Four more Florida counties have been ordered to provide Spanish-language services to voters in a policy that a national pro-English group calls "ridiculous."

The addition of Lee, Osceola, Palm Beach and Polk counties brings to 10 the number of counties required to furnish Spanish translations and assistance under the federal Voting Rights Act.

Broward, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Orange counties remain on the list.

The requirements -- all unfunded federal mandates -- come at untold added expense to the state and affected local jurisdictions.

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson's highly paid spokesman crossed the line when he touted a political poll to a Florida newspaper, a Heritage Foundation fellow charged.

"Most [spokesmen] know they're supposed to draw a line on political activity. When a staffer is handing out materials that are not at all related to the business before the Senate, that's a problem," said Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at the conservative Washington think tank.

Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin made news of sorts on Oct. 6 when an Orlando Sentinel blog reported:

Pledging to make Florida "the nations leader in job creation and economic growth," Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday unveiled a seven-point plan to cut corporate taxes and require "re-employment" training for jobless workers.

Speaking at a precision-metal and plastics fabricator company in suburban Orlando, Scott also vowed to clean up Florida's troubled workforce development boards and prioritize education spending on technology, engineering and mathematics.

The Republican governor doubled down on business tax relief enacted earlier this year by proposing to:

Mitt Romney keeps "winning" debates -- or so the pundits say -- but should he win Florida?

Long-discussed plans for returning passenger rail service to Florida's East Coast got new life from an Amtrak report that ranks the dormant West Palm Beach-Jacksonville segment as "the most promising initiative for expansion."

Passenger service on the 350-mile coastal stretch was abandoned in 1968. Amtrak trains currently run between Miami and West Palm Beach, then connect with Jacksonville via an inland route through Orlando.

Barack Obama should be careful what he wishes for in these days of rage. Heading into the 2012 election, his base is energized and mobilizing -- against him. His former foot soldiers are going AWOL.

Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll and space executives are in Europe this week to drum up high-tech and aerospace business for the state.

Carroll and Space Florida President Frank DiBello will meet with members of the British Parliament on Monday to discuss future scientific ventures. Agenda items include formalizing Memorandums of Understanding to enhance partnerships in small satellite development, agricultural biotech and genetics, and health research for the elderly.

Occupying the steps of the old courthouse in downtown Tampa, raucous protesters chanted "This is Our House" Thursday night after a daylong "Occupy Tampa" demonstration.

More than 500 people massed at Lykes Gaslight Park for a downtown march that followed along the lines of the Occupy Wall Street protests entering their third week in New York City.