PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
Recycling supporters try to "light a fire" under Pinellas County to begin curbside pickupBy David DeCamp
St. Petersburg TimesExcerpt: A St. Petersburg-based progressive group is now trying to "light a fire" under cautious county commissioners. Progress Florida, led by board member Darden Rice, has launched a petition drive asking the commission to begin the service instead of continuing to delay it over questions.
FEATURED STORIES
Crist's budget relies on stimulus money, the economy, a gambling deal By Steve Bousquet and Marc Caputo
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related: Crist's budget saves care programs for elderly
Gov. Charlie Crist wants the Legislature to adopt a $69.2 billion state budget for next year that relies heavily on a fresh injection of federal stimulus money, an expected economic rebound in Florida and a troubled Seminole gambling deal.
Amid airlift scandal, Gov. Charlie Crist and hospitals insist they're ready to welcome Haitian patients
By Marc CaputoMiami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau
Related: US military to resume Haiti medical flightsRelated: South Florida hospitals deny they refused care to Haitians
Related: South Florida key to recovery in Haiti, but road is long and unchartedWith Florida hospitals filling up as Haitian earthquake victims poured into the state, Gov. Charlie Crist had a simple plan: Ask the federal government for a disaster-relief strategy, secure more money for Florida and consider sending patients to other states.
Obama Goes To GOP Lions' Den -- And Mauls The LionsBy Sam Stein
The Huffington PostPresident Obama traveled to a House Republican retreat in Baltimore on Friday and delivered a performance that was at once defiant, substantive and engaging.
Hastings presses White House to keep word on allowing gays to serve openly in militaryBy William E. Gibson
South Florida Sun-SentinelSouth Florida's U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings was only partly satisfied when President Barack Obama last week called for an end to restrictions on gays in the military.
Let the voters speakEditorial
St. Petersburg TimesBefore the Florida Legislature spent a quarter-million in taxpayer dollars on the 2012 redistricting effort, it should have known the rules of the game.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Crist offers bulked-up budget, faces battle with LegislatureBy Josh Hafenbrack
South Florida Sun-SentinelIn his final budget as governor, Charlie Crist on Friday unveiled an ambitious, $69.2 billion plan that hinges on unconfirmed revenue sources to return Florida to the days of surplus spending -- just as legislative leaders are warning of painful cuts and state worker layoffs.
For Dems, Defense is Best StrategyBy Bill Rufty
Lakeland LedgerOn the eve of the most important legislative elections in 10 years it is pretty well agreed that Democrats will not win a majority of seats in the Florida House.
Crist sets punishing pace: disciplining three dozen public officials in 3 yearsBy Aaron Sharockman
St. Petersburg TimesSome of Florida's public officials have been bad boys and girls, Gov. Charlie Crist says.
Jeb Bush slowly returning to the limelightBy Beth Reinhard
Miami HeraldWhen Jeb Bush left office four years ago, his public appearances were as scarce as bi-partisan man hugs.
Is the state staying out of a big campaign finance mess?By Gary Fineout
The Fine PrintMore than five months ago, well-known elections law attorney Mark Herron wrote a letter to the state Division of Elections requesting an official opinion from them.
C.W. Bill Young shows no signs of retiring, or abandoning earmarksBy Adam C. Smith
St. Petersburg TimesThere's been an awful lot of chatter and speculation in recent months about U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young finally retiring in 2010 after 40 years in Congress.
POLITICAL RACES
Court ruling may not change Fla. campaigns By Ron Hurtibise
Daytona Beach News-JournalThe death knell for democracy? Or a vital protection for First Amendment rights?
You may not like the candidates for Florida governor, but don't expect alternativesBy Steve Bousquet
St. Petersburg TimesBarring a big surprise, one of three people will be Florida's next governor: Bill McCollum, Paula Dockery or Alex Sink.
GOP hopefuls walk fine line with Tea Party activistsBy Jim Stratton
Orlando SentinelGetting your arms around Florida's Tea Party movement is like trying to hug a jellyfish: There's no good place to grab on, and if there were, you'd probably get stung.
Taking lead means new scrutiny for Senate candidate RubioBy Paul Flemming
Ft. Myers News-PressMarco Rubio is different now than he was Tuesday.
Ted Deutch has big financial lead in contest to succeed Robert Wexler By Anthony Man
South Florida Sun-SentinelPolitical donors large and small, in South Florida and beyond, are placing their bets on congressional candidate Ted Deutch.
2 Dems, 3 GOP seek Wexler's congressional seat By Brian Skoloff
The Associated PressThe wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the proposed health care overhaul and federal spending are dominating the debate between the two Democrats and three Republicans running in Tuesday's primaries for the congressional seat of former U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, who resigned in January to lead a Middle East think tank.
Republican Bruce O'Donoghue joins race vs. GraysonBy Mark K. Matthews and David Damron
Orlando SentinelAfter months of indecision, the owner of a traffic-signal company in Winter Park has given the green light to a run against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, the outspoken freshman Democrat from Orlando.
Democratic punch: Time for party to send Republicans reelingBy Stephen Goldstein
South Florida Sun-SentinelNovember 2nd can be D-Day for Florida Democrats: The long-awaited day they take back the state.
BALLOT INITIATIVES
Ballot full of hot-button issues
By Jim SaundersDaytona Beach News-Journal
Buckle up, Florida political junkies. 2010 could get wild.
Amendment 4 and founding principles
By Rebecca EaganDaytona Beach News-Journal
Visiting Washington D.C. for the first time, seeing the frayed flag that birthed our nation's anthem; the Declaration; Jefferson's words in granite by the tidal basin; and reading "1776," which tracks General Washington's rag-tag band in its trials of that year -- I couldn't help thinking what government in my state has become versus the one bled for then.
Sink's opposition surprises "Hometown Democracy"
By Bruce RitchieFloridaEnvironments.com
A supporter of the "Florida Hometown Democracy" amendment is expressing surprise at state CFO Alex Sink's opposition to the measure.
Decide who represents you
By Waldo ProffittSarasota Herald-Tribune
The best news of the year was grossly underplayed by most of the Florida press -- print, television, bloggers.
End the gerrymandering for good
EditorialMiami Herald
To look at some of Florida's legislative and congressional districts, like this map of state Senate District 27, for instance, you might conclude that they were designed by a contortionist.
The people should decide redistricting rules
EditorialBradenton Herald
Florida's voters now have the monumental opportunity to end the patently unfair practice of gerrymandering political boundaries that the party in power wields like a blunt instrument. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE, AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Now that Tim Tebow has gone political, could he become the next Ronald Reagan?By Mike Bianchi
Orlando SentinelTwo games into Tim Tebow's tenure as a starting quarterback in college, I predicted he would win Heisman Trophies plus national championships and go down as one of the greatest college football players ever.
Debate begins over whether to keep 'don't ask, don't tell' policy By Jeff Brumley
Florida Times-UnionTo understand the value of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, serve aboard a submarine, said John Crouse, a retired submariner and Navy chief petty officer.
Mayport to get aircraft carrierBy Timothy J. Gibbons
Florida Times-UnionMayport Naval Station will become the homeport for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, according to the Quadrennial Defense Review to be submitted to Congress on Monday.
Time to end discriminatory military policyEditorial
South Florida Sun-SentinelLet's hope President Obama's latest rhetoric on "don't ask, don't tell" is more than just that -- rhetoric.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Candidates Cold to Near-Shore DrillingBy Lloyd Dunkelberger
Lakeland LedgerAlthough they may differ on other issues, Florida's top three contenders for governor appear united in their skepticism over plans to bring oil drilling rigs close to the state's beaches.
`Lake Belt' mining OK'dBy Curtis Morgan
Miami HeraldEnvironmentalists spent eight years in court arguing that federal regulators should never have approved plans to blast and dredge limestone from 5,600 acres of Northwest Miami-Dade wetlands bordering a well field supplying drinking water to more than 1 million people.
Crist: Land-buying is an investment in economy By Bruce Ritchie
FloridaEnvironments.comGov. Charlie Crist today paired environmental spending with education as both being necessary investments for moving Florida forward in tough economic times.
Judge rules against Rivers Coalition on Lake Okeechobee dischargesBy Tyler Treadway
TC PalmA federal court judge ruled Friday that the Rivers Coalition did not prove its case seeking to force the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary.
Wildlife safety concerns could boost costs of Everglades reservoirsBy Andy Reid
South Florida Sun-SentinelReservoirs planned to help restore the Everglades might need costly redesigns to avoid trapping and killing wildlife drawn to the vast pools of water.
FP&L customers to see net 99-cent rate reduction The Associated Press
Tampa TribuneThe net price of power is going down for Florida Power & Light customers.
Everglades dollars make jobs, aid nature
EditorialSt. Petersburg Times
Nearly half a billion dollars is flowing through the Florida economy like fresh rain on saw grass, with long-overdue federal funds reviving efforts to restore the Everglades. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Move is on for non-court Florida foreclosuresBy Dick Hogan
Ft. Myers News-PressA proposal by the Florida Bankers Association to allow foreclosures without a court hearing is arousing violent sentiments on both sides of the issue in Southwest Florida.
Officials skeptical of personnel provisions of proposed Florida budgetBy Bill Cotterell
Tallahassee DemocratState employees would not face layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts or increases in their insurance premiums this year if state legislators adopt personnel provisions of the $69.2 billion state budget that Gov. Charlie Crist proposed on Friday.
Crist leaves fiscal mess for next governorBy Mike Thomas
Orlando SentinelYou may see this state as a fiscal wreck, a place where jobs and people are vanishing at a record clip.
State Wonders if More Cash Is Coming for High Speed RailBy Keith Laing
News Service of Florida via Lakeland LedgerA day after the national attention that came from President Barack Obama's visit to Florida to announce the state would receive $1.25 billion for high speed rail between Tampa and Orlando faded away, state transportation officials were left trying to figure out if the remainder of the $2.6 billion they requested for the project might be on the next train.
Fast trains are cool . . . and very expensiveBy Carl Hiaasen
Miami HeraldOf all the ways Florida could blow through $1.25 billion in federal recovery funds, a bullet train is certainly the flashiest.
Tampa Bay rail advocates scramble for ways to connect with proposed high-speed line By Janet Zink and David DeCamp
St. Petersburg TimesThe $1.25 billion in federal stimulus money that will help pay for a high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando has stirred visions of Disney visitors adding a trip to Pinellas beaches and Tampa residents riding the rail to Orlando, perhaps for a concert at the House of Blues.
Legislator calls Crist's gambling plan 'garbage' By Jim Witters
Daytona Beach News-JournalState Rep. Alan Hayes blasted the governor's plan for expanded gambling at Seminole Tribe casinos Friday, saying the state needs a compact "that benefits Floridians, not Seminoles and Miccosukees."
Miami leaders fear a financial meltdownBy Charles Rabin and Michael Sallah
Miami HeraldFacing a widening financial crisis, Miami leaders are already projecting a $45 million budget shortfall this year that could force the city to deplete its reserves and sell key assets to stay afloat.
Confident consumers and businesses driving a slow economic recoveryBy Jeff Harrington
St. Petersburg TimesSomething unusual is happening at Dimmitt Chevrolet: It's hiring again.
Ducking their dutiesEditorial
St. Petersburg TimesSince when is borrowing billions of dollars from the federal government a fiscally conservative strategy?
EDUCATION
State lawmakers to begin examining ways to alter class-size amendmentBy Leslie Williams Hale
Naples NewsFollowing the letter of the law may come down to a matter of verbage in the Florida Class Size Reduction Amendment.
Florida lawmakers to consider another voucher expansionBy Jeff Solochek
The GradebookIn today's more-detailed budget rollout, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said in this statement that another expansion of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (voucher program to many) is a priority for the upcoming legislative session.
Finance 101: Parents face steeper prepaid tuition plansBy Michael Vasquez
Miami HeraldFor parents enrolling in Florida's prepaid College Plan this year, it's a case of choose your sticker shock.
Price hike hurts sales of specialty plates, including UF's By Nathan Crabbe
Gainesville SunThe Gator Nation might be everywhere, but its specialty license plate could begin disappearing from the state - along with the scholarship money it provides.
It makes sense to invest more in higher educationBy Myriam Marquez
Miami HeraldSouth Florida has the sun and surf, the dazzling nightlife, the cruise ships and national sports teams.
Florida's real report card: FEditorial
Palm Beach PostAs he campaigns for the Senate, Gov. Crist is boasting that, according to one education yardstick, Florida ranks eighth.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Florida hospitals handling hundreds of Haiti victims, state official saysBy Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach PostAlready nearly 500 gravely injured Haitian earthquake victims have been brought to hospitals in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties for treatment, a top state official said today.
A new cure for healthcare reformBy John Dorschner
Miami HeraldWith healthcare problems continuing to mount in South Florida, regional leaders say the most they can hope for out of Washington is some kind of limited change.
Judge: For disabled, diapers are necessity and Medicaid must payBy Carol Marbin Miller
Miami HeraldSeverely disabled, Sharett Smith, 17, needed one thing in order to leave behind her green-and-white plush doggie and her brown teddy bear and go out with her family to church or the park: diapers.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
FBI: Tallahassee lobbyist facing federal public-corruption chargesStaff Report
Tallahassee DemocratTwo Florida men, including a Tallahassee lobbyist, have been indicted on federal public-corruption charges, according to the FBI.
Politicians target corruption lawBy Paula McMahon
South Florida Sun-SentinelSome of South Florida's public officials who were swept up in recent public corruption investigations hope the U.S. Supreme Court will make a favorite prosecution tool disappear when the justices rule on a controversial law aimed at dishonest politicians.
Courts are wrangling with new technologyBy Sarah Lundy
Orlando Sentinel via Sarasota Herald-TribuneJudges across the country are wrestling with ways to cope with instant communication -- cell phones that can transmit pictures from court, Twitter and Facebook updates, blog posts and even Google searches.
Crist Wants Court Funding IncreaseBy Kathleen Haughney
News Service of Florida via Lakeland LedgerThe state's court system could see an $8 million increase under a budget proposed by Gov. Charlie Crist.
E-mails reveal desperate final days of Rothstein's Ponzi schemeBy Peter Franceschina
South Florida Sun-SentinelAs Scott Rothstein was hiding in Morocco from anxious investors last October, he exchanged a series of desperate e-mails with a financial adviser as his $1.2 billion fraud scheme was blowing up.
New law needed after Supreme Court ruling on campaign financingEditorial
South Florida Sun-SentinelThe U.S. Supreme Court bulldozed the legal landscape for federal political campaigns last week, knocking down decades-old rules against corporations and labor unions bankrolling political advertisements.
