Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Merry Christmas Eve Eve.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order last week giving state employees Christmas Eve off has put Florida’s state government seemingly in line with most cities and counties throughout the Sunshine State. President Donald Trump also gave most federal employees the day off, in an executive order signed last week.
Increasingly, Christmas Eve is becoming part of the Christmas holiday, though it’s still a city-by-city, county-by-county and government-by-government decision, with no uniformity (at least yet). A sampling of counties and cities finds most are closed Tuesday, providing a day off for most employees considered “nonessential.”
For a majority of cities and counties, even that is a little vague. Like the state, they define each nonessential service independently and a little broadly; the same rules don’t necessarily apply to contractors, either.
So, no, you probably shouldn’t try to pull that permit Tuesday. Yes, you should probably put your trash out if Tuesday is your day, particularly if your city or county contracts out the collection to private hauling companies. No, you shouldn’t try to get a new driver’s license. Yes, the police and firefighters will show up if you need them.
But emphatic declarations by DeSantis and Trump for the day off is likely to accelerate the trend. Here’s expecting Christmas Eve 2020 will be assumed to be a holiday for government employees.
Unless someone says otherwise.
Evening Reads
“Escape to Mar-a-Lago: Donald Trump gets a post-impeachment mood lift” via Meredith McGraw of POLITICO
“Trump to rally evangelical voters in Miami” via Skyler Swisher of the Sun-Sentinel
“Team Trump fights legislation on Turkey that would help Kurdish refugees” via Betsy Swan of The Daily Beast
“Trump isn’t the only one with conspiracy theories“ via Daniel McCarthy for The New York Times
“How the economy could make or break Donald Trump in 2020” via Ben White of POLITICO
“Marco Rubio calls for support of Brazil’s bid for NATO partnership programs” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Rick Scott once lined the Governor’s Mansion with Florida’s most coveted artwork, now he calls for cuts in arts funding” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida
“Ron DeSantis, Jeanette Núñez dub 2019 an ‘incredible year for Florida’” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Winter Park’s Chris King lost the election but says he won progressive ‘idea wars’” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
“Power-of-attorney has the power to be abused in Florida.” via Kathryn Varn of the Tampa Bay Times
“Multimillion-dollar tobacco case goes to Supreme Court” via the News Service of Florida
“Supreme Court asked to address phone passcodes” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida
“Minimum wage to increase by dime in 2020” via the News Service of Florida
“Jeff Brandes introduces prison sentence reduction legislation for young adults” via Janelle Irwin of Florida Politics
“Lenny Curry tells JEA to stop sales talks” via Christopher Hong of the Florida Times-Union
“Backers say Court should clear initiative for ballot” via the News Service of Florida
“How Scientology is playing in a critical Clearwater election” via Tracy McManus of the Tampa Bay Times
“For Tampa Bay and nation, a decade polarized by politics” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“Tampa Bay Times CEO Paul Tash got a slight pay bump even as he complained paper tariffs would, and did, lead to layoffs” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“Al Ruechel retiring from Bay News 9 after decades on TV in Tampa Bay” via Christopher Spata of the Tampa Bay Times
“Break out the wallets! Retailers expect record holiday season” via Florida Politics
“Five of Florida’s strange, kinky, and very bad Santas” via Manuel Madrid of the Miami New Times
“Hallmark Christmas movies are ridiculous. I know because I watch them” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“The way that the process unfolded, there were missteps, and the public’s view is just eroded. I see that. I feel that. I hear that, and it’s time to stop it.” — Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, asking the JEA Board to end private sale discussions.
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The deadline to apply for two open Florida Supreme Court seats is at 6 p.m. The seats are available due to the appointment of former justices Robert Luck and Barbara Lagoa to federal judgeships.
