Commentary
Florida’s Summer of Slime: Stuart and Lake Okeechobee
For several statewide publications, I reported last month on the plight of the Caloosahatchee River and its befouled waters flowing from Lake Okeechobee; delivering slime to waterfront neighborhoods in Fort Myers and Cape Coral along the way to the Gulf Islands of Southwest Florida. Next up on our Summer of Slime photo tour is a visit to […]
A 77-year-old South Florida environmentalist speaks out and gets sued, harrassed. She won’t back down.
In Martin County, all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. You may express your opinion–about a dodgy water deal, say, or damage to certain wetlands–but if you challenge the wrong billionaire, if you urge your elected representatives to take action thwarting the plans of said billionaire, you may find yourself […]
Yes, this really is Rick Scott, Adam Putnam and Pam Bondi’s fault
As horrified people watch dead manatees, marine mammals, fish and hundreds of sea turtles wash up on Florida’s southwest coast, politicians are tripping over one another to express concern. But a look back eight years ago shows that three key state leaders – Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and Attorney General Pam Bondi […]
The Endangered Species Act has a target on its back
On a remote beach south of Tallahassee last week, a sizeable crowd gathered to watch legendary marine biologist Jack Rudloe release two rescued juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtles into the wild. Kemp’s ridleys are the world’s most endangered sea turtles; these two were fixed up and ready to go after getting caught in fishing line. […]
Grumpy rich people to public: Get off my lawn – er, public beach!
Maybe we’ve all been taking our right to stroll unfettered along Florida’s beaches for granted. Because it looks like a flap that exploded last week over public beach access way up in the Panhandle’s Walton County may be a test case for a land grab by wealthy waterfront residents to shut out the rest of […]
GOP environmentalists today: As rare as a Florida panther
In Florida, Republican environmentalists used to be a thing. And they didn’t get more prominent than Nathaniel Pryor Reed. The legendary conservationist from South Florida’s Jupiter Island died last week at the age of 84. Nat loved the woods and waters since boyhood. He spent his life trying to save wild Florida so that future […]
The boy lawmaker from the family farm grows up — into a sellout
It’s shocking how Adam Putnam doesn’t get the respect he so richly deserves. The man has something like $37 million in his campaign account. As Commissioner of Agriculture, he’s got name recognition less accomplished politicos can only dream of, what with “Adam H. Putnam” emblazoned on every gas pump from Chumuckla to Miami Beach. He […]
Scary green monster attacks South Florida
The “Green Monster” is back – a fluorescent toxic algae outbreak that’s been sliming Florida’s east and west coasts, sparking bad-news headlines and leaving ruined beach vacations in its wake. Since this is political season, Florida candidates are formally expressing Grave Concern as people living in pricey waterfront homes understandably wail about their lost property […]
Standing With The Capital
By the eeriest of coincidences, I happened to be at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Thursday afternoon, with a group of a dozen journalists from across the country, when my phone began buzzing with news of the shooting at The Capital newsroom. How surreal to be in the shrine of our chosen profession, surrounded by artifacts […]
Introducing The Florida Phoenix
Welcome to the debut of a new media voice in the state capital – The Florida Phoenix. Our slogan, quality journalism for critical times, could not be more apropos this week, as we mourn the loss of five journalists senselessly gunned down in their Maryland newsroom – including Rob Hiaasen, a member of a fine […]
The State of Capital News
Florida’s capital city has long enjoyed a reputation for keeping track of news about the state and nation. That reputation was earned in an era when you could drive downtown in Tallahassee and stop at Dubey’s, a small bookstore and newsstand just a couple of blocks from the state’s historic old Capitol. You could buy the […]