florida

March 18, 2013 - Florida and Mississippi are separated by only 100 miles, but they are worlds apart in their current approach to the disclosure of economic development subsidies.

March 12, 2013 - A new report finds that North Carolina is among the leaders in creating manufacturing-related clean energy jobs, but some of the state's politicians are targeting the law that jump-started the industry's growth.

February 26, 2013 - It was a year ago today that an unarmed teen was shot to death in Sanford, Fla. by a neighborhood watch volunteer. The tragedy sparked questions about Florida's and other states' "stand your ground" self-defense laws, but they all remain on the books today.

February 25, 2013 - A big potential drawback to the convenience of absentee and mail voting: Studies show that ballots are rejected at a higher rate than for voters who brave the wait at polling places.

February 8, 2013 - This month the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a landmark case challenging Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Considered the heart of the law, the section prohibits racially discriminatory election changes in covered jurisdictions, most of which are in the South.

January 21, 2013 - The poet for President Obama's second inauguration was Richard Blanco, the child of Cuban exiles who was raised in Miami and graduated from Florida International University. Blanco is the first Latino and the first openly gay person to be chosen as the inaugural poet. At 44, he is also the youngest.

January 18, 2013 - Southern states with weak gun laws are a major source of weapons used to commit crimes in other states -- but some of the region's political leaders say they plan to resist new federal initiatives to curb gun violence.