Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.8.20

Disney World will take its first step toward reopening later this month.

In a Thursday blog post, Disney Springs Vice President Matt Simon said some restaurants and stores in the outdoor shopping complex would be welcoming customers back on May 20.

Simon said capacity and hours would be limited, and the rest of Disney World — including theme parks and hotels — will remain closed.

The reopening will follow the guidance of state and local, governments, health officials and apply learnings from other leaders in the health and travel industries.

Otherwise, details are scant.

Like the state’s plan, Disney is keeping information on how long each phase will last, and what’s coming in future phases, close to the vest.

The House of Mouse didn’t list which stores and eateries will be included in the first wave of reopenings, and there was no indication that any of the attractions, such as the NBA Experience, will turn their lights back on this month.

Simon said more information would be via the Disney Springs website in the coming days.

Overall, it’s a small step forward. For those yearning for a taste of Disney magic, however, it’s a giant leap.

___

Nikki Fried, Forest Service outline reopening of state campgrounds, campsites — Agriculture Commissioner Fried is joining the Florida Forest Service to announce the Phase One of reopening State Forest campgrounds, campsites and recreation areas.

“The public health of Floridians and our Florida Forest Service personnel is of utmost importance during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fried said in a statement. “Our Florida State Forest recreation areas are some of Florida’s greatest natural treasures, but in an abundance of caution, we are taking a cautious, measured approach to reopening these areas while continuing to follow CDC guidelines.”

As a whole, state forests will remain open, including roads accessible to the public.

The full list of reopening Florida State Forest facilities may be found here.

 Beginning today:

— Most campgrounds, primitive campsites and trailheads located on state forests will reopen with limited capacity.

— Campsite reservations must be online at FloridaStateForest.ReserveAmerica.com or calling (877) 879-3859.

— Day-use passes are not required at this time.

Some areas will remain closed, such as:

— Restrooms (except at open campgrounds).

— Some recreation and day-use areas.

State officials are urging the public to continue following CDC guidelines, which allow Forest Service first responders to remain focused on their work during the peak of Florida’s year-round wildfire season.

For a complete list of open and closed areas, visit FDACS.gov/FLStateForests.

— EXECUTIVE SUMMARY —

— Another 3.17 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims. That brings the seven-week total to 33.5 million. Read more here.

— The White House blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from issuing specific guidance for U.S. day cares, restaurants, churches, theaters, and other businesses to reopen as safely as possible. Read more here.

— Total positive COVID-19 cases in Florida have increased to 38,828. There are 1,600 deaths statewide.

— TOP STORIES —

“Daily coronavirus-case count surges” via Jennifer Calfas, Phred Dvorak and Georgia Kantchev of The Wall Street Journal — The coronavirus’ toll was in sharp relief for leaders across the U.S. and world weighing reopening plans, as the number of confirmed cases climbed toward four million and millions more Americans filed for unemployment. Cases worldwide surged past 3.81 million, with about a third of those in the U.S. The global death toll stands at more than 267,000, led by the U.S., with nearly 75,000 reported fatalities. Experts caution that official numbers likely understate the extent of the pandemic. The continuing spread around the globe underscores the risks many countries face as they start to reopen economies shut down to curb transmission of the pathogen.

“Florida’s weekly jobless claims decline to 173,191, but it was the worst month ever for the unemployed” via David Lyons of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida ended its worst month ever for unemployment filings as jobless workers wracked up 173,191 claims, a decline from the previous week, to close out April reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The state report represented a significant drop from the 433,103 claims filed the previous week. The federal Labor Department reported 3,169,000 filings nationwide, a decrease of 677,000 from the previous week’s revised number of 3,846,000. The seven-week running total is 33.5 million.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@SecPompeo: China could have prevented the deaths of thousands of people worldwide and spared the world a descent into global economic malaise. They had a choice. China is still refusing to share the information needed to keep people safe. This is not about politics, it’s about saving lives.

—@AOC: The [Donald] Trump admin is now projecting 3,000 daily deaths by June, and they are STILL pushing to “reopen.” We are now careening toward one 9/11-scale death event *per day.* This was all preventable w/ tests, tracing,& policy. Instead, the GOP showered their friends w/ bailout money.

—@ScottGottliebMD: Irony around CDC not issuing it’s reopen guidance, whatever the reason, is a lot of business literally can’t reopen without it because CDC is a de facto regulator in a public health crisis. CDC must publish its umbrella document to publish more detailed industry-specific guidance

—@SRuhle: If it is nonsensical for everyone to be tested, how come the people who work in close proximity to @realDonaldTrump are tested regularly?

—@WSteaks: A Florida Trump supporter, who says she watches both the WH briefings and campaign shows “every chance” she gets, tells @ABC News she refuses to wear a mask because POTUS doesn’t. “If he’s not going to wear one, I’m not going to wear one.”

—@RepJerryNadler: This is outrageous! [Michael] Flynn PLEADED GUILTY to lying to investigators. The evidence against him is overwhelming. Now, a politicized DOJ is dropping the case. The decision to overrule the special counsel is without precedent and warrants an immediate explanation.

—@Fineout: During call with Fla press @JoeGruters faults @JoeBiden campaign for excluding Fla. press on Biden virtual event this a.m. “I know he has a hard time remembering where he is on certain days …” Gruters said

Tweet, tweet:

Glad to join @NikkiFriedFL at the @SRC_EM to give Floridians the latest on the #FiveMileSwampFire. Homeowners in need of assistance with filing insurance claims please call our Consumer Helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236). pic.twitter.com/TLA4czG3PW

— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) May 7, 2020

—@SenPizzo: New Nightly Routine- up till 3 am, reading and replying to emails and messages from desperate widows, cancer patients, expectant parents, terrified kids, single moms, some feeling suicidal, begging for mercy, not handouts — all because we can’t get a website to work? Shame on us.

—@GusCorbella: HUGE pet peeve: people who post news articles on social media without reading the date they were published (much less reading anything beyond the sensationalist headline).

—@JoseFelixDiaz: Quarantine Tip of the Day: If you drink your daily vitamins with beer, it is considered a health drink

— DAYS UNTIL —

Mother’s Day — 2; NASCAR season resumes at Darlington Speedway in Darlington, South Carolina — 9; TNT’s adaptation of “Snowpiercer” premieres — 9; English Premier League soccer to restart — 31; PGA Tour resumes — 34; Last day of state candidate qualifying — 35; Father’s Day — 44; Apple to hold Developer Conference — 45; Federal taxes due — 68; Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” premieres — 70; “Mulan” premieres — 77; TED conference rescheduled — 79; Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee begins — 101; Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races — 105; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte — 108; “A Quiet Place Part II” premieres — 119; Rescheduled running of the Kentucky Derby — 120; Rescheduled date for French Open — 135; First presidential debate in Indiana — 144; First vice presidential debate at the University of Utah — 154; Second presidential debate scheduled at the University of Michigan — 160; Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” premieres — 161; Third presidential debate at Belmont — 167; 2020 General Election — 179; “Black Widow” premieres — 182; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 193; “No Time to Die” premieres — 200; “Top Gun: Maverick” premieres — 229; New start date for 2021 Olympics — 441; “Jungle Cruise” premieres — 450; “Spider-Man Far From Home” sequel premieres — 546; “Thor: Love and Thunder” premieres — 644; “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premieres — 686; “Black Panther 2” premieres — 729; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sequel premieres — 882.

— CORONA NATION —

“Donald Trump tells allies his wearing a mask would ‘send the wrong message,’ make him look ridiculous” via The Associated Press — Within minutes of the CDC announcing its updated mask recommendations last month, the President said, “I don’t think that I’m going to be doing it.” Trump has told advisers that he believes wearing one would “send the wrong message,” according to one administration and two campaign officials. The President said doing so would make it seem like he is preoccupied with health instead of focused on reopening the nation’s economy. Moreover, Trump, who is known to be especially cognizant of his appearance on television, has also told confidants that he fears he would look ridiculous in a mask, and the image would appear in negative ads, according to one of the officials. “It’s a vanity thing, I guess, with him.”

“The U.S. still needs a coronavirus testing strategy” via the Editorial Board of Bloomberg — Congress included $25 billion for coronavirus testing in its recent aid package, and told the Trump administration to quickly expand testing capacity, develop better and faster tests, and create a “strategic testing plan” for the country. It’s frustrating that lawmakers needed to spell this out. The White House should have long recognized its responsibility to support and coordinate state, local and private efforts. Months into the pandemic, testing capacity in the U.S. has improved but is too small to show how quickly the virus is spreading. This makes reopening the economy hazardous. Even when the transmission rate falls enough to ease some restrictions, it won’t be safe to let people congregate until new infections can be quickly identified and isolated.

“Coronavirus antibody tests are available around the country. Here’s why they may provide a false sense of security.” via Kevin McCoy and David Heath of USA Today — Medical experts have some advice for Americans thinking about getting coronavirus antibody tests: Don’t, at least not until the questionable ones have been weeded out and scientists know whether people who survived COVID-19 are immune from the virus. Until then, some scientists say, manufacturers should stop advertising the antibody tests, for as little as $25, that many Americans use to decide if they can safely stop social distancing or return to work.

What Ron DeSantis is reading — “Travel from New York City seeded wave of U.S. outbreaks” via Benedict Carey and James Glanz of The New York Times — New York City’s coronavirus outbreak grew so large by early March that the city became the primary source of new infections in the United States as thousands of infected people traveled from the city and seeded outbreaks around the country. That helped to fuel outbreaks in Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, and as far away as the West Coast. The findings are drawn from geneticists’ tracking signature mutations of the virus, travel histories of infected people, and models of the outbreak by infectious disease experts.

“Smartphone data shows out-of-state visitors flocked to Georgia as restaurants and other businesses reopened” via Katherine Shaver of The Washington Post — One week after Georgia allowed dine-in restaurants, hair salons and other businesses to reopen, an additional 62,440 visitors arrived there daily, most from surrounding states where such businesses remained shuttered, according to an analysis of smartphone location data. The data provides some of the first hard evidence that reopening some state economies ahead of others could potentially worsen and prolong the spread of the novel coronavirus. Any impetus to travel, public health experts say, increases the number of people coming into contact with each other and raises the risk of transmission.

Check this out — “Where Americans are still staying at home the most” via Kevin Schaul, Brittany Renee Mayes and Bonnie Berkowitz of The Washington Post — After a peak week of sheltering in place in early April, U.S. residents began to inch out of their homes, according to new cellphone data. But even as states begin to “open up,” more Americans appear to be staying put than sprinting out the door. According to an analysis of data provided by SafeGraph, a company that aggregates cellphone location information, the peak period of our collective, coronavirus-induced lockdown was the seven days ending April 7. (There was also a one-day spike on Easter Sunday.) During that time, U.S. residents spent a whopping 93% of their time at home, up from the early March averages of roughly 70%.

>>>Check out the interactive graphic here.

“Arizona halts partnership with experts predicting coronavirus cases would continue to mount” via Isaac Stanley-Becker and Rachel Weiner of The Washington Post — Doug Ducey’s health department shut down the work of academic experts predicting the peak of the state’s coronavirus outbreak was still about two weeks away. The move to sideline academic experts in the middle of the pandemic reflects growing friction between plans to resume economic activity and the analysis of epidemiologists that underscores the dangers of rolling back restrictions. Experts said Arizona’s dismissal of academics, whose analysis seems at odds with the state’s approach, marked an alarming turn against data-informed decision-making.

— CORONA FLORIDA —

“DeSantis vacation-rental been challenged” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — Property owners and a vacation rental management company have filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of violating their constitutional rights by shutting down vacation rentals during the public health crisis caused by COVID-19. The lawsuit “seeks to protect and vindicate fundamental liberties that citizens of the U.S. enjoy free from government interference” and asks a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order or injunction prohibiting enforcement. DeSantis issued a March 27 executive order that blocked people from renting vacation properties during the public health emergency. Still, he allowed hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and timeshare facilities to stay open. The executive order was set to expire, but the Governor last week extended the vacation-rental ban indefinitely.

“Democrats won’t get COVID-19 Special Session” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Democratic lawmakers have failed in their effort to convene a Special Legislative Session to address the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the state. 18 Senators and 51 House members voted against the calls for a Special Session. To be successful, 60% of each body was needed. Only 16 Senators and 48 House members could oppose the session for it to be scheduled. When the Regular Session ended, it was too late to develop any relief bills seriously.

“Federal money gives boost to COVID-19 testing” via the News Service of Florida — The federal government awarded $28.6 million in grants to 47 Florida health centers to expand coronavirus-testing efforts. “As our state looks forward to reopening its economy, it is critical that we increase our testing capacity,” U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement. “These federal funds will help Florida health centers continue to identify patients with COVID-19 so we can continue to slow the spread of this disease.” The largest grant, $1,927,309, went to MCR Health Inc. in Palmetto. Tampa Family Health Centers Inc. and Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc. received awards of $1,735,219, and $1,360,399, respectively.

“State’s COVID-19 testing policy an ‘unmitigated disaster’ for residents of elder homes” via Mary Ellen Klas and Kevin Hall of the Miami Herald — On March 12, three days before state officials took any formal action against the emerging coronavirus pandemic, Doug Adkins put his 155-bed assisted living facility on full lockdown. Twelve days later, he had hired a lab to test every patient and staff member for the novel coronavirus and required any contractor or vendor to submit to a test and prove they are COVID-19-negative before they set foot in his facility. On April 21, he tested again. The massive surveillance testing plan worked. For nearly two months, Adkins kept the residents and staff of Dayspring Village, a mental health ALF just south of the Georgia line, free from the viral infection — until last week.

“Florida nursing homes unprepared for emergencies like the coronavirus, audit finds” via Christopher O’Donnell of the Tampa Bay Times — About 155,000 people live in Florida’s nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Most are seniors, the population most at risk from the coronavirus. In recent weeks, the facilities have emerged as a hot spot for COVID-19 deaths, with one Pinellas home having to be evacuated. As of Wednesday, 577 long-term care residents and staffers had died from the virus, roughly one-third of Florida’s total deaths. A federal audit released in March that looked at 20 Florida nursing homes revealed failures in emergency planning, along with widespread safety issues that put seniors at “increased risk of injury or death during an emergency or natural disaster.”

“Liberty Correctional deals with virus outbreak” via the News Service of Florida — In a rapidly growing number of cases, 12% of the inmates at Liberty Correctional Institution have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, the Florida Department of Corrections said. The latest round of testing at the Northwest Florida prison revealed that 167 inmates and seven corrections workers had tested positive for the highly contagious virus as of Thursday. A week ago, the prison had two positive cases among prisoners and two among workers. The prison, which is in rural Liberty County between Tallahassee and Panama City, has 1,362 inmates. All staff members and inmates are required to wear cloth face coverings to try to prevent the spread of the disease.

“Big drop in Florida unemployment claims in latest federal report” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — There was a steep drop in the number of fresh unemployment applicants for the most recent week in Florida, signaling the crushing waves might be subsiding. In the week ending last Saturday, Florida saw 173,191 new unemployment claims. That’s still way above the typical week’s worth of claims Florida had before the start of the coronavirus economic crisis in mid-March. For the week of April 25, Florida had the nation’s highest total of new unemployment compensation applicants, and the week before Florida had the second-highest total.

“Unemployment: DEO now tracking third source of relief” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The Department of Economic Opportunity began detailing the numbers of Floridians deemed eligible for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance fund. That’s on top of the other federal assistance fund, the pandemic unemployment compensation program, and the state’s re-employment assistance program. In the department’s daily activity report covering efforts made through Wednesday, the state was able to approve 40,248 Floridians for the new federal fund, 9,679 of whom received checks. The new fund paid out $4.2 million Wednesday, an average of about $436 each. Yet it was unclear from the report how that affected the overall pool of hundreds of thousands, perhaps more than a million, Floridians who have applied for unemployment compensation, but still have not had their applications processed.

“Complaint website set up to report Florida businesses not following guidelines” via Jon Jankowski of Click Orlando — Florida has entered phase one of reopening and a complaint website has been set up to report Florida businesses not following the guidelines. The site reminds businesses any restaurant or retailer has to follow social distancing guidelines and limit indoor occupancy to no more than 25% of the building occupancy. Gyms, fitness centers, and vacation rentals are not allowed to be open at the time. The website will ask the person reporting the complaint, the type of business, date of the incident, address of the business, and the reason for the complaint.

“Universities weigh options for fall semester” via Ana Ceballos of the News Service of Florida — As universities game out plans for dealing with the coronavirus, tens of thousands of students throughout the state face uncertainty about whether they will be able to take classes in person this fall or whether they will learn remotely. Many universities are considering keeping at least some instruction online. But because plans are not finalized, students and faculty members are hanging on the answers. Universities are looking at several different scenarios, including holding some classes in person and others online, pushing back the first day of classes, expansive testing for the virus, and curtailing the available space on campus for in-person classes to abide by social distancing guidelines. At Florida State University, plans for the fall have not been solidified.

Governor takes an interest in student fees — The DeSantis administration doesn’t want state universities raising fees for summer courses. As reported by Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida, the administration has been in “indirect communication” with schools, telling them to be cautious about raising prices for students. The contact was revealed by the University of South Florida provost Ralph Wilcox during a Thursday trustee meeting. The school adopted a new fee structure similar to the one adopted by the University of Florida. Overall fees will remain relatively flat, though charges related to on-campus services were reduced while distance learning fees were increased.

“Tourism ‘rebound’ likely to take time” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — “We know that this rebound is going to take a while, and we have to make sure that Florida continues to be a top travel destination,” VISIT FLORIDA Chief Marketing Officer Staci Mellman told members of the state-backed agency’s Executive Committee in a conference call. The rebound plan is considered “flexible” as the agency continues to survey tourism businesses across the state to understand the impact of the crisis on the industry better. “You use the word flexibility,” said VISIT FLORIDA Chairwoman Virginia Haley, who is the President of Visit Sarasota County. “I think that will be the watchword for all of us as we react to changes in the consumer mindset over the next couple of years.”

What José Oliva is reading — “VISIT FLORIDA’s new campaign encourages outdoor staycations around the state” via Greg Fox of WESH — A commercial from VISIT FLORIDA that was airing nationally just as the coronavirus was declared a pandemic invited people to “Get away. Get closer.” But with images of COVID-19 testing and life going forward, bringing people to the state’s empty tourist areas will be a challenge. A new ad blitz, set to be unveiled in a few weeks, is tailored after last fall’s “Find Your Florida Adventure” campaign. Since more people feel comfortable outdoors, and few want to board a plane right now, it’ll target Floridians and promote staycations. The timing of that could be perfect because of the vast array of adventure-type travel opportunities in Florida and the ability of people in Florida to take advantage of those without having a lot of close human contact.

“Florida’s business licensing agency opens COVID-19 complaint portal” via Florida Politics — The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has set up a website where the public can file complaints against businesses they think are breaking DeSantis’ executive orders. Bars, nightclubs, restaurants, lodging, vacation rentals, barbershops and salons are subject to complaints, as is any business not directly addressed in the orders. Restaurant dining rooms, retail storefronts, and museums can operate at 25% capacity, although outdoor dining is unlimited if tables are kept at least 6 feet apart. Bars, pubs and nightclubs that make 50% of their revenue off alcohol sales are still limited to off-premises alcohol sales. Barbershops, salons and personal care businesses are still closed during Phase One, although they can still sell their products online.

FDOT, Florida Trucking Association, FHP thank truck drivers with free meals — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida Trucking Association and the Florida Highway Patrol provided free lunches to truck drivers. The FTA, Chick-fil-A, Publix Super Markets, and Walmart Transportation sponsored the meal giveaway. “FDOT is proud to support Florida’s truck drivers who have continued to work tirelessly during the fight against COVID-19,” said FDOT Secretary Kevin Thibault. “These individuals are on the front lines each day providing vital goods to Floridians during this unprecedented time — keeping shelves stocked, medicine delivered, and supplies directed to those most in need. Their selflessness is inspiring, and the department is committed to continuing to support their needs as they serve others.”

— CORONA LOCAL —

“Jacksonville to relax rules on outdoor dining to help restaurants” via Brittany Mueller and Steve Patrick of News4Jax — Mayor Lenny Curry announced Thursday he will direct the city next week to suspend enforcement of Jacksonville’s outdoor dining ordinance to allow restaurants the flexibility to serve more people while operating under DeSantis’ executive order limiting dining room occupancy to 25%. “(Restaurants) clearly want to have more capacity, but they want to do it in a safe way,” Curry said. Curry said he would work with City Council to provide guidelines to help this happen safely.

“Bill would add ‘Buy American’ clause to Jacksonville purchasing” via Steve Patterson of The Florida Times-Union — A Jacksonville City Council member is touting a buy-American preference for city purchasing as a step to boost Northeast Florida’s coronavirus-battered economy. “It’s absolutely tragic each time we spend a single dollar that goes to China,” said Councilman Rory Diamond, who filed legislation to create a city preference similar to the federal government’s 1993 Buy American Act. Diamond outlined his bill, 2020-238, in an outreach campaign coordinated with commissioners from St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau counties planning similar legislation in their counties.

“Miami-Dade gets fewer coronavirus relief dollars despite higher COVID infection rates” via Alex Daugherty and Ben Wieder of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade County received a smaller share of federal health care funds to fight coronavirus than other major metro areas in the state despite having a higher rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths, according to data compiled by the Miami Herald. Miami-Dade’s share of $30 billion in health care funds, part of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress in March, was distributed based on the county’s share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements. But that funding formula, from the Department of Health and Human Services, meant less money for areas like Miami-Dade, where a higher portion of the population relies on a private-plan version of Medicare called Medicare Advantage.

“Miami-Dade wants COVID-19 reports from nursing homes, won’t rely on state data” via Douglas Hanks and Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald — Dissatisfied with the reliability of the coronavirus information being released by the state, Miami-Dade’s Mayor is ordering nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to disclose COVID-19 cases and deaths from residents and employees in an attempt to produce data the state has been reluctant to release. An emergency order signed Wednesday by Mayor Carlos Giménez instructs residential health facilities to disclose the data when asked by Miami-Dade. The county plans to require daily reports. Miami-Dade wants all prior COVID-19 deaths from the facilities, as well as a running tally of cases from residents and staff.

“Miami-Dade County rejects paid leave plan for county contractors” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The Miami-Dade Commission Policy Council shot down a plan to extend paid leave benefits to county-contracted workers. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava proposed the initiative in January before the novel coronavirus had an extensive hold on the county and the rest of the nation. Employees who work directly for the county already receive paid sick and paid family leave. But businesses who contract with the county are not required to give their employees similar benefits. The measure would have granted seven days of paid sick leave per year and would have applied to any business that contracts with the county for an amount exceeding $100,000 and has 15 or more employees.

“Miami Beach hotels housed guests after coronavirus order shut them down, city says” via Martin Vassolo of the Miami Herald — Three Miami Beach hotels housed paying guests over the weekend despite an executive order that shut down hotels unless they were housing “essential guests,” like first responders or displaced guests. The city discovered the breach of its order on Saturday when Code Compliance staff responded to reports of unlawful guests at Norman’s Hotel, Boulan Hotel and Sobe You Hotel. All three properties were issued code violations, which may result in fines of up to $1,000 per day and up to $5,000 per day for recurring violations, according to a copy of the violations. Approved lodgers include displaced residents, health care workers, or other essential employees. The residents of apartment buildings or condominiums, which may consist of hotel units, are also excluded from the order.

“Vizcaya in Miami is reopening its gardens, but social-distancing rules still apply” via Connie Ogle of the Miami Herald — Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is reopening, but don’t put away your masks just yet. After shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Historic Landmark plans to welcome visitors starting May 10 as part of the Miami-Dade County emergency order that permits the opening of county parks, marinas and golf courses. Only the 10-acre outdoor gardens will be open; all indoor spaces, including the Main House, will be closed. So if the weather looks rainy — and rain is forecast for Mother’s Day — better bring an umbrella. You might want to bring a bottle of water, too: the café is closed.

“Let us reopen: Palm Beach County makes its plea to the Governor” via Austen Erblat of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The appeal to DeSantis was short and to the point. Palm Beach County wants to get back to business the same as most all of Florida. The county sent DeSantis a letter Thursday asking for him to consider easing coronavirus restrictions in Palm Beach County, which remains shut down with the rest of South Florida because the majority of cases are concentrated here. Outside Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, restaurants and other businesses in Florida are allowed to reopen at 25% of capacity. The letter signed by Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner made no argument for reopening and presented no health data to justify it. It simply asked for a discussion.

“Reopen beaches? Caution is the watchword from county’s top health official” via Hannah Morse of The Palm Beach Post — As Palm Beach County commissioners prepare to decide Friday whether to open beaches, they are well armed with advice from their top health official: Be cautious. Even though the charts and graphs presented to commissioners by health director Dr. Alina Alonso showed an easing in the coronavirus’ grip on the county, Alonso made it clear to commissioners that they just can’t reopen businesses — and even beaches — as if all would once again be normal. Reopening services too early, or without the proper protocols, may result in a resurgence of the disease, Alonso said, adding that people are still going to be practicing social distancing until there’s a vaccine.

“Coronavirus deaths double at state VA nursing home in Pembroke Pines, but spread slowing” via Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — The death toll from COVID-19 has more than doubled at a Florida VA nursing home in Pembroke Pines, where the coronavirus outbreak has hit elderly military veterans hard since mid-March. All seven of the coronavirus victims who died at the Alexander Nininger Jr. VA nursing home were veterans in their 80s and 90s and suffered from other chronic ailments in addition to the dangerous respiratory disease, a state Veterans’ Affairs spokesman said Thursday. Four of them died in the past two weeks. While the outbreak set off alarms at the facility that about 100 veterans call home, universal testing, quarantine measures, and protective equipment have slowed the coronavirus spread.

— MORE LOCAL —

“$2.1 million distributed in first round of St. Pete’s Fighting Chance Fund; More help on the way” via Megan Holmes of Catalyst — The City of St. Petersburg’s COVID-19 emergency relief fund, the Fighting Chance Fund, closed out the first round of its applications with 703 individual approvals of $500, and 356 business approvals of $5,000, totaling $2.1 million distributed in the first round. During the first round, the city has received approximately 1,200 business applications for Fighting Chance and 2,067 individual applications. Based on these figures, the city approved just under 30% of business applications in the first round, and 34% of individual applications.

“New estimates show Tallahassee coronavirus peak could come in next few weeks” via Regan McCarthy of WFSU — Tallahassee health care leaders agree a peak in COVID-19 cases could come within the next few weeks. But they warn, that’s only if residents continue the current social distancing practices in place now. Earlier this month, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare officials said a local coronavirus peak could come in June. Mark O’Bryant, CEO of TMH says since then, the models have changed. “If everybody does what they’re supposed to do, we should be over the peak in the next week or two,” O’Bryant says. But O’Bryant warns the models could change again. He says he’s keeping his eye on some areas that could bring additional patients into TMH, including coronavirus outbreaks in rural North Florida prisons.

“State parks are open, still sparsely populated in Bay County” via Jacqueline Bostick of the NWF Daily News — Following relaxing restrictions on restaurants and retailers, DeSantis also announced last week the reopening of state parks on Monday. Although the parks appeared sparse on Wednesday, individuals and families that were there basked in the warm, powdery sand beneath their toes, watched children splash in the kiddie pool, and fished off the jetties. St. Andrews reopened Tuesday morning for active recreation only, which includes walking, jogging, swimming, and fishing. The park suspended services to Shell Island and, aside from restrooms, all other park facilities remain closed. The park opened with regular park fees and normal hours, 8 a.m. to sunset.

“City of Pensacola cancels publicly permitted events 50 or more through June 1” via the Pensacola News Journal — The city of Pensacola is extending the cancellation of all city-permitted events with 50 or more people through June 1 to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Officials will reassess the situation on June 1 to determine whether to continue or lift the cancellations. Both the city and Escambia County canceled all publicly permitted, in-person events with 50 or more people on March 16 until further notice. The city said in a news release that it would work with event organizers to reschedule events as needed.

“Pressure builds for Sarasota to reopen Lido Beach” via Timothy Fanning of the Herald-Tribune — Riled by Sarasota’s recent decision to keep Lido Beach closed, restaurant owners on St. Armands Circle are pleading with city officials to reconsider. “I’m not going to harp on you by saying it isn’t fair that Sarasota and Manatee County have listened to the governor and reopened their beaches,” said Tom Leonard, the owner of the Shore St. Armands. “I’m letting you know that you are playing games with very hungry employees that want to get back to work and contribute to society.” Beachgoers account for the majority of the business on St. Armands. Now that other area beaches are open and restaurants are allowed to open at limited capacity, restaurant owners on St. Armands are eyeing the measured success of other barrier island businesses on Siesta Key, Venice and Bradenton Beach.

“COVID-19 survivor who donated plasma to save a life is now facilitating antibody testing” via Tyler Treadway of the TC Palm — A Treasure Coast business owner who survived COVID-19 and donated plasma to help save a deathly ill patient wants to find more plasma donors and, hopefully, save more lives. James P. Crocker, founder and President of Hog Technologies, has opened his southern Stuart facility for medical professionals at Treasure Coast Urgent Care to test people for COVID-19 antibodies in their blood, so they can donate their lifesaving plasma. Recovered COVID-19 patients have developed antibodies to the virus that remain in the blood’s plasma. Transferring the plasma from a COVID-19 survivor into a patient fighting the virus has been shown, in some cases, to help boost the immune system and aid in recovery.

“Under state directive, officials urge Leon residents to get coronavirus test, symptoms or not” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — It’s an about-face from earlier guidance that people should only pursue testing if they are symptomatic or came in contact with someone who may have the coronavirus. Counties are being told to aim to test 2% of their populations monthly by the Florida Department of Health, said Leon County Health Officer Claudia Blackburn. “We certainly support increasing testing for COVID-19. It is one of our major objectives in fighting this virus here and statewide,” Blackburn said. “In Leon County, we are working with our community partners to expand testing, particularly in places where we know we have a large number of vulnerable high-risk people.”

— CORONA ECONOMICS —

“For PPP recipients: You may be subject to whistleblower lawsuits under false claims law” via Sougata Mukherjee of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — The ability to switch a federal loan to a grant may have opened up millions of small businesses across the country to whistleblower lawsuits under the False Claims Act. Also called the “Lincoln Law,” the FCA is the federal government’s primary litigation tool in combating fraud against the government. Historically, in the corporate world, workers and executives of large companies who have large contracts with the federal government are known to have used the statute after claiming corporations misused the federal dollars through misrepresentation, incorrect billing practices, or fraud. Almost all of the 5 million businesses that received the loans would now be exposed to whistleblower lawsuits because of the forgiveness structure of the loan.

“SBA slashes disaster-loan limit from $2 million to $150,000, shuts out nearly all new applicants” via Aaron Gregg and Erica Werner of The Washington Post — An emergency disaster lending program for small businesses has been so overwhelmed by demand that it has significantly limited the size of loans it issues, while blocking nearly all new applications from small businesses, according to people familiar with the situation. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is a long-standing Small Business Administration program that’s separate from the new Paycheck Protection Program, which has challenges of its own. After initially telling businesses that individual disaster loans could be as high as $2 million, SBA has now imposed a $150,000 limit without publicly announcing the change.

“Flailing corporations gobbled up small business loans. That OK?” via Wendy Rhodes of the Palm Beach Post — While untold numbers of small businesses decimated by the coronavirus-induced economic meltdown still await a federal lifeline, it appears publicly traded companies that have been operating in the red for years managed to get their hands on millions of stimulus dollars. One small business advocate suggested that awarding loans to publicly-traded companies, which may have other avenues to raise capital, could be a consequence of the rush to get assistance to U.S. businesses as the unprecedented crisis unfolded in a matter of weeks. “Speed is what we asked of Congress and that’s what Congress gave us,” Bill Herrle, executive director of the Florida branch of the National Federation of International Business, said of the PPP program.

“Thousands of owners of McDonald’s and other big franchises get PPP loans; independent eateries fight back” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — Struggling to hang on through the coronavirus crisis, Omelet Bar has had to let go of most of its three dozen employees. But the owner of the independent brunch spot near the University of Central Florida hopes a small-business loan from the federal government will help his business stay afloat. “I’m down to a minimum crew,” said Tarek Kanso, a UCF graduate who started Omelet Bar three years ago. “This money would help me bring more of the crew back to work and help with bills and maybe rent if there’s anything left over after that.” Kanso said he is still waiting for his “Paycheck Protection Program” loan.

“Hispanics are almost twice as likely as whites to have lost their jobs amid pandemic, poll finds” via Tracy Jan and Scott Clement of The Washington Post — Hispanics are nearly twice as likely as whites to have lost their jobs amid the coronavirus shutdowns, according to a poll, underlining that the pandemic is wreaking a disproportionate toll on some racial and ethnic groups. The poll finds that 20% of Hispanic adults and 16% of blacks report being laid off or furloughed since the outbreak began in the United States, compared with 11% of whites and 12% of workers of other races. Blacks and Hispanics are also dying of COVID-19 at higher rates than whites.

“Builders keep working as others spend pandemic at home” via Steve Patterson of the Florida times-union — Framers, electricians and equipment operators, some wearing face coverings, are putting up apartments and parking garages like other builders around Jacksonville. They’ve stayed on their jobs while other businesses sent employees home or were shuttered entirely by government orders. And they’ve had to learn to keep working without spreading a virus that has already killed about 50,000 Americans. “We all just need to be patient,” said Paul Bertozzi, CEO of Live Oak Contracting, which broke ground last year on San Marco Crossing, a two-phase project scheduled to add 486 apartments off Philips Highway near Atlantic Boulevard.

What Stephanie Smith is reading — “Uber sees path to profitability after blow from coronavirus” via Robert Wall of The Wall Street Journal — Uber chief Dara Khosrowshahi mapped a revised path to profitability after the coronavirus pandemic undermined ridership for the company resulting in a larger first quarter loss. Khosrowshahi said Uber plans $1 billion in fixed-cost cuts, including reducing marketing spending, deferring capital expenditures and the decision announced earlier this week to cut 14% of staff. “Reaching profitability as soon as possible remains a strategic priority for us. We believe the disruption caused by COVID-19 will impact our timeline by a matter of quarters and not years,” the CEO told analysts on a conference call. Those measures could put the ride-hailing company in a position to be profitable in 2021, CEO Nelson Chai said on the call.

“Nieman Marcus, the retailer to the rich, files for bankruptcy” via Suzanne Kapner and Soma Biswas of The Wall Street Journal — Neiman Marcus Group Inc. filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Texas, becoming the latest large retailer to seek a court restructuring during the pandemic that has closed much of the U.S. economy. J.Crew Group Inc. filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, and on Canadian shoe retailer ALDO Group Inc. also filed for court protection. Neiman’s bankruptcy filing seeks to eliminate $4 billion of roughly $5.1 billion in debt. The creditors will become majority owners of the retailer, which has been controlled by private equity firms. Neiman isn’t planning mass store closings or asset sales as part of the restructuring.

“Frontier Airlines abandons plan to sell $39 social distancing upgrade” via Ian Duncan of The Washington Post — Faced with widespread outrage from Democratic lawmakers, Frontier Airlines said late Wednesday it was abandoning its plan to sell passengers a $39 upgrade that would guarantee they could sit next to an empty middle seat while flying during the coronavirus outbreak. Prominent Democrats on Capitol Hill had criticized the program, scheduled to start Friday, saying it was taking advantage of people’s fear during the pandemic. Airlines have been grappling with how to keep passengers and their employees safe during the pandemic. Many have taken steps to spread passengers out onboard, but Frontier stood out for offering guaranteed social distancing as a paid-for upgrade.

— MORE CORONA —

“Theme-park fans anxious for reopenings, but some say they’ll stay away” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Fans of Orlando’s theme parks are anticipating the reopening of attractions, and they’re forming their first-day-back strategies. Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando have not revealed details or return dates from their coronavirus-imposed lockdown. But enthusiasts are weighing their pent-up desires to go back to Central Florida attractions against their health concerns and fears of big crowds. “I miss everything. I have so many great friends that I only see at the parks, so I definitely want to go on the first day or definitely within the first week,” says Michael Muldoon, who lives in Lakeland. “I’m going to follow the safety measures. Even my mom wants me to go because she can see how bored I am.”

“As Disney CEO expects more delays, 3 cruise ships park at Port Canaveral” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney Cruise Line’s four ships aren’t sailing amid the coronavirus shutdown. So the company has parked three of them at Port Canaveral. The move came as Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek said cruising would most likely be the last of its businesses it brings back online. Chapek tackled the subject during the company’s second-quarter earnings call Tuesday. “In terms of the cruise ship business, we agree that will probably be the last of our travel-oriented businesses to come back online,” he said. All four ships ceased sailing in mid-March and are currently subject to a “no sail order” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that prohibit sailing from U.S. ports into late July.

“South Florida resorts change how they cater to guests” via Sabirah Rayford of WPTV — As the conversation around reopening South Florida continues, Palm Beach County tourism leaders are working to make sure businesses are set up for success. Boca Raton Resort & Club president John Tolbert said there’s no industry standard for reopening in a pandemic, so they’re starting from scratch. “We’re dealing with the top doctors, top organizational development people in the world, to look at the programming, the cleanliness, every aspect of our business,” said Tolbert. Over at Discover the Palm Beaches, Jorge Pesquera and his team are closely monitoring when Palm Beach County will get the green light to start phasing into reopening slowly.

“Still looking for Clorox wipes? CEO warns shelves won’t be fully stocked with disinfecting cleaners until summer” via Jessica Guynn of USA Today — “We think that there’s going to be substantial improvement this summer,” Clorox chairman and CEO Benno Dorer told Yahoo Finance in an interview. “It’s going to be touch and go until then, unfortunately.” Shoppers have become increasingly frustrated as they scour the internet and local stores for Lysol sprays and Clorox wipes, only to find shelves picked clean after households stocked up on cleaning products to protect against infection, especially in COVID-19 hot zones. Manufacturers like Clorox were not prepared for skyrocketing demand in a sleepy sector with reliably steady sales that usually fluctuate only during the flu season. On a third-quarter earnings call last week, Dorer told analysts that Clorox saw demand for disinfectant products increase more than 500%.

“These things sustained us in coronavirus quarantine. Now it’s May, and we hate them all” via Connie Ogle of the Miami Herald — When the coronavirus pandemic revved up in March and quarantine began, we were sad but valiant. Sure, we had to cancel vacations, occasions, reservations. But we found much to sustain us, and not all of that was wine. Now, as weeks progress and despair is our frequent companion, we hate everything that sustained us. Quarantine fatigue is real, and not necessarily because we long to spend quality time with thousands of strangers in public places. Quarantine fatigue also happens even if you plan to stay home because everything that brought us a sense we’d get through this are officially driving us crazy.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Michael Waltz named to House Republicans’ China Task Force” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Waltz was one of 15 Republican lawmakers named to the House Republicans’ China Task Force. The task force will serve as a clearinghouse for ideas on China policy, including the Chinese Communist Party’s influence activity, supply chain dominance, and infiltration and intellectual property theft at American universities. The group is made of GOP lawmakers who hold seats on 14 committees of jurisdiction to coordinate policy on China. Waltz has been among China’s most vocal critics since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

— STATEWIDE —

Assignment editors — DeSantis will hold a news conference, 11 a.m., Dolphin Pointe, 5355 Dolphin Pointe Blvd., Jacksonville.

“Hurricane season outlook worsens, as updated forecast predicts more storms” via David Fleshler of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — An extra-busy hurricane season may be particularly unwelcome this year, but a major weather forecasting service on Thursday announced an upward revision of its already pessimistic forecast. AccuWeather said it now expects up to 11 hurricanes this season, including up to four major hurricanes. The organization has previously predicted seven to nine hurricanes. Although the lower range of the forecast held steady at seven, the organization increased the upper range to 11. AccuWeather also increased the predicted number of major hurricanes, those with wind speeds of at least 111 mph. The previous prediction called for two to four major hurricanes. The new prediction says to expect four to six.

“Florida is planning something for its worst troublemakers: a prison-within-a-prison” via Shirsho Dasgupta and Samantha J. Gross of McClatchy — Florida’s prison system, overrun with violent gangs distributing contraband, operating rackets, running shakedowns and carrying out blood feuds, are looking to create a separate category of incarceration where those seen as the worst troublemakers can be bunched together, segregated from the rest of the general population. This prison-within-a-prison would be referred to as an administration management unit, or AMU. Under the newly proposed rule, as few as two serious disciplinary reports could result in an inmate being placed in an administrative management unit. First, there would be a quasi-judicial disciplinary hearing for which the inmate would be given 48 hours’ notice.

“Justices order more briefs and medical marijuana fight” via the News Service of Florida — The Florida Supreme Court ordered attorneys to file additional briefs in a battle about whether the state has properly carried out a 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana. The Florida Department of Health appealed to the Supreme Court after lower courts sided with Florigrown, a Tampa-based company that argues a 2017 state law conflicts with the constitutional amendment. Florigrown has unsuccessfully sought department approval to become a licensed medical-marijuana operator. Justices heard arguments in the state’s appeal and then issued a one-paragraph order that seeks briefs on an issue that was not a focus of the argument.

“Kionne McGhee demands Georgia act after ‘modern-day lynching’ of Ahmaud Arbery” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — House Democratic Leader McGhee is urging Georgia officials to act after video emerged in the shooting death of Arbery. “While it is unusual to receive a letter from so many elected representatives from sister states who have joined forces with legislative leaders from the great state of Georgia, the extraordinary injustice, which occurred in Georgia, has rippled through our Union and thereby demands your immediate attention,” McGhee wrote. Arbery — who is black — was shot and killed in February after being confronted by former police officer Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis, who are both white. Gregory McMichael told police officers he thought Arbery resembled a person suspected of several break-ins in the area.’

“Ex-Broward Sheriff Scott Israel loses bid for reinstatement” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — Former Broward County Sheriff Israel’s due-process rights were not violated when the Florida Senate refused to reinstate the veteran law enforcement official after DeSantis suspended him from office, a federal judge has ruled. Israel turned to the federal court following an October special legislative session in which the Senate formally removed Israel from office. The lawsuit alleged that the Senate’s process was unfair and named Senate President Bill Galvano and DeSantis as defendants. But in dismissing the case Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said Israel failed to prove that the legislative proceedings violated his due-process rights.

“Lake Worth Beach city commission virtual meeting gets nasty again … here’s the spark that set it off” via Jorge Milian of The Palm Beach Post — Tension on the Lake Worth Beach city commission bubbled over again Tuesday night with one commissioner momentarily storming out of a meeting while referring to the five-member board as an “absolutely do-nothing group.” It marked the second time in less than two months that a commission meeting resulted in angry words between members of the governing body. Video of a heated verbal confrontation on March 19 between Mayor Pam Triolo and Commissioner Omari Hardy went viral, drawing millions of views on YouTube and stories in The New York Times and Washington Post.

“Guy Thompson must pay $652,000 in restitution to United Way and partner charities” via Kevin Robinson of the Pensacola News Journal — A federal judge ordered former Milton Mayor Thompson to pay back $652,000 he embezzled from the United Way of Santa Rosa County in the form of restitution. He will not, however, be required to pay the full $2.4 million in restitution requested by the United Way and two of its former employees. Over seven years, Thompson used his role as director of the United Way of Santa Rosa County and the goodwill he had built in the community to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations meant for local nonprofits. After the thefts were discovered, Thompson pleaded to wire fraud and tax evasion charges and received a 51-month prison sentence.

“Personnel note: Karen Bowling to be University of North Florida’s first VP of jobs” via Florida Politics — Bowling, who has already enjoyed a diverse career, will take on an ambitious portfolio “cultivating relationships with external partners that advance internships, externships, career immersion and permanent job placement for UNF students and alumni,” the school announced. With a job market decimated by COVID-19-related economic shutdowns, the role is timely, notes UNF President David Szymanski. “Creating strong job opportunities for our students is of the utmost importance. This position will help serve as an engine of our economy by connecting our highly qualified pipeline of talent with the businesses and companies that need their skills.”

— 2020 —

“Florida GOP lauds Trump reelection efforts as presidential race intensifies” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — The Republican Party of Florida is lauding its efforts to reelect Trump, a leader they herald as one of their own. “Trump is a Floridian,” said RPOF Chair Joe Gruters referring to Trump’s fairly new Florida residency status. “Florida loves him, and we will definitely deliver.” Speaking during a press call Thursday ahead of former Vice President Biden’s Tampa rally, Gruters and GOP spokesman Rick Gorka heaped praise for both Trump and the state party’s devotion to delivering him a second term. “Our team never left the state,” Gorka said, highlighting increases in volunteer participation over 2016 when Trump won Florida.

“Win or lose, Trump’s top campaign aides are raking in cash” via S.V. Date of Huffington Post — Brad Parscale, whom Trump named to run his 2020 effort in early 2018, has already collected $38.9 million through his companies from Trump’s various reelection committees between January 2017 and the end of March. Gerrit Lansing’s payment processing company, which he started while a staffer at the National Republican Congressional Committee and continued to run while he worked at the Republican National Committee, has taken in $1.7 million. Katie Walsh, briefly a Trump White House aide and a former RNC chief of staff, has received $877,424 through her firms. And Richard Walters, who at age 30 is the current chief of staff, makes $244,943 a year in salary but last year was paid an additional $135,000 through his own consulting firm.

“Trump campaign to unload on Joe Biden with negative ad onslaught” via Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO — Trump’s reelection campaign is about to unleash a massive negative ad campaign against Biden, the President’s most aggressive effort yet to damage his Democratic opponent. With Trump’s poll numbers sagging amid his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the offensive underscores how his advisers believe they must turn the race into a choice election between the President and Biden, rather than solely a referendum on Trump’s performance. The cash-flush campaign is slated to more than $10 million on a national advertising blitz across broadcast and cable channels, as well as online. Trump has personally approved the onslaught, according to people familiar with the decision.

“How Biden can defeat Trump from his basement” via Lis Smith of The New York Times — If Biden plays his cards right, the death of the traditional presidential campaign will turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Biden, whom the President derisively calls “Sleepy Joe,” can become the hottest bad boy and disrupter in the media game. It seems likely that social distancing will force the presidential campaign to be played out entirely on our screens. That will free Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, of the burden of running a grueling, expensive campaign involving incessant travel. Instead, he can be digitally omnipresent at a small fraction of the cost and physical toll, and create a new paradigm for how presidential campaigns communicate in the press for years to come.

“Left bucks Biden over Tara Reade allegations” via Holly Otterbein of POLITICO — More than a half-dozen progressive House and Senate challengers, almost all of them millennials, who had said publicly that they believe Reade’s claim that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993 when she worked as his Senate aide or otherwise spoke out in support of her. Though most are long-shot candidates with limited resources, their remarks could stoke division at a time when Biden is trying to unite the party’s warring factions. Their stance also risks exposing a rift between some younger and older Democrats as Biden works to strengthen his position as the Democratic nominee.

“Biden hosted a virtual campaign rally in Tampa. It didn’t go great.” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — The first event featured a discussion with African American leaders from Jacksonville. That one was not broadcast. Considering what happened next in Tampa, that might have been a smart move. The 5:15 p.m. “virtual rally” ostensibly set in Tampa streamed live on YouTube. Sort of. Technological failures beset the livestream of the rally. Speakers, including U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist, Kathy Castor, and State Sen. Janet Cruz appeared pixilated. Their feeds were visibly delayed as if they were transmitting from Afghanistan, not Tampa Bay. At one point, the stream cut to black with no audio for several minutes. A full-seven seconds after his introduction, Biden appeared, not moving. As he leaned against a wall, Biden sported his trademark aviators.

“In Duval online event, Biden says Glynn County man killed ‘in cold blood’” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union — Ahmaud Arbery was “shot down in cold blood,” Biden said during an online “African American roundtable” in Jacksonville for his presidential campaign. He compared video of the shooting to seeing Arbery “lynched before our very eyes.” He said Arbery’s family deserves “a swift, full and transparent investigation” into the Feb. 23 shooting, which happened after two armed white men encountered Arbery, 25, while he was jogging through a Glynn County, Georgia, neighborhood. No one has been charged in the killing, although a prosecutor has said the case would be brought to a grand jury once coronavirus restrictions affecting the courts are lifted.

— MORE FROM THE TRAIL —

“NRCC digital ad hits Donna Shalala over failing to properly report stock sales” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The National Republican Congressional Committee is going after Shalala for violating federal law by failing to report hundreds of stock sales in 2019. Shalala was fined $1,200 for violating the STOCK Act by not publicly disclosing those sales. The NRCC published a 30-second spot snipping together a series of news reports recapping Shalala’s violations. The episode bubbled up after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Shalala to oversee a $500 billion corporate relief package approved in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shalala responded to criticism by stating she had already begun selling many of those interests shortly after joining Congress.

To view the ad, click on the image below:

“Fiona McFarland continues to dominate HD 72 fundraising” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Republican Naval reservist raked in another $17,000 in April, bringing her total raised to $214,508, including a $20,000 candidate loan. McFarland continued to tally donations despite a month of statewide lockdowns and being isolated at home with an infant. “The support and enthusiasm for Fiona and her mission broadens by the day,” said campaign spokesperson Maryann Grgic. “People recognize the need for fresh, results-driven leadership, and it’s a big reason why Fiona’s message is resonating with so many across Sarasota.”

Democrats challenge Joe Gruters, James Buchanan — Sarasota Democrat Emily Norman filed in SD 23, becoming the second general election challenger for Sen. Gruters, who is also facing a no-party-affiliation candidate Robert Kaplan. Norman is part of a movement by progressive voting rights group “90 For 90” to find candidates to run for every legislative seat in Florida. “We’re going to have a huge block of environmental candidates this year,” said the group’s Janelle Christensen, who is also president of the Lee County Environmental Caucus. The same group is also encouraging Democrat Lisa Stortstrom, another Sarasota Democrat, to file for a run against Rep. Buchanan in HD 74.

“ACLU wants Broward voters to focus on 2020 contests for Sheriff, State Attorney, Elections Supervisor” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The American Civil Liberties Union in Florida is launching a new effort to put civil rights issues at the forefront of voters’ minds in this year’s elections, with a special focus on elections for sheriff, supervisor of elections and state attorney in Broward County. With so much attention going to the presidential election, it’s important to bring attention to races that otherwise might not get much attention from voters, said Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Florida. He announced plans for “ACLU Justice Voters” in an online news conference Thursday, with a focus on “high-power races that are low profile.” The ACLU is focusing on Broward and Orange counties.

“Eatonville council challenger, who lost by one vote, alleges voter fraud” via Lisa Maria Garza of the Orlando Sentinel — Tarus Mack kept his seat on the Eatonville Town Council by one vote in March. Still, challenger Marlin Daniels filed a lawsuit last month alleging voter fraud and asking for the results to be thrown out. Allegations of election fraud are a familiar controversy for the tiny town of 2,300 people that spans just one square mile near Winter Park and Maitland. And the complaint filed in court by Daniels includes allegations related to a well-known figure in Eatonville — former Mayor Anthony Grant, who was convicted of felony voter fraud in 2017.

“Manatee elections supervisor Michael Bennett removed ‘dozens’ of felons from voter rolls” via Ryan Callihan of the Bradenton Herald — When Florida voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4, Bennett said he had no problem with registering ex-felons to vote. But when the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring the full payment of court fees, the local elections official was among the first in the state to begin removing voters from the rolls, a federal lawsuit alleges. “I don’t think we acted too fast. We followed the law,” he said. “Whatever the law is, the law is. I don’t have an ax to grind one way or another. If they came back and said restitution doesn’t count, and your prison sentence is all that’s necessary, I’d implement every one of the folks we removed.”

“Coronavirus a hurdle for local candidates trying to qualify for office” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Social distancing put the kibosh on traditional signature-gathering efforts, including going door to door, during what would normally be crunchtime for candidates hoping to qualify that way. Several candidates are facing the possibility that they won’t be able to collect enough signatures by next week’s deadline to submit them, said Mark Earley, Leon County supervisor of elections. “It’s been very tough for most people to get their petitions signed, especially the less well-funded campaigns or those who decided closer to the election to get into the race,” he said. “And I think the situation around the pandemic is going to negatively affect their ability to get on the ballot by petition.”

— TOP OPINION —

“Stop hiding true COVID-19 stats, DeSantis. Our lives are still at risk” via the Miami Herald editorial board — The numbers are looking good in Florida as it works to reduce new cases of the coronavirus in the state. Good, yes, but they still don’t add up. And that’s a problem. DeSantis still refuses to release full and complete information about the Floridians who have died from COVID-19, including their names. As egregious, the Governor has muzzled the state’s 21 medical examiners who had been releasing the information. And, as has been his bad habit, the Governor is making sure the Department of Health continues to slow-walk any disclosure virus infections and deaths in the state’s 3,800 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

— OPINIONS —

“Biden misleads Americans in his criticism of Trump’s coronavirus response” via Joe Gruters in the Miami Herald — The May 3 online op-ed by Biden and Elizabeth Warren, “There’s no oversight of coronavirus relief — because that’s what Trump wants,” was a concerted effort to mislead Floridians, misrepresenting the legislation as well as Trump’s strong leadership in responding to COVID-19. While it makes sense that Biden is desperately trying to stir up controversy in the President’s home state, his efforts to do so cannot come at the expense of the truth. The CARES Act provides meaningful coronavirus aid and was secured by Trump and Republicans in Congress, despite cynical, partisan obstruction from Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Democrats that delayed Floridians getting the aid they desperately needed.

“Are state-supported voucher schools still teaching kids? Maybe” via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — Long before the coronavirus outbreak, we knew that state-supported private schools in Florida operate with little oversight. Choice advocates prefer it that way, reasoning that schools, unfettered by oppressive bureaucracies, are free to teach in whatever way they and the parents who enroll their kids see fit, and the marketplace will weed out schools that don’t measure up. Public schools have been able to quickly pivot to distance learning because they have the resources and, yes, the bureaucracies and scale to mostly make it work. What we do not know is what became of all those private schools supported by scholarships or vouchers, funded either directly or indirectly by the state.

Ouch — “Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony should resign — or be removed.” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — The picture is clear. Tony is a personable man who aims to please, but he lacks the judgment and temperament needed to run one of the nation’s largest public safety departments. Neither can the Broward Sheriff’s Office operate effectively with Tony’s credibility and character now in question. Besides, the sheriff cannot want schoolchildren — completing a homework assignment on BSO — to stumble upon his photos, which cannot be printed in a family newspaper without portions blurred out. Tony should do the right thing and resign. If he refuses, DeSantis should remove and replace him.

“Whenever sports return, owners and players must prioritize their greatest asset: Fans” via Thomas Boswell of The Washington Post — America’s public health and economy are huge ecosystems. Professional sports is a less complex ecosystem, and one important change in the relationship among the key creatures in this habitat is about to happen. The post-pandemic pendulum needs to swing back toward fans, or they won’t be back in the same numbers. For decades, fans have been at the bottom of the food chain, paying higher prices every year for tickets, beers, cable TV, merchandise and assorted junk. Most importantly, if owners or players think that they are the victims in this nightmare, if they think they need to “pass along” their one-year losses to fans in the form of higher prices for anything, if they think they will get a pass on a splitting-up-the-loot labor battle, they are delusional.

“Why cocktail hour is back” via Ginia Bellafante of The New York Times — Early in the outbreak, in New York and many other states, liquor stores were deemed essential retail businesses on the premise that our anxiety was going to require a release. But there was a growing need as well for new rituals to replace the ones that had vanished from our lives — for a style of drinking that was neither rushed nor indiscriminate, presuming we were of sound health and blessed with the structural comforts. Gulping down a glass of wine from a screw-top bottle was a habit no longer necessary to honor. In my own life, the need to punctuate the end of the day at a moment when the time feels so static has left me looking for the exclamation points.

— TODAY’S SUNRISE —

Florida’s Department of Corrections released some scary numbers about the spread of coronavirus behind bars.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— A vast swamp fire in Northwest Florida is tangling traffic by closing the I-10. DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried both went there to check it out.

— Liberal groups, including the Dream Defenders and Latino Justice, are teaming up in what they call the Freedom for Florida Coalition. They want the legal system to be more progressive and accountable. They claim our current system is destroying minority communities.

— Rep. Evan Jenne talks about a proposed Special Session on coronavirus that will NOT be happening. Democrats tried to force the issue, but Republicans refused. There could still be a Special Session to fix the budget hole created by the virus, but it won’t be on the Democrats’ terms.

— And two stories of Florida Men: One ended up on the wrong side of the law, another on the wrong side of the canal.

To listen, look on the image below:

— LISTEN UP —

Dishonorable Mention: State Rep. Chris Latvala, activist Becca Tieder, Ernest Hooper, and communications expert Dr. Karla Mastracchio discuss politics and culture. Biden went on Morning Joe and denied the sexual assault allegations by Reade. Do you think this changes the outcome of the general election? The hosts update the COVID-19 pandemic locally and nationally as states begin to open. Heath Fogelman tells his story and explains his app Make Bridges, which cultivates conversation between people with differing opinions.

Inside Florida Politics from GateHouse Florida: A longtime state of haves and have-nots, Florida now both somewhat open and still very closed, by order of DeSantis. The biggest counties in South Florida remain locked down, and we explore our new normal with Palm Beach Post political editor Antonio Fins.

podcastED: Author and education reformer Michael Horn talks with education pioneer Julie Young, the founder of Florida Virtual School, a student-centered online-learning provider that focuses on competency-based education rather than traditional seat time. Young is now the CEO of Arizona State University Prep Digital, an online high school that offers an accelerated path toward college admission and the chance to earn concurrent high school and university credit. Horn and Young discuss how COVID-19 is a moment for teachers and families to transform learning.

The New Abnormal from host Rick Wilson and Molly Jong-Fast: A discussion of Baby Trump’s high chair, his low-rent supervillain of a Treasury Secretary, and whether Jared the K is undead or just a robot. Wilson reveals that some of Trump’s campaign staffers are afraid to give the boss real polling numbers. Philippe Reines discusses his weeklong MAGA media diet, and how it feels to return to the land of the libtard cucks.

The Rotunda with Trimmel Gomes: Gomes talks with Debra Bennett, Florida state organizer for the National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, who highlights the growing number of COVID-19 cases at the Department of Corrections. Other guests include Leon County Commission Chairman Bryan Desloge as the National Association of Counties calls on Congress to steer more COVID-19 relief funds to local governments. Plus, as the need for local news increases, Jean Kiddoo, with the Federal Communications Commission, joins the program to discuss the national switch of TV station frequencies impacting several Florida cities this week.

The Yard Sign with host Jonathan Torres: The weekly political podcast offers a unique perspective on local, state, and national news and politics with young professional conservatives discussing the political news of the day. This week, Torres, Anibal David Cabrera, Christopher VerKuilen and Jake Hoffman speak with congressional candidate Amanda Makki on plans to reopen Florida, local COVID-19 sentiments, and Biden.

— WEEKEND TV —

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at politics in South Florida, along with other issues affecting the region.

Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable featuring Dr. Seetha Lakshmi, an Associate Hospital Epidemiologist for Tampa General Hospital and Assistant Program Director, Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at USF Morsani College of Medicine; AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson and Robert Costa, moderator of PBS Washington Week and a political reporter for The Washington Post.

In Focus with Allison Walker-Torres on Bay News 9: Remains on hiatus due to coronavirus.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando and Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: Is also on hiatus due to coronavirus.

Battleground Florida with Evan Donovan on News Channel 8 WFLA (NBC): Attorney John Morgan.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon talks with Robin Safley of Feeding Florida and Dr. Tom Serio.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez on the Reopen Florida Task Force; JEA Board of Directors chair John Baker, and Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute Director Rick Mullaney.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers; Sen. Jason Pizzo and Desmond Meade of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

 

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— ALOE —

“Four MLS teams, including two in Florida, allow individual workouts, more to follow” via The Associated Press — Four Major League Soccer teams took the first small step toward returning to play by allowing players to use team training fields for individual workouts. Sporting Kansas City, Atlanta United, Orlando City, and Inter Miami let players in for vigorously controlled voluntary workouts on the first day the league permitted them. MLS suspended the season because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, closing all team facilities but asking players to remain in the market with their teams. A leaguewide moratorium on the group and team training stay in effect through May 15, and it’s unclear when the season might resume.

“Senior year derailed, a high school journalist pushes toward one last deadline” via Claire McNeill of the Tampa Bay Times — Marin Fehl, 18, has been editor-in-chief since the spring of her sophomore year at Hillsborough High School, where she’s also an A student. She had overseen coverage as the coronavirus grew from a brief into a news story and then the full-blown cover. In successive blows came the death of prom and playoffs and all the year-end pageantry of senior dreams. Even those crazy-grueling three weeks of IB essay exams, which Marin had been grinding toward for four years, and yes, anticipating, were canceled. Even after her senior year ended more than two months early, she led fellow students to publish a magazine.

“Toyota achieves Top 10 ranking for diversity” — DiversityInc named Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) one of its 2020 Top 50 Companies for Diversity, ranking 10th — up from 18th last year. Toyota is the only automotive manufacturer ranked in the Top 10 and has moved up 38 spots on the list since 2013. “When it comes to diversity and inclusion (D&I), each year, we try to set new challenges and new goals with a plan for attaining them,” said Sandra Phillips Rogers, chief diversity officer and chief legal officer, TMNA. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toyota teamed up with nonprofit and private sector allies to provide funding, expertise and in-kind donations for at-risk and disproportionately impacted communities.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy belated birthday to U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch. Happy birthday to the most powerful woman in Florida Democratic politics, Ashley Walker. Also celebrating today are U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Juan del Cerro, Libby Alexander Pigman, and our all-time favorite Cate, Elizabeth Ray — make that Dr.!

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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, A.G. Gancarski, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.