Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is ready to deliver on his promise to provide fresh Florida produce from local farms to school cafeterias across the state, beginning in the fall semester.

Putnam says the fact that his department, rather than the Department of Education, is now in charge of lunches will provide a double benefit: It will help provide better sources of nutrition to Florida's schoolchildren and support local farms, too.

Pointing to potentially higher electric rates, the Florida Public Service Commission is expected this month to raise concerns with the federal government about new air-pollution standards.

Utilities such as Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida and the states municipal electric industry also are wary of the proposed standards, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to finalize in November.

By refusing to accept tax increases in a deal to raise the debt ceiling, Republicans are behaving like "fanatics," writes David Brooks of The New York Times.

Right now 399 inmates, including three females, await their fate on Florida's death row. But the state has executed just 69 people since the death penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.

The status of the death penalty in the Sunshine State is far from settled -- and, with the death of toddler Caylee Anthony and the emotional trial of her mother, the issue has suddenly sprung to life again.

Floridas political and legal leadership continued to react Thursday to ajury finding Casey Anthony not guilty of murder or manslaughter in the case of her dead 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.

State Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, sent a letter to Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, asking for workshop meetings in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Evers, a freshman in the Senate who represents all of Holmes and Washington counties and parts of Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties, serves as chairman of the committee.

When the Republican Party of Florida's Presidency 4 summit rolled around four years ago, there was no straw poll and lots of internal tension.

This year's P5 -- set for Sept. 22-24 at the Orange County Convention Center -- is shaping up as a lively free-for-all hosted by a more unified, post-Charlie Crist party.