Peter Schorsch
Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Ana Ceballos, Daniel McAuliffe, and Jim Rosica.
— NO WORDS —
“17 die in a barrage of bullets” via Audra Burch and Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times – A heavily armed young man barged into his former high school about an hour northwest of Miami on Wednesday, opening fire on terrified students and teachers and leaving a death toll of 17 that could rise even higher, the authorities said. Students huddled in horror in their classrooms, with some of them training their cellphones on the carnage, capturing sprawled bodies, screams and gunfire that began with a few shots and then continued with more and more. The dead included students and adults, some of whom were shot outside the school and others inside the sprawling three-story building. The gunman, armed with a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, was identified as Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old who had been expelled from the school, the authorities said. He began his shooting rampage outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in this suburban neighborhood shortly before dismissal time around 2:40 p.m. He then made his way inside and proceeded down hallways he knew well, firing at students and teachers who were scurrying for cover, the authorities said.
— More than 40 “active shooter” episodes in schools have been recorded in the United States since 2000, according to F.B.I. and news reports. Two 15-year-old students were killed and 18 more people were injured last month in a school in rural Benton, Ky. The shootings have become common enough that many schools, including Stoneman Douglas High, run annual drills in which students practice huddling in classrooms behind locked doors.
— With the Parkland shooting, three of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern United States history have come in the last five months.
“Former student opens fire” via Terry Spencer of the Associated Press – Authorities offered no immediate details on the 19-year-old suspect or any possible motive, except to say that he had been kicked out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School … Students who knew the shooter … described a volatile teenager whose strange behavior had caused others to end friendships with him, particularly after the fight that led to his expulsion. … The suspect was taken into custody without a fight in a residential neighborhood about a mile away. He had multiple magazines of ammunition, authorities said. … The attacker used the fire alarm “so the kids would come pouring out of the classrooms into the hall,” Sen. Bill Nelson told CNN. “And there the carnage began,” said Nelson, who said he was briefed by the FBI.
… Victoria Olvera, a junior at the school, said Cruz was expelled last school year because he got into a fight with his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. She said he had been abusive to his girlfriend. “I think everyone had in their minds if anybody was going to do it, it was going to be him,” she said. Dakota Mutchler, another junior, said he used to be friends with Cruz. But he cut off the friendship as Cruz’s behavior “started progressively getting a little more weird.” Cruz posted on Instagram about killing animals and threatened one of Mutchler’s friends, he said. He remembered that Cruz had a pellet gun and did target practice in his backyard. Student Daniel Huerfano said he recognized Cruz from an Instagram photo in which Cruz had posed with a gun in front of his face. Cruz “was that weird kid that you see … like a loner,” he said.
“School shooting suspect was ex-student who was flagged as threat” via the Miami Herald – The portrait of Cruz … is a troubled teen with few friends and an obsessive interest in weapons. Administrators considered him enough of a potential threat that one teacher said a warning was emailed last year against allowing him on the campus with a backpack. … At Stoneman Douglas High, he was part of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps during his freshman year, classmates said. … Cruz’s Instagram page, identified by friends as his but which has since been removed from the popular site, underscored his love of weapons. In the images, he sported dark bandanas over his face and beanies and baseball caps on his head. In one post, he wielded knives between his fingers as though they were claws. In another, he showed off a small black handgun. “Pistol fun a– f–k” he wrote in that post.
Reporter: What business does a 19-year-old have in having an AR-15?
FL Gov. Rick Scott: “We’re finding all the facts. There’s a thorough investigation going on … We’ll learn those things, and then we can determine the future — how we can continue to make this place safe.” pic.twitter.com/sdelkNYoWh
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 15, 2018
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
— @TheCaptainAidan: My school is being shot up and I am locked inside. I’m fucking scared right now
— @AdamWeinstein: I’m watching live footage of a triage center being set up for a multiple casualty shooting at a high school I grew up near, where tons of friends have passed through, and think I’ve lost any hope I clung to for humanity these past couple of years. We deserve all we get and more
— @Morganw_44: I cannot stop hearing the sound of the gun as he walked down my hallway. I cannot unsee my classmates who were shot get carried out by police. I cannot unsee the bodies on the floor. Please keep in mind the horror of what we’ve gone through today. #prayfordouglas
— @BrianEntin: Just yesterday Parkland was ranked safest city in Florida. And now this terrible incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in the city.
— @JaredEMoskowitz: My son is 4. While he was learning how to write in pre school his teachers daughter was killed in the shooting. How do we as the strongest nation on earth tell parents we can’t keep their kids safe.
— @JonLemire: President Trump did not address the nation today after the Florida school shooting and, at least for now, he does not have any public appearances scheduled for tomorrow either
— @Supt_Avossa: I have directed every principal to review their safety protocols and procedures – We are working with local police agencies to have more officers at and around all District schools in the days and weeks ahead
— @Luluramadan: I envy reporters who only covered an out-of-the-blue mass shooting once upon a time. I’m 23, at a community paper & #Stoneman is my third.
— @U.S._Vote: Hug your kids. Keep the lines of communication as open as you can between you and them, and always tell them you love them.
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“Amid massacre, a story of courage: Reports say football coach stepped in front of bullets” via Manny Navarro, Andre Fernandez and Kyra Gurney of the Miami Herald – Coach Aaron Feis was initially said to be dead, eliciting tributes on social media. Subsequent posts said he was wounded but had survived the shooting. “Coach Feis has not passed. He was shot but is not dead,” Jordan May, a coach at the school and the son of head football coach Willis “Peanut” May, said on Twitter. He did not have firsthand knowledge of how Feis had been shot. As for his father, Jordan May said he was in his office during the rampage and got out unscathed. Feis has worked as a security guard at the school for at least eight years and takes his role protecting students very seriously, said Andrew Hofmann, a former student at the school who recently coached the swimming and water polo teams. “He’s very well dedicated to the safety of the school during the daytime,” Hofmann said.
“Shooting was painfully close for state Rep. who graduated from school targeted by gunman” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald – Jared Moskowitz, a 1999 graduate of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, said the shooting is painfully close to home. His children go to school in Parkland, the school is blocks from his home, and he represented the district first as a city commissioner and now as a legislator. “I’m going to know these children, their teachers, their parents,” said Moskowitz, a Democrat from Coral Springs, as he boarded a plane back home on Wednesday. “Their lives are forever changed, families are broken and shattered and the kids who walked out alive won’t be the same.”
— “A CNN analyst broke down in tears while talking about the school shooting” via Jim Dalrymple of BuzzFeed
“In Miami, schools chief beefs up security and demands national “courage” on gun control” via Doug Hanks of the Miami Herald – Miami-Dade students and parents should expect an extraordinary police presence when classes resume on a normal schedule Thursday, as an anxious system grapples with an horrific school shooting outside its boundaries but close to home. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the system’s own police forces will be on full deployment, while officers and squad cars from municipal and county agencies will be dispatched to schools across Miami-Dade to assist with increased security measures. … He also said the Douglas High shooting offers another horrific reminder of the need for national action on gun control. “At what point — after how many killed? — will we have the courage to address the issue of access to guns and gun ownership?” Carvalho asked. “There are some on this equation who will only want to talk about mental health. Others will only want to talk about gun control. How about being reasonable, and talking about both?”
“Rick Scott and Donald Trump spoke about Broward school shooting” via Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida – In statement and via Twitter, the governor said that he had spoken directly to Trump about the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. He also said he had spoken to Sheriff Israel, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen and was monitoring the situation. “My thoughts and prayers are with the students, their families and the entire community,” said Scott.
Scott: Flags at half-staff for shooting victims – Scott late Wednesday ordered the state and U.S. flags “to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout the State of Florida” to honor and remember those injured and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “The flags shall be lowered immediately and remain at half-staff until sunset on Monday, Feb. 19,” his office said in a statement.
Tweet, tweet:
#Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate @AndrewGillum on #FloridaSchoolShooting:”While I am prayerful for them…I am not satisfied with the status quo of politicians sending thoughts and prayers to victims of gun violence, while they cash campaign checks from the gun lobby.”
— Troy Kinsey (@TroyKinsey) February 15, 2018
Black Panther premier – 1; Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony – 10; Last day for regularly scheduled legislative committee meetings – 12; Disney Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival – 14; Last day to take up Special Order Calendar – 18; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program termination begins – 18; Sine Die (maybe) — 22; St. Patrick’s Day – 30; Major League Baseball Opening Day — 44; Easter – 45; Solo: A Star Wars Story premier — 97; Close of candidate qualifying for statewide office — 127; Primary Election Day — 194; General Election Day — 264; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 362.
— THE DAY AFTER —
“Delirious Democrats welcome Margaret Good to Capitol” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times – Good, who received loud standing ovations at a House Democratic Caucus meeting, literally overnight became a national symbol of what Democrats hope will be a “blue wave,” an unstoppable anti-Trump, anti-Republican tsunami in 2018. “This should put all Republicans on notice that it could be a very difficult year, if you’re an incumbent, to survive,” said Rep. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota and an enthusiastic supporter of the president. “Even relatively safe seats could be in play in 2018.” Gruters complimented Good for running a strong race, but he said she got plenty of outside help that she won’t have in a general election race in the fall when precious political resources have to be spread more widely. “We’ll see about that,” Good told the Times/Herald. “People are fed up with what is happening up here. They want real representation. They want strong public education. They want environmental protections. They want people really talking about health care.”
“Juan Penalosa: HD 72 showed Republicans talking national and losing; Democrats, local and winning” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics – One of the key reasons Good won the House District 72 special election was because she and the Democratic party pushed local issues while Republicans pushed national issues, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Penalosa said … Good and other Democrats focused on such issues as public education and distribution of well-paying jobs, while Republicans are running on issues of national interest such as the party’s position against sanctuary cities and concerns over immigration. “They’re speaking to the broader national issues. They’re trying to make it about Trump. Like for example with the Margaret Good election, when [former Trump campaign manager] Corey Lewandowski came down, they were doing ‘Lock her up!’ chants.”
Steve Schale‘s offers three takeaways on what happened in HD 72:
— Going into the election, Democratic women and women in general were driving turnout. Despite making up 19 percent of registered voters, Democratic women made up 26 percent of early voters. More pointedly, while turnout was 21 percent before today, Democratic women turned out at 30 percent in early vote. And it wasn’t just super voters. Good was turning out women who had little or no primary voting history.
— This wasn’t like Alabama or Virginia, where younger people of color drove turnout. This seat through early vote was 94 percent white and 90 percent over 50 — and based on the GOP edge [in election-day turnout], probably will finish even whiter and older. This is an electorate who voted for [Mitt] Romney, voted for Trump, and [Tuesday], voted for a Democrat.
— When all is said and done, the GOP will probably have over 2,000 more voters vote than the Democrats [who cast ballots]. But these Republicans are midwestern Republicans — the lesser-of-two-evils Trump voters. And clearly they are having angst …”
Emails: “It’s already starting” via HD 69 candidate Jennifer Webb; “Another victory in a swing seat” via HD 83 candidate Emma Collum
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Poll: GOP gains on generic ballot, Trump approval ticks upward” via Steve Shepard of POLITICO – Fully 39 percent of registered voters say they would support the GOP candidate for Congress in their district, while 38 percent would back the Democratic candidate. Nearly a quarter of voters, 23 percent, are undecided … Voters are split almost evenly along party lines. Democratic voters break for their party, 85 percent to 5 percent, while Republicans similarly favor the GOP, 84 percent to 8 percent. Among independent voters, 26 percent would vote for the Democrat, 25 percent for the Republican and nearly half, 49 percent, are undecided.
What Ana Cruz is reading – “Bob Buckhorn says governor’s race has I-4 ‘vacuum’” via Charlie Frago of the Tampa Bay Times – Buckhorn, who ruled out a run for governor last year, said his oldest daughter recently urged him to reconsider. “Daddy, you have got to run for governor because you have no hobbies. And if you come home in a year, you’ll be hanging out with me and I don’t want that,” Buckhorn said Grace told him. “So the most powerful voice in my world told me that I need to reconsider the decision. But no, I haven’t reconsidered the decision although I get asked every day. This race is fully engaged with good candidates and I’m going to finish this job that I love.” And, moments after mentioning that he knew all the candidates well except for Chris King, he noted: “There’s no candidate from I-4 so there’s a huge vacuum here.”
“Gwen Graham workday in Kissimmee connects with Puerto Rico evacuees” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics – She spent the day stocking shelves, cooking and preparing hot foods, and meeting with customers and employees at La Placita Latina, a tropical meat and produce store in the center of Kissimmee, which is in the heart of Florida’s Puerto Rican community. And largely what she heard was the plight of the Puerto Rico evacuees and the challenge of the community to absorb them, she said. “Yes, I learned a lot about what it takes to run a grocery store today but more importantly the people I’ve met … and the recognition that we need to do a whole lot more to help the people who have moved here from the island of Puerto Rico to our state. Not just paying lip service to them, but doing more to positively influence their lives, and I do not believe the state of Florida is doing that,” Graham said.
A Valentine’s work day – Agriculture Commissioner candidate Matt Caldwell continued his statewide “#2LaneTravels Work Days Tour” in Miami at a fresh-cut flower operation. “The flower industry is critical in Florida, and particularly in Miami-Dade County, which is uniquely positioned to engage in this industry,” according to a press release. “Armellini Express Lines was established in 1945 … The company moves fresh-cut flowers from Florida to the rest of the country and remains family owned. As Valentine’s Day approached, we had the opportunity to learn more about the fresh-cut flower industry in Florida,” Caldwell, a North Fort Myers Republican state representative, said in a statement. “We learned how Florida makes Valentine’s Day possible. Getting a firsthand look into these industries will help me lead and champion ag-related issues that are vital to job growth and economic prosperity in our great state.”
Click on the image below to watch video from the tour:
“ ‘Leave it be’: New ad for gambling initiative out” via Florida Politics – “Leave it be until Amendment 3,” says a new ad from the group behind a constitutional amendment on voter control of gambling expansion that will be on November’s statewide ballot. Voters In Charge, the political committee backing the Voter Control of Gambling Amendment, on Wednesday announced “a 30-second television ad, a 60-second radio ad, as well as digital and social media advertising, starting today in select media markets in Florida.” “The reaction by gambling lobbyists and Tallahassee politicians shows exactly why we need Amendment 3,” Voters in Charge Chairman John Sowinski said in a statement.
Click on the image below to watch the ad:
“Democrat Ron Vatalaro drops out of HD 57 race” via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics – That means Hillsborough County Democrats are again now looking at the possibility of allowing House District 57 GOP incumbent Jake Raburn to win re-election without any opposition. Vatalaro filed at the end of January to run against Raburn in the Hillsborough County seat, but said he was withdrawing, citing a lack of time and money. “I want to strongly encourage anyone with the desire to run to do so and offer my full personal support so that District 57 get a choice in representation,” Vatalaro wrote in an email.
“Erika Donalds won’t seek re-election to Collier County School Board” via Annika Hammerschlag of the Naples Daily News – Donalds, who has served on the board since 2014 and served as its vice chairwoman from 2016–17, said she decided not to run so she can spend more time with her family. In addition to serving on the School Board, Donalds is chief financial officer and partner at an investment management firm, is a member of the Constitution Revision Commission, and has three children with her husband, state Rep. Byron Donalds … “I’ve thought a lot about (whether to run). I’ve gone back and forth and back and forth,” she said. “But right now, it’s necessary for me to step back for a while and just focus on my family.”
— CAPITOL INSIGHT —
“Tax plan stirs controversy over schools, airports” via Jim Turner of the News service of Florida – Over objections that more money would flow away from public schools and that airport projects could be grounded, the House Ways & Means Committee approved a nearly $350 million tax package that would help farmers impacted by Hurricane Irma and lower a lease tax on businesses. In a 14-6 vote along party lines, the Republican-dominated committee approved the package (PCB WMC 18-03), which also includes a series of sales tax “holidays’ on back-to-school items and hurricane supplies and offers an 18 percent reduction in penalties for non-criminal traffic infractions – such as speeding within 30 mph over the posted limit – if motorists attend driver-improvement school. The Senate is working on a package that is expected to include portions of the House measure. The House vote came after the committee added a provision, opposed by airport officials throughout the state, that would reduce the aviation fuel tax next year to $2.85 a gallon. The rate is currently scheduled to go down from $6.90 to $4.27 a gallon next year.
“House considers extending gaming talks to next year” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida – José Oliva said with so many differences between the House, Senate and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, gaming talks may extend into next year’s legislative session. Olive said deep-rooted positions taken by both chambers will be tough to resolve by the end of this year’s session on March 9. “I believe the same issues that may have plagued gaming in the past are a risk this year again,” Oliva told reporters after Wednesday’s House floor session, adding that the chances of resolution are not good.
“Judge reverses ruling on House subpoena of Visit Florida Emeril TV show producer” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida – A Leon County Circuit Court judge reversed her own previous ruling on Wednesday, barring the state House from receiving the remaining documents it subpoenaed from a Visit Florida contractor who got $12.7 million to produce a cooking show with chef Emeril Bagasse. Judge Karen Gievers also ruled the House overreached its constitutional authority in subpoenaing MAT Media owner Pat Roberts for roughly 20 documents tied to the cable network show that was created to promote tourism in Florida. She also found Visit Florida, which has a budget heavily supported by taxpayer dollars, should not be considered a full-fledged state agency. … Gievers also used a video advertisement submitted as evidence to determine state Speaker Corcoran was reckless in his pursuit of uncovering the use of taxpayer dollars. In the video, Corcoran tells his son he took back money from Miami rapper Pitbull in his $1 million contract as a Visit Florida “brand ambassador.”
“House passes bill allowing certain minors to wed” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics – Moving away from an outright ban on all underage marriages, the House on Wednesday sent the Senate a proposal that would allow certain minors to wed in cases where there is a pregnancy. With overwhelming support, the House voted to change current state law to make it illegal for marriage licenses to be issued to all minors under the age of 16. But members voted to allow 16- and 17-year-old to marry in cases where there is a pregnancy and the partner is no more than two years older than the minor. If they meet those requirements, they minors would need parental consent – unless parents from both parties have died and or if the minors were previously married. State Rep. Jeanette Nunez said Florida would honor marriage licenses issued to minors in other states.
“House backs study of school funding issue” via the News Service of Florida – The bill (HB 495), filed by House Education PreK-12 Appropriations Chairman Manny Diaz Jr. and Education Chairman Michael Bileca would lead to hiring a consultant to study a price-level index that is part of the state’s school-funding formula. The bill also would lead to the Department of Education submitting a report with recommendations to the Legislature by Jan. 1. The price-level index is used to help account for different costs of living across the state as money is divided among school districts. While the bill only calls for a study and a report, past attempts to tinker with the price-level index and the complicated funding formula have spurred debate, as changes can lead to some districts getting more money and others taking a financial hit.
“Proposed deal could end trauma battles” via the News Service of Florida – Senate Health Policy Chairwoman Dana Young said Wednesday the Senate, House and major players in the hospital industry have reached agreement on how to revamp the state’s 26-year old trauma rules. … The deal would settle disputes across the state and would establish a new methodology to prevent future disputes from occurring, Young said. … Under the agreement, no trauma service area would have more than a total of five Level I, Level II, Level II/pediatric, and stand-alone pediatric trauma centers. A trauma service area could not have more than one stand-alone pediatric trauma center.
“Insurance retroactive denial ban clears another House committee, despite qualms” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics – The committee had been poised to vote on updated language allowing insurers to inform doctors that a patient’s policy was under a grace period — generally, a period of up to 30 days when a policy is in effect pending receipt of the premium. But bill sponsor Bill Hager saw soft support for his amendment’s language, if not necessarily for its spirit. “I know how to count,” Hager said following the 20-6 vote to send the underlying bill (CS/HB 271) to the Health & Human Services Committee. “The count I had indicated the amendment would not pass, but I was confident I could get the underlying bill through committee.” The idea is to let providers know that approval for a non-emergency procedure or test might be revoked unless the patient pays his or her premium by the end of the grace period.
“House ups gift limitations for insurance companies” via Lobby Tools – The House unanimously agreed to bump up the maximum allowed value of gifts given by insurance companies for current or prospective customers. HB 483 by Rep. Clay Yarborough takes the gift limit from $25 to $100. The bill also puts a $100 limit on the total value of gifts given to a particular person annually. An exemption that would have allowed insurers to offer complimentary grief counseling or funeral planning services as part of a group insurance policy was amended out of the bill.
“Mary McLeod Bethune statue bill ready for full House” via the News Service of Florida – The House Appropriations Committee approved the proposal (HB 139), filed by Rep. Patrick Henry and Rep. Tom Leek. The Senate has already approved its version of the proposal (SB 472), which would lead to the statue of Bethune replacing a likeness of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith in National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Similar to a move by the Senate, the House Appropriations Committee made a tweak to the bill that would seek the return of the Smith statue to Florida. The state Division of Cultural Affairs would then make the Smith statue available for public display.
Happening today – The inaugural Technology Day at the Capitol, produced by the Florida Technology Council. The Florida Technology Council (FTC) is an association focused on the needs and priorities of the state’s technology sector. With almost 50 members, the FTC seeks to present a unified and trusted voice to lawmakers on behalf of the technology sector. The aim of the event is to highlight the technology industry in Florida. Members of the council will have booths set up on the 2nd and 3rd-floor rotundas and will hold a news conference at 10 a.m.where the Gov. Scott and legislators will address the economic impact of the technology industry in the state. There will also be a reception beginning 5:30 p.m. at the Governors Club. “We are looking forward to kicking off an event that celebrates innovation in Florida and gives legislators and staff a chance to hear from industry experts about the needs of the vendor community and technology needs of the state,” says Claudia Davant, an original founder of the FTC and President of Adams St. Advocates.
Assignment editors – Missy Wesolowski of Florida Planned Parenthood joins Barbara DeVane of Florida NOW and state Rep. Amy Mercado for a news conference about the dangers of HB 1429, which would do away with the “most commonly performed” method of abortions in Florida. Event begins 11 a.m. outside the House Office Building, Capitol Complex in Tallahassee.
Governors Club Thursday lunch buffet menu – Mixed green salad with assorted dressings; red potato salad; egg salad; spicy crawfish bisque; fried catfish and hushpuppies; shoulder tenders and Marchand Du Vin; scalloped potatoes; Broccolini Polonaise; cauliflower au gratin; fruit cobbler for dessert.
Parties face off in annual Charity Basketball Game – House and Senate Democrats will take on House and Senate Republicans in the game, with a halftime show that includes a “3 Point Challenge,” with Senate President Negron against Speaker Corcoran. All proceeds go to Children’s Home Society of Florida. Advance tickets can be purchased here and will be available at the door (cash only); it’s $5 for general admission. The game is 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Feb. 20, at the Leon High School Gymnasium, 550 E. Tennessee St., Tallahassee. For information about sponsoring the event, please contact Summer Pfeiffer at [email protected]. For information about the game, contact Travaris McCurdy at [email protected].
— STATEWIDE —
“Immigrants warned about Florida travel as arrests soar” via Adriana Gomez Licon of The Associated Press – More than a dozen advocacy groups issued a warning about traveling in Florida saying immigration arrests there have soared more rapidly in the past year than in any other area of the country. Leaders from immigrant rights and nonprofit organizations said new cooperation between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 17 Florida sheriffs is also spreading fear in the state. The travel advisory issued by 15 groups warns immigrants from other states to reconsider Florida trips or to be ready to encounter immigration agents at airports, sea ports and bus stations. “We are taking the step of warning our communities that as the Florida lawmakers, state, local and federal do not take steps to push back against the anti-immigrant policies, we do not feel like our communities are safe in the state,” said Tomas Kennedy, deputy political director at the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
“Hurricane Irma property damage nears $8 billion across Florida” via John Hielscher via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune – More than 900,200 property owners have filed claims for insured losses from Irma, which slammed Florida five months ago, according to a new report from the state Office of Insurance Regulation. Those include 26,595 owners of residential and commercial properties in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties who had submitted claims to insurers as of the end of last week, OIR said. Close to 90 percent of the local claims have been closed, but four in 10 were not paid. Losses from Irma statewide are now estimated at $7.95 billion. That is up by $746 million from the insurance office’s report five weeks ago. Homeowners account for two-thirds of the claims … Another 11 percent come from other residential dwellings and 6 percent were filed by mobile-home owners. Ten percent of the claims were from lines of business.
“Lawsuit challenges troubled medical marijuana licensing scheme” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO –The suit, filed by Gainesville lawyer Jon Mills on behalf of the Plantation-based Patients and Producers Alliance, claims the rigid structure written in S.B. 8A — including the 10-license limit for growers — violates the [2016 constitutional] amendment. “The theme is it’s not supposed to deter patients from access,” Mills told POLITICO. “The amendment was written so that all patients can have unrestricted access to this type of medical treatment.” It will join at least seven other ongoing lawsuits filed in Leon County Circuit Court challenging the law. State Sen. Jeff Brandes said the suits show the law needs to be rewritten. “This law has so many glaring problems,” Brandes said. “It just drips with special interests and and with crony capitalism.”
“Medical marijuana is legal. But how should schools handle it?” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel – School districts are uneasy with the state mandate. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, so districts who allow it could potentially lose federal funding for school lunches and Title 1 programs for low-income students. The Palm Beach County School District allows it to be administered by school nurses, who are employed by the county health care district. The protocols are being developed by the health department’s executive director, who is a licensed physician. The Miami-Dade County School District doesn’t have a policy on medical marijuana … an attorney for Miami-Dade schools told Broward officials their concern is that Florida law conflicts with federal law, so they won’t be developing a policy right now.
State throws flag on effort to move Mardi Gras casino license – Gambling regulators say there are a series of “errors or omissions” in an application to transfer a gambling license from the currently-shuttered Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach. The state’s Department of Professional and Business Regulation, which also regulates gambling, sent letters dated Feb. 2 regarding an acquisition company formed by Jeffrey Soffer, owner of Miami Beach’s famed Fontainebleau Resort. Mardi Gras has been closed since it was damaged by Hurricane Irma and Soffer is in talks to buy the operation. His 831 Federal Highway Acquisition company also seeks a slot machine license, records show. The state’s concerns include nonpayment of a $2 million nonrefundable application fee, lack of proof of a $2 million surety bond, and an absence of five years’ worth of financial statements.
On feeding monkeys, state says, ‘we asked nicely, now we’re telling you’ – Winning this week’s “Gee, Ya Think” Award is the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which voted to prohibit the feeding of wild monkeys, or “free-roaming, non-human primates” to “promote greater public safety and decrease health concerns associated with these animals.” The new rule went into effect Feb. 11. Also include in the feeding ban are “coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bears, pelicans and sandhill cranes. There are three established species of wild monkeys in Florida, the FWC said: squirrel monkeys, vervet monkeys and rhesus macaques. “When these animals are fed by humans, they often develop a dependency on humans as a source of food and become territorial … Dependency can lead to increased aggression, which may result in injuries and spread of disease to humans.” No arguments here.
“These people were hit by trains — and lived to talk about it” via Lisa Huriash and Erika Pesantes of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel – Pascual Vasquez Morales can’t remember the moment he wandered onto the tracks as a freight train barreled toward him. All he remembers is sobbing as paramedics tended to his severed legs afterward. Morales, 29, spoke from his hospital bed, 10 days after he walked in front of a train in Lake Worth. He was among at least seven people hit by trains this year in South Florida. Two were killed about a week apart in the path of the new higher-speed Brightline passenger trains. Five, including Morales, survived. The rash of people hurt or killed has sparked a debate about the safety of rail crossings and the judgment of people convinced they can outrun a train. He does know that he drank a bucket of beers — about six of them — at the nearby El Tikal restaurant before heading home. He was looking to catch a cab to get to West Palm Beach when the accident happened, he said.
— OPINIONS —
“Scott McCoy: Children do not belong in adult jails” via Florida Politics – Florida tries more children as adults than any other state; almost all are transferred to the adult criminal justice system at the sole discretion of prosecutors, without the opportunity to even ask a judge to review the decision. Though any child, regardless of age, can be prosecuted as an adult in Florida, most cases involve children who are 14 to 17 years old — mainly high schoolers. These children should be learning how to drive, applying to colleges, or worrying about who they’ll take to prom. They should not be in the adult criminal justice system, where the primary goal is punishment — not rehabilitation. Children should be kept in the juvenile justice system — where they belong — so they can benefit from education, counseling and other programs that will make them more likely to succeed. SB 936 and HB 509 would set age parameters and reduce the offenses eligible for adult transfer. The proposed legislation would also implement judicial oversight and provide children a way to return to juvenile court. We cannot throw away the futures of our children and our communities. The adult criminal justice system is no place for a child.
— “Tampa Bay Times calling out Frank White’s ‘gift’ smacks of paternalism” via Peter Schorsch
— LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS —
Laura Boehmer, David Shepp, Southern Strategy Group: International Insulation Products
Ralph DeMeo, Baker Donelson: The Florida Bar Animal Law Section
Laura Jacobs Donaldson, Manson Bolves Donaldson Varn: City of Cape Coral
Mike Fischer, Redfish Consulting: Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
Cynthia Henderson, Cynergy Consulting: Ascend Learning c/o MultiState Associates
Frank Mayernick, Tracy Hogan Mayernick, Robert Johnson, The Mayernick Group: American Council of Life Insurance
Corinne Mixon, Rutledge Ecenia: Miami-Dade County
M. Juhan Mixon, Mixon & Associates: Florida Rental Dealers Association
Evan Power, Ramba Consulting Group: City of Bradenton Beach
Manuel Reyes, Pereira Reyes Consulting: Ticket Hungry
Gabriel Sheheane: The College Board
Screven Watson, Screven Watson & Associates: Florida Community Financial Services Association
— OLYMPIC NOTEBOOK —
“Critic’s notebook: Adam Rippon and Shaun White illustrate NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage challenges” via Daniel Fienberg of the Hollywood Reporter – NBC, unlike many of the networks broadcasting the games in other countries, is convinced that Americans require or demand a heavier level of curation, as opposed to just showing sporting events. I would reductively break down NBC’s responsibilities, as NBC sees it, as fourfold: Capturing the scope of the Olympics as a whole; capturing the cultural context of the host country; crafting individual narratives to hook viewers on an emotional level; and, on a very micro level, just making sure that viewers are able to understand what the heck we’re watching. The funny thing is that for all the complaints about NBC’s coverage — soppy sentimentality, jingoism, etc. — of the Summer Olympics, it sure beats the difficulties NBC faces every fourth winter. The curling coverage I’ve watched in recent days has been so dedicated to explaining the sport’s most basic rules that you’d think NBC and the announcers were convinced we were, as an American culture, incapable of ever figuring it out. And if you looked at the predictable tweets of mock bemusement, you’d probably agree.
“The soundtrack of the Winter Olympics is cowbell. So. Much. Cowbell.” via Cindy Boren of The Washington Post – Honestly, we can’t blame fans. Watching skiing or some other competition on a snowy mountain in freezing temperatures, spectators have to do something to make their cheers carry across the chilly expanse of competition. And so the cowbell is a sweet tradition with roots both in Europe and utilitarianism. “Mittens don’t clap,” Elisabeth Halvorson, the founder and owner of the U.S.-based Cowbells.com, said this week … Consequently, cowbells have become a lucrative winter sports business … The bells have proved enormously popular with fans and with athletes; Halvorson has met some competitors, like Picabo Street, who have raved about them. (Street said her young son was particularly taken with them.) And Halvorson cites a 2010 interview with Time in which Lindsey Vonn said, “I love the cowbell, I think it’s awesome… It’s a classic part of ski racing. The cowbells are what make all the noise. It’s like cheerleading. Anything to make you feel like people are behind you, I think that’s special.”
“Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir aren’t mean, but ‘truth can be hard to hear’” via Tik Root of The Washington Post – The duo exploded onto the scene four years ago as commentators on NBC Sports Network during the Sochi Games. Their wardrobe, flair and candor proved so popular that the network invited them back for the Summer Olympics. That makes PyeongChang their third Games, and their first on NBC’s biggest stage. Lipinski, Weir and Terry Gannon (whom they call their “partner in crime”) almost immediately were part of some memorable calls at this year’s Games. Think of their joyful broadcast of American Mirai Nagasu’s historic triple axel, as the United States won bronze in the team event. Or their bluntness when gold medal hopeful Nathan Chen faltered. The internet called you “mean” the other day and you seem to have toned it back a bit. Is that intentional? Lipinski: We toned it back? Weir: Yeah, that’s a shock to us.
“Shani Davis might be the grumpiest man at Winter Olympics” via Martin Rogers of USA TODAY – Davis seems utterly determined to be unhappy and to feel like everything is against him. He likes to set rules for others that he doesn’t want to stick to himself. He is one of the greatest speed skaters in the history of the sport, but he has sabotaged his public reputation with regularity. And he gives no sign of caring about any of that. His Olympics began with a piece of extraordinarily bad PR, when he angrily tweeted about the perceived injustice of him being overlooked as United States team flagbearer in favor of Erin Hamlin, who was given the honor when a tied vote between her and Davis was broken by a coin toss. Addressing it for the first time with the American media, he told questioners to stick to skating. If only he had. It is a shame, because there are plenty of young skaters and their parents who will tell you he is a tremendous source of support, guidance and advice.
“Jamaican bobsled coach quits Olympic team, may take sled” via Tom Schad of USA TODAY – The Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation said in a statement Wednesday that Sandra Kiriasis, a 43-year-old German who won a gold medal as a competitor in the 2006 Games, has “elected not to continue her position.” Kiriasis told BBC that her departure was triggered by the federation’s attempt to change her role to “track performance analyst,” which would limit her interaction with the team’s athletes. To add to the intrigue, Kiriasis also told the British news organization that she is legally responsible for the team’s sled and wants payment for it. The federation disputed that she owns the sled and denies that the team will have to withdraw from the Olympics as a result of her departure … “We are deeply disappointed in her decision to leave the program,” the Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation said in the statement. “We thank her for her invaluable contribution to JBSF and contributing to the success of Jamaica’s first female bobsled Olympic appearance.”
— ALOE —
“Florida State rallies from 18 down to beat Clemson in OT” via Joe Reedy of the Associated Press – “Florida State (18-8, 7-7) tied the game twice in the second half but didn’t take its first lead until 1:05 remaining in overtime when Trent Forrest made a layup to put them up 75-74. The 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, who came into the game averaging 6.0 points, scored a career-high 16 with eight coming in the final 5:08 of the game. … Clemson led 41-29 at halftime as it made seven 3-pointers in the first half while Florida State had more turnovers (11) than field goals (9). An Aamir Simms 3-pointer gave the Tigers a 49-31 lead with 18:06 remaining before Florida State was able to start battling back as it went on a 17-2 run.
Happy birthday to my former intern, now a great lawyer, Sara Mieczkowski.
