"High-growth, high-poverty"

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Welcome to Florida, one of the high-growth, high-poverty states that six years ago the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education presciently warned would be in a particularly bad fix in the event of an economic downturn." "Sunshine or sunset?".




"Which would be the better investment?"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "The governor's entourage will cost taxpayers $255,000 and includes his fiancée, Carole Rome, a consultant to her family's Halloween costume business. ... Even still, the $255,000 cost of the trip would pay the salaries of seven new teachers and a part-time aide. Considering the importance of a good education (and the business community's constant reminder to leaders of that inescapable fact), which would be the better investment?" "Travels with Crist".




Dem "platform drafting committee"

"One of Sen. Barack Obama's earliest Florida supporters will play a big role in shaping the Democratic Party's presidential campaign platform. Tallahassee City Commissioner Allan Katz, a member of the Democratic National Committee, has been chosen to serve on the platform drafting committee. Katz said Monday the 15-member panel will have a public hearing in Cleveland on August 1 and will make its recommendations to the full platform committee in Pittsburgh on August 9." "DNC picks Tallahassee Commissioner Katz for platform committee".




Imagine that

"Congress' investigative arm is raising concerns about contracts awarded to local TV and radio stations that broadcast to Cuba, according to a report released Tuesday." "Report: problems with Cuba broadcast contracts".




Drilling blasted

"Environmentalists blasted an announcement today by President George W. Bush that he would lift a ban on offshore drilling in hopes of spurring Congress to do the same." "Florida critics blast president's offshore drilling plan".




"Single White Governor"

Maitland housewife makes a funny:

John McCain favored a federal gas-tax holiday.

Then Charlie Crist favored a state gas-tax holiday.

John McCain favored expanded offshore oil drilling.

Then Charlie Crist favored expanded offshore oil drilling.

John McCain married a younger, beautiful woman.

Now Charlie Crist just got engaged to a younger, beautiful woman.

I think we have a case of Single White Governor.

"You get the joke if you saw Single White Female."

Bridget Fonda takes in Jennifer Jason Leigh as a roommate. Jennifer starts turning herself into Bridget. Bridget ends up having to stab her to death with a screwdriver.

In this version, McCain throws Crist out on the street and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink finishes him off in 2010.

"See Charlie run and run and run as Alex closes in".

Daniel Ruth joins in the fun: "Not A Moment To Say, 'I Do,' Charlie?".




Glowing

"Central Florida's largest power provider, Progress Energy, won approval Tuesday from a state regulatory agency to build two new nuclear power plants." "Progress Energy gets OK for Fla. nuclear plants".




No politics

"Political tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela cannot be used as a defense by a Venezuelan man accused of acting as a foreign agent in the cover up of a suitcase of cash smuggled to Argentina, a federal judge ruled Tuesday." "Judge: Fla. cash smuggling case not about politics".




Michelle Obama

"According to the Web site barackobama.com, Michelle Obama will be in Fort Myers to speak at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre on July 24 for a breakfast fundraising reception. It is scheduled from 8:30 to 11 a.m." "Michelle Obama to stop in Fort Myers".




"Hold the line"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: " Florida’s congressional delegation should stand firm against President Bush’s increased pressure to allow offshore oil drilling. That would not immediately lower the price of gasoline or produce more oil, as even the president acknowledged Tuesday. It would jeopardize the foundation of Florida’s economy, no matter how many assurances the oil companies make about better drilling techniques and safety." "Hold line against offshore oil drilling".




"Violated over toilet paper"

"Who knew toilet paper could be a terrorist target?"

Georgia-Pacific — which churns out 39,000 cases of Angel Soft, Quilted Northern and other brands each day at its Palatka mill south of Jacksonville — is citing homeland security issues for refusing to heed a new state law allowing employees to bring guns to work and leave them in locked vehicles.

The NRA is outraged.

"The rights of over 1,000 hardworking men and women are being violated over toilet paper," the National Rifle Association's Florida lobbyist Marion Hammer screamed in an e-mail to reporters this week.

The dispute is the latest example of a company bucking the law, which the NRA worked three years to get enacted. It went into effect July 1 upon Republican Gov. Charlie Crist's signature.

"Gun law trumped by toilet paper?".