The Cooler

WSVN has a picture of a coyote running around a neighborhood just west of downtown Miami. I kid you not. See Item E. That and other South Florida news in this morning's Cooler.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Rick Scott has apparently not been as big a jerk as they had hoped for.

Though encouraged by Scott's focus on creating jobs, stressing accountability and holding down public spending and taxes, many Florida conservatives say they are disappointed on other fronts. Though it was a major campaign promise, Scott has failed to crack down on illegal immigration. He also reversed last year's cut in education funding, despite promises to pare state spending.

The tea-party movement, dominated by conservative voters who champion drastically reining in government expenditures, sent Scott to victory in 2010. But since he has started to tone down his tea-party rhetoric, he has seen a slight uptick in his approval ratings.

B- Sun-Sentinel: How prosecutors took down Roy Black.

John Goodman's defense attorney Roy Black, considered one of the top defense attorneys in the country, tried to convince jurors over the past two weeks — in Goodman's trial for DUI-manslaughter and vehicular homicide — that Goodman's Bentley malfunctioned, he suffered a concussion in the crash and his high blood alcohol level was because of liquor he'd gulped at a friend's barn afterward to cope with the pain.

Prosecutors Ellen Roberts and Sherri Collins shredded each theory, presenting witnesses who saw him drink at a charity event and after party the night of the crash along with investigators and experts who supported their claims that Goodman drove drunk, left Wilson to die and took nearly an hour to call police.

C- Sun-Sentinel: They so deserve it.

Miramar-based low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has scored a spot in the top 16 on Consumerist.com’s 7th Annual ‘Worst Company in America’ tournament, according to a recent report.

Spirit, who made the tournament for the first time this year, beat out Delta Air Lines, a veteran tournament contender, as bracket favorite.

In this round of the basket-ball style tournament, dubbed the “Sweet 16,” Spirit is joined by Bank of America, Best Buy, GameStop, Apple and AT&T, among others.

D- Palm Beach Post: They write letters.

I have been a senior citizen of Florida for two years. I lived all my life in New Jersey and never felt the need to carry a firearm. I carry pepper spray, which is neither lethal or permanent.

I know how easy it is to hit the wrong target with a gun. My biggest fear is living in a state that allows anyone to carry a gun. How do I know whether a person pulling a gun on me, for whatever reason, is licensed to do so?

I am thinking I would have a split second to decide whether or not to jump someone in the process of pulling a gun on me. In this case, who is the one "holding their ground?"

It's an archaic law. Now I must obtain a license to carry to protect myself from the other citizens who are licensed to carry. I don't want to be the one in a gunfight without a gun. Fear not, this will be a temporary measure until I can vote with my feet and move back to a civilized state like New Jersey.

WILLIAM DAMATO

E- WSVN: A coyote in Miami. No sh*t.

MIAMI (WSVN) -- Residents in a South Florida neighborhood are on edge after spotting an unusual animal roaming their streets.

A wild coyote has been spotted running across driveways and streets in "The Roads" neighborhood of Miami along Southwest 11th Street and 12th Avenue.

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