• Most Recent
• Highest Rated
• Hot Comments

Naked Politics (10 unread)

• Undercover slots expert lays out case against 'Internet cafes' and arcades

  Working undercover as just another aging patron, D. Robert Sertell watched as customers streamed into Internet cafes in strip malls across Florida to buy access to Internet time or long-distance phone service.

  As a national expert on slot machines, Sertell saw that the customers visiting the cafes operated by the Florida-based [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Sen. Marco Rubio says immigration deal cannot be "rushed or done in secret"

  Not so fast, says Sen. Marco Rubio.
  In an Easter morning statement from his Senate office, the Florida Republican said talk of some kind of agreement on a comprehensive immigration bill are "premature."

  He is one of eight senators teaming up to tackle one of the most contentious issues in Congress.

  Rubio was reacting [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Dolphins' celebs mostly silent in stadium campaign

  In the rush of optimism after Steve Ross bought the Dolphins, he rounded up a glitzy cast of minority owners — including Marc Anthony, Emilio Estefan, the Williams sisters and Fergie — as a way to gin up a buzz around the franchise.

  But at a critical moment for the organization, [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• MIA baggage-wrap wars continue, now with a campaign-style mailer

  @PatriciaMazzei

  Looks like that robo-poll asking voters a week ago about a baggage-wrapping contract at Miami International Airport showed that County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is pretty popular. 

  A campaign-style flier that hit mailboxes Saturday shows a smiling Gimenez and asks Miami-Dade residents to "support" the mayor, who earlier this month [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Latin Builders question firm's Cuba ties

  @PatriciaMazzei

  Contractor Odebrecht USA has invited construction trade organizations to attend an information session Monday on a massive new project for Miami International Airport called Airport City. But don’t expect to see the Latin Builders Association there.

  The LBA will skip the session because a subsidiary of Odebrecht’s Brazilian parent company is renovating the Cuban Port of Mariel. [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Obama makes quick stop under Miami's seaport

  @PatriciaMazzei

  President Barack Obama traveled briefly to — and under — PortMiami on Friday afternoon to push for new ways to secure private dollars for big-ticket projects to renovate highways, bridges, pipes and schools.

  Obama toured the port tunnel being built under Biscayne Bay and then praised the project as an example [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Sachs maintains Broward residency by renting condo from consultant

  Sen. Maria Sachs, a Democrat whose district was reconfigured because of redistricting to stretch into Broward County, maintains a residence in Fort Lauderdale by renting a condo from a prominent political consultant and gaming lobbyist. 

  Sachs, vice chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee, was re-elected to the Senate in November after a bitter election [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Citizens Insurance does $250 million risk transfer

  As part of an ongoing effort to hedge against a massive hurricane disaster, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has completed a $250 million risk transfer in the capital markets.

  The so-called catastrophe bond, which cost Citizens millions of dollars, could come in handy if the state gets slammed with a major storm between now and 2016. [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Latvala predicts 'furor' if residents' email addresses are public

  Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, was all by himself and he couldn't believe it.

  In a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting Thursday, Latvala was the lone voice objecting to a bill to allow property appraisers to send homeowners tax notices and other official documents by email instead of through the postal service.

  The bill [...]

  Share  |  Rate

• Legislature urges state worker raises; first time in 6 years

  The Florida Senate and House rolled out their respective budget proposals on Friday. Both budgets are slightly bigger than Gov. Rick Scott's spending plan, and both differ from Scott's in one respect: Lawmakers want to give across the board pay raises to all state workers, while Scott favors bonuses to [...]

  Share  |  Rate