After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton

Pastor Terry Jones got support from a fellow Florida minister Monday in the reverend's ongoing duel with Michigan authorities and Islamic extremists. Rev. Mark D. Boykin, senior pastor of Boca Raton's Church of All Nations, said, Although I do not agree with Pastor Terry Jones' actions to burn copies of the Quran, he does have the constitutional right to protest.

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Christopher Nocco to replace Bob White as sheriff of Pasco County. Before receiving the appointment, Nocco had been a major in the Pasco County sheriffs office. White, a veteran of almost three and a half decades in law enforcement, had announced back in March that he would be retiring from the position which he has held since 2001. Nocco will assume the new position on May 1 and his term ends on Jan. 7, 2013. Legislative leaders weighed in to praise the appointment on Monday.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West came out swinging on Monday against the idea of raising the federal debt ceiling. West quoted President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., against raising the debt ceiling in 2006. I think we clearly get the picture here of duplicitous hypocrisy of the greatest degree, West noted. We are at this point due to the over $5 trillion of new debt added by the Obama, Pelosi, Reid machine. Leadership is about making the tough decisions, not situational ethics.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan stepped into state politics at the end of last week to praise the Florida House passing a bill taking aim at prescription drug abuse and pill mills. I applaud the members of the Florida House for taking action on such a critical issue, said Buchanan. Now, more than ever, we need to shut down these pill mills that bring untold misery to our children, our families, and our communities.