Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson.
Polling is informative, but it’s expensive. It’s also addictive. This time of year, with just days before the primary elections, you almost need a good hit of polling every few hours.
Florida Politics has done its best to feed this need by paying for and publishing more public polling of the statewide races than any other media or political organization. FP and its partners at St. Pete Polls have also conducted surveys of more than two dozen down-ballot races.
We are currently in the field for one final poll of the GOP primary for Governor and we’ll share those results in Friday’s edition of Sunburn.
We’d like to do one more poll of the Democratic primary, especially since we ask those who have already cast a ballot who got their vote. But, as we said, polling is expensive.
So we’d like to see if there is any appetite for crowdfunding one final survey from St. Pete Polls. To do so, we need to raise $900 to run a poll this weekend.
Would you consider kicking in something to pay for that poll? If so, PayPal FP at PayPal.me/FloridaPolitics. You can contribute whatever you like to this tip jar … $5, $10, $25, $100. If we get enough money together, we’ll do the poll; if not, we’ll refund your money.
If you do put something in the kitty, we’ll include your name (If you want) in the story about the poll. We’ll also — and perhaps more important — share with you the results of the survey Sunday evening or at least 12 hours ahead of when we publish the story.
Thanks in advance for being part of this.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@RealDonaldTrump: I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family. “Justice” took a 12-year-old tax case, among other things, applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to “break” — make up stories in order to get a “deal.” Such respect for a brave man!
—@RealDonaldTrump: If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen!
—@MaggieNYT: When Trump is cornered, he is at his most dangerous, as several people close to him have said. During ‘Access Hollywood’ weekend, he was wounded and he behaved as if he had nothing to lose. This is a different order of magnitude, touching on his business and potentially family.
—@MarcoRubio: #RedTide isn’t just an environmental & economic crisis for #Florida, it’s increasingly a public health one. Which is why I am working on additional $1 million from CDC to track the number of people who get sick after being exposed to the red tide toxins.
—@Scott_Maxwell: Our attorney general trying out for a second career on Fox? (special guest host on today’s edition of “The five.”) I’m rooting for her. I would’ve rooted even harder for her to her to get the gig (full-time) eight years ago.
—@AnaCeballos_: You can do it, @PeterSchorschFL. If you feel like you’re objectifying a woman and want to avoid it, a good rule of thumb can be complimenting her persona instead. How about: “The AG is a natural on @TheFive! Instant star!”
—@SteveSchale: I’ll admit I’m still kinda new to this politics thing, but when an ‘independent’ poll is released & immediately followed by a fundraising email, it’s not an ‘independent’ poll”
—@OrlandoPolice: More than two years have passed since the #Pulse tragedy, but the Orlando United Assistance Center is still providing support and resources to our community.
—@NateMonroeTU: Remember in “Goodfellas” when the crew takes over a restaurant, steals all the inventory, then blows it up when the credit lines are exhausted? That’s more or less what large corporate owners are doing to newspapers — one by one.
—@Poynter: Finally some good news: 76 percent of Americans trust their local television news, and 73 percent have confidence in local newspapers
— LATEST TURNOUT FIGURES —
— SEND US YOUR PARTY INFO —
If you’re with a campaign, we want to hear from you about your candidate’s plans to monitor election night results. At home with the family? With 1,000 of his or her closest friends at a banquet hall? Let us know ASAP. Send deets to [email protected] and with any luck, you’ll be “sippin’ on some Cris’” by midnight (or sooner).
— DAYS UNTIL —
Start of the U.S. Open — 4; Primary Election Day — 5; College Football opening weekend — 7; Labor Day — 11; Gubernatorial candidates must choose a running mate — 14; NFL regular season starts — 14; First general election mail ballots go out — 30; First day of fall — 30; Future of Florida Forum — 34; FSU vs. UM football game — 44; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 61; MLB World Series begins — 61; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 62; Halloween — 69; General Election Day — 75; 2019 Legislature Organization Session meetings — 89; Thanksgiving — 91; Black Friday — 92; Florida Chamber Insurance Summit — 96; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 173; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 194; 2020 General Election — 803.
— TOP STORIES —
“Florida Republicans keep distance from Trump-related blockbusters” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times — As of 1 p.m., only Gov. Rick Scott and Rep. Matt Gaetz had weighed in, after being asked on Fox News. “No one is above the law. We need to know all the facts with the Mueller investigation,” Scott said. Gaetz called Cohen a “liar” and contended that the Manafort trial “has absolutely nothing to do with collusion or the president or the president’s campaign.” Donald Trump, he said, is in “fine shape” and should keep focusing on the economy. Ron DeSantis tweeted: “Tonight, @POTUS said that that I am a great candidate, and I’m proud to have his full and total endorsement to be your next Governor. He knows that I’ll be the best leader on day one, fighting to secure Florida’s future for generations to come.”
“DNC says it thwarted hacking attempt on its voter database” via Bill Barrow of The Associated Press — A party official said Democratic National Committee contractors notified the party of an apparent hacking attempt. The committee notified federal law enforcement. The official said no information was compromised and added that it’s unclear which third party had attempted the hack. Bob Lord, the DNC’s chief security officer, briefed the leaders of state parties on the attempt at a party gathering. The DNC distributes the voter file to state parties for Democratic candidates to use the information to target voters during campaigns. “This attempt is further proof that there are constant threats as we head into midterm elections and we must remain vigilant in order to prevent future attacks,” Lord said in a statement. He said Trump isn’t doing enough to protect American democracy. “We can’t do this alone,” he said. “We need the administration to take more aggressive steps to protect our voting systems.”
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Philip Levine, Gwen Graham tied for first in new poll” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida — The SEA Strategic Polling & Design survey of 669 Florida Democrats shows Levine with 26 percent support to Graham‘s 25 percent, followed by Andrew Gillum (18 percent), Jeff Greene (13 percent) and Chris King (3 percent). The poll’s margin of error is 3.79 points. Gillum has shown the most growth — 3 percentage points — since SEA’s last poll of the race in mid-August. Graham saw a point of growth, Levine lost a point and Greene and King have been stagnant. Some recent polls have shown Graham with more of a lead heading into the Aug. 28 primary. Gillum and Graham, a former congresswoman who is also from Tallahassee, are probably pulling from the same set of voters, while Greene and Levine — both independently wealthy Jewish men from South Florida — have also drawn from the same base of support, said SEA pollster Tom Eldon.
“Jeff Greene tries to sell Florida Democrats on a Trump counterpunch” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — Greene has gone all-in trying to position himself as the anti-Trump candidate in the five-way Democratic primary for governor. But look a little deeper, and Greene’s insurgent candidacy begins to feel less like a rejection of Trump’s politics than a counterpunch. While Greene ardently rejects the president’s rhetoric, he is running as a party outsider trying to convince Florida’s Democrats to fight fire with fire by embracing a brash-talking Mar-a-Lago member with deep pockets, zero government experience and a record pocked with media fights and tabloid fodder. “I know I’m known as this billionaire and it’s a terrible thing to be known as in the Democratic Party,” Greene said last week at a leadership meeting of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party in Doral. “I’m prepared to use what I’ve accrued in my lifetime to flip Florida blue once and for all.”
Happening today — Gillum kicks off Day Four of the “Bring It Home” bus tour: YMCA Pine Hills Senior event, 9:15 a.m., 870 N. Hastings St., Orlando; early voting rally, 10 a.m., Hiawassee Branch Library, 7391 W. Colonial Dr., Orlando; Cocoa rally to the polls, 12:30 p.m., REAL Church, 509 Blake Ave., Cocoa; early vote rally. That’s at 5:45 p.m., NFL YET Center, 3310 E. Lake Ave., Tampa.
Happening today — Adam Putnam campaigns in South Florida, 2 p.m., La Carreta Restaurant, 8650 Bird Road, Miami.
Assignment editors — Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis joins the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for a special announcement, 10 a.m., Restaurant Equipment World, 2413 Forsyth Road, Orlando. RSVP to [email protected] or call (850) 933-3904.
“Medical marijuana flap could cost Wells Fargo Broward’s business” via Larry Barszewski of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Broward commissioner says the county should stop doing business with Wells Fargo and plans to bring up the issue at the Sept. 13 meeting. Commissioner Mark Bogen was responding to reports that Wells Fargo required a Democratic candidate for Florida agriculture commissioner, Nikki Fried, to take her campaign account funds to another bank over her support and interaction with the medical marijuana industry. Bogen said Wells Fargo’s actions were going against the will of county residents, who voted 76 percent in support of the state’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment. He also said the action went against Fried’s right of free speech.
— DO BETTER, FRANK —
As negative ads are the norm these last few months, with each side claiming lies told by the other, here’s a cabinet race mention that was vetted through the PolitiFact Florida fact checkers. For months, Frank White has attacked Ashley Moody as being a lifelong Democrat. Not so. According to PolitiFact, “(T)hat would be an interesting development in a Republican primary, if it were true. But it is not. Voter registration records show Moody did register as a Democrat in 1993 when she was 18. But she switched her party affiliation in 1998 to Republican and has remained registered as a Republican ever since then. We rate this claim False.” In fact, Aaron Sharockman, executive director of PolitiFact Florida tweets that the White response to the ad is “the worst defense of a False attack I’ve seen @PolitiFact since I started in March 2010.”
Further, White suggests in a recent Orlando political show, The Weekly, the reason he didn’t receive law enforcement endorsements was because he was late to the race, when in fact, he filed to run in October 2017, a mere four months after Moody. Moody campaign manager Nick Catroppo isn’t buying this: “To even suggest that the reason Frank White didn’t receive the most sought-after endorsements of law enforcement is because he was late to the game, is insulting to the men and women who wear the badge every day and who took the time to fully vet these candidates. Former judge and prosecutor Ashley Moody earned those endorsements, securing most of them well after Frank White entered the race, because of her extensive experience, her conservative values, and her strong support of the men and women in law enforcement.”
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PART 2 —
“Judge will now decide whether Ryan Torrens stays on ballot” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A Tallahassee judge now controls the political fate of Democratic candidate for Attorney General Torrens. Circuit Judge Karen Gievers held a bench trial Wednesday on whether to disqualify the Tampa attorney. For now, the Tampa consumer affairs attorney faces state Rep. Sean Shaw — also a Tampa lawyer — in next Tuesday’s primary election. Gievers did not say when she would rule, but there’s little time left for review if either side wants to appeal. Shaw filed suit to get Torrens kicked off the ballot, saying he qualified to run only by way of improperly transferring money into his campaign account. That was to have enough money to cut a check for the qualifying fee. During his testimony, Torrens said he was running a “grassroots” effort: “I do whatever I can to help the campaign. It’s usually struggling for resources.”
“Justices will weigh education amendment case” via the News Service of Florida — Justices issued an order accepting the case only two days after Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled that the proposed amendment should not go before voters because of misleading wording. The state quickly appealed Cooper’s ruling to the 1st District Court of Appeal, which then passed it to the Supreme Court. A panel of the appeals court said it “certifies that this appeal involves a question of great public importance and requires immediate resolution by the Supreme Court of Florida.” Cooper ruled that the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment would not adequately inform voters of its potential impact on the creation of charter schools … a provision that drew a legal challenge from the League of Women Voters of Florida would allow the state to operate and control public schools “not established by the school board,” wording that opponents said would lead to the expansion of charter schools.
“New polling gives Al Lawson solid lead over Alvin Brown in CD 5” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The University of North Florida Public opinion research lab survey of 402 likely Democratic primary voters shows Lawson has the support of 48 percent with just 29 percent backing Brown. Meanwhile, 22 percent of those surveyed are undecided. UNF polling director Michael Binder notes that “Brown supporters might point to a large number of undecided voters as potential supporters, but late deciders never swing entirely for one candidate.” Brown simply hasn’t gotten it done in Duval County, according to Binder, when it comes to amassing the kind of voter share that would overcome Lawson out west.
Assignment editors — The Ross Spano for Congress campaign will host a “gas tax refund” event in Polk County to “provide relief from the tax increase [Congressional opponent] Neil Combee supported as a Polk County Commissioner,” 7 a.m. — 1 p.m., Nick and Moe’s Convenience Store, 4410 Kathleen Road, Lakeland.
‘Not Worthy of Service’: Mary Barzee Flores Ad features father of Parkland victim blasting Mario Diaz-Balart — A new ad from Barzee Flores, a Democrat running in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, features Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jamie, was murdered in February in Parkland. The one-minute, ten-second video offers a direct message: “Mario Diaz-Balart, after February 14, after my daughter and 16 others died, you had a choice to make. And you chose to take money from the NRA,” Guttenberg says directly to Diaz-Balart at the beginning of the ad. “You chose to take their money … you’re not worthy of service … you need to be fired.”
To view the ad, click on the image below:
“Defamation lawsuit against Javier Manjarres could be reopened” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Republican Party state committeeman Richard DeNapoli says he’s seeking to reopen a 2014 defamation lawsuit against Manjarres, a GOP candidate in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. According to documents in the 12th Judicial Circuit in Sarasota County, DeNapoli has filed a motion alleging Manjarres breached a 2016 settlement agreement. The original lawsuit dealt with comments Manjarres made regarding DeNapoli’s military service. A blog post on the Breitbart website written by Manjarres in July 2014 was titled, “Stolen Honor Alert! ~~Richard DeNapoli Lies About Serving In U.S. Military.” In the article, Manjarres calls DeNapoli’s claims about serving in the Marines a “lie,” alleging DeNapoli “had told several friends that he dropped out during boot camp.” Back in 2014, DeNapoli says he did produce records indicating a brief stint in the Marines before being injured.
“Internal poll has Maria Elvira Salazar ahead in CD 27 GOP primary” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The campaign commissioned the poll by McLaughlin & Associates, which showed Salazar receiving 40 percent of the vote in the primary election. Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro came in a distant second, with 16 percent support … 27 percent of voters remain undecided. The poll was conducted Aug. 14-16 and surveyed 300 likely Republican primary voters. It has a margin of error of 5.7 points. And, as usual, publicly-released internal campaign polls should be taken with a heavy dose of skepticism. Still, these results finding Salazar in the lead seem to be consistent with other data in the race. An internal poll from Barreiro’s own campaign showed him trailing Salazar by 14 points.
“HD 37 GOP candidates differ on economic incentives” via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — Two Republican candidates seeking to succeed House Speaker Richard Corcoran made a rare joint appearance before the West Pasco Republican Club. In doing so, businessman Ardian Zika and prosecutor Elle Rudisill publicly differentiated themselves on a key issue — economic incentives for industrial recruitment. Rudisill supports them, saying they aid in the effort to bring jobs to the area. Zika, parroting Corcoran, called incentives “corporate welfare” that puts government in the business of picking winners and losers. Zika, despite his stance, has the personal endorsement of Bill Cronin, president and CEO of Pasco’s Economic Development Council. “Incentives sometimes are considered a necessary evil,” Cronin said. “If we didn’t offer incentives, we would be at a disadvantage. It would be like nuclear disarmament. We wouldn’t have them, but everybody else still would.”
“Ronda Storms out to set the record straight” via Joe Henderson of Florida Politics — The Valrico Republican, who is running to succeed Ross Spano in HD 59, will not, not, not stand for the charge in a recent mailer that she voted for President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package while she served in the state Senate. No way, no how. That’s exactly what a mailer from her opponent, Brandon businessman and U.S. Army veteran Joe Wicker, charges though. And that’s why Storms went on her campaign Facebook page, as she put it, to “set the record straight.” In a video that was straight talk and defiant as ever, she called the allegation “patently false” and, for emphasis, added, “I never — no, never — voted for President Obama’s stimulus package.” She said she had the documents to prove it. “These (attacks) have been going on since Aug. 1,” she said. “They must have polled and must have found I’m in the lead. Otherwise, they’d leave me alone.”
“New HD 83 TV ad says Toby Overdorf ‘just plain stinks’” via Florida Politics — The 30-second spot, titled “Toby Overdorf Stinks,” comes off like a greatest hits list of the attacks levied against Overdorf thus far in his primary battle with Port St. Lucie attorney Sasha Dadan. “Something about Toby Overdorf just plain stinks. Overdorf, a paid lobbyist, pushed a plan to dump 40 million pounds of human waste next to the St. Lucie River. Eww,” the ad narrator says, as insects crawl across the screen. A watermark for BadBiologist.com is displayed in the bottom-right corner throughout the ad. The simple text-only webpage hits Overdorf again for the biosolid lobbying and offers a couple of attacks on his environmental record — that he’s “paid by developers to remove gopher tortoises from their natural habitat” and that he “testified in favor of eliminating small wetlands in Martin County so developers could pave them over.” The ad and website are attributed to Build Trump’s Wall, a political committee chaired by Lauren Pardo.
To view the ad, click on the image below:
“Leon County supervisor of elections: No early voting on FSU, FAMU, TCC campuses” via Byron Dobson of the Tallahassee Democrat — When a federal judge ruled that early voting sites on Florida college campuses were legal, student and voting rights activists hailed the decision as a way to get more young people to the polls. But that initial euphoria has turned to disappointment at news that the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office won’t be providing early voting sites on campuses for this fall’s general election. Mark Earley blamed logistics involving securing facilities, the availability of equipment and time needed for training for his decision. “The final decision was we cannot roll out early voting on any of the three campuses, after a very careful assessment and consideration,” said Earley. “The underlying issue here is the ability of my staff to have it up and running in a secure manner and staffed with poll workers who have been trained adequately.”
“1/2 cent sales tax for schools on Washington County primary ballot” via Aybriel Beckham of WTVY — Education officials in Washington County say they need updated technology to better ensure their children are getting the highest education possible, and they can’t do it without more revenue. Washington County voters are being asked to approve a 1/2 cent sales tax for ten years to fund school facility improvements and school technology improvements. Superintendent of Washington County Schools Joseph Taylor said, “Most of our funding comes from the State of Florida and so their priorities become our priorities. We have this were more able to come forward with our own planning purposes. We have computer systems technology that’s coming up for replacement, so we’re depending, at this point, on state funding digital classrooms” Washington County Schools currently boast a 1 to 1 ratio of computers per student and if the sales tax passes their goal is to keep it that way.
— SALT SHAKER —
“A guide to whether a poll of FL Governor’s race should be taken with a grain of salt” via Steve Vancore for Florida Politics — Small sample sizes … If you see a statewide poll of fewer than 500 respondents, be wary. Polls of “adults” … yes, they matter in the grand scheme of things, but not in elections, as only 75 percent of them are even registered to vote, and only about half of those who are registered will cast a ballot. Polls of “registered voters” … Better, but still a problem. Polls — especially primary polls — should be taken only of likely voters as determined by the readily available voting history. Self-described “likely voters” … We know that only about half of registered voters will vote in the upcoming general election — and far less will vote in the primaries. Yet, in poll after poll that we have taken, about 80 percent of respondents claim they vote in every election. Online polls … These can be excellent if done right. Here’s a clue. If it’s an online poll and has one of the common problems listed above, it probably was not done well. VR or robopolls … As with online polls, they can be tricky, and they have their limitations. Is it an outlier? … Without some dramatic event (A POTUS endorsement, a criminal conviction, etc.) voters’ minds don’t change that quickly.
— STATEWIDE —
Spotted: Pam Bondi on Fox — The Attorney General co-hosted “The Five” show at 5 p.m. yesterday on the news network. Bondi, who is term-limited this year, has long been mentioned as a possible Fox host after she leaves office.
“Florida Rep. Shevrin Jones opens up as a gay man: ‘I’m living my truth.’” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — Jones — a three-term state representative and preacher’s kid who got married at 26 and divorced at 31 — is gay. He’s known it since he was in kindergarten. But he only told his family about five years ago, around the time he first got elected. “He was like, ‘Man, please.’ So, I leaned on him a little more,” Jones remembered, tearing up a little at the memory of his older brother, who died in September. “And that was my last moment with him. He never judged me.” Jones, a private man living a very public life, has never quite told the world about his sexuality. He was still married to a woman when he was first sworn into office in 2013. But his brother’s death left him shaken and introspective. He wondered if it was time to live his life more openly, to become more of a public figure in the LGBTQ community.
“Chris Gardner out as chair of Citizens Insurance board” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics — Gardner is out as chairman of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., Florida’s state-sponsored insurer of last resort. Board member Gary Aubuchon will serve as interim chairman until Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis names a permanent replacement. In a written statement, Patronis referred to Gardner’s “resignation,” although Gardner had made it known he was interested in remaining in the job. Citizens’ chairmen serve at the pleasure of the chief financial officer. Patronis had publicly asked Barry Gilway, Citizens’ chief operating officer, to find out which board members might be interested in stepping up. Among those interested in the job is former lawmaker turned lawyer and gambling lobbyist Marc Dunbar, who joined the board only recently.
“Justices turn down appeals on Parkland school video” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida — The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to take up appeals filed by the Broward County School Board and prosecutors, clearing the way for the release of additional surveillance-camera footage related to the February mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The 4th District Court of Appeal last month sided with a coalition of news organizations and ordered the release of footage … But the Broward County School Board and the Broward State Attorney’s Office appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court. Justices, in a pair of orders Wednesday, declined to take up the cases, which effectively keeps in place the decision by the 4th District Court of Appeal. … media organizations have only sought video footage that would show the law-enforcement response to the shootings — a significant point of debate and scrutiny — and have not requested footage showing victims or witnesses.
“State disaster agency contract suit unearths previous collusion claims” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida — An amended complaint filed by Tallahassee-based Disasters, Strategies and Ideas Group told Chief Bankruptcy Judge Karen K. Specie that former state Division of Emergency Management Recovery Bureau Chief Jason Wheeler signed a contract with accounting firm Thomas Howell Ferguson. The accounting firm then subcontracted at least $2 million in work overseeing federal storm recovery dollars to a firm Wheeler founded, Marianna-based Capital Engineering and Consulting. Wheeler resigned from his DEM job on May 3 and became vice president of the consulting firm weeks later. The complaint, filed by Tallahassee lawyer Byron Wright III, said that $2 million would have gone to DSI under an existing contract with DEM. But Wheeler instead reassigned the work to his own firm in April, and the sudden loss of revenue led DSI to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 17.
“Plan set for reburial of Dozier’s dead” via Jackson County Floridan — Peoples Funeral Home of Marianna and a funeral-home owner who has deep ties to the local economy will soon help close one more chapter in the Dozier School for Boys saga … Peoples will re-inter seven sets of remains in the “Boot Hill” campus cemetery, those from seven victims of a long-ago fire on the campus. The funeral home and its director will also be responsible for collecting those remains from the University of South Florida, where they were part of an extensive research project by Dr. Erin Kimmerle and her archaeology and forensic anthropology students. The Peoples team will transport them to the site and bury the boxes in caskets in a continuous documented chain of command … Another roughly 47 sets of remains will be interred in individual caskets in Leon County.
“This drug is turning Florida inmates into ‘zombies.’ It’s fueling a record death toll” via Sarah Blasky of the Miami Herald — The past two years have each been the deadliest in Florida prison history, consecutively. And 2018 figures to be worse yet. Total deaths this year are on track to exceed 500 for the first time, a previously unthinkable threshold. And every year, more younger people are dying. The spike in mortality is paralleled by a dramatic rise in “accidental deaths,” up from 12 in 2016 to 62 in 2017. Those are mostly drug overdoses, according to the department. The top killer, according to an internal FDC audit: synthetic marijuana, more commonly called K2 or Spice. While synthetic cannabinoids are supposed to trigger the same receptors in the brain as THC, the naturally occurring component in marijuana that produces a high, the chemical makeup of K2 is unique from traditional marijuana. Unlike its natural counterpart, synthetic marijuana can cause aggressive behavior, hallucinations, heart attacks, seizures like the ones described as “falling out,” and death.
“Law requiring schools inquire about students’ mental health raises privacy concerns” via Ashley White and Annika Hammerschlag of the Naples Daily News — The new question is part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, passed by the Florida Legislature in the wake of the mass shooting Feb. 14. Karen Stelmacki, executive director of exceptional education and student support services for Collier schools, said the purpose of the question is to identify students who might need additional resources. “If they respond ‘yes,’ we will have a social worker reach out and see what support is needed, if any,” she said. Scott Burgess, CEO of the David Lawrence Center, which works closely with Collier schools on mental health initiatives, said he worried the stigma associated with mental health issues would prevent some parents from accurately completing the form. “I don’t know how many parents will self-report if their child has been referred to mental health services,” he said. “Other than that, I think the requirement is certainly well-intended.”
Florida featured in new state-by-state analysis from American Gaming Association — The AGA released State of the States: The AGA Survey of the Commercial Casino Industry, its flagship publication: “In 2017, total statewide commercial casino gaming revenue was $546.6 million, up 0.1 percent. It was the market’s eighth consecutive year of growth, with the increases coming despite the impact of Hurricane Irma on casino facilities … Notably, total statewide gaming revenue has risen in every year, except for the height of the Great Recession in 2009 … Florida’s gaming landscape has remained largely stable for the past decade, despite ongoing debate about potential expansion among members of the Legislature … If (a) constitutional amendment is backed by a majority of Florida voters …, any expansion of commercial gaming would have to be approved by voters, (which) would effectively take future decisions over expanded gambling out of the hands of (lawmakers).”
“Foster children still sleep in offices, but Eckerd Connects says foster-care fix is working” via Christopher O’Donnell of the Tampa Bay Times — Thirteen Hillsborough County foster children slept for a total of 22 nights in offices this month because child welfare workers could not find them foster beds for the night, agency officials said. That is despite moves by Eckerd Connects to provide better care for traumatized teens who refuse to go to group homes, including the creation of a 24/7 mental-health crisis team. Almost 50 out of 193 positions remain unfilled. As a result, nearly 75 case managers have a caseload of more than 25 children. State law mandates that the Florida Department of Children and Families provide funding enough, so case managers are responsible for no more than 19 children. Eckerd Connects has already adopted many of the recommendations made by the panel, chief of community care Chris Card said at a review meeting that marked the end of the panel’s work.
“Orlando Health hit with $100M defamation suit by fired MD” via Law360 — A plastic surgeon launched a $100 million defamation suit this week in a Florida state court against Orlando Health Inc. Dr. Jeffrey M. Feiner is alleging he was fired and made the target of a smear campaign after drawing attention to the practice of individual physicians of ordering excessive and unnecessary products from Allergan Inc. He brought a single count for defamation per se. The products, including breast implants, were billed to patients, their health insurance plans, and Medicare and Medicaid, the suit says.
— SUNSHINE AND SEXISM —
Florida has a higher prevalence of sexist beliefs than most states, according to a study conducted by economists at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and National University Singapore.
To arrive at that finding, researchers measured attitude on eight statements that have been publicly surveyed since the 1970s. Among them, writes data reporter Christopher Ingraham for The Washington Post: “Women should take care of running their home and leave running the country up to men” and “A working mother can establish just as warm and secure a relationship with her children as a mother who does not work.”
The Sunshine State is among a concentration of sexism in the Southeast. Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and West Virginia all topped the list, with Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina having beliefs similar to Floridians.
Live free or die: New Hampshire is the least sexist state in the union, according to the same study. Following were Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont and Connecticut.
Partisan split? Nope. Per Ingraham, “Some of the least sexist states, such as Wyoming and Alaska, also tend to be the most reliably Republican in presidential elections. On the other hand, some Democratic strongholds, such as Illinois and New York, end up in the middle of the pack.”
Good news: Overall, general data suggests sexism is declining. “Nationwide, the share of Americans who say men are ‘better suited’ for politics than women has fallen from 48 percent in 1977 to 18 percent in 2016,” notes Ingraham.
— OPINIONS —
“Rick Scott: I refuse to apologize for my success” via Florida Politics — Democrats like Bill Nelson want to talk a lot about my blind trust and the investments within it, but there’s one thing they never mention: How I got here. I grew up poor. I lived in public housing. I never met my natural father and he never helped our family. I remember the pain on my adopted dad’s face when our family car was repossessed, and how hard my mother worked at multiple jobs to feed us kids. It was my mother who pushed me to focus on my education and to get a job, and with that support, hard work, and the grace of God, I had success in business. I’ve been blessed to live the American Dream and to have owned businesses that created jobs for so many people. I will not apologize for having success in business. Bill Nelson has been in Washington so long he doesn’t understand the basics of how the economy works — much less the difference between a project that will cost Florida taxpayers money and a project that won’t. That’s not something you learn in Washington; it’s something you learn through hard work.
— MOVEMENTS —
Personnel note: Sen. Aaron Bean adds Chesten N. Goodman — Goodman will be Bean’s new district legislative assistant, responsible for handling legislative policy matters. Goodman previously worked for Rep. Jay Fant as his legislative assistant after graduating from Florida State University. He is currently completing his final semester of graduate studies at Florida State to get a graduate degree in American Politics and Policy. “Chesten’s prior legislative experience in the Florida House made him the obvious choice for filling the vacancy in our office,” said Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican. He represents Senate District 4, which includes parts of Nassau and Duval counties.
— ALOE —
“Delta launching new international flights to Amsterdam via Tampa International Airport” via Richard Danielson of the Tampa Bay Times — Delta Air Lines will begin the flights next May, giving TIA its fifth destination in Europe and one of its top priorities. TIA has seven international carriers and flies to more than a dozen cities around the world. By securing new flights into Zurich; Frankfurt; Reykjavík, Iceland; and Panama City, Panama, Tampa International has seen its international passenger count grow 126 percent since 2011. The Amsterdam service is expected to fly every day during peak periods such as the summer and four to five times a week during nonpeak periods with extended-range Boeing 767 jets. Officials estimate the flights will have a local economic impact of $110 million a year, supporting an estimated 1,000 jobs associated with tourism and business travel throughout the Tampa Bay area.
“Disney will pay online courses up front for employees, company says” via Gabrielle Russon of the Orlando Sentinel — More than 80,000 hourly employees at Walt Disney Co. will be eligible to take online courses starting this fall that will be paid 100 percent up front by Disney … Disney, which is currently in labor talks with its largest Walt Disney World union, released more details on the new $50 million education investment program that chief executive officer Robert Iger revealed in January. Iger announced the education program at the same time as the $1,000 bonuses that Disney said it planned to give out because of the corporate tax cut approved by Congress and President Trump last year. For the program to help employees pay for school, Disney will spend $50 million initially and then pay up to $25 million annually in the future. Under the education program, Disney employees can take courses toward a high school diploma, a college degree or vocational skill.
“Disney World events to mark Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Magic Kingdom visitors will salute Mickey during the Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party, sing “Happy Birthday” with the Dapper Dans and participate in a special dance party in Tomorrowland from November 16 to November 18. Next year, Disney World will be part of World’s Biggest Mouse Party, according to a post on the official Disney Parks Blog … Other Disney parks, including ones in Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo will get their Mouse Party started this year with activities including nighttime spectaculars, merchandise, specialized food and beverage offerings and other events.
“Fall food, wine and beer festivals at Florida theme parks expect to fill bellies, profits” via Sharon Kennedy Wynne of the Tampa Bay Times — This fall not only brings the return of Epcot’s smorgasbord, but Busch Gardens in Tampa is adding an Oktoberfest-themed Bier Fest, which opens this weekend, and SeaWorld is bringing a Craft Beer Fest running weekends in November. The rise of food and wine festivals dovetails with demographic changes at theme parks, said Duncan Dickson, a former Disney executive who teaches at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality. Both baby boomers and millennials have a taste for high-quality food, craft beer and cocktails and also like having adult-oriented theme park entertainment, he said. But the pressure is on the chefs, brewers and mixologists to craft an appealing menu. From the parks’ perspectives, food and drink festivals give them something fresh to highlight without having to spend upward of $50 million on a new roller coaster, Dickson noted, and it gets visitors to spend more once they are inside the park.
Happy birthday belatedly to Kurt Browning, Clearwater Commissioner Doreen Caudell, and Eric Russo. Celebrating today are Alexis Lambert, Peggy McKeel, and the awesome Peret Pass.
