Ultrasound veto near

"Crist indicated Tuesday he planned to veto an anti- abortion bill 'sooner rather than later,' and that the public pressure his office has received to sign the bill was outweighed by the advice he's been getting from people first-hand." "Crist: Quick action likely on abortion bill". See also "Legislature’s ultrasound bill still not in governor’s hands (Update: Now it is)".

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Florida doesn't spend any public money on abortion unless the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother or is the result of rape or incest. That fact will not change, despite the claims of anti-abortion advocates in Sunday's Post, if Gov. Crist vetoes House Bill 1143." "The taxpayer-abortion myth: Part of campaign in favor of ultrasound amendment.".

Related: "Meek, Rubio ready to pounce if ‘pro-life’ Crist vetoes ultrasound bill".




Rothstein


"How much prison time for Scott Rothstein? S. Fla. lawyers take a guess". See also Michael Mayo's "Will Rothstein's sentence be real?",




'Ya reckon?

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "Florida should say "no thanks" to Arizona-type immigration law".




New AG face

"Fort Lauderdale attorney Jim Lewis cut ties to the Republican party Tuesday and announced he would run as an independent in Florida's attorney general race, mirroring a similar backlash toward party affiliations across the state and country. Lewis, 52, a trial lawyer and former assistant state attorney from Orlando, said he saw the switch as his best chance for winning a race in which he is among the lesser known candidates." "Fort Lauderdale attorney announces independent run for attorney general".




Vasilinda and oil

"Two years ago, state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda sidestepped an all pro pass rusher to win a seat in the Florida House. But now she's battling for her political life in an August primary against a former Leon County Democratic Party chairman - in large part because of a pair of 2009 legislative votes she cast in favor of offshore oil drilling. Challenger Rick Minor calls Vasilinda 'big oil's number one Democrat.'" "Oil vote threatens incumbent in Democratic primary". More: "Oil vote may cost Fla. House Democrat her primary".




Entrepreneurs in action

"Medline Industries, a large medical products company, is laying off 275 people in Clearwater, a new state document shows. On Tuesday, Medline filed a notice with the state saying it would lay off 275 people between August 20 and October 15. It lists a location at 4750 118th Avenue North in Clearwater." "Medical company to lay off 275".




Rubio and ABC union haters run wild

"Rubio, ABC Assail Union 'Card Check'".




What did he know ... ?

"Crist says he wasn't aware of Jim Greer's financial freelancing, but he apparently received plenty of input from two of his closest political advisers about the party boss." "Crist Advisers Wrangled Over Greer".




"Countrywide Crackdown"

"Some 200,000 homeowners -- including thousands in Florida -- will share in a $108 million settlement announced Monday by the Federal Trade Commission." "Countrywide Crackdown Means Cash for Florida Homeowners".




Fl-oil-duh

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Florida's future is on the line this summer. The nation's worst oil spill threatens the state's beaches, its economy — in many ways, its very identity. With tar balls washing up on Pensacola Beach and "hundreds of thousands" of oil patches in the gulf, the battle to limit the damage is engaged. It will be a long, hard struggle." "Fighting for Florida's future".

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Detailed studies done to help the Legislature weigh the risks of drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico conceded that a blowout was a possibility but glossed over the difficulty of stopping leaks and cleaning up the resulting spill." "Shocked by the improbable".

"BP is paying residents of Florida's Panhandle for income they have lost because of the oil spill -- but that may not be enough to keep small businesses afloat." "Workers begin getting money from BP -- but will it be enough?". See also "Report: If Gulf oil spill washes ashore, cost to Florida could be $10B".

More: "Spreading oil from leaking well found 3,300 feet below Gulf surface", "Update: Boom still planned for Franklin today", "Gulf oil spill: Get the latest information on the disaster", "Slow-footed spill response", "BP: Spilled-oil revenues to benefit wildlife", "Florida Cabinet to BP: $25 Million Not Good Enough", "Crist, Cabinet accuse BP of moving too slowly", "BP not paying much yet to Fla. businesses", "Spreading Gulf oil spill changes response to crisis", "Underwater oil clouds confirmed in Gulf; some from BP spill, but oil in Loop Current is not", "BP says it will burn off some oil captured in Gulf", "", "BP: Spilled-oil revenues to benefit wildlife", "Oil spill facts seem as murky as stricken waters" and "BP exec grilled on oil spill by Crist and Cabinet".




Pension investment policy

"A panel headed by Gov. Charlie Crist has revised the investment policy for Florida's state retirement fund to reduce its reliance on the stocks while adding hedge funds." "Fla. panel revises pension investment policy".




"It's all getting to be a bit too much"

Mike Thomas: "It's all getting to be a bit too much. Listening to Florida complain about oil drilling is like listening to a crack addict complain about drug pushers."

BP stuck its giant, steel proboscis into the Gulf floor because we need what is down there.

Florida burns more than 20 million gallons of gasoline a day. Have you seen video of that well shooting out oil like a fire hose? Every day or two, we burn as much oil as has come out of that well since it blew on April 20.

Only Texas and California guzzle more gas than Florida.

Our consumption has grown at twice the national average during the past five years.

We are the nation's SUV.

I was here during the 1973 oil embargo and got a taste of how long Florida would last without gasoline.

Not long at all. No gas. No tourists. No economy.

So what does Florida contribute to the nation's oil supply to balance out what it consumes?

Nothing.

"Oil-spill crisis is Florida's gas-guzzling fault".




Entrepreneurs in action (Pt 2)

"The delayed release of scores from the 2010 FCAT is 'absolutely unacceptable' and the testing company at fault will face 'significant financial penalties,' Education Commissioner Eric Smith said today . Pearson, the company responsible for scoring the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test this year, has run into problems matching test scores with student information files, according to the Florida Department of Education." "DOE blasts FCAT testing company for delays".




"Akin to hitting the jackpot"

"For some Broward municipalities, it's akin to hitting the jackpot in the midst of a losing streak. The state's new gambling rules - which reduce taxes on pari-mutuels and allow casinos to expand - will mean a windfall for Broward County and its cities that are home to or near the gambling facilities." "Broward cities near casinos expect millions from Seminole gambling compact".




What the RPOF calls "freedom"

"Reports of a vast number of redfish deaths in the St. Johns River have Jacksonville residents, and many more throughout Florida, worried. The river is host to hundreds of species of birds, fish and other wildlife and, at 310 miles long, it flows through 12 of Florida’s 67 counties. Since May 25, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has received at least 49 reports of dead fish in the river. Catalina Brown, a scientist with the FFWC, says the deaths cannot be attributed to the recent gulf oil spill, but are instead the result of a recent rise in algal blooms — blooms perhaps exacerbated by local industry runoff." "Is industry runoff to blame for hundreds of fish deaths in the St. Johns River?".




Breathless

"In the wake of its former chairman Jim Greer’s long-ranging fiscal abuse, culminating in his arrest Wednesday, the Republican Party of Florida cut up all but one of its credit cards. Now it will seek reimbursement for unauthorized expenses on those cards. Meanwhile, a report by an ad hoc Oversight and Governance Committee is expected to be released this month recommending changes to the party’s fiscal controls." "Republicans await new fiscal controls".




HD 115

"With Rep. J.C. Planas, R-Miami, retiring from the House because of term limits, a fight is shaping up to replace him with three candidates who have hit the ground running. Two Republicans and a Democrat sparring in the 115th House District have posted impressive -- even jaw-dropping -- fund-raising figures at the end of the first quarter of 2010." "Money Flows into House Race in Miami-Dade".




Tea baggers fielding congressional candidates

"A new third party with a familiar name calling for scaling back the size and cost of government has emerged in Florida hoping to take advantage of voter discontent. The Florida Tea Party is fielding three congressional candidates across Florida in the 2010 election cycle and hopes to have as many as 20 candidates running for seats in the Legislature." "Florida Tea Party Challenges Dems, GOP on Government, Taxes".




Rotten teeth

"Florida slow to rid public schools of sugar-laden beverages".