Yesterday morning, Historic City News was notified that the Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition hosted a Legislative Prayer Breakfast in Tallahassee; Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, and Coalition Chairman Ralph Reed were in attendance.
Historic City News has been following Bills moving through the Legislature that would create new public records exemptions for things like voter email addresses, property insurance underwriting policies, and the data that determines 50 percent of teacher evaluations.
No longer with Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll at his side, yesterday afternoon, Governor Rick Scott signed into law House Bill 155; the legislative response to a three-year federal and state investigation into illegal gambling at Internet cafes affiliated with St Augustine-based Allied Veterans of the World.
It’s back to the typewriter for Assistant City Attorney Isabelle Lopez, after Historic City News reporters learned at the regular business meeting of the St Augustine City Commission Monday night; commissioners are still debating numbers on a plan to revise the Planned Unit Development ordinance.
Historic City News was informed that the City of St Augustine temporarily closed the intersection of Artillery Lane, east of the intersection with St George Street; for the length of the roadway to its intersection with Aviles Street for a trial period beginning in October of 2012 until March of 2013 to evaluate the impact of a proposed closure.
The City’s itinerant vendors; traveling from place to place looking for public venues to sell their wares, like so many gypsy snake oil salesmen, some without insurance and proper licenses, unregistered to collect and remit state sales tax, and those who sell from mobile carts, will be discussed in a special meeting Monday afternoon.
Historic City News has learned that earlier today, Isabelle C. Lopez, Assistant Attorney for the City of St Augustine, has filed notice invoking the discretionary jurisdiction of the Florida Supreme Court to review the decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal rendered on March 15 in the lawsuit brought by Donna Wendler.
While in town Tuesday, Governor Rick Scott indicated to Historic City News that if the Florida Senate passed HB 155 outlawing gambling centers, he would sign the legislation into law — yesterday, that measure passed by a vote of 36-4.
