Florida,

Latest News on Florida

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Lawsuit by lobbyists challenges Florida law

Source: sptimes.com

Two lobbyists have sued the state to overturn a Florida law except for state legislators from accommodating gifts and the freebies.

Brenda Dickinson of Tallahassee and Vicki Wooldridge of Palm Beach filed the outfit in Leon County on Thursday, claiming the so-called "zero tolerance" law approved during December is unconstitutional.

The lawsuit doesn't target the gift ban, but also provision needed lobbyists to disclose on a quarterly basis what they have been paid by clients.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Central Florida Cardiology Group doubles its space

Source: bizjournals.com

Central Florida Cardiology Group has moved from its 15,000-square-foot to main facility on Colonial Drive new 30,000-square-foot building at 1745 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando.

The new building carries a 5,000-square-foot catheterization laboratory, making it doable for the board-certified physicians to carry out procedures on-site that they before couldn't, such as cardiac catheterizations, coronary angiographies and tangential interventions.

Friday, September 15, 2006

The week on the Florida campaign trail

Source: gainesville.com

Two Republican lawmakers did their part this week to try bringing people for the legislative process by getting picked for a new job.

The departure of state Reps. Jeff Kottkamp, who is Charlie Crist's running pal in the governor's race, and Ken Littlefield, who was named to the Public Service Commission and is predictable to resign to take the post in January, would open up two seats that newcomers can fill.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Insurance refunds will be given to Florida businesses

Source: gulfbreezenews.com

Over $5 million in commercial insurance refunds would be soon returned to Florida businesses. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty today ordered $5.3 million in premium over cost to be returned to commercial policyholders in the state. The overcharges were found in a market conduct examination conducted by the Office of Insurance Regulation.

Universal Underwriters Insurance Company (Universal) should refund premium overcharges in surplus of its filed rates on 526 Unicover policies issued from January 1, 2002 through September 30, 2005.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Scientists Say Earthquake Rare in Florida

Source: forbes.com

Floridians could go back to worrying about hurricanes. Scientists said Sunday's magnitude 6.0 earthquake, which rattled windows from southwest Florida to Louisiana is rare - the leading earthquake in the eastern Gulf of Mexico in 30 years. A seismic jolt powerful enough to do injure or may even unleash a tsunami on the U.S. Gulf Coast is unlikely.

"Hurricanes are always going to be a bigger threat than earthquakes in Florida," said Eugene Schweig, a Memphis, Tenn.-based U.S. Geological Survey geologist one who specializes in East Coast earthquakes.

"Earthquakes are anyways possible anywhere and Florida is no exception," Schweig said. "There is always the possibility of an earthquake in the place you don't expect it."

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Georgia-Florida hoping for safe Cocktail Party

Source: sportingnews.com

Already moving to rid the game of its title as The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Georgia and Florida have decided on measures they hope would cut down on alcohol abuse at their annual football game in Jacksonville, Fla.

The schools need to reduce the accidents and violence that marred the game over the past two years, as well as the deaths of two Florida students.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

NASA props for space shuttle launch from Florida

Source: today.reuters.co.uk

The weather looked positive for Wednesday's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis on a mission to restart the construction of International Space Station for the first time since 2003, NASA officials said on Tuesday.

The forecast had worsened to an extend from Monday, but officials saw only a 30-percent chance of a delay due to clouds and probable to rain around the Kennedy Space Center in central Florida at takeoff time.

Managers at the U.S. space agency intended to reconvene at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday to make a last decision about whether to fuel the shuttle for a launch attempt at 12:29 p.m.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Florida law targets false alarms

Source: sun-sentinel.com

A new Florida law concentrates at dropping the massive number of false alarms that law enforcement officers must investigate requires security companies to call two phone numbers before notifying police.

Studies have proved that at least 95 percent of those calls are false alarms.

The Alarm Association of Florida lobbied for the law partially to stave off any talk that law enforcement will stop responding to alarms altogether. Most false alarms ensue as of user error, said Bob Worthy, the association's treasurer.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Students set for Florida showdown

Source: tallahassee.com

With classes closed for Labor Day on Monday, many Florida State University students would have more time to concentrate on football.

FSU, ranked 10, plays the No. 11-ranked University of Miami at 8 p.m. at the Orange Bowl. Many students by now have figured out their game-night plans.

David Chrzan, 20, thinks it'll be a fine time when he goes to the Wesley Foundation, a United Methodist Campus Ministry, to watch the showdown.

"Football and friends are really exciting," he said.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Cape Coral becoming Florida's pot growing capital

Source: tampabays10.com

Police say Cape Coral is on path to become the state's marijuana grow-house capital.

So far this year the city has situated 34 pot houses. That number can easily grow to 60 by the end of the year. Last year, there were 23 cases.

That's why police are looking to the city to obtain more funding which will put 40 new officers on the streets.

Cape Coral Police Captain Bill Rivers said he anticipates the city would become the number one pot growing location in the state.

The city is taking a violent stance by forwarding the cases to the US attorney and for seizing the properties involved.

Florida holidays