Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who is running for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, signed the "Contract From America" which pledges that a candidate will back smaller government, repeal the federal health-care law. and lower taxes. The contract is being pushed by FreedomWorks and former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey. The contract was backed in the 2010 cycle bymyriad candidates including Mike Lee, Jim DeMint, Tom Coburn and Sharon Angle.

A joint appearance by state Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon this week is expected to reiterate Cannon's endorsement in the Republican contest for U.S. Senate. Haridopolos and Cannon are scheduled to speak at the the Breakfast Club in Orlando on Tuesday. The Haridopolos campaign announced that the two would hold a "joint press availability" after the meeting. Katie Betta, Cannon's spokeswoman, told Sunshine State News Sunday that Cannon "endorsed the president during his campaign kick-off event several months ago."

A part-time Florida businessman is feeling heat from the British press over his company's handling of elderly-care homes in the U.K.

Hari Sevugan, national spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, has accepted a top position at Students First, Michelle Rhee's Washington, D.C.-based, high-profile education advocacy group. Washington insiders say Sevugan is making the move to strengthen his credentials on education policy.

A South Florida imam and his Margate mosque will be the target of a street protest Tuesday night (June 7). Izhar Khan, who has been called "a bright young star" by the president of the Masjid Jamaat al-Mumineed mosque, was arrested and charged last month with conspiracy to finance the Taliban in Pakistan. His father, also a South Florida imam, was also charged, along with two other family members. Calling for the mosque's closure, a coalition of patriot groups and pro-Israel demonstrators said they will protest outside the building at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Miami-Dade mayoral race has spun off a sideline squabble between a homosexual-activist group and the Christian Family Coalition, with both groups touting their members' economic clout. The gay-promoting SAVE Dade this week endorsed Carlos Gimenez, calling the county commissioner "profamily." CFC has not officially endorsed in the contest, but is widely considered to favor Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina.

Brian Burgess, communications director for Gov. Rick Scott, released the following statement late Friday about the bill-signing event in The Villages, in which Democrats were told by a governor's staffer to leave: Governor Scott did not make, nor was he aware of, any decision regarding who would be allowed to attend the recent event at The Villages.

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards pleaded not guilty in federal court Friday to charges that he used $925,000 in campaign funds to hide an affair and out-of-wedlock paternity. From the Politico story:

Florida's deepening drought is raising red flags, and fires. State Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said the long-burning 168,000-acre fire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge straddling the Florida-Georgia border could spread to 300,000 acres or more if rainfall isn't forthcoming. Erupting in late April, the Honey Prairie Fire was declared 80 percent contained on Friday, but it has already consumed roughly half of the refuge, and tinder-dry conditions have hampered firefighters' efforts.

Friday greeted President Barack Obama with some bad news in the form of anemic job growth in May, with 54,000 jobs added last month and the national unemployment rate ticking up to 9.1 percent. Analysts had expected some 125,000 jobs to be added in May. But the numbers only tell half the story. If you're working at one of the new jobs created last month, there's a better than 50 percent chance you're working at McDonald's. That's because the fast food chain went on a hiring spree in April, adding 62,000 positions, with some spilling over into May.

It's been nearly five years since the once high-flying John Edwards' life was entirely seamless. Finally -- on Friday morning -- the former presidential candidate was indicted on criminal charges by a federal grand jury in Raleigh, N.C. The charges involve an elaborate and secret scheme to misuse more than $900,000 in campaign funds from wealthy donors to cover up his extramarital affair. Edwards faces six counts --four of illegal campaign contributions, one of conspiracy, and one of false statements. He is set to appear in court in Winston-Salem on Friday afternoon.

Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation imposing tougher restrictions and penalties on pain clinics and unscrupulous doctors Friday, commonly known as the "pill mill" bill. I am proud to sign this bill which cracks down on the criminal abuse of prescription drugs. This legislation will save lives in our state and it marks the beginning of the end of Floridas infamous role as the nations pill mill capital," Scott said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a discouraging May jobs report Friday, with 54,000 jobs added last month -- more than 100,000 fewer than expected.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a 349-page growth management bill Thursday that makes it easier for local governments to set development in motion and fast-track projects the governor hopes will put more Floridians to work quickly. It was one of Scott's campaign promises in 2010. Scott didn't listen to environmental groups that called for a veto. They feared the law will increase urban sprawl and undo years of sound growth-management practices. The bill reduces state scrutiny of development approvals and gives municipalities more say on how much to charge for impact fees.

Nearly 1,000 state workers gathered Thursday at the Leon County Civic Center as awards and recognitions were given out to workers who boosted productivity and found ways to save the state money in the past year as part of the Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards. In total, 571 awards will be given out in 2011 for employees that collectively saved Florida taxpayers $473 million last year. Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll and Florida TaxWatch Chairman Marshall Criser presided over the program.