Andrew Gillum, the gubernatorial candidate, spoke to some 400 people at a Democratic rally at the Palm Coast Community Center Sunday, the largest such rally in memory in reddish Flagler.
Ron DeSantis
In Blow to Scott’s Play for Puerto Rican Vote, Nelson Wins Island Governor’s Endorsement
Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s endorsement of Nelson unleashed pushback from Scott, who’s made nine trips to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on the U.S. territory a year ago.
Rick Scott Presses His Case For Making Midnight Appointments to Florida Supreme Court
In a case that could alter the future of Florida’s highest court, Scott’s lawyers said the governor retains the power to select replacements for justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince, who are all leaving in January.
Environmentalists Call Scott’s Call for Red-Tide Research a Campaign Stunt
The state has documented 115 manatee and 318 sea turtle deaths this year in regions suspected to be related to red tide, which stretches 145 miles.
Gwen Graham’s Bid for Governor Tries to Make History But a Legacy Can Be Double-Edged
Gwen Graham, a former one-term member of Congress, could make history this fall by being elected Florida’s first female governor and the first child of a governor to serve in the state’s top job.
Judge Declares Unconstitutional Attempt By Scott To Forbid Early Voting On College Campuses
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker found that the Florida Department of State’s prohibition against campus early-voting sites “is facially discriminatory on account of age.”
Scott Signs Death Warrant, His 27th, For 1992 Murderer Jose Antonio Jimenez
Jose Antonio Jimenez was convicted in the October 1992 killing of 63-year-old Phyllis Minas, whose neighbors heard her shout, “Oh God! Oh my God!” during the attack.
Flagler County Judge Moore-Stens Finally Gets Help, As Does Civil Bench
Senior judges will pick up civil and county court dockets, a big help for Flagler County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens, whose dockets is among the heaviest in the state.
DeSantis and Putnam Battle To Out-Trump Each Other In Televised Debate
Adam Putnam and Ron DeSantis focused more on national topics than challenges facing the next Florida governor in their debate broadcast on Fox.
Critics Assail Scott Policy Shift That Would Reduce Eligibility Window For Medicaid
The majority of the 39,000 people impacted by the change would be seniors and people with disabilities. But Gov. Scott wants the shift to save nearly $100 million.
Billionaire Investor Jeff Greene Becomes 5th Florida Democrat In Race For Governor
Greene, 63, who lives in Palm Beach two doors down from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
With Sharpton Headlining, Rally Calls For Restoring Felon Rights After Stinging Court Defeat
The long-planned march followed a late-night ruling from a federal appeals court that gave Gov. Scott a victory in a bitterly fought challenge to the state’s voter-restoration system.
16-Member Commission Will ‘Investigate System Failures’ in Parkland School Massacre
The commission will review Florida’s policies for dealing with “active assailants” on school campuses, with a comparison to “best practices” policies around the nation.
Scott Wants To Cut Medicaid Application Window From 90 Days To 30; His Savings Claims Are Challenged
The Scott administration’s cost analyses sometimes have not made sense to Medicaid experts or health and social-service providers in the trenches.
Felons’ Lawyers Accuse Scott and Cabinet of Foot-Dragging Over Judge’s Rights-Restoration Order
A federal judge who found the state’s vote-restoration process unconstitutional gave Scott and the Cabinet until April 26 to overhaul the process. They’ve done nothing.
Trump Expected to Loom Over Nelson-Scott Senate Battle as Governor Announces Run
The Senate contest between Bill nelson and Rick Scott is termed a “proxy battle” about Donald Trump and a referendum by Floridians on Trump’s presidency.
Scott Signs Bill Targeting Opioid Addiction, Imposing Limits on Prescriptions
The bill is designed, at least in part, to prevent patients from getting addicted to prescription painkillers and then turning to street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.
From Guns To Opioids To Education, A Legislative Session That Got A Few Things Done
The session became dominated in February by the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County.
NRA Files Challenge Moments After Gov. Scott Signs School-Safety and Gun-Control Bill
The new law raises the permissible age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and imposes a three-day waiting period for the purchase of rifles and other long guns, among other provisions.
Florida Increases Per-Student Funding By $101, Much Of It For Security and Mental Health
The annual school funding formula would include a new category for mental-health funding with $69 million and increase the school-coop pot by $97 million, to $162 million.
Florida Senate Backs Arming Teachers And Rejects Assault Weapons Ban
The Senate plan and a similar House proposal would allow school boards to decide whether they want to implement a “marshal” proposal to arm certain teachers.
Gov. Scott Pleads For More Cops In Schools as Safety Plans Provoke Divisions
Scott’s $500 million package would require, among other things, school boards to assign a law enforcement officer to each school and at least one resource officer for every 1,000 students.
As Calls For Broward Sheriff’s Removal Mount, Scott Orders Investigation of School Shooting Response
The directive came as House Speaker Richard Corcoran sent a letter co-signed by 73 Republican House members requesting that Scott suspend Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, a Democrat.
School Shooting Survivors Demand Change in Tallahassee, But NRA-Backed Bills Only “Paused”
Students turned into activists as they cried, pleaded and argued with lawmakers Wednesday in the state Capitol, but they made limited gains, if any, with pro-gun bills merely paused.
Gun Control Could Become a Key Issue in Florida’s Elections
Major political donors on both sides plan to use support for “common-sense” legislation as a litmus test for candidates during the 2018 midterm elections.
Federal Judge Declares Florida’s Arbitrary and Governor-Controlled Method of Restoring Felons’ Voting Rights Unconstitutional
In a stinging blow to Gov. Rick Scott, a federal judge ruled that the governor’s near-exclusive authority to restore, and more often deny, voting rights to ex-felon is unconstitutional.
Flagler County’s Employment Grows by 1,500 Over a Year of Steady Growth
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in December fell to 4 percent, down from a revised 4.3 percent, and was down a healthy 1.4 points for the year.
Gov. Scott Calls Trump’s Reference to “Shithole” Countries “Absolutely Wrong”
Trump reportedly questioned why the United States should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” like Haiti, El Salvador and countries in Africa, and singled out Haiti in particular.
Gov. Rick Scott’s State of the State: Full Text
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Can Gov. Scott Appoint 3 Justices On Last Days in Office? Supreme Court Takes On Potential Constitutional Crisis
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
Florida Supreme Court Admits to Mistake But Clears Record 24th Execution on Scott’s Watch
Lawyers for Mark James Asay, convicted of killing Robert Booker and Robert McDowell in 1987, asked for a new hearing after the Florida Supreme Court issued a rare mea culpa for mistaking one of the victims as black.
Embroiled In Supremacist Controversy, Trump Reaches For Scott As Lunch Buddy
Scott had lunch with Trump at a New Jersey golf resort, as the president continued to draw criticism for comments about a white nationalist rally.
“I Didn’t Serve To Defend Neo-Nazis,” Gov. Scott Says, Distancing Himself From Trump
Pam Bondi, meanwhile, endorsed UF President Kent Fuchs’s denial of a request to allow white nationalist leader Richard Spencer to speak on campus next month.
Gov. Scott Seeks Amendment To Require Supermajority When Lawmakers Raise Taxes
Gov. Scott didn’t define the meaning of “supermajority” but 15 states, liberal and conservative, already have the requirement of from 60 to 75 percent supermajorities when lawmakers raise taxes.
Clash Continues Ahead of Aug. 24 Execution Over Lethal Injection Drug Never Before Used
Asay’s execution would be the first carried out in Florida since a January 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision that found Florida’s death penalty sentencing system was unconstitutional.
In Some States, Sales Tax Holidays Lose Luster as Hype Overshadows Cost
Tax holidays don’t increase buying but merely concentrate it around specific dates. They’re regressive. They’re more political than useful: in Florida, the Legislature turned down Gov. Scott’s request for 10 days.
Gov. Scott’s Emily Hysterics
Even Tropical Storm/Depression Emily cried foul at Gov. Scott’s, sleazy, opportunistic hyping of what was no more than an overheated summer storm: look at how fast she high-tailed it out of the state.