Gov. Rick Scott’s State of the State address, his last, as prepared for delivery today at the Florida Capitol, before a joint session of the House and Senate.
Florida
From Opioids to Taxes to Vacation Rentals: 11 Issues To Watch In Legislative Session Starting Tuesday
The House and Senate will negotiate a state budget and consider hundreds of bills including on health care, taxes, the environment, short-term rentals and hurricanes, among others. Here’s a preview.
Jonathan Lord Takes Over Flagler’s Emergency Management as Its 6th Chief in 12 Years
Jonathan Lord, 43, had for more than two years been deputy director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, overseeing the statewide response to Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma firsthand.
Vacation Rentals Would Be Protected Class in Residential Neighborhoods In Bill Flagler Calls “Extreme”
One proposed bill would eliminate local regulation of vacation rentals and make it difficult for home-owner associations and towns like Flagler Beach to prevent short-term rentals anywhere.
As Snow Flirts With Florida, Flagler Rains Will Yield To 3 Nights of Hard Freezes, and Precautions
Snow fell as far south as St. Augustine today but not quite in Flagler, where officials are cautioning about hard freezes and opening a cold-weather shelter for the next three nights.
Collateral Damage of Florida’s Opioid Crisis: Children
Contending with tales of children discovered in the backseats of cars with their parents passed out from drug overdoses in the front, or toddlers left alone in fetid apartments for days while drug-addled mothers or fathers scour the streets for a fix.
New Laws Kick In on Prescription Refills, Rideshare Regulations, Child Time-Sharing, Minimum Wage Up to $8.25/hr
A half-dozen new laws kick in today, easing regulations over ridesharing systems like Uber and a more consumer-friendly way to enable prescription refills, while Florida’s minimum wage gets its annual inflation adjustment.
Florida’s Year of Turbulence
Scandal, storms and sniping were the hallmarks of 2017 in Florida, where political squalls and natural disasters created havoc in the Capitol and sent tremors through the Sunshine State.
Among Slew of Legislative Rules, A Proposal To Limit Local Authority on Environment
From fracking to tree-trimming to using close to $900 million from a voter-approved conservation fund, Florida lawmakers are lining up their wishes ahead of the 2018 session.
Latvala and Company: At Least 18 Lawmakers Gone or Punished Over Harassment in Capitols
The movement that has empowered women across the country to levy sexual assault and harassment allegations against powerful men continues to snowball.
How to Pay For Hurricane Irma’s Damages: Lawmakers (and Taxpayers) Face Billions in Costs
Irma’s tally: Agriculture: $2.5 billion hit on crops and facilities; insurance: $6.55 billion in property damage claims; utilities: $1 billion to cover the costs of getting power restored.
As Seas Rise Over South Florida: When’s the Last Time I’ll Go Home for Christmas?
By the author’s count, she’ll get 13 more holidays before the sea threatens to swallow her family’s home in South Florida, where the risk of a storm surge within four feet of high tide lines has doubled.
Jacksonville and Florida National Guard Lose Out On Basing of F-35 Fighter Jet
Air Force today announced it will not locate its F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in Jacksonville with the Florida National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing, opting for Alabama and Wisconsin.
Ex-Congresswoman Corrine Brown Pleads to Avoid Prison During Appeal. Judge Says No.
A federal judge Wednesday rejected a request by former Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who once represented Flagler, to stay out of prison while she appeals a conviction for her role in a charity scam.
Facing Harassment Charges and Damaging Reports, Florida Sen. Jack Latvala Resigns, Derisively Blaming “Political Correctness”
Latvala devoted much of his resignation letter to contest the charges against him and went as far as claiming that the drive to oust him was a matter of opportunism even as a special master is recommending a criminal investigation.
Applicants Line Up Concert-Style For Florida’s Dozens of New Methadone-Treatment Licenses
Florida officials this summer decided to double the number of methadone clinics in the state as part of a $27 million federal grant aimed at curbing opioid addiction and overdoses.
Assisted Living Facilities Are Challenging Rule Requiring Generator Power in Emergencies
The Florida Senior Living Association representing 350 assisted living facilities argues the proposed rule creates requirements that are not authorized in state law.
Blaming Climate Change, Ex-Emergency Management Chief Warns Floridians of More Intense Storms Ahead
Craig Fugate, a former FEMA and Florida Division of Emergency Management chief, highlighted the need for people in Florida to plan year-round for the six-month hurricane season.
In Florida, You Can Lose Your Driver’s License For Jaywalking–Especially If You’re Black
Sen. Jeff Brandes has repeatedly introduced measures that would prohibit driver’s license suspensions for non-driving offenses. But Clerks of court stand to lose $40 million annually if the law is modified.
FPL Customers Will be Billed $176 Million For Pollution Cleanup Following Leak at Utility
All electricity customers in Flagler County are serviced by FPL and will see the cost, albeit modest, reflected in their bills even though the leak took place in South Florida.
Senate Leader Eyes Constitutional Amendment Requiring Two-Thirds Majority For Any Tax Increase
The Florida Constitution Revision Commission, which meets every 20 years, has the power to place constitutional amendments on the November 2018 ballot.
From All-Women Field, Florida Democrats Pick Palm Beach’s Terrie Rizzo As New Leader
Seeking unity, Democrats are trying to reclaim the governor’s office and defend U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat next year as well as contend for state Cabinet seats.
$50 Million for St. Johns River Protection, $100 Million for Florida Forever: Measures Advance
Measures doubling Gov. Scott’s request for the Florida Forever conservation program and earmark money to improve the St. Johns River moved easily through the Senate Thursday.
Joint Legislative Committee Unanimously Votes To Audit East Flagler Mosquito Control
Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Paul Renner, who represent Flagler, had asked the committee for an audit after that the tax-supported district incurred a $1.1 million deficit in a budget of $1.8 million.
In Blow to NRA, Florida Legislature Will Holster Open-Carry and Other Gun Bills
With the 2018 legislative session still more than a month away, gun-related measures might have died Tuesday in the Senate.
Renner Again at Odds With Local Officials as His Recovery Centers Bill Gains Momentum
The House version of the bill is co-sponsored by Paul Renner, who represents Flagler, but whose proposal is opposed by Palm Coast government and the local hospital.
5 Years in Prison for Ex-Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Who Once Represented Flagler
Describing the fraud as “shameless,” a federal judge sentenced former Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown to five years in prison for her role in a charity scam.
Florida Gun Store Burglaries, Often Brazen And Unresolved, Quadruple in 4 Years
Weak security practices at many gun stores have made commercial burglaries an increasingly significant source of weapons for criminals in Florida and beyond.
Scott’s Arab-Baiting Over Jerusalem
Continuing to prepare for his Senate run, Gov. Rick Scott’s Jerusalem ploy is demeaning Palestinians in the occupied lands to appeal to Jews in South Florida. He learned the trick at Trump’s knee.
82,000 Stolen Guns Are Missing in Florida, Feeding Traffic Among Drug Dealers and Felons
Car burglaries are driving the epidemic as many gun owners leave their vehicles unlocked. Gun stores offer another easy target. Firearms stolen from these businesses during burglaries have more than quadrupled over the last five years.
Florida Voters May Get Chance to Lift Ban On Tax Subsidies to Religious Schools
A ban on state support for religious groups would be removed from the Florida Constitution under a proposal approved Wednesday by a Constitution Revision Commission panel.
Pariente Stays: Supreme Court Rejects Scott’s Bid to Remove Justice in Succession Case
The Florida Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Gov. Rick Scott to remove Justice Barbara Pariente from a case that could determine the shape of the state’s highest court for decades.
Scott Announces Trip to Israel With Inflaming Call To Move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
The issue is particularly inflaming to Palestinians, who would see a move of the embassy as a provocation and a signal that the United States would then no longer be pursuing a two-state solution.
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Florida’s Ban on Openly Carrying Firearms, Ending 6-Year Case
State lawmakers have proposed measures that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms, but the proposals have not passed.
No Smoking at Work Could Be Followed by No Vaping: Constitutional Panel Reviews Proposal
More than 70 percent of voters approved the original workplace smoking ban in 2002. A state senator wants them to follow suit with a ban on electronic cigarettes.
Florida’s Cold Shoulder to Trump
The first holiday weekend Donald Trump brought his presidency home to Mar-A-Lago was a true come-to-Jesus lesson in business loss and lifestyle chaos for locals.
Sheriff Again Urges Transportation Secretary to Improve Safety at “Deadly” White Eagle Intersection
The transportation department last February largely ignored recommendations by Sheriff Rick Staly for more safety measures at the crash-prone intersection on U.S. 1. Staly again wrote the transportation department on Tuesday.
Grower Sues, Charging Florida Illegally Delays Granting Medical Pot Growing Licenses
Michael Bowen, an epilepsy patient who had a seizure during a Senate committee meeting this year and who uses marijuana to treat his illness, is also a party to the lawsuit.
Scott Wants Justice Pariente Disqualified From Decision on Governor’s Authority to Pick Her Successor
The issue in the case is whether Scott or his successor will have the power to make the appointments — an issue that could shape the balance of the court for years.
On Defensive, Flagler Government Makes Its Case To Lawmakers To Preserve Vacation-Rental Regulations
Flagler’s own lawmakers are cautioning that the law will likely change, diminishing Flagler’s ability to regulate its own vacation-rental properties. In response, property owners’ opinions are divided.
Stephen Bittell, Party Chair and High Hope for Florida Democrats, Is Latest Disgraced Over Leering Behavior
Bittel’s boorish behavior was hardly a secret in Democratic circles. It was impossible for him to remain the chairman after all four Democratic gubernatorial candidates demanded that he step down.
Florida Adds 125,000 Jobs, Dropping Unemployment to 3.6%, Flagler’s at 3.8%
In essence, the state saw little negative effect from Hurricane Irma despite its severity and the disruptions it spread over Florida.
Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune May Replace That of Confederate General in U.S. Capitol
Over the objection of a senator who decried “cultural purging,” a Senate panel approved 18-1 replacing the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith in the National Statuary Hall in Washington.
School Taxes Would Rise To Pay For Per-Student Increase, But Formula Could Further Hurt Flagler
Flagler is the 6th-highest taxed district in the state, by legislative formula, yet gets back the 65th lowest dollars per student. A governor proposal to increase education funding could make that worse for the district.
Arresting Speakers at a Government Meeting: Supreme Court Takes Up Florida 1st Amendment Case
Fane Lozman alleges that a south Florida city violated his First Amendment rights by retaliating against him for his outspoken criticism during his public comment period.
Florida’s Opioid Crisis: Thousands of Babies Born to Addicts or Removed From Users’ Homes
More than 4,000 babies were born addicted to opioids in Florida last year, with a 38 percent increase in the number of children under 5 removed from homes because of drugs.
Appeals Court Rejects Patrick Hannon Stay, Will Be 26th Executed On Gov. Scott’s Watch
A federal appeals court rejected Hannon’s claim that a new state death-penalty requirements relating to the unanimity of juries should be applied to his case. He murdered two men in 1991.
Flagler County Walks Away From $35 Million In Beach-Repair Money: “It’s Them Abandoning Us”
Flagler county officials put the blame squarely on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when they explain why they walked away from $35 million, and why county and state dollars must step in as replacement.
KKK Fliers Targeting Jews Dropped in Front of Flagler Beach Homes, Latest in Multi-City
Rash From Same Hate Group
The KKK flier attacks Jews and warns of “white extinction,” and is from the same group that’s been dropping fliers in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia since the Charlottesville rally of white supremacists.
A New, Not Much Improved A1A in Flagler Beach: Median, 30MPH, Drainage, But No Added Protection
The state transportation department presented details of the summer construction of A1A from South 9th to South 22nd streets. The project got mixed reviews from Flagler Beach residents.