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'Awake the State' Rallies Expand to 29 Venues; Tea Party Focuses on Tally

Submitted by Anonymous on March 4, 2011 - 2:15pm

Government workers, pro-union organizers and liberals of all stripes say they have added a dozen rallies to their roster of demonstrations planned for Tuesday.

The "Awake the State" website hosted by Progress Florida upped its total to 29 scheduled rallies across the state, including a second gathering in Tallahassee.

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Both Sides Rail on About High-Speed Ruling; Scott Touts 30,000 New Jobs

Submitted by Anonymous on March 4, 2011 - 1:46pm

While state Sen. Paula Dockery was bitterly tweeting her "congrats" to New York and California as prospective recipients of federal high-speed rail money turned down by Rick Scott, the governor was busy creating new jobs in South Florida.

The governor announced that the state has allocated $77 million to complete dredging at the port of Miami, enabling the port to accommodate super-sized ships that will be coming through a widened Panama Canal.

Spokesman Brian Burgess said the governor was delivering a better return on investment:

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Cloudy Forecast for Bright Futures

Kenric Ward

March 3, 2011 - 6:00pm

Amid spiraling costs, Florida's "Bright Futures" scholarships will be under the gun again at the 2011 Legislature -- riddled by funding raids and what some call lax eligibility rules.

The program, which once granted tuition-free rides to Florida's top high-school graduates, is moving deeper into a financial hole. Its founder says some of that hole has been dug by legislators who, he charges, have shifted away lottery funds earmarked for education.

Launched in 1997 with a price tag of $70 million, Bright Futures' budget has soared to $437 million, and climbing.

Supreme Court Slaps Down High-Speed Rail Appeal

Kenric Ward

March 3, 2011 - 6:00pm

The Florida Supreme Court on Friday rejected the lawsuit of two state senators seeking to overturn Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funds.

The unanimous decision came after less than an hour of oral arguments Thursday at the court, where justices peppered the senators' attorney with skeptical questions.

In its one-page ruling, the court said the plaintiffs did not give the justices any reason to reverse Scott's decision.

Gov. Rick Scott Pledges $77 Million for Miami Port Dredging

Submitted by Kevin Derby on March 4, 2011 - 10:53am

In an effort to get the Miami Port ready to accept larger ships ahead of the widening of the Panama Canal in 2014, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday that he plans to use $77 million in state funds to make up the shortfall needed to dredge the port.

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'Destination' Casinos Bill Filed in Senate

Submitted by Kevin Derby on March 4, 2011 - 10:43am

A bipartisan bill has been filed in the state Senate that would allow the construction of destination casino resorts in Florida.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, and Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, would allow for one destination resort in five different districts, and create a Destination Resort Gaming Commission to regulate gambling in the state. The bill's sponsors say the new casino resorts could bring in up to 5 million new visitors to Florida every year, who will spend in surrounding areas, spurring the state economy.

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You Go, Gov. Rick Scott, Take That Federal Health Grant Dough

Submitted by Nancy Smith on March 4, 2011 - 10:12am

The Huffington Post is all over Florida Gov. Rick Scott Friday morning because he bad-mouths the president's health-care reform but is happy to take the money it provides. Check out the story for yourself.

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High Court Rejects Suit That Attempted to Overturn Scott on High-Speed Rail

Submitted by Anonymous on March 4, 2011 - 10:10am

The Florida Supreme Court on Friday rejected two senators' lawsuit seeking to overturn Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of high-speed rail funds.

The unanimous ruling came after less than an hour of oral arguments at the court Thursday afternoon.

See Full Story here

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Shades of George and Teddy: Barack and Jeb Get Together on Education in Miami; Scott Sticks With Business

Submitted by Anonymous on March 4, 2011 - 9:37am

Jeb Bush will accompany President Barack Obama on a tour of Miami Central High School Friday afternoon.

The bipartisan get-together evokes memories of Jeb's older brother collaborating with Ted Kennedy to co-sponsor the No Child Left Behind initiative.

Jeb Bush, who chairs the Tallahassee-based Foundation for Excellence in Education, says he has found common ground with the Obama administration on K-12 testing and accountability measures -- teacher unions notwithstanding.

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Sunshine State News Marks Breakthrough First Year

Nancy Smith

March 3, 2011 - 6:00pm

A year ago Charlie Crist was a Republican, Marco Rubio was lying in the weeds in Miami and Bill McCollum was so far ahead in the governor's race he struck a pose and fell asleep.

What fun 2010 was. Sunshine State News came along at just the right time.

We had no idea last March that a staunchly conservative, anti-establishment revolution was about to turn Florida government upside down.

We certainly fit right in -- if not in the Capitol press corps, at least in the temper and tumult of the day.

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