Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, August 27
Aug 28, 2008
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14.1% Drop In Fla. Comp Rates Proposed
Workers’ compensation insurance rates in Florida would see an overall average decrease of 14.1 percent statewide under the latest proposed rate filing, it was announced.
State Farm Florida officials said Tuesday that they were reviewing the ruling by the state Office of Insurance Regulation that denied a 47.1 percent average rate increase.
State Testing Air In Homes Near St. Pete Raytheon Plant
The Florida Department of Health has begun testing indoor air quality in homes surrounding the Raytheon defense plant in St. Petersburg.
Risk Mitigation A New Epcot Attraction
A demonstration of how homes can be made stronger to withstand weather events opened yesterday as an entertainment attraction at Disney World amusement park in Orlando, Fla.
Rising Star Sink Stays Grounded
On Monday, opening day of the historic Democratic National Convention in Denver, Alex Sink, widely considered Florida’s rising Democratic star, was nowhere near the Colorado city.
Tropical Storm Fay triggered at least 13,847 insurance claims.
Governor’s Office wants to get FEMA help to Big Bend ‘as quickly as possible’
The process for Big Bend residents to be eligible for federal assistance in the wake of Tropical Storm Fay is underway.
Baker, Bradford, Collier, Gadsden, Glades, Hardee, Hendry and Union to receive Public Assistance following Tropical Storm Fay
Additional Florida counties are now eligible for Individual Assistance as a result of the flooding rains and severe weather caused by Tropical Storm Fay.
Sinkhole forces more evacuations; Volusia declared fed disaster
With damage from Tropical Storm Fay expected to top $13 million locally, President Bush declared Volusia County a major disaster area Tuesday and opened the way for financial assistance for flooded homeowners.
Waters rise as recovery funds flow
Flood victims can apply for federal money to repair damages from Tropical Storm Fay under a decision announced Tuesday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
EDITORIAL: Pay for ’75-year event’ after what Fay dumped
‘Hurricane Irene was our wake-up call,’ says Boynton Beach City Manager Kurt Bressner. He wasn’t here for the October 1999 storm that dumped 10 inches of rain on the city and flooded neighborhoods. But he’s been here for the flood-prevention projects the storm prompted. They have cost Boynton Beach $21.5 million, with another $6 million or so to go.
EDITORIAL: Big win for Florida
Florida insurance regulators sure brokered an amazing settlement with Allstate Corp. this month, one that raises suspicions about other companies’ requests for property insurance rate increases.
A “medical city” in southeast Orlando will include a cluster of facilities for research, education, treatment and commerce. The site is part of the 7,000-acre Lake Nona development.
One in five Floridians still uninsured despite national, statewide declines
One of five Floridians still doesn’t have health insurance, the third-highest rate in the nation, even though the state and the nation last year both had declines in the ranks of the uninsured, according to a report Tuesday from the Census Bureau.
Posey and Blythe Win Primaries in Congressional District 15
Republicans had a clear winner Tuesday in the 15th Congressional District race while Democrats had a closer contest.
Detert narrowly beats Grant in GOP primary for state seat
Longtime Venice politician Nancy Detert overcame a significant fundraising disadvantage to narrowly win the Republican primary for the District 23 Senate seat Tuesday.
Former Rep. Chris Smith appears headed back to Florida Legislature
A familiar face will likely return to the Florida Legislature: Former House Democratic Leader Chris Smith. He won the primary for the Senate seat in District 29 and faces only nominal opposition from a write-in candidate in November.
Fresen leads Perez in close race in House District 111
GOP hopeful Erik Fresen has the edge over Rafael Perez in the contest for the seat being vacated by Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio. But candidates remained reluctant to call the race very late Tuesday.
After hours of suspense because of slow results, Erik Fresen edged Rafael Perez by a few hundred votes in the closely watched, well-financed and highly competitive Republican primary for outgoing Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio’s seat.
Keller will face surprise Democratic winner Grayson in November
U.S. Rep. Ric Keller barely held off a lesser-known and mostly self-funded opponent in the Republican primary Tuesday, raising questions about whether the four-term incumbent could survive his Democratic challenger in November.
Kosmas, Feeney showdown set; Armitage moves ahead for Mica’s post
Voters in Tuesday’s primary set up a much-anticipated general election showdown to see who will represent the 24th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rooney will face Mahoney in former Foley seat
Former Army officer Tom Rooney edged out a victory in Tuesday’s Republican primary and will face freshman Democratic U.S. Rep Tim Mahoney, who captured his seat after Rep. Mark Foley resigned amid an Internet teen sex scandal.
Barring an unlikely upset by a write-in candidate, Kelli Stargel is bound for Tallahassee.
Steinberg defeats Geller for Legislature
In a race that pitted two political veterans with family ties to the state Legislature against one another — Miami Beach Commissioner Richard Steinberg seemed poised for victory Tuesday night.
They’re re-elected without having to face the voters
They’re returning to office, but these elected officials whose districts are entirely or partially in Broward didn’t have to face the voters on Tuesday and won’t be on the ballot in November.
Endorsements, bloodlines no help for many in state races
The power of Gov. Charlie Crist’s endorsement proved to be a mixed bag on Tuesday as one Crist-backed candidate was headed for victory while another went down to defeat.
Fall Hotbeds in Florida Produced Close Primaries Tuesday
Tuesday’s primary to decide the nominee for the Republicans’ top-priority House takeover bid in Florida — and one of its biggest in the nation — also produced the closest race. In late returns, Republican lawyer Tom Rooney, an Army veteran and member of the family that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, narrowly led state Rep. Gayle Harrell at the top of a three-candidate Republican primary race in Florida’s 16th District.
Recount looms for Southeast Broward Senate race
A tiny margin between candidates seeking to replace Senate Minority Leader Steve Geller made a recount appear likely.
In South Florida’s most bare knuckle state primary, a razor-thin electoral margin kept three former state representatives in suspense throughout the night as they waited to see out who would claim the southeast Broward Senate seat.
A look at First Coast state House races
In a showdown between two former City Council members, Mia Jones came out on top.
Buchanan’s dealerships file two additional lawsuits
Two car dealerships owned by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan have filed more lawsuits against consumer advocate Duane Overholt as well as complaints against a former customer of Sarasota Ford and a former finance manager of Venice Dodge.
FPL wants nuclear power to be counted as alternative energy
Florida Power & Light officials told state regulators today that nuclear power should join solar and wind as a renewable energy source in Florida.
Senator urges review of Medicare payment errors
Sen. Chuck Grassley wants a follow-up review of Medicare’s 2007 payment error rate because of irregularities in the previous year’s audit.
The ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee overseeing Medicare has demanded a ”full accounting” of how the agency underestimated the extent of fraud, abuse and waste in a 2006 audit of the medical equipment industry.
New York Workers’ Comp Rates to Drop 5 Percent
Premiums for workers’ compensation insurance in New York will drop 5 percent in 2009, said Gov. David Paterson, marking the second straight annual decline since landmark reform legislation was passed in 2007.
Kentucky Approves Workers’ Comp Loss Cost Reduction of 5.1%
A 2008 filing most insurance carriers will use to develop rates for workers’ compensation coverage shows the third straight decrease in loss costs, Insurance Commissioner Sharon P. Clark announced.
California Commissioner Proposes Pay-As-You-Drive Regulations
California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has proposed regulations that would make green auto insurance option available for California consumers. If implemented, pay-as-you-drive auto insurance would allow motorists to more accurately pay for the coverage they need, by linking their premium more closely with the number of miles they drive.
3 years after Katrina, rebuilding effort confronts obstacle
Marsha Williams had always hesitated when mail arrived from the government. After Hurricane Katrina, she began to fear the letters.
As American drivers prepare to fill up their gas tanks for what is regarded as the last long weekend of summer, many hopeful winners of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE — a multimillion dollar competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles — are laboring away in their garages and test facilities, with the shared goal of finding a solution that will make filling up that gas tank much less painful on the wallet in the coming years.
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