Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, February 9

Feb 9, 2010

 

 

To view a complete story, click on a headline below:

 

Another door to fraud opens

Last year, Global Appraisal Solutions of Clearwater hired appraiser John Viscusi to do property evaluations in the New York metro area.

 

Miami Beach banking on red-light runners; cameras to be installed this month

Cash-strapped Miami Beach is hoping newly installed red light cameras will not only make driving safer at certain intersections, but also bring badly needed dollars to city coffers once fines begin early next month.

 

Winter Haven Officials Repeal Fire Inspection Fees

Winter Haven voted Monday night to repeal fire inspection fees they adopted two years ago.

 

Jacksonville’s Main Street America Records Profitable and Busy 2009

The Jacksonville-based Main Street America Group reported its 2009 financial results that included a 1.3 percent increase in net premium to $815 million, an 18.2 percent return on equity, and a 97.4 combined ratio for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009.

 

Lake Ashton Residents Decry Developer Over Drywall

But Loomis and his wife, Joan, are reluctant even to enter the new house they bought three years ago on Snead Drive in Lake Ashton because it is contaminated with defective Chinese drywall.

 

West Palm Beach bans new pain clinics for 1 year; working on rules to regulate existing ‘pill mills’

Following the county’s lead, West Palm Beach commissioners passed a moratorium on new pain clinics at second reading Monday, making the one-year ban official.

 

Florida agencies on trial today

A landmark lawsuit that seeks to rewrite Florida’s Medicaid policy resumed today in Miami, with plaintiffs charging that state agencies’ tendency to switch plans without notice often leaves children with no access to care.

 

Comprehensive Care expands in Florida with Medica contract

Comprehensive Care Corp. was selected as the behavioral health service provider for Medica HealthCare Plans and Medica Health Plan of Florida.

 

THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA:  Florida Attorney General wants in on BOA-Merrill Questioning

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum on Monday said he’s weighing whether to join a lawsuit against Bank of America for duping investors during its controversial takeover of Merrill Lynch in 2008.

 

Blog:  Sink gets fiesty at Cabinet meeting

CFO Alex Sink lambasted the state’s top financial regulator at the Cabinet meeting Tuesday for not aggressively pursing litigation against Bank of America — her former employer — for its deal with Merrill Lynch.

 

Senator Aronberg Files Legislation Shielding Homeowners from Foreclosure End Runs

Greenacres Democrat teams with Rep. Soto in homeowners’ defense bill

As Florida continues to lead in the nation’s housing meltdown crisis, few advocates have emerged to protect homeowners from rapacious Wall Street lending institutions attempting to seize distressed homes under the legal radar screen.

 

Report to Florida legislature targets homeowner associations

Millions of people live under the control of homeowner associations in Florida.

 

Governor Crist Promotes Economic Incentives for Job Creation

Applauds Tampa Bay Tech High School for preparing students for jobs in innovation economy

During a visit to the Florida State Fair, Governor Charlie Crist today emphasized his commitment to growing Florida’s economy through job retention and creation, workforce training, and economic development.

 

CFO Sink Takes Fight for Tougher Senior Investor Fraud Laws Statewide During Weeklong Blitz

Sink Announces Legislation to Increase the Penalties for Agents Misleading Senior Investors

Florida CFO Alex Sink kicked off a statewide blitz today to draw the attention of seniors and legislators to the need for tougher senior investor fraud laws.

 

Bill would exempt public defenders from records law

A bill being sponsored by state Rep. Brad Drake would exempt current and former public defenders from state public records laws.

 

Panel:  Florida jobless rate to hit 12.3 percent this summer

Florida’s unemployment is expected to reach an historic peak, 12.3 percent, by this summer, according to the Economic Estimating Conference, a group of state labor experts who meet quarterly. That’s nearly a half percentage point from the record of 11.9 percent set in May 1975.

 

Murphy Named Insurance Commissioner in Massachusetts

Joseph G. Murphy has been named commissioner of the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.

 

FTC probing CVS Caremark

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating allegations of improper business practices by a firm that provides prescription drug services for health insurance companies that cover most federal employees.

 

Study Shows How Medicare Rewards MDs For Overuse

Medicare’s move in 2005 to pay doctors to do bladder cancer surgery in their offices rather than in hospitals dramatically raised the number of procedures and overall health costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

 

Insolvency Trends – 2010 An Annual Publication of the National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds

Welcome to the 2010 edition of Insolvency Trends. Authored by the legal and public policy staff of the National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds, this paper provides an update on recent events in insolvency law and practice and a look ahead at what is on the horizon in the coming year.

 

Examining storm surge risks

Even without rising sea levels, a quarter of the population could be in the flooded areas if a Category 3 hurricane hit during high tide.

 

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