Free Republic

I approach the energy debate with the basic assumption that our current energy policy is not working. We are dangerously dependent on foreign sources of energy, and this dependence is expensive. One of the biggest misconceptions about the energy bill is that it would impose thousands of dollars in costs on the average household. This is simply not true.

Accused cat killer Tyler Hayes Weinman was ordered to remain in custody to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Judge Mindy Glazer set the 18-year-old's bail bond at $249,500, and she ordered that he be detained for at least 48 hours. In an interview with police, accused cat killer Tyler Weinman eagerly detailed how to dissect cats, even describing the ''tearing sound'' made when cutting open a feline's flesh, according to an arrest affidavit released Monday. Miami-Dade police detectives concluded Weinman fits the bill of a ``sociopath.'' The arrest affidavit, released one month after Weinman's arrest, details a circumstantial case based on...

South Florida must do more to battle hate Two young men not old enough to vote have been charged with vandalizing the Islamic School of Miami in West Kendall. The charges include criminal mischief and evidencing prejudice while committing a crime. But this type of misbehavior goes much deeper than slashing tires and smashing windows at the mosque, which has been defaced, shot at and vandalized at least six times since 2005. It's a sign of how much more this community needs to do to respect religious freedom and to not stereotype an entire group of people based on religious...

Smith, who moved to Florida since losing to John Sununu in the 2002 GOP primary, is now looking at running for the open seat left by retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.).

Sarah Palin's political future seems to be in question now more than ever since she announced her resignation as Alaska's governor, but prominent conservative Rush Limbaugh says it is too early to count her out of the 2012 presidential race. "I don't think this precludes her running for office down the road, the presidency, in 2012, at all," Limbaugh said in a radio interview over the weekend with Brian Maloney of Radio Equalizer. "I think these people saying she's an instant target because she quit is just inside the beltway formulaic. And she's not that." Limbaugh echoed that sentiment: "If...

Dear Mrs. Bbbbbb, Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Clean Energy and Security Act. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond to your concerns. On May 15, 2009, Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454). This bill would create an absolute cap on total emissions from all covered entities including the electric power, transportation, oil and gas industry, and other commercial sectors with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases. This cap would be lowered over time through 2050, and a government-created market...

EPA fugitive who shot at officers expected to change plea A Utah fugitive critically injured March 10 during a shoot-out with law enforcement officers in a Marathon trailer park is expected to avoid a trial by pleading guilty today.Larkin Baggett, 54, formerly of Salt Lake City, was shot in the neck and buttocks after he allegedly pointed an assault rifle at a Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputy and three U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agents.Baggett was the first man shot by EPA officers in that organization's history.A change of plea hearing is scheduled today in the courtroom of U.S. Judge Michael...

...But trouble may be brewing for Republicans in Florida, where the Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group, is seriously considering running ads in the Republican primary race against Gov. Charlie Crist for supporting higher state taxes and President Obama's $800 billion economic stimulus spending plan. Mr. Crist's opponent for the Republican Senate nomination next year is former state Speaker of the House Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a young, up-and-coming party leader running on cutting government spending and taxes. This is where Mr. Crist may be especially vulnerable... "There are stark differences between the candidates on...

Three Republicans on the House panel that oversees the Census Bureau have asked fellow GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota to end her plans to boycott next year’s count. Reps. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia and John Mica of Florida issued a statement saying every elected representative has a “responsibility” to encourage participation in the 2010 Census. “Boycotting the constitutionally mandated census is illogical, illegal and not in the best interest of our country,” they stated. . . . . . McHenry, Westmoreland and Mica – no fans of Acorn – pointed out an “unfortunate irony”...

Great profile of the July 4th Tea Party, featuring Colonel Allen West, Everett of South Florida Tea Party and all the fiscally conservatively minded citizens of South Florida!

Hubby and I attended today's Tea Party in Ft. Lauderdale where over a thousand other Patriots came to take back our country. Pics at: Ft. Lauderdale Tea Party Happy 4th of July!

KEY WEST, Fla. – A sea turtle named after President Barack Obama that was rescued just before Inauguration Day has been set free on Independence Day. Obama the loggerhead sea turtle was found ailing off a Key West beach on Jan. 19, the eve of the inauguration. Suffering from an intestinal impaction, the 200-pound female was nursed back to health with a diet of squid and mineral oil at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. Turtle Hospital administrator Ryan Butts said the turtle was set free Saturday on a Key West beach as about 100 people watched. He says it was...

I attended the tea party in Port St Lucie this morning. It was combined with a PSL 4th of July parade here are a couple of photos:

TALLAHASSEE - It is hardly the path to the top of the ticket many envisioned for Marco Rubio just a few years ago. The West Miami lawyer, now 38, had a national profile even before he took the gavel as Florida House speaker in 2006. He held "100 Ideas" forums with the likes of the late Jack Kemp and Newt Gingrich. A Senate president predicted his charisma would ultimately lead him to the Governor's Mansion and White House. Outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush even christened him his ideological heir by presenting him with a sword on the House floor. But today,...

Good turnout for Clearwater Florida Tea Party at the Perkins Restaurant corner of US19 and Gulf-to-Bay. Estimate at 300+ (unofficial) and good spirits for all participants on a hot day. I know that there are/were other Tea Parties in the Tampa Bay area so 300+ is probably a good turnout. Lots of horn honking and thumbs-up signs.

The Miami-Dade schools chief has promised he'll continue to provide educational programs to migrant children, but the head of the housing authority says his agency can do better. A day after two schools for migrant children were padlocked, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho vowed to do everything in his power to reopen them. ''I have decided that it is not our intention to leave,'' Carvalho said outside The Redland Education Center, surrounded by 100 parents, educators and members of the Florida Farmworkers Association. Turning to the farmworkers who bring their children to The Redland and the South Dade Education Centers after...

Orlando, FL (LifeNews.com) -- A Florida appeals court has upheld the suspension of the license of late-term abortion practitioner James Pendergraft. He was fined $10,000 and has his licensed revoked for one year over an illegal late-term abortion he did in 2005. The Florida Board of Medicine handed down the decision in December 2007.The board also placed Pendergraft's license on a three year probationary period following the suspension.Pendergraft runs five abortion facilities and his abortion centers in Ocala, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale were shut down for a brief time during an investigation into alleged illegal activities.The illegal abortions occurred...

Late term abortionist James Pendergraft has lost his appeal to the 5th District Court of Appeals (Florida). In 2001, he was convicted of Federal extortion and spent 7 months in jail before winning an appeal releasing because of "lack of evidence" per Operation Rescue. He has served jail time for being convicted of Federal extortion, but one cannot call him a convicted felon since the conviction was overturned on appeal. Information about his Federal extortion conviction (and subsequent reversal on appeal) from from Operation Rescue. Link to Operation Rescue article about this: Florida Closes Two Orlando Abortion Mills, Suspends Abortionist...

MIAMI, July 2 (UPI) -- Muslims at a Miami mosque say they fear they're being targeted because of their religion following the latest vandalism at their worship center and school. Nidal Hussain, of the Islamic School of Miami, said two of its windows, designed to withstand hurricanes, were broken late Friday or early Saturday, The Miami Herald reported. "The community is pretty upset," Hussain told the newspaper.

MANATEE — A resident of the Palmetto Point neighborhood came home Tuesday morning to find an intruder making off with his shotgun, but before the burglar could get away, the resident opened fire on him with another gun, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Whether the intruder was hit was unknown, but deputies said the burglar got away with nothing. The incident started about 9:45 a.m. when a 61-year-old man came home to his residence in the 5200 block of Palmetto Point Drive, Palmetto. He entered through the front door and found an intruder wearing only black shorts and...

Politics: The former Stuart Smalley becomes the 60th Democrat in the U.S. Senate, thanks to the community organizers at Acorn and the little-known Secretary of State Project. Is the system being rigged?Politics: The former Stuart Smalley becomes the 60th Democrat in the U.S. Senate, thanks to the community organizers at Acorn and the little-known Secretary of State Project. Is the system being rigged? Incumbent Republican Norm Coleman conceded defeat in the mother of all recounts in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race after the state's Supreme Court unanimously rejected his lawsuit. Arguably, his seat may have been lost the day in 2006...

Time: July 4, 2009 from 10am to 2pm Location: Fort Lauderdale Federal Courthouse Organized By: Karen Moore/Lauren O'Brien Event Description: Tea Party to Protest spending and taxes. Join us on Broward Blvd. and Third to make your stand against wasteful spending and taxation without representation. We will be there from 10 am until 2 pm. Bring the kids and bring signs to show your support for this effort. Should you wish to contribbute or help out with time or spreading the word, please feel free to contact me. See you all there!

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, and Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, announced that defendants Jose Luis Perez, of Golden Beach, FL, and Reinaldo Guerra, of Miami, FL, were indicted on June 30, 2009 on charges of conspiracy to commit Medicare fraud, Medicare fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to the Indictment unsealed today, the fraud involved durable medical equipment (DME), which is...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd voted in favor of a sweeping climate change bill approved Friday by the House, 219-212. "There is no silver bullet for our energy problems, but by taking a balanced, common-sense approach to our national energy policy, we are heading in the right direction."

Citing a backlash from customers who complained that they were finding Indian accents hard to understand, Delta Air Lines has dropped the use of Indian call centers to handle sales and reservations. Delta is retaining its call centers in Jamaica and South Africa, which generate far fewer complaints. Under criticism from angry Florida lawmakers, JP Morgan has also announced that it will no longer route food stamp recipient calls to Indian call centers. The company services Florida’s Electronic Benefit Transfer program. The company directed overflow calls from EBT card holders to two Indian call centers. Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, said,...

Man Fatally Shot Inside Gun Range Posted: 10:31 pm EDT July 1, 2009Updated: 11:32 pm EDT July 1, 2009 ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- For the fourth time in four months, there has been a shooting inside a Central Florida gun range. A man was killed Wednesday night at Rieg's Gun Range on Orange Blossom Trail. But since people are used to hearing gunshots no one noticed right away until they found him lying on the ground. Emergency crews swarmed Reig's Gun Range after employees found the man on the ground bleeding from a gun shot wound. "He did rent a...

Today, Florida State Represenatives Workman and Plakon, along with co-sponsors Dorworth, Eisnaugle, Kelly, Precourt, and Tobia introduced House Memorial 19 (HM19), which “Urges Congress to honor provisions of U. S. Constitution & U. S. Supreme Court case law which limit scope & exercise of federal power.” (h/t David Reid) The goal of the memorial is to serve “as a notice and a demand to the Federal Government…to cease and desist, effective immediately, from issuing mandates that are beyond the scope of [their] constitutionally delegated powers.” Florida is now the 37th state where such a resolution has been introduced. So far,...

A Florida toddler was strangled on Wednesday by a 12-foot (3.6-meter) albino Burmese python that escaped from a holding tank in the girl's home, authorities said. The pet's owner, a boyfriend of the child's mother, found the python on top of the 2-year-old girl in the rural community of Oxford, about 50 miles northwest of Orlando. The python apparently broke free in the night, entered the girl's bedroom and attacked her. "This is very rare," Patricia Behnke of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission told reporters. The owner stabbed the snake when he found it on the child but she...

A full out protest happened, all because people don’t approve of the way Congressman Allen Boyd is voting, especially for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. When asked if the congressman had read the bill, he said he has not personally read the entire thing, but that his staff has.

A 12-foot pet Burmese python has broken out of its aquarium and strangled to death a two-year-old girl in her Florida bedroom. Police said Shaunia Hare was already dead when paramedics arrived at her home in Oxford, 50 miles northwest of Orlando. The albino snake had been owned by Charles Darnell, the boyfriend of Shaunia’s mother, who found it in the toddler's bedroom, wrapped around her. Mr Darnell, 32, stabbed the snake until he was able to pry her away, but was too late to save her. Mr Darnell did not have a permit for the snake, the Florida Fish...

Woman Commits Suicide to Avoid Eviction Updated: Wednesday, 01 Jul 2009, 5:12 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 01 Jul 2009, 5:11 PM EDT By LILY FU (MYFOX NATIONAL) - A Florida woman tragically committed suicide on the day she was getting evicted from her home. Heather Newnam, 28, of Tamarac, Fla., shot herself when a real estate agent, a locksmith and movers showed up at her home on Monday after she failed to pay her rent. She told them she had to secure the dogs first, and then a shot was fired, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office . The...

The Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group, is considering running ads in the Republican Party's Senate primary race against Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for supporting higher state taxes and President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus spending package. Mr. Crist's opponent for the Republican Party's nomination next year is former state Speaker of the House Marco Rubio, a young conservative running on cutting government spending and taxes who recently met here with the Club for Growth, which has a strong reputation for defeating liberal and moderate Republicans in party primaries with its aggressive ad campaigns. "We recently interviewed Marco Rubio...

Tea Party at Lakewood Ranch Florida - great time, great patriots and conseratives in action!Lloyd Marcus and his wife after visiting the Freeper TentName the Freeper!!Veterans joined to bring out our flagLloyd Marcus tribute to veteransLakewood Ranch - Sarasota Tea Party June 28, 2009

A new Mason-Dixon poll in Florida shows that Gov. Charlie Crist (R) continues to lead former House Speaker Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate race. But Rubio is gaining in the polls as he becomes more familiar to state voters. Republican Primary Election MatchupCrist 51 (-2 from May)Rubio 23 (+5)Undecided 26 (-3) In the May survey, 56 percent of Republican voters did not recognize Rubio. That number is down to 48 percent in the past month. Among voters who recognize both candidates, the race is much closer: Crist leads with 33 percent, with Rubio at 31 percent and 36 percent...

Miami physician Roberto Rodriguez, 54, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme involving HIV infusion services, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman of the Southern District of Florida and Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Rodriguez was also ordered to pay more than $9 million in restitution to the Medicare program during today’s sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck. Rodriguez pleaded guilty before Judge Huck on March 23, 2009,...

Banner headline only.

DEVELOPING: Television pitchman Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday, MyFOXTampa.com reports.

DEVELOPING: Television pitchman Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday, FOX News confirms. Mays was found unresponsive by his wife inside his Tampa, Fla., home at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Tampa Police Department. Police said there were no signs of forced entry to May's residence and foul play is not suspected. Authorities said an autopsy should be complete by Monday afternoon. Mays, 50, was on board a US Airways flight that blew out its front tires as it landed at a Tampa airport...

A   Tampa police say Billy Mays, the television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50. Authorities say Mays was pronounced dead this morning after being found by his wife at home. There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.

TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50. Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon. "Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," said Mays' wife, Deborah. "Our...

Tampa police say Billy Mays, the television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50. Authorities say Mays was pronounced dead this morning after being found by his wife at home. There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play. The coroner's office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon

Bread trailer stolen from a church By Christina Hernandez, WINK News Story Updated: Jun 26, 2009 at 7:47 PM EDT LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. - Stealing from charity - it's hard to believe anyone would do that, but it happened at a church in Lehigh Acres. The Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church helps out struggling residents every week, but Friday morning, it was a lot harder to do that. The church does something called 'free bread day' for those in need every Friday morning. Thursday night, the trailer the donated bread is loaded into went missing. Chuck Emery volunteers at the church...

Television "pitchman" Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday. Mays was found unresponsive by his wife inside his Tampa, Fla., home at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Tampa Police Department.

Amison v. State, 5 So.3d 798 (Fla.App. 2 Dist. 2009) a case from Dade City, Appellate case number 2D07-5928 was reversed because they most likely did some things right. [1] The lawyer, a public defender, filed a pre-trial motion to suppress evidence or a request to block evidence of the search. Because the judge denied the motion, [2] Amison plead no contest most likely because of the overwhelming evidence against him, reserving the right to appeal the denial of his motion. What happens when a motion to suppress, or a motion in liminie, is requested after the jury is sworn,...

Eight Miami-Dade County, Florida residents have been indicted in connection with an alleged $22 million Medicare fraud scheme operated out of Miami businesses purporting to specialize in home health care services, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman of the Southern District of Florida, and Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). A temporary restraining order freezing assets of the indicted defendants and their companies was also filed. Gladys Zambrana, Javier Zambrana, Enrique Perez, Alejandro Hernandez Quiros (aka Alex Hernandez), Vanessa Estrada, Vicenta...

Invest 93 See Infrared Loop Here: http://www.goes.noaa.gov/HURRLOOPS/huirloop.html Statement as of 8:00 am EDT on June 26, 2009 For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico...A tropical wave over the western Caribbean Sea continues to produceshowers and thunderstorms from Cuba and the Cayman Islands southwestward to Honduras. Conditions appear marginally favorablefor some slow development of this system before it reaches theYucatan Peninsula late tonight or early Saturday. There is a lowchance...less than 30 percent...of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Locally heavy rain will continueover portions of Cuba and the Cayman Islands today...

U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller entered the fray for the U.S. Senate seat Thursday morning by lending his endorsement to candidate Marco Rubio. "Marco is certainly a young, fresh voice of conservative ideals and principles. I served with him in the state legislature and I believe he would make the best U.S. Senator," said Miller, R-Chumuckla, who represents Florida's First Congressional District. Miller becomes the first in the Florida delegation to issue an endorsement in the race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, according to Dan McFaul, the congressman's chief of staff. Rubio, a Miami Republican and former state House...

ROVELAND, Fla. -- Eyewitness News has discovered that Groveland Police recently stopped an off duty Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy for suspicion of driving drunk. Police, however, did not arrest the deputy. Now the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has launched its own internal investigation into the incident. According to a police incident report, Deputy Rodney Blevins was driving on Highway 50 in May when he slammed on his truck brakes in front of Chaos Tattoo Shop. According to the report, he started yelling obscene words at two women in front of the business. That is when an officer pulled him over....

6/25/2009 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- Members of the 505th Command and Control Wing may not be known for conducting search and rescue missions, but when a litter of kittens was trapped in a wall June 22 here, wing members knew just what to do. Bruce Chappell heard a cat early June 22 as he sat at his desk in Building 90005, but he couldn't tell where the sound was coming from. "My first thought was it was a cell phone ringer or screen saver," Mr. Chappell said. "Then I asked others and they heard it, too." Believing the...

U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is in the midst of a publicity bonanza from his weekend Twitter message that the situation in Iran would be different if that country had a Second Amendment akin to that in the U.S. Constitution. The implication, of course, was that if the masses had guns, the government wouldn’t be able to run roughshod over them – exactly the kind of message that appeals to the conservative base of the Republican Party that he needs to mobilize in his primary contest with Gov. Charlie Crist for the 2010 Senate nomination. The biggest bonus so far:...