PROGRESS
FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Liberal activists warm to Hillary Clinton for president
By Domenico Montanaro
NBC News
Excerpt: “We’re long past due to have a woman president,” Ray Seaman, online director for Progress Florida and a 2008 Obama supporter said, “and Hillary would be a great example.”
FEATURED
STORIES
Florida waits on SCOTUS decision that may impact gay marriage
By Jackie Winchester
Ft. Myers News-Press
Southwest Florida’s same-sex marriage activists are awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could nullify the state’s gay marriage ban.
With election looming, governor faces potential impact with every bill he signs
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
As the heap of bills awaiting Gov. Rick Scott’s signature diminishes, each one he approves or vetoes puts his mark on the state as chief executive but also carries potential impact on his re-election campaign.
The clock is Gov. Scott's ally in search for lieutenant governor
By Steve Bousquet
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
As Gov. Rick Scott ponders who to pick as Florida's next lieutenant governor, one factor on his side is the clock.
The real Charlie Crist
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Every day the Florida Republican Party blasts out "This Day in CRISTory" emails, reminding people how its former standard-bearer, who is expected to run for governor as a Democrat, used to hail Jeb Bush's expansion of vouchers, once supported offshore drilling, bashed former Sen. Bob Graham as a tax-raiser, campaigned as a prolifer, and so forth.
As Congress Weighs Immigration Overhaul, Different Perspectives On What It Means For Florida
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Tallahassee
Recent polls show most Floridians in favor of an immigration overhaul bill pending in Congress.
Can Democrats Win Back the Deep South?
By Molly Ball
The Atlantic
A few weeks ago, municipal elections were held in Mississippi.
EDITORIAL
CARTOON OF THE WEEK
FLORIDA
POLITICS
Governor Rick Scott's Wildflower Tag Veto: Its Impact And Moving Forward
By Sascha Cordner
WFSU Tallahassee
Governor Rick Scott’s recent veto of a bill that would have provided more funds for Florida’s native wildflowers and other plants has left several people stunned.
Legislature asks high court not to review an opinion shielding lawmakers from testifying in redistricting case
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Attorneys for the Legislature are asking the Florida Supreme Court to not review an appeals court opinion that lawmakers don’t have to give depositions as part of a redistricting lawsuit, according to briefs filed Friday afternoon.
Obama's elections panel not expected to back major reforms
By Mark K. Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
A commission named by President Barack Obama to address the problem of long lines on Election Day had its first meeting last week — but few observers held out hope for major reform.
Nelson calls for Senate probe into contractor security clearances
By Howard Altman
Tampa Tribune
In the wake of security concerns about two contractors hired by Booz Allen Hamilton, including one in Tampa, Sen. Bill Nelson is calling for an Intelligence Committee investigation into who gets high level security clearance.
POLITICAL
RACES
Rich says she's confident she can win governor's race
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Former state Sen. Nan Rich, the only prominent Democrat who has declared as a candidate for governor in 2014, told a Tampa audience Friday she thinks she can win the governor's race despite being a lesser-known, dark horse candidate.
Crist charms gathering of Democrats in Pasco
By William March
Tampa Tribune
Former Gov. Charlie Crist continued playing coy about his potential candidacy for governor despite a rock-star welcome at a Pasco County Democratic Party lunch Saturday.
Port commissioner aiming at primary run for Hastings’ House seat
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Since winning a bare-knuckle Democratic primary runoff against Lois Frankel in 1992, U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings hasn’t faced serious opposition while getting elected to Congress 11 times.
For C.W. Bill Young, Jack Latvala it's like father, like son
By Anna M. Phillips
Tampa Bay Times
Ever since he turned 16, people have been asking Bill Young II the same question: When are you going to run for office?
ENVIRONMENT
AND ENERGY
DEP's failure to serve and protect
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
It's a sad reflection on the state of environmental protection in Florida when a state agency's lawyer fears for his job merely for enforcing the law.
NWF: Climate Change Threatens Florida Birds
By Stephanie Carroll Carson
Public News Service Florida
Tourists aren't the only ones flocking to Florida. So do birds, but according to a report from the National Wildlife Federation, migratory birds of all kinds are being threatened by a number of factors.
LGBT
Brito files to begin statewide petition drive, hoping to end Florida's gay-marriage ban in 2014
By Steve Rothaus
Miami Herald
Miami political consultant Vanessa Brito, who successfully ran the 2011 campaign to recall longtime Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas, on Friday filed paperwork to put gay marriage back on the Florida ballot in 2014.
On gay marriage, arc of history will show gay rights are merely human rights
By Scott Maxwell
Orlando Sentinel
This week will be a big one in the world of equal rights.
EDUCATION
Fighting to fix the FCAT
By Michael Vasquez
Miami Herald
Robert Krampf’s first e-mail to Florida’s Department of Education was cordial, even as he raised troubling allegations that poorly written FCAT Science exam questions could be grading students as wrong even when they chose right answers.
Charter school management companies flex political muscle on education issues
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Jim Horne stood at a lectern addressing the House Education Committee.
Teacher prep info exposed online in data transfer
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Florida's education commissioner has ordered a review of data security procedures after personal information for thousands of teachers-in-training was exposed on the Internet.
School districts balk at paying for students' college classes
By Danny Valentine and Lisa Gartner
Tampa Bay Times
Pinellas school superintendent Mike Grego stood before state educators this week with a simple message: You can't spend money you don't have.
Big dreams, big hurdles for new Florida Polytechnic University
By Tia Mitchell
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The new Florida Polytechnic University has grand plans, starting with the main classroom building scheduled to open next year.
JOBS,
BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Social service programs feeling sequestration cuts
By Sara Drumm
Tampa Tribune
Automatic federal spending cuts have been taking effect since March 1, and social service programs are among those being hit.
State loses jobs, but unemployment rate dips to 7.1 percent in May
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Florida’s unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percent to 7.1 percent in May, despite losing 6,200 nonagricultural jobs, according to numbers released Friday by the Department of Economic Opportunity.
Arrival of Amazon in Florida could renew push for online sales tax
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Gov. Rick Scott’s deal with online retail giant Amazon is breathing new life into an issue almost as old as the Internet.
FEMA seeks millions in repaid aid from Florida
By Jennifer Sorentrue
Palm Beach Post
Lake Worth collected $12 million in federal disaster aid after Hurricane Wilma tore through the city, destroying electric lines, downing trees and damaging government buildings.
Craft brewers clash with Big Beer lobby
By James L. Rosica
Tampa Tribune
A battle is brewing between Florida's craft beermakers, including Tampa's popular Cigar City, and the Big Beer lobby, representing the state's distributors.
HEALTH
AND SENIORS
Expanded Medicaid makes economic sense
Editorial
Tampa Bay Times
Related editorial: Health care act improves coverage, at lower cost
Leadership matters. In Arizona, Republican Gov. Jan Brewer set aside her opposition to health care reform, called the legislature into special session and forced it to approve Medicaid expansion.
Millions to be Sent to Florida Families
By Matt Horn
Capitol News Service
You may be one of 614-thousand Floridians receiving a check in the mail later this summer.
Fla. struggles with shortage of primary care docs
By Kelli Kennedy
Associated Press
Darlene O'Neil just saw a doctor at a mobile health clinic for the first time in months after dropping her health coverage six months ago because she could no longer afford it.
Medical marijuana battle coming to Florida
By Stephen Nohlgren
Tampa Bay Times
Sitting at the kitchen table in her wheelchair, arms useless at her sides, Cathy Jordan begins another day with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease.
IMMIGRATION,
CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Rubio’s steadfast immigration reform foe: Sen. Jeff Sessions
By Alex Leary
Tampa Bay Times
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio stepped off the trolley that takes lawmakers from their offices to the Capitol, and as he brushed past Sen. Jeff Sessions, he suggested his colleague get lost in Hawaii for the week.
Bill on Gov. Rick Scott's desk divides gun rights activists
By Rochelle Koff
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The former president of the National Rifle Association and Florida's most powerful gun rights lobbyist is urging Gov. Rick Scott to sign a bill restricting gun purchases.
Caught on camera: Rally against the NSA
By Chip Weiner
Creative Loafing Tampa
Dozens of people gathered across the street from the Federal Building in downtown Tampa on Friday afternoon to rally against the allegations that the National Security Agency is using the Internet and other technology to spy on U.S. citizens.
JUSTICE
AND THE COURTS
Opening statements coming up in George Zimmerman trial
By Evan Benn and Audra D.S. Burch
Miami Herald
After weeks of jury selection and pretrial motions, the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman is set to begin in earnest Monday with opening statements from prosecutors and defense attorneys.
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