UPDATE: Ricketts told reporters that he’s exploring all his options as the team’s new owner. Lobbed a softball — so to speak — about what appeals to him in Florida, he said he’s simply trying to find the best deal for the team.

Gov. Charlie Crist is meeting with representatives of the Chicago Cubs this afternoon and their discussion could center on a new spring home for Major League Baseball’s loveable losers.

According to MLB.com and several Chicago news outlets, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts is in the state today taking a second look at a potential sites, including one in Naples. The club currently trains in Mesa, Ariz.

Democrats in the House, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and black state lawmakers are asking legislative leaders to put the brakes on a special session on rail until Monday to accommodate the black lawmakers’ national conference being held this week in Ft. Lauderdale.

Many of the state’s black House and Senate members will be at the event as hosts of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ annual conference. The conference has been in the works for two years and many members have already plunked down the cash to attend the fete that runs from Wednesday through Saturday.

Too bad, House Speaker Larry Cretul wrote in a memo today sent to all House members.

He said the black lawmakers – all but one of whom are Democrats – can get an excused absence but that’s about it.

“We all share the burdens of public office, which can be especially frustrating during this season. However, it is our duty to assemble when the needs of our state require it. I am confident that this Session is important to Florida. The issue before us means jobs for Floridians and building part of our state’s transportation future. I appreciate your willingness to undertake these important duties,” Cretul, R-Ocala, wrote.

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“T.S.” was the buzz phrase during this morning’s Palm Beach County commission meeting. And commissioners weren’t dissecting The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock or other poems by T.S. Eliot.

During a discussion on ethics reform, Commissioner Jeff Koons said: “If people are going to make public comment on it, I wish, if they don’t like us intellectually or don’t like us emotionally, T.S., but we’ve done a good job of generating this….”

“You want to repeat that?” Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson asked.

“That’s a legal term,” Koons said.

Later, when members of the public commented on the proposed inspector general ordinance, Jason Shields said: “And to Commissioner Koons, remember, if you don’t like this, well, T.S.”

Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi announced today that she will join the growing field of Republican candidates for state attorney general.

“Today, it’s clear to me that our state and our families are facing unprecedented challenges, and what we need are courageous leaders who are not afraid to tell the truth, make a real difference, and stand up for you,” Bondi said in a news release. “After 18 years as a prosecutor, I am announcing my candidacy to seek the Republican nomination for attorney general.”

Bondi joins Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and former Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Holly Benson in the race for the Republican nomination. Democratic candidates include state Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres and Dan Gelber of Miami Beach.

Pam Bondi for Florida Attorney General from Christopher Hanks on Vimeo.

Read Bondi’s press release here. A copy of her bio is here.

UPDATE: Crist’s spokeswoman says the governor won’t attend because he’s getting ready for a special session scheduled to start Thursday. She said the campaign notified TaxWatch of that decision last month.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio will address the lunch crowd at Florida TaxWatch’s annual meeting at The Breakers on Wednesday.

Gov. Charlie Crist, who is also seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, has not responded to an invitation, a TaxWatch spokesman said. Crist’s campaign spokeswoman has not responded to a question about Crist’s schedule.

The event is not open to the public.

The scandal-rocked Palm Beach County commission gave preliminary approval today to sweeping ethics reforms, including creation of an independent inspector general’s office to investigate wrongdoing in local government.

After today’s unanimous votes, a final vote on the reforms is slated for Dec. 15.

The actions come after three county commissioners went to federal prison on corruption charges and a grand jury this year noted the county’s reputation as “Corruption County”

In a reflection of the commission’s tarnished reputation, commissioners agreed to have no role in selecting the inspector general and to essentially give an unelected ethics commission final say over any decision to remove the inspector general.

Proposals called for county commissioners to be able to remove the inspector general if five of seven commissioners found specific cause. But after several members of the public criticized the proposal as giving the commission too much power, commissioners agreed that a removal vote will only be valid if a new five-member commission on ethics agrees.

The commission on ethics is to include five members appointed by local police chiefs, minority law groups, the president of Florida Atlantic University, the Florida Institute of CPAs and the Palm Beach County League of Cities.

The Florida Public Service Commission unanimously elected Nancy Argenziano as chairwoman today for a two-year term beginning Jan. 2, 2010.

Argenziano will be the head of the PSC when the panel votes on Florida Power & Light Co.’s proposed $1.2 billion rate hike shortly after she takes over.

The feisty Argenziano served in the legislature for more than a decade before Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to the PSC in 2007.

“I appreciate the challenge and realize that the Chairmanship is purely an administrative charge. All PSC Commissioners are equal and independent appointees. Now, let’s get to work on the important decisions that lie ahead,” Argenziano said.

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Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said today that Gov. Charlie Crist’s call for a grand jury investigation into political corruption should be expanded to include the Republican governor, also a Senate candidate.

Ferre cited this story from BrowardBeat.com that Crist may have traded judicial appointments in Broward County in exchange for contributions from disbarred attorney Scott Rothstein to the state Republican party.

Rothstein was arrested today on federal racketeering charges.

“State campaign finance records show a troubling pattern of large contributions from Mr. Rothstein and immediate and subsequent appointments of Judges to the Fourth District Court of Appeals,” said Ferre, a former six-term mayor of Miami. “Is this pattern a coincidence? Could it indicate real corruption in the Judicial nominating process and raise legitimate questions about a possibility of Crist’s integrity and his fitness to govern?”

“Perhaps the U.S. Attorney’s investigation into corruption in South Florida should be expanded to include the Governor’s possible auctioning of judicial appointments in Broward County. We need to know what Charlie Crist knew and when he knew it,” said Ferre.

Palm Beach County Commissioners, who have seen three of their colleagues go to federal prison on corruption charges since 2006, will give preliminary consideration to a package of ethics reforms this morning at 10 a.m. at the county Governmental Center in West Palm Beach.

The reforms include a new ethics code, a five-member ethics commission and creation of a new inspector general’s office to investigate public officials and contracts. Much of the debate over the last few months has focused on how much of a role the corruption-besmirched commission should play in choosing and approving the inspector general.

After today’s preliminary vote, a final vote on the ethics reforms is scheduled for Dec. 15.