On Friday, one of the best known secrets in Washington was officially let out -- President Barack Obama is turning to U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to replace Hillary Clinton as head of the State Department. In doing so, besides turning to an experienced hand on foreign policy, Obama is rewarding one of his chief supporters.

WASHINGTON -- Ideas are not responsible for the people who believe them, but when evaluating Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's ideas for making the Senate more like the House of Representatives, consider the source.

Florida's housing market continued to rebound in November, with existing home sales and median prices making double-digit increases over last year.

Existing home sales closed during the month were 24.4 percent higher than a year ago. Pending sales, those signed but not closed, were even stronger. Sales expected to close within 90 days catapulted 45.8 percent last month from November 2011.

The increase was accompanied by a boost in median price, a combination that Florida Realtors President Summer Greene said is expected to continue through 2013.

Scott Rothstein, Ponzi schemer and Charlie Crist's other lawyer friend, is still making headlines in South Florida, albeit through the people Rothstein involved in his fraud.

This week the Rothstein saga involves Gayla Sue Levin, wife of George Levin, the biggest source of money that flowed like a spring river into the flamboyant lawyer's Ponzi scheme.