F'd up Florida

(Newser) - By Democratic Party rules, the long-awaited committee meeting on Saturday is authorized to re-seat no more than half of the outlaw delegations from Florida and Michigan, party lawyers have advised in a new memo. The Rules and Bylaws Committee is required to maintain a penalty for the leapfrogging states that cuts their original delegate counts at least by half, the AP reports. More »

(Newser) - In his speech in Miami this week, John McCain talked the familiar macho talk on Cuba, taking a hard line on the embargo and ridiculing Barack Obama for suggesting that he might open a dialogue with Raul Castro. That may still play with older exiles, Time notes, but a growing number of younger Cuban-Americans don't believe the embargo has any hope of toppling the regime and would like to see more openness in both diplomacy and borders. More »

(Newser) - With its fine, white sand and relative seclusion, Florida's Caladesi Island—on the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay—is the nation's best beach, says a Florida professor who issues annual rankings. This year's runners-up, from the AP: Hanalei Beach, Hawaii Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York Coronado Beach in San Diego More »

(Newser) - With primary voting in its final stretch, the long-simmering argument about outlaw Florida and Michigan balloting is heating up. Hillary Clinton's camp is still arguing that all delegates should be seated, while Barack Obama said seating half the Florida delegates would be “a very reasonable solution”—though he discounted the vote's legitimacy, calling it “essentially a referendum on name recognition.” More »

(Newser) - Nearly 33,000 acres of Florida's Everglades National Park were burning yesterday with only 20% of the blaze contained, CNN reports. A dense smoke warning was in effect in parts of southern Florida as flames threatened an endangered sparrow species and private property. The fire is the latest in a series of wildfires sweeping Florida, including one near Daytona Beach that has spread over 12,000 acres. More »

(Newser) - A suspect has been arrested in connection with the wildfires scorching Florida, CNN reports. Brian Crowder, 31, was captured after being seen lighting a small fire in a field and running twice from police. "I am not saying that he is the individual connected to this arson … but I can tell you we have made an arrest," a local police chief says. More »

(Newser) - Fires that have raged across Florida over the last 2 days may have been deliberately set, Gov. Charlie Crist said today. Investigators have pointed to the fact that many of the blazes in different places sprang up at once as evidence of arson, CNN reports. Almost 100 homes have been damaged by the fires, which authorities say are now mostly contained. More »

(Newser) - The so-called “DC Madam” hanged herself in Florida, police said today, committing suicide two weeks after her conviction for money laundering and racketeering. Officials say her mother found Deborah Jeane Palfrey, 52, hanging in a storage sh