Having taken part in a menorah lighting ceremony with incoming Gov. Rick Scott on Monday, Gov. Charlie Crist offered his thoughts on Hanukkah on Wednesday. Carole and I extend warm wishes of joy and prosperity to all Floridians observing the Festival of Lights, said Crist. Beginning this evening, families and friends will gather to light the celebrations first candle.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush reached across the aisle on Wednesday to join former Gov. Bob Wise of West Virginia, a Democrat, and praise the educational opportunities offered by new technology.

Outgoing Gov. Charlie Crist cheered U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday for selecting Shannon Estenoz to serve as director of federal Everglades Restoration Initiatives.

While he may be entering the last month of his term, U.S. Sen. George LeMieux shows no signs of slowing down. The Florida Republican, who has his eyes on taking on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, announced on Tuesday that Tyndall Air Force base will be getting a squadron of 10 T-38 Talons.

Up-and-coming Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is set to take over as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, according to a story in Politico Tuesday. When confirmed, the DGA will have a proven, prolific fund-raiser to jump in and gear up a year early for the 2012 elections. The popular former Baltimore mayor is expected to be announced as chairman Wednesday in Washington. He'll have to start drumming up money for 2011 campaigns almost immediately.

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet members will be presented Christmas trees grown in Florida by the Florida Christmas Tree Association on Wednesday. Franco and Sigrid Camacho, who own theBavarian Christmas Tree Farm in Tallahassee, will present trees to Crist, CFO Alex Sink, Attorney General Bill McCollum, and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson who will host the event. Bronson said on Tuesday that he hoped his fellow Floridians will buy trees raised in the Sunshine State.

Outgoing state Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson said on Tuesday that his team was going to investigate pet stores in December to ensure they are following regulations. Pets bring a great deal of joy to families and are often a considerable investment, said Bronson. So its important to do business with a reputable pet store or dealer who knows and follows the law to avoid problems from occurring after a purchase of an animal.

Is anybody telling the truth on the Bush tax cuts? Politico may come closest. Certainly, in the lily-white-and-purity department, neither political party walks with the angels. According to a Politico story Tuesday,the Democrats merrily skirt around the fact that, while the GOP-backed across-the-board tax cuts would cost $6 trillion over 10 years, the middle-class-only cuts wouldn't come cheap either. Estimated cost for the Democrat-backed cuts: $4 trillion.

President Barack Obama emerged from his meeting with congressional leaders Tuesday with a new effort to reach a compromise with Republicans on extending the Bush-era tax cuts for all earners, Politico reports.

Separation of church and state? Not when it comes to a federal court and Islamic Sharia law. In a bizarre and troubling ruling, U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange on Tuesday struck down an Oklahoma constitutional amendment that banned Sharia law in the state. Miles-LaGrange, apparently not a member of the National Organization for Women, said that restricting Sharia law conveyed a message that the state favors one religion or particular belief over others and, thus, violated the First Amendment's clause prohibiting the establishment of a state religion.

While conservatives may have won big on Election Day, John Stemberger of the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) insists that they must remain active. When one or two good things happen, a large portion of the pro-family movement here in Florida and America goes home content with the progress, wrote Stemberger in an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday.And when one or two bad things happen, many in the pro-family movement become frustrated and go home convinced they cant make a difference. I want it to be different this time.

On Tuesday, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar named Shannon Estenoz of the South Florida Water Management District to be director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives, replacing Terrence Rock Salt, who was promoted to principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army handling civil works issues.

Gov. Charlie Crist offered celebratory words for the close of hurricane season on Tuesday but reminded Floridians how dangerous it can be for residents of the Sunshine State. As we welcome the end of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season today, I want to remind Floridians that hazardous weather can happen 365 days a year, said Crist. Preparedness shouldnt end with hurricane season. I encourage all Florida families and businesses to be prepared for the possibility of dangerous storms in the winter and spring, too.

Both of Floridas two U.S. senators voted on Tuesday morning to ban congressional earmarks. The measure fell short, with only 39 senators -- including Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican George LeMieux from Florida -- voting to support the ban. "Earmarks might make up only a fraction of federal spending, but they encourage members to approve the larger bills in which there are massive spending increases, said LeMieux. Some annual appropriations bills grow 5, 10 and 20 percent each year and we cannot sustain that level of growth.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is calling for prosecution of WikiLeaks for releasing classified documents. Buchanan sent U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder a letter on Tuesday, arguing that WikiLeaks violated the Espionage Act of 1917 by publishing thousands of documents online. Buchanan called for Holder and the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute WikiLeaks.