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

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania intends to rally conservatives for the man who defeated him for the Republican presidential nomination -- former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- when the GOP holds its convention in Tampa later this month. On Wednesday, a day after it was announced that Santorum would address the convention, the former presidential candidate said that Patriot Voices, an organization that he chairs, will hold an event for Romney in Tampa on Wednesday, Aug. 29.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who on Tuesday said she planned to attend the Republican National Convention in her hometown of Tampa but didnt know what role shed play, was named a headline speaker on Wednesday for the partys marquee event. Bondi, whose name has again appeared among the lists of rumored vice presidential candidates, was one of five headline speakers announced for the Aug. 27-30 convention on Wednesday morning by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

The Florida attorney general's office is investigating allegations that perhaps as many as half of the cardiac operations at some of Floridas major hospitals are being performed needlessly.

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered state and national flags lowered to half-staff outside the Brevard County Courthouse, Palm Bay City Hall and Florida Capitol on Wednesday to honor U.S. Army Specialist Justin L. Horsley, of Palm Bay. Horsley, 21, was one of two Floridians killed July 22 after their unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Pul-E Alam, Afghanistan. U.S. Army Specialist Brenden N. Salazar, 20, of Chuluota in Seminole County, also died in the attack.