IAFF Local 2546

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Posted On: Feb 08, 2010 (10:18:54)

Guest column: First Coast Democrats strong and getting stronger every day	Florida Times-Union	02/08/10
Travis Bridges chairs the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee. Chris Hand chaired the Duval County for Obama/Biden campaign. Justin Spiller is president of the Jacksonville Young Democrats. a letter to the editor? Letters of about 200 words are preferred. Longer letters will be edited for ...
Congressional primaries a cautionary note for Tea Party, 9-12 activists	02/08/10
Lynch Last Tuesdays special GOP congressional primary was not an auspicious sign for Tea Party and 9-12 activists hoping to make a Scott Brown-type of national statement in the April 13 special election for Robert Wexlers old U.S. House seat. I was really surprised with how lousy the turnout was. I ...
Move over Ray Nagin, New Orleans has new mayor	Miami Herald	02/08/10
La. lt. gov. replaces Nagin as New Orleans mayor Frustrated by term-limited Mayor Ray Nagin's leadership of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, voters elected Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu to succeed him Saturday, turning to a political scion to speed up the city's recovery. Landrieu, 49, b...
Lengthening life spans affect savings plans	Dallas Morning News	02/08/10
Ever thought of the possibility that you could live to be 100? Maybe you don't want to hit the century mark, but more of us will, which means that we have to start today to ensure that we have enough money to sustain us in that long retirement. Unfortunately, most people have no idea how much mone...
A glance at 9/11 workers suing over their health	Washington Post	02/08/10
JOBS: 12 worked for the New York Police Department, eight for the Fire Department, three for Con Edison, two for the Port Authority police, one for the New York City Transit Authority, one for the Camden County Sheriff's Department in New Jersey, one for the Cresskill Police Department in New Jersey...
Helicopter crashes on takeoff in South Florida	Southwest Florida Herald Tribune	02/07/10
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - A pilot escaped with only minor injuries after a helicopter crashed during or just after take off at the St. Lucie airport. The helicopter, an Enstrom F-28 C built in 1976, crashed at about 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. It ended up on its side with at least one rotor mangled. The f...
Marco Rubio allies say Charlie Crist is really mean	St. Petersburg Times	02/07/10
Either Charlie Crist's campaign is repeatedly showing its willingness to hit below the belt, or Marco Rubio's allies are a bunch of crybabies, or maybe both. Twice in recent days the Rubio campaign or its surrogates have cried foul over comments made by team Crist. First came the horror over Sen. Mi...
GOP using fake census mailers	Chicago Tribune	02/07/10
E-mail Print Text Size Politicians don't miss a trick. Franklin Green of Allentown was sifting through his mail two weeks ago and came across an envelope marked ''census document'' and ''do not destroy official document.'' He set it aside. ''First thought was, we got our census form. I'll fill it...

News Articles of Interest

Posted On: Feb 08, 2010 (10:18:27)

Guest column: First Coast Democrats strong and getting stronger every day	Florida Times-Union	02/07/10
Local Democrats have assumed positions of statewide and countywide leadership. Travis Bridges chairs the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee. Chris Hand chaired the Duval County for Obama/Biden campaign. Justin Spiller is president of the Jacksonville Young Democrats. Letters from Reader...
Politifact: Class-size claim misleading	Miami Herald	02/07/10
After spending almost $16 billion to implement Florida's voter-approved plan to reduce class sizes, Gov. Charlie Crist and the Republican Legislature are now talking about reining it in. But a leading Democrat says the idea would leave the state not much else than a big bill to show for the invest...
`Ordinary' students suffer in crowded schools	Miami Herald	02/07/10
An otherwise fine article (Crist backs easing class-size rules, Jan. 26) glossed over the real meaning of ''school-wide average.'' Schools routinely crowd hordes of students into many elective classes in order to maintain low enrollments in certain core academic classes. The best example is found in...
'Niagara' of mud hits homes	Los Angeles Times	02/07/10
An unexpectedly powerful rainstorm unleashed a torrent of mud that inundated more than 40 houses Saturday, leaving La Caada Flintridge's northernmost neighborhood awash in boulders, dented cars and broken homes. The force of the mudflow appeared to catch residents and officials off guard, as the fo...
Florida lawmakers search for solutions to Medicaid budget growth	Florida Times-Union	02/07/10
TALLAHASSEE - The popular image of Medicaid as the Pac-Man of the state budget might have grown cliched by now, but many say the program's growth will continue to gobble ever-increasing shares of taxpayer funding if something isn't done to check it. The way forward for the joint state-federal init...
Stair climbers 'Fight for Air' at downtown charity event	Florida Times-Union	02/07/10
Event raises $105,000 for America Lung Association of Florida. Photo 1 of 3 K.C. Padget hugs her son Jason Putnam after they completed the Fight For Air Climb in the Bank of America tower. Will Dickey Photo 2 of 3 Photos by WILL DICKEY/The Times-Union Participants go up the stairwell dur...
Palin tells 'tea party': It's revolution time	Miami Herald	02/07/10
Marco Rubio becoming star on tea-party circuit So many tea parties, so little time. Up-and-coming U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio has become the hottest ticket on Florida's tea-party circuit. The movement of disaffected, disillusioned and generally fed-up conservative voters has helped fuel hi...
Use of Florida state aircraft falls	News-Press.com	02/07/10
Outraged residents, a crusading senator, political skittishness and shrinking budgets have led to sharply curtailed use of Florida state aircraft the last three years. Charges for flights on state planes dropped 63 percent from 2007 to 2009: $1.09 million was spent in 2007; $407,420 in 2009. T...
Evacuations continue as officials scramble to clear debris basins	Los Angeles Times	02/06/10
A flash flood warning in the San Gabriel Mountain foothills damaged by the Station fire has been lifted and a second band of rain cells passed through the burn area without triggering more of the mudslides that damaged or destroyed 43 homes in La Caada Flintridge, closed several roads in the Santa M...
State OKs tests at Acreage homes of children with cancer	South Florida Sun-Sentinel	02/06/10
THE ACREAGE - State officials will test the water and soil at cancer-stricken children's homes in The Acreage, said the Florida Department of Health's chief of staff. That decision, which the children's families had sought for months, was disclosed Friday. "If they want us to test it, we will," ...
State officials agree to test soil and water at Acreage homes of cancer-stricken children	South Florida Sun-Sentinel	02/06/10
State officials will test the water and soil at cancer-stricken children's homes in The Acreage, said the Florida Department of Health's chief of staff. That decision, which the children's families had sought for months, was disclosed Friday. "If they want us to test it, we will," said health de...
Can government require an IRA?	Washington Post	02/06/10
Make no mistake, something needs to be done about the state of retirement planning in this country. Because 401(k)s have largely replaced traditional pensions, the financial state of our collective golden years has become precarious. First, not all companies offer retirement plans. Those that do oft...
Palm Coast council pushes forward with fees schedule	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/06/10
By FRANK FERNANDEZ Staff Writer PALM COAST -- The City Council this week approved new procedures and fees for organizations seeking to hold special events in the city, despite objections from some groups. Some members of the council also dissented. But the majority approved a new ordinance to re...
It's Not the Sunshine: Why Snowbirds Become Floridians	Orlando Business Journal	02/06/10
BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- For many snowbirds lured to Florida, the biggest attraction is not the presence of sunshine. It's the absence of Florida estate taxes. Many snowbirds who own homes in both New York and Florida are changing their domicile to Florida according to Attorney All...
Tea Party plans PAC to finance candidates	Dallas Morning News	02/06/10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? As they opened their inaugural national convention here, Tea Party advocates from across the country declared that they would turn the grass-roots conservative anger that burst onto the streets a year ago into political power, wielding money and campaign infrastructure as well as ...
Fla. unemployment expected to peak at 12.3 percent	Gainesville Sun	02/06/10
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? State economists now expect Florida's unemployment rate to peak at 12.3 percent later this year ? topping the modern record by nearly half a percentage point ? and remain in double digits for another two years. They increased their last estimate by nearly a full percentage point...
Ten moments when politics in modern Florida changed forever	St. Petersburg Times	02/06/10
By Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau Friday, February 5, 2010 Gov. Charlie Crist may or may not be the next U.S. senator from Florida, but this much is certain: Florida will never be the same. Crist's decision to forgo a second term as governor and instead seek an open Senate sea...

News Articles of Interest

Posted On: Feb 06, 2010 (08:43:34)

Week In Review for February 1-5, 2010	02/08/10
A quick look at what happened the week of Feb. 1 to Feb. 5. In this week's issue * Baker drops out of Ag Commission race * Competing ideas on how to improve Medicaid * Budget battles looming * PSC reforms moving ahead * Water quality standards come under more protest * Jobs, jobs, jobs * G...
AFRD Punishes 3 for Shooting Response	New York Post	02/06/10
An Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department lieutenant was suspended and two firefighters were reprimanded for their actions following a fatal shooting at the Moreland Pac...
Tarpon voters to consider referendum questions	Tampa Tribune	02/06/10
TARPON SPRINGS - Along with electing a mayor and two city commissioners on March 9, voters will be asked to decide the fate of eight proposed changes to the city charter. One question queries whether the electorate wants to protect the Tarpon Springs Fire Rescue from being disbanded. While there...
Snow piles up, paralyzing nation's capital, suburbs; 2-plus feet could set modern-day record	Chicago Tribune	02/06/10
Winter weather photos from around Maryland PHOTOS: Historical Winter Storm Photos Baltimore Sun front pages: Top 10 snows Photos PHOTOS: Storm sweeps through the Southland Storm leaves a blanket of snow behind Winter in Chicagoland X Houston Snow 2009-1 Baby, it's cold outside: Fas...
Kenneth City, Pinellas Park officials to consider proposed fire contract	St. Petersburg Times	02/06/10
KENNETH CITY ? Mayor Pro Tem Teresa Zemaitis has brokered a deal with Pinellas Park to provide Kenneth City's fire service, as long as both city councils agree. A final agreement could come later this week. The Kenneth City Council is scheduled to discuss the agreement at its Wednesday meeting, and...
Unlike Rubio, most politicians want all to count	Miami Herald	02/06/10
``W ``I am surprised,'' said the candidate, Marco Rubio, who shouldn't be surprised at all. A decade ago, Rubio's conservative muse, former Gov. Jeb Bush, appointed a ``complete count'' committee to help Census workers reach everyone -- from illegal immigrants to the homeless. ``We never made a...
Alex Sink applauds indictment of her former BofA boss.	Orlando Sentinel	02/06/10
The Democratic candidate for governor just put out a press release applauding New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo for leveling civil fraug charges against Bank of America and its former CEO, Ken Lewis. Sink was the Florida president of Bank of America and worked under Lewis. Interesting. Nothin...
FBI recognizes sub shop, safety program founder	Florida Times-Union	02/06/10
The FBI recently recognized a Jacksonville businessman for being community-minded. Former firefighter Robin Sorensen In 2009, Firehouse Subs fed 21,000 people free and donated $50,000 to organizations including the Police Athletic League and Guns N' Hoses. In 2005, Sorensen co-founded the Firehou...
In Your Corner: Proposal to cut salaries for all Martin County employees is only partial solution to our problems	TCPalm	02/06/10
We want to express our support for the attitude expressed last week by a Martin County commissioner in her suggestion for an across-the-board cut in county salaries. This is a welcomed first step. However, her specifics for a finely graduated percentage reduction in pay appear to be an inadequate so...
Seafood workers feeling the bite	Panama City News Herald	02/06/10
Eastpoints Robert Baxley is among a growing number of Franklin County oystermen who have stopped feeling the pinch of a bad economy. Now, theyre facing the bite, and government, social service and charitable organizations are stepping in to see about fending off the wolf at their doors. Carrying a...
Crist vows to investigate Acreage cancer cases	South Florida Sun-Sentinel	02/06/10
Florida will appeal to the federal government for help investigating the cancer cluster in The Acreage, Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday, just a day after state health officials said they didn't plan to search for an environmental cause. "This is of grave concern to me," Crist said. "The people des...
Florida CFO Alex Sink takes on 'The Governator'	Tampa Tribune	02/06/10
Florida Chief Financial Offical Alex Sink is, well, petite, but still seems quite ready to take on 'The Governator' of California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who trashed Florida on Wednesday. At a Silicon Valley conference, Schwarzenegger glibly opined that Iowa is uninteresting, Florida is nothin...
Police union protests proposed break with the Broward Sheriff in Pompano Beach	South Florida Sun-Sentinel	02/05/10
A rally Friday against the city's proposed return to a municipal police force drew 140 members of the Broward County Police Benevolent Association to knock on residents' doors. "Keep BSO in Pompano Beach" and "No Tax Increase" were the messages on 400 signs the cops hoped to plant in supporters' ya...
Director charged huge sums to GOP credit card	St. Petersburg Times	02/05/10
Orlando Sentinel Friday, February 5, 2010 TALLAHASSEE From golf-course fees to charter jets to the nation's capital, Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Delmar Johnson last year racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel, food and expenses to his party-issued American Expre...
Pare back the perks	Orlando Sentinel	02/05/10
Gov. Charlie Crist submitted a starry-eyed budget plan to state lawmakers last month. Rather than face up to a deficit that could reach $3 billion, he called for spending $2.7 billion more by banking on several uncertain revenue sources. As a result, Mr. Crist put the burden on state lawmakers to ma...
East Lake fire chief levels verbal harassment complaint against commission chairman	St. Petersburg Times	02/05/10
EAST LAKE ? East Lake's fire chief leveled a verbal harassment complaint against an East Lake Fire District commissioner this week. He said the harassment occurred during a conversation about how military reserve members in the Fire Department should be paid when they're on active military duty. "...
Faulty wrench slows firefighters	PensacolaNewsJournal.com	02/05/10
Fire destroyed a home at West Gadsden and T streets Thursday evening after firefighters could not turn on a fire hydrant. A faulty wrench is being blamed for hampering firefighters. Lt. Dan Akerman, spokesman for Escambia County Public Safety, said the hydrant was inspected early today. "It's an ol...
Baker pulls plug on agriculture commissioner bid	Orlando Sentinel	02/05/10
EUSTIS ? Calling it a difficult but "ultimately a necessary" decision, state Sen. Carey Baker said today that he is ending his run for state agriculture commissioner. The Eustis Republican faced a daunting task trying to win the GOP nomination against U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, one of Florida'...
Florida Property Taxes 'Drop Like a Rock' Over Last Three Years	Lakeland Ledger	02/05/10
This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the 'Reprints' tool that appears above any article. . \| Florida property taxes dropped by $2.28 billion, or 7.5 percent, over the past...
Florida CFO asks AG to sue her former employer	Miami Herald	02/05/10
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's chief financial officer and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful, Alex Sink, wants the front-runner for the Republican gubernatorial nomination to investigate her former employer, Bank of America, and some of its top executives. Sink, who applauded New York Attorney Gen...
Government workers are paid too much	Sun-Herald	02/05/10
Here's a sobering eye-opener for you. According to Glenn Beck researchers, federal civil servants enjoy an average income of over $71,000 per year while we common folks average only about $40,000. I saw that firsthand when I worked for over 40 years in the Washington, D.C., area. That $71,000 the a...
Lawmaker drops out of ag commissioner race	Miami Herald	02/05/10
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Sen. Carey Baker of Eustis - who was on weekend drill Friday with the Florida National Guard - has decided to drop out of the contest, his fundraising dwarfed by that of U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow. Baker's office confirmed the senator's decision. Former state Rep. Mart...
Marco Rubio, Tom Tancredo and the Tea Party convention	02/05/10
To kick off the first national Tea Party convention, guest speaker and former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. lamented the loss of literacy tests saying an ill-informed electorate had voted a Socialist ideologue into the White House. The New York Daily News reported that Tancredo said President Bara...
Report: Tent Collapses at State Fair	Lakeland Ledger	02/05/10
This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears above any article. . Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is responding to reports of a collapsed tent at ...
More out of state fundraising for Charlie "busy governing" Crist	St. Petersburg Times	02/05/10
The NRSC may be promising not to help Charlie Crist financially in his Republican U.S. Senate candidate, but they are e-mailing around upcoming fundraising opportunities with the gov: Thursday, February 11, 2010 GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST (R-FL) - Candidate for Senate Fundraising Reception: 6:00 p....
Orange mayor candidate Falconer endorses Rubio	Orlando Sentinel	02/05/10
Not much of a surprise here: Orange County mayoral candidate Matthew Falconer is backing Marco Rubio in the Republican primary over Gov. Charlie Crist. Falconer touted Rubio last year at one of the Tea Party events he helped organize, back when Rubio was regarded as a long shot to overtake Crist. ...
Florida GOP fundraiser charged huge sums to Republican Party	Orlando Sentinel	02/05/10
TALLAHASSEE ? From golf-course fees to charter jets to the nation's capital, Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Delmar Johnson racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel, food and expenses to his party-issued American Express card last year. Delmar Johnson flew to Las Vegas and...

News Articles of Interest

Posted On: Feb 04, 2010 (10:36:46)

Next-door neighbor arrested in Ohio house blast	Florida Times-Union	02/04/10
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A man who lived next door has been arrested in a house explosion and fire in Cleveland that caused widespread damage. Police spokesman Sgt. Sammy Morris says 57-year-old William Calderwood was taken into custody late Wednesday on an aggravated arson warrant issued earlier in the d...
Lawmakers work to soften unemployment tax increase	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/04/10
By JIM SAUNDERS Tallahassee Bureau Chief TALLAHASSEE -- Tens of thousands of Florida businesses will get hit with higher unemployment-compensation taxes this spring. The big question: How bad will it be? State lawmakers Wednesday began working on a bill that would head off a dramatic tax increas...
Legislator will try one more time to get lobbyists to tell the truth	02/04/10
Sen. Alex Villalobos has had a change of heart. Just two weeks ago the Miami Republican said he was giving up and had no intention on filing his "Truth in Government" Act that would require those testifying before the Legislature...
What about Florida's growing debt?	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/04/10
Florida is forbidden to run a deficit. But the state can -- and does -- borrow money, usually to fund long-term capital projects such as highways and schools. Debt isn't necessarily a bad thing. For example, the state has traditionally borrowed against ry-stamp tax revenues to buy environmentally s...
Realtors throw weight behind Barker in race for Sansom's seat	Panama City News Herald	02/04/10
The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors is endorsing Destin Mayor Craig Barker to the Florida House of Representatives for the House District 4. A special district-wide screening panel of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors and the Navarre Area Board of Realtors conducted interviews with ca...
It's too late to curb class-size restrictions	Tampa Tribune	02/04/10
TAMPA - Meeting class-size limits next school year might mean turning students away from their neighborhood schools if they register late. That raises questions about where they would go, how they would get there and when or whether they would be able to attend their neighborhood schools. Scenario...
Former Miami Beach fire chief Braniard Dorris dies at 68	Miami Herald	02/04/10
Braniard Dorris, a 28-year Miami Beach firefighter who served as chief from 1985-93, died Jan. 31 of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 68. Daughter Lisa Roberts said he got the official diagnosis four years ago but had been showing signs of dementia for several years, such as ``public ...
State ponders tax-hike delay	Florida Today	02/04/10
TALLAHASSEE The race is on to head off massive unemployment-tax hikes that threaten most Florida businesses when they come due at the end of April. Under a deal struck among Gov. Charlie Crist, Republican legislative leaders and the state's leading business groups, the plan is to delay most of the ...
Teachers gone wild: will NY get tough?	New York Post	02/04/10
Tell me how a New York City teacher, who is also a practicing lawyer, can make sexist comments to young female students and be allowed to sit in a so-called "rubber room" for 10 years -- while collecting a salary of $100,000 per year plus benefits ("Class Hole," Jan. 31)? This guy is allowed to co...
Seniors hold key to America's economic future	Detroit News	02/04/10
One of the keys to healthy aging is providing for future generations. Seniors who perform service for the young, research finds, have more positive lives and better marriages than those who don't. The odd thing is that when you turn to political life, we are living in reverse. First, the old are t...
Rubio's census stance	Southwest Florida Herald Tribune	02/04/10
Don't take this column as defending U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio and his suddenly hardball, anti-illegal immigrant stand. I think it's kind of hypocritical for the son of refugees from Castro's Cuba to have been tolerant for decades of Cubans who sneak into the United States by evading the U.S...
Construction begins on fire training ship	Business Journal of Jacksonville	02/04/10
egan Wednesday on a $3.71 million simulator at Florida State College at Jacksonville that will help train firefighters to combat ship blazes. The building of the burn ship follows the completion of the more than $1 million remodeling of Fire Academy of the Souths 13,600-square-foot classroom and ad...
L.A. River dog rescue a life-changer	Los Angeles Times	02/04/10
The men who work Los Angeles Fire Department Air Operations have plucked construction workers off cranes, horses out of ravines and dogs out of washes -- all with news helicopters hovering. But rarely does their work cast such a public spell as did their recent river rescue of a dog. On computer s...
No headline - MC_Shark_Attack	TCPalm	02/04/10
Victim was Stephen Schafer, 38, of Stuart First fatal shark attack in Martin County Sharks were circling when Schafer was pulled from water STUART A kite surfer attacked by sharks Wednesday afternoon has died from his injuries, authorities are reporting. The victim was identified as Stephen...
Daily Wrap-Up For February 3, 2010	02/04/10
Your cheat sheet for everything that happened today In today's issue of the Daily Wrap-Up: * HMOs: When repeated negotiations fail, cut provider rates Senator: DCA elimination won't happen under "my watch" Senate rolls out major jobs bill Senator will push ahead with tell the truth bill ...
Could Destin's mayor fill Sansom's seat?	Northwest Florida Daily News	02/04/10
The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors is endorsing Destin Mayor Craig Barker to the Florida House of Representatives for the House District 4. A special district-wide screening panel of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors and the Navarre Area Board of Realtors conducted interviews with ...
Appraisers brace for 'almost explosive' tax season	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/04/10
If you thought 2009 was a property tax whammy, better brace yourself for the double-whammy of 2010. A rise in the federal Consumer Price Index means homeowners who've saved big from Florida's Save Our Homes amendment could be paying big when property taxes are figured later this year. "You'll ...
U.S. should ban big snakes	St. Petersburg Times	02/04/10
Deputies caught a 12-foot green anaconda last month in an Osceola County horse park. Miami-Dade County trappers encountered African rock pythons, which have been known to eat crocodiles and kill children. Urged on by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, the Obama administration is moving more quickly than Cong...
The will of the voters	Gainesville Sun	02/03/10
Eight years ago, Alachua County placed a straw poll (non-binding) question on the ballot proposing a merger of the Gainesville-Alachua County fire departments. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and voters approved it by a 70 percent margin. Nothing happened, of course, except that city and c...
Anthony Westbury: Let's take a page out of Martin County's budget-cutting proposal	TCPalm	02/03/10
Anthony Westbury's blog Anthony Westbury blogs about issues and items in St. Lucie County. Join the conversation! ST. LUCIE COUNTY Its been described as a lot of fuss and feathers, and election year gimmickry, but a proposal out of Martin County to cut the pay of county employees at least deser...
Who are you calling 'a slick package from Miami'!?	St. Petersburg Times	02/03/10
U.S.Senate candidate Marco Rubio's campaign is objecting toa quotein today's Times/Herald story in whichstate Sen. Mike Fasano -- a supporter of Gov. Charlie Crist -- called Rubio "a slick package fromMiami." Campaign spokesman Alex Burgos came close to suggesting that Fasano was trying to appeal...
Are they shell bills or Trojan horses?	Naples Daily News	02/03/10
Comments by North Naples Fire Commissioner Jim Burke and Golden Gate Fire Commissioner David Stedman, regarding the fire districts passing resolutions not to pursue consolidation discussions, along with the provisions of the bills, have exposed the Fire Districts consolidation shell bills as being p...
Crist blasts Rubio on census	Southwest Florida Herald Tribune	02/03/10
Taking a swipe at his Senate opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist dismissed calls by Republican rival Marco Rubio not to include illegal immigrants in the upcoming Census count. (The count has already begun and illegal immigrants are being included.) Crist, who attended a media event Tuesday to promote an...
Hundreds show up to speak against L.A. city worker layoffs	Los Angeles Times	02/03/10
Hundreds of advocates for police officers, firefighters, the arts, senior programs, AIDS services and other municipal programs turned out Wednesday morning to urge the Los Angeles City Council not to cut 1,000 jobs to balance the budget. With city officials looking for ways to close a $208-million ...
Survey: Over 40 Percent of Nurses to Alter Career Path	Business Journal of Tampa Bay	02/03/10
28 Percent Say They Will Not Be in Their Current Job 1 Year from Now PR Newswire SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3 SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nearly one-third of registered nurses (RNs) surveyed last month say they will not be working in their current job a year from now and close to half say...
Crist camp says Kindle, other buys led to emergency head's exit	02/03/10
In the two months after Gov. Charlie Crist appointed him to lead the states emergency planning agency, Ruben Almaguer used his state-issued credit card to buy an Amazon Kindle and carrying case, a Canon camera, a portable television and a...
Pruitt's already got a healthy list of lobbying clients	02/03/10
Former Senate President Ken Pruitt ended his term in the Senate early, right after the 2009 session, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. And the rules prevent him from lobbying the Legislature for two years. But...
Uh-oh. Another recount in Broward & Palm Beach?	02/03/10
An election in Broward and Palm Beach counties ends in a virtual tie, triggering a likely recount. Sound familiar? The difference this time is, no one can blame the Democrats. This too-close-to-call race is the Republican primary in Congressional District...

News Articles of Interest

Posted On: Feb 03, 2010 (09:50:33)

Audit criticizes spending by city of Miami employees	Miami Herald	02/03/10
Miami employees spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars using city credit cards on DirecTV for a vehicle, binoculars to keep tabs on employee activities, even on a pink metallic dog collar, a new audit found. Though the overall dollars are not huge, the questioned spending comes at a time the c...
Paramedic injured in ambulance crash	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/03/10
Staff Report DAYTONA BEACH -- A paramedic suffered minor injuries Tuesday after his ambulance was hit while transporting two patients from an earlier Interstate 95 crash, officials said. Specifics of the 4 a.m. crash were not available, but EVAC Ambulance spokesman Mark O'Keefe said the ambulanc...
Legislators Look to Limit Class-Size Caps	Lakeland Ledger	02/03/10
This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears above any article. . TALLAHASSEE \| Warning of looming chaos in schools across Florida, legislative le...
Florida ballot proposal targets class size limits	Bradenton Herald	02/03/10
TALLAHASSEE A newly filed ballot proposal to weaken Floridas class size limits drew immediate opposition Tuesday from the statewide teachers union and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who led a 2002 campaign that put the requirements in the state constitution. Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Will Weatherford said ...
Census has Crist and Rubio at odds	Southwest Florida Herald Tribune	02/03/10
TALLAHASSEE - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio has come out against including illegal immigrants in the national census -- even though doing so could significantly reduce Florida's political power and share of federal funding. Rubio's stance sets him at odds not only with Gov. Charlie C...
Broward leaders approve plan to build courthouse	Miami Herald	02/03/10
Despite the recession, Broward County commissioners decided Tuesday to tax property owners to help replace the aging main courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Commissioners voted 6-3 Tuesday to proceed with the $328 million project without seeking voters' approval. The courthouse has been plague...
4 injured in stage collapse at Super Bowl site	Miami Herald	02/03/10
MIAMI -- A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue news release says all four victims were taken to area hospitals Tuesday night. Two were transported by helicopter and the others by ambulance. The injuries were not considered life-threatening. The Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints are set to play Sup...
Letters to the editor for Feb. 2, 2010	Daytona Beach News Journal	02/03/10
Ending a 2-tiered system How many years now have we been sitting on the sidelines watching the tug of war between the fire departments and EVAC in regards to transporting patients in emergencies? Referencing last week's article reporting that a 32-year-old woman lost her life during a 32-minute del...
Deutch, maybe Lynch, are primary winners	02/03/10
Buoyed by strong support from Democratic leaders and elected officials, Ted Deutch declared victory barely two hours after the polls closed in Tuesday's special congressional primary. Unofficial results late Tuesday night showed the nail-biter of a Republican contest putting Edward Lynch slightly a...
Congressional Democrats welcome their party's newest nominee	02/02/10
Democrats in Congress congratulated Ted Deutch on winning the nomination in the 19th Congressional District. From U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, whose district includes part of South Broward: "Ted campaigned from day one like a challenger taking nothing for granted, and his hard work paid off t...
Graber calls, congratulates and endorses Deutch	02/02/10
Ben Graber, the losing candidate in the 19th Congressional District primary, just called winner Ted Deutch. "That was Dr. Graber," Deutch told the remaining core of volunteers at his primary night party west of Boca Raton. "We have our first endorsement" for the April 13 general election.
Battle of the precinct returns: Broward 75, Palm Beach 0	02/02/10
As of 8:50 p.m., 75 of 93 Broward County precincts have reported results and 0 of 263 Palm Beach County precincts are in for the congressional District 19 primaries. Based on early and absentee ballots and the Broward precincts, Ted Deutch is running away with the Democratic primary. On the Republic...
Sarah Palin gives $1k to Rep. Tom Rooney	St. Petersburg Times	02/02/10
Florida Congressman Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, has gotten some re-election help from Sarah Palin. Records show her PAC gave Rooney $1,000 on Dec. 31. Palin has been doling out checks to GOP candidates across the country, though she also bought thousands of copies of her book, "Going Rogue." in Alex...
No quick ending to Sansom House investigation	02/02/10
By Kathleen Haughney, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE A House panel investigating the conduct of former House Speaker Ray Sansom voted down a request by the Destin Republican to dismiss a complaint against him that could result in his expulsion from the Legislature. Lawyers for Sansom had a...
NewAmerican flag to fly at Ground Zero, then honor fallen firefighters here	Florida Times-Union	02/02/10
A local congressman took delivery Tuesday of a special American flag that will fly at Ground Zero soon to honor firefighters who died when the Twin Towers collapsed more than nine years ago. When it has done its time in New York City, the flags permanent home will be on a 30-foot flagpole atop an i...
House panel to Crist budget chief: Get real. Soon.	02/02/10
A bipartisan House panel rejected Gov. Charlie Crists budget proposals, telling his budget chief the governors plan was as sketchy as building a household budget on winning the Lottery. Theres nothing here that I can use, House health care budget chief Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid, told Jerry McDa...
More on Joe Biden's mystery dinner guest in Miami	02/02/10
The rumor that Vice President Joe Biden hung out with Gov. Charlie Crist when Biden was in Miami on Jan. 16 to talk about Haiti won't go away. So in the pursuit of truth and justice, a call was made...
Bud Chiles: "Nobody believes" high ranking for Florida schools	St. Petersburg Times	02/02/10
Education Week surely didn't intend this, but its latest Quality Counts report - which put Florida's education system at No. 8 nationally - has hit a nerve. The group Worst to First, led by Bud Chiles, son of former Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, trashed it late yesterday with the release of student vi...
About that Charlie Crist/Joe Biden meal in Miami	02/02/10
Beth Reinhard: The rumor going around is that Gov. Charlie Crist -- who would only deign to give President Barack Obama a 27-second handshake last week in Tampa -- had wined and dined with Vice President Joe Biden when he...
Did the RPOF have a $350,000 hole in their federal account?	Orlando Sentinel	02/02/10
TALLAHASSEE Florida Republicans have been waging an intra-party battle for months now primarily over whether the party was teetering close to bankruptcy. According to its , the RPOFs federal account shows an end-of-the-year cash balance of $124,129 and debts of nearly $467,000. Our number-crunching...