Florida Politics

Federal Headlines

November 20, 2024

FEMA head sounds the alarm over disaster funding after double hurricanes

0 5min 0

Headlines Influence

November 20, 2024

Jacob Ogles

Keith Truenow will bring commercial farm background to Senate Agriculture Committee

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Headlines South Florida

November 20, 2024

Ron Book to keep leading Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, but county officials call for succession plan

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Headlines

November 20, 2024

Drew Wilson

Insurance Summit agenda packed with elected leaders, state officials

0 4min 0

Emails & Opinions Headlines

November 20, 2024

Staff Reports

Last Call for 11.20.24 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

0 18min 0

Federal Headlines

November 20, 2024

Jacob Ogles

House Ethics Committee declines to release report on Matt Gaetz investigation

4 7min 0

Headlines South Florida

November 20, 2024

Miami-Dade approves ‘watered down’ restrictions on single-use plastics at county sites

1 11min 0

Headlines Influence

November 20, 2024

Drew Wilson

Lobbying compensation: Top 25 firms notched $700K+ in Q3

1 9min 0

Transition

Headlines Transition

Matt Gaetz pitches Senators to back his AG nomination

The biggest test for Trump’s picks so far is presented by the Panhandle Republican

5 5min

Headlines Transition

‘Fake news’: Donald Trump staffers slam new Michael Wolff book

‘Consider this our blanket response to whatever he writes.’

12 4min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump chooses former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as NATO Ambassador

Whitaker served as Acting Attorney General between November 2018 and February 2019.

5 10min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump has called for dismantling the Education Department. Here’s what that would mean.

He picked Linda McMahon as Education Secretary, but has suggested dismantling the agency altogether.

17 10min

Headlines Transition

‘Hammer of Justice’: Elon Musk likens Matt Gaetz to Judge Dredd

‘A big brain, a spine of steel, and an axe to grind.’

15 3min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump picks TV doctor Mehmet Oz to lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Oz has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments.

1 4min

Headlines Transition

Progressive think tank launches tracker of Donald Trump appointees’ potential conflicts of interest

‘The American people deserve to know who these appointees are — and who they’re really serving while in power.’

6 5min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump chooses billionaire and key transition adviser Howard Lutnick for Commerce Secretary

Lutnick had been considered for Treasury Secretary.

1 3min

Headlines Transition

Local Washington officials brace for four years of playing defense against Donald Trump

‘Without statehood, without autonomy, our laws are always more at risk than any other Americans.’

9 12min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump naming Sean Duffy to be Transportation Secretary

The former Wisconsin Representative first gained notoriety on MTV’s The Real World.

6 8min

Headlines Transition

Ryan Nicol

Some Arab Americans who voted for Donald Trump are concerned about his picks for key positions

‘I am disappointed but not surprised.’

17 11min

Headlines Transition

Donald Trump floats workaround if Senate won’t confirm AG pick Matt Gaetz

Recess appointment is also an option.

15 3min

Specials

Headlines Specials

Jacob Ogles

Bernadette Pittman opens account to run for Matt Gaetz’s congressional seat

She currently serves as CEO for a Bikers for Trump group in Northwest Florida.

0 4min

Headlines Specials

Jacob Ogles

Joel Rudman becomes second state lawmaker to announce bid to succeed Matt Gaetz in Congress

The Navarre Republican called himself an ‘heir apparent’ to the four-term Congressman.

2 5min

Headlines Specials

Lara Trump says she ‘would be honored’ by Ron DeSantis Senate appointment

‘I think that you’re going to see Governor Ron DeSantis choose the right person for this role.’

6 5min

Headlines Specials

Janelle Irwin Taylor

Michelle Salzman makes it official, announces CD 1 bid to replace Matt Gaetz

She wants to help Donald Trump ‘Make America Great Again.’

1 8min

Headlines Specials

Pam Bondi backs ‘proven leader’ Lara Trump for Senate

‘She would be a tremendous leader for the state of Florida.’

11 4min

Headlines Panhandle Specials

Jacob Ogles

Gay Valimont announces another CD 1 run days after losing to Matt Gaetz

The GOP incumbent already resigned, so the Democrat is back on the campaign trail.

2 5min

Legislative, Influence & Policy

Headlines Influence

Jacob Ogles

Keith Truenow will bring commercial farm background to Senate Agriculture Committee

The freshman Senator listed citrus greening and pressures from development among top concerns for the committee.

0 5min

Headlines Influence

Drew Wilson

Lobbying compensation: Top 25 firms notched $700K+ in Q3

Your look at the No. 25 through No. 21 firms in the Q3 rankings.

1 9min

Headlines Influence

Ron DeSantis warns California to fix its election administration processes

Arizona consulted Florida. The Golden State should be next.

8 4min

Influence

Florida’s new state lawmakers may test Ron DeSantis’ influence in final years of his term

‘Unless somebody is able to rein the Governor in, I think we’ll see more of this in the future.’

4 8min

Headlines Influence

Ben Albritton shoots down open carry proposal Gov. DeSantis may support

He’s warmer to lowering the age for long rifle purchases.

7 5min

Headlines Influence

Drew Wilson

Lobbying compensation: Top 30 governmental affairs firms report $500K+ in Q3 pay

The ante to make the rankings topped a half-million dollars last quarter.

0 11min

Federal

Federal Headlines

FEMA head sounds the alarm over disaster funding after double hurricanes

Deanne Criswell warned that FEMA’s disaster relief fund — the country’s emergency checkbook — is down to less than $5 billion.

0 5min

Federal Headlines

Jacob Ogles

House Ethics Committee declines to release report on Matt Gaetz investigation

The Committee Chair told reporters that ‘no agreement’ was reached to release information following an hourslong meeting.

4 7min

Federal Headlines

Gabrielle Russon

Democratic Senators want to see FBI file on Matt Gaetz

‘The unanswered questions regarding Mr. Gaetz’s alleged conduct are particularly significant,’ the letter said.

11 4min

Federal Headlines

Rick Scott promises Senators will ‘show up’ to vote on Judges after Ron DeSantis’ criticism

Embry Kidd got through the Senate as key GOP votes missed the session.

3 4min

Federal Headlines

Jacob Ogles

Ashley Moody sues FEMA leadership for discriminating against homeowners with Donald Trump signs

Several FEMA employees received death threats when interacting with members of the public.

14 8min

Federal Headlines

Ron DeSantis knocks no-show Senators — including JD Vance, Marco Rubio — after ‘leftist’ judicial confirmation

‘The people will suffer the consequences.’

11 4min

Jacksonville

Headlines Jax

Jacksonville’s plan to address homeless encampments still a work in progress

3 5min

Donna Deegan adjusts to reality of Republican-controlled Washington

Tampa-based Amscot financial services expands locations into Jacksonville

Duval GOP Chair Dean Black talks Duval going red, what it means for path forward

NE Florida

Headlines NE Florida

Drew Dixon

Key manufacturing indicators show October slowdown in First Coast

2 4min 0

Rory Diamond considers run to replace Mike Waltz in CD 6

First Coast home sales slide in October while housing inventory goes up

North Florida Land Trust holds event marking quarter century of environmental protection

Orlando

Headlines Orlando

Gabrielle Russon

Ex-Florida Virtual School employee says she was fired for raising separation of church and state concerns

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Political fireworks go off as Orange County debates Glen Gilzean spending

FDOT hires design contractor to develop major upgrades on I-75 in Central Florida

Epic Universe’s Harry Potter ride vehicle is first of its kind at Universal

St. Pete

Headlines St. Pete

Janelle Irwin Taylor

Pinellas County Commission again delays bond resolution for Rays stadium deal

4 7min

Mike Harting narrowly edges out Pete Boland in St. Pete City Council battle to replace Ed Montanari

GOP lands a major blow to Pinellas Democrats, with Vince Nowicki victory over Charlie Justice

Corey Givens Jr. denies Wengay Newton his political comeback, will replace John Muhammad on St. Pete City Council

SW Florida

Headlines SW Florida

Jacob Ogles

Sarasota GOP leaders remember local party Executive Director Kelly Erwin

2 4min 0

Federal agents raid Alfie Oakes’ properties in Collier County

Barbara Ford-Coates served 40 years, even as Sarasota shifted right. Here’s how Mike Moran beat her.

Sarasota voters renew school tax by highest margin of any county in Florida

Tampa

Headlines Tampa Bay

Peter Schorsch

Cancer beware: Tampa General to bring world’s most precise robotic surgical technology to Florida

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Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s North Tampa office temporarily closed due to gas leak, will re-open Wednesday

‘Operation Safe Passage’ launches in Hillsborough to stamp out school zone speeders

Rays future in Tampa Bay area growing murkier

Panhandle

Headlines Panhandle Specials

Jacob Ogles

Gay Valimont announces another CD 1 run days after losing to Matt Gaetz

2 5min

Exclusive: Matt Gaetz, Don Gaetz aren’t endorsing in CD 1 GOP Primary

With Matt Gaetz tapped for AG, who could fill his congressional seat?

Latest renewable gas plant in Madison County completed and pumping fuel to northeast Florida

Tallahassee

Headlines Tallahassee

This student-led PAC’s voter-mobilization effort in SD 3 is reporting some eye-catching numbers

4 6min 0

Ron DeSantis warns son that Florida State football futility will continue

Gov. DeSantis expects Helene landfall near Taylor County, says there’s still time to get out before landfall

Tallahassee airport closed; Gainesville airport to shut down 8 p.m.

Communities

Mike Wright

JJ Grow bests Judith Vowels to win HD 23 open seat

4min 0

Bill Gladson endorses Matt McClain for Marion County Commission

Are Alachua Commissioners about to pay for a house of cardboard?

Governor appoints Deborah Cunningham, Adam Lee to county court judgeships

South Florida

Headlines South Florida

Ron Book to keep leading Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, but county officials call for succession plan

He’s been Chair of the Homeless Trust for 2 straight decades. Term limits for the post are 6 consecutive years.

0 10min

Headlines South Florida

Miami-Dade approves ‘watered down’ restrictions on single-use plastics at county sites

‘We have all talked about how we’ve got to be moving to zero waste. This is one way at our county facilities that we can begin to do that.’

1 11min

Headlines South Florida

A ‘transformative gift’: Jeff Bezos donates $5M to Miami-Dade Homeless Trust

It’s the largest single philanthropic contribution the county organization has ever received.

1 6min

Headlines South Florida

Frank Artiles gets 60 days in jail, probation for orchestrating ‘ghost candidate’ scheme. His attorneys plan to appeal

The sentencing comes more than three and a half years after his arrest on election tampering charges.

3 9min

Headlines South Florida

Miami-Dade may soon look into building another airport

‘We want to make sure we’re being forward-thinking and that we’re prepared for the future.’

0 5min

Headlines South Florida

Miami-Dade moves to better regulate feeding, population of stray cats at PortMiami

Well-meaning residents who overfeed the cats are causing problems.

0 5min

Culture Wars

Culture Wars Headlines

Birth control and abortion pill requests have surged since Donald Trump won the election

‘As the world has become scarier and scarier, we realized we didn’t want to bring a child into that environment.’

5 9min

Culture Wars Headlines

Donald Trump pledged to roll back protections for transgender students. They’re flooding crisis hotlines

Opposition to transgender rights was a focal point of Trump’s campaign.

6 12min

Culture Wars Headlines

Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries

‘A restriction of access is a restriction on one’s freedom to read.’

3 8min

Culture Wars Headlines

Marco Rubio says Catholics are moving to Donald Trump as backlash against Democratic secularism

The Senator argues the President-elect spoke to traditional voters while Harris pursued ‘activists.’

15 4min

Culture Wars Headlines

Marco Rubio argues Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez endorsements don’t move the Hispanic vote

Latino voters aren’t marks for pop culture. They want what everyone else does.

7 4min

Culture Wars Headlines

Return of the ‘full armor of God’: Ron DeSantis to deliver post-election speech at Notre Dame

He’s on the road again.

7 3min

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs Headlines

‘Peace without delay’: Donald Trump calls for Ukraine cease-fire to avert ‘total war’

‘A global conflict between nuclear armed powers would mean death and destruction on a scale unmatched in human history.’

7 4min

Foreign Affairs Headlines

‘Abysmally weak’: Carlos Giménez blasts Joe Biden for Xi Jinping meeting at APEC summit

‘Biden just handed murderous Communist Chinese dictator Xi Jinping a public relations victory.’

2 6min

Foreign Affairs Headlines Specials

Mike Waltz wasn’t briefed by Joe Biden White House on Ukraine missile deployment

‘It’s another step up the escalation ladder and nobody knows where this is going.’

12 3min

Foreign Affairs Headlines Transition

Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine’s use of US-supplied long-range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia

Anonymous sources tell Associated Press Joe Biden allows U.S. to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine.

13 6min

Foreign Affairs Headlines

Iranian official meets Elon Musk in effort to smooth path with Donald Trump

The Trump camp wouldn’t confirm the meeting happened.

2 3min

Foreign Affairs Headlines

Joe Biden to meet South Korean and Japanese leaders amid growing worries about North Korea

Up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence assessments.

1 10min

Emails & Opinions

Emails & Opinions Headlines

Last Call for 11.20.24 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

A digest of the day’s politics and policy while the bartender refreshes your drink.

Jacksonville Bold for 11.20.24: DOGE love

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 11.20.24

Last Call for 11.19.24 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Ned Bowman: Florida retailers, consumers need FDA reform

Apolitical

APolitical Headlines

Retail group names Tallahassee detective officer of the year

The 5-year veteran cop in Tallahassee was honored for her role in driving down retail crime.

APolitical Headlines

Florida among the toughest real estate markets in the country

Florida Gulf Coast locales are among the hardest to sell a home.

APolitical Headlines

Florida insurance claims from Hurricanes Helene and Milton surpass $5B

APolitical Headlines

Florida has second-most fatal school bus accidents in America

Record number of Thanksgiving travelers projected for Florida, nation

Tech

Headlines Tech

Duke Energy tech saves about 300,000 Florida customers from power outages during hurricanes

Duke Energy had several power grid upgrades in recent years preventing worse electrical outages during hurricanes.

Headlines Tech

What is Bluesky? Why are X users jumping ship?

For those who don’t like right-leaning X, there’s a left-leaning alternative.

Headlines Tech

Homeland Security Department releases framework for using AI in critical infrastructure

Headlines Tech

Florida Policy Project: Outdated traffic signals have Florida lagging on road efficiency, safety

Florida Public Service Commission renews contract with T-Mobile as telecom relay service provider

Universities