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

The states unemployment number continued to decline, falling to 9.0 percent, according to figures released Friday. The latest figures estimate that 836,000 Floridians were jobless last month, down from 869,000 in February, when the statewide unemployment mark was 9.4 percent, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. The monthly total is 1.7 percent lower than where the state was a year ago. The 0.4 percent drop was the largest one-month decline since Oct. 1992. More to come.

A licensed massage therapist in Miami, a physicians assistant and 14 massage clinic patients have been charged with insurance fraud and grand theft, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced Friday. Judith Gonzalez, 39, owner of Flamingo Health Corp. in Miami, allegedly billed insurance companies nearly $250,000 in fraudulent insurance claims and coached patients on how to commit personal injury protection fraud, Atwaters office reported.

Is the Florida Supreme Court's decision on Fair Districts for sale? That's the question some are asking in light of reports that three justices received $500 contributions from the law firm with a familial connection to the chairwoman of the Fair Districts Now campaign. SaintPetersblog.com reported Thursday that Justices Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince each got a maximum allowable donation of $500 from the firm of Freidin & Dobrinsky. Partner Phillip Freidin is the husband of Fair Districts chairwoman Ellen Freidin.

Gov. Rick Scott announced the appointment of Tampa resident Jennifer Gabbard to the Hillsborough County Court on Thursday. As a prosecutor for 14 years, Jennifer has gained valuable experience with the county court system, Scott stated in a release. During that time, she has handled a wide variety of cases and gained a reputation as a tough, fair and able prosecutor. I am confident she will continue to further the rule of law from the bench. Gabbard replaces Judge Nick Nazaretian who has been appointed to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court