Karen Cyphers - page 9

Today on Context Florida, Julie Delegal asks why all the talk about Common Core State Standards and lays the ground work in this first of her six part series on the issue.   Also related to Florida education, Gary Stein writes on whether gun violence in schools is a solvable problem, and provides some context on the greater risks of firearm suicides among youths. Then, Daniel Tilson takes another shot at the Republican establishment, suggesting that what “remains of what…

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Here’s something I’m not ashamed to admit: the scheduled 1:00 p.m. release of the Florida Chamber Trade & Logistics Study 2.0 (TL 2.0) is flagged in red on my calendar. Why? Because the first inception of the Chamber Foundation’s study, released in 2010, was a rare case of a study leading to measurable changes in Florida’s job-building mechanisms. Recommendations presented in the 2010 report led Florida to grow state-origin exports to an record $66 billion, and to add 19,600 trade…

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The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) intends to wrap children’s dental services into medical managed care plans when the successful prepaid dental health program sunsets in October 2014. AHCA suggests that wrapping dental services into Medicaid health plans will permit coverage for adults as well as children. But the problem is that the state doesn’t intend to pay any more for dental care than the pittance it does now. Does AHCA expect health plans to spread the already miniscule…

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Darryl Paulson, in a column for Context Florida, explores the changing playing fields in Bay Area politics following Congressman Bill Young’s announced retirement. Paulson shares that Republicans have held Young’s congressional seat since the 1954 defeat of Democrat Courtney Campbell.  Yet in three out of the past four presidential elections, voters in Young’s district narrowly favored the Democratic candidate. Paulson mentions two new names in the Democratic field: Peter Wallace, a St. Pete attorney and former Democratic Speaker of the…

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Today on Context Florida, Darryl Paulson speculates about the candidate field opening up to fill Congressman Young’s seat; and Daniel Tilson says it is time to “get our country back” by giving the “Tea Party shutdown showboats a time-out.” Then, Cary McMullen extends the words of the apostle Paul to residents of Bartow, regarding recent controversy over yard signage and the want of some for yard signage rule exemptions: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.” Finally, Jim McClellan…

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You may already be following Mike Fernandez’s journey as he embarks on 3 million steps to raise $3 million for Miami Children’s Hospital.   His route takes him more than 500 miles across the Pyrenees, from St. Jean Pied de Port, France, through Spain to Santiago de Compostela — a mountainous pilgrimage known as The Way of St. James, or El Camino. Fernandez’s walk is a debt of gratitude following the life-saving open-heart surgery of his 19-month old granddaughter Daniella…

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Today on Context Florida, Jeff Kottkamp shared his personal experience of joining WWII veterans in their Honor Flight to illustrate why veterans should have access to memorials despite the government shutdown. Then, Daniel Tilson states how it is “worth noting that some citizens still don’t know or believe” that Republicans engaged in a voter suppression conspiracy leading up to the 2012 elections.  He ties this history to the ongoing, reinitiated voter purge. Did you know that Florida just earned a…

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