Mel Martinez News

“If John's not belittling you, you're in trouble”

If anyone else called him "little jerk," Sen. Lindsey Graham might be offended. But the jab comes from Sen. via Free Republic

The battle to get a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier moved to Florida is heating up again. via 13 WVEC.com

Charlie Crist has done in office is put Florida at the forefront of the global warming fight. via Florida Times-Union

“The number of Americans receiving food stamps is projected to reach 28 million in the coming year, the highest level since the aid program began in the 1960s.”

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson - who has come under widespread criticism for cronyism and corruption within his department - "is expected to ... via Think Progress

“How are you Mr. Mayor? I'm glad to meet you. How are things in your city?”

When Alphonso Jackson announced today that he would be stepping down as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , he joined a growing list of disgraced or, at the very least, ... via MoJo Blog

Posted: Sunday, March 30, 2008 ; Updated: 8:36 AM on Sunday, March 30, 2008 St. Augustine will be five years away on Wednesday from the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon's discovery of tourist mecca Florida in ... via St. Augustine Record

“I remain hopeful that the senators will choose private property rights over guns at work”

Florida residents would be able to keep firearms in their vehicles while at work under a bill approved Wednesday by the House. via St. Augustine Record

“The unruly situation that we had this year should not happen again and we ought to have a more organized process. I will be thinking about it and trying to come up with ideas”

Frustrated with Florida's troubled Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Bill Nelson is proposing a new nominating process and presidential elections based on the national popular vote rather than the Electoral ... via Florida Times-Union

“It would be disrespectful of the senator for me to give that away before his announcement”

FLORIDA TODAY CAPITAL BUREAU * March 26, 2008 Sen. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, refused to confirm reports that he'll get U.S. Sen. via Floridatoday.com

“They were making a living by renting out their Medicare number and going for treatments they weren't getting.”

Until last May, business was humming at All-Med Billing Corp. Then federal prosecutors charged the Miami-area medical billing company with orchestrating a $101 million scheme to bilk Medicare. Now owners Abner and Mabel Diaz are facing a criminal trial; two of the six other defendants in the case have already pleaded guilty.

Chalk up a victory for the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, a joint experiment of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Miami US attorney's office, and Medicare. Relying on traditional investigative methods and heightened interagency cooperation to quickly identify patterns of irregular billing, the one-year-old force charged 197 defendants last year - accounting for about 1 in 4 of all Medicare-fraud defendants in the United States. Read more

“He told me we were here to celebrate volunteerism and he thanked me for what I do in the community every day.”

Jacksonville News Get breaking news and daily headlines. Browse all e-mail newsletters After greeting dignitaries, President George W. Bush takes a few minutes to present a Presidential Volunteer Service Award ... via WJXT

“Republicans are excited about McCain's prospects in Florida”

Republican Party officials, buoyed by the division in Democratic ranks over holding a do-over primary in Florida and new Sunshine State polls showing a surge of support for Sen. via US News & World Report

“We filled out an 82-page application”

Health and Medical news Bonita doctors not receiving Medicare payments By LIZ FREEMAN 8:18 p.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2008 A Bonita Springs family practice isn't getting paid to treat Medicare patients, a ... via Naples Daily News

' U.S. Senator Mel Martinez today called on Congressional colleagues to present the Congressional Gold Medal to human rights activist and political prisoner, Dr. via Babalu Blog

Volunteers are needed for the 13th annual St. Johns River Celebration cleanup, being held from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at more than 20 riverfront and inland sites. via Jacksonville.com

“This will allow SFRTA's Tri-Rail system to provide better customer service while at the same time improving the system's cost effectiveness”

The office of Sen. Mel F. Martinez, R-Fla., issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mel Martinez today announced that the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority has been awarded $3,971,280 for ... via Mass Transit

“It is important for the students to connect in school”

Naples Optimists honor stellar middle school students By KATHERINE LEWIS 8:52 p.m., Monday, March 3, 2008 Jack Lindsay, 12, moved to Naples less than one year ago but he has already made a big impression on his ... via Naples Daily News

“It's exciting for us to come back and share all the training and flying experience we've gained”

After 13 days as commander of the space shuttle Atlantis, Stephen Frick remains certain about only a few aspects of his next frontier. via Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Yard sales are good for getting rid of old stuff, but for one man in Cape Coral, his yard sale Sunday was to get rid of it all. via Nbc-2.com

“I let events focus me more on issues.”

Sen. Mel Martinez wrapped up a discussion about veterans health care at Florida's oldest VA hospital recently when he offered to answer questions on any topic. via Bradenton Herald