Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, July 9

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Proenza out as hurricane center chief

National Hurricane Center Director Bill Proenza lost his job today, in response to an unprecedented and unseemly mutiny that left him without significant support from his employees in South Florida or his bosses in Washington.

 

Weston mayor challenges tax amendment

Eric Hersch, the mayor of Weston, has asked the Florida Supreme Court to pull the constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature on property taxes, saying it contains a ”misleading” ballot summary, an improperly scheduled election date and interferes with local government authority to levy property taxes.

 

Bob’s back

In 1980, then-Gov. Bob Graham vetoed The Postsecondary Education Act, an ill-conceived attempt to remake the State University System in some politico’s image.

 

TSR Revises Hurricane Season Risk Downward

A hurricane forecaster has lowered the threat for this year’s hurricane season slightly, saying that chances are less than half that this season will be above normal.

 

Toiling in Tallahassee: Who were Broward’s legislative achievers?

This year, thanks to a new governor and calls for bipartisanship from state political leaders, Broward’s heavily Democratic legislative delegation had a louder voice than usual in the Republican-dominated Capitol.

 

William Poe Reflects On Collapse Of Tampa-Based Insurance Firm

TAMPA – He built one of the nation’s largest insurance companies only to watch it crumble in a series of events he couldn’t control.

 

SRA to Manage 2 Health-Care Data Banks for HHS

SRA International of Fairfax won a $68.6 million contract from the Health and Human Services Department to manage two data banks that collect information on medical and dental malpractice, improper payments and licensing issues.

 

A Battle Over Expansion of Children’s Insurance

The fight over a popular health insurance program for children is intensifying, with President Bush now leading efforts to block a major expansion of the program, which is a top priority for Congressional Democrats.

 

EU partners try to slow Sarkozy push for IMF nominee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – France’s European partners sought on Monday to put the brakes on its drive to nominate former Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn as next head of the International Monetary Fund.

 

Sheehan considers targeting Pelosi

Might run or start impeachment case

CRAWFORD, Texas — Six weeks after announcing her departure from the peace movement, Cindy Sheehan said yesterday that she plans to run against Nancy Pelosi unless the House speaker introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.

 

Crist dismisses VP speculation as “silly talk”

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stirred up speculation that Gov. Charlie Crist will be on his list of potential running mates, but Crist dismissed the idea Sunday as “silly talk.”

 

Michael Peltier: GOP warms up to global warming summit in Miami

TALLAHASSEE — Although Miami is expected to escape the searing heat felt by much of the country over the next week, temperatures may rise as scientists, politicians, environmentalists and scores of journalists convene to discuss global warming.

 

Commissioner McCarty Issues Cease And Desist Order To Unlicensed Viatical Settlement Provider

Tallahassee – Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty issued a Cease and Desist Order to Great West Growth, LLC of Minneapolis, Minnesota ordering Great West Growth to cease operating as a viatical settlement provider in Florida.

 

Generators Won’t be Ready for Storms

TAMPA – Most of the backup generators that lawmakers promised would be installed in hurricane shelters for the state’s most fragile residents by the start of hurricane season have not been installed and won’t be until the season is over, authorities said.

 

Free ride for getting rescued could soon disappear

Roughly 4,000 times a year — or about 11 times per day — Davie’s police and fire departments respond to car crashes on interstates and state roads within the town’s borders.

 

Renew no-fault 

Demise of PIP will create health care crisis

We dislike special sessions of the Legislature as much as anyone. They’re expensive extensions of legislative deliberations that should have been accomplished in the annual two-month regular session.

 

South Florida accounting firm to pay $3.5 million in Mutual Benefits collapse 

Client cheated investors out of $830 million
 
A South Florida accounting firm is responsible for $3.5 million to settle claims that it was negligent in auditing the financial statements of Mutual Benefits Corp., a defunct Fort Lauderdale firm that cheated thousands of investors out of $830 million.

 

Unqualified Financial Advisers Plague Elderly

Elderly clients thought they had every reason to trust Michael DelMonico as a financial counselor. After all, the Massachusetts insurance agent had become a “Certified Senior Adviser” in 2002, a credential he made sure to advertise on fliers sent to retirees.

 

Tobacco Taxes May Go to Child Health

WASHINGTON — The nation’s 45 million smokers will probably help pay for the spending increase that Democrats want for children’s health insurance, say analysts familiar with deliberations on Capitol Hill.

 

For annuity investors, living benefits are a safety net

My wife, Georgina, has spent close to $4,000 the past two years for “investment insurance” she didn’t need. But because this insurance gave her the confidence to put more money in stock funds, her investments, even with the insurance cost, are worth $40,000 more than they would have been with her former ultraconservative portfolio.

 

Frank Angones takes reins of Florida Bar

The Florida Bar’s new president, Frank Angones, has chalked up many distinctions during his long career.

The Miami attorney, who fled Cuba at age 10 through the Catholic Church’s Pedro Pan program for unaccompanied minors, was the youngest attorney to become president of the Cuban-American Bar Association and the first Hispanic to be elected president of the Dade County Bar Association.