Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, October 21
Oct 21, 2008
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FEMA Aid Comes Late for Some Homeowners
Two months after Tropical Storm Fay, most of the First Coast has bounced back. But people living in two counties are just now getting help.
More than $800,000 in individual FEMA aid approved so far in Leon and nearby counties
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $800,000 in individual assistance in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Taylor and Wakulla counties for damage from Tropical Storm Fay.
Make sure you register for FEMA assistance before Nov. 10
Nov. 10 is the final day for Floridians to register for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance.
Brown & Brown: Revenues Up Even as Insurance Prices Falling
Florida-based insurance agency Brown & Brown, Inc. reported that its total commissions and fees revenues for the third quarter of 2008 increased 8.1 percent over the third quarter of 2007.
Miami doctor, nurse guilty of Medicare fraud
Dr. Ana Alvarez-Jacinto and Sandra Mateos, found guilty by a Miami federal jury Friday, played key roles in an $11 million scam involving HIV-positive patients who received kickbacks in exchange for letting the clinic use their Medicare numbers to bill the federal program.
McCollum Aims To Restrict Licensing For Ex-Convicts
Controversy over ex-convict mortgage brokers reignites today when Attorney General Bill McCollum proposes overhauling professional licensing for felons.
Obama to hold jobs summit in Fla. with governors
Democrat Barack Obama is bringing several GOP-leaning states he’s aiming to win together in one place. A clever campaign trick? No. He’s holding a jobs summit Tuesday in economically precarious Florida, with participation by the governors of several states that went Republican four years ago and for which the Democratic presidential nominee is making a serious play this time around.
Firms sue Florida over law prohibiting fake caller IDs
Two companies claim that a law that makes it a crime to change a caller ID number violates their free-speech rights.
A new Florida law makes it a crime for callers to change the phone number that appears on a recipient’s caller ID system. Legislators believed the practice, called spoofing, was used by pranksters to harass people or, worse, steal their money or their identities.
More machines added to handle early-voting crowds
Voters came out in big numbers across South Florida the first day of early voting — so much so that more machines are being added to handle crowds.
The long lines, boisterous voter rallies and handful of equipment hiccups that marked the first day of early voting Monday could portend a crush of voters through Nov. 4 for a history-making presidential election, Broward and Miami-Dade officials say.
Congressman Meek seethes over long early-voting lines
Congressman Kendrick Meek delivered a strong message from his Miami Gardens office Monday night, outraged at long lines that in some places had people waiting up to five hours to vote.
Florida Reconsiders Allowing Federal Poll Watchers
Sen. Bill Nelson is asking Gov. Charlie Crist to reconsider his administration’s position against allowing federal poll watchers in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and two other counties on Election Day.
District 24 U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Suzanne Kosmas differed on NASA, energy, health care and just about every other issue at Monday night’s candidate forum at Brevard Community College’s Titusville campus.
State Rep. Darryl Rouson’s time in office may have set a record in brevity. When he won a special election for the District 55 seat in March, there were only two weeks remaining in the Legislative session, not much time to accomplish anything worth noting. But he managed to learn how the system works and did a little networking along the way.
Ginny Brown-Waite won’t debate challenger John Russell
Congressional candidate John Russell must feel like he’s campaigning against a ghost.
District 6 race sounds presidential themes
The race to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District sounds strikingly similar to the presidential campaign.
Rep. Tim Mahoney’s wife files for divorce, seeks assets
Terry Ellen Mahoney also claims that in the last two years Tim Mahoney dissipated marital assets and asks for a full accounting of the transactions so that she can collect her share.
AT&T’s Criser to Chair Florida Chamber of Commerce
The membership of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state’s largest business association, has selected Marshall M. Criser, III, president, AT&T Florida, as 2008-2009 chair of the Board of Directors. The Florida Chamber Board of Directors is the principal governing and policy making body of the Florida Chamber.
Open government panel to discuss recommendations
Florida’s Commission on Open Government is nearing the completion of its recommendations.
Opponents of Hometown Democracy proposal question whether it will make it to 2010 ballot
Opponents of a constitutional amendment that would require a public referendum for any changes in county comprehensive plans hooted at claims by proponents, who claimed to have reached their petition-signature goal today.
10 Tampa Bay area business leaders to watch
Who are these folks? They and others make up our latest “Ten People To Watch” list of Tampa Bay business innovators and managers fighting the status quo and toughing it out in this especially challenging economy.
NAIC to Work With EU on Global Solvency Standard
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) will be working closely with the world’s insurance regulators in developing and expanding a global solvency standard in monitoring insurance companies, the association said.
New York Insurance Chief Seeks Contract Certainty for Large Policies
New York officials are putting pressure on insurers and brokers to sew up the details of most large commercial insurance policies and deliver finished contracts to customers within 30 days of inception to avoid uncertainty over contracts.
What Keeps Independent Agents Awake at Night? Commissions Just One of Several Concerns
Independent insurance agents and brokers are concerned about the future of contingent commissions, according to a recent survey.
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