Daily News Clips for May 28, 2013

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS

Not your grandma’s League of Women Voters; Conservatives say activism makes it partisan
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
Excerpt: Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the left-leaning Progress Florida, who has worked with the League on a number of issues over the years, defended the League’s nonpartisanship…"they want to focus on one thing and one thing only and that is what is the right policy for the people of Florida"

FEATURED STORIES

Weatherford asks Fla. House to review Citizens $52 million takeout deal
Staff Report
The News Service Of Florida
Florida’s House speaker wants to review Citizens Property Insurance Corp. after the approval of a “unique” deal that gave a relatively new but politically connected company up to $52 million to take out as many as 60,000 policies from the state-backed insurer.

7 years without storms but Fla. rates keep rising
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
It's been nearly eight years since Hurricane Wilma raked the southern end of Florida and caused billions in damages, the last of eight hurricanes to hit the state in 2004 and 2005.

Behind would-be Democratic candidate Charlie Crist, a loose-knit crew of advisers
By Adam Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Charlie Crist, almost unique among political figures of his stature, has never had a consistent inner circle of advisers at his side.

EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK

Florida legislators' health care hypocrisy
By Chan Lowe
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Sometimes I’ll ask somebody I’m having a conversation with if he can name his representative in Congress. Nine times out of ten, he doesn’t know.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Florida Republicans' 2014 prospects nervous about top of ticket
By Adam Smith
Tampa Bay Times
As the 2014 election cycle approaches, a lot of prospective Republican candidates are nervously watching Gov. Rick Scott's low poll numbers, knowing that their campaigns could well be dragged down — or lifted up — by the fellow at the top of the ticket.

Scott relying on improving jobs numbers as 2014 looms
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott left little doubt in a speech here on Monday that improving state unemployment numbers and gains in education are going to be essential as he begins to ramp up for his 2014 re-election.

Senator means what she says, and gets results
By Rochelle Koff
Tampa Bay Times
Senate President Don Gaetz calls her the Margaret Thatcher of the Florida Senate — "tough, principled, independent and absolutely fearless."

Texting while driving about to become illegal in Florida
By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Those slow drivers who drift out of their lanes may become a little less frequent after Tuesday, when Gov. Rick Scott plans to sign into law a measure banning texting while driving.

Gov. Rick Scott set to act on slate of bills, including some from First Coast lawmakers
By Matt Dixon
Florida Times-Union
Each year during The Players Championship, Northeast Florida residents look to make a few extra dollars renting their houses out to visitors, golfers and members of the media.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Patronis: Scott will sign bill on well permitting
By Matthew Beaton
Panama City News Herald
State Rep. Jimmy Patronis’ environmental permitting bill still awaits the governor’s signature, but the Panama City Republican is confident it will come, despite ongoing opposition to the legislation.

$10M set aside for springs stirs hope and discussion
By Kristine Crane
Gainesville Sun
When Mark Wray took ownership of Ginnie Springs in 1971, its crystalline waters were picture perfect.

Water managers accused of foot-dragging while paddling down polluted Wekiva River
By Kevin Spear
Orlando Sentinel
The treasured Wekiva River now resembles its neighbor, notorious Lake Apopka, in at least one vivid way: algae cripple both bodies of water.

Thinning of Ocala National Forest trees aims to improve habitat for Florida scrub-jays
By Ludmilla Lelis
Orlando Sentinel
A timber crew made quick work of some 60-foot-tall sand pines with a shearing machine that cuts the trees at the base like a massive pair of scissors. 

EDUCATION

Students who haven't mastered English are casualties of strict system
By Lauren Roth
Orlando Sentinel
Time is running out for the kids in Melanie Gathers' English 3 class.

Finding licensed child care centers is important
By Mary Kelli Palka
Florida Times-Union
It’s one of the most difficult decisions parents must make: finding quality child care for their children.

Governor sends universities a message: no tuition hikes this year
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Gov. Rick Scott has been blasting Florida’s steadily rising college and university tuition, saying it is making higher education unaffordable for many families. 

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

 Raises and worries for state workers
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
In signing the $74 billion state budget, Gov. Rick Scott lauded the fact that Florida has one of the smallest state workforces, based on population — in the nation.

Summer job forecast: Slight rise in employment for teens
By Emily Roach
Palm Beach Post
Teens have a slightly better chance of getting a job this summer than the past few years, but employment is still scarce for the age group with the highest unemployment rate.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Moffitt, community cancer centers question new state award
By Jodie Tillman
Tampa Bay Times
A little more than a year ago, Gov. Rick Scott warned Moffitt Cancer Center and two other Florida research institutions they would lose state funds if they tried to franchise their brand names.

Hospitals sue over cut in state reimbursement for noncitizens
By Mary Shedden
Tampa Tribune
Immigration is more than a political firestorm for people running some of Florida’s hospital emergency rooms. 

IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Homelessness: Miami’s shadow city
By Anna Edgerton and Evan S. Benn
Miami Herald
Like many of South Florida’s chronically homeless people, Ronald Poppo spent years living in the shadows, addicted to the bottle and unwilling to seek shelter or reach out to family.

High court case may affect prayer at government meetings
By Mark Schlueb
Orlando Sentinel
In Deltona, as in most towns, cities and counties across Florida and across the country, City Commission meetings start with God, flag and country.