Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Author

Gary Fineout - page 16

Gary Fineout has 257 articles published.

Next House speaker: Legislators the enemy, promises change

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Florida state Rep. Richard Corcoran, soon to become one of the most powerful people in state government, delivered a fiery speech on Wednesday where he promised to usher in sweeping changes in everything from schools to legislative ethics and how long judges can stay on the bench. Corcoran, an attorney and one-time top aide to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio when Rubio led the Florida House, told his fellow House Republicans that legislators were the “enemy” because they turn their back…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Gambling or fun? Lawmakers may make call on fantasy sports

in Sports/Top Headlines by

As the NFL season kicks off, another big contest may be soon be played in the halls of the Florida Capitol. The growing fantasy sports industry, which is already subjecting television viewers to a barrage of wall-to-wall advertising with the new football season, is now setting its sights on getting the blessings of the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature. Two rival fantasy sports companies, FanDuel and DraftKings, have joined forces to hire one of Tallahassee’s most prominent lobbying firms led by a…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Pam Bondi goes to Nevada

Drawing on lessons learned after a nightclub massacre last year in Orlando, Attorney General Pam Bondi and members of her

Out of AT&T vs. Harris, Florida sued once again over handling of public records

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Two telecommunications companies contend in a new lawsuit that the administration of Gov. Rick Scott is flouting the state’s public records law. The lawsuit is an outgrowth of a dispute over a nearly $400 million state contract the Scott administration recently awarded to a subsidiary of Florida-based Harris Corp. AT&T and a contractor working with them allege in the lawsuit filed late Thursday that the state agency handling the contract is refusing to turn over emails and documents provided to…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Budget surplus may not be enough to stop spending battle in Legislature

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

As Florida continues to recover from the depths of the recession, the state should have a budget surplus in the coming year, but it may not be big enough to avoid yet another spending battle in the state Capitol. That’s because there may not be enough money for Gov. Rick Scott to cut taxes as deeply as he promised on the campaign trail last year. Scott vowed to cut taxes by $1 billion during the next two years. The annual…

Keep Reading

Power struggle at FAMU after hazing death brings new crisis

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Trustees at Florida A&M University turned to an outsider — and the school’s first female president — to lead them out of the turmoil that followed the hazing death of a Marching 100 drum major. But 18 months later the historic school is facing a new crisis marked by allegations of harassment and insubordination — and complaints from politicians. FAMU President Elmira Mangum is locked in a power struggle with some of her trustees that could short-circuit her tenure at…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

New study finds Florida’s high-stakes school tests valid

in 2017/Top Headlines by

Florida’s new high-stakes test, which came under fire after a chaotic rollout this past spring, is valid, according to a new outside study released Tuesday. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart called the results “welcome news” and said the study showed the test “accurately measures Florida students’ mastery of the standards” in math and reading. “Now all Floridians can share my confidence in the assessment,” Stewart said during a conference call with reporters. But the findings may actually do little to stem…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Long-time prosecutor who investigated Jameis Winston is retiring

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida prosecutor who investigated numerous state politicians and conducted a high-profile probe into rape allegations against Jameis Winston is ending his lengthy career. State Attorney Willie Meggs announced Monday that he would not seek re-election next year when his current term expires. The 72-year-old Meggs has been the lead prosecutor for six North Florida counties since 1985. “I kind of figured all along this would be my last term,” Meggs said. “I’m getting a little long in the tooth.…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 … 14 15 16 17 18 … 37
Go to Top