Nieman Reports • 12th January 2020

Less Local News Means Less Democracy

The decline in local journalism is having an insidious impact on democracy: diminished government accountability, reduced access to accurate information, and a decline in public trust. In this Nieman Reports piece, I explain how I've watched it play out in Tallahassee -- and how it's not unique to Florida.

Miami Herald • 1st December 2019

New head of Florida prisons sees dire warning signs. ‘Status quo is not sustainable’

Florida's new secretary of the Department of Corrections has a sober warning: Florida prisons are on the brink of collapse. They cannot sustain the understaffed, inexperienced crew of corrections officers in command of a penal system stripped of educational programs and housed in crumbling facilities. As I explain, years of budget cuts and legislative indifference have led to this problem.

miamiherald • 29th August 2019

State Supreme Court to decide fate of plan to open electricity market to competition

The colossal fight to open electricity generation to competition in Florida — which is being led by a Gainesville-based natural gas marketing company — made its way before the new-look Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday and it became clear the constitutional amendment drive is no David v. Goliath battle. It looked more like David versus the world.

miamiherald • 23rd August 2019

This secretive group is trying to create barriers to amending Florida’s Constitution

A secretive organization with the goal of thwarting amendments approved by voters after the 2020 election cycle has spent more than $800,000 on paid petition gatherers in the last four months, using funds from undisclosed sources and raising the specter of another high stakes fight over the future of energy regulation in Florida. The organization calls itself Keep Our Constitution Clean and says its purpose is to keep the state’s premier legal document uncluttered by special interest measures.

Bradenton Herald • 1st December 2018

Florida immigration feud reflects GOP divide

Florida's Republican presiding officers for 2012-14 were a reflection of the generational and ideological differences that divide the Republican Party. In 2016, those differences were manifest in Florida in the debate over immigration, particularly whether to extend in-state tuition to the children of undocumented immigrants.

Miami Herald • 1st December 2018

Courtroom clash pits Democrats, Republicans in epic redistricting battle

The redistricting reform fight that is playing out across the country came early to Florida, where for four years the party in control worked behind the scenes to defy the new rules and tilt the outcome in their favor. It worked, until they got caught and, in 2015, the courts drew the Senate and congressional maps.

miamiherald • 11th July 2018

Florida’s politicians use slimy algae to muddy each other

We couldn't resist: As toxic algae explodes again along Florida's waterways this election season, draining the swamp has a new meaning.

miamiherald • 6th January 2017

Buying land to save water? It’s complicated

We explain the political fight behind an seemingly logical attempt to prevent another explosion of green toxic algae along Florida beaches and waterways.

miamiherald • 26th February 2018

Senator turned her trauma into action — now she’s showing Douglas students how

In a quick profile of State Sen. Lauren Book, we explain how she turned her experience as a trauma victim into action and used that to help the kids of Douglas High to work for change in Tallahassee.

Miami Herald • 17th February 2018

$250 million in state revenue is riding on a new gambling deal with Seminole Tribe

The annual push to update a gaming compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida has begun but this year there are some key new developments.

miamiherald • 27th January 2018

Recession still has Floridians reeling and anxious about election

With comprehensive research and graphics, we were the first to give readers a look into how uneven Florida's economic recovery really has been -- an issue that in 2017 became a central theme of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. With the help of data compiled by demographers at Florida International University, we put into context what economic insecurity meant for Floridians in the run-up to the 2016 election.

Tampa Bay Times • 26th February 2012

In quest for conservative Senate, Mike Haridopolos forgets his history

Republican Senate president attempted to push several controversial conservative issues in 2011 only to realize what many have since learned: The Senate by its very nature moderates. We apply real life lessons to a classic civics lesson for readers.

Tampa Bay Times • 7th January 2012

Uphill battle awaits those wanting to bring destination resort casinos to Florida

A proposal to bring resort casinos to Florida emerged with all the force and fury the industry could muster in early 2012. We broke down the odds and explained it to readers.

Miami Herald • 28th January 2018

The 'cannibalizing' of Florida's prison system

As part of our "Cruel and Unusual" investigation into deadly abuse and cover-up at the Florida Department of Corrections, we examine the chronic underfunding and understaffing at the agency and the failure of legislators and the governor to address it.

The St. Augustine Record • 4th February 2018

Conflict brewing over Scott's agenda in Legislature

After Gov. Rick Scott first took office in 2010, with an unprecedented GOP majority in the Cabinet and state Legislature, we assessed the political landscape and saw conflict ahead. The story proved prescient.

miamiherald • 4th February 2018

Courtroom clash pits Democrats, Republicans in epic redistricting battle

For the first time in Florida history, a law prevented legislators from drawing redistricting maps to benefit incumbents or political parties. The challenge impossible for politicians to overcome so the maps landed predictably in the courts, in what was to become an epic battle. We explained it for readers here.

Bradenton Herald • 4th February 2018

Ousted PSC officials picking up the pieces

The regulators, targets of the powerful utility industry became casualties in the bitter political feud between the governor and the legislature. We explain what happened to readers.

miamiherald • 28th January 2018

Do private prisons save money as promised? Maybe not, but Legislature keeps approving

Gov. Rick Scott's promise that private prisons would save money have never materialized, according to audits done by state legislator and offered exclusively to the Miami Herald. We use the story as a way to give readers another window into the political influence of Florida's private prison industry.

Miami Herald • 4th February 2018

Gov. Scott's 'lost' jobs: The Rick Scott jobs record

Gov. Rick Scott campaigned in 2010 on a promise to create 700,000 jobs and spent the rest of his term touting his successes. After three years in office, reporters in our Tallahassee bureau took a look and found he had promised more than he had delivered and told the story using an interactive database. This piece of the series honed in on the less-reported trend: jobs lost.

Bradenton Herald • 4th February 2018

Politicans go into overdrive over spill

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill not only soiled Florida's gulf beaches, it sent many of the state's politicians -- who had vigorously touted the virtues of oil drilling -- into a full-spin mode.