The Florida Lottery today launches a fairly unusual scratch-off game -- one in the $2 denomination that features a series of six wildlife illustrations which will represent original Guy Harvey Collector's Series artwork. No shameless self-promoting here. The popular wildlife artist will donate all of his licensing proceeds from the GUY HARVEY Scratch-Off game entirely to The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, a nonprofit organization that directly benefits Florida's coastlines.

Florida Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, declaring the state doesn't have time to wait for Gov. Rick Scott's task force on the Stand Your Ground law to be named, has created his own task force. Smith said he is moving forward on his own as people have expressed concern about visiting Florida due to the national media attention given the Stand Your Ground law in the Feb. 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin in Sanford. "We will not sit around and wait for action," Smith said.

Insisting that he has no interest in leaving the GOP, Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has been downplaying speculation that he would continue his campaign as a third party candidate. That has not stopped supporters from launching a website urging the maverick Texas congressman to go third party. A group called Grassroots for Liberty is petitioning Paul to go third party -- much like he did in 1988 when he was the Libertarian Partys nominee.

So much for political correctness and good health. Rep. Sandy Adams will be the "special guest" at a "Cigar and Whiskey Tasting" in downtown Washington, D.C., April 24. The event, a fundraiser for fellow Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., "suggests" contributions in a range of $500 to $2,000. Event organizer Franny Decker said the evening get-together was strictly "a fundraiser for Congresswoman Ellmers" and Adams spokeswoman Lisa Boothe confirmed that her boss had been asked by Ellmers "to stop in."

A poll from Rasmussen Reports unveiled on Tuesday shows that Americans have an extremely low opinion of Congress. The poll of likely voters finds that only 2 percent of those surveyed think Congress is doing an excellent job while 4 percent think it is doing a good job. While 25 percent of those surveyed think that Congress is doing a fair job, 68 percent think its doing a poor job. Not exactly the numbers that incumbents want to see as November looms on the horizon.

Termed-limited state Sen. Mike Fasano will run for a House seat vacated by another termed-out lawmaker, who, in turn, is running for Fasano's Senate seat. Fasano, R-New Port Richey, filed for the newly created House District 36 seat. The district, encompassing large portions of West Pasco County, is currently represented by outgoing Rep. John Legg. Legg previously announced for the new Senate District 18, which incorporates much of Fasano's current District 11.

The Florida Department of Corrections announced Tuesday a new automated system to alert residents living near a state correctional facility of any emergency, such as a prison escape. The voluntary system allows people across the state to sign up their phone number for any alert. Registrants will receive detailed information about an escapee, including a physical description and the time of the escape, a release from the department stated. The automated calls will also relay specific information on other emergencies that could impact nearby homes.

A poll from Quinnipiac University released on Tuesday finds that Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has a slight lead over Mitt Romney in his home state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania holds its primary on April 24, along with four other states in the region.

Opening another front in its battle against the Hillsborough County School District and a Muslim group, the Florida Family Alliance is attacking a local newspaper's advertising base. Blasting the Tampa Tribune's "biased" coverage, FFA is targeting 32 of the paper's online advertisers. FFA claims that 34 others have already pulled their ads. "The Tampa Tribunes omission of the facts and propaganda about [the Council on American-Islamic Relations] is far more destructive than one CAIR official talking to a few hundred students," said FFA president David Caton.

Gov. Rick Scott will continue his plan to sit down with the editorial boards of each daily newspaper in Florida on Tuesday as he is scheduled to meet with the editorial board of the Tallahassee Democrat. The one-hour meeting is set for 1 p.m., according to Scott's daily schedule.

The withdrawal of Luis Garcia from the 26th Congressional District contest leaves the Democratic field open to Alex Penelas, the nominee the national party was courting all along. Snubbed by DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and frustrated by a lack of party support, Garcia announced Monday night he would not challenge Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami. The state representative said he would run instead for county commission.

Saying the GOP presidential primary battle has gone on long enough, Florida Republican Chairman Lenny Curry says it's time for the party to coalesce behind Mitt Romney. "I think [Mitt Romney] has made the case -- the other candidates had their shot. Its time to focus on November," Buzzfeed.com quoted Curry as saying today. Though Romney handily carried the Florida presidential preference primary on Jan. 31, Curry stressed that he is not formally endorsing any candidate until the race is officially over.

Former President Bill Clinton told "ABC Monday" that the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin should cause Florida -- and all states that have expanded their concealed weapons laws -- to rethink the Stand Your Ground law.

Seeing as how Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins is such a good chief operating officer for Florida's government operations, maybe Gov. Rick Scott should keep him right where he is, nowhere near the child protection agency. Maybe the governor should give somebody else a shot at saving children.

Floridas favorite Republican senator, Marco Rubio, weighed in over the weekend on the countrys history in the second half of the 20th century, ticking off the challenges the United States was able to overcome. He was speaking at the Republican Party of Pinellas Countys Lincoln Day dinner. Sure, the Soviets beat us into space. And, of course, the civil rights movement challenged our commitment to our nations core values. And then there was the Carter presidency. We withstood it all, Rubio said. Even bell bottoms and the Bee-Gees.