Elevator pitch

Phil AmmannMay 12, 2017

Big political news of the week, maybe: State Rep. Jay Fant decides to run for Attorney General. A bold move — given he’s running from Jacksonville (not a hotbed of votes), and that he’d downplayed his attorney experience up until now. Fant went statewide Tuesday, talking to the press in Tallahassee, Tampa and Orlando, before […]

Phil AmmannMay 11, 2017

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Gwen Graham’s latest Workday focused on efforts to find affordable housing, workforce training and family reintegration for ex-offenders. The newly announced Democratic candidate for governor worked Wednesday with Operation New Hope in Jacksonville. “The ex-offenders I met today are working to put their lives back on track. They just want a second chance at becoming […]

Phil AmmannMay 11, 2017

Florida’s growing heroin opioid epidemic is the debut topic of “In Focus with Allison Walker-Torres” a new 30-minute public affairs program from Bay News 9. In Focus will be a weekly roundtable beginning Sunday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m. on Florida’s Spectrum Networks Bay News 9 in Tampa and News 13 in Orlando. On her […]

Phil AmmannMay 10, 2017

As A-Team’s Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith often says: “I love it when a plan comes together.” If current momentum holds, starting May 9, Coral Gables will become the first Florida city to ban single-use plastic shopping bags. It’s a move directly contradicting Florida law, which gives the state regulatory purview over the issue. And Coral Gables’ […]

Phil AmmannMay 9, 2017

Hours after Florida lawmakers approved the new state spending plan, Gwen Graham is demanding Gov. Rick Scott veto the Legislature’s “education-eviscerating” budget. In a statement Tuesday morning, the newly announced Democratic candidate for governor said, if elected, she would veto any budget that shortchanges Florida schools in favor of the “education industry.” “For decades, Floridians […]

Phil AmmannMay 9, 2017

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Tampa-based Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, an Am Law 200 firm, is extending its public affairs arm with the launch of Shumaker Advisors Florida. The group will offer legislation advocacy, issue management and business-to-government and business-to-business services. Shumaker employees more than 260 lawyers and operates five offices in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota; and […]

Phil AmmannMay 8, 2017

Ben Pollara, executive director of Florida For Care, spoke out Monday afternoon over the well-publicized split with Orlando uber-attorney John Morgan over the failed medical marijuana implementation bill. On Friday night, the Florida Legislature killed HB 1397, a bill to enact the medical marijuana amendment approved by 71 percent of voters in November. Morgan, who […]

Phil AmmannMay 8, 2017

Poynter Institute President Tim Franklin is resigning to become senior associate dean at the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing at Northwestern University. Franklin joined the St. Petersburg-based nonprofit journalistic foundation in 2014, leading “a financial turnaround at the Institute and adapted Poynter’s business to the changing industry,” according to the news release. […]

Phil AmmannMay 8, 2017

Local control, the notion that communities should have a certain degree of “home rule” in managing its own affairs, has become one of the hot-button issues in both Florida and across the country. As part of the “ban the bag” movement, however, the rallying cry of “local control” is in danger of trivialization, made almost […]

Phil AmmannMay 5, 2017

Working toward a final Florida state budget, news of a skirmish between the Senate and House emerges. A war of words appears to have broken out between House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate Appropriations Chair Jack Latvala. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Latvala ended budget negotiations after Corcoran “changed the deal” by insisting the final agreement link […]

Phil Ammann

Jacksonville Bold for 5.12.17 – Fantasia

Gwen Graham works a shift with Operation New Hope, helping ex-offenders

Bay News 9 to launch new weekly Sunday roundtable with Florida’s opioid crisis

Coral Gables plastic bag ban will force lawsuit — exactly as planned

Gwen Graham calls on Rick Scott to veto ‘education-eviscerating’ budget

Tampa-based Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick law firm launches Shumaker Advisors Florida

Ben Pollara’s emotional mea culpa on John Morgan split, marijuana bill failure

Poynter President Tim Franklin resigns for role at Medill School of Journalism

Surfrider’s passion for ‘local control’ in ban the bag debate rings false, is opportunistic spin

Jack Latvala blames final budget stalemate on Richard Corcoran’s ‘last-minute switcheroo’