Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 8.28.20

First in Sunburn — Jason Brodeur calls for unity in SD 9 ad — Republican former Rep. Brodeur is competing against Democratic nominee Patricia Sigman in Senate District 9, which is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races this cycle.

As the sprint to Election Day begins, he’s come out with a new ad reaching across the aisle and pitching himself as the bipartisan problem solver the district — and the state — needs.

“This pandemic affects everyone, regardless of party. The only way to overcome it is together,” he says in the 30-second spot.

The ad highlights Brodeur’s time in the House, touting legislation he sponsored that received support on both sides of the aisle.

“Protecting our waterways. Stopping animal cruelty. Nearly every Brodeur bill won bipartisan support,” a narrator says. “Now Brodeur is calling on both sides to expand vocational education and help struggling families during this crisis.”

Brodeur again pushes for unity in his outro: “Neither side caused this pandemic, but both sides can help overcome it.”

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

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The Florida Chamber of Commerce is issuing a bulk endorsement Friday, giving approval to a dozen state House candidates running in the November general election.

“These candidates support priorities and policies where local businesses can thrive as Florida continues to lead as the best state in the nation for jobs and smart growth,” said Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson. “Through these difficult times, we will continue our work to secure Florida’s future by supporting candidates that are pro-business, pro-jobs and will safeguard the strength of our economy.”

None of the 12 candidates endorsed Friday are incumbents, and all but one is running for an open seat.

The lone exception is Pensacola Republican Michelle Salzman, who defeated controversial Rep. Mike Hill in the primary for HD 1 earlier this month.

Like Salzman, most on the list are Republicans who cleared their biggest hurdle in the primary, including Patt Maney in HD 4, Joe Harding in HD 22, Webster Barnaby in HD 27, Kaylee Tuck in HD 55, David Borrero in HD 105, Alex Rizo in HD 110 and Jim Mooney in HD 120.

Three other Chamber-backed Republicans are hoping to flip seats currently held by Democrats.

The first, Jeremy Sisson, is a long shot. He is running against Rep. Anna Eskamani in HD 47. Though it was once in Republican hands, Eskamani won her first term by 15 points two years ago. The others are Fiona McFarland in HD 72 and Demi Busatta Cabrera in HD 114. Both are running for seats held by Democrats seeking higher office.

The Chamber’s final endorsement went to Christine Hunschofsky, a Democrat who is in line to succeed the late Rep. Kristin Jacobs in the solidly blue HD 96.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@realDonaldTrump: Democrats and Biden didn’t even mention the Anarchists, Agitators, Looters and so-called “Peaceful Protesters” at their Convention. They will allow rampant crime, just as they do in Portland. If they ask us, as they must do, we will end crime in their Democrat run cities, FAST!

Tweet, tweet:

Day 4 of the @GOPconvention! Here at the White House to watch President @realDonaldTrump accept his renomination! 🇺🇸 #RNC2020 #KAG pic.twitter.com/0vIgBT4Cqi

— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) August 28, 2020

Tweet, tweet:

They thought I would be an easy target because my prosthetics move slowly. They were wrong. https://t.co/QooCkK5KFn

— Brian Mast (@BrianMastFL) August 28, 2020

—@EricBoehlert: NYT concludes Kenosha is hurting Dems because NYT interviewed 4 (!) voters. no indication any Black voters were interviewed NYT also interviewed an editor of a right-wing Wisc website. no liberal partisans were quoted

—@APantazi: On what would’ve been the final day of the RNC in Jax, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry says today’s anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday is “a day to remember the transgressions of our past and resolve to create a better, more perfect future for all Jacksonville citizens.”

Tweet, tweet:

Florida is at the White House with last nights convention speaker Mick McHale , WH superstar and mother of @FionaForFlorida, @RealKTMcFarland, and the best Vice Chairman @ChrisMZiegler. The best is yet to come! #OTV2020 #MAGA @FloridaGOP pic.twitter.com/ypOTCw3wgO

— Joe Gruters (@JoeGruters) August 27, 2020

— @AngieNixon: It’s been nearly a month and a half since I tested positive for COVID. I just received a call from the Health Department to do tracing. They keep apologizing saying they dropped the ball. This is absurd.

— @SShawFL: I’m tired of posting about it. I’m tired of trying to find the right words. I’m tired of doing interviews about it. I’m tired of the apathy about it. I’m tired of you being tired of the protests. I’m just tired. IT = police brutality + the racism behind it. #blacklivesmatter

—@steveschale: Notwithstanding the Spain thing, this is also a good reminder: The riots happening right now in the US are quite literally Trump’s America.

—@ACLUFlorida: Salaythis Melvin should still be alive and his family deserves justice.

—@Redistricting: Voters have pretty short memories compared to analysts’ priors. As more Americans get used to living in a pandemic, there is potential — not necessarily a likelihood, but potential — for the dominance of COVID-19 to ebb as voters’ top issue and other issues to rise.

— DAYS UNTIL —

U.S. Open begins — 3; Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” rescheduled premiere in U.S. — 6; Rescheduled running of the Kentucky Derby — 8; Rescheduled date for French Open — 30; First presidential debate in Indiana — 32; “Wonder Woman 1984” premieres — 35; Preakness Stakes rescheduled — 36; Ashley Moody’s 2020 Human Trafficking Summit — 39; First vice presidential debate at the University of Utah — 40; NBA season ends (last possible date) — 45; Second presidential debate scheduled in Miami — 48; NBA draft — 49; Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” premieres — 49; NBA free agency — 52; Florida Chamber’s Future of Florida Forum — 53; Third presidential debate at Belmont — 55; 2020 General Election — 67; “Black Widow” premieres — 71; NBA 2020-21 training camp — 73; College basketball season slated to begin — 74; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 84; “No Time to Die” premieres — 84; NBA 2020-21 opening night — 97; Super Bowl LV in Tampa — 163; “A Quiet Place Part II” rescheduled premiere — 175; “Top Gun: Maverick” rescheduled premiere — 308; New start date for 2021 Olympics — 329; “Jungle Cruise” premieres — 336; “Spider-Man Far From Home” sequel premieres — 434; “Thor: Love and Thunder” premieres — 532; “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premieres — 574; “Black Panther 2” premieres — 616; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sequel premieres — 769.

— SMOLDERING — 

“‘It’s playing into Donald Trump’s hands’: Dems fear swing-state damage from Kenosha unrest” via Natasha Korecki of POLITICO — Downtown buildings set ablaze by arsonists were still smoldering from the night before when Kirk Ingram started to paint an angel on his boarded-up storefront. Ingram, a Democrat who runs a massage therapy business, said the war-zone images of his city on TV — armed people running through the streets, burned cars and broken windows — were bolstering Trump‘s get-tough message. Maybe a few uplifting murals could start to tell a different story about Kenosha, Ingram said Wednesday. Trump has attempted to frame the violent unrest in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting as a fallout from inept leadership and the inability of Democrats to take control of their cities. On Wednesday, he announced he would send in the National Guard while criticizing Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers for not doing so, even though the Democrat had deployed guard troops on Monday and increased them on subsequent days.

“Trump officials see political opportunity in racial unrest rocking the nation” via Matthew Choi of POLITICO — Trump administration officials on Thursday seized on the recent police shooting of Blake and the resulting unrest to argue that Democrats are encouraging lawlessness, leading Joe Biden to accuse the president of cravenly exploiting a national tragedy. Top Trump advisers argued rioting that has sprung up adjacent to peaceful protests over racial injustice would crystallize voters behind Trump’s “law and order” agenda. Democrats, the president’s team contested, have failed for decades to address the issues that have roiled the country all summer. “We’re offering solutions with policy,” senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said Thursday. “The other side’s doing a lot of complaining.” Already a focal point for much of the summer, unrest over racial injustice in the U.S. crested again this week after Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wis.

“Joe Biden: Trump is ‘rooting for more violence’” via Fadel Allassan of Axios — Biden told MSNBC on Thursday that Trump is “rooting for more violence, not less” in cities facing unrest due to protests against police brutality. The Democratic nominee’s comments came after four consecutive nights of turmoil in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was left paralyzed. On Wednesday, a 17-year-old, who allegedly was acting as a member of a vigilante group, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in Tuesday night’s shooting deaths of two people during the protests in Kenosha. The unrest there follows months of protests nationwide, sparked by the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. “What’s he doing — pouring more gasoline on the fire — I think he views it as a political benefit,” Biden said of Trump.

“How chaos in Kenosha is already swaying some voters in Wisconsin” via Sabrina Tavernise and Ellen Almer Durston of The New York Times — The politically calculated warnings of Trump and the Republican Party about chaos enveloping America should Democrats win in November are reverberating among some people in Kenosha, a small city in the southeast corner of one of the most critical states in this election, where protests have raged for a number of increasingly combustible nights. While many demonstrators have been peaceful, others have set fire to buildings. At least four businesses downtown have been looted. Men armed with guns have shown up to confront protesters, leading to the shooting of three people, two of them fatally. On Wednesday, a white teenager from across the state line in Illinois was arrested in connection to the shooting, and Trump vowed to send in federal law enforcement and additional National Guard troops.

“Praise for alleged Kenosha shooter proliferates on Facebook despite supposed ban” via Julia Carrie Wong of The Guardian — Fundraisers, messages of support and celebratory memes for the alleged Kenosha, Wisconsin, mass shooter are being shared widely on Facebook and Instagram, despite the company’s assurance that it was working to enforce its policy banning content that “praises, supports, or represents” mass shooters. One fundraiser for Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was shared more than 17,700 times on Facebook, including by 291 public groups and pages with more than 3.9m aggregate followers, according to data from CrowdTangle. A second fundraiser garnered 1,698 shares on the platform, including by an additional 17 pages and groups with nearly 400,000 followers.

“‘We cannot drop the ball’: Al Sharpton hopes Washington march jolts Congress” via Joshua Jamerson of The Wall Street Journal — Thousands of people are expected to march in the nation’s capital to protest police brutality against Black Americans, a demonstration planned earlier this summer in the wake of Floyd’s death that has gained new urgency after this week’s police shooting of Blake. Sharpton said the goal is to use the Friday march to increase pressure on the GOP-controlled Senate to pick up two pieces of legislation that have cleared the Democratic-run House: The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would make it easier to prosecute police officers for misconduct; and a new version of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that dictated federal oversight of state election law, a central provision that was struck down by the Supreme Court.

“NBA players make loud statement by turning down the volume” via John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times — The balls were put away and the scoreboards shut down as the NBA turned silent Wednesday. No matter where you stand — politically, culturally, philosophically — that is a good thing. We need more silence. We need more reflection. We need more grace. Maybe this extraordinary moment in sports is an opportunity finally to listen instead of shouting. Being quiet for the next few minutes is not a life-or-death choice for you or me, but it could be for others if we take the time to understand the message we’re missing. Because that’s what this protest is about. It often gets hijacked and veers in extreme directions when the marching and screaming and counter-protests begin. But what NBA players chose to do by boycotting playoff games Wednesday was simply to ask the world to pay attention.

“Jaguars create executive position to push for social justice” via The Associated Press — The Jacksonville Jaguars have created an executive position to lead the organization’s social responsibility mission. The small-market franchise named T-Neisha Tate as vice president of social responsibility and impact. She is responsible for directing the team’s desire to emphasize respect and to inspire and unify players, staff, and fans to make a positive, meaningful impact on the community. Team president Mark Lamping says the Jaguars “have placed strong emphasis on social responsibility and racial equality, and the creation of this position is taking that commitment to an entirely new and appropriate level.”

“Jaguars players voted 37-36 to practice Thursday after meeting two hours to discuss police brutality issues” via John Reid of The Florida Times-Union — Tired of seeing another Black man shot by the police, the Jaguars players met with coaches Thursday morning for more than two hours to discuss how they can provide immediate actionable change. Some players thought protesting by canceling Thursday’s practice in response to the police shooting of Blake, a Black man, who was shot several times in his back Sunday by Kenosha, Wisc., police, that’s left him partially paralyzed from the waist down, would bring attention to the situation. In response to the Blake shooting, eight NFL teams canceled practice Thursday, a day after the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks also refused to play a playoff game in protest. 

“Jaguars, Marrone struggling on how to deal with social injustice” via Gene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union — From the Jaguars to every corner of the sports world, there’s an inescapable feeling of sadness over yet another horrific incident of police brutality involving a Black citizen. But the overriding fallout from this disturbing trend is this: nobody in the NFL, NBA or any other sport promoting the #BlackLivesMatter movement really knows how to initiate real change. Nothing against canceling games or organizing a peaceful, inspiring protest march — both of which are paved with good intentions — but change is likely going to come more through politicians enacting real legislation. In the meantime, it’s a travesty America has to keep dealing with too many Black people dying or almost dying because a small number of police officers use excessive force.

“Federal government declares Jacksonville’s James Weldon Johnson Park historic site” via the Florida Times-Union — The U.S. Department of Interior marked the 60th anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday by designating James Weldon Johnson Park as part of the African American Civil Rights Network. The declaration came after U.S. Rep. Al Lawson filed a congressional resolution last week to honor the park with this designation. The park was the site of the Ax Handle Saturday violence 60 years ago. Jacksonville’s Republican Congressman, former Sheriff John Rutherford, announced the declaration on Twitter by saying “the @realDonaldTrump Administration rightly recognized the horrors of #AxHandleSaturday.” Democratic presidential nominee Biden also marked the anniversary, linking the events of that day to incidents that have spurred social unrest this summer.

— YAWN? —

As racial tensions are seemingly coming to a boil nationwide, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds those people actively protesting America’s racism — in ways big and small — are, in fact, a minority.

While many advocates believe true equality can only come about after all Americans are willing to address the issue of racism, this survey shows only 36% of respondents taking any concrete action to better understand racial issues after the death of Floyd.

Out of that group, White Americans were the least likely to act, at just 30%.

In contrast, 51% of Latinos, 49% of Asians, and 41% of Black people answered “Yes” when asked: “Since the death of George Floyd in May, have you personally taken any actions to better understand racial issues in America?”

These numbers show to what extend the protest movement — one of the largest in history — has inspired American citizens to confront racial justice.

White Americans were also, on average, the least likely to have attended a protest or rally following Floyd’s death — 7% said they had, versus 13% of Black Americans, 11% of Latinos, and 8% of Asian Americans.

Less than half of White Americans (48%) say they support Black Lives Matter, compared to 73% of Black respondents who support the movement, as well as 59% of Latinos and Asians.

Conducted Aug. 20-21, the poll surveyed 1,186 adults in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Read the full results here. 

— CONVENTION NOTES —

“Trump lashes Biden, defies pandemic on White House stage” via Jonathan Lemire, Michelle L. Price And Kevin Freking of The Associated Press — Trump blasted Biden as a hapless career politician who will endanger Americans’ safety as he accepted his party’s renomination on the South Lawn of the White House. While the coronavirus kills 1,000 Americans each day, Trump defied his own administration’s pandemic guidelines to speak for more than an hour to a tightly packed, largely maskless crowd. Facing a moment fraught with racial turmoil, economic collapse and a national health emergency, Trump delivered a triumphant, optimistic vision of America’s future. But he said that brighter horizon could only be secured if he defeated his Democratic foe. When Trump finished, a massive fireworks display went off by the Washington Monument, complete with explosions that spelled out “Trump 2020.”

“Trump will tout purchase of 150M rapid coronavirus tests in RNC speech” via Dan Diamond of POLITICO — Trump will tout a major expansion of rapid coronavirus testing in his address at the Republican National Convention, White House officials confirmed. Trump will announce that the administration has struck a $750 million deal to acquire 150 million tests from Abbott Laboratories, which three individuals with knowledge of the announcement said are set to be deployed in nursing homes, schools and other areas with populations at high risk. “This is a major development that will help our country to remain open, get Americans back to work, and kids back to school,” said White House spokesperson Alyssa Farah. Abbott received an emergency authorization from the FDA on Wednesday for its rapid BinaxNOW test, which costs $5 and can produce results in 15 minutes without the use of any lab equipment. Abbott has said that it will be able to produce about 50 million tests per month by October.

“Millennial and Gen Z Republicans showcased at the Republican convention” via Eugene Scott of The Washington Post — The Republican National Convention is taking place as many people in the party are sitting back to see what shape it will take should Trump lose in November. Meanwhile, a few of its youngest stars have gotten prime-time billing and have provided some of the convention’s most memorable moments. On Wednesday, a lawmaker, an administration official, and a buzzy congressional candidate made the case that the president’s agenda is in the best interest of people of their generation. The night before, 34-year-old Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron showed just how formidable a force he could be in a post-Trump GOP, regardless of which direction the party takes. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is 36 and was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won her seat in 2014, attached herself to the Trump orbit with her forceful defense of the president. She’s one of a handful of members of the House with a speaking role this week, and she revisited her signature issue: opposition to the president’s impeachment.

— PRESIDENTIAL —

“‘It’s not supposed to be about him’: Kamala Harris scorches Donald Trump in prebuttal of acceptance speech” via Caitlyn Oprysko and Christopher Cadelago of Politico —Harris issued a devastating rebuke hammering the president for his sluggish response to the coronavirus pandemic and spiraling racial unrest — and what she said was a lack of meaningful attention paid to both at the Republican National Convention. The Democratic vice presidential nominee began her speech by addressing the “pain, hurt and destruction” caused by wildfires raging in California and Colorado and Hurricane Laura in the Gulf of Mexico, and also by this week’s police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., which has prompted at-times-violent protests.

“Poll: Biden, Trump race tightens in Florida” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Democratic National Convention and choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate choice didn’t give Biden a bump with Florida voters. That’s one conclusion to be drawn from the most recent CNBC/Change Research poll, released Wednesday morning which shows that in at least one survey, Biden has lost half his lead over the last couple of weeks. The survey, conducted from Friday to Sunday, would have encompassed the afterglow of the DNC, while not encountering counterprogramming from Trump and the Republican National Convention this week. While Biden still leads Trump, that lead has shrunk from the previous survey.

“In Trump’s must-win Florida, cops won’t be poll watchers” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO — DeSantis said the state has no plans to use law enforcement as poll watchers during November’s general election, an idea floated earlier this month by President Donald Trump. “We don’t have any plans to be using them [law enforcement] as poll watchers,” DeSantis said Thursday when reporters asked about the issue. Trump recently told Sean Hannity of Fox News that his administration was considering the widespread use of law enforcement to watch polls in November.

“Trump campaign knocks on 1 millionth Florida door” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The campaign to reelect Trump has not forgone the age-old strategy of front-porch politicking in the time of coronavirus. The campaign announced it has knocked on its 1 millionth door in Florida as campaign staff and volunteers have resumed canvassing neighborhoods, insisting they are taking safety precautions in the coronavirus crisis that has shut down much face-to-face contact throughout Florida this spring and summer. “In June, our field teams transitioned back to in-person campaign activities, safely contacting voters at their door and holding in-person events throughout the state,” said Trump Victory spokesperson Emma Vaughn. The canvassing continued even as Florida experienced a dramatic resurgence of COVID-19 in late June, July, and early August. 

“Hundreds of former GOP aides endorse Biden” via The Associated Press — More than 300 alumni of the most recent Republican administration and presidential campaigns are collectively endorsing Biden on the day that Republican Trump accepts his party’s nomination for a second term. Biden’s campaign released three separate joint statements from the political orbits of former President George W. Bush, 2012 nominee and now-U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney and 2008 nominee John McCain, who died in 2018. The list of signatories ranges from rank-and-file campaign aides for all three men to some sub-Cabinet appointees in the Bush administration. The show of bipartisan force seeks to bolster Biden’s argument that Trump presents a fundamental threat to the nation that transcends party loyalties.

“Biden plans modified return to campaign trail” via Hans Nichols of Axios — Biden announced plans on Thursday to start traveling to swing states, promising not to violate “state rules about how many people can in fact assemble.” Biden’s announcement comes after Axios first reported the campaign was considering how to travel in a way that honored local regulations while reaching voters in important states. As some polls suggest Biden’s lead is narrowing, some Democrats worry that President Donald Trump could gain a tactical advantage at crunch time if he’s campaigning in person and Biden’s only out there virtually.

“Ashley Moody says Trump makes moms feel safe” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump‘s down in polls behind Biden, with women breaking for the Democrat in Florida and elsewhere. Moody doesn’t believe that will hold when the votes are counted, however, as the President makes moms feel safe. Moody, booked Thursday afternoon on “After the Bell” on the Fox Business Network, discounted polling that showed Biden up 53% to 43% among likely female voters in Florida. “Elections will come down to the gut feelings of moms,” Moody said, hearkening back to her own 2018 campaign as an example of how that works. “Moms want to know, number one, that there is going to be safety, security, and stability for their children, to grow up in a community that feels safe,” Moody said.

“Dolphins owner Steve Ross feels some regret about Trump fundraiser, according to New York Times” via Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Ross tiptoed around his political support for Trump and expressed some regret for hosting a campaign fundraiser last year in a Q&A published by The New York Times on Thursday. Ross, the Dolphins’ owner since 2010, said the goal of the Trump luncheon fundraiser was to “help raise money for New York with the people that I know in Washington.” The remorse Ross has from the event — which was held at his home in the Hamptons last August with entrance fees of $100,000 and $250,000 — stems from the negative effects the fundraiser had on his business partners, he said.

— 2020 —

“Black voters are being targeted in disinformation campaigns, echoing the 2016 Russian playbook” via Craig Timberg and Isaac Stanley-Becker of The Washington Post — Four years after Russian operatives used social media in a bid to exacerbate racial divisions in the United States and suppress Black voter turnout, such tactics have spread across a wide range of deceptive online campaigns operated from numerous nations including from within the United States itself. The potency and persistence of the racial playbook were highlighted this week when Twitter deleted an account featuring a profile photo of a young Black man claiming to be a former Black Lives Matter protester who switched his allegiance to the Republican Party. The account, @WentDemtoRep, offered an online testimonial Sunday — the eve of a Republican convention featuring prominent African Americans challenging allegations of racism against Trump — and was retweeted 22,000 times. Disinformation researcher Marc Owen Jones, of Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, found the tweet had 39,000 likes just 19 hours after it was posted.

“After Florida was hacked in 2016 election, state got millions for election security. Here’s how it was spent” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat — After Florida election offices were hacked four years ago, unprecedented millions flowed to the states to shore up electoral systems against future attacks. Florida officials pulled a shroud of secrecy over how that money was spent, forcing election supervisors to sign confidentiality agreements before they could get their money. Most of the $14.6 million pot of money — about $8 million — went to high-tech gadgetry to secure the voter database, upgrade outdated network systems and servers, and improve the security of the elections system. The single largest chunk of those election security funds given to Florida — $3.6 million — was used to buy electronic poll books that help protect voter data and allow for quick verification of voter eligibility, which guards against people voting twice.

“How Laura Loomer explains her history of hate-speech, Islamophobia” via Christine Stapleton of The Palm Beach Post — Six days after hundreds of supporters celebrated Loomer’s win in the District 21 GOP primary at the Airport Hilton Hotel in West Palm Beach, the 27-year-old Islamophobic internet provocateur returned to the same stage amid a standing ovation. For Loomer, Monday evening’s event sponsored by the Palm Beach County Chapter of Club 45 offered an opportunity to display a sophisticated, well-spoken, even-keeled demeanor. That side of Loomer is a stark contrast to her record of extremist anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim statements.

— LEG. CAMPAIGNS — 

“In video thanking supporters, Shevrin Jones pushes for big turnout to support Biden” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — After winning the Democratic nod in Senate District 35, Jones is pushing to ensure Biden wins the presidency in November. “It’s time to come together,” Jones said in a newly-released video to supporters. “It’s time for us to finish this race strong. Beyond our important state and local races, we have to put in the work to elect Biden our next President. Jones backed Biden’s campaign early, endorsing him in May 2019. That support paid off as Biden won Florida and secured the Democratic nomination. He formally accepted that nomination at last week’s Democratic National Convention. Last week also saw Jones emerge from a six-person field to secure the Democratic nomination in SD 35. Jones began his new video by thanking his supporters.

To watch Jones’ thank you video, click on the image below:

“New José Javier Rodríguez ad highlights COVID-19 crisis” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Rodríguez is releasing a new campaign ad centered on his response to the COVID-19 outbreak in South Florida. Republican candidate Ileana Garcia is challenging Sen. Rodríguez for the Senate District 37 seat this fall. Nonparty affiliated candidate Alex Rodriguez also qualified. Sen. Rodríguez has been vocal about providing relief to families affected by the pandemic. Thursday, he released ads in English and Spanish highlighting his goal to further that work next Session. “The crisis families face today is like no other,” Sen. Rodríguez begins in the English version. “Our small businesses are struggling to hang on and too many worry when their next paycheck will come. I’m José Javier Rodríguez and I’m holding political leaders accountable. Fix the unemployment system. Provide needed aid to our businesses. Lead with science to get through this pandemic. As your state Sen., I will always fight for you because you deserve nothing less.”

Epilogue — “State House candidate Sandra Atkinson charged in theft of campaign signs” via Jim Thompson of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Atkinson, one of the losing candidates in the four-way Aug. 18 Republican primary race for the state House District 4 seat, is headed to court on a charge of petty larceny in connection with the alleged theft of a competitor’s campaign signs. The charge against Atkinson, alleging the theft of a number of campaign signs belonging to House race competitor Jeff Hinkle, a retired Destin entrepreneur who still operates an aircraft leasing business and a real estate company, is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Former Miami-Dade mayoral rival backs Steve Bovo, while Daniella Levine Cava adds support from congressional Democrats” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Former Miami-Dade County mayoral candidate Monique Nicole Barley is endorsing Bovo after Barley failed to advance to a top-two runoff in the contest last week. Bovo and Levine Cava secured the top two spots in the Aug. 18 Primary Election. On Thursday, Democratic Reps. Donna Shalala and Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced they were backing Levine Cava’s bid. Barley placed fifth in the seven-person field, courting just 5% of the vote last Tuesday. Barley, an entrepreneur, said she was “walking away from the Democratic Party” to endorse Bovo. Adding to her critique of Democrats, Barley said of her campaign, “They didn’t help me and [I] did my best with no money. For the most part, they didn’t believe in me.”

“Florida Elections Commission: Eric Robinson’s political committee didn’t break the law” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Florida Elections Commission ruled Wednesday that a political committee chaired by outgoing Sarasota County School Board member Robinson did not violate Florida law, dismissing a complaint alleging the committee aided in a scheme to circumvent the prohibition on partisan campaigning in Sarasota city races. “I was going to win because I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong,” said Robinson, who lost his reelection bid last week. “The problem is people are able to just attack, attack, attack with impunity … and then I have to spend all this time and energy defending myself.”

“Osceola County sues Orange County over Split Oak election issue” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Osceola County has filed its lawsuit seeking to prevent Orange County voters from being able to vote on whether they want to provide special conservation protections to the Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Conservation Area that straddles the two counties. It was unclear Thursday if Orange County would defend itself and the election. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings declined to say Thursday whether his administration would fight the suit. When asked specifically at a news conference Thursday afternoon if he intended to fight the suit, Demings would only say, “we are monitoring it.” He then declined to comment further, saying it is customary to not comment on litigation.

— CORONA FLORIDA —

Florida adds 3,269 new COVID-19 cases as the death toll rises to more than 10,800” via Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald — Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 3,269 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s known total to 611,991. There were also 135 Florida resident deaths announced, bringing the resident death toll to 10,868. There were four new nonresident deaths also announced, bringing the nonresident toll to 143. Miami-Dade County reported 622 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 29 new deaths, according to Florida’s Department of Health. The county now has 154,757 confirmed cases and 2,346 deaths. Broward County reported 264 additional confirmed cases of the disease and nine new deaths. The county now has a known total of 70,147 cases and 1,169 deaths.

“‘Game changer?’ Florida eyes rapid and sensitive coronavirus test that just hit market” via Ben Conarck and Daniel Chang of the Miami Herald — A new COVID-19 test approved by the Food and Drug Administration could dramatically improve and expand rapid testing for the disease in Florida, according to the state’s testing czar. It’s unclear when they will be available. The U.S. is purchasing 150 million of the tests at a cost of $750 million. Jared Moskowitz, the state’s emergency manager, said they will change the testing landscape in Florida. The nasal-swab test, called BinaxNOW, is priced at about $5, a fraction of the cost of the tests Florida currently uses to diagnose the illness.

“Ron DeSantis: Don’t always trust COVID headlines on kids going back to school” via Jane Musgrave of The Palm Beach Post — With hundreds of students testing positive for the coronavirus as they return to Florida universities, Gov. DeSantis lashed out at the suggestion that sending young people back to school is unsafe. Not only is it likely that the students contracted the virus before they went back to college or elementary and high schools that have reopened across the state, but the number of kids testing positive is remarkably low, he said. “You see the headlines that say, oh, 2,000 students at the University of Alabama … have tested positive and they test like 60,000 people.”

“DeSantis talks business adversity as pandemic subsides” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to weigh on Florida’s largely leisure-based economy, DeSantis is continuing to spotlight how business owners are coping with outbreaks On Wednesday, the Governor met with theme park leaders to share a message of safety success. Thursday’s panel took him to the other side of the Interstate 4 corridor to talk reopening with local business owners at Port Tampa Bay. “I’m glad that as we sit here today in the state of Florida, the picture with COVID-19 is much more positive than what we were dealing with at the end of June and the beginning of July in particular,” DeSantis said. Virus infections have continued declining since peaking in mid-July. Hospital metrics and the testing positivity rate also show favorable trends.

“DeSantis signs up Florida for $300 jobless benefits program, but new delays could await” via Gray Rohrer and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — More than two weeks after Trump set up a way to extend federal unemployment benefits, DeSantis is applying for the program that will give an additional $300 to out-of-work Floridians who qualify. “We’re making sure we can do it and do it successfully,” DeSantis said when asked about the delay at an event in Orlando before announcing the state’s application. Thousands of jobless Floridians have been left in limbo after the previous $600 federal benefit expired on July 31. Trump’s new plan caught federal and state agencies by surprise, DeSantis said, leading to the lag in applying. So far, 32 states have been approved for the program but residents in only two, Texas and Arizona, have begun receiving the funds.

“Could legalizing recreational marijuana help solve Florida’s COVID-19 budget shortfall?” via Skylar Swisher of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A bipartisan pair of state lawmakers have a long-shot green stimulus plan for Florida’s gaping pandemic budget hole — legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. Pot enthusiasts shouldn’t get their hopes up too high, though. Such an idea hasn’t caught fire in the conservative Florida Legislature, and Ron DeSantis opposes full legalization. But Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Sen. Jeff Brandes think it deserves consideration given that lawmakers need to plug a $5.4 billion budget deficit over the next two years. And they say cold-hard budget realities could sway people to support their cause.

— BACK TO SCHOOL? —

“Judge rejects putting schools ruling on hold” via Dara Kam of The News Service Of Florida — Judge Charles Dodson issued a temporary injunction accusing DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other state education officials of ignoring the Florida Constitution by requiring school districts to resume face-to-face instruction this month amid the coronavirus pandemic. Attorneys for Corcoran and DeSantis immediately filed a notice of appealing Dodson’s ruling to the 1st District Court of Appeal. That automatically placed a stay on Dodson’s ruling — effectively putting it on hold until the appeals court can resolve the case. Attorneys for the Florida Education Association and the Orange County teachers’ union asked Dodson to lift the stay. Dodson rejected the state’s arguments, writing that they were a rehash of the state’s case presented last week.

“DeSantis predicts state win over union in school reopening lawsuit” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is confident Florida will win its appeal of a lower-court ruling asserting the state didn’t protect teachers sufficiently when reopening schools this month. The Governor, addressing reporters after a business roundtable in Tampa, said, “I think we’ll win the appeal, obviously, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it.” The Florida Education Association lawsuit challenges an edict from Corcoran that schools must reopen this month under plans approved by his office or run the risk of losing state funding. A Leon County judge sided with the union last week. But the Governor isn’t worried. “There’s a lot of talk, a judge that ruled this and all this, but here’s what I was telling the commissioner when he was telling me about the ruling,” DeSantis said. “You know, if the appeals court rules against the state, you know, in three weeks, those districts … the parents are still going to want to have that option, so functionally I don’t think it’s going to change.”

“Donald Trump Jr. gives a shoutout to embattled Richard Corcoran on school reopening snag” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Corcoran, amid a turbulent news cycle, was praised by a source extremely close to the White House this week. Trump Jr., the namesake son of the President, featured Florida’s current controversy about reopening schools in a long-form op-ed for Fox News noticed Wednesday by an exultant Corcoran. Trump Jr., Corcoran tweeted Wednesday, was “spot on” in his assessment of the situation, currently in limbo pending the decision of an appeals court after the first round went to the Florida Education Association. Trump’s red-meat op-ed jibed with the commissioner’s politicized push to reopen brick and mortar schools throughout the state.

“There’s coronavirus in the classroom. Why isn’t everyone going home?” via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Phones rang across Pinellas County, all receiving the same message from the school district. “Please remember: If anyone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19, no members of your household should come to school until you have received direction from the Department of Health or the School District. And if your student has been tested for COVID-19, but is awaiting test results, your student and all other members of the household must not come to school.” The reminder particularly resonated for those attending Northeast High in St. Petersburg, where a student attended classes all day before getting a call with positive test results.

“With nearly 10,000 students unaccounted for, Duval Schools reminds families ‘we are open’” via Emily Bloch of The Florida Times-Union — Duval County Public Schools officially opened its doors — both in person and virtually — one week ago. But officials say they’re struggling to get the message out because of COVID-19 pandemic confusion. For that reason, the school district said nearly 10,000 students are unaccounted for. According to Duval Schools spokeswoman Laureen Ricks, “almost 9,700 students” are enrolled but haven’t connected with their school, online or in person. That’s a little under 9% based on the district’s projection to serve about 111,000 students this year. Duval County Public Schools opened for students on Aug. 20. According to public records obtained by The Times-Union, 88% of students were marked present on the first day of school.

“‘Stuff the Bus’ delivers school supplies to Marion County students” via Andy Fillmore of the Ocala Star-Banner — The “Stuff the Bus” program, organized by military veterans and in its 20th year, collects material donated by private individuals and local businesses for distribution to students based upon parent requests and school staff recommendations. This school year, 27 elementary and charter schools in the county will each receive 25 backpacks — a total of 675 — filled with school supplies. Belleview-Santos Elementary principal Kimberly White was on hand for the backpack delivery. “This is absolutely incredible. Our community cares about children,” White said.Marion County Veterans Council President Craig Ham, a retired U.S. Army colonel and Suzanne McGuire, group secretary, delivered the backpacks to Belleview-Santos Elementary. Ham said no two backpacks are alike, providing anonymity.

“Top Orange health official: No coronavirus infections from schools yet” via Ryan Gillespie and Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — More than 100 students and staff of Orange County Public Schools are under quarantine after possible exposure to one of the 36 students or staff who tested positive for COVID-19, a health official said Thursday afternoon. Dr. Raul Pino, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, said his staff hasn’t yet found evidence of the virus being transmitted on school campuses and the 21 students and 15 staff with the virus likely picked it up elsewhere since schools have been in face-to-face sessions for less than a week. “We’re investigating a few cases to make sure that hasn’t happened,” Pino said. “Most of these cases, probably, were acquired in the community.”

“Seventh Pinellas County School reports COVID-19, fifth to issue quarantines” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Another six classes have been quarantined in Pinellas County after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, according to the school district’s Wednesday COVID-19 report. A staff member at Osceola Middle School tested positive. The district does not specify who tested, due to health privacy laws, nor does it say what role the affected employee played at the school. But it’s likely, though not certain, that since six classes were quarantined as a result, the employee was either a teacher or in-class support staff. It’s the seventh Pinellas County School to report COVID-19 cases among students or faculty since school opened Monday. Of those seven, five have issued two-week quarantines to affected students and staff.

— CORONA LOCAL —

“COVID vaccine trial in county paused due to ‘political pressure,’ doctor says” via John Pacenti of the Palm Beach Post — After much fanfare about its launch, the vaccine trial for COVID-19 in Palm Beach County is on pause because of “political pressure,” its principal investigator says. Researchers said at a news conference Aug. 17 that they had received the vaccine and were ready to administer it to the first 10 test subjects. But the chief investigator for the vaccine trial confirmed to The Palm Beach Post that the trial is on pause because of a question by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on whether a European trial is good enough to start manufacturing and distributing the vaccine.

“Brevard health official: We’ve flattened COVID-19 curve but can’t let guard down” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Brevard County’s top health official says the local COVID-19 data is showing positive signs this month but now is not the time to let our guard down. “We’ve definitely flattened our curve, and actually a little bit on the downward trend,” Florida Department of Health-Brevard Administrator Maria Stahl said during a briefing with county emergency management and public safety officials. There have been 7,092 cases of COVID-19 in Brevard County since the pandemic began, with 633 hospitalizations and 205 deaths, according to the Department of Health. There were an additional 52 cases and five death reported Thursday.

“A wave of COVID bankruptcies looms, and in Orlando, filings have already begun: ‘I tried everything possible’” via Caroline Glenn of the Orlando Sentinel — There were long stretches this past summer when not a single person came into Aire Gypsy, a bohemian clothing boutique in Orlando’s Hunter’s Creek neighborhood. Stay-at-home orders had been lifted, but it didn’t matter. The chance of catching COVID-19 outweighed the urge to shop. Things got so slow that owner Jenny Santiago had to let go her part-time employee. So, six days a week, Santiago minded the store by herself, waiting for customers and trying to keep busy cleaning and posting promotions online. But with hardly any sales, her bills were mounting. The rent alone for the 1,200 square-foot space was $4,200 a month. After COVID hit, she wasn’t making even a third of that.

“FSU alerts students after partygoer at former fraternity house tests positive for COVID-19” via Byron Dobson of the Tallahassee Democrat — At least one person attending an event at the former Alpha Tau Omega fraternity houses, 733 W. Pensacola St., last weekend has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Florida State University Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht. Anyone who visited this location during the weekend of Aug. 20-23 should immediately quarantine for a period of 14 days until Sunday, Sept. 6. The university’s medical advisory committee also recommends anyone visiting be tested for COVID-19 beginning Monday, Aug. 31. Regardless of the test results, those persons should continue to quarantine until Sunday, Sept. 6. “This is advised even if your test result is negative, as health professionals advise the virus can incubate for up to 14 days,” the university said.

“UCF football games against ECU, Memphis pushed back” via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel — The 2020 UCF football schedule was revised again, with the American Athletic Conference moving the Knights’ games against East Carolina and Memphis back a few days. The Knights were scheduled to travel to Greenville, North Carolina, to play ECU on Thursday, Sept. 24, but that game has been pushed back to Saturday, Sept. 26. A few weeks later, the team was scheduled to travel to Memphis to take on the Tigers on Friday, Oct. 16, but that game has been pushed back to Saturday, Oct. 17. It’s the 15th meeting in this series, with UCF holding a 13-1 advantage against Memphis. The changes leave the Knights with just one non-Saturday game — against rival USF on Friday, Nov. 27.

“USF will not allow fans for its football season opener” via WFLA staff reports — USF fans will have to stay home on Sept. 12 as the school has made the decision to not have fans at their first home football game. In a letter, Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said the school’s first game vs The Citadel will not have any fans however the school does plan to welcome fans to their remaining four home games of the 2020 season if state and local officials deem it appropriate for them to do so at that time. The number of fans we will be able to welcome to Raymond James Stadium this fall and the measures put in place to provide a safe and enjoyable experience will be communicated soon. 

“City mulls street vending, eased open container rules” via Gabriella Paul of the Gainesville Sun — Municipalities across the country have eased restrictions in the wake of coronavirus, allowing vendors to spill over into abutting sidewalks, parking lots and barricaded streets. In Florida, Tampa was among the first to play Tetris with city property back in May, with sidewalk eats and parking lot patios resembling an urban rendition of European al fresco dining. In Gainesville — as soon as Sept. 12 — that could mean picnic tables on University Avenue and vacant downtown lots transformed into city plazas, all under temporarily suspended open container rules. This week, local officials discussed several experiments for lending city and county property to make that happen.

— CORONA NATION —

“We don’t need to reach herd immunity to begin to get the virus under control” via Justin Lessler of The Washington Post — As the coronavirus pandemic rolls into its sixth month in the United States, people are starting to imagine how we might get past the virus. With rates of new infections low in some of the areas that were hit hard early on, and with multiple vaccine candidates in late clinical trials, “herd immunity” is starting to draw more attention. The idea that a community either has herd immunity and is protected from a disease or does not and is thus susceptible to outbreaks is so attractive that even epidemiologists who know better (including me) tend to talk about it this way. But herd immunity — or community immunity, as I prefer to call it — is really a much broader concept. It refers to any reduction in the efficiency of disease transmission due to the presence of immune individuals in the community. In other words, it’s the help that population immunity gives us in disease control.

“Six feet may not be enough to protect against coronavirus, experts warn” via Ben Guarino of The Washington Post — Public health experts are reevaluating guidelines for safe social distancing amid growing evidence that the novel coronavirus can travel farther than six feet under certain conditions. A team of infectious-disease experts argues in a new analysis, published this week in the BMJ, that six-feet protocols are too rigid and are based on outmoded science and observations of different viruses. Other researchers say six feet is a start — but only a start, warning that more space is almost always better, especially in poorly ventilated areas indoors. Factors such as air circulation, ventilation, exposure time, crowd density, whether people are wearing face masks and whether they are silent, speaking, shouting or singing should all be part of assessing whether six feet is sufficient, experts say. “I think six feet is a fine number, but we need to convey that this is a starting point,” said Linsey Marr, a Virginia Tech civil and environmental engineering professor.

— CORONA ECONOMICS — 

“How PPP borrowers can double-dip. Including one guy with Trump’s face on his Lamborghini hood” via Ben Wieder of the Miami Herald — A federal loan program designed to help mid-sized businesses struggling during the pandemic has, instead, primarily benefited small businesses who already received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans. A Miami Herald analysis found that 10 of the first 13 disclosed recipients of loans in the Federal Reserve Board’s Main Street lending program also received PPP loans. There’s no prohibition on double-dipping between the programs, though Eric Rosengren, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, which is administering the Main Street program, made clear in a hearing of the Congressional Oversight Commission earlier this month that the program is intended for bigger borrowers.

“With second stimulus checks on hold, Americans spend less at the grocery store” via Annie Gasparro and Jaewon Kang of The Wall Street Journal — Grocery shoppers are cutting back on spending, data show, a sign that Americans are hurting for cash as the federal unemployment stimulus remains on hold for most recipients. The emerging shift in food spending comes after the $600 in weekly additional unemployment checks expired in July. It has also prompted grocery stores to bring back something customers haven’t seen much of during the pandemic: discounts. Lump-sum stimulus checks consumers received in the spring and the extra unemployment money for people who lost their jobs in the coronavirus pandemic has helped shore up consumer businesses amid widespread shutdowns and millions of workers claiming unemployment. While consumer spending rebounded between May and July following a plunge earlier in the spring, analysts say that a broader pullback on grocery spending could mean lower sales for more discretionary items such as clothes and cars.

“Jobless claims drop amid efforts to ramp up economy” via Jim Turner of The News Service of Florida — First-time jobless claims in Florida dropped more than 37% during the week that ended Aug. 22, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report. The department estimated Florida had 45,723 new unemployment claims last week, down from an adjusted 72,774 first-time claims the prior week. “I’m happy to say, as tough as it’s been, we have added jobs,” DeSantis said during an event in Tampa. Florida saw its unemployment rate jump from 10.3% in June to 11.3% in July. That represented an increase of 122,000 people, putting the number of Floridians out of work at 1.125 million.

“Florida shows small signs of partial economic recovery from coronavirus” via Malena Carollo, Emily L. Mahoney and Sara DiNatale of Tampa Bay Times — Florida’s tourism-based economy is showing signs of a limited recovery after the pandemic devastated what was expected to be a record-breaking year for everything from air travel to hotel stays. Indicators that tourists are returning to the state — such as airline passenger counts and hotel occupancy rates — inched up after May, particularly around the beaches, when the state began reopening. Unemployment claims have dropped since spring. But the visitors are nowhere near the usual masses, and unemployment remains perilously high. And the upticks are tempered by other areas of the economy that are still in distress.

“Amid Florida’s budget shortfall, corporations lobby for more tax cuts” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — This spring, PetMed Express Inc., a nationwide pet pharmacy that sells nearly $300 million a year worth of medicines and supplies, got a six-figure gift from the state of Florida: A $285,000 income tax refund. Meanwhile, the company that owns Centennial Bank — which has branches in four states and $15 billion in assets — recently revealed that it paid $1 million less in Florida taxes last year. The tax savings for both companies stem from a roughly $2 billion package of temporary corporate tax cuts that some of the world’s biggest businesses lobbied through the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature in 2018 and 2019 — before the COVID-19 pandemic ripped a multibillion-dollar hole in Florida’s finances. Those corporate tax cuts are scheduled to expire at the end of next year. But now, citing the pandemic, businesses are pushing state leaders to turn those temporary cuts into permanent breaks.

“‘It’s a moving target’: When will DBPR’s Halsey Beshears reopen Florida bars, breweries?” via Laurie K. Bradford of TC Palm and Treasure Coast Newspapers— No reopening date has been set yet, Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Beshears said. Florida is still developing a plan to reopen bars and breweries safely during the coronavirus pandemic, two weeks after the top regulator toured the state to meet with owners. “It’s a moving target,” he said.

— MORE CORONA — 

“The American school year is a mess — so these families decided to move abroad” via Debra Kamin of The Washington Post — The U.S. government does not keep an official tally of how many of its citizens hold second passports, but estimates run as high as 40 million. And it’s even less clear how many will use those passports to get their kids back into physical classrooms for the 2020-2021 school year. But some are. And for many couples, COVID-19 was a final straw on top of a bale of political and social unrest, with a number of families taking advantage of their second passports to enroll their children in schools in other countries. Having an alternative country to jump to is a privilege, says Sara Goodman, a political scientist at the University of California at Irvine, who studies immigration and citizenship. But it’s not necessarily a privilege of income. 

“OUC crews head to Hurricane Laura damage in trucks stocked with COVID-19 masks” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — A dozen Orlando Utilities Commission linemen headed to Louisiana early, bound for electric grids wrecked by Hurricane Laura, one of the most powerful storms to strike the state. It’s a familiar routine for utilities in hurricane alley to voluntarily dispatch convoys of crews to help each other recover. But it’s also a new era, with warnings for more and bigger storms fueled by a warming climate and the onslaught of COVID-19 that utilities have tried their best to prepare for. The tool kits on their 40,000-pound bucket trucks, stocked with heavy wire cutters, thick gloves and wrenches, have been modified to include the lightest and flimsiest of items: face coverings.

“Why tourist spots like Bermuda are offering remote-work visas” via Debra Kamin of The Wall Street Journal — British travel blogger Chris Stevens isn’t one to put down roots. But thanks to a special new visa designed to lure remote workers just like them, he is considering heading to Barbados and staying put, at least for one year. The Barbados Welcome Stamp, announced in July, will allow foreigners—including Americans—to live and work in the Caribbean country tax-free for one year. Geared toward employees working remotely, the Welcome Stamp isn’t cheap—it costs $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for families—but allows for unlimited exit and re-entry during the year, as well as free public school access for visa-holders’ children.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Marco Rubio touts a new COVID technology in news release about his child’s school” via Alex Daugherty of the Miami Herald — A news release pitching a “catch and kill” air filtration system to help schools reduce COVID-19 infection risk quoted Sen. Rubio praising the technology and said the Republican lawmaker would be on hand to celebrate the system’s installation at True North Classical Academy, a charter school one of his children attends. But Rubio’s office said he won’t attend the event. And the sitting senator isn’t endorsing the product, Rubio spokesperson Nick Iacovella said in an email: “Sen. Rubio cannot comment on any specific product, but he strongly supports schools using new technologies, strategies, and routines to help them reopen safely.”

— STATEWIDE —

“Florida Supreme Court says DeSantis violated state constitution with court pick” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — In an important test case, the Florida Supreme Court concluded that DeSantis exceeded his authority when he elevated a South Florida judge to the state’s highest court even though she did not meet eligibility requirements in the state constitution. But it appears that Circuit Court Judge Renatha Francis still is on track to take her spot on the state Supreme Court because the justices ultimately refused to undo the appointment as requested by state Rep. Geraldine Thompson. Instead, justices rejected the Orlando Democrat’s lawsuit and said that they had no authority to require that the governor appoint someone from a new list of finalists. Justice Carlos Muniz, a DeSantis appointee who wrote the majority opinion, said that what Thompson “seeks is fundamentally different from the remedy that we are authorized to grant in the circumstances presented” and that it is “not our role to impose a remedy that was not requested.”

Deloitte’s $50M fine in Rhode Island went unnoticed — Florida’s Medicaid agency likely overlooked a $50 million fine Rhode Island levied against Deloitte for a public assistance IT system that didn’t meet the state’s standards. As reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, the fine was finalized in February and comes on top of years of nonpayment on the state’s contract with the company. The fine came just a few months before Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration awarded Deloitte a $135 million contract to build a database for the state’s Medicaid system. Some of the sanctions against the company were disclosed in its bid, though the state deemed records relating to them confidential.

“State approves five nursing home applications” via News Service of Florida — As the state battles the spread of COVID-19 in institutional care settings, six long-term care providers submitted the certificate of need applications to build additional facilities in Florida. State health care regulators announced this week that five of the applications have been accepted. The Agency for Health Care Administration accepted applications submitted by Avante Group in Orlando, Okeechobee Healthcare Facility in Okeechobee County, and Palm Beach SNF Operations which wants to build a new 150-bed nursing home in Palm Beach County. The state also accepted two applications from Miami-Dade County providers. Aventura SNF wants to add 40 community beds to its Aventura Rehab and Nursing Center, and Health Resort Network wants to establish a new 123-bed nursing home.

“Decision on Gulf Power coronavirus costs appealed” via The News Service of Florida — The Office of Public Counsel has gone to the Florida Supreme Court to challenge a regulatory decision that could ultimately help Gulf Power Co. pass along coronavirus-related costs to customers. The OPC, which represents consumers in utility issues, filed a notice of appeal as a first step in challenging the decision last month by the Florida Public Service Commission. The commission decision allows Gulf to start an accounting process for costs of safety-related measures and bad debt from customers not paying bills during the pandemic.

“Workers’ comp rule meeting scheduled“ via News Service of Florida — The Florida Department of Financial Services has scheduled a second public hearing about proposed regulatory changes in a process designed to resolve disputes about payments to medical providers in the workers’ compensation insurance system. Proposed changes include requiring providers to use a specified form to petition the state and to submit copies of all medical bills to the state along with the petition for review. A Department of Financial Services report showed that 5,298 health care providers petitioned the state for reviews of disputed claim reimbursements during the state’s 2016-2017 fiscal year. Of those, the department closed 4,725 petitions, dismissing 2,570 of them. A hearing on the proposed rule is scheduled for Oct. 7.

“Squeeze continues on Florida’s citrus groves” via The News Service Of Florida — Florida’s struggling citrus industry is using nearly 50% fewer acres than 20 years ago, according to annual end-of-season reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Florida Field Office calculated 419,542 citrus acres in Florida as the 2019-2020 growing season ended in July. The acreage figure was down 3% from a prior survey and off 49.6% from 2000 when citrus groves accounted for 832,275 acres, of which 665,529 were for oranges. In the latest count, 382,393 acres were used for orange production. During the recently finished season, the industry produced 67.3 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, the industry-standard measurement. That number was below the 71.85 million boxes filled during the 2018-2019 season.

“U.S. Sugar hammers plaintiffs in sugar-cane burn lawsuit after plaintiffs retract inaccurate data on pollution levels” via Florida Politics staff reports — Plaintiffs behind a lawsuit alleging sugar-cane burns are harming nearby Glades residents were forced to revise data which overstated the negative effects of those burns by 60 times. That’s according to a newly filed document responding to sugar farmers’ efforts to dismiss the case. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue their revised projections still justify the ongoing suit, but a U.S. Sugar spokesperson is bashing those attorneys for relying on inaccurate data in refiling the case. “From the beginning, the trial lawyers refused to acknowledge readily available monitoring data collected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” said Judy Sanchez, a U.S. Sugar spokesperson. “Instead, they hired a consultant to create a model to generate hypothetical projections to support the claims in their second amended complaint.”

“Lobbying compensation: Second quarter brings Anfield Consulting $520K” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Tallahassee-based Anfield Consulting earned more than $500,000 during the second quarter, according to newly filed lobbying compensation reports. Anfield generated about $520,000 in business between April 1 and June 30. The figure is a drop from the second quarter of last year when the firm earned an estimated $855,000. However, the legislative compensation report shows the firm still managed to draw 45 clients for legislative lobbying work while 43 clients hired Anfield for lobbying Florida’s governor and cabinet. Anfield Consulting is comprised of four lobbyists including Albert Balido, Frank Bernardino, Edgar Fernandez and Natalie Schneider Fausel. Florida lobbyists report their pay in ranges covering $10,000 increments up to $50,000, after which they must report the exact amount of pay they received. Florida Politics estimates lobbying pay using the middle number of each range.

— LOCAL NOTES —

“A man with autism lost his right to vote or buy a home. He’s fighting to reclaim them” via Carli Teproff of the Miami Herald — At 22, Tyler Borjas had a job, a bank account and got around using Uber and Metrorail. But he couldn’t legally vote, buy a house or make travel plans. That’s because a Miami-Dade court deemed Borjas, who has autism, “incapacitated,” and placed him under guardianship. ”I want to make my own decisions,” Borjas, who is now 25, said. “I want my rights back.” Guardianship essentially stripped Borjas of his rights, meaning he couldn’t legally make decisions for himself, said Viviana Bonilla López, an attorney working with Disability Rights Florida, an advocacy group. Bonilla López has set out to change that for Borjas and other adults by promoting a mechanism known as Supported Decision Making instead of guardianship. If Borjas succeeds, it’s believed he’ll be only the second person in the state to reclaim his rights back in this manner.

“A year without Fantasy Fest has put the hurt on Keys nonprofits. Some got creative” via Gwen Filosa of the Miami Herald — Fantasy Fest, the annual 10-day party celebrating the silly and the sexy, means more than G-strings and body paint to the people of Key West. It’s part of the tourist revenue stream that for locals pays the rent and puts food on the table. “It’s a ridiculous amount of money,” said Nadene Grossman Orr, whose We’ve Got the Keys agency puts on the annual October festival. “It pains me to think about how much money, between hotels and the restaurants. It’s millions and millions of dollars.” When organizers canceled the event this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, it also hurt Keys nonprofits.

“Adam Smith’s ‘Political Party’ podcast debuts” via Bill DeYoung of St. Pete Catalyst — Smith, the former political editor of the Tampa Bay Times, has joined the St. Pete Catalyst with a weekly podcast focused on politics in Florida. “I’m a political junkie,” Smith said. “So, if I’m talking to friends in politics on both sides of the aisle, the idea is ‘This is that conversation.’ It’s a live conversation, recorded.” The first episode is with “a couple of the smartest people in politics,” Smith explained, “Democratic consultant Matthew Isbell and Republican consultant Nick Hansen. Just talking about why Pinellas is the bellwether for the presidential election. It’s the ultimate swing county.” Political Party, he added, will cover local, regional and state politics, “based on what’s happening.”

— TOP OPINION —

“Trump’s economy isn’t keeping America great” via Nikki Fried for Fox Business — If Trump wants to talk about the economy, that’s fine — let’s start that conversation with the economy in America’s largest swing state, Florida. It’s not a conversation he’ll want to have. Florida’s economy is one of America’s biggest economic engines, with a gross domestic product of over $1 trillion. Our state’s economy is built largely on tourism, attracting over 130 million people from around the world annually; those visitors spent $94 billion in Florida last year. But because of COVID-19, tourism has ground to a halt in the Sunshine State, with a 60.5 percent drop last quarter — and it’s been made worse by Trump’s erratic response to the virus. With massive losses in state and local sales taxes fueling a record $5.4 billion state budget shortfall, Florida’s economy is on the brink. And that’s before considering the 1.4 million Floridians suddenly out of work.

— OPINIONS —

“Of course Trump can win” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — Four years ago this month, it seemed likely that Hillary Clinton would win the presidential election. Clinton’s national lead over Trump had repeatedly widened and narrowed, suggesting that, depending on where the waveform truncated on Election Day, her victory would similarly be either wide or narrow. State polling, though, consistently showed that she had enough of a lead in enough states that she’d manage to win both the popular and electoral votes. That she didn’t, that Trump beat the odds, has become the political equivalent of dividing by zero, an act deemed so outside of expectations that it negates any presumptions about what to expect this time around. Now-President Trump uses a version of that argument all the time: Look what happened in 2016; no one should take the polls at face value.

“What if Facebook is the real ‘silent majority’?” via Kevin Roose of The New York Times — Listen, liberals. If you don’t think Donald Trump can get re-elected in November, you need to spend more time on Facebook. Since the 2016 election, I’ve been obsessively tracking how partisan political content is performing on Facebook, the world’s largest and arguably most influential media platform. Every morning, one of the first browser tabs I open is CrowdTangle — a handy Facebook-owned data tool that offers a bird’s-eye view of what’s popular on the platform. Most days, the leader board looks roughly the same: conservative post after conservative post, with the occasional liberal interloper.

“Reopening nursing homes is a tough call, but the right one” via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — When it comes to misery, coronavirus has not been an equal-opportunity spreader. Few groups have suffered quite like the elderly and infirm. The rest of us have been cut off from work, school, restaurants and sports. People in long-term care facilities have been cut off from love. It’s been five months since long-term facilities in Florida were locked down. Most residents didn’t even get to hug their families goodbye. That will mercifully be ending soon. A state task force has sent recommendations to DeSantis that will reopen long-term care facilities on a limited basis. It’s a risky move, but it’s the right one. Residents are highly susceptible to contracting COVID-19, but they are also uniquely vulnerable to the current remedy.

“Crystal Stickle: A strong health care system depends on every Floridian counted in the census” via Florida Politics — Each of us has an equal ability to determine how much federal funding the state will get and whether our communities will have the workforce, services, and capacity needed to meet our state’s growing health care needs and to be resilient and responsive in the face of disaster. That power comes from completing the U.S. census before Sept. 30. A complete and accurate census is fundamental to being able to build and maintain a health care infrastructure that can meet the needs of all our residents. But, getting an accurate count in a state as large and diverse as Florida is a challenge. We’ve got a long way to go for every household in Florida to complete its census form.

— TODAY’S SUNRISE —

Florida’s death toll from COVID-19 passes another milestone — 139 new fatalities reported Thursday, pushing the statewide death toll to 11,011.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The state also reported almost 3,300 new cases of coronavirus, with the total so far at 612,000. But the Governor is positively hopeful

— DeSantis is predicting he’ll win the legal fight over the forced reopening schools. He lost Round 1, but if he strings the appeal out long enough, DeSantis claims he’ll win by default

— The Governor likes to say schools are safe for kids and they’re not as vulnerable as adults. But sometimes, they are.

— A Miami Congresswoman says schools need more help to reopen safely, so she’s filed the SCHOOLS Act: “Safe Considerations of the Health of our Learning Students.”

— Voting rights activists are calling out the Elections Supervisor of Duval County Mike Hogan. They say he’s doing next to nothing to help his constituents in Jacksonville to vote by mail.

— Jacksonville attorney Eddie Farah is warning about lawmakers who want to inoculate corporations and give them immunity from lawsuits over COVID-19.

— Checking-in with a White Florida Woman who is facing criminal charges for slapping an 11-year-old Black child across the face after the kid rear-ended her in a go-cart at Boomer’s Game Center in Boca Raton. Foul language was involved.

To listen, click on the image below:

— WEEKEND TV —

Battleground Florida with Evan Donovan on News Channel 8 WFLA (NBC): Trump Jr. and Brigadier General (ret) Remo Butler.

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 Sarah Vitale, Senior Planner, AICP, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council; Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram; “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” host Margaret Hoover; Independent journalist and Florida State University professor Diane Roberts.

Political Connections Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A review of both the RNC and DNC with Ronna McDaniel, chair of the RNC and Tom Perez, chair of the DNC.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: A review of the Republican National Convention, including a conversation with Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez who was a featured speaker at this year’s convention.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon talks with Sen. Lauren Book, Broward Supervisor of Elections Pete Antonocci and pollster Steve Vancore.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: U.S. Sen. Rick Scott; former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman; pastor John Newman of The Sanctuary at Mt. Calvary in Jacksonville, and Rick Mullaney, director of the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Bovo, Republican activist Ed Pozzuoli and pollster Fernand Amandi.

— LISTEN UP —

Dishonorable Mention: Rep. Chris Latvala, activist Becca Tieder, Ernest Hooper and communications expert Dr. Karla Mastracchio discuss politics and culture. It’s move-in time across the country for colleges and universities; the hosts discuss what will happen with students living on (and off) campus in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s #PrimarySZN in Florida and the votes are in. A discussion of what happened and races to keep an eye on come November.

Inside Florida Politics from GateHouse Florida: Florida Republicans didn’t get to host the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville as hoped, but Florida was still a focus of this week’s event. Journalists Zac Anderson, John Kennedy and Antonio Fins discuss some of the Florida highlights of the convention, where Trump currently stands against Biden in the Sunshine State and the latest developments in the big issue that appears to be weighing Trump down in Florida, the coronavirus pandemic.

podcastED: Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill finishes a three-part podcast series with Berkeley law professor Stephen Sugarman, discussing the landmark Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue Supreme Court decision. The June 2020 decision made it clear that a state cannot exclude religious schools from receiving funding from a program created by the state to fund private education. Chief Justice John Roberts clearly echoed Sugarman’s writing in the 5-4 decision. In Sugarman’s analysis, there is a fundamental disagreement between the judges as to how the Court will continue to resolve the tension between the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the Constitution.

REGULATED from hosts Christian Bax and Tony Glover: “Sin Industry Analytics” with Adam Crabtree.

Tallahassee Business Podcast from the Tallahassee Chamber presented by 223 Agency: A discussion about the Chamber’s new Talent 2030 initiative. Terrie Ard is President and COO of Moore and chairs the Chamber’s talent committee. Corrie Melton is the Chamber’s Vice President for Membership & Talent Development and is staffing the new Talent 2030 initiative. Working closely for the past year, Ard and Melton have been instrumental in building out the Chamber’s program of work that relates to solving Tallahassee’s workforce and talent needs.

The New Abnormal from host Rick Wilson and Molly Jong-Fast: Mary Trump, The New Abnormal’s favorite guest, is back for the third night of the Republican National Convention. Wilson and Jong-Fast want to know if it’s too late for Trump to drop Mike Pence as his running mate and bring in fresh blood. “Pence is a total drip and his only value to Donald is that he sucks up to him,” says Mary. “Do we seriously think that Mike Pence could not be convinced to step down?” Wilson admits it would be incredibly tough to bring in a new vice-presidential candidate at this late stage but can see why Trump would do it. “It’s a difficult enterprise. Although, I think Donald would be tempted don’t you, Mary? Because it’s like a reality TV play. It’ll be dramatic. The ratings will be yuge.” Jong-Fast was taken back by the sheer scale of dishonesty at the convention.

The Yard Sign with host Jonathan Torres: Joe Gruters, chair of the Republican Party of Florida, talks with Torres about primary Election Day across the state of Florida and the role the GOP is having on campaigns across the state.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

 

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Hats off to the @miamidolphins on their expansion in the Miami Gardens community. Today, they gave a sneak peek into their new training facilities which will open in March 2021. Congratulations to the entire Dolphins family!

A post shared by Shevrin Jones (@shevrinjones) on Aug 27, 2020 at 9:54am PDT

— RUNNING WITH A PURPOSE —

Whether you’re a morning walker, a die-hard runner or a “whenever” exerciser, the Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) invite you to join in their 5K run to End Endless Wars.

The weekend-long event that begins today is designed to raise awareness of a foreign policy that has deployed troops to Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries for nearly 20 years — and the burden this has laid on service members and their families.

“We currently have troops in Afghanistan and other countries like Iraq and Syria with no goal, no mission, no purpose,” said Jimmie Smith, Florida coalition director for the CVA. “That is not the proper use of the military.” Smith joined the military when he was 17 and at one point was deployed to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War.

Smith said support for the drawdown of troops has been growing. He quoted polls that said 70 percent of Americans — and 73 percent of veterans — agree the wars should be ended.

Nearly 4,000 people nationwide have registered already for the free event “and we’re really praying to get 5,000,” Smith. “We’re hoping people throughout the nation who see this know there are different opportunities for them to have a voice in a positive way. It’s healthy, it’s outside and it has the ability to be done during the COVID lockdown in the safest manner.”

Smith, a former state representative and outgoing Citrus County commissioner, said he and friends will be walking 3.1 miles starting at 9 a.m. at Tampa’s Ballast Point Park.

For more information and to register to participate, visit EndEndlessWars5K.com.

In addition to its End Endless Wars project, the CVA also is active as a watchdog for Veterans Affairs health care and other veteran-related issues.

to watch a related video, “Leave No One Behind,” click on the image below:

— ALOE —

“Wrestling event — with fans — coming to Daily’s Place” via Tom Szaroleta of The Florida Times-Union — Daily’s Place will welcome back fans when All Elite Wrestling holds its televised Dynamite event at the downtown Jacksonville venue. The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. The show will be taped and aired at a later date. Wrestlers who will be fighting at the event were not announced. The venue, which has been forced to cancel nearly all of its summer concert series due to the COVID-19 outbreak, seats 5,500, but capacity will be limited to 10% for the Dynamite event. Seats will be sold in socially distanced “pods” of two, three, four and six. No seats will be sold on the floor or in the 100 level closest to the stage.

Actual email: “‘The Dark Knight’ meets ‘The West Wing’ in pre-Dystopian Urban Fantasy Novel ‘Candidate Spectrum'”

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy birthday to Andy Gonzalez of the Florida Realtors, Alan Levine, Sandy Safley, and our ol’ friend, David Zachem. Early best wishes to our wonderful friend, Nancy Watkins.

___

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