A former employee of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) claimed Monday that Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain reached under her dress and pulled her head toward his crotch in a car 11 years ago. Polls released on Monday before this latest allegation found that most Republicans believe the accusations of sexual harassment against Cain appear unfounded.

Sharon Bialek, who worked for the NRA's education foundation from 1996-97, said she had contacted Cain in an attempt to land another job after her termination from the association.

With support in his home state of Pennsylvania growing, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorumhas joined the list of GOP presidential hopefuls who have committed to participate in Florida's Presidency 5 straw poll on Sept. 24.

While his focus has been on the Iowa Republicans' straw poll next month, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota turned his eyes to the Sunshine State as he continued to build his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

Floridas political and legal leadership continued to react Thursday to ajury finding Casey Anthony not guilty of murder or manslaughter in the case of her dead 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.

State Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, sent a letter to Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, asking for workshop meetings in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Evers, a freshman in the Senate who represents all of Holmes and Washington counties and parts of Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties, serves as chairman of the committee.

Fifty years to the day of the first manned space orbit and 30 years to the day Columbia blasted off on the first shuttle mission, the Sunshine State celebrated the news that space shuttle Atlantis will be coming home to stay.

NASA announced Tuesday that Atlantis would have its permanent retirement home at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.