PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS
By Kevin Wadlow
"This could come very close to the Dry Tortugas," said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of Progress Florida. "In terms of distance to the Keys, this is nothing."
FEATURED STORIES
By Steve Bousquet
Gov. Charlie Crist will soon confront a set of wrenching decisions that challenge his priorities as governor and something just as important: his desire to be Florida's next U.S. senator.
By Bill Cotterell
The burgeoning legal scandal over ex-GOP Chairman Jim Greer and finances of the Florida Republican Party expanded its political element Friday as Gov. Charlie Crist and CFO Alex Sink one-upped each other calling for an outside prosecutor to take the case.
By Aaron Deslatte
Looks like Florida Republicans and ex-state party Chairman Jim Greer will be playing Deal or No Deal all the way to the fall elections.
By Mary Ellen Klas
Legislators reached a $1.5 billion, five-year gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe on Friday, after closed-door negotiations resulted in a deal that will give the tribe the exclusive right to operate table games in South Florida and operate slot machines at its other casinos.
By Dara Kam
The late Sen. Jim King won a reputation during more than two decades in the Florida Legislature as a consensus builder who helped bridge the gap not only between Republicans and Democrats but also within the Senate GOP caucus itself.
By Kathleen Haughney
Florida House members will get their chance next week to debate at length a controversial education reform measure that would link teacher pay raises to student performance on standardized tests.
EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK
By Jeff Parker
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
By Jeffrey S. Solochek
Vivian Garner has 28 years in the Florida Retirement System -- 23 as a Pasco County schoolteacher, five working for parks and recreation.
By Mary Ellen Klas
The roller-coaster ride of controversial bills continues this week as legislators have a jam-packed schedule of lengthy debates and long days.
By Marc Caputo and Lee Logan
When powerful industries push their agendas in the state Capitol, they start cutting big checks to the little-known political committees of top Florida legislators who spend the money to help each other and themselves.
By Steve Yerrid
In his rush to curry favor with the business lobby in an election year, Attorney General Bill McCollum just pushed a bill through the Legislature that aims to punish trial lawyers.
By Gary Fineout
The powerful budget chief in the Florida Senate - who also runs a company that owns thousands of acres - is pushing legislation that would make it harder to take away tax breaks enjoyed by farmers and other large land owners across the state.
By Gary Fineout
While the Republican Party of Florida financial scandal unravels into a web of lawsuits and criminal investigations, the clock is ticking on a major fundraising and campaign finance bill that now sits on the desk of Gov. Charlie Crist.
By Howard Troxler
Hey, do you want to pay more for insurance on your house?
POLITICAL RACES
By Brendan Farrington
Democrat Kendrick Meek will become the first U.S. Senate candidate to qualify for the Florida ballot by petition after his campaign finished turning in more than 145,000 signatures Monday.
By Adam Smith
Back in 2007 and early 2008, Rudy Giuliani spent so much time campaigning for president in Florida he was like a houseguest who wouldn't leave.
By John Frank
Gov. Charlie Crist asked federal authorities Friday to investigate the Republican Party of Florida amid growing concerns about secret deals and misspent money.
By Christine Show
Pamela Dahl and her fellow tea-party members in this megaretirement community are determined to evaluate GOP candidates for U.S. Senate - Gov. Charlie Crist and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio - in person.
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
It is hard to imagine what "Walkin' Lawton" Chiles would make of today's campaign for U.S. Senate between Gov. Charlie Crist and former House Speaker Marco Rubio.
By Mary Ann Lindley
The most important and yet most choice-limiting decisions of this election year in Florida will be on Aug. 24, date of the Democratic and Republican party primaries.
By Matt Dixon
Maryland's Caves Valley Golf Course touts itself as more than 900 acres of pristine natural beauty.
By Brendan Farrington
Florida has a Tea Party and a tea party movement, and no, they are not the same thing.
By Audra D. S. Burch
One day last fall, Maurice Ferre, a towering figure in Miami politics, in his seventh decade and nearly 15 years out of public office, decided to run for the U.S. Senate.
Staff Report
The nonprofit 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee, charged with coordinating the area's efforts to woo and plan the 2012 Republican National Convention, was officially formed this week. The paperwork was filed in the state's Division of Corporations.
Editorial Board
Related: Edward Lynch on the issues
The Palm Beach Post editorial board posed the same questions to District 19 Congressional candidates Ted Deutch and Edward Lynch.
Editorial
The Republican members of the Federal Elections Commission have made a mockery of the nation's already weak campaign finance laws.
BALLOT INITIATIVES
By Al Abbatiello
A recipe for bad government? Contrary to The Recorder editor Mark Pettus' opinion, this amendment is an opportunity for Floridians to decide whether or not we will continue to grow at the frenzied pace that happened from the time the Florida State Legislature enacted Florida's Growth Management in 1985.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
By Lloyd Dunkelberger
While it appeared a House Republican plan to open state waters to oil and gas exploration was not likely to happen this year, the proposal got an unexpected boost from a leading Democrat.
By Mary Ellen Klas
In the last legislative session before his death, state Sen. Jim King tirelessly pushed for an energy compromise to reduce the amount of dirty fuel the state uses to produce electricity.
By Mike Soraghan
It's often said in Washington that if you anger both liberals and conservatives, you must be doing something right.
By Paul Defenderefer
I am deeply concerned about the possibility of oil drilling off Florida's coastline.
By Jeremy Wallace
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is not budging in his opposition to oil drilling off Florida's Gulf Coast.
By Bruce Ritchie
Environmental groups are asking the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to delay approval of a new stream classification system.
Editorial
Developers believe it's too hard to exploit Florida's natural resources to build whatever they want.
Editorial
Related editorial: Drilling plan a loser
Drilling in Gulf makes no sense
Highlands County News Sun
LGBT
By Eileen Zaffiro
About six years ago, David Perreault rented a house on the beachside that he loved.
EDUCATION
By Ron Matus
Related: Q & A on Florida's Senate Bill 6
Molly McCann thought about becoming a doctor until working with special-needs kids made her realize her passion: teaching.
By Ron Word
Related: Education bills stir strong opposition
FEA: Survey Shows Many Republican Voters Reject Teacher Merit Pay Bill
Public News Service Florida
Florida's merit-pay plan for teachers prompts debate
Miami Herald
Why I Voted Against Senate Bill 6
Florida Thinks!
By Sam Cook
Ft. Myers News-Press
How Florida lost this 'Race': Legislature bashes teachers, them blames them
Palm Beach Post
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
By Jeff Ostrowski
The nation posted its largest job gain in three years in March, and while economists welcomed the apparent end of the job market's collapse, they don't expect a dramatic turnaround for Florida's hard-hit economy.
By Bill Cotterell
State employees have more to worry about this month than in most budget negotiations.
By Allison Louie-Garcia
Drive along Highway 50 into Titusville, just across the Indian River from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, and you'll pass a Space Shuttle Inn, Shuttle Car Wash, and Space Coast Pawn & Jewelry.
By Jim Stratton
As many as 40,000 Floridians a week could see their unemployment benefits lapse starting Monday because Congress adjourned for spring recess without agreeing on a mechanism to extend the funds.
By Dale White
Bus routes eliminated or scaled back. Libraries stocking fewer books. More government jobs slashed, consolidated or left unfilled.
By Curtis Morgan
The ZIP Codes 33140 in Miami Beach, 33301 in Fort Lauderdale and 33480 in Palm Beach have some of the region's priciest homes -- with the owners among those having the most to lose if a hurricane drives the Atlantic Ocean inland.
By Amy Bennett Williams
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has scored another victory in its Campaign for Fair Food.
By Mark Albright
State officials have chosen a procedure for doling out Florida's 20 percent appliance rebates that requires access to a computer or someone who can use one.
By Bart Jansen
Homeowners with corrosive Chinese drywall should remove and replace the drywall, wiring, electrical components and gas-service piping, two federal agencies announced Friday.
Editorial
The knock at your door may very well come in the upcoming weeks.
Editorial
It's now wait-and-see time for the public, state employees in particular, as the Florida Legislature sends its appropriations wizards into conference.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
By Fred Tasker
One of the most eagerly awaited aspects of the new national healthcare law kicks in by late June and could rescue people in the greatest crises of their lives -- seriously ill, facing mammoth medical bills with no health insurance.
By Stephen Hudak
Doug Bell isn't a patient of Dr. Jack Cassell's, but he almost wishes he were.
By David Sáez
Like the lawmakers they lobby, state and local children's advocates have their hands full this legislative session as they attempt to keep afloat programs serving children ages 0 to 5.
By Carol Gentry
A big gap in consumer information on health-care professionals in Florida is about to get filled: The state Department of Health will begin posting pending complaints online, according to an internal memo.
By Iricka Berlinger
Loranne Ausley is a former Florida House representative and a candidate for Florida Chief Operating Officer.
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
By Bill Moyers and Michael Winship
Forty-two years ago, on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, gunned down in Memphis, Tennessee.
By Elizabeth Ricci
In mid-March, U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham presented their proposal for comprehensive immigration reform.
JUSTICE AND THE COURTS
By Suevon Lee
Since starting in 1997, the adult drug court in Marion County has generally only allowed in first-time drug offenders who have no more than one non-violent misdemeanor conviction.
By Patricio G. Balona
When Florida legislators passed a law four years ago requiring court interpreters to be certified, advocates hailed it as a huge step for non-English speakers to access justice in the courtroom.
Editorial
As foreclosures continue to rattle the state's economy, Florida's courts are drowning in such disputes -- while facing little sympathy from Tallahassee.
Ensuring justice: full probe into wrongful convictions needed
Florida Today
