The Cooler

There's a whole lot of news going on out there in the mainstream media this morning. Here's some of it.

A- Herald: We don't need no stinkin' debates.

After the former county commissioner was a no-show at a face-off Monday, his campaign canceled Gimenez’s appearances in a series of events scheduled this week against opponent Julio Robaina.

The surprise move came after Gimenez pulled ahead of Robaina in the race for the June 28 runoff election, according to a poll conducted last week for The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald by Bendixen & Amandi International.

[...]

“I’ve done 26 debates. Julio Robaina has missed more than half of them,” Gimenez said. “I may do one or two more. But the people are voting, you know. We need to get out on the street.”

B- Herald: Morin.

C- Herald: Glenn Garvin believes Barack Obama is a "tan version of Richard Nixon.

"Back in 1987, the hot novelty item at the Young Republicans’ national convention was a T-shirt bearing the slogan: “He’s Tan, Rested and Ready. Nixon in ’88.” The kids were just a little bit ahead of their time; it would take us another 20 years before we elected a tan version of Richard Nixon.

D- Sun-Sentinel: Bravo! Cutting waste!

The cost of college just went up by an unexpected $1,500 for some of Florida's top students.

Recipients of the highly competitive, merit-based Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship have received letters from the state this month saying the federal government is no longer funding the awards.

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"I just found out a week-and-a-half ago. I don't know how I'm going to make up the difference," said Tosca Lichtenheld, 19, of Miami, who recently completed her freshman year at the University of Chicago. "They told us so late in the year, and most of the deadlines for other scholarships have already passed."

E- Sun-Sentinel: Off to a rocky start.

FORT LAUDERDALE— Newlyweds from Lighthouse Point spent their first morning as husband and wife telling the story of their honeymoon night — to police.

Bernadette Besario Catan-Keeler, 30, was arrested and charged with domestic violence battery Sunday morning. Police said she attacked her husband and bit him.

The couple told authorities they got married Saturday.

They were celebrating Saturday night at the W hotel in Fort Lauderdale, then went to a nightclub, according to a Lighthouse Point police affidavit released Monday.

When his new wife started dancing with another man, Mike Keeler told police, he left the nightclub and returned to the hotel, following shortly by his wife, who was drunk. She pushed him and bit him on his left shoulder, the affidavit said.

F- Palm Beach Post: Life in South Florida.

A Boynton Beach tow boat captain was charged with boating under the influence after he drove a pair of stranded boaters in circles for hours and ran out of fuel, authorities said today.

Timothy R. Pooler, 63, of Boynton Beach was dispatched last Thursday evening to help two men whose boat had broken down 25 miles east of Delray Beach. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Pooler arrived four hours after he was dispatched.

He hooked the boats together and then drove around in circles for hours in the darkness, the men told investigators.

G- Palm Beach Post: Rush Limbaugh's new iced tea.

Not to be too nitpicky about those Rush Revere labels, but Paul Revere was a man of action during a time of war. Limbaugh's chance for Revere-like derring-do would have been during the Vietnam war, when Limbaugh was a civilian bystander by virtue of a cyst on his rear end.

H- WSVN: Video, Miami police chief walks the streets of Liberty City.

I- WPTV: Port St. Lucia bans smoking in city parks.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Attention smokers: no longer will you be able to light up wherever you want in city parks.

Beware of future signs announcing designated smoking areas.

On Monday, the City Council unanimously agreed to establish a city policy relegating smokers to certain areas in community parks. That includes special-use parks, such as soccer and neighborhood parks.

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Other Florida cities that have a policy or ordinance governing smoking at public parks include Tampa, Clearwater, Coral Springs, Lauderdale Lakes and Pembroke Pines. Vero Beach is considering restricting smoking in city parks.

Parks officials said the new policy would help protect the health of citizens, particularly infants and children and would reduce litter caused by tobacco-related products.

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