(This column has been updated to include the comments of Florida Press Association and Intersect Media Solutions President and CEO Dean Ridings.)

Without much fanfare, the United States has now met its own domestic natural gas needs, while also becoming the worlds No. 1 exporter of natural gas.

Three weeks to go and a batch of new polls show Florida can expect a close gubernatorial contest, raising the stakes for Wednesday nights and next weeks debates as the race enters the final stretch.

On Monday, St. Pete Polls unveiled a survey on behalf of SaintPetersBlog, which shows Gov. Rick Scott with the narrowest of leads, holding off Democratic challenger former Gov. Charlie Crist, 44 percent to 43 percent. Libertarian Adrian Wyllie takes 8 percent, while 5 percent are still undecided.

Looking ahead to 2016, Republican Jeb Bush is running neck and neck with Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Sunshine State.

According to Gravis Marketing's poll released Monday, there's not much between the former Florida governor and the former secretary of state. Unlike the other three largest states in the Electoral College -- solidly Democratic California and New York and staunchly Republican Texas -- Florida is expected to be up for grabs in 2016.

Hispanic high school dropouts hit record lows in 2013 despite 18-24-year-olds' numbers increasing by 50 percent since 2001.

Once in a while, government does something right.