The months-long battle between Florida and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over freshwater nutrient standards reached a turning point Monday.

With 40 new members taking their seats as the House convenes for a special session on Tuesday, incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, named committee chairs on Monday morning, adding to his leadership team.

Move over, Marco Rubio. There's another youthful, telegenic Cuban making the rounds in Miami's power circles. Just one difference: This lawyer is a Democrat.

Eleven new members take their seats and two former leaders return to the Legislature's upper house when the Senate meets Tuesday in special session.

Its back to the Capitol this week as the new legislative year gets under way with the organizational session and a one-day special session all-in-one. The Legislature expects to override about 10 vetoes of Gov. Charlie Crist, a final farewell to the governor they didnt like anyway.

The first of the two-legged, two-staged, lame-duck session of Congress begins Monday, and it consists of mostly wounded ducks. These winged fowl would love nothing more than to duck the huge legislative agenda that awaits them.

This Weeks Hero: Sen. Don Gaetz

Too many headaches, too few early nights and glory? Dont even

The pace of the recovery in the nation is moderating and the lift spurred by nearly $800 billion in federal stimulus spending is fading, but there are several promising signs that growth will continue, including in Florida, a leading national fiscal analyst told reporters Friday morning.

Gov.-elect Rick Scott of Florida and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas have a few things in common.

In the run for Republican Party of Florida chairman, Joe Gruters, the young party leader from Sarasota County, may have the inside track.