From: THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
[info@newsserviceflorida.com] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 6:09
PM To: NSFExclusive: Subject: ADVANCES: WEEK OF JULY 11,
2010
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THE CAPITOL, TALLAHASSEE, July 9, 2010…It’s a
calm before the storm week as lawmakers start making plans to return to
Tallahassee for a special session later in the month – though many of them have
no interest in being here. Posturing is likely to continue over whether
lawmakers will do what Gov. Charlie Crist wants and pass a constitutional ban on
oil drilling in state waters, or whether they’ll resist, giving him no drilling
satisfaction but plenty of campaign talking points.
It’s also suddenly a
more important week for legislative fundraising – with the lengthened quarter
for state candidates coming to a close on Friday – and with four days the
following week during which fundraising won’t be permitted for legislative
candidates because of the session. The reporting deadline for federal
candidates, whose quarter ended June 30, is this week, on Thursday.
PSC Gov. Charlie Crist this week will pick two new Public Service
Commissioners, to fill the spots vacated by David Klement and Steve Stevens, who
were kicked off the panel by the Senate, which didn’t confirm them. Crist has
until Thursday to make his choices, picking from a list provided by a nominating
council.
UNEMPLOYMENT The big economic news this week will come from
the Agency for Workforce Innovation, which will announce June unemployment
numbers on Friday morning. Economists (and politicians) are waiting to see
whether a positive recent trend of dropping unemployment continues for a third
month or whether those put out of work in the Panhandle because of the oil spill
will drag the recovery down. Florida's unemployment rate dipped to 11.7 percent
in May.
U.S. SENATE RETURNS The U.S. Senate plans to return
from its July 4 hiatus, as it prepares to consider the nomination of Elena Kagan
to the Supreme Court, as well as to tackle climate and energy legislation.
Speculation will likely resume as to the fate of an extension of unemployment
benefits and Medicaid funds for the states. Florida badly needs the money –
about $1 billion in expenditures and reserves in the current budget is
contingent on the extension of the Medicaid money, known as FMAP. Majority
Leader Harry Reid has struggled to cobble together the 60 votes needed to bring
the extension to a floor vote, a task made more complicated by the death of U.S.
Sen. Robert Byrd. UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: Eyes of the unemployed are also
turned toward Washington with Congress so far having failed to pass an extension
of those benefits as well.
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2010
SPACE COAST
JOBS: Local economic development officials, Space Florida President Frank
DiBello and Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas meet to discuss ideas for the
Presidential Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development.
The panel will discuss ways to diversify Central Florida’s workforce and spur
job creation in an effort to mitigate the job loss expected from the retirement
of the space shuttle early next year. Earlier this year, President Obama
established the Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development,
which is co-chaired by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden to address just that issue. In addition to DiBello and Kosmas,
participants will include Space Coast Economic Development Council CEO Lynda
Weatherman, and Brevard Workforce President Lisa Rice. (Saturday, 10:30 a.m.,
Brevard Workforce, 597 Haverty Court, Suite 40, Rockledge.)
SUNDAY,
JULY. 11, 2010
NATIONAL OIL SPILL COMMISSION SITE VISITS: The National
Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling will
conduct site visits of affected Florida coastal communities on Saturday with
stops including Panama City and Pensacola Beach. Led by former U.S. Sen. Bob
Graham, the seven-member commission has been charged with finding the root
causes of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and develop safeguards for future
offshore drilling ventures. (Sunday, times/locations as follows ALL TIMES
CENTRAL) 9:20 a.m. Media briefing and availability Bay County Emergency
Operations Center, 700 County Road 2300, Southport. 9:30 a.m. Meeting
with local business owners and officials, Classroom, Bay County Emergency
Operations Center 10:45 a.m. Tour St. Andrews State Park and get briefing on
the St. Andrews Pass Booming project, meet with local citizens and officials and
tour beach. Media briefing and availability at end of the beach tour. 4607 Park
Boulevard, Panama City. 12:30 p.m. Lunch meeting with local business owners
focused on tourism and fisheries. Pool press only. Great Southern Café, 83
Central Square, Santa Rosa Beach. 3:00 p.m. Visit Casino Beach and walk/talk
media availability with Gov. Charlie Crist. 3:30 Roundtable with Gov. Charlie
Crist, local officials and representatives from the tourism and fisheries
industries, Santa Rosa Island Authority, 1 Via DeLuna, Pensacola
Beach.
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010
FLOTUS ON GULF COAST: First
Lady Michelle Obama will travel to the Panhandle to meet with members of the
community and discuss the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
First Lady will begin her visit with a briefing by officials and local leaders
with pooled press access at the top of the meeting. She will then speak to the
Panama City Beach community at an open press event in the early evening.
(Monday, various locations, Panama City Beach.)
OIL ECONOMICS: The
state Senate Select Committee on the Economy, chaired by Sen. Don Gaetz,
R-Niceville, meets in Pensacola Monday to talk about the economic impact of the
oil spill. The meeting starts with a site visit to review areas affected by the
spill. The panel will then conduct a public workshop at Pensacola Junior College
to discuss potential problems and solutions associated with the spill. (Site
visit: Monday, 7:45 a.m., Workshop: 10:30 a.m., Pensacola Junior College (PJC)
WSRE Studios, Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio,
Pensacola.)
NATIONAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: Trying to divine the state’s
financial future, members of the revenue estimating conference begin their work
Monday by taking a look at the national economy. The panel of financial analysts
from the Legislature and the governor’s office will take a look at trends to see
how they may affect Florida’s economic fate. (Monday, 9 a.m., 301
Capitol.)
FWC ON POMPANO RULES: The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission has scheduled a public workshop, by video and telephone
conferencing, to hear what people think about possible rule changes for permit,
pompano and African pompano. There will be several locations around the
state set up for videoconference connection. The FWC is considering applying
permit and pompano regulations in federal waters adjacent to state waters,
including the combined permit and pompano 6-fish daily recreational bag limit
(with an allowance of 1 fish over 20 inches fork length), the pompano and permit
slot limit of 11-20 inches fork length, and allowable recreational fishing gear
for these species. The FWC is also considering allowing spearfishing for permit
in federal waters, establishing a commercial trip limit of 250 fish per day and
allowing pompano endorsement holders to use allowable gear for pompano to catch
permit inside the pompano endorsement zone. (Monday, 6 p.m., EDT, FWC sites in
Tallahassee, Panama City, Lake City, Ocala, Lakeland, West Palm Beach, St.
Petersburg and Marathon. Call FWC at 850-487-0554 for additional
information.)
TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2010
PSC PHONES IT IN: The Florida
Public Service Commission will consider a bevy of cell phone issues as it awaits
the word from Gov. Charlie Crist on who will soon join it. On the agenda is a
petition for limited designation as eligible telecommunications carrier by
Virgin Mobile USA (Docket No. 090245-TP), and T-Mobile South (Dockets. 090507-TP
and Docket No. 090510-TP). The commission will hold an internal affairs meetings
after the regularly scheduled meeting. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Betty Easley
Conference Center, Room 148, 4075 Esplanade Way, Southwood Complex, Tallahassee.
IA, Rm. 140).
HOW MANY STUDENTS: The education estimating conference
convenes to determine how many students can be expected to enter Florida public
schools next year. Their predictions will have a great bearing on funding as
lawmakers begin initial budget talks later this year. (Tuesday, 10 a.m. 301
Capitol.)
NATIONWIDE RATE HIKE REQUEST: Nationwide Insurance Company of
Florida has requested a 19.8 percent overall increase for new and renewal
homeowners’ insurance policies, effective December 10, 2010. The Office of
Insurance Regulation will hold a public hearing to take testimony from any
interested party on the proposed change. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 401 Senate Office
Building, The Capitol.)
OIL SPILL FALLOUT: Economists will meet to
determine what effect the BP Deepwater Horizon spill will have on federal
government assistance programs. State economists and financial analysts will
meet to tweak estimates on the number of families eligible for assistance and
the impact that may have on state revenue. State social services officials have
alredy noted an uptick in unemployment along the Panhandle, as well as in the
applications for food stamps. (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m., 301 Capitol)
THURSDAY,
JULY 15, 2010
RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPO -- The Florida Renewable Energy
Producers Association will hold its Sunshine State Renewable Energy Expo
Thursday at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. The first item on the agenda
is a discussion of FREPA’s campaign to put a renewable energy portfolio standard
on the 2012 ballot, with speakers including the initiative campaign director
Robin Rorapaugh and communications director John Van Gieson. Confirmed
speakers at other sessions include Sen. Lee Constantine, Rep. Keith Fitzgerald
and Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda. Statewide candidates have been
invited to participate in a renewable energy forum moderated by the Orange
County League of Women Voters. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700
International Dr., Orlando.)
FEDERAL CAMPAIGN REPORTS DUE: Thursday is
the deadline for candidates for federal office to file campaign financial data
for the quarter ending June 30. Some candidates have already filed their reports
for the quarter or announced their take. (Thursday.)
DEADLINE FOR FIRST
TWO PSC PICKS: Gov. Charlie Crist will have to pick replacements for former
Public Service Commissioners David Klement and Benjamin “Steve” Stevens by
Thursday, July 15. The Public Service Commission Nominating Council sent Crist
eight names for the post on June 15, setting up a 30 day clock for Crist to make
his choices. Klement and Stevens were two of four Crist appointees to the PSC
who were forced off the panel by lawmakers after voting against large rate
increases for the state’s biggest power companies, Florida Power & Light and
Progress Energy. Term-limited state Sen. Lee Constantine, Public Service
Commission General Counsel and former state Sen. Curt Kiser are the most
well-known of the names Crist has to choose from. They’re joined on the list by
former PSC Executive Director Mary Bane; state Rep. Ronald Brisé; Jacksonville
City Councilman Arthur Graham; Connie Murray, now of Sun City, Fla., who served
on the Missouri Public Service Commission for 12 years; Tallahassee lawyer
Charles R. Ranson; and Senate staffer Kevin L. Wiehle. (Thursday
deadline.)
FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010
MAYBE HE COULD PAY IN
CIGARETTES?: The Florida Commission on Ethics holds its monthly meeting and on
the agenda is a proposal to write off a $1,500 fine against Scott Rothstein, who
can’t afford to pay. Rothstein is currently unemployed, because he’s serving 50
years in prison for running a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme that funded a lavish
lifestyle. The Fort Lauderdale attorney was sentenced in June. The commission
has several other lower profile cases. ( Friday, 8:30 a.m. 37 Senate Office
Building, The Capitol.)
UNEMPLOYMENT: June unemployment numbers will be
released Friday morning. Economists and politicians are waiting to see whether a
positive recent trend of dropping unemployment continues for a third straight
month or whether those put out of work in the Panhandle because of the oil spill
will drag the recovery down. Florida's unemployment rate dipped to 11.7 percent
in May. (Friday, 10 a.m.)
STATE ECONOMIC UPDATE: Following up on at
national forecast crafted earlier in the week, the revenue estimating conference
takes a stab at the Florida economic outlook. The panel of financial analysts
will look at unemployment, inflation and other economic indicators as it sets
the stage for its formal revenue forecast later in the year. (Friday, 1:30 p.m.,
301 Capitol)
END OF STATE FUNDRAISING QUARTER: The lengthened second
fundraising quarter for state candidates comes to an end on Friday. The April 1
to July 16 quarterly period reporting deadline isn’t until July 23, though.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL THIS WEEK
GOVERNOR – MCCOLLUM:
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum will head west to view oil
spill damage and speak to local officials and business leaders. The attorney
general has made frequent trips to the Panhandle since oil began spewing into
the Gulf of Mexico in April. (Monday, 2:30 p.m. CDT, Port of Panama City, 5321
W. Hwy 98, Panama City.)
GOVERNOR - SINK: Democratic gubernatorial
candidate Alex Sink gathers money at a fundraiser hosted by the Miami-Dade
Democratic Party. (Thursday, 6 p.m., CubaOcho Art and Research Center, 1465 SW 8
St., Suite 106, 107, Miami.)
CONGRESS – BOYD: U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd holds
a campaign rally with former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham in Tallahassee Saturday, July
10. Boyd has a primary challenger, Democratic Sen. Al Lawson. (Saturday, July
10, 10:30 a.m., Tallahassee Antique Car Museum, 6800 Mahan Drive,
Tallahassee.)
DEMOCRATS JEFFERSON-JACKSON DINNER: The Florida
Democratic Party’s major annual fundraising dinner, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner
is next weekend, Saturday, July 17, in Hollywood. (Saturday, July 17, Westin
Diplomat, 3555 South Ocean Dr.,
Hollywood.)
--END-- 7/9/2010
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