As Charlie Crist takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention to embrace President Barack Obama, Florida Democrats are facing a question that could shape their party’s future: How much do they trust Charlie Crist? It’s part of a soap opera unfolding before partisans in two states.
Florida
Ed Skellings’s Death Leaves Florida Without a Poet Laureate for the First Time in 32 Years
A memorial to Ed Skellings will be held at the City Island library in Daytona Beach on Sept. 6 as the Florida State Poets Association lobbies the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott to formalize the poet laureate’s appointment and link it to Florida’s literary and literacy efforts.
Romney-Ryan’s Voucher Plan for Medicare, Long the Third Rail of Florida Politics
GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said the nation must rethink Medicare as he and Mitt Romney propose changing the health-insurance program for 65-and-over Americans to a “fixed-amount” voucher that would essentially privatize the benefit.
Almost 27% of Flagler Residents Under 65 Are Without Health Insurance; Reform Would Help
Obama’s health care reform would almost eliminate the proportion of uninsured, but Gov. Rick Scott’s refusal to join reform’s expanded Medicaid eligibility means that many of Flagler’s 16,774 eligible residents will be shut out of the benefit.
“Just Stop Acting Stupid,” Jeb Bush Tells Republicans Over Immigration Extremism
Worried about losing the Latino vote, Bush and other Republicans nevertheless brushed off questions about whether the still-extremist immigration plank of the Republican Party could prove to be too much of a hurdle for the presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Jeb Bush, the Elephant at the Republican National Convention, May Be Thinking 2016
Jeb Bush, sought after for establishment Republican endorsements, appears ready to take his brand of policy-driven conservatism to a broader national audience, with the 2016 or 2020 presidentials in mind.
A Few Florida Facts for Republican National Convention Delegates
Florida under the leadership of Republican icons like Bush, Scott and Rubio, and supported by proud and unthinking GOP legislatures for the last 15 years, has happily served as the grow house for Republican policies. The results are stunning, writes former lawmaker Dan Gelber.
Charlie Crist Bear-Hugs Obama Closer As He Excoriates GOP’s Rightward Slouch
Ex-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Sunday urged voters to support President Barack Obama in the crucial swing state where the Democratic incumbent and Republican candidate Mitt Romney remain in a razor thin race.
Isaac Forces Republican Leaders to Shutter Monday’s Convention Schedule in Tampa
With Tropical Storm Isaac bearing down on Florida, Republican leaders will convene Monday and immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon. Organizers are concerned, in part, about transportation problems as high winds and other storm conditions threaten the Tampa Bay area.
Lessons from a Storm: How to Prepare for Hurricanes
From living through Hurricane Andrew at Ground Zero 20 years ago to rebuilding a home and a business in its wake, Frank Gromling shares lessons learned and advice for Flagler County and Florida residents, applicable in any hurricane emergency.
Judge Sides With Counties Again Over Juvenile Justice Costs Florida Is Passing On
For the second time in little more than a month, a state judge has found that the Department of Juvenile Justice improperly carried out a law that requires counties to help pay juvenile-detention costs.
A Micro-Bump for Romney in Florida, But Obama Still Leads, Especially on Medicare
The latest Quinnipiac polls in swing states show President Obama maintaining diminishing leads over Mitt Romney despite voters saying Obama will do a better job on Medicare. The polls reflect Romney’s pick of Wisconsin’s Paul Ryan.
In a Victory for Florida Teachers, Judge Rejects State’s Onerous Evaluation Process
Florida’s teachers union is celebrating a 57-page order rejecting a state-approved rule that would spell out how school districts should evaluate teachers, declaring it “wholly invalid” because of flaws in the way it was pieced together.
Gov. Rick Scott Threatens to Remove Monroe’s Supervisor of Elections Over Early Voting
Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement Tuesday that some read as a veiled threat to the Monroe County supervisor of elections, escalating a conflict over early-voting days in the run-up to the November elections. Harry Sawyer, the Republican supervisor in Monroe, said Monday he didn’t support an effort by Secretary of State Ken Detzner […]
Federal Court Rejects Provisions of Florida’s Early Voting Rules as Discriminatory to Blacks
Facing a potentially razor thin race in a critical swing state, a three-judge federal panel has rejected as discriminatory a provision of a state law passed last year that reduced the number of early voting days, but offered Florida election officials a way to make the changes comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.
You’ll Shop for 43 Minutes a Day, But You Won’t Take 15 Minutes to Vote Every Two Years
Less than 16 percent of Florida’s eligible voters, and 20 percent of Flagler’s, cast a ballot in last Tuesday’s primary, once again reminding the world that Americans’s interest in community and citizenship is among the lowest of any democracies. Perhaps it’s time to make voting mandatory.
Disaster Recovery Days:
Rebuilding a Business After Hurricane Andrew
When Hurricane Andrews ravaged the physical location of the main offices of his electronic protection firm in Miami 20 years ago, Frank Gromling discovered new sources of ingenuity and rewards, despite, and at times because of, the struggles to rebuild.
Tea Party Mojo: What Ted Yoho, Republican Who Defeated Cliff Stearns, Stands For
Ted Yoho’s policy positions show him to be more than just a flame thrower with broad anti-government pronouncements. He unseated 12-term Congressman Cliff Stearns through a showman’s eye and the ability to use it to his campaign’s advantage.
Unemployment Rises Again, to 8.8% in Florida And 12.7% in Flagler, Clouding Recovery
After falling steadily by 2.1 percentage points over the past year and holding steady at 8.6 percent in June, Florida’s unemployment rate ticked back up to 8.8 percent in July, and there was a net job loss of 3,300 in the state.
Pit Bull Ban and Common Sense Prevail in South Florida Referendum
In overwhelming fashion, Miami-Dade voters decided Tuesday to continue to ban pit bulls from the county. The results show common sense still rules strong, argues Steven Kurlander.
Two-Week DUI Crackdown Begins on Flagler and Florida Roads as FHP and Sheriff Mobilize
The Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Sheriff’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign begins Aug. 17 and stretching through the Labor Day weekend, which ends Sept. 3. It’s part of a national anti-DUI campaign, but no local checkpoints are scheduled.
Court Clerk Gail Wadsworth Says Hail Mary Worked As Lawmakers Reverse Budget Cuts
In Flagler County, some 20 courthouse employees can go back to working full time after agreeing to furlough themselves down to 37.5 hours a week rather than see one of their own laid off. Courthouse hours that were cut back on July 1 will be restored for the public.
Flagler Beach’s Allen Whetsell Is Kiwanis’s Florida Governor, a First for Flagler and Volusia
Allen Whetsell, the general manager at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home, a Kiwanian for 30 years and a recent candidate for supervisor of elections, was installed as Governor of the Florida District, giving the service organization its first Flagler governor in 95 years.
FPL Claims Settlement Would Scale Back Rate Hike to $548 Million, But Opponents Cry Foul
The $548 million increase is down from an initial proposal of $690 million, but the state’s Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers and the Florida Retail Federation, say FPL’s rates should decrease — not increase — next year.
With David Richardson, Floridians Elect the First Openly Gay Member of the Legislature
In primary elections shaped by newly drawn districts, Florida voters Tuesday appeared to send three incumbent House members packing, rejuvenated the political careers of a few old names — and likely elected the state’s first openly gay lawmaker.
The Winners: Fleming, Manfre, Holland, Conklin, Dickinson, Wadsworth, Larizza, Corbett, Ericksen, Meeker and the School Tax
Flagler County election results posted live and fresh as soon as they’re tabulated, with rolling analyses of the races.
Hurricane Andrew 20 Years Later: Memories of Resilience in a Storm’s Wake
Frank Gromling, who lived and worked in the path of Hurricane Andrew 20 years ago, remembers the days of the storm and its aftermath in a South Florida ravished beyond recognition. A spirit for rebirth was left intact, however.
Chronic, Scandalous Abuse and Worse at a Florida Brain-Injury Center Demands Attention
It is impossible to look at the pages-long list of abuse allegations at the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation and not wonder how it is allowed to remain open: Sexual abuse. Mental abuse. Burns. Broken bones. Bruises. Cuts and punctures. Bizarre punishment. And much worse.
Florida Revenue May Grow by $2.6 Billion as Recovery Solidifies, Contradicting Romney
President Obama and Gov. Rick Scott will be competing t take credit for Florida’s continuing economic improvements as the state turned in a relatively healthy $407 million surplus in the fiscal year that ended June 30.
Zimmerman Will Attempt Stand Your Ground Defense; Prosecution Flubs Release of Records
Lawyers for George Zimmerman confirmed Thursday that he will assert a “stand your ground” defense. If successful in a pre-trial hearing, the murder charge against Zimmerman, in the killing of Trayvon Martin, could be dropped.
Florida Is 6th Worst Toxic Polluter from Coal-Fired Power Plants Despite Natural Gas Gains
Coal-fired power plants in Florida expose residents to toxic pollution at the sixth highest rate in the nation even as natural gas now accounts for almost two-thirds of the state’s power generation, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Drought, Wildfires and the Hottest Month Ever: July Scorched American Earth
July 2012 was the hottest month ever in the contiguous United States, after a June that was the hottest in the northern hemisphere, in 132 years of record-keeping. The effects of global warming are especially pronounced in the polar regions.
Undocumented Immigrant Is Not Disqualified from Practicing Law, Florida Bar Says
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has found no “good moral character and fitness issues” that would disqualify Jose Manuel Godinez Samperio, an undocumented immigrant, from being admitted to practice law in Florida, but is still waiting for an opinion from the Florida Supreme Court before making a decision.
Florida’s Doctors Are Nation’s 3rd Worst When It Comes to Accepting Medicaid Patients
Only 59 percent of doctors in Florida accept accept new Medicaid patients, well below a national average 69 percent. Better reimbursements would improve both rates, but that’s not about to happen in Florida, which is rejecting increased federal aid.
Rick Scott Tapped as Speaker at Republican Convention in Tampa, But Role May Be Minor
Rick Scott is not as strong a public speaker as a number of other GOP leaders, and his message – that the Florida economy is looking up is at odds with the national message of presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Florida Consumer Confidence Up in July
Consumer confidence was up slightly in July 2012 over June, and dramatically higher than it was a year ago, a new report from the University of Florida finds.
Obama Crosses 50% Favorability Over Romney in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania
No one has won the White House in the past half century without winning at least two of the three states. The latest results are the strongest yet for Obama, and a worrisome sign for Mitt Romney down the stretch.
Dogged By FCAT Failures, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson Resigns After 13 Months
Robinson resigned late Tuesday amid a months-long controversy over the state’s testing regimen and errors on school grades that forced the department to change the marks for dozens of schools.
Early Voting Starts in 5 Counties, But Flagler And 61 Others Must Wait Until Saturday
Legislators changed the election law in 2011 and reduced the number of early voting days from 15 to 10. At least two legal challenges have been filed to the early voting dates, though neither is likely to be decided before the primary election, Aug. 14.
ALEC’s Influence in Florida Is Broad
And Deep, With Business and Lawmakers
ALEC–the extreme right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council influencing many legislatures around the county–has an inordinate amount of influence on the Florida Legislature, according to a report by a coalition of liberal groups.
Tired of Waiting, Florida Audubon Sues Management District Over Everglades Pollution
Florida Audubon Society on Friday filed legal petitions to force the South Florida Water Management District to enforce more-stringent laws put in place five years ago to reduce phosphorus levels in the Everglades.
Prison Privatization Still Unconstitutional As Court Rejects Attorney General’s Appeal
In a victory for police unions, an appeals court ruled against Attorney General Pam Bondi in a long-running battle about the Legislature’s attempt last year to privatize prisons across southern Florida.
Florida Tourism Lull Predicted, Slowing Local Growth, as Euro Zone Economies Suffer
Economic woes in Europe will trickle across the Atlantic over the next few years as potential international guests stay home or see their native currency buy less once they arrive, a panel of economists estimates.
Florida House Candidate Bardley Maxwell Wants Government Employees’ Salaries Kept Secret
Florida House candidate Bradley Maxwell wants to state workers’ salaries and benefits kept secret. He also wants personnel files kept sealed from public view. Maxwell is challenging two-term incumbent state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee.
GOP Attempt to Slash Food Stamps Eligibility Would Hurt Flagler and Florida Families
Republican efforts in Congress would end the food stamps program as it is now known, hugely reducing funding and eligibility, and significantly affecting Florida and Flagler families–and local economies. Some 9 percent of Flagler’s population, and 23 percent of children, are on food stamps.
As Florida and Other States Privatize Prison Health Services, Care Standards Suffer
Florida and other states, in an attempt to cut costs, are increasingly outsourcing health care for inmates to for-profit companies, but the trend is raising concerns among unions and prisoners’ rights groups.
Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio as Romney’s Vice President: Florida GOP Hopes Fade
Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio were front-runners as Mitt Romney’s vice-presidential picks a few months ago. No longer. Bush doesn’t want it. Rubio is no longer a politically opportune choice as Florida’s Hispanics lean heavily toward Obama.
Unemployment Rises Again in Flagler, To 12.3%, Stalls at 8.6% in Florida
June unemployment numbers were discouraging in Florida as well as in Flagler and Volusia counties–stalling in the state at 8.6 percent, with just 9,000 jobs created last month, while the unemployment rate jumped again in Flagler to 12.3 percent, and to 9.1 percent in Volusia.
3 Liberal Florida Justices Battle Conservative Foundation’s Plan to Depose Them
Justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince filed a court motion to block the conservative Southeastern Legal Foundation from moving forward with 22 depositions in a merit-retention case. The foundation is targeting the justices for their liberalism.
Florida Colleges Vow to Be 1st in U.S. to Double Graduation Rates By 2020–With Extra Funding
Florida’s 28 state and community colleges will request a 35 percent increase in state funding to reach those goals and think Gov. Rick Scott will back their play. Graduating from a four-year college costs $23,647.