Sunshine Slate

[Jacksonville, FL] A small-time tanning bed operator is in big-time trouble. According to court documents and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Middle District of Florida, Starke resident Doyce Dean Griffis (49) ran a one-machine tanning bed salon on his property. It was a simple operation – drop your money in the [...]

[Seminole County, FL] Things will be quiet for a while for George Zimmerman as his defense team has decided to delay filing a motion for bond. “A hearing will not be scheduled for a couple of weeks, and we will file a the motion well in advance of the hearing,” the attorneys for Mr. Zimmerman [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] In his Weekly Radio Address delivered on Friday, Gov. Rick Scott talked up preparedness as Florida enters the 2012 hurricane season, which officially started  June 1. “It is important that each Floridian and Florida business has an action plan,” said Scott. “We want to ensure that everyone is prepared in case a tropical [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] Gov. Rick Scott – already reeling from nationwide criticism that he is purging non-U.S. citizens from Florida voter rolls (and taking legitimate voters right along with them) – now has a fresh federal smack down to deal with. In his 27-page ruling, a federal judge has declared that the requirement that all voter [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] Florida homeowners have a new tool to help them understand what’s at stake after a violent hurricane makes landfall: An updated version of the insurance assessment calculator. I know … yawn. But as we enter another hurricane season (which starts June 1), homeowners really need to know what lies ahead in terms of [...]

[New York, NY] Two groups are making a federal case out of Gov. Rick Scott‘s treatment of unemployed Florida residents seeking benefits. Both the New York-based National Employment Law Project (NELP) and Florida Legal Services have filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor. The complaint centers around the arduous testing and administrative hurdles [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] Baseball and hurricane preparedness have a lot in common; you have to cover all your bases to succeed. As Floridians, we all need to be prepared for hurricane season, and National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 27 through June 2, is a great time to ensure we’ve covered all our bases – insure, secure [...]

[Tampa, FL] A riot at a private prison that claimed the life of one officer and resulted in injuries to four staffers and an inmate should serve as a warning to the residents of Florida, says the bargaining representative for Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) officers. Over the weekend, a nine-hour riot broke out at [...]

[Manatee County, FL] Another violent SUR-13 gang member is off the streets for good. On Monday, Daniel “Boom” Robledo, 26, was sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of Elvis Ruiz, 27, during a street fight in which Robledo was the aggressor. Ruiz, who wasn’t packing any heat, was fatally shot in the [...]

[Miami, FL] When Miami-Dade fire captain Brian Beckmann let the word know how he felt about the whole Trayvon Martin thing, the reaction was swift in calling for his removal from the force. Sunshine Slate noted back on April 18 that Beckmann posted an offensive rant on Facebook, as originally reported by TheGrio.com. Here is [...]

[Orlando, FL] Can’t get enough of George Zimmerman? Want to learn about the details of his defense? Want to post something you may regret later? It is all available to you online via websites and social media. That’s right, the Orlando-based legal team defending the man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of [...]

[Kissimmee, FL] Late last week, Osceola County Clerk of Court Malcom Thompson was acquitted in a pair of cases that had caused Gov. Rick Scott to suspend him from duty. The cases were workplace-related. He stood accused of assault and battery against members of his own staff. Now, Thompson – who is running for re-election [...]

[Orlando, FL] The website George Zimmerman had launched to help finance his defense has been taken down at the request of his new legal team. “This website’s sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries,” Zimmerman said on the site, as reported by Sunshine Slate on April [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] The drop in Florida’s unemployment rate in March was the largest such drop in 20 years. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity stats released Friday show that although Florida added 10,800 jobs, the state still suffers from a 9% unemployment rate, down o.4% from February figures. “The largest monthly unemployment rate decline in 20 [...]

[Tallahassee, FL] Earlier today, Florida CFO Jeff Atwater made the announcement that multiple arrests have been made at a Miami massage clinic. But its not for what you think it’s for. According to CFO Atwater’s office, Miami-based Flamingo Health Corporation has been submitting fraudulent insurance claims and “coaching” patients on how to do the PIP [...]

[Sanford, FL] Bail has finally been set for George Zimmerman, the man who has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester set Zimmerman’s bail at $150,000 and stated that Zimmerman may not possess firearms, use drugs or alcohol and has to follow a court-ordered curfew. Zimmerman [...]

[Orlando, FL] In a nearly decade-old case involving “excessive force” by the Orlando Police Department (OPD), a woman has been awarded around $80,000 for being zapped by a Taser by officers just outside of the Florida Citrus Bowl, reports the Orlando Sentinel. Back in 2003, police were still figuring out when and where it was [...]

[Weston, FL] No, this is not the plot of a new teen flick starring the latest heartthrob or the storyline of a very special episode of Glee! This really happened – a small town in Florida has just banned skating rinks, dance halls and nightclubs. Cue the Kenny Loggins music. Last week, the City of [...]

[Miami, FL] He’s supposed to put out fires, not start them. Miami-Dade Fire Department Captain Brian Beckmann caused a stir recently with an incendiary Facebook post responding announcement of George Zimmerman being charged for second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford. As reported by TheGrio.com: “Listening to Prosecutor Corey blow herself [...]

[Fruit Cove, FL] On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott signed the 2012-13 Florida budget, which included $1 billion “more” for education and $142.7 million in line-item vetoes. But you’d think he signed an education bill the way he’s talking. “Over the last year I have traveled the state to hear from Floridians what issues they care [...]