State Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, today applauded Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet for selecting St. Lucie County as Florida's next Veterans Affairs nursing home site.

In a written press statement, Negron said, "Today's decision is a testament to the great work and leadership of (St. Lucie County) Commissioner Frannie Hutchinson. I am pleased that the Legislature approriated $9 million in this year's budget to begin construction.

Wansley Walters, former secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, has gone to work for governmental affairs lobbyists Ballard Partners, according to a Ballard news release issued Wednesday.

According to the release, Walters will co-chair the firms public policy team with a strategic focus on children, youth and justice issues.

Among Rasmussen Reports' latest surveys comes more bad news for America's ailing newspaper industry -- that is, its newsprint versions: A sizable number of newspaper subscribers say they have dropped their subscriptions in the past five years.

The special session is done.

Moving to quickly end a special legislative session, the Florida Senate on Monday voted 25-12 to approve a new congressional map, according to the News Service of Florida. The move came after Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis last month ruled that a map approved in 2012 violated anti-gerrymandering requirements in the Florida Constitution.

The Florida House continued to consider the revised map Monday afternoon.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, the largest commercial construction association in Florida, released its list of 2014 legislative endorsements on Monday.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida Inc. (ABC) on Monday announced the endorsement of Rick Scott to serve a second term as Florida's governor.

Dwight Bullard isn't about to be used by anybody, even the woman gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist chose as his running mate before the primary.

Sources close to the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee claim Annette Taddeo wants the state senator from Miami to replace her as chair of the county party. It's a "peace offering" for the African-American community, they say, because Taddeo knows Bullard is "beloved by the community."

But, wait! He shouldn't get too comfortable.

Progressive Choice Florida, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, issued the following statement praising Thursday's court ruling declaring Florida's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional (Huntsman v. Heavilin):

Al Lewis is set to join the South Florida Business Journal as editor in chief on July 14, reports Cision.com.