Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Between a Tuesday night “visitation” and a Wednesday “celebration of life,” over a thousand people came out to pay respect to the late legal titan and former Florida State University President, Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte.
Among those attending either event were figures from law and politics in the capital and elsewhere, both past and present: Retired state Supreme Court Justice Major B. Harding; current Justices Robert Luck, Alan Lawson and Ricky Polston; state Sen. Bill Montford and state Rep. Loranne Ausley; Chief 2nd Circuit Judge Jonathan Sjostrom; former House Speaker (1970-72) Dick Pettigrew, former Board of Regents member Steve Uhlfelder, 2017-18 Constitution Revision Commission member Hank Coxe, and Lt. Gov. Buddy McKay, to name but a few. Even FSU football announcer Gene Deckerhoff was there.
A memorial service was Wednesday for the lifelong attorney and “Southern gentleman” in the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall on FSU’s campus in Tallahassee.
His wife, journalist turned lawyer Patsy Palmer, recalled how D’Alemberte would “smile in his sleep,” but would also cry out — he long suffered pain from a motorcycle accident years ago.
Still, he “stood for hours on graduation stages … and for his last oral argument barely three months ago,” she told the audience.
A full story on Wednesday’s memorial is here.
Evening Reads
“Marco Rubio backs Trump’s Mexican tariffs” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel
“Governor’s trip to Israel solidifies our future trade ties” via Lior Haiat for the Miami Herald
“Mediterranean Sunshine?” via A.G. Gancarski for Folio Weekly
“New health secretary to keep ties to UF” via Christine Sexton of News Service of Florida
“Could an armed teacher be arrested like Parkland cop Scot Peterson?” via Emily Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times
“Florida adds new voucher program, more schools receive public money as participation declines” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel
“Amid calls to apologize, Mike Hill says he should have corrected attendee on homophobic comment” via the Tampa Bay Times
“Poll: Florida voters overwhelming support universal background checks on gun sales” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Poll: ‘Fight for $15’ minimum wage increase still punching up to hit 60 percent” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“If you’re collecting signatures for a 2020 Florida ballot campaign, you’re probably nervous right now” via Lloyd Dunkelberger of the Florida Phoenix
“Dick’s Sporting Goods overhauled its gun policies after Parkland. The CEO didn’t stop there.” via Rachel Siegel of the Washington Post
Quote of the Day
“He set the bar for being FSU president so high.” — Former lawmaker and current FSU President John Thrasher on the late Sandy D’Alemberte, whose memorial service was Wednesday afternoon.
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Wake Up Early?
The state Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a meeting about proposed amendments to what is known as a “waiver” in the Medicaid program, dealing with behavioral-health and supportive housing-assistance services and the Low Income Pool program. That’s at 9:30 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, 6800 North Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 220, Tampa.
The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club will receive a legislative update from Sen. Joe Gruters, Sarasota Republican; Rep. Wengay Newton, St. Petersburg Democrat; Rep. Will Robinson, Bradenton Republican; Rep. Margaret Good, Sarasota Democrat; and Rep. Tommy Gregory, Sarasota Republican. That’s at noon, Michael’s on East, 1212 South East Ave., Sarasota.
Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch will host a community town hall to discuss recent legislative activity in Congress and his legislative priorities. That’s at 7 p.m., Jaco Pastorius Park Community Center, 1098 N.E. 40th Court, Oakland Park.
A weeklong disaster-preparedness tax “holiday” ends 11:59 p.m. Thursday. During the period, shoppers were able to buy a variety of hurricane supplies without paying sales tax. The annual hurricane season is June 1-Nov. 30.
