Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
If one word sums up 2020, it’s “pandemic.”
That’s according to Merriam-Webster, which on Monday announced that was its Word of the Year.
“The Greek roots of this word tell a clear story: pan means ‘all’ or ‘every,’ and dēmos means ‘people’; its literal meaning is ‘of all the people.’ The related word epidemic comes from roots that mean ‘on or upon the people.’
“The two words are used in ways that overlap, but in general usage, a pandemic is an epidemic that has escalated to affect a large area and population. The dēmos of these words is also the etymological root of democracy,” the dictionary editors said.
Merriam-Webster’s past Words of the Year encapsulate the events of their time, good or bad.
In 2019, for instance, the Word of the Year was “they,” referring to its use as a gender pronoun; in 2018, it was “justice”; and in 2017, it was “feminism.”
But in recent memory, no other word better describes a year — a close second would be “bailout” in 2008.
Here’s hoping the 2021 Word of the Year is something along the lines of “recovery.”
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If it weren’t for journalist Julie K. Brown and photojournalist Emily Michot, the world might never have heard about Jeffrey Epstein’s secret plea deal that allowed him to avoid prosecution for sex crimes against underage girls.
On Wednesday, the pair will host a livestream to share how they uncovered the secret plea deal and other aspects of the reporting process for their “Perversion of Justice” series. The two will also discuss the aftermath of their reporting.
The discussion, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. — 9 p.m., is being used as a fundraiser for the First Amendment Foundation, a nonprofit that works to protect and advance the public’s constitutional right to open government by providing education and training, legal aid, and information services.
The event is sponsored by the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, The Florida Times-Union and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and others, such as Holland & Knight.
Tickets to the discussion start at $25. Registration is online.
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 983,370 FL residents (+6,426 since Sunday)
— 15,949 Non-FL residents (+232 since Sunday)
Origin:
— 9,019 Travel related
— 375,727 Contact with a confirmed case
— 10,622 Both
— 588,002 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 54,864 in FL
Deaths:
— 18,834 in FL
Evening Reads
“For 70 million real Americans, Donald Trump is the new ‘Lost Cause’” via Diane Roberts of the Florida Phoenix
“How climate change could spark the next home mortgage disaster” via Zack Colman of POLITICO
“Judge freezes voting machines in three Georgia counties” via Josh Gerstein of POLITICO
“Joe Biden picks Janet Yellen for Treasury Secretary” via The Associated Press
“The mastermind behind Biden’s no-drama approach to Trump” via Edward-Isaac Dovere of The Atlantic
“Predictably, some Republican voters in Georgia are turning on the party” via Amber Phillips of The Washington Post
“Most Republicans say they doubt the election. How many really mean it?” via Emily Badger of The New York Times
“Where has the Governor been since his last press conference? Vaccine prep” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics
“Rick Scott balks at college tuition hikes” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“2020’s ‘insane’ hurricane season is officially over. Is it a sign of things to come?” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald
“Ron DeSantis: Florida to remain open without mask mandate despite case increase” via WFLA
“Florida makes it official: Remote learning will continue next semester” via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times
“It doesn’t matter if DeSantis doesn’t like Joe Gruters” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
“Recreational marijuana supporters hope Florida turns green” via Jeff Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat
Quote of the Day
“No one’s losing their job because of a government dictate. Nobody’s losing their livelihood or their business. That is totally off the table.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis, on the possibility of a new lockdown.
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