The three justices, who face a mandatory retirement age, are part of what is widely considered a liberal bloc, which now holds a slim 4-3 majority.
Florida
Potential Ballot Proposals Include Older Retirement Age For Judges, Ending Death Penalty, Restoring Bright Futures
the Florida Constitution Revision Commission have filed 64 proposals, but a measure needs support from 22 of the 37 commission members to make it to the 2018 election ballot.
Uncertainty On Generators at Nursing Homes After Governor’s Order Is Invalidated
Gov. Rick Scott’s administration appealed the order to the 1st District Court of Appeal and claims the rules remain in effect during the appeal.
Lawmakers Moving To Put a Leash On
Bogus Service Dogs As Abuses Proliferate
Though Florida two years ago tightened some service dog regulations, it’s still easy to acquire or pass off any animal as a service animal. Other states are working to tighten their laws.
FPL Seeking To Charge Customers Extra $50 to $60 a Year Through 2020 To Pay Irma Costs
The $1.3 billion FPL wants to recover would start showing up in customers’ bills in March — just as they get done paying off an extra $40 a year from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Florida Lawmakers Looking To Add Treatment Programs To Fight Opioid Epidemic
A combination of short-term intensive treatment beds, long-term outpatient services and medically assisted treatment could be the blueprint for a solution, a powerful lawmaker says.
Senators Angry At Delays In Medical Marijuana Licenses, Blaming Complacency
The head of the state’s medical-use office is blaming the delays on litigation over the constitutional amendment. Senators aren’t buying it, blaming complacency.
Florida State Colleges Seeking Restoration of $30 Million Cut To Address “Employment Gap”
The money would help hire more faculty, provide more counseling services and create more programs aimed at closing the “employment gap” in high-demand jobs.
In Kristen Hadeed’s “Permission To Screw Up,” A Cheerful, Nimble Corrective To Millennial Stereotypes
FPC Graduate Kristen Hadeed’s first book traces the stumbles of her 10-year journey as CEO of Student Maid, a cleaning company in Gainesville, with wit and counter-intuitive insights: a review.
An Aryan Ass Vomits At UF
Protesting honors the flag, so does taking a knee during the anthem, but so does letting an idiotic white bigot have his 90 minutes on a stage at UF. Freedom of thought can take it.
Students Shout Down Richard Spencer’s “White Country” Speech at UF
Hundreds stood in protest on a barricaded street where law enforcement from throughout the state stood watch, on the road, on roofs, in nearby woods, in helicopters and through drones.
Us? “Hateful?” White Nationalists Deny Charge as Richard Spencer Readies UF Appearance
At the Charlottesville rally, Spencer supporters carried torches and chanted “Jews will not replace us” before a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer.
FPL Marks Opening of Its Palm Coast Service Center, a Category 5-Resistant Building
The 25,000-square-foot building near Florida Hospital Flagler can house some 100 workers in emergencies and would help speed repairs after a storm.
Constitution Revision Panel Advances Proposal to Restrict Abortion Rights and Privacy
The controversial proposals are among the very few, out of 2,000, put forth by the public, as opposed to by the commission itself, for potential inclusion on a referendum ballot.
Flagler Commissioners’ Legislative Priorities Unravel in Messy Amateur Hour
Less than five days from presenting their legislative priorities to lawmakers, Flagler County commissioners’ priority list devolved into a chaotic process that could undermine its goals.
Scott Declares State of Emergency in Alachua as White Supremacist Prepares to Speak at UF
Sheriff Sadie Darnell sought the emergency declaration “more so of being able to get the resources needed to prepare, rather than a sense of alarm regarding the protest.”
7-Day Limit On Pain-Killer Prescriptions Part of Sweeping Proposal To Crack Down on Opioids
Doctors would be limited to prescribing seven days’ worth of opioids for patients with acute pain and would have to check a statewide database before ordering most prescription pain medications.
In Startling Avowal, Rep. Renner Says State Will Attack Home Rule to Discipline “Rogue,” Leftist Cities
“The reason we think they’re going rogue is because it’s Bernie Sanders in charge of your local city government or county government in some cases,” Rep. Paul Renner, who represents Flagler, says.
From Mosquito Control to National Guard, Hurricane Costs Taking a Toll on Budgets
Hurricane recovery efforts have already cost the state budget more than $141 million and are likely to increase, with $25 million for the Florida National Guard; $36 million for debris removal and $6 million for mosquito control.
Florida Lawmakers Hear Grim Picture of Worsening Opioid Crisis and Lack of Treatment
In the first six months of 2016, deaths caused by fentanyl increased by nearly 140 percent, deaths from heroin overdoses jumped by 25 percent, compared to the same period in 2015.
Flagler Again Takes Vacation-Rental Case To Tallahassee as New Battle Lines Are Drawn
Willing to deal and compromise, County Administrator Craig Coffey and County Attorney Al Hadeed addressed a Senate committee workshop today in Tallahassee, ahead of what’s expected to be another fierce battle over vacation-rental regulations.
In Boost To Flagler, Committee Approves Bills Including $50 Million a Year For Beach Repair
If the bills survive the coming legislative hurdles, there may be new money for Flagler County to tap into to repair its severely eroded beaches.
White Supremacist Scheduled for UF Speech On Oct. 19, Costing University $500,000
University President Kent Fuchs initially balked at a proposal for Spencer, a lightning-rod figure, to speak on campus in September. The threat of a federal lawsuit forced him to reverse course.
Cattle, Citrus, Nurseries: Florida Agriculture Faces $2.5 Billion Hit From Hurricane Irma
Citrus growers, already struggling, see losses to crops and trees approaching $761 million, followed by the nursery industry at almost $624 million.
Yet Another Tropical Storm With Potential Florida Landfall Brews Up Concern
Eventual Tropical Storm Nate has the potential to become a hurricane and impact the Florida Panhandle this weekend, and families must be ready, the governor said.
Doubling Down on Scott, GOP Senator
Asks for $100 Million For Florida Forever
Florida Forever in the past received as much as $300 million a year but for nearly a decade has fallen out of favor among lawmakers and been almost ignored by Gov. Scott.
`Where the Hell Is the Cavalry?’ As Puerto Rico Suffers, Florida Prepares for Influx
From schools to shelters, Florida is readying for an influx of people struggling for food, water and power in hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico.
Exhaling Excuses, Florida Health Department Will Miss Deadline to Issue Medical Pot Licenses
An official is blaming the delay on Hurricane Irma and a pending challenge to a recently passed law that ordered the Department of Health to expand the number of medical marijuana licenses.
State Agency Seeks $50 Million to Replenish Florida Forever, the Land-Preservation Fund
Florida Forever funding is expected to help the state “acquire rare and sensitive lands that will benefit our communities and environment.” But Florida Forever has been an afterthought in the Scott Administration.
To Fight Opioids, Gov. Scott Will Include $50 Million In Next Year’s Budget For Drug Treatment
The proposal won;t be considered before January. The $50 million would include money for such programs as substance-abuse treatment, counseling and recovery services.
How Florida’s Failing Charter Schools Exploit Voucher Program To Stay Alive on Public Dime
Charter schools that fail two years in a row should close by law. Instead, they reopen as private schools and use publicly funded vouchers to keep operating, with the state’s blessing.
Trying To Make Up For Mistakes, Florida Health Officials Seek To Speed Up Medical Pot Licensing
The Florida Health Department had until Oct. 3 to issue 10 medical pot licenses to producers, a deadline it will almost certainly miss even as it scrambles to ease the application process.
Irma Insurance Claims Nearing $2 Billion, Exceed Matthew and Hermine Combined
Calculated through Sunday afternoon, Irma’s losses easily exceeded the 119,000 claims and $1.2 billion in losses for Matthew and the 19,700 claims and $139 million in losses from Hermine.
Irma’s Death Toll in Florida at 34 and Rising
Irma is credited with five deaths by drowning and four deaths involving carbon monoxide, including the carbon-monoxide deaths of a mother and two teenage children in Orange County.
Nursing Home Where Eight Died Wasn’t On FPL’s Priority List For Power Restoration
FPL placed nursing homes in a second tier of infrastructure — behind “critical” but ahead of residential homes. Local officials gave the Hollywood Hills home that designation using FPL guidance.
You Cannot Be Serious: Hurricane Maria Sniffs Around Irma’s Wake
Hurricane Maria is expected to become a major hurricane, with a global forecast seeing it veer away from Florida, but the more accurate European forecast seeing it come closer to the coast.
Uninsured Rate Falls To Record Low Of 8.8%, But Florida’s Rate Still 5th Highest in U.S.
Florida’s rate of uninsured would have been lower had Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature not prevented the federally-funded expansion of Medicaid.
FPL Lies
FPL’s response to Hurricane Irma in Flagler has been disgraceful and secretive, both at the expense of local emergency responses and at the expense of residents.
Flagler Schools Closed Through Monday; Flooding Complicating Homecoming Across Florida
As evacuees continued to struggle either to make it home or to contend with power cuts, Flagler Schools decided to remain closed until Monday for more clean-up.
Damages: 50,250 Lose Power, Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach Heavily Flooded, Less So in Palm Coast, No Systematic Devastation; Curfew Extended On Island, Schools Closed Wednesday
While Flagler and Palm Coast made it through Hurricane Irma without devastation, there was heavy flooding in homes in South Flagler Beach and the west end of the county.
Conditions Deteriorating Across Flagler: Waters Rise, 22,400 Out of Power, Irma Spins Further East
Hurricane Irma’s tropical-storm forces have already drenched Flagler well ahead of peak activity and now are slowing enough to cause worries that the damage will be more severe than anticipated.
FPL Projects 4.1 Million Could Lose Power in Coming Days; Time Runs Out To Flee Irma
FPL has pre-positioned more than 13,500 recovery workers from its staff and other states at 20 staging areas, including a new bunker-like facility in Palm Coast.
What To Expect in Flagler In Next 48 Hours on Shelters, Evacuations, Storm Effects and Hunkering Down
As Hurricane Irma approaches, a complete run-down of what you should expect from emergency responders and what you should do in the next 48 hours.
Trump’s Decision To End Dreamers’ Amnesty Creates Dilemma For Florida GOP
Florida is home to at least 30,000 people who could be affected and is the base for exponentially more Hispanic voters who could be critical to next year’s elections.
Behind Solar Shades Soon in Palm Coast, A “Voluntary” FPL Program of Limited Benefit But Ample Marketing
FPL’s SolarNow program bills willing customers $9 a month then uses the money to build solar-power installations like those coming to Holland Park, City Hall and the Community Center.
Supreme Court Backs Scott, 5-2, In Death Penalty Battle With State Attorney Ayala
Scott removed Ayala from handling capital cases earlier this year, shortly after she announced her office would not pursue the death penalty for defendants.
Development and Disasters: A Deadly Combination Well Beyond Houston
Scientists warn of more and expanding “bull’s-eyes” as Americans build in parts of the country at ever greater risk because of climate change and severe weather.
Michael Thomas, 2nd in Command at FHP, Resigns Over Ticket-Quota Inquiry
It is the latest fallout from an ongoing investigation into whether troopers were told to meet a traffic-ticket quota, Lt. Col. Michael Thomas was a 30-year veteran and deputy director for the FHP.
Florida Lawmakers to Review Law Targeting Injured Undocumented Workers
A top Florida lawmaker and a national insurance fraud group criticized a law used by insurers to turn in injured undocumented workers and avoid paying workers’ comp benefits.
Renner and Hutson Call For State Audit of Free-Spending Flagler Mosquito Control District
It is the first indication that the tax-supported district, which has itself so far refused to conduct an audit in the wake of the crisis, will be examined independently.