ST. PETERSBURG - The editor of a publication about University of Florida sports said he is willing to give Florida Gators’ head football Coach Will Muschamp a “mulligan” for his performance this past year.

Asked his opinion of Muschamp, who had a 7-6 record for the 2011 season, Gator Bait Magazine founder Marty Cohen told Gators fans Feb. 9 at Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill in St. Petersburg that “being a first year coach at any school, you’re usually walking into a difficult situation; there’s usually a reason why the previous guy left.”

“He walked into a very tough situation,” Cohen said. “He did not have a great deal of talent across the board at all spots. He was facing a murderous schedule. His quarterback, (John Brantley) who again was good but not great, got hurt.”

Muschamp had to play a freshman quarterback against Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge; “good luck with that,” Cohen said.

TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Pam Bondi formally entered a landmark $25 billion joint federal-state agreement Feb. 9 with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers over foreclosure abuses and unacceptable nationwide mortgage servicing practices.

The proposed agreement provides an estimated $8.4 billion in relief to Florida homeowners and addresses future mortgage loan servicing practices. The settlement generally releases civil claims related to robo-signing, other foreclosure-related abuses, and loan origination misconduct, but it provides no release of criminal claims or of claims related to mortgage securitization.

“This settlement will provide substantial relief to struggling Florida homeowners, and ensures that our state gets its fair share of the relief being provided nationally,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “This agreement holds banks accountable and puts in place new protections for homeowners in the form of strict mortgage servicing standards.”

Florida’s share of the total monetary benefits under the settlement is approximately $8.4 billion.

TAMPA - While speaking at the Governor’s Luncheon at the Florida State Fair Feb. 9, Gov. Rick Scott announced a new initiative aimed at upgrading and modernizing Tampa’s port system.

The 50-50 partnership between the state of Florida and the Port of Tampa will enable the port to handle up to five million more tons of petroleum products a year after its completion in 2014. The port estimates the project will create over 641 construction jobs, as well as more than 8,200 direct and indirect jobs over the next 30 years.

The Port of Tampa is an energy gateway for West and Central Florida and currently handles more than seven million tons of petroleum products a year. With 45-year-old petroleum unloading facilities in need of updating, the project will ensure the port will continue to meet the region’s need for gasoline, diesel and jet fuels.

Scott directed the Florida Department of Transportation to invest $22.5 million in the new facility. The $45-million expansion project will provide two new petroleum berths and rehabilitate the petroleum terminal infrastructure.

TALLAHASSEE - A bill introduced by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, will keep violent offenders who have prior convictions and who commit a crime with a firearm behind bars longer. Senate Bill 1272 entitled Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device During the Commission of an Offense passed the Senate Criminal Justice Committee Feb. 9.

Currently, there is an exception to the mandatory sentence under the 10-20-Life law which gives a lighter sentence of three years to a person who is convicted of carrying a firearm while committing a crime.

The bill proposed by Latvala changes the law so that previously convicted offenders will have a 10-year mandatory sentence if convicted for committing another violent crime. Only offenders who have no prior conviction of possessing a firearm while committing a crime will receive a three-year sentence.

“Violent felons who prey on Floridians and our many tourists must be incarcerated longer than three years. This bill will save lives,” Latvala said.

TALLAHASSEE - More than 170 law enforcement officers in the United States have died after being struck by motor vehicles since 1999. Thousands have been injured.

To make the roadways safer for everyone, to include law enforcement officers and emergency workers who often work roadside, the Director of the Florida Highway Patrol, Col. David Brierton, announced that FHP is teaming up with two other states to protect emergency workers on roadways.

The Florida Highway Patrol, Alabama Department of Public Safety and Georgia State Patrol are uniting during the month of February to focus enforcement and education efforts on the Move Over Law.