Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieOctober 16, 2014

The environment was front and center in Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate even if an electric fan received the most media attention. By now you may know that former Gov. Charlie Crist was on stage for about five minutes at the start of a televised debate without Gov. Rick Scott. That’s because of a dispute over whether […]

Bruce RitchieOctober 9, 2014

The debate season is here. Now maybe we can hear candidates for governor talk about what they plan to do over the next four years rather than what their opponents did years ago. The first debate between Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Charlie Crist is set for Friday at 7 p.m. on Telemundo. The […]

Bruce RitchieOctober 2, 2014

California became the first state in the nation this week to ban disposable single-use plastic shopping bags. The ban is needed, supporters said, to reduce litter and protect birds and sea life from becoming entangled in bags. The ban also prevents bags from clogging storm drains or winding up in landfills. That new law prompted […]

Bruce RitchieSeptember 23, 2014

When Gov. Rick Scott last year announced Florida was suing Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court over water use, he selected a scenic view along Apalachicola Bay that had been purchased with state and local dollars. The Apalachicola Riverfront Park encourages tourism by providing a place where busy seafood festivals are held and where visitors […]

Bruce RitchieSeptember 18, 2014

State Rep. Jimmy Patronis told me more than once that I would miss him after this year when he leaves the Florida Legislature because of term limits. Maybe I won’t be covering him in the Legislature any more. But he’ll still be in Tallahassee. Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday appointed Patronis, R-Panama City, to the […]

Bruce RitchieSeptember 11, 2014

NEW ORLEANS — Kristin Jacobs is carrying a message to Tallahassee and the rest of the nation that South Florida residents are concerned about climate change and sea-level rise and local governments are taking action. Jacobs is a Broward county commissioner who in August won the Democratic primary for Florida House District 96 and faces […]

Bruce RitchieAugust 27, 2014

COTTONDALE, Fla. — Few if any spring-breakers and beach-goers speeding south on U. S. Highway 231 toward Panama City Beach realize they’re passing one of the largest producer of wood pellets in the United States. The wood pellet industry says it’s producing a sustainable alternative energy source and cleaner alternative to coal. But an increasing […]

Bruce RitchieAugust 24, 2014

Environmental issues are becoming high profile in the race for Congress in the eastern Florida Panhandle, as they should anywhere in Florida. U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, is facing Democrat Gwen Graham of Tallahassee in the Nov. 4 general election. The district extends from the white sand beaches of Bay County east, to include […]

Bruce RitchieAugust 10, 2014

Former U. S. Senator Bob Graham was back on the campaign trail this month, and he said he’s loving it. Graham’s daughter, Gwen Graham, is running as a Democrat for Congress against Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City. Last week, she wrapped up an eight-day “Grilling with the Grahams” tour of the congressional district’s 14 counties […]

Bruce RitchieAugust 5, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott can say what he will do if he is re-elected to another four years in office — but not beyond that. In a re-election campaign document released Sunday that the governor is calling his “Keep Florida Beautiful” plan, Scott says he will propose 10-year “investments” to provide $500 million for springs restoration […]

Tag: Bruce Ritchie

Bruce Ritchie: Crist, Scott also got hot over environment, climate change during debate

Bruce Ritchie: Please ask an environmental question during gubernatorial debates

Bruce Ritchie: Florida won’t follow California on bag ban because of 2008 law requiring study

Bruce Ritchie: Gov. Scott is circumventing funding formula for conservation

Bruce Ritchie: Rep. Jimmy Patronis’ appointment to the PSC is no surprise

Bruce Ritchie: Kristin Jacobs says South Florida takes climate change seriously

Bruce Ritchie: Debate heats up about wisdom of burning wood for energy

Bruce Ritchie: Environment is an issue in Panhandle race for Congress

Bruce Ritchie: Bob Graham is back on the campaign trail helping daughter Gwen

Bruce Ritchie: Scott can’t call his environmental promises ‘investments’