Tony Glover, a 29-year-old attorney and current government relations manager for Mosaic, grew up around the world with his Air Force family but has a love for Florida that even state natives could envy. “Everybody should live here,” Tony writes,” But I am glad the rest of the country hasn’t caught on yet.”

The U.S. Immigration Fund has hired Holland & Knight to lobby on EB-5 issues for the fund. Former Rep. Ron Klein and Paolo Mastrangelo are listed on the contract.

You have to give it to Mayor Bill Foster. He’s a lot smarter than he is given credit for by his critics. 

By making sure there is an Aug. 27 vote on the future of the St. Petersburg Pier, he’s out-maneuvered his chief opponent, Kathleen Ford, by setting up the opponent he fears more, Rick Kriseman, for defeat in the primary election.

Adam Giery, 27, credits the Gubernatorial Fellows program for providing his first experience in public policy.

Speaker Designates Steve Crisafulli, Richard Corcoran, and Jose Oliva will host a fundraiser for Mike Hill, the newly-minted GOP nominee in House District 2 on May 22.

The event begins at noon. The reception will be held in the Plantation Room of The Governors Club, 202 South Adams Street, Tallahassee.

In years past, Florida’s popular back-to-school sales tax holiday covered basics like paper, pencils and erasers. For 2013, the tax holiday, from August 2 through 4, now includes a few digital essentials used by today’s students.

The Florida Legislature upgraded this year’s tax holiday, adding digital tools like personal computers and accessories selling for up to $750. “Personal computers” are items and accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use. They include:

@PatriciaMazzei

Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz was under the impression that the incomplete results of the short-lived referendum regarding the Miami Dolphins' stadium would be kept secret.

Keith Fernandez: 25-year-old Miami native and attorney who holds strong to his desire to expand and promote “the ability of individuals to determine their own destiny.” And take control of his own destiny, Keith certainly has.

House and Senate leaders Monday sent 34 bills to Gov. Rick Scott, who will have until June 4 to make decisions about a wide range of issues such as the Everglades and expert-witness testimony in lawsuits. Many of the bills drew relatively little attention during the legislative session that ended May 3.

Florida leads the nation in the rate of reported identity theft, and not just by a little bit.  According to statistics compiled from the Federal Trade Commission’s most recent Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, Florida’s rate is nearly double that of the second leading state — Georgia — and more than three times as high as the next in line — California, Michigan, New York, and Nevada.

The U.S. Air Force plans to start operational use of Lockheed Martin Corp.-built F-35 fighter jets in mid-2016, a year earlier than planned, using a similar software package as the Marine Corps, two sources familiar with the plans said on Monday via Andrea Shalal-Esa of Reuters.

Dane Eagle started his political career as travel aide to then-gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, and seven years later, holds office himself as the 29-year-old state representative from Cape Coral.

The seat held by Holly Raschein, District 120, is one of the more competitive in the Florida House. Raschein was elected in 2012 after Ron Saunders faced term limits, and she was elected by a narrow margin of less than 3,000 votes despite spending far more than her Democratic opponent Ian Whitney.

Ryan Duffy, 29, was just fours old when Ronald Reagan left office, but he remembers listening to his speeches and being inspired by Reagan’s “love of country, commitment to ‘peace through strength’ overseas and belief in the free market over government.”

Today, Ryan continues to share and generate these messages in his various political roles, most recently as Speaker Will Weatherford’s communications director. 

Lyndsey Cruley, 25, entered politics because it is “fast-paced, challenging and dynamic” and she wanted to be a part of that force for good.