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THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008
TAMPA:
Presidential Candidates Give Florida Some Love
For Florida Democrats, the long drought ended Wednesday with a downpour, as presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton blanketed the state from Coral Gables to Tampa.
Both candidates had boycotted Florida for months because its Jan. 29 primary broke national party rules, depriving voters of one of the most exciting presidential campaigns in history.
Neither candidate came to grovel.
Obama, closing in on the nomination, aimed to jump-start his long-dormant campaign in the nation's largest swing state with a three-day tour. Clinton, trying to stay afloat for three more contests, swooped in for a quick booster shot of cash and righteous indignation over her uncounted votes in Florida.
[Source: Miami Herald]
More on this topic from Florida Trend:
ORLANDO:
Lou Pearlman Falls From Life of Glitz to 25-Year Sentence
Facing 25 years in prison for his financial crimes, boy-band mogul Lou Pearlman now knows what he has to do:
Find money -- millions of dollars -- to help out the little guys and the retirees financially and emotionally devastated by his investment schemes.
Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp sent that message loud and clear Wednesday in Orlando, offering to reduce Pearlman's sentence by one month for every million dollars he recovers. Sharp called it "the keys to your jail cell."
In an interview after the hearing, the judge also made it clear that Pearlman, the 53-year-old creator of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, has done little to help recover any money.
[Source: Orlando Sentinel]
CORAL SPRINGS:
City First to Win National Award
The City of Coral Springs received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in Washington D.C. recently, the first state or local government in the country to be awarded this presidential honor. President George W. Bush personally congratulated City Manager Michael S. Levinson, Mayor Scott J. Brook, and Vice Mayor Vincent M. Boccard at the White House. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award promotes quality awareness, to recognize quality and business achievements of U.S. organizations, and to publicize these organizations’ successful performance strategies.
MIAMI:
Waterfront Museum Plan Avoids Public Vote
Drawing some criticism for bypassing the public, Miami commissioners stand poised to okay development of two museums at the city's most valuable remaining publicly-owned waterfront property, Bicentennial Park.
The city commission today will decide whether to lease the land under where two new museums would be built to a quasi-government agency, the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority, for well below fair market value.
The authority would then sublease the property to the museums for close to the same amount.
The move would make the authority, and not the city, the landlord -- enabling Miami to bypass a charter amendment that calls for a public vote on development at city-owned waterfront sites.
[Source: Miami Herald]
More on this topic from Florida Trend:
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
›Crist Will Spend Weekend With McCains; VP Talk Abounds [Tampa Tribune]
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and at least two other Republicans who have been widely mentioned as contenders to fill out the Republican ticket this fall are headed to McCain's ranch-compound near Sedona, Ariz., over Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
›Big Test This Weekend for Broward's Cricket Stadium [Sun-Sentinel]
A three-day tournament starts Friday and has a lot riding on it, including a push to generate more buzz around cricket. Organizers hope to attract 30,000 to the $70 million cricket stadium.
›OIA Deal With Airlines Is 'Milestone' [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando International Airport and its biggest airlines are closing in on a new agreement that would give the airport unprecedented freedom over how it raises and spends money -- but also leave it shouldering far more financial risk.
Related: American Airlines to charge $15 for a checked bag
›USF To Cut 450 Jobs; Majors Safe In Budget [Tampa Tribune]
With a warning that class sizes will enlarge and course offerings will tighten, the University of South Florida announced plans Wednesday to cut $50.4 million by eliminating about 450 jobs.
›Florida Revenue Continues Slide in April [AP]
Florida's financial woes continued in April as tax collections fell $91.7 million - nearly 4% - below a recently revised revenue estimate.
It follows a $54 million shortfall in March.
›Critics Attack Progress Energy's Plan to Build Nuclear Reactors [SP Times]
The St. Petersburg utility has yet to sign a contract for its reactors. Its cost estimate remains nonbinding. The utility argued against a spending cap. And Jeff Lyash, Progress Energy president and CEO, said that he couldn't say when he'd pull the plug if costs soared higher.
›Private Insurers Can Take 100,000 Policies From Citizens [Sun-Sentinel]
That brings the number of policies approved for removal this year from the state-backed insurer to about 500,000, the state said Wednesday.
›Third-Grade FCAT Reading Scores Improve in Florida [Palm Beach Post]
In reading, students who score at the lowest level — a one out of five — must repeat third grade. The math scores have no baring on whether a student is promoted.
›Opinion: Sea Grass Mitigation Plan Deserves a Veto [St. Petersburg Times]
Position: Florida shouldn't roll the dice with its coastal environment, and sea grass beds are "nursery areas for much of Florida's recreationally and commercially important marine life," DEP says.
›Biotech Firms Set Cash Record [Miami Herald]
Also: Florida was recently named one of the top five regions targeting biotechnology by Fierce Biotech, a Washington, D.C.-based newsletter,
›State Court Turns Down Death Row Appeal [Palm Beach Post]
The Florida Supreme Court today cleared the way for Mark Dean Schwab's execution by lethal injection on July 1.
›Dade to Improve Cargo Line's Port Terminal [Miami Herald]
The Miami-Dade County Commission approved a new lease for Seaboard Marine at the Port of Miami, which could generate $13 million in annual revenue.
›Winds Fan Lake County Fire Across 1,000 Dry Acres [Orlando Sentinel]
As of Wednesday evening, no homes or structures were damaged, though flames were within a couple hundred yards of several homes,
›Orlando Is Still a Draw for Domestic Visitors in 2007 [Orlando Sentinel]
The number of domestic visitors to Orlando ticked up in 2007, climbing 1.8 percent despite rising gas prices and falling home values.
But tourism promoters said Wednesday the still-weakening U.S. economy will make it difficult for Central Florida to continue that growth this year.
›Gov. Crist Signs Health Insurance Bill [AP]
The new law lets insurance companies offer scaled-back health plans without all the usually required coverage. That might make insurance available to some people for as little as $150 a month.
›Here's the Dirt: Phosphate's Hot [Tampa Tribune]
Two companies with phosphate mining and phosphate fertilizer production in Central Florida have become Wall Street favorites the past year, with shares rising 300% and more as fertilizer prices soar worldwide. From Trend: Phosphate Mining 101
›FAMU Responds to Scathing Report on Its Law School [Tallahassee Democrat]
It points out that it has already hired new professors and has prevailed in three lawsuits filed by students.
›Two Retail Powerhouses Race Over Sarasota's Luxury Market [Herald-Tribune]
It is a high-stakes race, one that could decide who draws the best boutiques and the most well-heeled customers in Southwest Florida.
›Vegas-Style Slots Rolling into Immokalee Casino in June [Naples Daily News]
The switch will bring more games and more profits, for both the players and the Seminole Casino Immokalee.
›DayJet Expanding Its Routes From Sarasota-Bradenton [Herald-Tribune]
DayJet has upgraded the area to its "DayPort" service network, meaning customers can book a private jet flight from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to 45 destinations.
›Anesthesia Firm Sues Bethesda Hospital on Shortfall [Palm Beach Post]
Bethesda Memorial Hospital confirmed Wednesday that it is being sued by the Atlanta company that runs its anesthesia department.
Premier Anesthesia LLC went to Palm Beach County Circuit Court this month alleging that Bethesda Memorial owes the company more than $5.1 million.
›Fish Egg Study May Affect Water Supply [Florida Today]
The researchers' $300,000 study, funded by the St. Johns River Water Management District, could shed light on how much water can be pumped from the river before an ecological meltdown.
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