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Seminole Tribe objects to any about-face on blackjack ruling

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The Seminole Tribe of Florida is opposing the state’s asking a federal judge to reconsider his decision to let the Tribe keep blackjack at its casinos. The tribe filed a legal memo last week in opposition to the state’s motion. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that regulators working under Gov. Rick Scott allowed dog and horse tracks to offer card games that mimicked ones that were supposed to be exclusive to tribe-owned casinos for a five-year period. Hinkle ruled that…

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Assessing Hermine: Citizens Insurance pays $90,000 in storm claims

in The Bay and the 'Burg by

Florida’s insurer of last resort has paid more than $90,000 in Hurricane Hermine claims. That was the tally as of Friday afternoon, with 618 claims still being processed. “Most of the claims have been filed for the Tampa Bay area — relatively far from where the storm landed,” said Michael Peltier, spokesman for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Hermine made landfall early the morning of Sept. 2 in the Panhandle. But Tampa Bay absorbed heavy rainfall, generating insurance claims. Pinellas County…

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Florida voters have hours left to register for primary

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Floridians wanting to vote in next month’s presidential primary have just a few hours left to register. Tuesday is the voter registration deadline for the March 15 primary election. It’s also the deadline for people to switch parties. Florida is a closed primary state meaning that only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in the presidential primary election. Florida’s ballot will feature 13 Republican candidates and three Democratic ones. People wanting to register must be at least 18 years old,…

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While lawmakers starve DOC budget, probationers still pay for supervision

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New documents reveal a legislative attack on a trust fund intended to pay for corrections officer training and equipment, which intensified already aggravated under-funding of the Department of Corrections. The situation has now led to dangerous failures in felon supervision, reports Noah Pransky of WTSP News. In 2004, lawmakers closed the trust fund, although the State of Florida continued collecting millions of dollars from probationers over the last 10 years. As the money went to the general revenue fund, the DOC…

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WTSP: Probation officers outline ‘dangerous’ staffing crisis at DOC

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Staff problems in Florida prisons are bad, but parole officers might have it even worse. Although Florida state prisons have received a lot of attention lately, slashed budgets in the Department of Corrections probation and parole divisions have a potential to cause bigger problems. WTSP/10 Investigates is reporting on a months-long study that found probation and parole officers with many DOC community corrections programs are inadequately prepared to provide court-ordered supervision. While other agencies monitor Florida’s misdemeanor probations, the DOC…

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Death of common sense: State forcing Lakeland hospice to shut down over clerical error

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Time after time, hospice has proven to be a godsend for patients, families and loved ones. Hospice allows individuals to die with dignity, to finish lives without the pain, loneliness and fear that often accompanies death. Outside the sterile environment of a hospital, hospice patients are free from the regimen of invasive procedures typically associated with the (ultimately futile) attempt to prolong life. With the invaluable role of hospice in quality end-of-life care, why then has the State of Florida ordered…

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