BUDGET TIDBITS GO FROM ALLIGATORS TO ZOOS By JIM TURNER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA The more than 400-page state budget approved this week by Florida lawmakers goes beyond spending on high-profile…
Category: State & National News
Future medicaid funding for Sacred Heart and other safety net hospitals uncertain
While Gov. Rick Scott’s administration has reached agreement with the federal government on as much as $1.5 billion for the Low Income Pool program, the actual amount going to hospitals in the…
Ten Big Issues of 2017 Legislative Session
How much of the heavy lifting got done…. By JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Florida lawmakers gather today at the Capitol to pass a new state budget. But for the…
Medical marijuana deal goes up in smoke
By DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Unable to bridge a gap over how many marijuana dispensaries the state should have, Florida lawmakers Friday failed to pass legislation that would have…
Sen. Nelson in Pensacola today
Sen. Bill Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate’s subcommittee on cybersecurity, will be in Pensacola today to get a firsthand look at the University of West Florida’s Center for Cybersecurity. The…
How would you grade Sean Spicer [podcast]
Yesterday on “Pensacola Speaks,” I asked Jennifer Palmieri, the communications director with the Obama White House and former deputy press secretary in the Clinton administration how she would grade the job performance…
Florida CFO releases open letter as he departs
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater released an open letter today to Floridian as he steps down at the end of the session for a position at Florida Atlantic University: Dear Fellow…
Gaetz: Moderate Republicans holding up health care vote [podcast]
Rep. Matt Gaetz says moderate Republicans seeking more money for their districts are holding the vote on the latest health care bill from the White House. “Well, moderates want more Medicaid money,”…
Putnam, Graham gear up for governor’s race
By DARA KAM AND LLOYD DUNKELBERGER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Ending months of speculation, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam filed papers Monday to run for governor in 2018. The Republican’s entree…
Florida Senate approves Triumph Gulf Coast bill
Kim Wilmes, President & CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest, issued the following statement after the Florida Senate’s unanimous approval of legislation authorizing Triumph Gulf Coast to receive and award $300 million to…
Budget prospects dim as House, Senate feud
We had a phone interview scheduled with Speaker Corcoran that he had to cancel. This is probably the reason for the cancelation. BUDGET PROSPECTS DIM AS HOUSE, SENATE FEUD By BRANDON LARRABEE…
Bydlak 2018? 2020?
Rebekah Bydlak garnered 7.8 percent of the vote in the hotly contested August 2016 GOP primary to replace Congressman Jeff Miller. Coming in fourth in the seven-person race hasn’t driven her away…