Tuesday's Top Stories

TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 2009

POLK COUNTY:
Mosaic Plans Resort Facility

Mosaic, the last remaining phosphate company in Polk, has announced plans to build a luxury resort facility on more than 16,000 acres of reclaimed mine land west of Fort Meade. The resort project signals a major turning point toward greater development of Mosaic's land for recreational, commercial and residential uses, said Parker Keen, the company's assistant vice president for land management. [Source: Lakeland Ledger]

Also:

• One last big push for phosphate mining [Trend]
• Amelia Island Plantation owner files for bankruptcy [Times]

TALLAHASSEE:
Sansom Spreads Blame for Budget

Former House Speaker Ray Sansom says it was all there for any member of the Legislature to review: millions in taxpayer dollars stuck in the state budget for a Panhandle college. On Monday, Sansom offered that up as his defense against allegations that he damaged public faith in the House through his dealings with Northwest Florida State College — dealings that were not fully known until a year ago this week when Sansom took a $110,000 job at the school on the same day he was sworn in as speaker. [Source: Times/Herald]

MIAMI:
Old and New, Fried and True in Miami

The boiling bubble and troubles in the economic stew will give Miami new dining tastes while sacrificing old ones. Read story from Chris Sherman ... [Source: Florida Trend]

Also:

• Florida's Top 500 Restaurants

A new University of Florida study finds the religious left is emerging as an alternative to the Christian right. Gainesville can be seen as a leading indicator of the trend. Faith-based liberal activism has long been a community tradition, from advocacy for the homeless to protests of executions. "This is a town where there is certainly a religious left," said UF political science professor Ken Wald, who collaborated with two other researchers on the study. The research found that Christians who value being active members of a religious community tended to vote for Democratic candidates in 2006 and 2008. The research contradicts the "God gap" theory that white religious Christians are conservative and likely to vote Republican, Wald said. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Busch Entertainment Sale to Blackstone to Close Dec. 1 [Sentinel]
The multibillion-dollar sale of Orlando-based Busch Entertainment Corp. should be finalized in just two weeks, significantly sooner than initially expected.

› Homes Evacuated as Building Erodes [Palm Beach Daily News]
Oceanfront residents of the Imperial House co-operative were being evacuated Monday because pounding ocean surf threatened to undermine the building's foundation.

› Controversial Cuba Book Can Stay Off Shelves [Miami Herald]
The legal journey is over for a controversial children's book about life in Cuba, which was pulled from Miami-Dade school libraries three years ago.

› Gov. Crist Becomes a Right-Wing Target [New York Times]
Crist, who has been endorsed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is seen by conservatives as too moderate — even liberal — in his judicial appointments and his support of policies like cap and trade for emissions that contribute to global warming and restoring voting rights to ex-felons.

› A 'Flawless Launch' [Palm Beach Post]
Five to go. Atlantis on Monday sent six astronauts on another delivery call to the International Space Station, one of the last. Also: Space Coast leaders propose using Shuttle Logistics Depot for military refurb work

› Ousted Orion Bank CEO Drawing Scrutiny [Naples Daily News]
The Fed has accused Jerry Williams of making $60 million in loans to "straw borrowers" who fronted for another Orion customer already at his loan limit. Williams also filed inaccurate reports and lied to regulators, the Fed claims.

› Judge Backs Enviro Groups, EPA Settlement [Bruce Ritchie]
Judge Robert Hinkle said Monday he will approve a legal settlement that calls for the federal government to set specific water quality standards for nutrients in Florida -- a move that industry groups and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson have opposed.

› Sarasota County Tourism Numbers Give a Lift [Herald-Tribune]
In Sarasota County, hotels and condos reported revenues from rentals rose 2% in September, led by big gains on Siesta Key and in Venice, the first overall increase since August 2008.

› No Agreement on How to Fill 2 Miami Seats [Herald]
As disgraced Commissioner Angel Gonzalez pleaded guilty to abusing his position and officially left office Monday, Gov. Charlie Crist and Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado continued their stalemate over how to fill the sudden crop of empty seats at Miami City Hall.

› Former Times Publisher Marty Petty Joins Creative Loafing [SP Times]
The former St. Petersburg Times publisher has been named CEO of the Tampa-based chain of alternative weekly newspapers, Creative Loafing.


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