Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio opened a national tea party summit on Friday night, drawing cheers for his hard line on immigration enforcement. "Things have to change in Washington," he told the American Policy Summit crowd, after inviting conventioneers to tour his Phoenix tent city, where he houses inmates. Other Friday night speakers:

A national tea party conference began a three-day run in Phoenix on Friday evening, with fire-breathing conservatives, presidential aspirants and media pundits scheduled to take the stage. Watch Sunshine State News' ChatterBox this weekend for reports on key speeches and activities at the Tea Party Patriots' American Policy Summit. Proceedings at www.summit11.org can be viewed online for a $10 fee.

Sen. Bill Nelson continues to bang the drum for high-speed rail, touting a one-week extension offered to the state by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. But Gov. Rick Scott, who met with LaHood on Friday in Washington, D.C., says he's still not interested in the "federal boondoggle." Check Sunshine State News for the latest twist and turn in this ongoing melodrama.

The offer of Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to give Florida an extra week to approve a plan to fund a high-speed rail line that would run from Tampa to Orlando has been rejected by state Senate President Mike Haridopolos. Here's his statement:

A Broward County circuit judge rejected a request for an injunction that sought to delay and derail a $109 million Tri-Rail locomotive contract. MotivePower Inc. had filed the injunction petition, naming rival bidder Brookville Equipment Corp. and the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority as defendants. Judge David Krathen upheld the right of SFRTA to award the contract Friday, saying public agencies have "wide discretion in soliciting and accepting bids for public improvements."

Want to join one of the five advanced registered nurse practitioners rallies Saturday but don't know where to go? Here are details of event locations around Florida: 11 a.m.Saturday, Feb. 26Miami-Dade College Medical Center Campus950 Northwest 20th St.Miami-- 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26Orlando City Hall400 South Orange Ave. Orlando-- 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26Five Points Park1331 First St.Sarasota --

Play ball! A Florida tradition will be renewed on Saturday when the Grapefruit League kicks off with the first round of spring training games. Four games kick off at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday. In Dunedin, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Detroit Tigers. Over in Port Charlotte, the Pittsburg Pirates visit the Tampa Bay Rays. The Philadelphia Phillies head to Tampa to play the New York Yankees. In Port St. Lucie, the New York Mets will host the Atlanta Braves.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has sent a letter to Public Service Commission Chairman Art Graham criticising him for removing a link for public records requests from the PSC website, and asking him to put the link back up, noting that the PSC has been slow to fulfill public records requests in recent years.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, released a video report on Friday touching on a number of issues. Gardiner weighed in on education reform and the smart cap and committee work. With the senators back in their district next week, Gardiner told voters this was a good opportunity to reach out to their elected officials.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio revealed on Friday that he has been named to four subcommittees resulting from his service on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee-- including the Subcommittee on Science and Space which handles NASA.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, the chairman of the congressional Oversight Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and Labor Policy, introduced his first bill on Friday which would require the federal government to use zero-based budgeting.

A bill that would reduce the maximum number of state unemployment compensation weeks from 26 to 20 breezed through the House Economic Affairs Committee Friday in a partisan vote. Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, who sponsored the bill and is vice chair of the committee, said his legislation was aimed at replenishing the unemployment compensation trust fund, which has been depleted in recent years due to the rising unemployment rate. "That trust fund has to be replenished so we have to make tough decisions," Holder said.

Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post has a top 10 list of political newcomers -- and three Florida Republicans made the list. Cillizza listed Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Rep. Allen West and U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland on his list.

The venerable shuttle Discovery blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center Thursday, carrying six astronauts to the International Space Station. Beginning its final flight, the world's most traveled orbiter lifted off at 4:53 p.m. on a clear Florida afternoon. Discovery's historic final launch was viewed by hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators who jammed roads and highways up and down the Space Coast.?

Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon -- with speakers-in-waiting Will Weatherford (after the 2012 election) and Chris Dorworth (after the 2014 election) -- are helping Republican colleagues prepare for the next re-election cycle, sponsoring a fund-raiser from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. today, Thursday, at the Governors Club BC Room in Tallahassee. The collection of speakers is hosting the fund-raiser for House members Lake Ray of Jacksonville, Ben Albritton of Wauchula, Matt Caldwell of Fort Myers, and Dana Young of Tampa.