Daily News Clips for July 11, 2013

FEATURED STORIES

Marco Rubio: Poster Boy For The GOP Identity Crisis
By Mara Liasson
NPR
The Republican Party seems like two parties these days. In the Senate, Republicans joined a two-thirds majority to pass an immigration bill. But in the House, Republicans are balking.

In House, GOP balks at sweeping immigration overhaul
New York Times
Tampa Bay Times
Related: House rejects Rubio/Senate's 'flawed' bill, will take piecemeal approach to immigration
Meeting for the first time as a group to hash out their approach to immigration, House Republicans on Wednesday came down overwhelmingly against a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's immigration laws.

Incumbent Fla. governor keeps raising millions
By Gary Fineout
Associated Press
Florida Gov. Rick Scott continues to set aside millions for his 2014 re-election campaign, putting considerable distance between himself and his announced challengers.

Group asks Rick Scott to return $500K contribution
By Katie Sanders
Tampa Bay Times
St. Petersburg mogul (and Vietnam veteran) Bill Edwards, saying Scott should not take the money following news of Edwards' company being hit with a record fine for violating the “Do Not Call” telemarketing rule.

Teacher of the year interviews turn up in Scott ad
By William March
Tampa Tribune
A least some candidates for Florida Teacher of the Year didn't realize the video interviews they gave during a reception at the governor's mansion would be used in a political advertisement for Gov. Rick Scott – and one called it inappropriate.

Senate President Gaetz sees Medicaid opportunity
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The federal government's decision to delay until 2015 the requirement that large businesses provide health insurance for workers has stalled any momentum for calling a special session to expand Medicaid coverage for low-income Floridians.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Publisher promises Crist memoir will be ‘frank,’ ‘very frank’ and ‘no-holds-barred’
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist will publish a memoir that his publisher says will include a “no-holds-barred” look at his partisan journey with a “frank indictment” of the GOP and “very frank” opinions of Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Sarah Palin “and other top-tier Republicans.”

Miami-Dade should take steps to thwart absentee-ballot fraudsters, advisory group says
By Patricia Mazzei
Miami Herald
Members of a group advising Miami-Dade on how to improve its elections want the county to try get ahead of the curve of fraudsters who have attempted to manipulate the system by submitting phantom absentee-ballot requests online.

Officials take closer look at Tampa port chairman's 'shocking' rentals
By Jamal Thalji and Will Hobson
Tampa Bay Times
The decrepit and illegal mobile homes were gone.

Brandes will seek greater personal privacy protections in 2014
By Steve Bousquet
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Citing two recent cases in which Floridians' personal privacy was violated, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, says he will file legislation in the 2014 session to expand personal privacy.

POLITICAL RACES

Incumbents haul in cash preparing for 2014 battles
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
Candidates in the 2014 midterm elections filed campaign finance reports for the second quarter on Wednesday, with most incumbents racking up early cash leads over fledgling opponents.

GOP holds fundraising edge
Associated Press
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Republicans who control the governor’s mansion and Florida Legislature are maintaining their substantial fundraising edge over Democrats.

Democrats ramp up profile of state House campaign operation
By Adam C. Smith
Tampa Bay Times
Normally the folks who run state House Democratic campaigns every two years remain relatively anonymous, working below the radar while the state party leads the overall messaging effort.

Fla. Ag Commissioner raises nearly $600,000
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Incumbent Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is already amassing a large campaign account for his re-election.

Ford noticeably absent from St. Pete mayor's debate
By Kate Bradshaw
Tampa Tribune
While polls show Kathleen Ford as the frontrunner in the mayor's race, her absences from recent debates is raising questions.

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Medical marijuana ballot initiative push begins
By Zac Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Medical marijuana supporters received final approval Wednesday from the Florida Department of State to begin collecting signatures for a ballot initiative that would enshrine doctor-approved cannabis in the state constitution.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

Environmentalists: Don't allow spaceport to be built in wildlife refuge
By Mark K. Matthews
Orlando Sentinel
A coalition of Florida environmental groups has called in the cavalry — this time to help stop a proposed spaceport inside the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Swiftmud boss may take new job running South Florida water agency, overseeing Everglades
By Craig Pittman
Tampa Bay Times
Two years ago, Blake Guillory took over as executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and sparked controversy by slashing the staff.

Senate president creates select committee to look into Indian River wildlife die-offs
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
Senate President Don Gaetz on Wednesday appointed an eight-member select committee to review policies and spending related to Indian River Lagoon, where manatees, dolphins and pelicans have been dying for unknown reasons during the past year.

Tropical storm, depression or big mess, Chantal could bring the rain to South Florida even without the name
By Sonja Isger and Julius Whigham II
Palm Beach Post
Chantal — whether a tropical storm, depression or wave — is still forecast to bring South Florida rainy weather Friday and through the weekend and residents would be wise not to shrug despite the system showing signs of weakening, forecasters said.

A Scientific Storm is Brewing Over the Hurricane-Climate Connection
By Chris Mooney
Mother Jones
It's the month of July, right before the Atlantic hurricane season really gets chugging. And there are already signs that a busy year might be on the way, chief among them the unusual early appearance of a "Cape Verde-type" storm.

LGBT

Senate panel OKs Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) bill banning anti-gay job bias
By Sam Hananel
Associated Press
A Senate panel has approved a bill that would ban job discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

EDUCATION

Gov. Rick Scott signs law to allow out-of-state companies to run virtual Florida schools
By Robert Lorei
WMNF Tampa
Last month Gov. Rick Scott signed HB7029 into a law. It opens the Florida market of online classes to out-of-state digital learning companies.

Dual-enrollment costs go to districts
By Erin Kourkounis
Pensacola News Journal
When Tristan Dopyera graduated from Gulf Breeze High School in May, he left with more than a diploma.

Dismal future for Hispanic students
By Daniel Shoer Roth
Miami Herald
For students of English as a second language in Florida public schools the American Dream keeps fading away like a falling star.

Florida Teacher of the Year to be announced
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
Florida's 2014 Teach of the Year is set to be named in Orlando.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Misdirection
Editorial
Gainesville Sun
Gov. Rick Scott has warned President Obama that plans to temporarily lay off employees of the Florida National Guard could jeopardize the state's ability to prepare for and respond to hurricanes.

Employment agencies trim staffs due to sequester
By Marcia Heroux Pounds
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Like other government-funded programs, South Florida's workforce agencies have been forced to reduce staff and trim programs because of the mandated federal sequester cuts.

More Florida homes headed to foreclosure auction
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post
Florida’s foreclosure gridlock got a kick start this spring with scheduled auctions in June doubling to more than 9,000 from last year as cases are hastened through the legal system.

Survey says Fla. continued to add jobs in June
Associated Press
Palm Beach Post
Florida continues to add jobs according to a new employment survey.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Educating Florida about healthcare reform starts with conversation
By Patricia Borns
Miami Herald
Enroll America, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to educate Americans about their healthcare options under the Affordable Care Act, kicked off its Florida campaign Wednesday in Miami with a training session for more than 25 newly hired organizers who will be reaching out to residents statewide.

DCF Responds To Spate Of Child Deaths With New Training Program
By Lynn Hatter 
WFSU Tallahassee
Florida Department of Children and Families officials say the deaths of four children in six weeks in May and June have led to meaningful changes in the organization.

Amanda Prater, chief of staff at Dept. of Children and Families, stepping down
By Peter Schorsch
Saint Petersblog
Amanda Prater is stepping down from her position as Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Federal funding for medical research and public health could be sequester casualty
By Seán Kinane
WMNF Tampa
The furlough of Florida National Guard members isn’t the only concern people have with federal sequestration; another is what across-the-board spending cuts could do to funding for medical research and public health programs.

IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

New poll of GOP primary voters say even with flaws, they support Senate bill on immigration
By Mitch Perry
Creative Loafing Tampa
Yesterday respected conservative editors Rich Lowry and William Kristol penned an op-ed on the National Review's website where they declared that "passing any version of the Gang of Eight's bill (on immigration reform) would be worse than passing nothing."

New Law Cracks Down on Online Bullies
By Matt Horn
Capitol News Service
Statistically, Nearly 1 of every 4 teenagers in this room has been bullied.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Defense rests case in George Zimmerman trial
By Kyle Hightower
Associated Press
Related: Fla. cities on guard for any post-Zimmerman unrest
After taking less than a week to call 18 witnesses, George Zimmerman's defense attorneys rested their case Wednesday in the neighborhood watch volunteer's second-degree murder trial.

NAACP holds town hall forum on George Zimmerman trial
By Nadege Green
Miami Herald
As the George Zimmerman trial nears a verdict, the NAACP held a town hall forum in North Miami-Dade Wednesday night and frustrations were aired about the prosecutor's handling of the case and Florida's Stand Your Ground law.

Daily News Clips for June 25, 2013

FEATURED STORIES

Goodbye, Miami
By Jeff Goodell
Rolling Stone
Related: Rising Seas: A City-by-City Forecast
When the water receded after Hurricane Milo of 2030, there was a foot of sand covering the famous bow-tie floor in the lobby of the Fontaine­bleau hotel in Miami Beach.

Scott team harvests reelection funds from Big Sugar
By Jim Turner
News Service of Florida
While Gov. Rick Scott was in Paris last week, his re-election team pulled in nearly $700,000, with a large part of the harvest coming from U.S. Sugar Corp.

Grandma vs junior? Senior arcade owners file suit, fire first salvo in battle over state gambling law
By Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post
If grandma and grandpa can’t gamble, neither should junior.

Florida's prisoners get little help once released
By Steve Bousquet
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Every single day all over Florida, the heavy steel doors of a prison swing open and an inmate walks free after completing a sentence.

FLORIDA POLITICS

Rubio’s favorable ratings slide with GOP voters nationally in Rasmussen poll
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post
A new Rasmussen poll shows 58 percent of Republicans nationwide have a favorable view of Florida Republican Sen. and potential 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio — down from a 68 percent favorable rating in May and 73 percent in February.

Comparing Scott's poll numbers
By Jeremy Wallace
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is no longer on the bottom.

Dolphins owner forms super PAC, blasts Miami lawmakers
By Patricia Mazzei
Miami Herald
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has begun exacting his political revenge against state lawmakers who stood in the way of his proposed renovation to Sun Life Stadium.

Pensacola Chamber, Facing Problems, Keeps Public at Distance
By Steve Miller
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
We love spending time in the so-called “Redneck Riviera,” with its white sand beaches, fresh seafood and reasonable hotel rates.

Sentencing delayed for Democratic candidate linked to feds’ probe of ex-GOP Rep. David Rivera
By Jay Weaver
Miami Herald
If the feds are going to pursue an election conspiracy case against former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, a courtroom drama that played out Monday could hasten their timetable.

Orange leaders adopt text-tracking system
By David Damron
Orlando Sentinel
Months after "textgate" broke, many Orange County officials who lost or deleted text messages have switched over to county-issued phones with a tracking program that archives the records. 

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

DEP says it has saved $8.8 million through staff reductions and improved efficiency
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says it has reduced operating expenses in its regulatory program by $8.8 million this fiscal year and it's asking to keep some of it for employee bonuses.

Our water treasures are in danger
Editorial
South Florida Sun Sentinel
In a public forum in Jacksonville last week, environmental advocates sent another distress signal on the endangered health of two of Florida's most valuable natural assets: Silver Springs and the St. Johns River.

EDUCATION

High court insists on tough scrutiny when school uses affirmative action in admissions
By John Lantigua
Palm Beach Post
U.S. Supreme Court watchers expecting a definitive thumbs up or thumbs down Monday on affirmative action in university admissions instead heard a narrow ruling that may not affect how such admissions work in the future.

FLDOE offers help to teachers whose data became exposed
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Tampa Bay Times
The Florida Department of Education will have staff on hand Monday afternoon to assist any of the 47,000 participants in the state's teacher preparation programs whose personal computerized information may have been compromised in recent weeks.

Is FAMU's Marching Band Coming Back? 'We'll Make A Decision Shortly'
By Lynn Hatter 
WFSU Tallahassee
Florida A & M University’s Marching 100 band is still under an indefinite suspension due to the hazing death of a drum major in 2011.

JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY

Abandoned foreclosures mar Florida real estate
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post Tens of thousands of Florida homes in foreclosure have been abandoned by
their owners, ranking the state first in the nation for the number of properties sitting empty while waiting for the bank to take possession.

Orlando: Tops in tourism, near bottom in income
By Jim Stratton
Orlando Sentinel
Quick, name two things that Atlantic City, N.J., Detroit, Mich., and Youngstown, Ohio have in common. OK, time's up.

Administrative court judge notes lack of DOT bid policies in contract dispute worth millions
By Gray Rohrer
Florida Current
A dispute over a $5 million contract for electrical work on a Jacksonville highway has highlighted what an administrative court judge termed the Florida Department of Transportation’s “absence of regulations, policies, or even guidelines” governing when and under what circumstances to postpone deadlines for contract bids.

HEALTH AND SENIORS

Medicaid expansion the subject of South Florida town halls
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
Broward County legislators Tuesday will gather health care providers, business groups and a few Democrats still stinging from the Legislature’s rejection of a push to expand Medicaid to 1.1 million low-income Floridians under the Affordable Care Act.

Florida at bottom in providing dental care for poor children, Pew report finds
By Kate Santich
Orlando Sentinel
More than three-fourths of Florida's children covered by Medicaid do not get regular dental care — the worst rate of any state, according to a report released today by the Pew Children's Dental Campaign.

Scott extends safety net for foster children
By James Call
Florida Current
Gov. Rick Scott held a ceremonial bill signing Monday for the "Nancy C. Detert Common Sense and Compassion Independent Living Act."

Jackson Health System board seeks $830-million bond referendum for hospital upgrades
By Daniel Chang
Miami Herald
The board that runs Jackson Health System on Monday voted to ask Miami-Dade commissioners to call a special election in November asking voters to approve an $830 million bond to pay for renovations and equipment upgrades at the taxpayer-owned hospital system.

IMMIGRATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

ACLU wants prescription database release investigated
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the release of 3,300 people’s private drug histories from Florida’s prescription database to lawyers in a narcotics sting last month.

Cost-benefit analysis makes case for immigration reform
By Andrew Marra
Palm Beach Post
For weeks, anti-immigration critics have complained about what they call the extraordinary cost of a Senate proposal to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws.

A Long, Slow Drift From Racial Justice
By Lee C. Bollinger
New York Times
The Supreme Court has again upheld the principles behind race-conscious affirmative action, no small feat for the cause of diversity in higher education.

JUSTICE AND THE COURTS

Anti-death penalty groups outraged over law speeding up executions in Florida
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Tampa
Florida Governor Rick Scott is poised to execute more people in one term than any of his recent predecessors based on a new law that goes into effect July 1 that speeds up the death penalty process.

Federal court halts execution of Miami killer Marshall Lee Gore
By David Ovalle
Miami Herald
A federal appeals court on Monday temporarily halted the execution of Miami killer Marshall Lee Gore, about an hour before he was set to die by lethal injection.

Supreme Court chooses new clerk
By Bill Cotterell
Florida Current
A Tallahassee lawyer with experience defending Death Row prisoners and expertise in court technology will become clerk of the Florida Supreme Court next November.

Daily News Clips for June 24, 2013

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

By Jim Morin
Miami Herald
Related column: Rising seas? Geezer pols will be dead by then

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.