The Florida Independent

Posts Tagged Charlie Crist

As polls open, Gingrich and Romney continue to trade barbs

By | 01.31.12 | 10:18 am

Because of its diversity, the Sunshine State is often though of as a microcosm of the rest of the country — and from the I-4 corridor to Miami’s Little Havana, all eyes are on voting booths today. Polls have officially opened and, despite polls showing a big lead for Mitt Romney, attacks on his opponent, Newt Gingrich, were relentless.

Gingrich announces Florida campaign leaders

By | 12.20.11 | 1:18 pm

GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich today announced campaign chairs and co-chairs for all of Florida’s 67 counties.

GOP Senate candidate says he opposes immigration detention center for South Florida

By | 12.08.11 | 2:29 pm

GOP Senate candidate George LeMieux issued a statement today opposing a publicly funded, privately managed immigration detention center to built in South Florida.

New bill would charge bottled water companies that pump from Florida springs

By | 11.30.11 | 8:02 am

State Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston, has filed a bill to “collect a modest fee from bottled water companies that derive extravagant profits for the privilege of pumping millions of gallons of water daily from Florida’s springs and other water bodies.” Sands’ filing of House Bill 781 comes after public criticism over water bottling giants’ current ability to extract — without charge — water for commercial purposes.

Amid ‘pill mill’ crackdown, budget cuts hit programs for drug-addicted women, babies

By | 11.29.11 | 8:00 am

As legislators crafted new laws to shut down so-called “pill mills” around the Sunshine State, they also slashed funding for the public health programs positioned to help prescription drug-addicted women and babies. That has left programs like Healthy Start — which has seen the number of drug-addicted babies in the state quadruple in five years — scrambling for help.

Lobbying disclosure data shows Automated HealthCare’s ongoing influence

By | 11.18.11 | 9:02 am

A new report by the Florida Current examines the earnings of top legislative lobbying firms in Florida, which have increased since last year. Among the companies to have spent the most on lobbying is Automated HealthCare Solutions, a group whose co-chairmen have become fixtures on the political scene. According to the Current, Automated HealthCare has posted minimum lobbying expenditures greater than $300,000.

Republican congressman Connie Mack will run for U.S. Senate

By | 10.27.11 | 9:46 am

Rep. Connie Mack, R-Naples, will enter the Republican Senate primary, one of his advisers announced Wednesday.

Prescription drug database officially goes live today

By | 10.17.11 | 3:37 pm

A statewide prescription drug monitoring program is finally set to go live today — years after it was first championed by state legislators and former Gov. Charlie Crist.

State Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay (Pic by Mark Foley)

State legislator wants to know who paid for charter school summit

By | 08.22.11 | 3:53 pm

Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, is demanding that the state Department of Education investigate the costs of the annual summit of Charter Schools USA, held in Orlando last week and attended by Gov. Rick Scott.

Michelle Rhee with Gov. Rick Scott (Pic via flgov.com)

Scott, Rhee to speak at Charter Schools USA summit in Orlando

By | 08.18.11 | 10:56 am

Gov. Rick Scott — a strong supporter of publicly funded, privately run charter schools — speaks today at the annual summit of Charter Schools USA in Orlando.

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