Shoppers and stores across Florida are getting ready for the back-to-school sales tax holiday which starts on Friday and runs until Aug. 16. Back in June, the Legislature voted to extend the back-to-school tax holiday to 10 days, a large increase from the usual three-day period. Starting on Friday, there will be no sales tax on clothes, shoes and bags $100 and less, school supplies up to $15 and the first $750 of personal computers.

With U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., surging in national and state polls and now buzz growing that Vice President Joe Biden could enter the race, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to get back on track as she launched new ads in Iowa and New Hampshire. 

Until the Legislature holds a special session on redistricting later this month, Florida’s congressional races will be up in the air. One thing’s already clear though: the Republicans aren’t exactly tripping over themselves to squelch Charlie Crist’s latest comeback attempt. Crist has already said he will run if there’s an open seat in Pinellas County. That looks like a near certainty, especially with current incumbent David Jolly switching gears to run for the Senate in 2016. 

The number of ways to send or receive a message in today's world is almost limitless. You can shoot off an email, bang out a tweet or -- if you want to go old school -- write a letter. But one of the best ways to send a message remains filing a lawsuit.

Standing next to American flags and beneath bright stage lights, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton took the stage at Florida International University in Miami Friday to call for the lifting of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba.

This week, U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., showcased his support for a proposal to expand when college students can use Pell Grants.

Curbelo is playing a key role in U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik’s, R-N.Y., “Flexible Pell Grant for 21st Century Students Act” which allows college students to use Pell Grants for summer term classes instead of just fall and spring semester courses.  

With activists gearing up to bring an amendment to the state Constitution raising the minimum wage, a new poll shows it starts off the 2016 election cycle with solid support. Currently, the minimum wage in Florida stands at $8.05. 

Despite a similar measure going down in 2014, a new poll shows Florida voters back a state constitutional amendment expanding medical marijuana use in the Sunshine State. St. Pete Polls took a poll on behalf of Saint Petersblog which was released on Friday showing 68 percent of Florida voters back the proposed amendment while 25 percent are opposed and 7 percent are undecided. To amend the state Constitution, a proposal must get 60 percent at the ballot box. 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement wants more investigators to handle an increase in shooting incidents involving officers at other police agencies across the state.

The department next week will present Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet an outline of its budget proposals, which include requests for a boost in salaries for forensic lab technicians and for additional staff to help investigate officer-involved shootings and use-of-force cases.