Melissa Ross, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossDecember 2, 2015

Vowing to fight on via a federal lawsuit, U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown has released an incendiary reaction to the state Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling that reconfigures her North Florida district from one that snakes from Jacksonville south to Orlando, into an east-west Jax-to-Tallahassee district with fewer African-American voters. Here is the statement in its entirety, […]

Melissa RossDecember 1, 2015

For a couple of years now, Jacksonville megadeveloper Peter Rummell would cringe a bit when people would ask what was up “with that new development of yours, Healthy Town.” “That’s not going to be the name!” he’d say. Now, “Healthy Town” is out and “The District” is in. Actually, the planned community on Jacksonville’s Southbank will […]

Melissa RossNovember 30, 2015

By turns funny and rueful, Houston Mayor Annise Parker urged Duval County Democrats to learn from her city’s recent bruising turn in the national spotlight over the routing of its “HERO” ordinance by not making the same mistakes of her administration. “When the stupid comments start, don’t roll your eyes,” she told the 2015 Blue […]

Melissa RossNovember 30, 2015

Back in 2012, he was one of a chorus of evangelical pastors in North Florida speaking out against updating Jacksonville’s human rights ordinance to cover LGBT citizens from discrimination in jobs, housing and public accommodations. But now, the Reverend R.L. Gundy has changed his mind. “There’s no conflict between your Biblical stance and the issue. […]

Melissa RossNovember 26, 2015

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The Florida Retail Federation is predicting a robust holiday shopping season this year, with FRF President/CEO Rick McAllister projecting a 4 1/2 percent increase in sales over 2014. “It’s going to be a good year,” said McAllister in a statewide conference call with media outlets. Noting that 30 percent of annual sales take place in […]

Melissa RossNovember 26, 2015

After facing intense backlash from a spirited and feisty local food truck community, this week Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Brown withdrew his proposed ordinance that would have placed new restrictions on the popular restaurants on wheels. Brown backed down after the “truckies” showed up to City Council and squawked, loudly, about the move toward stricter […]

Melissa RossNovember 25, 2015

Federal prosecutors say a massive pharmacy fraud settlement in Florida is just the beginning. “Early next year, we’ll start bringing criminal charges against individual doctors,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Mehta says. Mehta says his office thinks the scam began in 2013 when the military health care program Tricare started seeing a big spike in compounded […]

Melissa RossNovember 24, 2015

As NATO’s chief calls for calm and “de-escalation” after news that Turkey shot down a Russian warplane at the Syrian border, Florida Coastal School of Law took the issue local with a Tuesday panel discussion on the Syrian refugee crisis and the legal issues around refugee resettlement. Also on the agenda, the recent U.S. House bill blocking refugee resettlement […]

Melissa RossNovember 24, 2015

In the wake of bomb threats and racist KKK flyers being distributed around town, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality is sending a message of unity and strength as the city continues its “community conversations” on whether to expand the local human rights ordinance to cover LGBT residents. In an email to supporters and media outlets, […]

Melissa RossNovember 23, 2015

Three years ago Monday on Nov. 23, 2012, – it was Black Friday that year – Michael Dunn, a 45-year-old white man, argued with a group of teenage friends at a Southside gas station in Jacksonville. Dunn was peeved about the volume of their hip-hop music . The altercation would turn violent. Dunn fired 10 […]

Melissa Ross
Image via AP.

Corrine Brown: Court ruling “direct attack on minority voters”

Jacksonville developer Peter Rummell debuts “The District”

Houston Mayor Annise Parker to Duval Dems: “address stupid comments head-on”

Jax pastor R.L. Gundy on HRO switch: “we cannot discriminate”

Florida Retail Federation: 2015 holiday shopping season will be “robust”

This Thanksgiving, no one is more thankful than Jax food truck owners

More prosecutions, arrests coming in Florida pharmacy fraud scam

Syrian refugee crisis up for discussion at Florida Coastal School of Law

Email insights: Jax Coalition for Equality “united against threats and fear”

HBO film “3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets” debuts Monday with story of Jax teen Jordan Davis