Warm temperatures in late February -- right now -- don't tell the winter season's chilling story in Florida's sugar-cane country. December freeze events took their toll -- and the results of the record cold in the Belle Glade area show 2010-11 cane production for the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida dropped by 20 percent. According to the Co-op, the impact the freeze will have on next year's crop is unknown because of potential freeze damage to the seed cane.

Celebrating "Islam Awareness Month," the Muslim Student Association at the University of Central Florida is sponsoring a talk by an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Imam Siraj Wahhaj is scheduled to speak on campus Friday as part of the MSA's campaignto"combat the misconceptions of Islam and its practices."

A bill that would repeal a law passed last year in the state Legislature requiring the Department of Health to inspect septic tanks once every five years passed through the Senate Health Regulation Committee Tuesday. Senators in support of Senate Bill 168 said the costs of the program would be too heavy a burden on homeowners and businesses in harsh economic times, but admitted some measures need to be taken to ensure failing septic tanks don't pollute Florida's waters.

Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, released a video on Monday, updating his constituents on fiscal issues. Gaetz praised House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, for being conservative and against increased government spending. Gaetz also touched on his proposal to cap spending in the future.

A Republican in the Senate and a Democrat in the House have teamed up to craft a bill that would stop convicted criminals who injured or killed members of their own family from receiving inheritance or alimony benefits that they would inherit due to their actions. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, based the measure on a similar law in New Jersey.

Less than two weeks after being nominated by Gov. Rick Scott, Carl Littlefield withdrew his bid to lead the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) on Monday. Littlefield is no stranger to Tallahassee, having served as assistant secretary of developmental disabilities at DCF and as a deputy secretary at the Department of Elder Affairs. While I am no longer able to currently serve as director of this important agency, I remain supportive of your goals and plans to move Florida forward toward a brighter future, Littlefield wrote Scott.

Pro-life activist Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, who may be best known to Floridians for serving as a spokesman for the parents of Teri Schiavo, announced last month that he was entering the Democratic presidential primaries to take on President Barack Obama in 2012 -- but now the Republicans are in his sights.

With a new book coming out on Tuesday and buzz building that he will make a second attempt at the Republican presidential nomination, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said on Monday that he was still contemplating whether to jump into the fray in 2012. Huckabee said that he was not waiting for another candidate to emerge, but added that there could be one option he could easily back -- former Gov. Jeb Bush. If Jeb Bush runs, I would go and help him, insisted Huckabee. I love him and think the world of him.

Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, wrote Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, withdrawing his name from the letter that he signed along with 25 other senators, asking for more time from the federal government to obtain the funds for a high-speed rail project that Scott had rejected. Evers, who represents all of Holmes and Washington counties and parts of Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties claimed to be revoking my signature from the letter sent to LaHood last week.

As the nation continued to focus on Republican Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin taking on unionized government workers, possible presidential candidates are weighing in on the matter. Walker has called for eliminating collective bargaining for everything but wages for state workers outside the public safety fields -- prompting Democratic legislators to head out of the state. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin weighed in on the matter over the weekend.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan weighed in on Sunday on the House passing a resolution cutting $100 billion from the federal budget over the weekend. "We cannot spend our way to prosperity," said Buchanan, who added they needed to do more. "This is only a small down payment on what must be done to rein in our runaway debt and restore fiscal sanity to Washington.

Some of Palm Beach County's heaviest political hitters gathered Friday to support Republican Senate President Mike Haridopolos' candidacy for the U.S. Senate. It's a seat currently held by Democrat Bill Nelson. Some 50 supporters wedged into the offices of Smith & Ballard for the luncheon. Here's a list of the event's hosts: BRIAN BALLARDROBERT COKERMAT FORRESTTUCKER FREDERICKSONJACK FURNARIAMY YOUNG GRIMESJOE HILLIARDTIM KUEBLERSYLVESTER LUKISSEN. JOE NEGRONGARY NICKLAUSKEN PRUITT

A new poll from Rasmussen Reports found that voters across the nation learned toward backing Republican Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin over unionized government workers in their showdown.

State leaders are crowing over Florida being ranked as the fourth largest exporter state in the union -- but think there is room to improve. The U.S. Department of Commerce released statistics showing the Sunshine State is behind Texas, California and New York, in that order, in exports.

Calling Florida the epicenter of an auto insurance "fraud epidemic," industry groups called for legislation to crack down on scam artists who are driving up motorists' premiums. Floridians need to know that our state, unfortunately, continues to have the highest number of questionable, or staged, auto accidents of any other state in the country," said William Stander, assistant vice president for Property Casualty Insurance Association.