Feeling the heavy pinch of employee pension costs, Florida counties are warning Tallahassee not to balance the faltering fund on their shoulders.

Indian River County Commissioner Peter O'Bryan this month urged the state to bring the Florida Retirement System "more into line with the private sector" by requiring contributions from new hires. Currently, local and state governments fully fund FRS.

Hundreds -- even thousands -- of Central Florida jobs could be lost if environmentalists succeed in halting phosphate mining in the state, industry sources say.

The Florida Home Builders Association is hopeful that a rebounding population of wood storks will eventually clear the way for new development and jobs.

Having just weathered pre-winter, sub-freezing temperatures, Florida's farms and groves are bracing for another cold encounter next week.

A national Hispanic group blasted the lame-duck Congress' passage of the DREAM Act, saying Democrats "loaded it with enough unsavory provisions to show that they are either not serious or are using a false commitment to Latinos to score political points."

Florida Republican leaders firing more shots at teacher tenure are getting some front-line ammunition from a St. Lucie County mother whose son was "voted out" of his kindergarten class.

One of the biggest loss leaders in Florida's deteriorating budget is Medicaid, but, as of now, lawmakers are reluctant to pursue reforms that could save the state billions of dollars.

Opening a second front in their battle against the federal government, Florida officials on Tuesday sued the Environmental Protection Agency over its proposed water standards.

As a group of lawmakers watched the school-reform documentary "Waiting for Superman" on Tuesday, Florida educators are waiting to see what the Legislature has in store for schools.

Florida officials on Tuesday touted record numbers of high schools earning "A" and "B" grades last year, meaning more money for top-rated campuses under the state's reward systems.