Despite the continuing gloom on the economic front, there may be a few glimmers that, at least, locally, things might be about to improve.

A campaign is underway to stimulate a one-day spending spree in Jackson County as a way to stimulate the local economy.

PENSACOLA — Despite the economy, James Sellers’ industrial parts plant in the rural Florida Panhandle is doing well. He has 16 full-time employees, orders are up and the future looks reasonably good.

Florida’s insurance commissioner says the national credit crunch could lead to higher hurricane coverage premiums and more home foreclosures.

The economic downturn has forced states around the country to shutter historic sites and reduce visiting hours for parks. But in Florida, Illinois, California and a few other places, closures have been forestalled after outcries from the public and budget-juggling by officials.

The number of people on parole and probation across the United States has surged past 5 million, according to a new report which says financially struggling states can save money in the long run by investing in better supervision of these offenders.

Who should be first in line for help from the government to pay for college? It’s a debate that hits hot-button questions about fairness and opportunity, and lately, many experts think the middle class has been winning.

Moving with lightning speed, key lawmakers announced agreement Wednesday on a $789 billion economic stimulus measure designed to create millions of jobs in a nation reeling from recession. President Barack Obama could sign the bill within days.

After months of standing in front of crowds chanting “Drill, baby, drill,“ Gov. Charlie Crist stepped in front of a microphone Tuesday to shouts of “Yes We Can.“

People in line for tickets to President Obama’s town hall meeting in southwest Florida say they were told there were none left — 25 minutes after the box office opened.

Florida stands to gain billions of dollars from the U.S. House’s stimulus plan.

Gov. Charlie Crist used his line-item veto power to undo $364 million in spending cuts, trust fund raids and money shifts Tuesday as he signed into law a series of bills designed to avert a current-year budget deficit of at least $2.3 billion.

Florida’s minimum wage increases to $7.21 an hour on New Year’s Day, a jump of 42 cents for roughly 400,000 workers.

Florida House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands says he and his wife have sustained a “significant” loss in an alleged pyramid scheme run by Wall Street money manager Bernard Madoff.

New claims for jobless benefits surged last week and came in worse than expectations that were already gloomy — and economists say the figures would get even worse without an auto industry bailout.