley
Times/CIR special report
Related: America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers
Four years ago, charity regulators in 38 states banded together to take down one of the most deceptive charity solicitors in America.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Florida Legislature's health-care law sabotage
By Sen. Bill Nelson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Taking action late on a Friday is a time-tested tactic used by some politicians and businesses seeking to avoid intense or critical news coverage.
Politicians say Social Security, Medicare still in need of reform
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
On the face of it, an improving economy, a more stable Medicare trust fund and a generally positive outlook for Social Security over the next 10 years would be unequivocally good news in Washington.
African Americans Remain Hardest Hit By Medical Bills
By Patti Neighmond
Health News Florida
For many years, high medical bills have been a leading cause of financial distress and bankruptcy in America.
Who Forgot to Fix Compounding Law?
By Carol Gentry
Health News Florida
The 2013 Legislature could have fixed a tiny gap in Florida law that blocks health officials from regulating hundreds of out-of-state compounding pharmacies that ship high-risk drugs into this state.
These States Rejected Federal Money to Fix Their Terrible Mental Health Systems
By Erika Eichelberger
Mother Jones
Less than half of Americans living with mental illness receive the treatment they need—a failure that lands large numbers of mentally ill people in jails, emergency rooms, and on the streets.
Woman who says she was tricked into abortion pushes for new law
By Brittany Alana Davis
Tampa Bay Times
Before she was tricked into taking abortion pills, Remee Lee planned to name her baby Memphis Remington, she said.
IMMIGRATION,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Senate Digs In for Long Battle on Immigrants
By Michael D. Shear and Ashley Parker
New York Times
After seven months of steadily building momentum, the push for a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system enters its most crucial phase this week in the Senate, where Republicans remain divided over how much to cooperate with President Obama as they try to repair their party’s standing among Hispanic voters.
Scott hurt himself, his state and his party with anti-immigrant veto
Editorial
Palm Beach Post
On the perilous issue of immigration, the Florida Legislature this year did something surprising: It made a sensible and humane accommodation for people brought into the U.S. illegally as children, and did so in overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion.
Why Florida Is Out Of Step With The Rest Of The Hemisphere On Marijuana
By Tim Padgett
WLRN Miami
Florida Governor Rick Scott on Thursday signed a “bong ban” bill that outlaws the sale of pipes and other marijuana-smoking paraphernalia.
Marco Rubio cites Boston bombing in defense of phone monitoring
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
Sen. Marco Rubio said the government surveillance program that leapt back into the news last week is subject to "intense congressional oversight" and represents a difficult balance of privacy issues and national security interests.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
All eyes on Central Florida as George Zimmerman murder trial begins
By Rene Stutzman
Orlando Sentinel
When George Zimmerman's murder trial begins Monday, for some people it will be a civil-rights bellwether.
ACLU finds wide racial disparity in area marijuana arrests
By Cindy Swirko
Gainesville Sun
Law enforcement officers in Alachua County arrest more than six times as many black defendants as white defendants on marijuana charges, although research shows use of the drug is about as common among blacks as whites.
No comments:
Post a Comment