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

Larry D. Hart has been named Lee County tax collector by Gov. Rick Scott. Hart, 56, of Fort Myers, fills the vacancy created upon the death of Catherine M. Curtis. The term runs through the end of this year. Hart, a Republican who has been the assistant tax collector since 2001, is one of three people including one other Republican -- running for the office.

On Wednesday, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi endorsed U.S. Rep. Connie Mack in the Republican primary to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November.

The Citizens Property Insurance Corp.'s presidential-search committee has narrowed its recommendations to Barry Gilway, president and CEO of Mattei Insurance Services, and Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority. Gilway and Pomeroy were the two top candidates as ranked by a search selection company from the five remaining applicants for the post. The full board meets at 9 a.m. in a teleconference. Tom Grady, the interim president and an applicant for the post, was not added to the list of finalists.

U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami, announced Tuesday she would introduce next week a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at forcing states to repeal their Stand Your Ground laws. Her bill calls for the federal government to withhold transportation funding to states that have Stand Your Ground laws. I have been disturbed by the murder of Trayvon Martin for many months, Wilson stated in a release.