Florida

Florida also hosts the following minor league baseball teams:. The Minor League soccer teams are:. As of 2004, Florida hosts the following major league teams for spring training:. The Minor League hockey teams are:. Florida is an extremely popular location for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". The Minor League baseball teams are:. [2] (http://www.sptimes.com/News/050801/State/Bush_s_trustees_mostl.shtml) In 2002, Democratic Senator Bob Graham started a ballot referendum designed to revert to the Board of Regents system. List of United States Senators who have represented Iowa:.

This has not been without controversy. The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election. As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees so far have been overwhelmingly Republican. president. Instead, each public university is now controlled by its own Board of Trustees who are directly appointed by the governor. The state gets considerable attention every four years because of its presidential caucus, a gathering of voters which, along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, has become the starting gun for choosing the two major-party candidates for U.S. In 2000, Governor Bush and the state legislature acted to abolish the Board of Regents that governed the State University System of Florida. The Iowa Code is republished in full in odd years (i.e., 1999, 2001, 2003, etc..) and is supplemented in even years.

Major testing organizations frequently discount the use of state average test score rankings, or any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (see psychometrics for more details on scaled test scores). The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is a non-partisan governmental agency that is responsible for organizing, updating and publishing the Iowa Code. Governor Jeb Bush has been criticized by many Florida educators for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized tests, such as the FCAT) with fewer funding dollars. The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. It should be noted that many education surveys are not scientific, but do measure prestige. Congressmen:. Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25% of many national surveys and average test score rankings. The five U.S.

states. Senators:. Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. The current Governor is Tom Vilsack (Democrat) and the two U.S. Florida's public school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually ranks in the bottom 25% of U.S. states. The state capital is Des Moines. See complete list of Florida places. One of the suggested ideas is switching from 180 days to a year-round school system.

Ranked by per capita income. An overhaul of the current education system is being planned. The three largest Protestant denominations in Florida are: Baptist (22% of the total state population), Methodist (8%), Presbyterian (4%). In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores in states where more than 20% of graduates were tested. The national office of ACT is in Iowa City, and the ITBS and ITED testing programs used in many states are provided by the University of Iowa. Religiously, Florida is mostly Protestant, but with a growing Roman Catholic community due to Hispanic immigration. Iowa has a strong emphasis on education, which is shown in standardized testing scores. The five largest ancestries in the state are: African American (14.6%), German (11.8%), Irish (10.3%), English (9.2%), American (8%). Iowans' responses in 2001 to the question "What is your religion, if any?" were as follows:.

As of 2003, the state had a population of 17,019,068. "Rural flight" as it is called has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers. Today most of the spam businesses appear to be operating out of South Florida. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1000. Between 1996 and 2004 almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. Historically Florida has also been home to large telemarketing firms. Iowa, in common with five other Mid-West states (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of falling populations. Spammers are not the first business men of questionable ethics to use Florida as a home base. Females made up approximately 50.9% of the population.

In 2005 Spamhaus declared Florida the spam capital of the world [1]  (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-sbspammain08may08,0,7702631.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines). Experts have estimated that Florida is an attractive place of business for Spammers due to the gorgeous weather, low key atmosphere, nearby Internet data centers and the state's reputation as "a good place to do dirty business". 6.4% of Iowa's population were reported as under 5, 25.1% under 18, and 14.9% were 65 or older. Florida did not have any state minimum wage laws until November 2, 2004, when voters passed a Constitutional Amendment requiring inflationary increases to the minimum wage every six months. The 5 largest ancestry groups in Iowa are German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%), Norwegian (5.7%). With the arrival of the space program at Kennedy Space Center in the 1960s, Florida has attracted a large number of aerospace and military industries to the state. The racial makeup of the state is:. Other major industries include citrus fruit and juice production, banking, and phosphate mining. Census Bureau, as of 2003, Iowa's population was estimated at 2,944,062 people.

The large Walt Disney World Resort with four theme parks and over twenty hotels plus countless water parks, shopping centres and other facilities, located in Lake Buena Vista drives the economy of that area, along with more recent entries into the theme park arena such as the Universal Orlando Resort. The great amount of sales tax revenue is what allows the state to be one of the few to not levy a personal income tax. According to the U.S. Warm weather most of the year and hundreds of miles of beach provide a thriving vacation spot for travelers from around the world. Iowa also produces the nations largest amount of ethanol. Florida's economy is heavily based on tourism. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. The per capita personal income was $30,098, ranking 26^th in the nation. Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle and dairy products.

The gross state product of Florida in 2003 was $550 billion. Its per capita income for 2003 was $28,340. Many other smaller hurricanes have hit or brushed Florida, and many more hurricanes will hit in the future. The state's total gross state product for 2003 was $103 billion. Among a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes were the Miami Hurricane of 1926, the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Donna in 1960 and Hurricane Opal in 1995. Iowa is home of 49 endangered & 35 threatened animal species as well as 64 endangered & 89 threatened plant species [1] (http://www.iowadnr.com/education/wldresbs.html). history, Hurricane Andrew, which cost twenty-five billion dollars when it struck on August 12, 1992. These are some of the wild animals that can be found in Iowa:.

Hurricanes Charley (August 13), Frances (September 4-5), Ivan (September 16), and Jeanne (September 25-26) cumulatively cost forty-two billion dollars to the state. Florida was also the site of the most costly single weather disaster in U.S. These are the United States highways that go through Iowa:. Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004 when it was hit by a record four hurricanes. These are the interstate highways that go through Iowa:. Hurricanes pose a threat during the summer and fall. National parks, etc. Snow flurries fell on Miami Beach for the only time in history. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County (#60).

The most widespread snowfall in Florida history happened in February 1978 with snow falling over much of the state in different times of the month, extending as far south as Homestead. Iowa has 99 counties. The Great Blizzard of 1899, was also the only time the temperature has fallen below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, registering -2f in Tallahassee. Considering the size of the state (145,743 km˛), there is very little elevation difference. During that time, the Tampa Bay area had "Gulf effect" snow, similar to Lake effect snowfall. The point of highest elevation (509 m) is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 335 m. During the Great Blizzard of 1899, Florida experienced blizzard conditions for possibly the first time. The point of lowest elevation (146 m) is Keokuk in southeast Iowa.

Snow is a rare occurrence in Florida, although it usually snows somewhere in Florida almost every winter. In the northeast along the Mississippi River is a section of the Driftless Area, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers - a landscape not usually associated with this state. Florida has more lightning strikes than any other state and also leads the nation in tornadoes per square mile(although the tornadoes in Florida do not get as large as those in the Midwest or Great Plains. Hail is not an uncommon occurrence in some of the more severe thunderstorms. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. These thunderstorms which are caused by airflow from the Gulf of Mexico seemingly "pop up" in the early afternoon and can often bring heavy downpours, high winds and sometimes tornadoes. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. Statewide, Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state, due in large part to afternoon thunderstorms which are common throughout most of the state from late spring until the early autumn. The topography of the state is gently rolling plains.

While Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State", severe weather is a common occurrence in Florida. Man-made lakes include Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, and Rathbun Lake. The Gulf stream has a moderating effect on Florida climate and although it is common for much of Florida to see a high summer temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it is not common for the mercury to go above 100 degrees Fareinheit in Florida. There are many natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). The seasons in Florida often called "Hot and Hotter" are actually determined more by precipitation than by temperature with warm, relatively dry winters and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and especially the summers (the wet season). The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate with the extreme tip of Florida and the Florida Keys bordering on a true tropical climate. Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north, Nebraska and South Dakota on the west, Missouri on the south, and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east.

The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water. Highlights:. At 345 feet (105 metres) above sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida (it's also the lowest state highpoint.).
. It is near the countries of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti. The state is named for the Native American Iowa people. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. Post Office abbreviation for the state is IA.

Florida consists of a panhandle extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico and a large peninsula with the Atlantic Ocean as its eastern border and the Gulf of Mexico as its western border. The official name of the state is "State of Iowa", and the U.S. See: List of counties in Florida. Iowa is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the union on December 28, 1846. The state use tax is 6 percent on purchases made out of state and brought into Florida within 6 months of the purchase date. Leonard Boswell (D). Local governments may levy a local option sales on top of that, so sales taxes vary by county between 6 and 7.5 percent. Tom Latham (R).

The state sales tax rate is 6 percent. Steve King (R). Florida is one of the nine states which does not impose personal income tax (list of others). Jim Nussle (R). See: List of Florida Governors. Jim Leach (R). Outside of liberal Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, the Florida Democratic Party tends to be socially conservative and heavily associated with the good ol' boy network. Tom Harkin (D).

Tampa, once a hotbed of Democratic union support, is now about 50% both registered Republicans and Democrats making it, and surrounding areas, part of the important I-4 Corridor swing region. Chuck Grassley (R). In Miami, the liberal Democrats vie for control with wealthy Cuban conservative Republicans and their business allies. University of Northern Iowa. As such, and because of its high population and large number of electoral votes, Florida is considered by political analysts to be a key swing state in Presidential elections. University of Iowa. The Presidential election in Florida in 2000 was extremely close. Iowa State University.

Despite this demographic parity, Republicans control the governorship and most other statewide elected offices; both houses of the state legislature; 18 of the state's 25 seats in the House of Representatives; and one of the state's two senate seats. 1% "Evangelical". Though Florida has traditionally been a Democratic state, in recent years explosive population growth has brought with it many Republicans, leaving the state approximately evenly split between the two parties. 1% "Assemblies of God". Bush. 1% "Non Denominational". W. 1% "Church of Christ".

Bush and son of former President George H. 2% "Congregational/UCC". The current governor is Republican Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. 2% "Pentecostal". The Florida Legislature has a Senate of 40 members and a House of 120 members. 2% "Protestant". Today, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the Union. 3% "Presbyterian".

After the fall of the Confederacy in 1865, Florida was readmitted into the Union on June 25, 1868. 5% "Christian". Florida joined the CSA on February 10, 1861. 5% "Baptist". On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States of America. Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861 and was one of the founding members of the Confederate States of America (CSA, also known as the Confederacy). 5% "Refused". Spain finally ceded Florida to the United States with the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1819, in exchange for the US renouncing any claims on Texas. 6% "Other".

Control of parts of Florida passed among Spanish, British, and American control. 13% "Methodist". The area of Florida diminished with the establishment of British colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. 13% "No religion". Over the following century, the Spanish and French both established settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. 16% "Lutheran". Archaelogical finds indicate that Florida had been inhabited for many thousands of years prior to any European settlements. Spaniards first arrived in 1513 and laid claim to a large, imprecisely defined area extending from about modern day Gainesville northward to the Carolinas, which they called La terra florida, "The flowery land". 23% "Catholic".

Main article: History of Florida. 1.1% mixed race. USS Florida was named in honor of this state. 0.3% American Indian. Postal abbreviation is FL. 1.3% Asian. The U.S. 2.8% Hispanic.

It was discovered by Spanish explorers during the Easter season, which is called Pascua Florida in Spanish. 2.1% Black. "Florida" is a Spanish adjective which means "flowery". 92.6% White non-Hispanic. It is known as the Sunshine State. 6, 18, 20, 30, 34, 52, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 75, 77, 136, 151, 169, 218, 275. Florida is a southern state in the United States. 29, 35, 74, 80, 129, 235, 280, 380, 480, 680.

Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin. Herbert Hoover National Historical Site. Petersburg. Effigy Mounds National Monument. Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Iowa is also a major producer of ethanol. Saint Louis Cardinals in Jupiter. Although Iowa's primary industry is agriculture, it also produces refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world.

Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. The Farm Crisis of the 1980's saw a major decline of family farms in Iowa and around the midwest, and was marked by a sharp drop in the state's rural population. Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater. Iowa had been a large supporter of alcohol prohibition. New York Yankees in Tampa. Total recovery didn't happen until the 1940s. Lucie. These hardships were the result of the removal of war-time farm subsidies.

New York Mets in Port St. Iowa saw a large increase in farming of beef, corn, and pork during World War I, but farmers saw economic hardships after the war. Washington Nationals in Viera. The Iowa General Assembly passed a women's suffrage amendment in 1870. Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers. Iowa had a higher percentage of soldiers serve in the Civil War, per capita, than any other state in the Union, with nearly 60% of eligible males serving. Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach. A small battle fought at Athens, MO in 1861 resulted in a few shots finding Iowa soil; a raid into Davis and Van Buren counties by Confederate guerrillas was stopped by Home Guards in October 1864.

Houston Astros in Kissimmee. During the American Civil War, more than 75,000 Iowans participated in the war, 13,001 of whom died. Florida Marlins in Jupiter. The completion of five major railroads across Iowa brough major economic changes as well as travel opportunities. Detroit Tigers in Lakeland. Council Bluffs was designated the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific railroad. Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven. The Chicago and Northwestern railroad reached Council Bluffs in 1867.

Cincinnati Reds in Sarasota. Iowa became the 29^th state in the union on December 28, 1846. Boston Red Sox in Palms Park. Primarily, they were families from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Baltimore Orioles in Fort Lauderdale. The first white settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Atlanta Braves at Walt Disney World. Today, only the Mesquaki tribe is left in Iowa and live in Tama County.

Iowa has been home to approximately 17 different tribes. They described Iowa as lush, green, and fertile. French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette are believed to be the first Europeans to visit Iowa.