Blog – Page 19 – Florida Center for Investigative Reporting

Times/Herald: Rick Scott Is Appointing Fewer Black Judges Than Charlie Crist And Jeb Bush

September 18, 2014

This week, The Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald published a story looking at the number of African-American judges appointed under the Scott Administration compared to administrations before him. In short, Gov. Rick Scott is falling short of his predecessors.

FCIR Awarded New Grant

September 17, 2014

For the fifth consecutive year, the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting has received a grant from the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation.

Big Sugar Plans Development In Potential Everglades Restoration Land

September 16, 2014

Environmental groups around the state are alarmed at U.S. Sugar's plans to potentially develop huge tracts of land it owns in Hendry County, which might affect Everglades restoration efforts.

Standardized Testing Issues Prompt Statewide Discussion

September 12, 2014

This week alone several local school boards held serious discussions on the issue of high-stakes and high-frequency testing, which critics say improperly penalizes students and takes up valuable classroom instruction time. However, no concrete action has been taken. Most school boards are wary of being penalized by the state for being non-compliant.

More Florida Prison Guard Suspensions

September 9, 2014

As the state continues to deal with a slew of allegations of abuse and corruption in its prisons, another round of complaints have been filed and two prison guards in Florida have been suspended.

New York Times: Florida Police Aren’t Being Prosecuted For Deadly Force

September 8, 2014

The New York Times reported last week that the state of Florida is not prosecuting police when they use lethal force. In fact, according to the Times, “in the past 20 years, not a single officer in Florida has been charged with using deadly force.”