Gov. Rick Scott, who has championed bulking up Floridas seaports as a means to attract more global trade, has called for the fast-tracking of the widening and deepening of Port Canaveral's shipping channel by pumping $24.4 million into the $65 million project. The action is expected to advance the work from 2017 to 2014, allowing larger cargo and cruise ships into the port.

Florida reported 48 mass layoffs in the second quarter of the year, impacting 5,778 workers, up from 20 in the first three months, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. All in all, 8,506 people have been impacted by the mass layoffs in the Sunshine State this year, the federal quarterly report, deemed preliminary, stated.

Gov. Rick Scotts schedule for Thursday includes a job announcement in the morning on the Space Coast, conducting a ceremonial bill signing with students that drafted the new law, and helping the Office Depot Foundation in Tampa distribute school supplies in the afternoon. The nature of the job announcement was not immediately available, other than that it will occur at 9 a.m. at Cruise Terminal 6 at Cape Canaveral.

At approximately 3 p.m. Wednesday, Judge Terry Lewis ofthe 2nd Judicial Circuit Court dismissed a lawsuit brought against Florida Supreme Court JusticesBarbara Pariente, Peggy Quince, and R. Fred Lewisby theSoutheastern Legal Foundation (SLF).

At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Judge Terry Lewis ofthe 2nd Judicial Circuit Court will hear a motion by Florida Supreme Court JusticesBarbara Pariente, Peggy Quince, and R. Fred Lewis to dismiss a suit brought against them by theSoutheastern Legal Foundation (SLF).

Two unions representing nurses and other state employees were back in court this morning, arguing that efforts by the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) to privatize prison health services violate state law. The case was heard at 11:05 a.m. by Judge Kevin Carroll of the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania intends to rally conservatives for the man who defeated him for the Republican presidential nomination -- former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- when the GOP holds its convention in Tampa later this month. On Wednesday, a day after it was announced that Santorum would address the convention, the former presidential candidate said that Patriot Voices, an organization that he chairs, will hold an event for Romney in Tampa on Wednesday, Aug. 29.

Vincent Dolan, president of Progress Energy Florida, announced his retirement effective at the end of the year, days ahead of the appearance of the president of the companys new parent -- Duke Energy -- before the Florida energy regulators. The company, which recently merged under Duke Energy, also quickly named R. Alexander Alex Glenn, currently the Florida utilitys general counsel, to succeed Dolan.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who on Tuesday said she planned to attend the Republican National Convention in her hometown of Tampa but didnt know what role shed play, was named a headline speaker on Wednesday for the partys marquee event. Bondi, whose name has again appeared among the lists of rumored vice presidential candidates, was one of five headline speakers announced for the Aug. 27-30 convention on Wednesday morning by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

Two unions representing nurses and other state employees are back in court this morning, arguing that efforts by the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) to privatize prison health services violate state law. The case is being heard at 11 a.m. by Judge Kevin Carroll of the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court.

The Florida attorney general's office is investigating allegations that perhaps as many as half of the cardiac operations at some of Floridas major hospitals are being performed needlessly.

At least 11 lawsuits are pending against the state over the deadly crashes along a smoke-shrouded I-75, along Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, south of Gainesville, last January. Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Julie Jones mentioned the lawsuits while noting that a report on the series of crashes, resulting in 11 deaths and more than 25 injuries, is due to be released on Friday.

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered state and national flags lowered to half-staff outside the Brevard County Courthouse, Palm Bay City Hall and Florida Capitol on Wednesday to honor U.S. Army Specialist Justin L. Horsley, of Palm Bay. Horsley, 21, was one of two Floridians killed July 22 after their unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Pul-E Alam, Afghanistan. U.S. Army Specialist Brenden N. Salazar, 20, of Chuluota in Seminole County, also died in the attack.

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered flags lowered to half-staff, following a proclamation from President Obama, to honor the victims at a mass-shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. National and state flags have been ordered lowered to half-staff at all local, state, and federal buildings, installations, and grounds throughout Florida until sunset on Friday, Aug. 10, the announcement Tuesday afternoon from the governors office stated.

Gov. Rick Scott has issued an executive order for special elections on Nov. 6 for seats on the Charlotte County Airport Authority and the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District. No one qualified for three nonpartisan seats on the airport authority or the two nonpartisan seats up at the district that covers parts of northern Palm Beach County and southern Martin County, around the Loxahatchee River, that were up for election on Aug. 14.