Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 20, 2017

Friday saw Gov. Rick Scott‘s Department of Economic Opportunity release September job numbers for Northeast Florida, a mixed bag in the wake of Irma. The good news, via the DEO: the Jacksonville area’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent in September, down 1.4 points from September 2016. Unemployment rates ranged from 2.7 percent in St. Johns […]

Jim RosicaOctober 19, 2017

The Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus on Thursday called white nationalist Richard Spencer, set to speak at the University of Florida later today, a “a vile, racist, carnival barker.” Spencer’s “traveling circus of ignorance-fueled hatred is inhabited by insecure clowns unable to come to terms with a changing world,” according to a statement. “His ideology is that […]

Staff ReportsOctober 18, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida on Wednesday announced the first round of Florida Disaster Fund grant awards for organizations providing disaster relief following Hurricane Irma, according to a press release. Each recipient organization is receiving $25,000 for disaster response activities. Examples include financial assistance with rent, mortgage and utilities; food, clothing and replacement of […]

Associated PressOctober 16, 2017

Citing past clashes and protests, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday declared a state of emergency in advance of a speech white nationalist Richard Spencer is scheduled to give at the University of Florida. The state’s Republican governor warned in an executive order Monday that a “threat of a potential emergency is imminent” in Alachua County, […]

Staff ReportsOctober 13, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott ordered the U.S. and state flags at half-staff for the late James Ford, Tallahassee’s first African-American mayor. Flags will be lowered at the Tallahassee City Hall and at the Capitol in Tallahassee, from sunrise to sunset on Monday. Ford died Wednesday. He was 91. Ford became Tallahassee’s first black mayor in 1972, serving […]

Jim RosicaOctober 11, 2017

Lawmakers asked lots of questions but didn’t get the answers they wanted Wednesday as a Senate panel tried to get a handle on the state’s new $85 million jobs fund. The Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee heard from Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) head Cissy Proctor on the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund. […]

Jim RosicaOctober 11, 2017

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is asking for an additional $29.3 million in the 2018-19 state budget to build a local office in Pensacola. An FDLE representative told a meeting of the Florida Cabinet Aides on Wednesday that the budget request was being moved from the Department of Management Services (DMS), the state’s real estate […]

Staff ReportsOctober 10, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday directed state agencies to “immediately begin the formal rulemaking process to permanently enact a rule requiring emergency generators at assisted living facilities (ALFs) and nursing homes.” His edict went to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and the Department of Elder Affairs. “An emergency rule adopted Sept. 16 requires all ALFs and nursing […]

Joe HendersonOctober 10, 2017

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One of the media’s highest purposes is to give a voice to the voiceless, like those in the elderly care system. Often that can mean making high-powered people uncomfortable, which brings us to John C. Simmons, president of the Florida Health Care Association. Simmons says it’s unfair for the media to generalize about how nursing homes […]

Staff ReportsOctober 5, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday declared a state of emergency in 29 Florida counties as Tropical Storm Nate seems headed for the state. Scott issued Executive Order 17-262 declaring a state of emergency in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, […]

Tag: Gov. Rick Scott

Jacksonville area sees lower unemployment in September

‘Wicked hatred’: Jewish lawmakers condemn Richard Spencer

Florida Disaster Fund grants awarded

State of emergency declared for white nationalist speech

Flags at half-staff for late Tallahassee mayor

Senators sound skeptical of new state jobs fund

FDLE seeking $29M for new Pensacola regional office

Rick Scott wants generators required at nursing homes

Joe Henderson: Giving voice to voiceless in elderly care

Rick Scott declares state of emergency for Nate