Peter Schorsch
A new poll obtained by Florida Politics shows Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan with a strong lead over Democratic state Rep. Margaret Good in Florida’s 16th Congressional District.
The survey, conducted by Data Targeting, one of the top analytics firms in the state, shows 51% of voters are backing Buchanan compared with 35% who are lined up behind Good.
Even better news for Buchanan — the poll finds him outperforming a generic Republican running for Congress while Good trails behind a generic Democrat. With no names involved, CD 16 voters say they’d go with a Republican 48% to 39%.
His lead holds across most demographics, with voters over 65 preferring the eight-term congressman over Good by a 51-38 margin. His majority share outpaces that of President Donald Trump, who 47% of CD 16 seniors say is getting their vote.
Independents, meanwhile, favor the incumbent by 16 points, 44-28.
Possibly the dourest news for Good is her middling name recognition within the district. Data Targeting found 58% of voters were unaware of her. In Manatee County, she was unknown to 62% of respondents. And in Hillsborough, more than four-fifths of voters said they hadn’t heard of her.
Data Targeting said that puts Good behind 2018 Democratic nominee David Shapiro, who had 75% name recognition at the same point in the cycle two years ago despite not having the benefit of three years in the state House.
Even with his broad name recognition, Shapiro lost to Buchanan by a wide margin.
The Data Targeting poll was conducted Aug. 27-29 and took responses from 400 voters via live telephone interviews. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
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JAXPORT has picked Nick Primrose as its first Chief of Regulatory Compliance.
In his new role, Primrose will oversee the port’s regulatory compliance in the areas of maritime law, environmental policy, emergency preparedness and risk management. He will also serve as JAXPORT’s liaison with the Jacksonville City Council’s Special Committee on Resiliency and the City of Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel.
Before joining JAXPORT, he served as Deputy General Counsel for Govs. Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott, and General Counsel for the State of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management.
“As we grow our port and the positive impact we have on the region’s economy, building on our role as a good corporate citizen continues to be a priority,” JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said. “Nick’s expertise in regulatory oversight and risk management, along with his passion for public service, makes him an excellent fit for this position.”
Primrose, an attorney, is a graduate of Barry University law school and also has a master’s degree in public administration from DePaul University and a bachelor’s in political science and communications from Lake Forest College.
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GrayRobinson expanded its presence in the Tampa Bay region Thursday with a pair of new hires.
The firm is bringing on Douglas Knox as Of Counsel and Laura Lenhart as a government consultant. Both will be based out of GrayRobinson’s Tampa office.
“We are excited to have two new professionals join our team in Tampa,” said GrayRobinson President and CEO Dean Cannon. “Doug, a double Gator grad, brings a great deal of experience in commercial litigation and business transactions. Laura has tremendous experience in health care, telecommunication, and economic development issues, and great connections in and around the Tampa Bay region and in Tallahassee. We are honored to welcome Doug and Laura to the GrayRobinson family.”
Knox’s experience spans franchising, business transactions, regulatory compliance, and other areas of risk management.
He joins GrayRobinson’s corporate and litigation practices, where he will focus his practice on representing franchise companies, financial institutions, and other clients in a wide range of complex commercial litigation and business transactions.
Lenhart has more than a decade of experience lobbying for and against issues at the state level as well as tracking legislation, and researching and interpreting rules and regulations. The Florida State University alumna joins the firm’s government affairs and lobbying practice.
— DAYS UNTIL —
Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” rescheduled premiere in U.S. — 1; Rescheduled running of the Kentucky Derby — 3; 2020 NFL Season begins — 7; Walmart Amazon Prime competitor, Walmart+, will launch nationwide — 12; Rescheduled date for French Open — 19; First presidential debate in Indiana — 27; “Wonder Woman 1984” premieres — 30; Preakness Stakes rescheduled — 31; Ashley Moody’s 2020 Human Trafficking Summit — 34; First vice presidential debate at the University of Utah — 35; NBA season ends (last possible date) — 40; Second presidential debate scheduled in Miami — 43; NBA draft — 44; Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” premieres — 44; NBA free agency — 47; Florida Chamber’s Future of Florida Forum — 48; Third presidential debate at Belmont — 50; Season Two of Star Wars The Mandalorian premieres on Disney+ — 57; 2020 General Election — 62; “Black Widow” premieres — 66; NBA 2020-21 training camp — 68; College basketball season slated to begin — 77; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 79; “No Time to Die” premieres — 79; NBA 2020-21 opening night — 92; Super Bowl LV in Tampa — 158; “A Quiet Place Part II” rescheduled premiere — 170; “Top Gun: Maverick” rescheduled premiere — 303; New start date for 2021 Olympics — 324; “Jungle Cruise” premieres — 331; “Spider-Man Far From Home” sequel premieres — 429; “Thor: Love and Thunder” premieres — 527; “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premieres — 569; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sequel premieres — 761.
— SMOLDERING —
Breaking overnight — “Police put hood on Black man killed by asphyxiation” via Michael Hill of The Associated Press — A Black man who had run naked through the streets of a western New York City died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head, then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes, according to video and records released Wednesday by the man’s family. Daniel Prude died March 30 after he was taken off life support, seven days after the encounter with police in Rochester. His death received no public attention until Wednesday when his family held a news conference and released police body camera video and written reports they obtained through a public records request. The videos show Prude, who had taken off his clothes, complying when police ask him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back. Prude is agitated and shouting as officers let him writhe as he sits on the pavement in handcuffs for a few moments as a light snow falls.
“Critics want powerful police unions reined in. Miami history shows it won’t be easy” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — Miami’s frustratingly lengthy search for any loophole to fire Rodriguez offers a case study into just how difficult it is to terminate or punish police officers suspected of wrongdoing. They’re protected by firewalls, ones not afforded most American workers, erected over the past five decades as police unions built enough political power to sway municipal elections through fundraising, phone banks and social media campaigns. “I always had a problem with fire and police,” said former Miami-Dade County Manager Merrett Stierheim. “The county commission was very responsive to them. You had a tough time making your case when everyone in uniform is sitting in the audience. County commissioners, politically, were very responsive to them.” The result: county, city and state politicians have signed off on union contracts and laws that make it a daunting challenge to discipline bad cops.
“Shots fired, and 2 Black Florida men worry about justice” via Bobby Caina Calvan of The Associated Press — Minutes after pulling into a Florida strip mall parking lot, gunshots rang out in the darkness. Charles McMillon told his 10-year-old son and another passenger to take cover. McMillon, who is Black, said a white couple approached with guns in their hands. That’s when he put his pickup truck into full throttle and sped away in panic. There were no injuries from the encounter last Thursday in Florida’s capital city, but McMillon and his adult passenger, Kendrick Clemons, said they can’t help but wonder if the encounter would have been different if they weren’t Black. “You got two white people threatening three Black people like they were law enforcement,” McMillon said. “If I had been white, with my white son and my white friend, things would have been different.”
“Since Parkland, there’s nearly twice as many police officers in Florida schools. Some student activists want them out” via Jessica Bakeman of WLRN — Nine days after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie stood in front of the Parkland campus and told reporters there would be a new security measure in place when the school reopened. Then-Sheriff Scott Israel “has introduced automatic rifles for school resource officers on school grounds,” Runcie said, indicating that he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. “It is short-term. It’s interim … a stopgap measure to create a heightened sense of security around the district,” Runcie said during the event on Feb. 23, 2018. A heightened sense of security. But, for whom? That’s a question many students are asking now about armed police on school campuses. Many Black kids say the presence of law enforcement officers makes them feel less safe.
“Hillsborough deputy investigated for Facebook comments about George Floyd” via Tony Marrero of the Tampa Bay Times — A Hillsborough sheriff’s deputy is under investigation for Facebook comments he made about Floyd, including one that called Floyd’s death “the best outcome.” The internal investigation into the comments Deputy Matthew Archambeau made last month on a Facebook page called “Police Blotter,” is “active and ongoing,” according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Supervisors are reviewing the comments to determine if they violated any office policies and the investigation has not resulted in an internal affairs case, a spokeswoman said. “At the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, we strive to educate all of our employees about the importance of being responsible, respectful, and accountable for what they post online,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement in response to questions about Archambeau’s comments. “It should go without saying that Archambeau’s comments posted through his personal social media account do not reflect the views of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”
“‘Burn their house, burn their cars’: Pasco Black Lives Matter protesters receive multiple threats” via Justin Garcia of Creative Loafing — Police told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that local Black Lives Matter protests have caused zero property damage. Black Lives Matter Pasco County is dealing with a barrage of threats and violence, as its weekly marches gain steam in New Port Richey. An SPLC-designated hate group called The Proud Boys has threatened protesters and police arrested peaceful protesters and charged them with noise violations. Protesters even claim that one white woman went so far as to carve “BLM” in the street with a rock in the hopes that it would get people arrested. On Tuesday, the danger reached a new level thanks to warnings about burning down protesters’ livelihoods, and escalating threats from local bikers. A post on BLM Pasco’s Facebook shows a commenter making violent comments toward the group.
“Tampa police will evolve, pledges Mayor, police chief” via Charlie Frago and Caitlin Johnston of the Tampa Bay Times — For the second time within a week, Mayor Jane Castor and Police Chief Brian Dugan pledged to implement task force recommendations to improve relations between the police department and city residents. “You can never over-communicate,” Castor said during a news conference at the Tampa Police Department. Castor said the country is bitterly divided, alluding to the months of protests that erupted after the death of Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Tampa must avoid that fate, she said. “That cannot happen in our city. We are a very diverse, closely-knit community that celebrates our diversity and works together to solve our problems,” Castor said. Dugan said his department knows it must adapt to a changed policing climate.
“Orlando Magic, city and county announce Amway Center to be polling location” via Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel — With a push from the Orlando Magic, Amway Center is about to become the largest early-voting site in Orange County. And one of the Magic’s tallest players could be welcoming voters as they walk in. The arena will be open to Orange County residents for early voting from Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, officials announced on Wednesday. All registered voters from Orange County will be able to cast their ballot at Amway, which will be one of 20 early-voting sites in the county. Magic center Mo Bamba first raised the idea of utilizing the space available at Amway, and the team went to work on achieving that goal.
— PRESIDENTIAL —
“Joe Biden campaign says it raised record-breaking $364.5 million in August” via Jacob Knutson Axios — Biden‘s campaign, the Democratic National Committee and their joint fundraising committees together raised $364.5 million in the month of August, his campaign announced Wednesday. The total is believed to be the most ever raised by a presidential candidate in a single month, likely driven in part by Biden’s announcement on Aug. 11 that he had tapped Sen. Kamala Harris to be his running mate, according to The New York Times. $205 million, or 57% of the total, was raised from online, small-dollar donations, according to the campaign. More than 1.5 million Americans contributed last month for the first time. Biden’s campaign announced in early August it raised $26 million in the 24 hours after the Harris selection.
“Biden’s pitch: Donald Trump ignored a pandemic, stoked unrest and can solve neither” via Bill Barrow and Will Weissert of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Biden is calling the struggle to reopen U.S. schools amid the coronavirus a “national emergency” and accusing Trump of turning his back to instead stoke passions about unrest in America’s cities. The Democratic presidential nominee’s broadsides came a day ahead of his own trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Biden said he wants to help “heal” a city reeling from another police shooting of a Black man. The wounding of Jacob Blake and subsequent demonstrations have made the political battleground state a focal point for debate over police and protest violence, as well as the actions of vigilante militias.
“‘Thugs’ on a plane: Trying to paint Biden as extreme, Trump ramps up promotion of conspiracy theories” via David Nakamura of The Washington Post — While trying to define Biden as an avatar of lawless anarchists, Trump has warned about rioters in the streets of liberal American cities. He has fanned fears of low-income minorities invading the suburbs. And this week, he offered a new alert: “Thugs wearing dark uniforms,” he told Fox News host Laura Ingraham, had crowded en masse onto a plane to fly to Washington and wreak havoc at the Republican National Convention last week. “A lot of people were on the plane to do big damage,” Trump declared in a prime-time interview Monday.
“Biden adjusts strategy in Midwestern battlegrounds to blunt Trump’s ‘law and order’ focus” via Matt Viser of The Washington Post — Last week’s Republican convention had just concluded when Biden’s top strategists began hearing from worried Democrats. They told the officials that Trump’s singular focus on a “law and order” message, coupled with images of violence in cities, threatened Biden’s standing, particularly among White voters in the industrial Midwest. Over the past few days, Biden has offered his response, reorienting his campaign. He delivered a forceful anti-Trump speech in Pittsburgh, afterward bringing pizza to a firehouse. He began giving newfound attention to Minnesota, a state Democrats haven’t lost in nearly 50 years, and his campaign is eyeing potential trips to Wisconsin and Michigan. Biden also began running ads in places like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that show empty football stadiums and text that reads, “Trump put America on the sidelines. Let’s get back in the game.”
“Biden opens up 10-point lead over Trump in new Quinnipiac Poll” via Max Greenwood of The Hill — Biden has opened up a 10-point lead over Trump in the latest Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday. The poll, conducted in the days after the Republican National Convention, shows Biden garnering 52% of the vote to Trump’s 42 percent. Another 2% said they plan to vote for someone else in the presidential election, while 3% are undecided or declined to say who they will vote for. The poll, Quinnipiac’s first of the 2020 presidential race surveying likely voters, suggests that Biden is heading into the critical fall campaign season with a sizable advantage over the president, who in recent weeks has homed in on a law-and-order argument for his reelection amid ongoing protests and civil unrest over racial injustice and police brutality.
—“No bounce in support for Trump as Americans see pandemic, not crime, as top issue: Reuters/Ipsos poll” via Chris Kahn of Reuters
—“Biden leads Trump in latest Grinnell College national poll” via Grinnell College
—“Suffolk University/USA Today poll shows Biden lead dropping into single digits” via Suffolk University
“Biden had better convention speech and a winning message, Florida insiders say.” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — “The Democrats came across as more hopeful, energized and more personal,” said one Republican operative. “The GOP was all about placing blame on others, never empathizing with the current state of affairs. It was very negative.” “It was better-produced television, better ratings, and a more focused message,” one Democratic consultant said. Biden capped the four nights with a short (by convention standards) acceptance speech that hit on a bunch of themes Insiders said will help him in November: unity and competent leadership. Two-thirds of Insiders said his speech was better than Trump’s 80-minute teleprompter address from the White House lawn. What made it better? “It was short,” one Democrat said.
“Biden campaign debuts second ad featuring a Villages supporter” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — The Biden campaign Tuesday launched a second ad featuring a supporter in the heavily Republican senior community of The Villages north of Orlando. The new ad, “Jerry,” is scheduled to run statewide across Florida. “COVID-19,” says the Villages resident, identified only as Jerry, as he covers his face with a mask. “It’s extremely frightening. I’m in that group that’s vulnerable.” He criticizes what he calls “the ineptness of the administration, which has really done nothing to this date, they do not have a plan.” The man says Biden is someone who can “do something about COVID … do something about prescription drug costs, and who can bring us back together again.” The ad is the second Biden ad featuring a Villages supporter, following “Donna,” which was released early last month. That ad only aired in the Tampa and Orlando markets.
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
“‘Your voice matters,’ Jill Biden tells Pasco-Hernando students” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Biden, wife of the Democratic nominee for President, spent about 20 minutes Wednesday telling a virtual crowd of Pasco-Hernando State College students and staff that the nation can do better when it comes to supporting education. In a Biden administration, she told the group, schools and universities would receive more support, help and resources to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, and not rush people back to classes as usual. She said that means providing adequate protective gear for everyone who returns to schools, making adequate virus testing available, and ensuring access to mental health services. Biden made her visit as her husband offered a speech criticizing Trump’s approach to education, calling the result a “national emergency.”
“Trump boat parade organizer used anti-Semitic slur, sent threatening text, report states” via John Pacenti of The Palm Beach Post — Through any means and was prohibited from going within 500 feet of the Marina Cafe in Admirals Cove. Trumptilla organizer Carlos Gavidia says he is the victim of vindictive liberals in his former exclusive seaside community who targeted him because of his support for the president. But a Jupiter police report released Tuesday portrays Gavidia as an aggressor who used anti-Semitic and sexist pejorative words in a confrontation with a resident at Admirals Cove and then later threatened his life through a text message. Gavidia was formally charged with issuing a written threat to kill or do bodily injury, a second-degree felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Gavidia, who has become a national figure because of his boat parades, surrendered himself on Tuesday morning.
“City of Jacksonville logged costs of up to $153,602 on Republican National Convention” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The Republican National Convention never happened in Jacksonville, but the city still could end up absorbing $154,000 in convention-planning expenses “above and beyond” City Hall’s normal day-to-day operating costs, according to information given to City Council members. More than half the cost stemmed from overtime pay for employees working to prepare for the convention, mainly by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office employees who were tasked with getting security preparations done in a tight time frame. in addition to costs for overtime pay, a firm enlisted to help the city comply with federal grants tied to the convention submitted a bill for almost $70,000. The city is reviewing that invoice before paying it.
— 2020 —
“Facebook will block new political advertising the week before Election Day” via Elizabeth Dwoskin of The Washington Post—Facebook plans to block new advertising the week before the presidential election — It’s the first time the company has taken action to limit political advertising in the United States, the company said. The move to limit ads, part of a spate of election-related announcements, is an attempt to reduce misinformation that is expected to flood social networks as Election Day draws near. The company also said that it would label posts by any candidate or campaign that tries to declare victory before the final results are in, directing people to the official results from Reuters.
“Will millions in Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg money ensure security, confidence in Florida’s election results?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Facebook’s founding family just invested $300 million to ensure reliable voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some Florida officials say it won’t be necessary in states like this that already have established vote-by-mail procedures. Chan and Zuckerberg said they will commit $250 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which will issue grants to elections offices nationwide. The goal is to ensure offices have proper staffing, training and equipment to ensure every voter can participate in the election. Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Early welcomed the opportunity and expects to apply for a grant to help with unexpected expenses this year. “It’s not often we have the opportunity to look at funding from nongovernmental entities,” Early said.
“‘Abuse of taxpayer dollars:’ Florida Democrats hit Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez over census PSA” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The Florida Democratic Party is pushing for more information after Giménez participated in a county-backed public service announcement (PSA) urging residents to complete the 2020 census. Democrats’ complaints come after an NBC 6 report showed the county spent more than $23,000 to run those ads more than 7,000 times. Giménez is also running for Congress as a Republican. Those government PSA’s are priced at a lower rate than normal ads. Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is defending her seat in Florida’s 26th Congressional District against Giménez, will also receive a lower ad rate due to federal equal time rules. Still, FDP spokeswoman Alexandra Caffrey is accusing Giménez of using the PSA’s as a de facto campaign ad.
Happening today — Mucarsel-Powell and Wendy Davis of Texas are hosting a joint virtual fundraiser with special guests Reps. Stephanie Murphy and Val Demings, 5 p.m. Zoom link available upon RSVP with Shayne at [email protected] or (540) 848-0495.
— LEG. CAMPAIGNS —
“Jason Brodeur and new group launch false attacks on Democrat Patricia Sigman in key Senate race” via Steven Lemongello — Republican state Senate candidate Jason Brodeur and a mysterious political group have launched dual attacks against Brodeur’s Democratic opponent Patricia Sigman, falsely accusing her of receiving federal coronavirus money meant for struggling businesses. It’s the second time that a political committee has attacked Sigman this year without first registering with the state, as mandated by law, or revealing its contributors. But like the first one, Floridians for Equality and Justice, it also has ties to Republican and conservative groups.
First in Sunburn — EMILY’s List backs Tracey Kagan, Julie Jenkins and Linda Thompson Gonzalez in House contests — EMILY’s List — a national organization aimed at helping elect Democratic women who support abortion rights — is endorsing three more House candidates in races throughout the state. The group is backing Kagan in House District 29, Jenkins in House District 60 and Thompson Gonzalez in House District 93. All three are Democrats challenging Republican incumbents. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List announced the new endorsements in a statement. “These EMILY’s List-endorsed women are up to the task of stopping the dangerous agenda of Florida Republicans,” Schriock said. “We are proud to support their bids for the legislature, and continue building the bench for the next generation of progressive women leaders across the state.”
“Scott Plakon, Kagan clash on responses to crises in HD 29 race” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Republican Rep. Plakon and Democratic challenger Kagan clash over who’s experienced and who’s readily addressing the crises. “I’m an experienced leader for a crisis like this,” Plakon said. “So to replace me at this point with a freshman Democrat, I think it’s hard for her to make the case that she’ll be able to be effective in solving the problems, some that we know going forward, and some that we still have to find out about.” But what are you doing? Kagan demands. She said her campaign has found itself filling gaps, responding to constituents as a candidate, not as an officeholder when those constituents got frustrated with official channels.
“Jessica Harrington has $87K head start on Traci Koster in reconfigured race for HD 64” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Democrat Jessica Harrington is up by about $87,600 following Traci Koster’s recent entrance into the race for House District 64. Of course, Koster has been in the race for less than two weeks. Koster qualified for the race on Aug. 17, taking the place of James Grant. Grant has represented the district since 2010 but resigned the week before the Florida primaries to take a job as Florida’s Chief Information Officer. Republicans quickly turned to Koster, who has won accolades for her pro bono legal work. Grant hadn’t faced a challenger in the primary, meaning he had already won the GOP nomination. State law allows the boards for the county Republican clubs affected to select a replacement nominee.
“Incumbent Mike Caruso begins General Election with $100K advantage over Jim Bonfiglio” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — After one of the closest contests in the state in 2018, Caruso is beginning 2020 with plenty of cash to help hold onto his House District 89 seat. Caruso beat Bonfiglio for the open seat in 2018 by just 32 votes out of more than 78,000 cast. The two are now headed for a rematch on Nov. 3 as Democrats look to push Bonfiglio over the edge this time around. Bonfiglio has more than $34,000 in cash on hand as of Aug. 21. That’s according to the latest financial reports filed with the Division of Elections. Bonfiglio holds more than $22,000 in his campaign account and nearly $12,000 more in his political committee, Putting Voters First. Bonfiglio’s $34,000 cash on hand total is about $100,000 short of Caruso’s war chest. The Republican incumbent will enter the General Election with more than $135,000 on hand.
“Marie Woodson is cash leader heading into HD 101 General Election” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Woodson will enter the General Election contest as the clear money leader as she seeks to replace outgoing Democratic Rep. Shevrin Jones. Woodson won a three-way primary for the Democratic nomination on Aug. 18. She took 37% of the vote, topping West Park Vice Mayor Brian C. Johnson and Pembroke Park Mayor Ashira Mohammed. Woodson carries forward less than $18,000 into the General Election against Republican candidate Vinny Parlatore. Parlatore, a former member of the Air Force, holds around $300. That disparity will likely only grow as the General Election moves forward. Woodson’s fundraising advantage is understated by looking at her cash on hand alone. Woodson was forced to burn through much of her cash during the Primary Election, while Parlatore was unopposed on the Republican side.
“Nick Duran carries more than $186,000 into General Election matchup against Bruno Barreiro” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Duran will defend his House District 112 seat with a big-money advantage over his Republican opponent, Barreiro. Barreiro, a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner who also served in the Florida House in the 1990s, secured the Republican nomination last month with a win over Rosy Palomino in the GOP primary. Following that win, Barreiro has just over $23,000 in cash available between his campaign and his political committee, Transparency in Government. Barreiro holds nearly $17,000 in his campaign account with around $6,500 available in his PC. That’s about $163,000 short of Duran’s war chest, which holds more than $186,000. Those numbers are current as of the latest fundraising reports, which cover activity through Aug. 21. Duran’s campaign account holds nearly $107,000. His political committee, Leadership for Miami-Dade, maintains more than $79,000.
“Mike Grieco gears up for 2022 reelection bid” via The News Service of Florida — After running unopposed this year, Rep. Grieco has joined a growing number of incumbent lawmakers planning reelection bids in 2022. Grieco opened a campaign account this week to run again in 2022 in Miami-Dade County’s House District 113. Grieco joined Reps. Dan Daley, Mike Gottlieb and 12 incumbent Senators who have opened accounts for 2022 races. Also with an open account is Homestead Democrat Kevin Chambliss who locked up a seat in Tallahassee when he won an Aug. 18 Democratic primary in Miami-Dade County’s House District 117.
“Jean-Pierre Bado trails in cash as Democrats try to hold onto HD 114” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Bado will begin the House District 114 General Election down in cash as he seeks to hold the seat for Democrats. Bado holds just over $6,000 after battling Susi Loyzelle for the Democratic nomination. Bado’s Republican opponent, Demi Busatta Cabrera, has about $35,000 still on hand. She was unopposed for the GOP nomination. While Busatta Cabrera dodged a Republican primary contest, she’s still spent more money than Bado so far. Busatta Cabrera has burned through nearly $86,000 as of Aug. 21. That’s according to the most recent reports filed with the Division of Elections. Much of that cash has gone to Marin and Sons for various advertising and outreach expenses.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“Florida’s COVID-19 cases resume lower trend, with 2,400 new infections, after testing ‘dump’” via Howard Cohen of the Miami Herald — A day after DeSantis’ office said Quest Diagnostics suddenly unloaded nearly 80,000 test results with some dating back to April, the Florida Department of Health reported numbers that were more in line with late August trends. On Wednesday, the state confirmed 2,402 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths. The number of nonresident deaths held at 147. Florida’s pandemic totals are 633,442 cases and 11,501 deaths.
“Rare COVID-19 complication MIS-C rising among Florida kids — as racial disparities emerge” via Naseem S. Miller of the Orlando Sentinel — More than two-thirds of children who have developed a rare but serious complication from COVID-19 are Black or Hispanic, one of the trends that’s emerging as the number of infections among kids continues to grow in Florida. Of the more than 50 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome here, 46% are Hispanic and 32% are Black, compared to 10% White. The statistics are similar to what’s been reported nationally by the CDC. The syndrome, called MIS-C for short, results in hospitalizations most of the time. Although the condition is very rare and most kids have recovered from it, doctors still don’t know if it will have any lingering effects that may appear months or years later.
“Gov. DeSantis suggests Florida may be inching toward Phase 3 reopening” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — DeSantis suggested Tuesday that Florida may be inching toward a Phase 3 reopening. Speaking to reporters from the Space Coast, the Governor raised the possibility after unveiling a new VISIT FLORIDA tourism campaign. “We got to just be a little bit more dynamic,” DeSantis said. “Some of those rigid phases were done in April. We’ve learned a lot since then. In this part of Florida, there’s not a whole lot that folks — I think they can do pretty much do whatever they need to.” Florida, at a time, was one of the most heavily impacted states in the country. In recent weeks, however, COVID-19 testing data — which the Governor expresses skepticism toward — has suggested the region is improving.
“VISIT FLORIDA unveils $13 million campaign to lure tourists from in-state” via Steven Lemongello and Mark Skoneki of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis and VISIT FLORIDA unveiled a $13 million ad campaign designed to urge Floridians to travel within the Sunshine State. DeSantis also said he believed Central Florida theme parks “can definitely do a lot more” when it comes to expanding visitor capacity. Dana Young, head of the taxpayer-financed tourism marketing agency, unveiled the ad at a news conference in Daytona Beach attended by DeSantis and other leaders. The spot shows scenes of people swimming on beaches, scuba diving and playing golf. “We live here because we love here,’’ the narrator concludes. “A place unlike anywhere else in the world.” The ad concludes with a “LoveFL” logo along with Visit Florida.
“Florida bars cook up ways to reopen” via News Service of Florida — Hot dogs, cold sandwiches and Hot Pockets admittedly aren’t fancy fare. But low-budget, hassle-free cuisine might be a financial godsend for desperate bar owners who’ve been sidelined for months because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tavern owners throughout the state hurriedly are rehabbing behind-the-counter operations, adding triple sinks, carving out prep areas and signing up for food-handling training so they can get the go-ahead from state regulators to turn the lights back on. “I didn’t do anything different but put a damn Crock-Pot on my bar,” Becky Glerum, owner of Paddy Wagon Irish Pub in Plant City, told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday, a day after she reopened her business. Glerum was able to start pulling beer taps again after she obtained a food-service license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees bars and restaurants.
— BACK TO SCHOOL? —
“Biden urges go-slow path for schools, rips Trump virus ‘failure’” via Tyler Pager of Bloomberg — Biden outlined his proposal to reopen schools safely Wednesday as he assailed Trump for pushing students and teachers to return to classrooms despite the threat from the coronavirus. Speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden, the Democratic nominee, contrasted his proposal for a gradual reopening that follows public health guidelines with Trump’s demand for resuming in-person classes quickly as a new school year begins. Biden said schools are facing a national emergency, and he said he would direct FEMA to authorize and guarantee full access to disaster relief and emergency assistance for K-12 schools under the Stafford Act. He called on Trump to bring back congressional leaders to pass emergency funding.
“Florida Department of Health stays silent about school-related COVID-19 cases” via Emily Bloch of The Florida Times-Union — Two weeks into the school year, parents and teachers remain in the dark about how many COVID-19 cases exist within Duval Schools. That’s because the local health department advised Duval Schools officials it couldn’t publish cases tied to schools on its website before getting permission from the state. Throughout Florida, there’s confusion about what information is fair game and what those numbers even look like following the Florida Department of Health withdrawing its own public reports about the spread of the disease in schools. The department’s position to withhold COVID-19 data is at odds with federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, which says districts can report state numbers as long as they don’t identify individual students.
“Florida’s largest school district under siege by cyberattack” via The Associated Press — Florida’s largest school district is still under siege by cyberattacks that began Monday as students returned to school remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said in a tweet on Wednesday morning that multiple attempts to disrupt online education have been made Wednesday morning, following two previous days of cyberattacks. Carvalho said they haven’t managed to penetrate the district’s servers. He said the district’s security and safeguard measures have been successful so far and that the 200,000 students who’ve logged onto the system have been asked to remain logged on.
“BPS official: Rockledge school closed after ‘multiple cases in multiple classrooms’” via Eric Rogers of Florida Today — Golfview Elementary Magnet School was closed after further review found cases of COVID-19 “in multiple classrooms” on campus, a Brevard Public Schools spokeswoman said Wednesday. News initially went out to families Monday that at least one classroom was shut down until Sep. 14 after confirmed cases were reported at the Rockledge school. That was followed late Tuesday by a school district announcement the entire campus was closed through Friday as a result of “expanded cases of COVID-19.” School district spokeswoman Nicki Hensley said Wednesday the decision to close the school was made after contract tracing from the initial case revealed “multiple cases in multiple classrooms.”
“Unrest mounts over COVID-19 cases in Polk schools” via Kimberly C. Moore of The Ledger — Parents, teachers and staff are growing increasingly angry with the Polk County school district over quarantine issues that they say are endangering the health and lives of people. The complaints come as the district announced six more cases on the Lakeland High School/Harrison School for the Arts campus — bringing their total to 12. That’s 27.3% of the 44 cases at 23 district schools officials have reported in the eight days since classes resumed. School Board member Billy Townsend said he has heard that Lakeland High/Harrison has quarantined 25 teachers and approximately 300 students.
“‘Zoom bombers’ invade virtual classrooms with racist, vulgar comments, exposing vulnerability of online learning” via Amber Randall of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A masked man hijacked an online class at West Broward High School during the first week of classes and went on a disturbing, racist video rant. On Tuesday, another intruder posted obscene language in a fifth grade virtual class at Parkside Elementary School. The incidents early in this new school year are the latest examples of “zoom-bombing,” where hijackers interrupt online conferences with hateful language or pornographic images, and highlight concerns about cybersecurity in the era of online learning. On Aug. 21, students in a Microsoft Teams personal education virtual class for West Broward High School were interrupted by a man on video wearing glasses and a camouflaged face mask.
“UF opens with quiet first day” via Sarah Nelson of the Gainesville Sun — The much-anticipated first day of class at the UF didn’t look or feel like the usual kickoff to an academic year. The heart of the campus was a ghost town from mid- to late morning on Monday, lacking the usual, bustling, first-day energy and a swarm of students. The campus felt, as some students put it, “dead.” Turlington Plaza, dubbed the “Times Square of Florida” by students for its usual high-volume foot traffic, was quiet and nearly empty on the first day. The Reitz Union was also vacant, minus the occasional sidewalk jogger and RTS bus. Monday marked the first time many students have returned to UF, which drew more than 54,000 students last year, since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person instruction.
— CORONA LOCAL —
“As virus wanes in Florida, a city battles ‘pandemic fatigue’” via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times — Of all the places in the country that are most vulnerable to the coronavirus, Hialeah is easy prey: a Hispanic blue-collar enclave outside Miami where households are packed, incomes are tight and work is essential. The virus lurks in the South Florida city’s nursing homes, nestles in its densely crowded apartment buildings and multiplies among families whose breadwinners must go out each day to toil at construction sites, hospitals and factories. Miami-Dade County has endured one of the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, and on many days, no other ZIP code in the county has more new cases than downtown Hialeah. Only three cities in the state — Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville — have had more. The Miami area has slowly begun to tame its rate of infection. But it is sometimes hard to be optimistic in Hialeah, Florida’s sixth-largest city, where prevalence has remained stubbornly high.
“Miami Beach has been canceled this year because of COVID-19” via Andres Viglucci of the Miami Herald — The organizers of the annual Art Basel Miami Beach fair, a key cultural and economic event for the region, announced they have canceled this year’s edition because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a further blow, two other Miami Art Week stalwarts promptly followed suit. Art Week’s second-largest player, Art Miami, announced it, too, will cancel this year’s fair along with companion events CONTEXT Art and Aqua Art Miami, Artnet News reported. The NADA art fair also said its 2020 Miami edition is off. The cancellations, though not unexpected, are the latest major jolt to what had been a flourishing art and cultural scene in Miami-Dade before the pandemic forced widespread closures in mid-March.
— MORE LOCAL —
“Despite Mayor’s complaints, there’s not much stopping venues like Tampa’s Cuban Club from hosting private outdoor concerts” via Ray Roa of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay — Last weekend’s outdoor, alcohol-free Moneybagg Yo concert at Ybor City’s Cuban Club is raising eyebrows with concertgoers and the public, but at the end of the day there’s not much stopping similar events on private property from happening in Florida anyway. It took some time to convince Cuban Club Foundation president Patrick Manteiga to do the show. But once an agreement was reached, they created a safety plan that included the exclusion of alcohol sales, socially-distanced seating on couches, temperature checks at the door and limited capacity. The club’s patio can hold 2,300 people; the Saturday concert had just 500 tickets presold, with no tickets available at the gate.
“Tampa Bay’s bar industry is struggling, with no end in sight” via Helen Freund of the Tampa Bay Times — Michael Brinkmann has been a bartender for 25 years. For half those years, he has worked at the Emerald Bar in downtown St. Petersburg, one of the city’s oldest watering holes, a no-frills dive with a robust local following. Brinkmann considers himself an industry lifer. He loves his job. But lately he’s been thinking it might be time to get out. He’s been mostly out of work since March 17, the day DeSantis ordered all bars to shut down, part of the state’s ongoing effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. A brief reprieve allowed bars to reopen for roughly three weeks, but Brinkmann was only able to work a few shifts before the bar was closed again.
“Will Collier’s mask order be extended? Commissioners to decide Thursday” via Patrick Riley of the Naples Daily News — A month and a half after passing a countywide mask mandate in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Collier County commissioners on Thursday will decide whether to extend the order or let it expire. The emergency order, implemented in July following a narrow 3-2 vote in favor of the mandate, requires workers and patrons in many businesses in unincorporated Collier — from gyms to restaurants and grocery stores — to wear facial coverings. The order, which was lauded by some residents and opposed by others, is set to expire at midnight Thursday unless commissioners decide the mandate needs to be extended. Commissioners will hold a special meeting on the issue at 1 p.m. Thursday.
“Fort Myers business owner Casey Crowther accused of misusing $2M in COVID-19 funds; bought boat with funds” via Michael Braun of the Fort Myers News-Press — The president of a Fort Myers roofing company is facing 30 years in federal prison after being charged with falsely acquiring $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds and using nearly $700,000 of it to buy a 40-foot boat. Casey David Crowther, 35, of North Fort Myers, is accused of making false and misleading statements to a lending institution on behalf of his company, Target Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc., according to the criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday by U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. A person answering the phone at the business said the company would have no statement and “it’s business at usual” for the company founded in 2015.
— CORONA NATION —
“Trump pivots to narrow coronavirus testing strategy as election looms” via David Lim and Adam Cancryn of POLITICO — The White House has stopped trying to contain the coronavirus — shifting instead to shielding the nation’s most vulnerable groups and restoring a sense of normalcy. The change is part of a concerted effort by the White House to increase public approval of Trump’s pandemic response — and bolster his reelection chances — by sharply reducing COVID-19 case counts and the number of deaths and hospitalizations attributed to virus. “It has to do with the president wanting to shift the attention away from testing,” said a Republican close to the administration who has advised elements of the response.
“‘Urgent’ request sent to states in push for coronavirus vaccine delivery by Nov. 1” via Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald — Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sent a letter last week to the nation’s governors with an urgent request. the Trump administration wanted them to do everything in their power to eliminate hurdles for vaccine distribution sites to be fully operational by Nov. 1. The Aug. 27 letter, obtained by McClatchy, asked governors to fast-track permits and licenses for new distribution sites. “The normal time required to obtain these permits presents a significant barrier to the success of this urgent public health program,” Redfield wrote. “CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities,” he continued.
“Health officials worry nation not ready for COVID-19 vaccine” via The Associated Press — Millions of Americans are counting on a COVID-19 vaccine to curb the pandemic and return life to normal. While one or more options could be available toward the end of this year or early next, the path to delivering vaccines to 330 million people remains unclear for the local health officials expected to carry out the work. “We haven’t gotten a lot of information about how this is going to roll out,” said Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Texas’ Harris County Public Health department, which includes Houston. In a four-page memo this summer, the federal C.D.C. told health departments across the country to draft vaccination plans by Oct. 1 “to coincide with the earliest possible release of COVID-19 vaccine.” But health departments that have been underfunded for decades say they currently lack the staff, money and tools to educate people about vaccines and then to distribute, administer and track hundreds of millions of doses. Nor do they know when, or if, they’ll get federal aid to do that.
“Anthony Fauci says COVID-19 vaccine trials could end early if results are overwhelming” via Liz Szabo — A COVID-19 vaccine could be available earlier than expected if ongoing clinical trials produce overwhelmingly positive results, said Dr. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease official, in an interview Tuesday with KHN. Although two ongoing clinical trials of 30,000 volunteers are expected to conclude by the end of the year, Fauci said an independent board has the authority to end the trials weeks early if interim results are overwhelmingly positive or negative. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board could say, “‘The data is so good right now that you can say it’s safe and effective,’” Fauci said. In that case, researchers would have “a moral obligation” to end the trial early and make the active vaccine available to everyone in the study, including those who had been given placebos — and accelerate the process to give the vaccine to millions.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“Here comes the real recession” via Dion Rabouin of Axios — Economists are warning that the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic is now creating another recession: mass job losses, business failures and declines in spending even in industries not directly impacted by the virus. The looming recession is less severe than the coronavirus-driven downturn. But it’s more likely to permanently push millions out of the labor force, lower wages and leave long-lasting scars on the economy. “As the recovery has slowed down we’ve seen a couple of metrics transform from something that was extraordinary and unique and that we’d only seen in this COVID recession to something that is much more in line with our historic experience with typical recessions,” Ernie Tedeschi, a managing director and policy economist for Evercore ISI, said.
“Confusion over CARES Act eviction ban leaves some families on the brink of homelessness” via USA Today — The federal CARES Act, enacted March 27, was supposed to protect Israel and people in up to 20 million other rental households from just that fate. It barred landlords whose properties got federal benefits from filing to evict tenants for 120 days. But a two-month investigation by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland found that cracks in the federal law appeared immediately. Confusion about the moratorium’s language, which played out in conflicting guidance from federal agencies and the courts, led to selective enforcement. Landlords were expected to determine for themselves whether their property was covered by the law. And renters had virtually no legal help to fight back if wrongfully evicted.
“Will the CDC’s national eviction moratorium apply to Floridians? Housing experts aren’t sure” via Caroline Glenn of the Orlando Sentinel — The CDC’s national eviction moratorium left Florida housing experts scratching their heads. Will it apply to Florida, where there’s already a moratorium in place? They weren’t sure. “The bottom line is really we don’t know what effect it’s going to have,” said Jamos “Jay” Mobley, senior housing attorney at Orange County’s Legal Aid Society, who’s been helping low-income residents fight eviction notices. It depends on which moratorium provides more protection, but figuring that out isn’t so easy. And who decides if the CDC’s order supersedes Florida’s — the Governor, the state Supreme Court or the federal government — is unclear.
“Sadly, one letter perfectly captures the recovery” via Barry Ritholtz of Bloomberg Opinion — In the early days of 2009 following the Great Financial Crisis, I received an extremely silly email from a booker for a television program who asked: “What single letter would you use to predict the recovery?” My response noted there were 26 letters that humans could use to form words and even sentences to express complex thoughts. I explained that it was wrong to dumb down something as intricate as the economy to a letter of the alphabet or some other symbol. The correct thing to do was to use prior recoveries as a historical guide while acknowledging our inability to accurately forecast the future. Why, we could even add numbers to those words, explaining probabilistic assessments and possible future outcomes that are so superior to predictions! The letter “K” has become more popular of late in discussions about the outlook for the economy.
— MORE CORONA —
Huge — “Steroids can save lives of patients with severe COVID-19, earning WHO endorsement” via Ben Guarino of The Washington Post — Cheap, widely available steroid drugs reduced the number of deaths in the sickest patients with COVID-19, show a trio of newly published clinical trials. The World Health Organization, citing evidence from these and similar trials, announced Wednesday it strongly recommends doctors use the medications to combat severe or critical forms of disease caused by coronavirus infections. Finding a treatment that saves lives is “electrifying … it gives us hope. Maybe we’re gaining on this virus,” said Todd Rice, a critical care physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who was not involved in the studies. WHO’s decision brings the international agency in line with the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which earlier this summer recommended the use of a synthetic steroid, dexamethasone, to treat hospitalized patients who require ventilators or oxygen.
“Those symptoms you Googled could help researchers better understand coronavirus” via Heather Kelly of The Wall Street Journal — The first thing people should probably do when they fear they have contracted the novel coronavirus is call their doctor. The first thing most people actually do is Google their symptoms. That’s good news for researchers. Google is sharing its treasure trove of data about runny noses and fevers to help health researchers learn more about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The data set could even help them predict future hot spots for the disease, or learn more about what long-term effects it has. On Wednesday, Google is making county-level data on symptom searches in the United States available to researchers and the public. The information goes back three years and includes up to 400 symptoms and conditions, not just those known to be associated with covid-19. It will have information on searches for things such as stress and diabetes so experts can learn more about secondary health impacts.
“Depression, anxiety spike amid outbreak and turbulent times” via Lindsey Tanner of The Associated Press — Mental health therapists’ caseloads are bulging. Waiting lists for appointments are growing. And anxiety and depression are rising among Americans amid the coronavirus crisis, research suggests. In the latest study to suggest an uptick, half of U.S. adults surveyed reported at least some signs of depression, such as hopelessness, feeling like a failure or getting little pleasure from doing things. That’s double the rate from a different survey two years ago, Boston University researchers said Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. The study did not ask about any diagnosis they might have received, and for many people, the problem is mostly angst rather than full-blown psychiatric illness. But experts say the feeling is genuine and deserving of professional help.
“An overcrowded migrant camp on a Greek island has its first recorded case.” via The New York Times — Greece reported the first case of the coronavirus in the Moria camp for migrants on the Aegean island of Lesbos. The migration ministry said the facility would be locked down for two weeks as health inspectors tested other residents. Living conditions at the camp have been decried by human rights groups as it hosts nearly 12,000 people, four times its capacity of 3,000. The patient is a 40-year-old man from Somalia who left after securing refugee status but “returned illegally to Moria and had been living in a tent outside the camp’s perimeter,” the ministry said.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Marco Rubio says Senate Intel will get election briefings despite John Ratcliffe order” via Andrew Desiderio of POLITICO — Rubio said Wednesday that the Senate Intelligence Committee will continue to receive in-person briefings from top U.S. intelligence officials about election-security issues, despite the Trump administration’s recent directive to effectively cut off the congressional intelligence panels. The Florida Republican, who serves as the interim chairman of the Intelligence Committee, told a local news outlet that Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence, had pledged to continue briefing the panel even as its Democratic-led counterpart in the House saw a previously scheduled briefing scrapped. Ratcliffe has said the move came after a recent spate of leaks of classified information. Rubio added that “they can’t tell us they’re not coming in to talk to us” because the Senate Intelligence Committee oversees the intelligence community.
“CBO sees U.S. federal debt exceeding size of economy in 2021” via Vince Golle of Bloomberg — The U.S. federal budget deficit will soar to a record $3.3 trillion this fiscal year, swelling government debt to a size bigger than the economy in the wake of massive spending to cushion Americans from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s latest tally. Debt held by the public will reach $21.9 trillion in the fiscal year ending September 2021, or the equivalent to 104.4% of gross domestic product, up from 98.2% in the current year, the CBO said Wednesday in updated projections. Debt will increase to $33.5 trillion at the end of 2030, or 109% of GDP; the previous 10-year projection, in March, saw the figure at 98% in 2030. Even so, this year’s shortfall is smaller than the nonpartisan agency’s preliminary April projection of $3.7 trillion. In 2019, the gap was $984 billion. The updated budget estimate, issued Wednesday and which incorporates legislation enacted through Aug. 4, also showed the U.S. deficit will total $1.8 trillion in fiscal 2021.
— STATEWIDE —
Told ‘ya — “Dane Eagle to head Florida’s DEO” via Sara Girard of WINK — Eagle will take over Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity, replacing Ken Lawson, who resigned Monday. Eagle, who lives in Cape Coral, recently lost the Republican primary for the District 19 Congressional seat. The DEO faced a number of problems over the last six months as millions of Floridians bogged down the state unemployment system, leaving thousands waiting for benefits. The governor feels Eagle’s legislative experience and private sector accountability will make him successful in the role. “Leader Eagle is an experienced legislator, a family man, and the right choice to lead DEO,” said DeSantis.
“One of the hardest jobs in government — even one misstep can be costly to the Governor” via Michael Moline of Florida Phoenix — DeSantis’ daily administrative schedule popped into reporters’ email inboxes at 10:21 a.m. on Tuesday. That would be unremarkable, except that in the past this guidepost to the governor’s agenda frequently arrived well into the cocktail hour — way too late to offer much guidance to press hounds eager to know what the governor was up to. Fred Piccolo Jr., director of communications for DeSantis. The change is among the first wrought by Piccolo, a lifelong Republican with a propensity for pugnacity on Twitter who took over as the governor’s communications director in late July. He replaced Helen Aguirre Ferré, who in turn became a chief spokeswoman for the Republican Party of Florida.
“Andrew Gillum and his wife, R. Jai Gillum, to sit down with Tamron Hall for first television interview” via Yashar’s Newsletter: Hall, the host of her eponymous syndicated daytime talk show, teased a big interview for the debut of the second season of her show. I’ve learned from two sources familiar with the interview that Hall sat down with Andrew and his wife R. Jai for four hours for a wide-ranging interview which will air on the debut episode of her second season on September 14. This will be the first interview for Gillum or his wife since he was discovered drunk and vomiting in a Miami Beach hotel room last March along with another man who appeared to have overdosed on crystal meth. After rising through the political ranks for years, Gillum was the Democratic nominee for Florida Governor in 2018 but conceded the race toDeSantis. In 2019, Gillum faced ethics charges (for accepting a gift over $100 from a lobbyist) which resulted in him agreeing to pay a $5,000 fine.
“Patients able to gobble up pot products” via Dara Kam and Tom Urban of The News Service of Florida — Florida’s largest medical marijuana operator began selling THC-infused candies in Tallahassee. The edible products are appearing on shelves nearly four years after Floridians approved a 2016 constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of patients and nearly three years after state legislators passed a law carrying out the amendment. Quincy-based Trulieve Cannabis Corp., whose owners built a 10,000-square-foot commercial-grade kitchen facility in anticipation of the guidelines, was the first of the state’s medical-marijuana operators to sell the edible products.
—“Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers talks first edible sale” via the Tallahassee DemocrArt Basel
“New report highlights economic impact of Florida ports” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — A report by the Florida Ports Council shows Florida seaports saw steady trade from 2018 to 2019. Florida’s total waterborne trade for 2019 was valued at $86.6 billion, with top trading partners including China, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Mexico. Additionally, cruising increased 8.7% over the year, with 18.3 million passenger movements. “Even with the uncertainty ahead, our ports have capital improvement plans that total more than $3 billion over the next five years, providing jobs and huge economic impacts in local communities,” said Doug Wheeler, president and CEO of the Florida Ports Council, which administers FSTED.
— LOCAL NOTES —
“Tommy Hazouri returns to Jacksonville City Council President role after lung transplant” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — Hazouri is back in the saddle as City Council president after stepping away for lung transplant surgery in late July. The longtime figure in Jacksonville politics said Wednesday he views the transplant as motivation for making the most of his time as council president, particularly his push to tackle long-standing racial disparities in the city. “To have a new lung is a gift from heaven and I’ve really been blessed,” Hazouri said. “I was given the lung for a reason and it’s given me a new lease on life. I don’t know how long I would have been here if I didn’t have that lung replaced.” A Tuesday memo sent announced Hazouri was resuming his duties as council president
“Amazon announces 500-job North Jacksonville fulfillment center” via Karen Brune Mathis of the Jacksonville Daily Record — Amazon.com Inc. announced Sept. 2 that it will open a new 500-job Jacksonville fulfillment center in fall 2021 at 10501 Cold Storage Road in Imeson Park. The more than 1 million-square-foot center will pick, pack and ship small items, including apparel, accessories and footwear. VanTrust Real Estate LLC is developing the center at Imeson Park in North Jacksonville. Building plans refer to it as the Softlines warehouse for apparel and softgoods. “The expansion of Amazon’s footprint in Jacksonville illustrates increased confidence in our economy and reputation as a center for logistics in the southeastern United States,” Mayor Lenny Curry said in a news release.
“Combo of challenges sinks Niceville’s Boggy Fest” via Tony Judnich of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Problems such as declining revenues and attendance in recent years, combined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have apparently brought the four-decades-long run of Niceville’s mullet festival to an end. Known as the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival since its first year in 1976 until last year, when it became known as Boggy Fest, the annual celebration had featured a traditional fish fry served up with big-name country entertainers such as Kenny Rogers, the Charlie Daniels Band and Tanya Tucker. While this October’s festival would have been canceled because of the pandemic, the Mullet Festival Committee decided in late August not to put on any more festivals, Niceville City Manager Lannie Corbin said Wednesday.
— TOP OPINION —
“The violence doesn’t serve either side” via the editorial board of the Tampa Bay Times — Will Americans reduce the cause of racial justice to another talking point in the presidential election? That’s the question right-minded voters face as violence has erupted at protests in some cities. Trump continued to fan the flames of division Tuesday, only further contributing to the dangerous atmosphere. Trump traveled uninvited and unwelcome Tuesday to Kenosha, Wis., to show his support for law enforcement only days after a White police officer shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, seven times in the back last week. The demonstrations against police violence in the aftermath of the killing of Floyd drew bipartisan support for the racial justice movement. But recent, sporadic violence threatens support for that movement and the broader quest for racial harmony.
— OPINIONS —
“Trump is now promising to end the lawlessness that he promised to end four years ago” via JM Rieger of The Washington Post — One month before the 2016 election, then-candidate Trump issued a dire warning. “We are a divided nation, and each week it seems we’re getting more and more divided, with race riots in our streets on a monthly basis,” Trump told rallygoers on Oct. 3, 2016. “This is not the America that was handed down to us, and it’s not the America we want given to our children. But this is the America we will have if we don’t change our leadership immediately.” Nearly four years later, Trump is citing ongoing “lawlessness” for why Americans should not change the country’s leadership, mirroring much of the rhetoric he routinely used in 2016. You can watch examples of this rhetoric in the video above.
“Trump’s ‘choker’ defense of police actually proves protesters’ point” via Eugene Scott of The Washington Post — Trump has reflexively defended law enforcement even as Americans are increasingly demanding accountability for the killings of unarmed Black people by police. He has rejected the notion that this is a byproduct of systemic racism in law enforcement, and his latest way to explain how so many can be killed without that as a factor is that some police just “choke” in intense situations. Trump, in his Tuesday visit to Kenosha, Wis., the city that is reeling from the police shooting of Jacob Blake and the subsequent protests and killings of two protesters, allegedly by a counterprotester, called on Americans to understand those police officers who shoot Black people sometimes make mistakes under pressure. The president offered the choking defense earlier this week during an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, attempting to give grace to law enforcement officers who kill or seriously wound Black people.
“Less COVID-19 testing in Florida? What a ridiculously dangerous idea” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — From the first time I heard the word “coronavirus,” I wanted just one thing: information. Not political spin. Not fearmongering. Just the facts. I think most sane and sober Americans feel the same way. Yet we are witnessing a disturbing trend where some people, especially politicians, are not only downplaying the value of data and facts, but actively shunning them. This week, that trend hit Florida when DeSantis invited Trump’s latest preferred health care expert — Fox News staple Dr. Scott Atlas — to make the case that Florida needs less COVID testing, particularly when it comes to asymptomatic students. Less testing means less information. That’s rarely a good approach to solving any problem.
“Greg Newburn: COVID-19’s toll on Florida prisons highlights the need for compassionate release” via Florida Politics — More than 15,000 prisoners and more than 2,500 Florida Department of Corrections professionals have tested positive for the virus. Some prisons have so many coronavirus cases they have nowhere to put healthy people. It doesn’t need to be this way. Florida’s leaders can save lives and slow the spread in prisons by following the federal government’s blueprint — utilizing two proven effective mechanisms to release vulnerable and low-risk prisoners. The first option is compassionate release. Under the First Step Act a federal court may reduce a prisoner’s sentence if it finds “extraordinary and compelling reasons” to do so. Some courts are rightly finding the pandemic provides such reasons, and are releasing vulnerable people to protect them from the virus.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
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— ALOE —
“Lego defies toy sector gloom as sales and profits rise” via Richard Milne of Financial Times — Lego overcame the twin challenges of coronavirus lockdowns and the general gloom in the toy industry to record increases in both sales and profits in the first half. The Danish privately owned maker of plastic bricks said revenues in the first half increased by 7% while operating profit was 11% higher than a year earlier. Chief executive Niels Christiansen told the Financial Times the momentum had continued into the first two months of the second half. The world’s largest toymaker by both revenues and profits increased consumer sales by double-digit percentages in Asia, western Europe and the U.S. thanks to investments in its online store as well as new products such as Monkie Kid, its first Chinese-inspired group of sets.
What Ryan Smith is reading — “‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 is (almost) here” via Saeed Ahmed of CNN — Let the countdown begin. The second season of “The Mandalorian” is almost upon us. The next installment of the insanely popular series will begin streaming on Disney+ on October 30. That’s the word from Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company. The show, set after the fall of the Empire, but before the rise of the First Order, follows around a bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) seeking to eke out a living with his blasters and wits in a near-lawless frontier. When “The Mandalorian” first arrived in November 2019, it did so with a lot of weight on its armored shoulders: It was the first live-action “Star Wars” series. But it quickly became a fan favorite.
What Frank Mayernick is reading — “Should you see ‘Tenet’ in a movie theater? Here’s how to think about that choice.” via Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post — I can’t tell you whether or not you should go see “Tenet,” the new spy thriller from Christopher Nolan out this week, in an actual movie theater. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was easy: go to good films and wait for anything lesser to pop up on a streaming service. But that was then, and in this now, the calculus of risk and reward has become so personal and complicated that it’s impossible to do the math on behalf of anyone else. What I can tell you is this: “Tenet” is not a great movie, though it is a useful illustration of the power of seeing a movie in a cinema. And the debate over whether to see it says a lot about how the pandemic has complicated our decision-making. The cultural studies professor and critic Phillip Maciak argued that Nolan’s insistence that “Tenet” appear on the big screen — and preferably, that viewers see it on the biggest screen possible — has made him “a second-tier villain of the pandemic,” stubbornly pushing audiences to return to theaters before it’s safe for them to do so en masse.
“Cinderella’s Royal Table, other restaurants to soon reopen” via Ashley Carter of Bay News 9 — Additional Disney World restaurants will soon resume operations as the resort continues with its phased reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Two table-service restaurants will reopen later this month. Cinderella’s Royal Table will reopen September 24, but, according to Disney, will not feature any appearances from the princesses. Reservations will open Sept. 11. “The princesses will be taking a break from their royal duties greeting Guests, but there will be plenty of delicious fare and fun to be enjoyed in this beautiful, one-of-a-kind restaurant,” a post on the official Disney Parks Blog read. Just last week Disney announced it was adding fall decorations and Halloween-themed treats at the Magic Kingdom despite Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party being canceled for this year.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to former U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, Bobby Carbonell, and lobbyist Jenna Paladino.
We join our friends at Ballard Partners in remembering the recently deceased Greg Turbeville, whose birthday would have been today.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, A.G. Gancarski, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
