Elevator pitch

Phil AmmannJuly 8, 2015

One of the Florida Capitol’s most respected insiders, Deborah Gallay, died on Tuesday, July 7. She was 66. Gallay’s extensive public service career included positions in the Executive Office of the Governor, the Department of Education and Board of Regents, which later became the Board of Governors and staff director of Senate Finance & Taxation. Never […]

Phil AmmannJuly 7, 2015

Florida’s teachers union expressed frustration with another legal loss in the attempt to overturn a 2011 law setting guidelines for teacher evaluations. In a prepared statement, Florida Education Association (FEA) President Andy Ford addressed Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta. The court upheld the dismissal of a […]

Phil AmmannJuly 7, 2015

Republican Donnie Horner announced raising $44,450 in the first 27 days as a candidate in the crowded House District 11 race. Horner is seeking the seat to be vacated by term-limited Rep. Janet Adkins, which covers all of Nassau as well as part of eastern Duval County. In a statement from his campaign on Tuesday, […]

Phil AmmannJuly 7, 2015

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Myriam Irizarry as the newest judge of the Pinellas County Court. Irizarry, 60, of Palm Harbor, has served as Chief Deputy and General Counsel to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County since 2003. From 1989-2003, she had been Assistant Director of the Clerk of Court Services […]

Phil AmmannJuly 6, 2015

Panama City Republican Neal Dunn has filed for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, ensuring there will a GOP primary in 2016. Dunn is the Panhandle urologist who will face newcomer Mary Thomas, the general counsel for Gov. Rick Scott’s Department of Elder Affairs, in next year’s Republican primary. The winner will seek to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, a first-term Democrat. Dunn’s entry on […]

Phil AmmannJuly 6, 2015

Florida progressives may have been seeing red Monday morning. When a local Sunday morning cable news show asked liberal U.S. Rep. (and possible Senate candidate) Alan Grayson what he thought about the GOP presidential field, the Orlando Democrat made a surprising endorsement. Grayson wants Republican Rand Paul to be his next president. “I look at the Republican field and I […]

Phil AmmannJuly 6, 2015

Florida school board members have selected a new statewide leader. Last week, former Charlotte County School Board member Andrea Messina was selected the new executive director of the Florida School Boards Association Board of Directors. She will be replacing the retiring Dr. Wayne Blanton, who held the position since 1985. Prior her promotion to executive director, […]

Phil AmmannJuly 5, 2015

A round-up of Sunday editorials from Florida’s leading newspapers: Tampa Bay Times — A bad bet on tying SAT scores to teacher raises Florida education policy has become even odder, thanks to last-minute budget meddling by lawmakers. The Legislature that preaches fiscal prudence allocated $44 million in the state budget that took effect last week […]

Phil AmmannJuly 3, 2015

Fireworks and Florida’s beach wildlife just don’t mix. Independence Day is Saturday, and the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) asks the public to protect beach-nesting shorebirds statewide by being careful with celebratory fireworks and to avoid using personal pyrotechnics at the beach. Shorebirds are nesting on beaches along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts; many […]

Phil AmmannJuly 3, 2015

Firework sales in America are booming, no thanks to the Obama administration. Sales of low-and high-grade celebratory pyrotechnics in the U.S. – both commercial and personal – expect to reach $1 billion, especially because more states and municipalities are allowing the purchase of sparklers, Roman candles, and other consumer fireworks. Many of these places have […]

Phil Ammann
Sen. Ashley Moody (right) fields questiosn about the space program during a town hall in Melbourne. Image via Ashley Moody.

Longtime Florida educational policy insider Deborah Gallay dies

Appeals court dismisses Florida teachers evaluation law challenge, union frustrated

Donnie Horner raises nearly $45K in first month of HD 11 campaign

Gov. Scott names Myriam Irizarry to the Pinellas County Court

Neal Dunn under fire as some Republicans attempt to clear the field in fight to face Gwen Graham in 2016

Red flag alert? Alan Grayson wants Rand Paul to be his next president

Personnel note: Florida School Boards Association picks Andrea Messina as executive director

A round-up of Sunday editorials from Florida’s leading newspapers

Florida FWC: Fireworks and nesting shorebirds don’t mix

Despite Obama over-regulation, fireworks industry continues to take off