Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersNovember 20, 2017

New twists in the battle between Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala and Gov. Rick Scott after she agreed to prosecute death penalty cases; Scott is accusing her of missing a filing deadline, and Ayala responding Monday that Scott missed the case, and it will still be filed for capital punishment. “It is absolutely outrageous that Aramis […]

Scott PowersNovember 17, 2017

School districts and colleges in Florida and other states may be in line for some of $1.24 billion in federal support for taking in Puerto Rican children displaced by Hurricane Maria, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy announced Friday. Murphy, a Democrat from Winter Park, has been leading the charge, which has included several other Florida Congress […]

Scott PowersNovember 14, 2017

Medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed anywhere in unincorporated Orange County that pharmacies might go, thanks to a unanimous vote Tuesday evening by the Orange County Commission. After hearing scores of people testify in favor of allowing the dispensaries Tuesday and at a previous commission public hearing on Oct. 31, the board of commissioners decided […]

Scott PowersNovember 13, 2017

The influx of Puerto Ricans evacuating their devastated homes in Puerto Rico are beginning to test the capacities of Central Florida and in particular Osceola County, and more state coordination is needed, a group of local officials told Gov. Rick Scott Monday. Those officials, including Kissimmee Mayor Jose Alvarez, Osceola County Schools Superintendent Debra Pace, […]

Scott PowersNovember 7, 2017

Orange County and Visit Orlando are working on new rules to open the convention and visitors bureau’s business to more public scrutiny, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs told Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran in a letter sent Monday. “We believe that the additional transparency measures we plan to implement will greatly enhance the transparency and […]

Scott PowersNovember 3, 2017

A new non-partisan debate commission is being formed for Orange County and another for Florida to partner in and promote candidate debates ranging from county commission races to statewide races, with planning participation at this point from a wide-range of high-profile Central Florida politicos. Formed by former Orange County Commission candidate Gregory Eisenberg and his […]

Scott PowersNovember 1, 2017

Confusion and concern are mounting as Central Florida governments working with Puerto Rican and Virgin Island evacuees await direction from state and federal officials, leaders of Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties warned Wednesday. In a letter Wednesday to Florida Division of Emergency Management Interim Director Wesley Maul and copied to FEMA Administrator William Long and […]

Scott PowersOctober 31, 2017

State and federal cuts in funding for mental health services are hamstringing funding for Orange County’s primary center to deal with people in crises because of mental health issues, officials told the Orange County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. A 40 percent federal cut in grant money used by local mental health diversion centers means a […]

Scott PowersOctober 31, 2017

Federal and state comprehensive, strategic plans are desperately needed to coordinate services for Hurricane Maria evacuees from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands so that they can best find the services wherever they’re available in Florida, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs warned that someone needs to be coordinating where tens of […]

Scott PowersOctober 21, 2017

Rene Plasencia sees it in the faces of countless Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria refugees when he or someone else says, “we’re here to help you.” A mixture of anguish, relief, pain, joy, fear, confidence, hopelessness, hope — all the emotions of losing everything and traveling to a strange, new place with almost nothing, and then […]

Tag: Orange County
Pastel colored tropical townhomes

Rick Scott, Aramis Ayala battle over missed deadlines in death penalty cases

Stephanie Murphy leads effort to get $1.2B to help schools accept Puerto Rican migrants

Orange County approves medical marijuana dispensaries

Central Florida officials ask Rick Scott for more coordination for Puerto Rico evacuees

Teresa Jacobs tells Richard Corcoran Orange County, Visit Orlando working on transparency

Debate commissions forming in Florida, Orange County

Orange, Osceola, Seminole leaders urge Florida, FEMA to plan better for Puerto Rican refugees

State cuts in mental health funding hamstring Orange County center

Teresa Jacobs expresses frustration over lack of FEMA, state coordination plans to help evacuees

Anguish, relief, fear, hope: Relief efforts serving thousands of Puerto Rico storm refugees