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Staff ReportsJune 16, 2017

Florida retailers expect dads to be showered with gifts, with a record-setting Father’s Day in 2017. The Florida Retail Federation, the state’s leading trade association for the retail industry, predicts consumers will spend an average $134.75 for the holiday, up almost $10 from last year’s $125.92. Spending nationwide is also expected to reach $15.5 billion, […]

Jim RosicaJune 16, 2017

A Leon County judge has set a hearing in a lawsuit against Attorney General Pam Bondi that says she forces businesses to pony up millions of dollars to unregistered charities as part of settlements in consumer protection cases. Circuit Judge Charles Dodson ordered the hearing for July 10 in Tallahassee, court records show. The plaintiff, Orlando entrepreneur John D. […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2017

Surrounded by House Speaker Richard Corcoran and many of his members in a small, Orlando Catholic school dedicated to special needs students, Gov. Rick Scott signed House Bill 7069 into law, initiating major shifts in how Florida provides education. While the education omnibus bill offers changes for all kinds of schools in Florida, from requiring recess […]

Mitch PerryJune 15, 2017

Incoming Senate Minority Leader Jeff Clemens announced Thursday the creation of a new campaign to help get more Democrats elected to the Florida Senate in 2018 and beyond. “Flip Florida Blue” will set out initially to invest resources to win the special election in Miami-Dade’s Senate District 40 seat formerly held by Hialeah Republican Frank Artiles, […]

Mitch PerryJune 15, 2017

Last week, the GOP-led House of Representatives voted to repeal many of the stricter regulations enacted after the 2008 financial crisis. It was part of a desire to roll back rules that they say have hurt banks, restricted consumer growth and slowed economic progress. Democrats disagree, as each one voted against the bill. “I think the memories […]

Peter SchorschJune 15, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott will sign a contentious education policy bill that critics fear will hurt traditional public schools in favor of privately-managed charter schools. The Governor’s Office on Thursday morning announced he will approve “a major education bill” at Morning Star Catholic School in Orlando, “which serves many children who receive the Gardiner Scholarship,” one of the […]

Mitch PerryJune 15, 2017

President Donald Trump is nominating Sharon Day, a former Republican National Committee co-chair from Fort Lauderdale, to be his ambassador to Costa Rica. Day recently stepped down from her role at the RNC, a position she held since 2011. She’s served on the Executive Committee of the Broward County Republican Party since 1994, and in 1996 was […]

Phil AmmannJune 15, 2017

It’s a sunny future for Florida Power & Light Co., as construction is now well underway on all eight of the utility’s planned solar power plants. New 74.5-megawatt solar power plants, with 2.5 million panels offering a joint capacity of 600 MW, are on track for completion by early 2018, making it one of the […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2017

Florida’s U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a third-baseman on the Republican’s baseball team who encountered James Hodgkinson moments before the Illinois Democratic activist shot up the practice field, said Thursday he was skeptical that any changed rhetoric would have stopped the shooter. Appearing on the Morning Joe TV show on MSNBC, DeSantis recounted again, as he did […]

Peter SchorschJune 15, 2017

Earlier this month, FloridaPolitics.com reported on the outpouring of community support for the “signature bridge” design chosen for the new I-395 overpass through Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. Despite protests by some with a political agenda, the drumbeat of support for Archer Western-de Moya’s winning design continues to grow in intensity. After more than a quarter-century of discussion […]

Headlines

Florida retailers expect record Father’s Day spending

Hearing set in lawsuit against Pam Bondi over unregistered charities

Rick Scott signs HB 7069, shifting education from ‘traditional public schools’

Florida Democrats announce new vehicle to try to get more of them elected to state Senate

Kathy Castor puts faith in Senate GOP to resist completely repealing Dodd-Frank

Rick Scott to sign controversial education policy bill

Sharon Day nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica

Florida Power & Light’s sunny future, major solar expansion on track

Ron DeSantis on Morning Joe: shooter may have been beyond change

United in purpose, Miami’s Overtown says ‘move on’ with I-395 project