Doug Wheeler: Time to trim the tax burden for Florida salons, barbershops
Florida has a sizable beauty services industry, which is fueled by our state’s sunny landscape and many picture-perfect settings.
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Staff ReportsLast Call for 10.15.24 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics
A digest of the day’s politics and policy while the bartender refreshes your drink.
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16min
Drew Dixon‘Operation Blue Roof’ enacted for Florida to provide temporary shelter over damaged buildings
Thousands of roofs damaged during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Florida can now get free blue tarps to cover damage.
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Associated PressMore than 99% of Duke Energy customers’ power has been restored in Pasco, about 97% systemwide
Most remaining outages are in hard-to-reach areas or are the result of extensive damage or flooding.
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News & Trending
October 15, 2024
Guest Author
Guest Author
Doug Wheeler: Time to trim the tax burden for Florida salons, barbershops
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October 15, 2024
Gabrielle Russon
Gabrielle Russon
Child has ‘cardiac event’ after riding Disney World roller coaster
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Jacob Ogles
October 15, 2024
A.G. Gancarski
A.G. Gancarski
Ron DeSantis boasts of ‘zero tolerance’ for storm looters, animal abusers
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Storm Coverage
‘Operation Blue Roof’ enacted for Florida to provide temporary shelter over damaged buildings
Thousands of roofs damaged during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Florida can now get free blue tarps to cover damage.
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5min
More than 99% of Duke Energy customers’ power has been restored in Pasco, about 97% systemwide
Most remaining outages are in hard-to-reach areas or are the result of extensive damage or flooding.
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4min
Ron DeSantis boasts of ‘zero tolerance’ for storm looters, animal abusers
‘We said you’d be held accountable and you will be held accountable.’
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4min
Gov. DeSantis doles out recovery resources in Pasco, marks power and gas progress
Help is coming to flood victims in Zephyrhills.
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4min
Jesse SchecknerFlorida Supervisors of Elections ask for more voting accommodations post-Milton
‘Addressing these concerns is necessary and imperative.’
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6min
Wilton Simpson urges farmers impacted by Milton to use bridge loan program
Agriculture and aquaculture businesses in affected counties can apply.
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5min
Seminole Tribe to donate $1M to Red Cross, World Central Kitchen hurricane relief efforts
The Tribe is also sheltering displaced people at its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa.
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Fresh Take Florida‘Nowhere else to go’: Florida seniors struggle to recover from back-to-back hurricanes
Senior citizens living alone often have nowhere to turn during a crisis.
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Fraud investigators comb Florida looking for contractors ready to rip off hurricane victims
Jimmy Patronis tries to help Hurricane Milton victims who might be exposed to fraud schemes in Florida.
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4min
2024 – Presidential
Florida GOP says Donald Trump victory ‘assured,’ cites poll showing strong minority support
‘This has been consistent in both public and private polling for months.’
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Poll: Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris by 6 points in Florida, enjoys more across-aisle support
Harris, meanwhile, leads with independents.
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‘Your boys’ inspire Julianna Margulies’ collab with Lincoln Project
‘Who they’ll be as men depends on who you mold them to be right now.’
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4min
Kamala Harris calls out Donald Trump hurricane misinformation. Joe Biden surveys Florida damage
But Trump defended statements on Sunday about FEMA’s response.
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12min
Trump-ella? Why the GOP campaign is headed to a California festival site
Fundraising, phone banks, and the popular vote are considerations.
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6min
Abortion has passed inflation as the top election issue for women under 30, survey finds
Will that lead to support for Florida’s ballot initiative dealing with abortion rights?
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2024 – Initiatives
Group backing recreational pot measure raises $100M-plus, but an opposing campaign has more cash on hand
More marijuana companies have provided cash and in-kind support to the Amendment 3 effort.
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Poll: Abortion, recreational pot measures have majority support, but just 1 has enough backing to pass
There are now also far fewer undecided voters to win over, pollsters found.
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Committee backing Amendment 4 raises $12.7M in a single week for abortion rights initiative
The group behind Amendment 4 is raising big money, although it is in a fight with Gov. DeSantis and the state.
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Joe Gruters fact-checks recreational pot critics in new statewide ad
The Republican lawmaker says Florida will be able to legalize weed and regulate where it gets smoked.
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Secretary of State alleges fraud by group behind abortion rights ballot measure
Investigators zeroed in on three counties where a high number of signatures were accepted from ‘known fraudsters.’
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7min
Florida Supreme Court rejects argument that state officials are illegally interfering over Amendment 4
A Palm Beach County lawyer asked the state’s highest court to intervene.
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2024 – Down Ballot
Carolina Amesty holds cash edge on Leonard Spencer, but is support drying up after her arrest?
The Republican Party of Florida hasn’t provided in-kind support since the lawmaker’s arrest on 4 felony counts.
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Candidates for open House seat in Palm Beach County tied in fundraising — but for very different reasons
One candidate has received nearly 400 contributions since filing. The other, who has campaigned longer, just crossed 80 donations this month.
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David Smith holds massive cash edge over Sarah Henry in closing weeks of HD 38 race
The FHDCC has supported Henry but her accounts are largely depleted.
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Maxwell Frost, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell say Villages golf cart caravan translates into Dem momentum
‘It’s about a vision for this country, and it’s about true freedom.’
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DSCC teams up with Debbie Mucarsel-Powell on Rick Scott ‘snake’ hit
Do Floridians want a ‘Senator with a spine’? DMP and D.C. allies are betting big that they do.
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Nate Douglas holds 2-to-1 cash advantage over Susan Plasencia a month from HD 37 election
The Republican incumbent has trailed in support through her candidate account and political committee.
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Ryan NicolFlorida nurses ‘proud’ to endorse Joe Saunders in HD 106
‘Nurses are the heart of our health care system.’
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Tom Keen outraises Erika Booth, but she holds cash advantage for last month of HD 35 campaigning
But the Democratic incumbent has also seen more state party support than his Republican challenger.
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Poll: Rick Scott leads Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by 7 points, winning with Hispanic voters
Pollsters found Scott is ahead by 6 percentage points with Hispanic voters in Florida.
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Rick Scott touts hurricane record in latest statewide ad
‘I can tell you he’s the first phone call we always get.’
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Did Hurricane Milton just turn FEMA funding into a deciding issue in Florida’s federal elections?
Many of Florida’s members of Congress want voting for funding now, even ones who voted against a larger budget deal last month.
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Drew WilsonFlorida Chamber launches new anti-Amendment 3 website
‘Only three states have legalized recreational marijuana by 60%, and we’re fighting to make sure Florida doesn’t become the 4th.’
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Poll: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell trails Rick Scott by just 2 points
But many voters still don’t know much about her, pollsters found.
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Vivek Ramaswamy to rally Republicans for Rick Scott
Starpower comes to the state Sunday for the Senator’s re-election bid.
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NYT poll shows Rick Scott comfortably leading Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in U.S. Senate race
Pollsters found Scott leading across all age groups, though voters differed along racial and educational lines.
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Legislative, Influence & Policy
PRNEWS recognizes Karen Moore as ‘Person of the Year’
“I’m truly honored to be recognized as a mentor …’
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Gov. DeSantis blames legal ‘loophole’ on gas station generator shortfall, but probably won’t fix it
‘I think that it was written in a way that if you want to conduct your operations to not be covered by that, you can.’
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Florida PhoenixHurricane surge could blow away Florida homeowners insurance ‘fixes’
Floridians already pay nation’s highest homeowners insurance premiums
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Peter SchorschThe Fall 2024 edition of INFLUENCE Magazine is here, just in time to hunker down … again
This edition features the Great Communicators, a timely spotlight as they work tirelessly to spread critical hurricane-related info.
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Ron DeSantis reappoints Florida Public Service Commission member
Michael La Rosa was appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission where he has served since 2020.
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Governor warns Florida power restoration after Milton may be a challenge because lineworkers are out of state
‘Some of these other states still have a lot of people without power.’
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Culture Wars
Book bans are down in Florida but the fight over censorship remains, advocate group says
Some of the contested books in Florida this year are over classic titles.
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Dockworkers’ union to suspend strike until Jan. 15 to allow time to negotiate new contract
The walkout raised the risk of shortages of goods on store shelves if it lasted more than a few weeks.
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Gov. DeSantis launches Florida workaround to Longshoremen strike
Hurricane Helene makes the ILA action ‘simply unacceptable.’
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Florida enacts tough law to get homeless off the streets, leaving cities and counties scrambling
‘We send our money up to Tallahassee, and they don’t send it back to help us.’
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Truth about cats and dogs isn’t the point for Marco Rubio amid migrant crisis
‘If you complain about it, somehow you’re a bigot, you’re a racist, you’re a hater.’
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Jacksonville
NE Florida
Orlando
St. Pete
Janelle Irwin TaylorSW Florida
Peter SchorschTampa
Panhandle
Tallahassee
Communities
South Florida
‘Integrity and accountability’: 14 more local leaders back James Reyes for Miami-Dade Sheriff
‘His dedication to reform and protecting residents in every corner of Miami-Dade is exactly what we need to build a safer community for all.’
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Former Miami Beach Mayor backs ‘true advocate for freedom’ J.C. Planas for Miami-Dade SOE
‘I trust him to protect our democracy and uphold the integrity of our elections.’
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Ron Book nabs Nobel Peace Prize nomination for nonprofit leadership, advocacy
‘I’ve always believed that we have an obligation to leave the world better than we found it.’
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Miami-Dade deploys first responders to aid in post-Milton relief efforts
‘Just as our neighbors would stand by us, we are stepping up for our fellow Floridians.’
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Alina Garcia nears $500K raised for Miami-Dade SOE job — 4 times more than her Dem foe
She enjoyed ample support from fellow Florida Republicans.
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10min
Federal
Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor lead request to Joe Biden for expedited Milton declaration
Every member of Florida’s congressional delegation joined in on the ask.
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Anna Paulina Luna calls on Mike Johnson to reconvene Congress for hurricane relief
The Republican said she spoke to Joe Biden and feels confident that resources would be well utilized.
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Disconnect? Joe Biden dodges question about ‘gracious’ Ron DeSantis snubbing Kamala Harris
‘All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Governor DeSantis.’
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Maxwell Frost rides along with Hurricane Hunters into Milton
America’s youngest Congressman flew into the storm as it reached near-record strength.
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Gov. DeSantis says he wasn’t aware of Kamala Harris’ calls ahead of Milton
Confusion surrounds the Governor and his phone calls with the White House.
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Joe Biden approves pre-landfall declaration request from Gov. DeSantis, ensuring federal aid as Milton looms
The feds are ‘working quickly’ to get assets lined up for recovery.
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Foreign Affairs
Florida political leaders reflect 1 year after Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Florida is home to America’s third-largest population of Jewish people.
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As major hurricane threatens Florida, Ron DeSantis weighs in on UK Tory leadership fight
Kemi Badenoch could be ‘inspiration for conservatives not just in the United Kingdom but around the world.’
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Florida Dems cry foul as Donald Trump threatens to revoke TPS for Haitians
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he will revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians if he wins in November. That’s a move that could affect tens of thousands of Haitians living legally in Florida. Trump made his comments to NewsNation at a Texas fundraiser while discussing a high concentration of Haitian immigrants in Ohio. […]
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Rick Scott invokes Israel-Hamas war, United Nations in latest Senate leadership pitch
The Senator is backing the Israeli government amid its conflict with the Secretary General.
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4min
Ron DeSantis, Marco Rubio, Rick Scott back Israel amid Iranian attacks
Florida Republicans make it clear where they stand as war threatens to widen in the Middle East.
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4min
Marco Rubio expects ‘negotiated settlement’ in Russia-Ukraine conflict
The Senator wants a deal favorable to Kyiv.
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Emails & Opinions
Doug Wheeler: Time to trim the tax burden for Florida salons, barbershops
Florida has a sizable beauty services industry, which is fueled by our state’s sunny landscape and many picture-perfect settings.
Apolitical
Stone crab season is here, with some reminders from state officials
Stone crab season begins Tuesday and Florida officials are encouraging participation.
Tech
Universities
The Gator Nation is everywhere: UF professor lands spot on National Science Board
Juan Gilbert is a past National Medal of Technology and Innovation honoree.
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After Milton, Florida universities split on whether to reopen
Here’s which schools are opening soon and which ones remain closed.
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First Coast colleges shutting down operations ahead of Milton
All major colleges in Northeast Florida announced shutdownd ahead of Hurricane Milton.
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