Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, October 13
Oct 13, 2010
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Florida officials eye wildfire prevention
People who get paid to start fires to benefit Florida’s conservation land often face a sort of Goldilocks scenario when trying to burn. Some years it’s too wet. Some years it’s too dry. But for the past couple of years, conditions have been just right.
First Coast auto repair shops work to keep odometers turning longer
Some extended warranty insurers are demanding maintenance documentation
Gary Schumacher of RPM Automotive can remember when a car with more than 200,000 miles on it was probably an antique collectible.
Bank of America agrees to cover Jacksonville title company’s costs because of foreclosure errors
Bank of America Corp. has agreed to reimburse Jacksonville-based title insurance company Fidelity National Financial Inc. for any costs incurred by Fidelity because of foreclosure errors by Bank of America.
Homeowners vent at Sarasota corrosive drywall forum
Federal officials preached patience during a public forum on corrosive drywall Tuesday, but frustrated homeowners said they’ve almost exhausted it.
Column: Broward Health to throw brakes on privatization
I’ve spent the last month criticizing North Broward Hospital District commissioners for their hasty and ill-informed decision to authorize the privatization of the tax-subsidized Broward Health system.
Florida Gay Adoption Ban to Remain Overturned, DCF Decides Not to Appeal
Florida’s gay adoption ban won’t be enforced anywhere in the state after the Department of Children & Families decided Tuesday not to appeal the ban’s overturn to the state Supreme Court.
Sink’s audit of ‘Taj Mahal’ courthouse goes to Judicial Qualifications Commission
A scathing audit that accuses 1st District Court of Appeal judges of bullying state officials in order to build a lavish, mahogany-paneled courthouse has been sent to the state judicial disciplinary board.
McCollum says he’s leaning toward voting for Scott
Attorney General Bill McCollum says he’s leaning toward voting for fellow Republican Rick Scott in next month’s governor’s election despite their acrimonious, name-calling campaign.
California Governor Schwarzenegger Endorses Crist In Senate Race
Gov. Charlie Crist lost endorsements from prominent Republicans when he bolted the party for an independent Senate run, but one is sticking by him: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Florida Public Service Commission chair quits early to endorse Alex Sink
Sharp-tongued as ever, Nancy Argenziano exited as chairwoman of the Florida Public Service Commission three months early Tuesday by blistering some of her fellow Republicans as “clowns” and endorsing Democrat Alex Sink for governor.
Blog: Florida Public Service Commission audit — FPL shares customer information with affiliates
A Public Service Commission audit completed this week found that Florida Power & Light, which provides electricity to 4.5 million homes and businesses, provides its unregulated subsidiaries access to its customers.
Florida’s Everglades buyout shrinks to fraction of promised restoration
Two years ago, Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled what looked to be the biggest triumph ever in the somewhat rocky history of Everglades restoration: a $1.75 billion deal to buy out U.S. Sugar lock, stock and sugar mills – and, most important, take over 187,000 acres.
Florida tomato workers to announce deal with growers
A farmworker organization and major Florida grower are expected to announce a new deal to improve worker conditions
Governor Crist: Lifting of drilling moratorium is bad for Florida’s economy, job creation
Gov. Charlie Crist says the lifting of a moratorium on deep water drilling is a threat to Florida’s struggling economy.
Democrats deny rumors Meek is dropping out of Senate race
The state Democratic Party is denying rumors, including published reports, that Kendrick Meek is considering leaving the U.S. Senate race to help prevent Marco Rubio from winning.
National Democrats pulling out of Kosmas race
National Democrats are abandoning the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, deciding Tuesday to cancel plans to spend $650,000 on television ads for the freshman Democrat in the final week before Election Day.
Voters will get chance to embrace or repeal public finance of Florida campaigns
Amendment 1 is giving Florida voters a simple choice: Do you want taxpayer money to pay for political campaigns?
Will Northeast Florida run out of water?
District officials look at the possibility of drawing water from the Suwannee River to help meet growing demand
During the Tampa Bay water wars of the 1990s, one Pinellas County commissioner famously announced, “Keep the Suwannee River cold, because we’re coming for it.”
John Thrasher, Deborah Gianoulis, stake claims at Beaches in Florida Senate race
Gianoulis takes on incumbent Thrasher for seat
Both candidates in the state Senate District 8 race share the same views on issues such as protecting tourism and the environment, and they both call the Beaches area home turf.
California regulator skirted protocol on Iran holdings rule
California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner did not follow proper procedures in calling for insurers to divest themselves of investments in 50 companies that conduct business in Iran, a California agency said Monday.
NAIC Confident Uniform Surplus Lines Distribution Set By November
Recommendations to the states for the collection of surplus lines taxes from insurance regulators should be in place by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ November meeting, said the chairman of the NAIC Surplus Lines Task Force.
Dodd-Frank: Securities and Exchange Commission Drafts Family Office Definition
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a rule that could affect which family offices continue to be exempt from SEC investment advisor registration requirements.
U.S. judge says insurer need not pay indicted financier’s legal fees
Indicted financier R. Allen Stanford can’t use $100 million in Lloyd’s of London directors and officers insurance coverage to pay lawyers to defend him against criminal charges he ran a $7 billion investment-fraud scheme.
NY’s top court weighs ‘life settlement’ case
Attorneys squared off in New York’s top court Tuesday, arguing whether the state law prohibits people from buying life insurance policies and immediately selling them to investors who make money when the insured person dies.
Allstate Eyes Indiana Expansion
Insurer Allstate says it plans to recruit 40 new agency owners in Indiana by the end of next year.
XL Partners with Breed’s Hill for New England Real Estate Coverage
Insurer XL Insurance has partnered with Massachusetts-based Breed’s Hill Insurance Agency, a managing general underwriter, to offer general liability and property coverage for multi-unit apartment buildings, condos and mixed-use real estate risks primarily in the New England.
Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association: Goals Help Banks Sell More Insurance
Banks that establish life insurance sales goals get much higher insurance sales from their sales representatives than banks without goals get.
Trial Lawyers Include Long Term Care Insurance in Report
The American Association for Justice has put “insurance denials” alongside “chemical restraints,” “neglect” and “bed rail deaths” in a report on elderly Americans and the civil justice system.
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