The House Ethics Committee will spend another 45 days reviewing claims that U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, sexually harassed a member of his staff and sought to retaliate when she refused his advances, Politico is reporting.

A collection of the Occupy Wall Street-inspired groups from across Florida is reportedly going to meet up next month to plan a march on the Capitol for the first day of the 2012 session.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, Reps. John Legg, R-New Port Richey, and Richard Corcoran, R-Port Richey, have announced the 2011 Farm Share Holiday Food Giveaway will be held Dec. 16. The annual giveaway of fresh food donated by Florida farmers will be held at the Redeemer Community Church, 9230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey.

A national poll from Majority Opinion Research released on Monday morning found that former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is opening up a solid lead over former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and the rest of the pack in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Politico reports that MassachusettsRep. Barney Frank, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, will not seek re-election in 2012 -- and his office has confirmed it.

A bipartisan effort to promote the Florida Everglades restoration will be announced this afternoon in Boynton Beach. State Rep. Steven Perman, D-Boca Raton, and State Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera, will host a media conference to introduce the new Everglades Caucus in the Florida Legislature. Others at the 1 p.m. announcement will be representatives from the Everglades Coalition, Everglades Foundation, Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, and Friends of the Marshall Refuge.

Gov. Rick Scott will have a sit-down with the editorial board of the Daytona Beach News Journal this afternoon. Scott's daily calendar has one-hour marked for the meeting, starting at 2:15 p.m.

Former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana, now making a dark-horse bid for the Republican presidential nomination while speculation continues to grow that he may launch an independent presidential campaign, weighed in on Sunday on who he wanted as his vice president -- a man who had been up for the office before: U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn. Lieberman had been Al Gores running mate on the Democratic ticket back in 2000.

Seeking to fill about 800 positions, ranging from chefs and servers to slot-machine technicians and security, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek will use an RV for people to drop off their resumes. The RV will make 19 stops in the next month in Southeast Florida, starting at the Coral Square Mall. Expect many of the jobs to start around $9 an hour. The casino is undergoing a $150 million expansion. For information, visit http://www.gotoworkhappy.com/. The RV tour dates:

The head of the Florida Family Policy Council goes into the lion's den on Tuesday to debate casino legislation that would open the door to destination resorts in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. John Stemberger will be the lone anti-gaming voice on a breakfast forum at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. The 7:30 a.m. forum will feature four top advocates for the casino industry: Dan Adkins, president of the Mardi Gras Casino; Bob Wyre, general manager of Isle Casino and Racing; and Nick Larossi, lobbyist for Las Vegas Sands.

A 2004 letter signed by Newt Gingrich affirmed and previewed his left-wing position on illegal immigration. In the letter, Gingrich supports the idea that "keeping a door open to those with the 'will and heart to get here' is vital to our economy, our culture, our role in the world, and our historic tradition as a land of freedom and opportunity." In signing the letter, Gingrich called on others to "recognize that those already working here outside the law are unlikely to leave."

The Mars Science Laboratory, carrying a car-sized rover named Curiosity, lifted off on time, 10:02 a.m. Saturday, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas V rocket.

Florida A&M University board of trustee chairman Solomon L. Badger backs the suspension of activities for the Florida A&M Marching 100 as an investigation is underway into the death of a drum major. Badger released a statement Friday supporting the efforts of university president James Ammons, who has also appointed a task force, led by former Attorney General Bob Butterworth and Quincy Police Chief Walt McNeil, to investigate the Oct. 19 death of drum major Robert Champion in Orlando. Hazing has been alleged.

Saturday, Nov. 26, is one of two occasions this season when Port Everglades expects to break its own world record for the most cruise passengers departing a port in a single day. A projected 55,000 passengers are expected to travel through the port to board eight cruise ships Saturday and on March 17, 2012, during the peak of spring break, the port reported. Part of the reasons for the optismistic boarding numbers is that the cruise line Seabourn's new 450-guest luxury Seabourn Quest began using the port on Monday.

Florida wildlife officials are expressing concern about an effort by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, to speed up a ban on importing and trading exotic pythons, as a growing number of the species are being dumped in South Florida. Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, expressed concern that the ban could have the unintended consequences of causing more snakes to be released into the wild, the Sun-Sentinel reported.