The release of FCAT scores and elementary and middle school grades showed remarkable statewide achievement amid higher academic standards.

In the Sunshine State, where we lag behind most other states in renewable energy industry job creation, we still do not have a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) policy like the 30-plus states creating new jobs.

WASHINGTON -- Sometimes the news is that something was not newsworthy.

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia denied approval Thursday evening to part of Floridas 2011 elections law, as it applies to five of the states counties.

The panel of three judges, each of them an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, determined that the provisions reducing the early voting period will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote of minorities living in Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, and Monroe counties.

Two state House races, one state Senate contest and a single judicial election from Tuesdays primary are headed into weekend recounts.

Secretary of State Ken Detzner called for the recounts for House Districts 55 and 107, Senate District 27 and the 4th Judicial Circuit Court Group 1 seat as the contests were decided by a margin of 0.5 percent or less of the votes cast.

The county canvassing boards have until 3 p.m. on Sunday to complete machine recounts.

With expenses at $1.9 billion a year, Citizens Property Insurance leaders are studying the need to maintain three corporate locations across Florida, the pay and benefits given employees, travel costs, and the overall management structure.

At the same time, officials are defending the costs of sending officials to New York, Bermuda, London and Zurich as they negotiated a pair of bond placements that resulted in $47 million in savings.