A group tasked by Gov. Rick Scott with reviewing the state’s “stand your ground” self defense law appears unlikely to recommend any major revamping of the statute, although it will make suggestions for additional study by lawmakers.
All Else
Incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford Wants 401(k) Plans to Replace State Pensions
Calling the current pension system “old and archaic,” incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford said Tuesday he wants to revamp the state retirement program for new employees and make it more like the private sector.
Low Premiums, High Deductibles, Higher Risks: The Health Plan Gamble
The gamble of lower health premiums in exchange for higher deductibles is appealing, but people are losing the gamble and getting stuck with insurmountable expenses even as high-deductible plans are becoming more frequent by default.
David Ferguson, a Conservative Business Consultant, is Appointed to Palm Coast Council
David Ferguson, a 60-year-old business consultant, will fill out the two years remaining in Frank Meeker’s term, ensuring that the panel will remain an all-male fraternity until at least 2014, when the seat is one of two up for election. That of Bill Lewis, also an appointee, is the other.
Not Dead, Not Dying, and Still Shopping, But Humbled By Cancer’s Side-Effects
Almost two months into her cancer treatment, Jo Ann Nahirny–who faces surgery Tuesday–surveys the long list of side-effects, good and bad, that she’s endured, from crushing bills to the moving affection of students and friends, and am ever- loyal husband.
Obama and the Southern Tradition
Mitt Romney and his diminishing white-male-America coalition wanted to put Barack Obama in his place. He failed. But certain realities of southern tradition endure, as does a racism in American politics that coursed through the 2012 election.
Rivets on Ice: “Titanic,” The Musical, Sinks And Rises at the Flagler Auditorium Tuesday
Winner of five Tony Awards, “Titanic,” the musical–one of the most expensive Broadway productions ever–brings its sets and stories for a one-night engagement at the Flagler Auditorium Tuesday evening.
Amendment Shock: A More Tolerant Nation Is By-Passing Smug, Regressive Florida
Many of Tuesday’s 176 popular referendum that passed speak of a more tolerant, more freedom-loving nation. Except in Florida, where the Legislature’s 11 proposals put the state at odds with national trenbds–and the Florida Legislature at odds with the people it claims to represent.
Criticism Mounts as Florida’s Voting Process Shames and Embarrasses Again
Most of the state experienced problem-free voting. But in Miami-Dade County, many voters remained in line long after the race was called, with some voters reportedly waiting for more than six hours to cast a ballot on Election Day. The delay was despite the fact that half the state’s voters had already voted before Tuesday.
Global Warming and Hurricane Sandy’s Wake-Up Call
The frightening consequences of climate disruption that scientists have warned us about for decades are already here. Sandy is only the latest and most devastating incident in a pattern of extreme weather that’s become impossible to ignore, argues the Sierra Club’s Michael Brune.