Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Curtis L. Disque, of Jupiter, to the Martin County Court. Disque, 47, has been general magistrate of the 19th Judicial Circuit since 2011. Curtis brings to the bench a distinguished and varied background as an attorney, Scott stated in a release. As a general magistrate, he has a reputation for diligence, fairness, and courteousness. I am confident that the people of Martin County will be well served by this appointment.

A 37-year-old Tampa man has been charged with organized fraud -- receiving fraudulent tax refund checks --the statewide attorneys office announced on Monday. Demetrius Lewis, 37, of Tampa, was arrested by the Pasco County sheriffs office, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service, charged with part of an ongoing Florida Department of Law Enforcement criminal investigation.

Gov. Rick Scott is sporting a pair of small adhesive bandages on his forehead he says was from some pre-skin cancer treatment that has started to bruise. Scott joked with reporters outside the Capitol on Monday that he won a fight, before adding, but that wasnt true. It was not immediately available what degree of malignancy Scott was treated for or when he was diagnosed.

Gov. Rick Scott offered condolences to veteran Jupiter Police Officer Bruce St. Laurent who was killed while riding as part of President Obamas motorcade on Sunday. St. Laurent, 55, was a 20-year member of the department who was known for dedicating his service to the town, including playing Santa Claus at Christmas andriding his police motorcycle to the Jupiter Head Start.

Larry Williams, the legislative aide for state Rep. Janet Adkins, R-Fernandina Beach, since first elected in 2008, is heading into private government consulting. Adkins announced Friday that Williams will leave the House on Nov. 2.

Conventioneers in Charlotte listening to Charlie Crist may have thought they have some kind of monopoly on high-profile Americans who became so disenchanted with their party they switched. They do not, and the Romney for President folks want the world to know.

The justices of the Supreme Court of Florida heard oral arguments Friday morning regarding an appeal by the state of a March ruling by a circuit judge overturning key elements of the Legislature's 2011 reform of the state employee retirement system. Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement on what he expects the outcome of the case to be:

Gov. Rick Scott has asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare oyster harvesting areas in the Gulf of Mexico around Apalachicola Bay a fishery resource disaster in part because of years of drought conditions and overharvesting. Scott sent a letter requesting the designation to Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank on Thursday after Franklin County leaders estimated that 2,500 jobs have been impacted by the decline in harvesting conditions.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Wendy J. Giesy-Griffin to the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Giesy-Griffin, 60, of Lithia, is a retired environmental consultant who had worked with Metis Environmental Services beginning in 1996. Prior to consulting, she was an environmental administrator with the Florida Department of Transportation from 1979 to 1985 and an environmental technician and specialist with Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission from 1976 to 1979. She succeeds Hugh M. Gramling.

The League of Women Voters of Florida Education Fund (LWVFEF) is offering state voters its just-published 2012 Florida Election & Voter Guide. The guide includes information on presidential contenders as well as statewide candidates, Supreme Court justices and the 11 constitutional amendments on the Florida ballot. According to the League, with a print run of 1.1 million, copies of the Voter Guide will be available in all 67 counties through media, local libraries, civic organizations and local Leagues.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Mark T. Porter as Monroe County superintendent of schools. Porter, 56, of Key West, has been the deputy superintendent of the school district. With 32 years of service in public education, Porter previously held several leadership positions within South Washington County Schools, including superintendent from 2000 to 2012. The term is through Jan. 7, 2013. Porter fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Jesus F. Jara, whom Scott had appointed to the position in August 2011.

As two Florida Democratic state representatives contest their recent primary election defeats through the courts, a political consultant from one of the states major bipartisan consulting firms suggests the Haitian legislators might be the victims of a political ethnic cleansing by their own party officials.

Governor Rick Scott signed a warrant Wednesday instructing Florida Prison Warden John Palmer to carrying out of the death sentence of John Errol Ferguson on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Ferguson, 64, was convicted on eight counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death for his role in a 1977 Dade County home invasion in which six people were killed.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce has released its latest endorsements heading into the general election. For Senate: District 22: Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg District 24: Tom Lee, R-Brandon District 26: Bill Galvano, R- Bradenton For House: District 7: Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello District 59: Ross Spano, R-Dover District 69: Kathleen Peters, R-South Pasadena District 82: MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta District 97: Jared E. Moskowitz, D-Fort Lauderdale

Governor Rick Scott announced the 12 members of the eighth class of the Gubernatorial Fellows Program who will spend at least 20 hours a week gaining first-hand experience in state government. I applaud these students for their outstanding academic, leadership and service-oriented accomplishments, Scott stated in a release. This program will provide them with on-the-job leadership training for successful careers in the public or private sector.