3 Viva Florida.

• Position: STATELINE - "Viva Florida 500" - Brief article

Like most explorers, Juan Ponce de Leon got off track. He was looking for an island near Cuba, but landed in Florida instead. The year was 1513. He named it "La Florida" after the "feast of the flowers," a Spanish Easter event. And although Native Americans predated European settlers by 12,000 years, the state's yearlong "Viva Florida 500" campaign will celebrate the new era that began with Ponce de Leon's arrival. More than 200 events will mark the occasion, from film festivals to field trips to historic...