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

The House voted to approve a NASA authorization bill Wednesday in a 304-118 vote. The bill is a companion to similar legislation already unanimously approved by the Senate and calls for one more space shuttle flight before the program is retired. The bill also includes $6.9 billion over the next three years for the development of NASA's next heavy-lift rocket. There is only $1.6 billion slated for commercial rocket development over three years, as opposed to the $3.6 billion preferred by a plan proffered by President Obama in February.

The campaign team of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott weighed in on a new poll from CNN/Time that had its candidate ahead of Democratic nominee state CFO Alex Sink. Obviously as voters learn about the mismanagement Sink oversaw as CFO, her ballot support is beginning to collapse, said Joe Kildea, a spokesman for Scott.

Yet another poll shows Republican candidate Marco Rubio leading the U.S. Senate race in Florida. A CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corp. poll of likely voters released on Wednesday had Rubio out in front with 42 percent. Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, placed second with 31 percent while Democratic nominee U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek was in third with 23 percent.

A report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed four Florida cities in the list of top 20 metropolitan areas with the highest unemployment rates for the month of August.