Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, Jan. 3

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Interior Department OKs expanded gambling at Seminole casinos

The U.S. Department of the Interior has approved the gambling compact between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe that would allow blackjack, baccarat and Las Vegas-style slot machines at the tribe’s seven Florida casinos.

 

Florida audit warned of risky investments

An internal audit conducted by the State Board of Administration last year red-flagged the agency for not adequately supervising risky investment decisions by its money managers.

 

Judge refuses to delay Florida presidential primary

A federal judge refused to delay Florida’s Jan. 29 presidential primary Thursday, ruling it’s too late to move the election back because ballots have been printed, polling places arranged and poll workers scheduled for that date.

 

Graham, state board to refile tuition lawsuit tossed by judge

The Florida Board of Governors and several private plaintiffs led by former Gov. Bob Graham plan to refile a lawsuit challenging the Legislature’s authority over tuition and fees at state universities after a judge rejected their initial case Thursday.

 

Giuliani spurns Iowa for Hialeah

Is Rudy Giuliani vying for a key to the city of Hialeah or national security clearance at the White House?  While nearly all of the serious contenders for president make their last-ditch appeals Thursday in Iowa, Giuliani will be 1,500 miles away in Florida’s fifth-largest city.

 

USA Today:  Disasters the ‘new normal’

The 2007 global catalogue of calamities – hurricanes in the Caribbean, droughts in Africa, wildfires in the USA, massive flooding throughout Asia and Africa – reads like a Hollywood disaster script. But these catastrophes were very real for tens of millions of people whose lives were turned upside down.

 

Opinion:  Court was right to throw out Siplin conviction

‘Glory, sweet glory be to God.’ – State Sen. Gary Siplin

Or at least glory be to the 5th District Court of Appeal.

 

WellCare shares rise on hopes for limited probe

Shares of beleaguered WellCare Health Plans Inc (WCG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) rose more than 10 percent on Thursday after an analyst projected that a government probe of the insurer would have limited ramifications.

 

Panel takes a look at sales tax exemptions

Florida’s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, the constitutional agency required to examine the state’s fiscal underpinnings, is taking a generalized look at sales tax exemptions that could include the exemptions on most services.

 

Tax legislation would benefit utility

Florida Power & Light – the second-largest contributor to Gov. Charlie Crist’s tax-cutting campaign – would reap the benefits of legislation the industry is pushing this year, including changes that would make it easier to build transmission lines on state-owned lands and harder for local governments to block new power plants.

 

Spain’s Banco Sabadell to pay up to $70 million for private banking operations in Miami

Spain’s Banco Sabadell said Wednesday it is buying the private banking operations of BBVA in Miami for up to $70 million.

 

Study: Drivers on cells clogging traffic

Drivers talking on cell phones are probably making your commute even longer, concludes a new study.

 

S.C. High Court Says Illegals Have Comp Cover

Illegal immigrants injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, the South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled in the case of an undocumented employee who suffered an eye injury at work.

 

Our position: The incentives given to AirTran so it stays and expands here make sense

State and local officials made a smart decision in cutting a deal with AirTran Airways to maintain its headquarters in Orlando. Central Florida’s economy will reach cruising altitude only if officials seize opportunities to keep or add good jobs in a mix of promising industries.

 

Marsh Splits Regions; Names New Execs

Marsh brokerage is reorganizing amid reports that several executives have quit as the operations are being realigned.

 

Examination Of National Health Carrier Reveals Multiple Problems

Led by the Washington and Alaska insurance departments, state insurance regulators today announced the results of a multi-state market conduct examination of HealthMarkets, Inc. Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia participated in the examination.

 

Ironshore Completes Acquisition of Excess Surplus Shell; Plans Expansion
 
Ironshore Holdings (U.S.) Inc. has completed the acquisition of TIG Specialty Insurance Co., a U.S.-based excess and surplus lines insurance company, from TIG Insurance Co. Subject to regulatory name change approval, the company will be renamed Ironshore Specialty Insurance Co.

 

Buffett’s new bond insurer invited to Rhode Island

In a sign that Warren Buffett’s new bond insurer may find eager customers, Rhode Island has asked the billionaire investor to bring the new venture to the state to help maintain and increase value of its bonds.

 

Car insurance jingle makes top 100 list

It would be unremarkable that the song From Where You Are by Jason Wade, a singer in the band Lifehouse, had cracked the Billboard top 100 list – except that it was written for an Allstate insurance commercial.

 

Consultants to Study Toll Road Ideas

State transportation officials plan a $5.5 million, three-year turnpike research project.

 

OIR Web Site Crash Reported

Several Florida Department of Financial Services Web sites were down Wednesday. They are expected to be working properly today.