Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 5, 2018

Mike Carroll, who stepped down last month as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families, has been named to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. Gov. Rick Scott‘s office announced the appointment on Friday. Carroll, 57, now is Executive Vice President of Lutheran Services of Florida. Carroll is actually returning to the panel; he […]

Jim RosicaAugust 28, 2018

Rebecca Kapusta will become interim Secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) after the resignation of Secretary Mike Carroll, who’s leaving the post Sept. 6. Gov. Rick Scott announced the move Tuesday afternoon. He did not say when he expected to name a full-time replacement, if any; the term-limited governor departs office in […]

Peter SchorschAugust 25, 2018

The work of the Constitution Revision Commission is under attack in the courts. And that’s fair, according to Brecht Heuchan, who led the CRC’s drafting process. “I’m not mad about the lawsuits,” he told us. “That’s what people do when they feel aggrieved.” But a new effort spawned this week encouraging Floridians to opt for […]

Peter SchorschAugust 18, 2018

Rick Wilson, the Tallahassee-based Republican operative whose moonshot to the spotlight accompanied his unwithering criticism of President Donald Trump, came home this week. His landing spot: The capital city’s Midtown Reader bookstore, to read from and discuss his new best-selling book, “Everything Trump Touches Dies.” “This process started a little bit as catharsis,” Wilson told […]

Peter SchorschAugust 11, 2018

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Charter chalks a win The Leon County School District suffered a bruising defeat this week when an appeal panel unanimously recommended the state overturn the county’s decision to block a new charter school from setting up shop in the county. The Charter School Appeal Commission, composed evenly of traditional public and […]

Guest AuthorAugust 10, 2018

Serving as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families is the second most challenging job in Florida government. Day or night, you never know what agonizing tragedy will confront your staff and community partners. Public servants of Mike Carroll’s high integrity, breadth of knowledge and deep compassion are difficult to replace. We are about […]

Jim RosicaAugust 10, 2018

Mike Carroll, Secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), will quit his post effective Sept. 6, Gov. Rick Scott‘s office announced Friday. “Mike embodies the ideals and mission of the Department … and has devoted nearly three decades to improve and change the lives of Florida’s vulnerable children and families,” the governor said […]

Peter SchorschAugust 4, 2018

Every July Fourth, Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston reads a copy of the Declaration of Independence reprinted in the Tallahassee Democrat. “I always sit in the morning with a cup of coffee and read back through that,” Polston told members of the Economic Club of Florida in Tallahassee this week. “I just enjoy doing […]

Peter SchorschJuly 28, 2018

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With a brow-raising $89.3 billion for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the state appropriated the largest budget in Florida history, a $4.36 billion increase from last year. Those big numbers make Florida TaxWatch’s recently released Taxpayer’s Budget Guide all the more valuable. Authored by the watchdog group’s vice president of research, Kurt Wenner, the interactive series […]

Peter SchorschJuly 21, 2018

Clouds are brewing over the journalism industry, but the long-term forecast is promising. That’s according to Diane McFarlin, the former publisher of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and current dean of the University of Florida College of Journalism. She delivered a media ‘forecast’ to an audience of UF alumni in Tallahassee this week. In the short term, […]

Tag: Department of Children and Families

Former DCF Secretary Mike Carroll appointed to state public safety panel

Personnel note: Rebecca Kapusta made interim DCF Secretary

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Second-guessing the CRC

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Hustlin’ 45

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Charter chalks a win

Jack Levine: With integrity and compassion, Mike Carroll will be hard to replace

Mike Carroll quits as head of Florida’s child-welfare agency

Takeaways from Tallahassee — A justice talks civics

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Budget breakdown

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Weathering the storm