Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart and members of the Senate budget committee who approved spending $7.5 million for Caulkins Water Farm on Wednesday did the right thing.

Only in the most dire emergencies is the South Florida Water Management District allowed to back-pump stormwater into Lake Okeechobee. 

It's not exactly hush-hush. But neither does anybody want to talk on the record. Nevertheless, here it is: A new comprehensive gaming bill pushed by a consortium of gaming industry operatives is apparently close to being filed in the Florida Legislature.

Charlie Crist once had Pinellas County in the palm of his hand. Didn't matter what party label he wore or what office he was pursuing, the man with the tan and a quick smile was always the beloved homeboy you knew would win St. Petersburg. Charlie plain owned the place.  

For the first time in six Republican presidential debates, Donald Trump wasn't on stage, standing at the center podium. Perhaps surprisingly, on Thursday night at the FOX News-Google-hosted event, the GOP frontrunner was infrequently mentioned and easily forgotten.

You didn't really think Debbie Wasserman Schultz was off the hook, did you? This is a Democratic National Committee chairwoman who has a job getting out of her own way.

Earlier Tuesday Donald Trump said he "probably" would appear on the FOX News Republican presidential debate stage Thursday night. But later in the day -- at a Marshalltown, Iowa press conference and rally televised live on CNN  -- he said no dice, he won't attend.

Protesting "wise guy" comments from the network about his criticism of anchor Megyn Kelly, Trump said he would give event money to wounded warriors and hope FOX loses sponsors because of his failure to show. 

Legislators, don't sign off on the Seminole Compact until you uncouple "decoupling."

The Nation magazine chose Monday -- the day of the CNN Democratic presidential debate -- to unveil its February edition, in which editors announced the magazine is endorsing Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders for president of the United States.

Florida State University has agreed to pay Jameis Winston's accuser $250,000 in a nationally publicized sexual assault case, in exchange for her agreement to drop a Title IX lawsuit against the university.