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Privatizing Prisons Backed in Senate Rules Committee

January 22, 2012 - 6:00pm

Lawmakers on the Senate Rules Committee, after a contentious three-hour hearing Monday, supported the two bills -- SB 2036 and SB 2038 -- aimed at privatizing some correctional facilities and outlining how such efforts for other state agencies could be handled in the future.

Before a room packed with correctional employees opposed to the bills, senators on the committee back the effort, saying privatization will help the Legislature working to craft a budget that faces a $1.4 billion shortfall from the current year.

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January 23, 2012 - 6:00pm

NFL Blackout Ban Advances as Amendment in Senate Committee

Submitted by Anonymous on January 23, 2012 - 2:53pm

An effort to block the NFL from blacking out televised games played at publicly supported stadiums in Florida got the backing after being amended to another bill -- of the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Monday.

The initial bill by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, SB 836, would fine teams that benefit from public dollars $125,000 each time a game is blacked out.

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Ron Paul Takes Aim at TSA, Vows to Eliminate It

Submitted by Kevin Derby on January 23, 2012 - 1:11pm

With his son, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., involved in an incident with the Transportation Security Administration at an airport on Monday morning, Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas came out swinging at that federal agency.

The police state in this country is growing out of control.One of the ultimate embodiments of this is the TSA that gropes and grabs our children, our seniors, and our loved ones and neighbors with disabilities. The TSA does all of this while doing nothing to keep us safe, Paul said in a statement on Monday.

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Newt Gingrich Leads Mitt Romney in Florida

Kevin Derby

January 22, 2012 - 6:00pm

A new poll finds that former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, fresh from his win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, now heads the field of Republican presidential hopefuls in Florida leading up to the Jan. 31 primary.

St. Johns County Ranked Top School District in Florida

Submitted by Anonymous on January 23, 2012 - 10:39am

St. Johns County, followed by Santa Rosa, Martin, Sarasota and Gilchrist counties, topped the list of the state's 67 school districts, according to the Florida Department of Education.

The numerical ranking is based on each districts total points derived from FCAT scores.

Madison County stood at the bottom of the list, below DeSoto, Hamilton and Jefferson counties.

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Newt Gingrich Now Leads Mitt Romney in Florida

Submitted by Kevin Derby on January 23, 2012 - 10:27am

A new poll finds former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, fresh from his win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, now leads the field of Republican presidential hopefuls in Florida.

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Mitt Romney's Team Hits Newt Gingrich on Freddie Mac

Submitted by Kevin Derby on January 23, 2012 - 8:56am

With Newt Gingrichs big win in South Carolina, the team behind Republican presidential primary rival Mitt Romney is taking aim at the former congressional leader. As the race heads to Florida, the Romney camp slammed Gingrich for his work in the Beltway after leaving Congress.

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Can Newt Gingrich's Pugilistic Politics Win Florida?

Nancy Smith

January 22, 2012 - 6:00pm

Newt Gingrich's verbal pyrotechnics won the day in South Carolina, but can the resurgent former speaker of the House overcome Mitt Romney's big lead in Florida and repeat the miracle here?

Putnam to Read Florida Ag-based Kids' Book to Third Graders

Submitted by Anonymous on January 22, 2012 - 6:43pm

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will read to third-grade students at Kate Sullivan Elementary School in Tallahassee on Monday morning before heading to the Capitol to outline his energy plan to a Senate committee.

Putnam, and other volunteer readers across Florida taking part in Celebrate Literacy Week, will read Healthy Florida Farm, a book written by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in which Florida farmers offer nutritious foods to schools, according to a release from the department.

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