Rick Scott said he will speak with Texas Gov. Rick Perry later today and one topic that will come up is that Florida is hot on the heels of the Lone Star states No. 1 ranking for job creation. Chief Executive magazine recently moved Florida up from third to second, surpassing North Carolina, among the best states in which to do business.

Oh, goody. Just what Florida needs. Another gaggle of lawyers using the environment as an excuse to sue the pants off us. The Center for Biological Diversity, founded in 1989 and based in Tucson, Ariz., says its new office in St. Petersburg will help expand its role in fighting to conserve biodiversity in the Southeast. More specifically, that role is filing petitions and suing over endangered species.

Edison State College is closer to replacing its $837,000-a-year former president.

At least three of the famed Marching 100 band arrested in the hazing death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion were not enrolled as students at the school or any neighboring campus, the Tallahassee Democrat is reporting.

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered national and state flags lowered to half-staff outside the Union County Courthouse and Raiford City Hall today for Michael A. Bud Dobbs, the chairman of the Raiford City Council. Dobbs, 77, had been a member of the council since incorporation in 1973 and had retired as water treatment manager for Florida State Prison.

Attorney General Pam Bondi will host the 27th Annual National Conference on Preventing Crime in the Black Community, May 16-18 in Tampa. This conference is the perfect opportunity for law enforcement, local leaders, and members of the community to work together to share new ideas and strategies to prevent crime in our communities, Bondi stated in a release. The conference was established by the attorney generals office in 1986 to showcase innovative ideas that encourage crime prevention in the black community.

State Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, has endorsed George LeMieux to be the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, according to a statement from LeMieux's camp on Tuesday. After nearly 20 years of friendship, today I am excited to endorse George LeMieux in his bid for U.S. Senate, Bogdanoff stated in a release.

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain continues to remain politically active in Florida. On Tuesday, Cain added businessman Ozzie deFaria, who is running in the crowded Republican primary field looking to topple Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to his Army of Davids -- candidates who agree with Cain on tax reform, namely the 9-9-9 plan. Conservative activist Joe Kaufman, who is also running in the GOP primary, was added to the Army of Davids earlier in the month.

Florida stands to pick up nearly $5 million for future consumer protection efforts from a multistate and federal settlement with Abbott Laboratories over improperly misbranding the anti-seizure drug Depakote, the state attorney general's office announced.

Businesswoman Karen Harrington, who was the Republican nominee that lost out to U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., in 2010 and is angling for a rematch in 2012, announced on Tuesday that she had won the backing of the Susan B. Anthony List, an organization that backs pro-life candidates. I am truly honored that the Susan B. Anthony List has embraced our campaign to defeat one of the most polarizing and radical pro-choice members of Congress, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Harrington said on Tuesday.

House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, can add an MVL (Most Valuable Legislator) to his mantle as he exits the Legislature. The Florida Chamber of Commerce gave Cannon the 2012 MVL honor on Tuesday, noting that he helped establish predictability and stability with Floridas business climate and supported private-sector job creation.

Orlando may be a family-friendly city known for the Magic Kingdom, but according to Men's Health Magazine it's also ground zero for purchasing, renting and streaming porn. The city took the top spot in the magazine's list of porn. Don't expect this to be highlighted by business and travel leaders. In addition to buying and renting porn, the magazine also judged cities based on the number of adult entertainment stores, Google searches for porn sites, and Cinemax-subscribing households.

Gov. Rick Scott has issued a call for applicants to be charter members of the board of trustees for Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland. As we work to make Florida the best state in the nation for businesses to expand and create jobs, we must have a globally competitive education system that will turn out leaders in technology and innovation, Scott stated in a release. I look forward to calling on talented and visionary individuals who will set Florida Polytechnic on a path toward world-class excellence.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Chris Corr, a veteran real estate development executive, to the University of Florida board of trustees. According to a release from the governors office, Corr, 48, of Lake Lure, N.C., has been the executive vice president of AECOM, overseeing planning, design and development, since 2008.

Floridians plan to be hitting the road to take in the beach, an amusement park or see family members in greater numbers than last year, according to AAA. A survey by AAA found that 65 percent of Floridians, up 8 percent from 2011, intend a summer vacation of four or more days from now until September.