A Quinnipiac University poll released Friday reveals that Gov. Rick Scotts job approval is on the rebound -- now at 35 percent -- though a majority of Florida voters remains disapproving of his performance.

Back in May, in a poll released by Quinnipiac, Scott registered a 29 percent approval, while 57 percent disapproved of the Republican governor.

He does better in the new poll, with 35 percent approving of his performance while 52 percent disapprove. The governor is hurt by only 34 percent of those surveyed saying they like Scott as a person while 45 percent dislike him.

Florida Congressman Vern Buchanan on Thursday called for the activities of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to be kept wide open to public scrutiny -- and said he intends to propose legislation to ensure all of that bicameral bodys meetings will stay in the sunshine.

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was set up as part of the deal to break up the stalemate in Washington over raising the federal debt ceiling. The new committee will consist of six members of each party, divided equally between senators and congressmen.

Florida might still have a wet weekend, but the stormy predictions have dried up ... for now.

After stalling in the Caribbean and dumping boatloads of rain on the Dominican Republic, Tropical Storm Emily lost her punch Thursday. Once on track to graze Florida, she was downgraded to a tropical disturbance that appeared to be going nowhere Thursday night.

But the situation could change again over the next 48 hours as the National Hurricane Center in Miami cautioned that the "trough" still has some potential to regenerate on Friday or Saturday.

So many want to put the entire blame on President Barack Obama for the reckless spending and huge debt that America suffers from. But it took an entire village of idiots to get us here.

It looks like a wet and jittery weekend in Florida.

After stalling in the Caribbean and dumping boatloads of rain on the Dominican Republic, Tropical Storm Emily is meandering toward the Sunshine State -- though no one knows exactly where.

State regulators next week will plunge back into questions about expanding nuclear power in Florida -- and consider the down payment that residents and businesses will have to make in 2012.

Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida are seeking to pass along about $335 million in nuclear costs to customers next year. While a large chunk of the money would go toward upgrading already-existing nuclear plants, customers also would cover expenses for new plants that are not slated to start operating for at least another decade.

With little more than a week to go until the Iowa straw poll in Ames, some of the Republican presidential candidates continued to beef up their operations in the Hawkeye State, which holds the first presidential caucus.

Having won a number of straw polls -- including two held at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2010 and earlier this year -- U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas looked to continue his success in the events.