Motorists should see gas prices decline slightly through January, yet crank up in the spring as demand grows and refineries switch to summer fuel blends, according to AAA. While the forecast from AAA has prices hitting around $3.80 a gallon, the spring peak shouldnt exceed the 2012 mark of $3.94 a gallon reached last April.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry released the following statement for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Gov. Rick Scott and first lady Ann Scott are scheduled to walk in the Jacksonville Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Monday, according to the governor's office. The parade is set for 10 a.m.- noon, with a theme of Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere.

PolitiFact, fact-checking vehicle of the liberal Tampa Bay Times, awarded its No. 1 "pants on fire" of 2012 to Republican Mitt Romney (of course -- PolitiFact's 'Lie of the Year' awards invariably go to Republicans). Romney said Jeep was moving its U.S. production to China.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that two drones, costing taxpayers $50,000, have been donated to the Orange Countysheriff's department by the Obama administration. "This is not about intruding,'' Sheriff Jerry Demings said at a demonstration of the drones. "We're not going into any homes.''

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have agreed to vote next week on a short-term hike to the debt ceiling, past the mid-February deadline when the Treasury was expected to reach its legal limit to pay. The move, which the GOP hopes can be used to get Democrats to eventually approve spending cuts, averts the possibility of a market-rattling default, according to FOX News.

Gov. Rick Scott has signed a death warrant for Paul Augustus Howell, a drug trafficker convicted in the 1992 bomb death of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Jimmy Fulford. The execution has been set for Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. Howell, 47, now at Union Correctional Institute, was sentenced to death in 1995.

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. President Barry Gilway has given his blessing to a bill by Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Wellington, to create an inspector general position at the state-backed insurer. Citizens is in full support of Senator Abruzzos good bill and welcomes the added oversight, Gilway stated in a release. We hope this extra layer of accountability will help to restore public trust and confidence in Citizens commitment to the highest levels of financial responsibility and corporate integrity.

Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, has appointed Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, to the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet. Senator Sobel has years of leadership experience in ensuring that our children grow up with the safety, stability and education they need to be successful, Gaetz stated in a release. Her inspiring passion and extensive knowledge will facilitate policy decisions throughout Floridas government that protect Floridas children and youth.

Florida Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, has filed a bill to give state workers who havent received any wage increases for several years an across-the-board 7 percent raise. The bill, House Bill 289, has yet to receive a state analysis to estimate the fiscal impact.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, will be taking questions during town hall meetings next week in Lakeland and Temple Terrace. Ross is taking questions in advance, of which he intends to answer three, before responding to questions from those attending the hour-long meetings. Both meetings are set for Thursday, Jan. 24. 5-6 p.m., Lakeland City Hall, 228 S. Massachusetts Ave. 7-8 p.m., Temple Terrace City Hall, 11250 N. 56th St.

The Sun Sentinel reports that Judge Robert N. Scola of theU.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has released one of two South Florida imams who were charged with collectively sending some $50,000 to the Pakistan Taliban since 2008.

Floridas unemployment hit 8 percent to end 2012, down 0.1 of a percentage point from November and 1.9 points from a year earlier, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. Florida has now recorded job gains in 14 of the last 18 months, with the top gains coming in the fields that include hospitality, transportation, private education and health care. The mark is the lowest for the state since November 2008, when it was 7.8 percent. The state continues to lag behind the national mark of 7.8 percent.

The governors office released a long list of support for the Gov. Rick Scotts fiscal support to build up Floridas ports, highlighted by $13 million for Port Everglades on Thursday and $36 million for JaxPort on Monday.

House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, called Scotts recommended election reforms realistic." I applaud the governor for developing realistic solutions to fix a serious problem, Weatherford stated in a release. The House will take a close look at these recommendations as we determine the best steps to take to resolve the issue.