Space shuttle Discoverys crew is packed up, ready for home and on schedule for Wednesday's expected 11:57 a.m. EST landing at Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). According to NASA, the entry team of flight controllers has been in Houstons Mission Control Center since 4:30 a.m.

Capcom Charlie Hobaugh told Discovery Commander Steve Lindsey, The weather looks great. Winds, the only issue, are within limits for runway 15, the northwest to southeast runway at the SLF.

The Huffington Post is all over Florida Gov. Rick Scott Friday morning because he bad-mouths the president's health-care reform but is happy to take the money it provides. Check out the story for yourself.

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. 26
Miami-Dade College Medical Center Campus
950 Northwest 20th St.
Miami
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11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26
Orlando City Hall
400 South Orange Ave.

Orlando
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11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26
Five Points Park
1331 First St.
Sarasota

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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.

For a final time, the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery launch is set for 4:50 p.m. Thursday.

The six astronauts assumed their seats inside space shuttle Discovery. According to NASA, Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe are in the forward seats on the flight deck. Mission Specialists Alvin Drew and Nicole Stott are set in the seats behind them. Steve Bowen and Michael Barratt are strapped in on the lower level.

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.

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 BALLARD
ROBERT COKER
MAT FORREST
TUCKER FREDERICKSON
JACK FURNARI
AMY YOUNG GRIMES
JOE HILLIARD
TIM KUEBLER
SYLVESTER LUKIS
SEN. JOE NEGRON
GARY NICKLAUS
KEN PRUITT

Tea Party to the rescue for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker!

The governor's Lipton-loving best friends arrived by bus, by car, by taxi from throughout the region Saturday, nearly matching the number of teachers, students and public-service employees protesting Gov. Walker's controversial proposal to trim benefits and curtail collective-bargaining rights for many of Wisconsin's unionized workers.

If you listen to the National Education Association, Florida teacher pay has fallen to No. 37 among 50 states and the District of Columbia -- and it's falling further.

The average teacher salary in the Sunshine State last year was $46,708; the national average, $55,202. Poor Florida teachers, the union laments.

An NEA report released last week estimates Florida's average 2010-11 teacher salary will drop to 47th on the list, behind every state in the Southeast and ahead of only Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah.

But, wait a minute here.

After leaving a comment at the end of my Monday column challenging its accuracy, South Florida Water Management District Chairman Eric Buermann invited me always to get "accurate and meaningful" info from him. Directly. From him.

Right there he made me an offer I couldn't refuse.