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

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has drawn fire from the right. Over at the American Conservative, conservative columnist and former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan blasts Rubio for pushing a measure to allow Georgia into NATO. Buchanan also praises the senator who stopped Rubios push -- fellow freshman Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Enterprise Florida entourage on a trade mission to Israel are scheduled to visit the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem at 5 p.m. Friday, Israel Standard Time. The 48-member delegation -- that also includes Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray, and Judy Genshaft, University of South Florida president -- departed from Florida Thursday.

Thomas R. Tommy Hardee, an insurance agent and volunteer fireman, has been named the interim replacement for suspended Madison County Supervisor of Elections Jada Woods Williams. The governors office announced Thursday that Hardee, 37 and a Republican, had been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve as the countys election supervisor.

The Everglades Foundation says Gov. Rick Scott understands the need to protect the Florida Everglades by more than doubling his proposed funding for restoration efforts. We know Governor Scott has to face tough choices in making his budget recommendations, Kirk Fordham, Everglades Foundation CEO, stated in a release. The fact that Governor Scott is willing to more than double his previous request for Everglades funding demonstrates his understanding that protecting the Everglades and our water supply is a necessary ingredient to growing our states economy.