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http://cgi.jacksonville.com/cgi-bin/printit.cgi?story=ZZNOSTORYZZ
Davis touts his insurance plan
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis came to Jacksonville onWednesday to push his new proposal to lower property insurance rates.
Davis' plan, unveiled last week, would create a $20 billion state insurancepool to underwrite the bulk of all homeowner policies in the state, infusinginsurance companies with capital and lowering premiums across the board. Theplan would have the state assume 70 percent to 90 percent of coverage on allpolicies, with insurance firms setting their rates based on the remainingpercentage.
Republican Charlie Crist is pitching a plan to make it easier for insurancecompanies to tap into the state's catastrophic insurance fund by loweringfrom $5.3 billion to $3.2 billion the level of losses they must initiallyincur. He also would offer incentives for construction companies to betterprotect homes and crack down on insurers who write other types of policiesbut not homeowner policies.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15793143.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
CAMPAIGN 2006
Crist changes positions on 3 hot issues
Charlie Crist has switched positions on several key issues, and his new stances bring him closer to the views of his opponent in the governor's race.
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
meklas@MiamiHerald.com
Until recently, Charlie Crist said he was a strong believer in denying felons an automatic right to vote after they left prison.
He was equally emphatic that the FCAT tests as they are now administered arefine.
And he declared that Citizens Insurance, the state-run company that provideswindstorm insurance, should be abolished.
Those stances have one thing in common: Crist has changed his position onall three.
Questioned about the reversals, the Republican candidate for governor callsthem ``an evolution.''
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http://www.tbo.com/news/nationworld/MGBFZXHJGTE.html
Crist Endears Himself To Black Voters, Polls Show
By WILLIAM MARCH
The Tampa Tribune
Published: Oct 19, 2006
TAMPA - Charlie Crist is showing unprecedented success for a FloridaRepublican in reaching black voters, despite Democratic criticism that hisdevotion to civil rights is superficial and politically motivated.
In several recent polls, Crist has received support from 15 percent to 20percent of black respondents - a level greater than the black votes forprevious Republican candidates for statewide office.
"He's doing better among black voters than any Republican I can remember inmodern times," said University of Central Florida political scientist AubreyJewett.
Crist has worked hard on outreach to black voters and describes himself as"a civil rights leader."
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15793111.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
CAMPAIGN 2006 | GOVERNOR'S RACE
Crist woos Hispanics at Cuban American-owned print shop
Republican governor candidate Charlie Crist campaigned at a Doral print shopowned by a Cuban-American family.
BY BETH REINHARD
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com
Unlike 2004, when Florida elected the nation's first Cuban-American senator,none of the statewide candidates this year are Hispanic. And theSpanish-speaking Gov. Jeb Bush is on his way out.
Nevertheless, candidates who can barely order a café con leche are jockeyingfor support from the increasingly influential Hispanic community this election year.
Walter ''Skip'' Campbell, the Democratic contender for attorney general,launched a Spanish ad featuring Miami Mayor Manny Diaz even before he ran anad in English.
Jim Davis, the Democratic candidate for governor, held a town hall-stylemeeting aimed at Hispanic voters last week. On Wednesday, Davis' Republicanopponent, Charlie Crist, campaigned at Hispanic-owned businesses in Doraland Orlando.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editgsfiringoct19,0,6571357.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial
Frank Till
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
October 19, 2006
ISSUE: Quick firing was unnecessary.
We'll now see whether the Broward County School Board's rush to judgment onSuperintendent Frank Till is followed by a correspondingly quick attempt bya divided board to get the district back on track.
There was no glaring need to fire Till at this time, which the board did bya 5-4 vote on Tuesday. Not with his contract already expiring next July. Notwith two or possibly three new board members being sworn in next month.
Yes, some board members complained about a lack of communication and a lackof trust in the data they were receiving from staff. There were embarrassingproblems with land acquisition. No doubt many complaints were legitimate.
But there was certainly no crisis that demanded Till's firing. The movesmacked of being more political, and maybe personal, than practical. And theway it was handled was an insult to the packed board chambers, as the boardmembers on the dais basically told everyone how they were going to votebefore there was any public input.
By firing Till on Tuesday, the board must now act quickly, starting with thehiring of a search firm to find a permanent replacement. Members also haveto name an interim superintendent to take over when Till leaves in November,still owed the rest of his $234,000 salary through July.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-poutsiders12oct19,0,7834870.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Four S. Florida legislators aren't living in districts they represent
By Erika Slife
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 19, 2006
The morning after Election Day there will be four state legislators fromPalm Beach and Broward counties not living in the districts they wereelected to represent.
Three of them will automatically win because they're running unopposed. Thefourth is a virtual shoo-in since she's running against a write-incandidate.
None is breaking the law.
Under Florida statutes, candidates do not have to live in the districtsthey're running in until the day they are elected. And when they do moveinto the districts, it's not required that the new lodgings be their primaryhomes. As a result, lawmakers rent apartments or own second homes or condosto satisfy the law.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/10/19/a15a_crist_1019.html
Davis's voting record 'pathetic,' Crist says
By Brian E. Crowley
Palm Beach Post Political Editor
Thursday, October 19, 2006
MIAMI - Beginning a pointed attack on his Democratic rival for governor inthe final weeks before the election, Republican Charlie Crist said Wednesdaythat missing votes to campaign for governor is "pathetic" and "ridiculous."
The comments came the same day that Gov. Jeb Bush rescheduled an Oct. 31Cabinet meeting he had canceled just the day before to allow Crist time tocampaign.
Crist will begin airing a new commercial today criticizing U.S. Rep. JimDavis' voting record, according to
Crist campaign sources.
Davis was tagged in a June study by The Washington Post for having thesecond-worst voting record in the 109th Congress, which began in January2005.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcelxdavis19oct19,0,6487272.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
ELECTION 2006
Davis campaign's slow start worries Democrats
By Anthony Man
Political Writer
October 19, 2006
For a Democratic candidate running statewide, Broward County is the promisedland, offering a vast pool of potential votes.
Yet some party activists are concerned their candidate for governor, JimDavis, has been slow to establish a fully functional Broward campaignoperation in the six weeks since his primary victory.
"I've been a little disappointed in the time it took for it to get rollingin Broward," said state Rep. Jack Seiler, D-Wilton Manors. "I was concernedthat he didn't hit the ground running and hit the ground hard."
Seiler said the campaign is picking up and Davis hasn't run out of time."It's late, but it's not too late."
Still, with the Nov. 7 election rapidly approaching, it's possible to drivethrough large swaths of historically Democratic territory without seeing asign for Davis, a Tampa congressman. He's being far outspent by RepublicanCharlie Crist, the state's attorney general, in the expensive Miami-FortLauderdale television market.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/19/news_pf/State/94_who_ask_get_aborti.shtml
94% who ask get abortions
A girl wants an abortion, but is afraid to talk to her parents.
But, since July 2005, Florida law says she has to -
or seek special permission from a judge.
By LUCY MORGAN
Published October 19, 2006
TALLAHASSEE - Somewhere in Florida, a 16-year-old girl just found out thatthe state courts will let her get an abortion without telling her parents.
She is about nine weeks pregnant, and her parents don't know it. She saysthey would be ashamed and disappointed if they found out.
A high school junior, she has college aspirations and fears a baby wouldderail her future.
But under state law since the summer of 2005, she cannot get an abortionwithout telling her parents - unless a judge lets her.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15793146.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
BROWARD SCHOOLS
Fallout builds over firing of Broward schools chief
As Broward School Board members prepared to take their first steps towardfinding a new superintendent, the fallout over their firing of Frank Tillcontinued Wednesday.
BY HANNAH SAMPSON AND NIRVI SHAH
hsampson@MiamiHerald.com
The day after Superintendent Frank Till was fired, the Broward schooldistrict's buses still ran, schools still opened and teachers still taught.
But on Wednesday, the School Board's 5-4 decision dominated talk amongpuzzled parents, district employees and education officials around thecountry.
Over the next few months, board members will have to navigate a minefield:continuing to work with Till,choosing a temporary replacement, searching for someone permanent and facinga legislative session without a strong advocate.
''The people are mad. Oh, are they mad,'' said board member BeverlyGallagher, who voted to keep Till. 'We're getting e-mail ranging from `I amso sorry' to 'You stupid idiots, we're gonna vote you out of office.' ''
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-poll1906oct19,0,4699929.story?coll=orl-news-headlines
Poll: Crist has lead, but Davis edges up
9% of voters still undecided in statewide survey
John Kennedy
Tallahassee Bureau Chief
October 19, 2006
TALLAHASSEE -- Republican Charlie Crist has maintained a double-digit leadin the Florida governor's race, but Democratic rival Jim Davis -- whose facefinally hit the television airwaves this month -- is gaining ground, anOrlando Sentinel poll showed Wednesday.
Crist leads Davis by a formidable 11 percentage points with the electionless than three weeks away, the survey found.
Though Davis has cut that margin from 15 points just a month ago, he clearlyneeds a strong finish and maybe a little luck to overcome thebetter-financed Crist.
The poll shows Crist with 50 percent, Davis with 39 percent, 2 percent forother candidates and 9 percent undecided.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pchypocrisyoct19,0,286746.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
Criticism of Crist called hypocrisy by black voters
By Gregory Lewis
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 19, 2006
Some black Republicans in Broward County say Democrats are hypocrites forcriticizing Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist after he cameout in support of rights for ex-convicts. Democrats charged Crist withpandering for black votes after he said Wednesday that if felons have paidtheir debt to society, they should be allowed to vote.
"The fact that Charlie Crist thinks black voters can be bought off by asudden change of heart is extremely insulting," said state Rep. AudreyGibson, D-Jacksonville, during a conference call with black legislators.Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Tampa congressman Jim Davis alsosupports automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who have servedtheir sentences.
A group of black Republicans from South Florida's three counties whoscheduled a press conference today at the African-American Research Libraryand Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale, said Crist's civil rightscredentials were solid. They called Democrats' belittling of his record "acheap political shot."
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801639_pf.html
South Spent Millions on a Hurricane Season That Wasn't
By Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 19, 2006; A11
MIAMI -- Anticipation of the 2006 hurricane season turned countless familieshere and in a vast swath of the Southeast into survivalists.
Households stockpiled ready-to-eat meals. They scarfed up emergency radios,propane stoves, satellite phones, shutters, candles, canned goods. Hordesplunked down $500 and up for home generators.
The predictions of another scary storm season and the memory of last year'srecord-setting disasters inspired fear and a spending spree of hundreds ofmillions of dollars.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cerror19oct19,0,4326894.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Hundreds of absentee ballots missing pages in Margate and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
By Juan Ortega and Buddy Nevins
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 19, 2006
The Broward County Supervisor of Elections office this week mailed hundredsof incomplete absentee ballots to voters in Margate andLauderdale-by-the-Sea, delaying the casting of early votes for referendumitems. Election officials say a new $1 million machine hit a snag in itsfirst attempt to sort and mail absentee ballots.
While handling the initial mailing of 35,000 ballots on Monday, the machinefailed to include a page of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea ballot questions in theabsentee ballots sent to 343 voters. It also failed to send a page with areferendum item to an unknown number of Margate voters, said Mary Cooney,the election office's public service director.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zstar19oct19,0,7994444.story?coll=sfla-business-front
New hotel chain to join high-end battle on Fort Lauderdale beach '1' has Lauderdale's number
By Tom Stieghorst
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 19, 2006
Fort Lauderdale, once the bargain basement of South Florida tourism, onWednesday learned it was one of five launch cities for a new hotel brandmeant to compete with Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton.
The new chain is aiming for a level of amenities and service lofty enough toearn a coveted five-star ranking from Mobil Travel Guide.
To be called "1" Hotel and Residences, the chain is the brainchild of BarrySternlicht, a hospitality mogul who until 18 months ago ran the company thatowns the Westin, Sheraton and W brands.
Sternlicht said in a statement on Wednesday that "1" will be the first hotelbrand to be both ultra-luxurious and environmentally friendly. One percentof revenue from each hotel will be donated to local environmental groups,for example.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/15793146.htm
BROWARD SCHOOLS
Fallout builds over firing of Broward schools chiefAs Broward School Board members prepared to take their first steps towardfinding a new superintendent, the fallout over their firing of Frank Tillcontinued Wednesday.
BY HANNAH SAMPSON AND NIRVI SHAH
hsampson@MiamiHerald.com
The day after Superintendent Frank Till was fired, the Broward schooldistrict's buses still ran, schools still opened and teachers still taught.
But on Wednesday, the School Board's 5-4 decision dominated talk amongpuzzled parents, district employees and education officials around thecountry.
Over the next few months, board members will have to navigate a minefield:continuing to work with Till, choosing a temporary replacement, searchingfor someone permanent and facing a legislative session without a strongadvocate.
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The Miami Herald
October 18, 2006
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15788946.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Judge rules against poll signs in Foley's district
BY MARC CAPUTO
mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE -
A judge has blocked elections officials from posting election-daysigns at polling stations that would have informed people that a vote forRepublican Mark Foley would be a vote for his replacement, state Rep. JoeNegron.
Leon County Circuit Judge Janet E. Ferris said posting the signs couldhave led officials down a ''slippery slope'' that could raise questionsabout the fairness of posting the notices, which would have benefitedNegron. Instead of his name, Foley's will still appear on the Nov. 7 ballotdue to a quirk in Florida-election law.
The Florida Secretary of State's office, which runs elections, plansto appeal, said spokesman Sterling Ivey. The office, under the control ofRepublican Gov. Jeb Bush, was sued by the Florida Democratic Party after itand the eight supervisors in the congressional District 16 consideredinforming voters that Negron will receive votes for Foley.
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http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB8SKEI9TE.html
Crist Would Let All Felons Vote
By WILLIAM MARCH The Tampa Tribune
Published: Oct 14, 2006
TAMPA - Charlie Crist said Friday he favors automatic restoration of votingrights for felons who have completed their sentences, an issue that has beencontroversial in Florida since the 2000 election.
That's a switch for Crist, the Republican candidate for governor. A monthago, he said he favored streamlining the process for restoring voting rightsbut didn't call for automatic restoration of rights.
Crist said at the time that he favored continuing a system in which thestate clemency board reviews requests for restoration of rights.
In a meeting with The Tampa Tribune editorial board Friday, however, Cristsaid, "I think the time has come in our state that we look for automaticrenewal of those rights.
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