Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 8.17.21

Good Tuesday morning.

Ballard Partners is making inroads into California, entering into a partnership with one of the lobbying firms in the nation’s largest state.

The Florida-based firm will team up with RESOLUTE Co. to ensure that Ballard Partners’ extensive roster of clients has access to an on-the-ground team in California.

“Ballard Partners is committed to fully serving our clients’ needs wherever they may arise,” firm founder and President Brian Ballard said. “With hundreds of premiere clients already being served in seven offices in Florida and Washington, DC, this strategic alliance now allows us to provide our clients with greater advocacy reach in the largest state in the nation. I am pleased to be affiliated with the top-notch team of professionals at Resolute.”

RESOLUTE Co. has a team of nine veteran lobbyists — all partners — in Sacramento, and the firm has extensive expertise in a wide range of issue areas, including high-tech/social media, finance, energy, education, water, health, education and gaming.

The RESOLUTE Co team, whose partners are consistently named among the most influential advocates in California, provides clients with strategy development, policy analysis, relationship-building, campaign consulting, public communications and direct lobbying services.

“Our firm is honored to forge this strategic alliance with one of the nation’s top lobbying firms,” said David Quintana, a founding partner at RESOLUTE Co. “With our new relationship with Ballard Partners, Resolute can offer our clients the significant highest-level bipartisan reach that Ballard brings both in Washington, DC and the megastate of Florida.”

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The Florida Ports Council announced Monday that it’s brought on Emily Fisher as vice president of programs and planning and promoted Christy Gandy to vice president of operations.

Fisher brings a wealth of business, economic development, and member relations experience to FPC. Her resume includes positions at the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University, where she earned a degree in communications and Spanish.

In her new role, Fisher will lead programmatic efforts related to the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program, as well as managing seaport relations.

“We’re pleased to have Emily join the seaports team and are excited about her ability to transfer her business and economic development experience to help benefit Florida’s seaports,” FPC President and CEO Michael Rubin said.

Gandy is a 15-plus year veteran of the FPC, assisting with daily operations of the Tallahassee-based office and leading all event planning for regularly scheduled meetings with executives from Florida’s 15 seaports. She is actively involved with the Florida Society of Association Executives.

“Christy is a dedicated team member, routinely helping ensure we provide the best meetings and events for our members and stakeholders and she is well-deserving of this promotion,” Rubin added.

Fisher and Gandy will report to Rubin, who recently took over as president and CEO. He has worked at FPC since 1998.

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Breaking overnight — “U.S. to advise boosters for most Americans eight months after vaccination” via Sharon LaFraniere of The New York Times — The Joe Biden administration has decided that most Americans should get a coronavirus booster shot eight months after they completed their initial vaccination, and could begin offering the extra shots as early as mid-September, according to two administration officials familiar with the discussions. Officials are planning to announce the decision as early as this week. Their goal is to let Americans know now that they will need additional protection against the delta variant. The first boosters are likely to go to nursing home residents and health care workers, followed by other older people who were near the front of the line when vaccinations began late last year. Officials envision giving people the same vaccine they originally received.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

Kabul airport now . Breaking. Followup for quick updates pic.twitter.com/zbwX47r1N0

— Times Fact check (@MalikRoxk) August 16, 2021

—@SenRickScott: After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office, or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?

—@DavidAstinWalsh: Honestly, the Twitter freakout over the Biden speech from across the political spectrum is based on disbelief that an American President could actually take active steps to end the forever war.

—@FordM: Biden is pretty confident that the American public’s view of Afghanistan is closer to his own than to a lot of other folks in D.C. and on Twitter, and he has few reasons to think otherwise.

—@AlexThomp: Worth remembering that some (Donald) Trump-aligned Republicans argued last fall that Biden was the candidate who’d continue wars in the Middle East and Trump was the withdrawal candidate.

Tweet, tweet:

This made me cry. pic.twitter.com/0S9BrqxH2j

— Johnathan Ford⬅️ (@FordJohnathan5) August 13, 2021

—@LoriBerman: @GovRonDeSantis has considerable influence over his vaccine-hesitant Republican base. Most would also agree that preventing severe illness is preferable to treating severe illness, particularly as our hospital capacity wanes. So, where’s his vaccine campaign?

Tweet, tweet:

Tropical Storm Fred made landfall at 3:15 eastern near Cape San Blas Florida with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. pic.twitter.com/uQXDwLQITP

— Rebecca Barry (@WFLARebecca) August 16, 2021

— DAYS UNTIL —

Florida Behavioral Health Association’s Annual Conference (BHCon) begins — 1; St. Petersburg Primary Election — 7; Boise vs. UCF — 16; Disney’s ‘Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings’ premieres — 17; Notre Dame at FSU — 19; NFL regular season begins — 23; Bucs home opener — 23; California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recall election — 28; Broadway’s full-capacity reopening — 28; Alabama at UF — 32; Dolphins home opener — 33; Jaguars home opener — 33; 2022 Legislative Session interim committee meetings begin — 34; ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ premieres (rescheduled) — 38; ‘Dune’ premieres — 45; Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary party starts — 45; MLB regular season ends — 47; ‘No Time to Die’ premieres (rescheduled) — 52; Florida Chamber Future of Florida Forum begins — 70; World Series Game 1 — 71; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 71; Georgia at UF — 74; St. Petersburg Municipal Elections — 77; Florida’s 20th Congressional District Primary — 77; Disney’s ‘Eternals’ premieres — 82; ‘Disney Very Merriest After Hours’ will debut — 83; Miami at FSU — 88; ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ rescheduled premiere — 94; FSU vs. UF — 102; Florida Chamber 2021 Annual Insurance Summit begins — 106; Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ premieres — 115; ‘Spider-Man Far From Home’ sequel premieres — 122; NFL season ends — 145; 2022 Legislative Session starts — 147; Florida’s 20th Congressional District election — 147; NFL playoffs begin — 148; Super Bowl LVI — 180; ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ premieres — 220; ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres — 264; ‘Platinum Jubilee’ for Queen Elizabeth II — 289; “Black Panther 2” premieres — 325; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 337; ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ sequel premieres — 416; “Captain Marvel 2” premieres — 451.

— TOP STORY —

“Early COVID-19 counts push Hillsborough schools to consider stronger mask rules” via Marlene Sokol and Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — With alarming numbers of COVID-19 cases reported in Hillsborough County public schools during the first week of classes, the School Board will hold a special meeting Wednesday to discuss additional protections against the virus. “We’re at that place. It’s unavoidable,” Board Chair Lynn Gray said Monday. Hillsborough’s case count stood at 731 at midday, nearly 20 times higher than after the first week of classes in 2020. As of 7 a.m., the district said 5,599 students and 316 employees were either in isolation, tested positive for COVID-19, or quarantine, which means they had close contact with a positive case.

—“5K+ Hillsborough Co. students in quarantine/isolation, emergency meeting called for Wednesday” via WFLA

— CORONA FLORIDA —

“Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations drop, intensive care patients and cases rise” via Beth Reese Cravey of The Florida Times-Union — After breaking records daily for two weeks, Florida hospitals reported Monday that the number of COVID-19 patients dropped for the second consecutive day. But the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care continued to rise, as did the number of new cases and deaths, including one Jacksonville hospital that saw 19 COVID-19 patients die over the course of three days at its two area campuses.

“Florida hospital ‘stacking patients in hallways,’ report says” via WFLA — Capacity issues are continuing to plague Florida hospitals as the surge of COVID-19 patients puts a strain on staff and resources. A paramedic out of Sumter County said issues have escalated to the point where they were “stacking patients in the hallways, stacking patients in the waiting room.” The paramedic, Stew Eubanks, said that usually, his calls would be minor situations, but now it’s mostly severe cases. In The Villages, the retirement community that he serves, there’s been an increase of patients who were sicker than others before. Data showed that 83.9% of 251 Florida hospitals’ inpatient beds are in use. About 28% of those were being used for COVID-19 cases.

“Ron DeSantis continues to promote early COVID-19 treatment as critics call for prevention” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis is promoting a COVID-19 treatment that could reduce hospitalizations for the disease. The Governor’s push for monoclonal antibody treatment in Orlando comes as Florida continues seeing heightened hospitalization rates with the delta variant. Meanwhile, other officials are focusing their messages on wearing masks and getting vaccinated. Earlier this month, the FDA approved the injectable antibody cocktail as an early treatment for COVID-19 infections in people at high risk for severe infections, such as those who are immunocompromised. “At the end of the day, reducing hospital admissions has got to be a top priority,” DeSantis said.

“Nikki Fried calls on DeSantis to declare state of emergency, accept fed help” via Laura Cassels of Florida Phoenix — Citing new state and federal COVID-19 statistics, Fried called on DeSantis to declare a state of emergency and draw down federal disaster assistance. In her daily announcements of updated COVID-19 data, Fried said conditions in Florida are becoming dire. Yet, DeSantis has shown no interest in issuing emergency orders other than to block local restrictions such as mask-wearing mandates. “Our hospitals and our health care workers are overwhelmed. We’re hearing reports that pediatric and rural hospitals across the state are filling up and some already at capacity,” Fried said during a Zoom event later posted on her department’s social media pages.

Assignment editors — Agriculture Commissioner Fried will hold a briefing ahead of the State Board of Education’s emergency meeting on mask requirements, 3:15 p.m., the Cabinet Room. The briefing will also be livestreamed on The Florida Channel. Press RSVP to [email protected].

“No more J&J for Florida’s mass vaccination sites” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccines will no longer be available at Florida’s mass vaccination sites, at least not anytime soon. That’s because the federal government has stopped shipping that vaccine to Florida, DeSantis said Monday. “No sites are getting them now because we haven’t gotten a shipment from the federal government since May 2. That was the last time the state got J&J,” DeSantis said Monday in Orlando. DeSantis explained after Orange County officials announced that effective Monday, they could no longer offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at Camping World Stadium, the mass-vaccination site that DeSantis was visiting in Orlando.

“Still no plans for daily COVID-19 reports from Florida as DeSantis says CDC’s are the ‘same thing’” via WTSP — During a news conference Monday promoting one of the state’s rapid response sites administering monoclonal antibodies to patients, DeSantis shed some light about daily case reporting and the status of Florida’s supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In the past, the Governor’s Office said there were “no plans to resume the daily reports” that became commonplace during the pandemic and into 2021. The Florida Department of Health switched to releasing reports once a week in early June as new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations dropped.

“Despite rising COVID-19 cases, FL public college students will be back on campuses this fall” via Issac Morgan of the Florida Phoenix — Florida’s 12 public universities are strongly recommending but not enforcing any vaccine or mask requirements for students, faculty, and staff — even though COVID-19 cases have been skyrocketing. Still, sporting events and other campus activities that bring large crowds will resume as well on Florida’s public campuses. The Florida Board of Governors recently issued health guidance to university officials, recommending everyone on campus get fully vaccinated, wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccine status, administer regular COVID-19 testing, and other safety practices. Meanwhile, the private Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach has a different plan: “Faculty, staff, students, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are REQUIRED to wear masks both indoor and out while on campus,” according to its latest campus announcement.

“As Florida colleges near fall semester, students and staff question forced return to ‘normal’” via Danielle Ivanov of The Gainesville Sun — When colleges and universities across Florida resumed classes a year ago as COVID-19 cases spiked, most instruction was online, students who came to campus were required to wear masks and social organizations were under strict guidelines. Not so this year, despite a surge led by the delta variant of COVID-19 that strikes the young harder. The Board of Governors has told campus administrators to return to pre-pandemic operations within the bounds of CDC guidance. UF used similar language Friday when it said: “We expect everyone to wear a mask at all times when inside any UF facility, even if you are vaccinated.” But it’s not a mandate; many were unmasked at the summer graduation ceremony in the basketball arena the next day.

“Florida schools struggle to find bus drivers as virus surges” via Terry Spencer and Kelli Kennedy of The Associated Press — Many of Florida’s largest school districts are finding it difficult because of the pandemic to hire enough bus drivers, with some using managers and other stopgap measures to get students to class as the new school year begins. The Associated Press contacted most of the state’s 20 largest districts Monday, and many said they have not been able to fully fill their openings, forcing some drivers to handle extra routes. Other districts are asking parents to drive their children to and from school when possible to reduce the numbers requiring busing or putting transportation department managers back behind the wheel.

“Norwegian Cruise Line makes 1st return to Florida, proof of COVID-19 vaccination required” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Norwegian Cruise Line has joined the sailing party from Florida with only COVID-19 vaccinated guests, thanks to a federal court injunction over a new state law that prohibits proof of inoculation. The company’s return to the state was uncertain as it wanted to stick with its vaccinated-only guest policy despite the passage of the law July 1 in Florida that would fine companies $5,000 per instance for demanding so-called vaccine passports. A federal judge earlier in August granted a preliminary injunction against enforcing the law while the case continues. With the ruling, NCL was able to move forward with Sunday’s departure of Norwegian Gem as planned from the company’s new terminal at PortMiami.

— CORONA LOCAL —

“Duval County COVID-19 death toll tops 1,800; 19 die in 3 days at UF Health Jacksonville hospitals” via Beth Reese Cravey of The Florida Times-Union — Since the pandemic began in March 2020, 1,812 Duval County residents have died after battling the coronavirus. That was the death toll, as of Sunday, that the Florida Department of Health officials provided Monday to a Jacksonville City Council committee. But UF Health Jacksonville had another horrific COVID-19 death toll of its own. Since Friday alone, 19 patients have died at the health system’s two area hospitals, which serve mostly Duval County residents. Eight of the patients died Friday, another eight Saturday and three died Sunday.

“Jerry Demings says state quit supplying J&J vaccines to Orange County” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Orange County can no longer provide Johnson & Johnson vaccinations as an option at its mass-vaccination site because the state of Florida has stopped supplying that brand to the county, Mayor Demings said Monday. At his Monday news conference on COVID-19, Demings expressed some concern that people in Orange County wishing to get the quickest protection might not be able to get the protection in time to prevent a COVID-19 infection. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine provides full protection after just one shot, while the other two brands, Pfizer and Moderna, require two shots, given at least three weeks apart.

“Orange County wastewater samples hint at continued surge in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations” via Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — The onslaught of new COVID-19 infections isn’t showing signs of letting up yet, with Orange County officials projecting continued high caseloads and new hospitalizations. That expectation stems from high concentrations of viral fragments found in wastewater samples, which showed about a 674% increase last week compared to May when COVID-19 was thought to be contained. “It’s a great barometer of where the coronavirus is located,” said Mayor Jerry Demings in a news briefing at the Eastern Water Reclamation Facility. Testing of wastewater is said to give between a four and 10-day preview of outbreaks.

—”‘I would not wish COVID-19 on anyone:’ Teacher hospitalized for 72 days pushes vaccine” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel

“Tallahassee’s grim COVID-19 record; 200+ new cases, 4 children” via Casey Chapter of the Tallahassee Democrat — Leon County broke a record with COVID-19: 208 people, including four children, according to hospital data. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare reported 86 inpatients positive for COVID-19, a decrease of nine patients since Friday. Four of the patients are children, a spokesperson confirmed. Of the 86 patients, 11 are vaccinated, according to the hospital’s online dashboard. Capital Regional Medical Center reported 122 COVID-19 patients were in the hospital Monday, increasing 29 patients since Friday.

“Miami-Dade COVID-19 task force recommends mandatory student masks” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Miami-Dade County Schools’ health experts will recommend the School Board approve mandatory masks for the district’s 334,000 public school students when school starts Aug. 23, it was decided Monday. If the School Board approves the Medical and Public Health Task Force’s recommendation Wednesday, Miami-Dade will become the third school district in conflict with DeSantis’ emergency order that prohibited mask mandates for students. Taskforce members cited advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends masks for all students when indoors, especially since students younger than 12 can’t get vaccinated. The decision was unanimous among task force members.

“Manatee schools make masks mandatory, but parents can opt out” via Ryan McKinnon of The Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Manatee County School Board voted to make masks mandatory in schools, with the option for parents to opt out, during an emergency board meeting Monday morning. The new policy is not dramatically different from the mask-optional policy currently in place, but board members hope the additional step of requiring parents to opt out officially will result in more children wearing masks, as cases of COVID-19 in schools continue to increase. The motion passed in a 3-2 vote, with board members Charlie Kennedy, James Golden and Mary Foreman voting in favor. Gina Messenger and newly appointed board member Chad Choate voted in opposition.

—”Manatee County Commissioner hospitalized with COVID-19, thanks community for support” via WFLA

“Declare state of emergency over COVID-19, Palm Beach Commissioner says; health official calls case spike ‘dire’” via Jane Musgrave of The Palm Beach Post — With hospitals straining under the deluge of COVID-19 patients, Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay is asking that a state of emergency be declared to deal with the ever-worsening pandemic. In a letter to County Mayor Dave Kerner and Administrator Verdenia Baker, McKinlay said a Belle Glade resident had to be taken to Orlando for treatment Sunday because Lakeside Medical Center was full and no hospital in the county had available beds. Earlier, a patient was transferred to a Miami hospital, she said. “We have an emergency on our hands, and we need to declare it,” she wrote.

“South Florida health care giant mandating COVID-19 vaccines for workers and volunteers” via Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald — Baptist Health of South Florida, the region’s largest health care organization, announced Monday that all employees, medical staff and volunteers will need to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 31. “The last year and a half has challenged us all, and our community, in ways that we could have never imagined before. Our front-line caregivers continue to feel the strain of COVID-19 surges and continue to selflessly dedicate themselves to caring for our community, and we are grateful,” Baptist Health said in a statement. Baptist has 11 hospitals, including the flagship in Kendall, and nearly 24,000 employees, including 4,000 physicians.

“Kids as young as two weeks old hospitalized with COVID-19 in Pensacola as pediatric cases surge” via Emma Kennedy of the Pensacola News Journal — As COVID-19 hospitalizations in Escambia County climb to levels not seen so far in the pandemic and schools are back in session, the growing number of children hospitalized with the coronavirus has experts worried. Studer Family Children’s Hospital Pediatrician-in-Chief Jason Foland said he saw a two-week-old baby with COVID-19 go into cardiac arrest and has recently seen more children, from newborns to teenagers, in the intensive care unit or need critical care due to COVID-19. On Friday, 12 children under the age of 18 were being treated for COVID-19 at Escambia County hospitals.

“Two new COVID-19 testing sites will open this week in Santa Rosa County” via the Pensacola News Journal — Two new COVID-19 testing sites will open later this week in Santa Rosa County. Starting Aug. 19, NOMI Health will offer testing at two locations: Clyde L. Gracey Community Center and Midway Flea Market. Both sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Testing at the Milton community center will take place outside in the south parking lot. Those who want to be tested will need to park in the south lot and walk up to the testing center.

— STATEWIDE —

“Tropical Storm Fred makes landfall in Florida Panhandle near Cape San Blas” via Cheryl McCloud of the Tallahassee Democrat — Tropical Storm Fred made landfall near Cape San Blas in Florida’s Panhandle Monday afternoon. Heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge are expected in the Panhandle and along the Big Bend area throughout the afternoon and evening. Dangerous storm surge inundation is ongoing along portions of the coast of the Florida Panhandle and the Florida Big Bend region. At 4 p.m. CT, the center of Tropical Storm Fred was located about 25 miles northwest of Apalachicola. Fred is moving toward the north-northeast near 9 mph, and this general motion is expected through tonight.

White House approves Tropical Storm Fred emergency declaration — Biden approved Florida’s emergency declaration issued for Tropical Storm Fred, which hit Northwest Florida on Monday. The declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts. “Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency,” a White House news release said.

“Florida’s unemployment system was improving, but cybersecurity issues are new setback” via Lawrence Mower of the Miami Herald — When the pandemic hit last year, Florida’s unemployment system was in turmoil, with Floridians spending hours on hold with call centers and waiting weeks or months to receive benefits. Sixteen months later, Floridians using CONNECT face some of the same problems, but the state says cyberattacks, not the pandemic, are to blame. At least 58,000 applicants had their personal information, including Social Security numbers and bank information, stolen during a data breach, and some haven’t been able to get benefits since.

Happening today — The Revenue Estimating Conference meets to discuss funding for education, health programs, prisons and other state programs, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building.

“Florida fears rain, hurricanes could cause Piney Point pollution to overflow” via Zachary T. Sampson of the Tampa Bay Times — State officials fear summer rains and hurricane season could cause the polluted reservoirs at the old Piney Point fertilizer plant property to overflow. That’s why the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is asking a Manatee County circuit judge to hold an emergency hearing and appoint an independent receiver to oversee the site, which is owned by a company called HRK Holdings. The state sued Piney Point’s owner earlier this month, seeking damages and help to shut down the site. It is now trying to accelerate that process.

“NCAA wants nondiscrimination vow from event hosts. What does that mean for Florida?” via Kirby Wilson of the Miami Herald — On Aug. 3, the NCAA made a statement that could have major ramifications for Florida, one of at least nine states to have banned transgender females from participating in women’s and girls’ scholastic sports. The NCAA Board of Governors asked hosts of future collegiate championships to “reaffirm their commitment to ensure a nondiscriminatory and safe environment for all college athletes.” In April, while legislatures around the country were debating transgender athlete proposals, the NCAA warned lawmakers that it could pull championships from states that passed the laws. When asked about the NCAA’s statement, state Rep. Chris Latvala, a vocal supporter of the transgender athlete bill as it cleared the Legislature, said he believes the organization is bluffing.

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

Keaton Alexander, Silver Palm Consulting: Oakley Transport

Phillip Ford: Lee Building Industry Association

Jennifer Kelly, Jonathan Steverson, Foley & Lardner: Envision Healthcare Corporation

Karl Rasmussen, Metz Husband & Daughton: Emerald Coast Utilities Authority

— 2022 —

“Charlie Crist hits Ron DeSantis with new television ad over school mask mandates” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — Rep. Crist is launching his first television ad of the governor’s race with an attack on Gov. DeSantis for his opposition to mask mandates for schools. The new ad, which is scheduled to air statewide on cable television on Tuesday, notes the deaths of teachers in Broward County and shows pictures of patients in an intensive care unit. It takes aim at DeSantis for threatening financial sanctions against school districts that defy him on mask mandates. “Florida leads the nation in new Covid cases, jammed hospitals and deaths,” said Crist.

Watch the ad:

“Al Fox, Tampa voice on normalizing Cuban relations, files to run for U.S. Senate” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times — Fox, Tampa’s long-standing advocate for normalizing Cuban American relations, has officially filed to run in the 2022 Senate race. Fox had hinted at a run earlier this summer when he formed an exploratory committee but announced he had filed the paperwork to run in the Democratic primary on Monday. In Tampa, Fox founded the nonprofit Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy Foundation. Through that organization, he took several politicians, religious leaders, and others to Cuba to inform people about what the island was really like.

“Teacher Teresa Tachon introduces CD 10 candidacy” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Tachon announced her Democratic candidacy to Congress, launching a run for the Orlando-based open seat in Florida’s 10th Congressional District. Tachon, who opened a campaign account on July 11, seeks to succeed Democratic Rep. Val Demings, running for the U.S. Senate rather than for a fourth term in the House. Tachon has served a 35-year career as a math teacher, track coach, mentor, club sponsor, union representative and adjunct college professor. She also pointed out she is the daughter of a police officer and said she learned the value of public service as a young girl while observing the positive impact her father had on his community.

Fresh off embargo — Three progressive House Democrats back Omari Hardy in CD 20 contest — Hardy has secured endorsements from three of his Democratic House colleagues as he looks to replace the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings in Florida’s 20th Congressional District. Democratic Reps. Anna Eskamani, Travaris McCurdy and Carlos Guillermo Smith — who all align with the party’s progressive wing — are backing Hardy’s bid. “This is a Special Election for the soul of our party,” Eskamani said in an early Tuesday statement announcing her endorsement. “Omari Hardy has been one of the strongest voices pushing back against special interests that dominate Florida politics. He’s been willing to risk his political career to do what’s right, and we need more people like him in Congress.”

“Major labor union endorses Dale Holness in crowded race to replace Alcee Hastings” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The Florida chapter of the Service Employees International Union is backing Holness as he pursues the seat in Florida’s 20th Congressional District. Holness is competing in a crowded Democratic Primary for the chance to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Hastings, who died earlier this year after a battle with cancer. Holness was one of 11 Democrats who qualified for the race earlier this month. Add Republican and third-party candidates, and 17 people are running in the Special Election to replace Hastings. SEIU Florida is one of the state’s largest unions, making the endorsement a significant get in the Democratic Primary. The organization represents more than 55,000 active and retired workers in the state.

“Jason Fischer files for Duval Property Appraiser” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Fischer, who currently represents House District 16 in the southern part of Duval County, filed for Property Appraiser on Monday. Fischer folded his Senate campaign last week, endorsing Rep. Clay Yarborough after Senate Republicans coalesced around the incumbent from HD 12. One Republican is already filed. In his second term representing much of southern Duval County, Jacksonville City Council member Danny Becton filed months ago and has close to $100,000 on hand. Fischer, however, has fundraised much more aggressively, as his plan for years was to pursue Sen. Aaron Bean‘s Senate seat. Between his campaign account and two political committees, Fischer has roughly $1 million on hand.

Save the date:

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— CORONA NATION —

“Delta surge drives home painful truth: COVID-19 isn’t going away” via Julie Bosman and Mitch Smith of The New York Times — Americans have entered a new, disheartening phase of the pandemic: when they realize that COVID-19 is not disappearing anytime soon. A country that had been waiting for the virus to be over has been forced to recalibrate. Scientists had warned for months that the coronavirus was likely to become endemic and that herd immunity was increasingly unlikely. The virus has mutated and spread at a pace that has surprised some experts. “I think we all took a step back and thought things were getting better,” said Anthony Monteiro, 30, of Tampa, whose job in medical device sales frequently brings him into hospitals. “There are so many COVID patients; I feel like COVID is in the air everywhere I go now.”

“COVID-19 hospital deaths hit previous peaks in hot-spot areas” via Jonathan Levin of Bloomberg — The number of people dying with COVID-19 in U.S. hospitals is hitting previous highs in some hot-spot states with low-to-average vaccination rates, upending hopes the virus has become less lethal. In Florida, an average of about 203 people a day are dying in the hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, matching the state’s November peak. That’s a daily average of about 9 per million residents, the data show. Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri have also seen deaths among patients with COVID-19 soar in the past two weeks.

—“‘We are on fire’: Five U.S. states set records for COVID-19 cases as hospitalizations rise” via Rich Mendez, Robert Towey and Nate Rattner of CNBC

—“New York, D.C. to require health care workers to be vaccinated” via Adela Suliman, Kendra Nichols, Brittany Shammas and Lateshia Beachum of The Washington Post

—“Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocks mask mandates in two counties” via Jordan Frieman of CBS News

— CORONA ECONOMICS —

“S&P hits record amid rising concerns about pandemic” via Damian J. Troise and Alex Veiga of The Associated Press — A choppy day on Wall Street ended Monday with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average notching new highs after recovering from an early slide. The indexes each rose 0.3%, extending their winning streak to a fifth day, while the Nasdaq fell 0.2%. Technology and health care stocks accounted for much of the gain in the S&P 500. Despite the latest gains, there are signs that investors have turned cautious with the market at all-time highs amid rising coronavirus infections in the U.S. and around the globe. “Delta is ending up being a cascading concern,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA. “It seems the market really doesn’t want to make a commitment for the intermediate or long term.”

“Nearly a third of U.S. workers under 40 considered changing careers during the pandemic” via Heather Long and Scott Clement of The Washington Post — Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. workers under 40 have thought about changing their occupation or field of work since the pandemic began, conducted July 6 to 21. About 1 in 5 workers overall have considered a professional shift, a signal that the pandemic has been a turning point for many, even those who did not contract the coronavirus. Many people said the pandemic altered how they think about what is important in life and their careers. It has given them a heightened understanding that life is short and that now is the time to make the changes they have long dreamed of. The result is a great reassessment of work.

“Food stamp benefits to increase by more than 25% in October” via Ashraf Khalil and Josh Boak of The Associated Press — Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps — officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — will rise more than 25% above pre-pandemic levels. The increased assistance will be available indefinitely to all 42 million SNAP beneficiaries. The increase coincides with the end of a 15% boost in SNAP benefits that was ordered as a pandemic protection measure. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that with the change, the U.S. “will do a better job of providing healthy food for low-income families.” The aid boost is being packaged as a major revision to the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, which estimates the cost to purchase groceries for a family of four and guides the way the government calculates benefits.

“Global supply chains are being battered by fresh COVID-19 surges” via Enda Curran and Michelle Jamrisko of Bloomberg — The snarls in Asia — where the United Nations estimates around 42% of global exports are sourced — risk twisting their way through global supply chains just as shipments would usually ramp up for the Christmas holiday shopping season. As earlier snags have shown, problems that start in Asian ports can ripple slowly, showing up later as delays in places like Los Angeles or Rotterdam and higher prices for consumers. The flare-ups also worsen an already tortured year for exporters, with shipping costs sky-high due to a shortage of containers and as raw materials such as semiconductors become pricier and difficult to source amid red-hot demand.

“Fed officials weigh ending asset purchases by mid-2022” via Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal — Federal Reserve officials are nearing an agreement to begin scaling back their easy money policies in about three months if the economic recovery continues, with some pushing to end their asset-purchase program by the middle of next year. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a July 28 news conference that the Fed was still “a ways away from considering raising interest rates. It’s not something that is on our radar screen right now.” A recent run of strong hiring reports has strengthened the case for the Fed to announce at its next meeting, Sept. 21-22, its intentions to start tapering, potentially as soon as its following meeting in November.

— MORE CORONA —

“Babies and toddlers spread virus in homes more easily than teens, study finds” via Emily Anthes of The New York Times — Babies and toddlers are less likely to bring the coronavirus into their homes than teenagers are, but once they are infected, they are more likely to spread the virus to others in their households. Experts said the findings can be explained, at least in part, by behavioral factors, including the fact that very young children require lots of hands-on care and cannot be isolated when they are sick. The study does not resolve an ongoing debate over whether infected children are as contagious as adults, and it does not suggest that toddlers are driving the pandemic. But it demonstrates that even very young children can still play a role.

“The world may never reach herd immunity against COVID-19” via Michelle Fay Cortez of Bloomberg — As COVID-19 surged last year, governments worldwide touted the hope of “herd immunity,” a promised land where the virus stopped spreading exponentially because enough people were protected against it. That’s now looking like a fantasy. The thinking was that the pandemic would ebb and then mostly fade once a chunk of the population, possibly 60% to 70%, was vaccinated or had resistance through a previous infection. But new variants like delta, which are more transmissible and have been shown to evade these protections in some cases, are moving the bar for herd immunity near impossibly high levels.

“Antibody cocktails to treat COVID-19 take off as delta surges” via Carey Goldberg of Bloomberg — Outside, in letters a foot tall, the wall of the trailer reads: “GET TESTED. GET TREATED. CRUSH COVID.” Inside, leathery recliners cradle patients as a freshly mixed concoction drips into their veins: a combination of two monoclonal antibodies once used so rarely that when Trump got it last October, it ignited accusations of special treatment. Now, amid the delta variant surge, the cocktail is rapidly becoming a more common, even routine medical response to a positive coronavirus test in a high-risk patient. Now, amid the delta variant surge, the cocktail is rapidly becoming a more common, even routine medical response to a positive coronavirus test in a high-risk patient.

“Why no one really knows how bad Facebook’s vaccine misinformation problem is” via Sharin Ghaffary of Vox — Over a dozen independent researchers who regularly study Facebook, including six who are specifically researching the spread of information about COVID-19, said the company makes it difficult for people studying the platform to access vital information, including how many times people viewed COVID-19-related articles, what health misinformation Facebook takes down, and what’s being shared on private pages and groups. Researchers aren’t just clamoring for more information about Facebook, either. YouTube, Twitter, and other social media networks also have troves of data about COVID-19 misinformation that could help researchers. But because Facebook is the largest social media platform for sharing news, the company is central to the debate about transparency in Big Tech and the societal impacts of its products.

“COVID-19 vaccines produced in Africa are being exported to Europe” via Rebecca Robbins and Benjamin Mueller of The New York Times — Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine was supposed to be one of Africa’s most important weapons against the coronavirus. The New Jersey-based company agreed to sell enough of its inexpensive single-shot vaccine to eventually inoculate a third of the continent’s residents. That has not happened. South Africa is still waiting to receive the overwhelming majority of the 31 million vaccine doses it ordered from Johnson & Johnson. At the same time, Johnson & Johnson has been exporting millions of doses that were bottled and packaged in South Africa for distribution in Europe. Many Western countries have kept domestically manufactured doses for themselves. That wasn’t possible in South Africa because of an unusual stipulation in its contract with Johnson & Johnson.

“Forget beating COVID-19. Europe is preparing to live with it.” via Jason Douglas and Eric Sylvers of The Wall Street Journal — The battle against COVID-19 is shifting into long-term, low-intensity mode in Europe, as countries including Germany, Italy and France go from seeking to end the pandemic to preparing to live with it. Unlike in the U.S., where some states were quick to drop restrictions amid optimism the virus was in retreat, there was never much expectation that the pandemic was over in Europe, where infections have spiked sporadically through spring and summer. The seven-day average of daily new coronavirus cases in the European Union and the U.K. was 95,500 Sunday, or around 186 cases per million people. Average cases per million in the U.S. are around twice that level, following a sharp upswing this summer as the virus penetrated largely unvaccinated states.

“Australia’s worst day of pandemic sees restrictions tighten” via Rod McGuirk of The Associated Press — Australia’s most populous state on Monday reported its worst day of the pandemic with 478 new infections and seven COVID-19 deaths as pandemic restrictions tightened in other parts of the country. The previous record daily tally in New South Wales was 466 new cases reported on Saturday. Two of the dead had received a single dose of a two-shot vaccine. The rest were unvaccinated, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. Only 26% of Australians aged 16 and older had been fully vaccinated by Saturday. The first shipment of 1 million Pfizer doses that Australia bought from Poland arrived in Sydney overnight.

“Pregnant mom on oxygen months after getting COVID-19: ‘Had I gotten vaccinated, I wouldn’t be in this position’” via Arezow Doost of KXAN — Carolina Martinez remembers being rushed to the hospital. It was April 28. She was in her second trimester of pregnancy and had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after getting a fever and feeling fatigued. Martinez, who goes by Caro, said she was not vaccinated. She said it was because of “ignorance and fear.” “Had I gotten vaccinated, I wouldn’t be in this position that I am now,” she said. “I kind of woke up on June 2 thinking it was still April 28. I was not aware that, you know, a whole month had gone by. So I don’t remember much.”

— PRESIDENTIAL —

“How Republicans are slamming Joe Biden on Afghanistan” via Amber Philips of The Washington Post — Biden’s decision to end the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan was popular with Americans, but it precipitated a disaster for Afghanistan. What will it mean for him and his party politically? It’s hard to say because the political lines on Afghanistan have changed so much over the past few decades. Republicans used to be the hawkish party, and many prominent lawmakers still are. But Trump campaigned and won on a policy of ending America’s longest war. Still, Republicans are trying to capture both chambers of Congress in elections next year, and they see an opening to attack Biden, where he has traditionally been very strong, on foreign policy.

“The Washington Post and other major newspapers rush to evacuate their Afghan employees” via Sarah Ellison and Elahe Izadi of The Washington Post — The Washington Post and other major American newspapers have asked Biden for help in facilitating the departure of their Afghan staffers in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Even as they covered the crisis in their own country, local staff who work for The Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, along with their families, were at the airport in Kabul on Monday, awaiting transfer out of the country. The group numbered 204 people. The publishers requested “support for our colleagues and … an unequivocal signal that the government will stand behind the free press.”

— EPILOGUE TRUMP —

“Donald Trump hopes no one remembers he pushed for a full Afghanistan withdrawal in June” via Bess Levin of Vanity Fair — As you’ve no doubt heard by now, the Biden administration’s decision to leave Afghanistan has become an unmitigated disaster thanks to the shocking speed with which the Taliban have taken control of the country. Biden’s three presidential predecessors aren’t exactly in a position to criticize. Of course, understanding why they should keep their thoughts on the matter to themselves at this time requires self-awareness — something Trump was born without, hence his absurd call over the weekend for Biden to resign. Weirdly, Trump did not note in his statement that less than two months ago, he was bragging about how he started the Afghanistan withdrawal process and claiming the Biden administration was powerless to stop it.

“Trump is curiously quiet on mask mandates” via Sam Stein and Meridith McGraw of POLITICO — Trump’s relatively muted approach to the masking debates may be owed to his other obsessions — predominantly, spreading the false idea that the 2020 election was rigged. But it still stands in contrast to a number of top Republican elected officials. DeSantis and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas have both openly championed laws prohibiting mask mandates in schools. Trump can hardly be described as a paragon of sound public safety conduct. As President, his opposition to masking was so pronounced that he became an emblem for anti-masking behavior — confidently whipping one off his face just moments after returning from the hospital with a serious COVID-19 diagnosis. In his post-presidency, he has not been pictured wearing a mask.

“Title, cover and details of new Trump book from Bob Woodward and Robert Costa revealed” via Jamie Gangel and Elizabeth Stuart of CNN — First, it was “Fear,” then it was “Rage,” now it is “Peril.” That is the title of the highly-anticipated third book about Trump from Woodward, this time written with co-author Costa, a Washington Post national political reporter. “Peril” is scheduled for release on Sept. 21, and will closely examine the tumultuous time spanning the November 2020 election, the Jan. 6 insurrection, and Biden‘s inauguration. The book will reveal how the transition period was “far more than just a domestic political crisis” and “one of the most dangerous periods in American history.”

“This pro-Trump lawyer was a rising ‘stop the steal’ star. His firm erased him.” via Adam Rawnsley and Asawin Suebsaeng of The Daily Beast — As Trump was waging a multi-front campaign to cling to power, a little-known attorney and self-described former special ops commander began working on Trump’s behalf, badgering senior Justice Department officials in an effort to rope them into the plot. In the months since Trump’s failed coup, government documents and emails have further revealed the extent of Kurt Olsen’s behind-the-scenes crusade to try to keep him in power. The twice-impeached former President had clearly taken a shine to Olsen and his work. But since the fallout from the 2020 presidential election, it appears that Olsen’s former colleagues want to distance themselves from him — to the point where his onetime law firm has effectively disowned him and airbrushed him from its history.

— CRISIS —

“Nancy Pelosi suggests Jan. 6 committee scrutinizing Jim Jordan, Jim Banks” via Andrew Solender of Forbes — House Speaker Pelosi on Monday suggested a select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is examining the actions of GOP lawmakers who “participated in the ‘big lie’,” specifically Republican U.S. Reps. Jordan and Banks, both of whom she blocked from serving on the panel. Pelosi said she vetoed them because they are “clowns” and “not serious.” Pelosi added of the two lawmakers, whose rejection from the committee prompted House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to withdraw his other three appointments, “We’ll see what the committee finds out about them.”

“A former Trump State Department-appointee is among 9 alleged rioters charged with assaulting cops in the Capitol tunnel” via Erin Snodgrass of Business Insider — Federico Klein, 42, of Annandale, Virginia, is the first known Trump appointee facing charges related to the Capitol insurrection. Prosecutors allege that Klein was “among the first wave of rioters” to storm the Capitol building on Jan. 6 and physically fought against the front line of officers. Klein, who previously worked on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, joined the State Department as a staff assistant shortly after Trump was inaugurated in 2017. At the time of the Jan. 6 siege, Klein held a “top secret” security clearance. He resigned on Jan. 19, one day before Biden was inaugurated. Prosecutors say Klein remained at the front of the mob “battling” officers, before shoving a stolen riot shield into police bodies.

“Guilty plea for Proud Boys supporter over Jan. 6 Capitol riot threats” via Jonathan Stempel of Reuters — A Proud Boys supporter pleaded guilty on Monday to making social media threats tied to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, including a threat to kill Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia. The defendant, Eduard Florea, also admitted to storing a large collection of ammunition at his home in the New York City borough of Queens. Prosecutors said Florea used the moniker “LoneWolfWar” on Parler, a social media platform used by conservatives, to make threats before and during the riot. An FBI search of Florea’s home in Queens later uncovered more than 900 rounds of ammunition, 72 military-style combat knives, two hatchets and two swords, prosecutors said.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, others react to chaos of Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan” via Steve Contorno of the Miami Herald — With Afghanistan in turmoil and growing fears of a humanitarian crisis, Florida’s two U.S. senators joined others in pointing blame at Biden for the Taliban’s swift return to power. U.S. Sen. Rubio, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, accused Biden of failing to heed the intelligence community’s warnings when the administration pulled ground troops out of Afghanistan in May. U.S. Sen. Scott on Twitter questioned Biden’s capabilities to lead the country, adding: “Has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?” Scott refers to Section 4 of the 25th Amendment relating to succession of power that outlines how a President could be removed from office. It has never been invoked.

“Scott raises removing Biden from office over Afghanistan” via Marianne Levine of POLITICO — Sen. Scott, the chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm, questioned whether Biden‘s cabinet should remove him from office, a near impossibility, over the sudden collapse of Afghanistan. Scott, who is widely viewed as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, tweeted: “We must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?” The Florida Republican’s remarks echo calls from Trump and his allies for Biden to step down, which began as the Taliban took control of the country and toppled the Afghan government.

“Charlie Crist announces nearly $500K in federal assistance for Tampa Bay’s manatee crisis” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Crist announced on his congressional Twitter account Monday that federal dollars are headed to the Tampa Bay area to help save the area’s dying manatees. Crist said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is providing nearly $500,000 to help stave off manatee deaths occurring at unprecedented levels across the state. Much of that funding, according to Crist, will go toward Tampa Bay organizations working to save the manatees. July closed with an additional 61 manatee deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded manatee deaths for 2021 as of Aug. 6 to 905.

— LOCAL NOTES —

“South Florida organizations working hard to collect relief items and get them to Haiti” via Terrell Forney of Local 10 News — Many in South Florida have been looking for ways to help following Saturday’s catastrophic, deadly earthquake in Haiti. Five containers of food and two trucks filled with medical supplies are already on the ground in some of the earthquake-ravaged areas of Haiti, thanks to Food for the Poor. Bishop Oge Beauvoir is in Port-au-Prince. He felt his own home shake on Saturday. “Whenever there is a crisis, we are among the first to show up and help,” he said. Now he’s on the ground, helping coordinate disaster relief efforts. It’s a mission that has been nonstop since the initial deadly quake in 2010. “Once again, we count on you to help us, not only for the relief, but to help us with the affected, to rebuild their lives,” Beauvoir said.

“University of Miami, Alex Azar targets of new Miami billboard” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A government watchdog group will unveil a billboard in South Florida Tuesday, blasting the University of Miami for hiring Alex Azar, the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump. Accountable.US accuses the University of Miami of violating its “core values” such as diversity, compassion, and responsibility with the hire. Azar, who oversaw the launch of Operation Warp Speed and the migrant reunification effort in Homestead, served as health secretary from 2018-2021. He will assume a teaching and policy research position as an adjunct professor this fall.

“SFWMD reports continued progress on phosphorus reduction in Everglades Agricultural Area” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Phosphorus is one of several elements that can contribute to the growth of toxic algae in Florida’s waterways. Data from SFWMD shows phosphorus discharges dropped 59% in the 2021 water year — which ended April 30 — as compared to the base period established in the 1994 Everglades Forever Act. Each year, officials measure the amount of phosphorus loads at points of discharge in the EAA against “the total phosphorus load that would have occurred during the 1979-1988 base period,” according to the Act’s language. The 1994 law set up incentives to keep phosphorus discharges at least 25% below the levels seen during that base period. Water year 2021 saw a reduction more than double that target number.

“Tampa’s Weatherford Capital closes $355 million investment fund” via Jay Cridlin of the Tampa Bay Times — Weatherford Capital, the Tampa private equity firm managed by former Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford and his brothers, has closed its first investment fund at $355 million, well above expectations. The firm’s Weatherford Capital Fund I, launched in April 2020, exceeded its $300 million target and $350 million hard cap. Most of the investors are high-net-worth families from around the country, Weatherford said. The investment gives Weatherford Capital, which manages some $700 million in assets, what’s known as a “blind pool” of capital they can invest more nimbly, rather than finding a startup to invest in and then raising funds around that deal. The company aims to invest about $100 million to $150 million per year.

— TOP OPINION —

“COVID-19 is again the story none of us wanted to have to tell” via Mara Bellaby of Florida Today — Groundhog Day. If that’s how you feel, let me tell you: We do, too. You’ve probably seen that sentiment sprinkled in stories and columns as, once again, we’re redeploying our newsroom to focus on COVID-19 and its impact on Brevard County. From overtaxed hospitals to anxious restaurant owners to the school mask debate, we’re reporting on how the Space Coast is coping or not. According to the most recent data, Brevard added 4,344 new cases over the last seven days, an average of 620 new cases a day. That’s record-breaking in a bad way. It’s frustrating to be back here again.

— OPINIONS —

“Biden could still be proved right in Afghanistan” via Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times — For years, U.S. officials used a shorthand phrase to describe America’s mission in Afghanistan. It always bothered me: We are there to train the Afghan Army to fight for its own government. That turned out to be shorthand for everything that was wrong with our mission: the idea that Afghans didn’t know how to fight and that just one more course in counterinsurgency would do the trick. The early signs, all sorts of Taliban abuses, are not promising. But we need to watch how, and if, they fully establish control. The Taliban’s main beef with America is that we were in their country. Let’s see what happens when we’re gone.

“Young people must vaccinate to compensate for DeSantis’ pandemic failures” via Ken Evans of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Summer is a special time; I know this after 40 years in the camping industry. I observe my campers’ progress every year, and it never ceases to amaze me. They develop respect for themselves, respect for others, and the confidence to face new challenges. Indeed, a lot can happen in the space of a single summer. Since this summer began, the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Florida has slowed by more than half compared to the preceding seven weeks, and the state is now reporting the most cases ever, accounting for one in five nationwide.

“Follow the dark money in Florida’s ghost candidate scandal” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Watergate taught us to follow the money in politics. No wonder so many of its practitioners take elaborate steps to cover their tracks. A horrific example is the laundering of $550,000 that promoted three “ghost” candidates in last year’s races for the Florida Senate and manipulated the results in one. It’s fairly well-known who handled the dirty-trick dark money but not who originally gave it or whose interests were served.

— ON TODAY’S SUNRISE —

High school student JJ Holmes is pleading with the Governor to let districts adopt masking policies so he can go back to school. JJ has cerebral palsy; he uses a wheelchair and can’t go back to school if the other kids don’t have to wear a mask.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— JJ appeared courtesy of Agriculture Commissioner Fried, who continues to attack the Governor’s entire response to the COVID-19 crisis.

— The Governor held a news conference in Orlando Monday to talk about treating COVID-19 patients with Regeneron treatment … a monoclonal antibody cocktail for people who already have this disease. He even brought one of his top health bureaucrats because her daughter was treated with monoclonal antibodies.

— But Democrats in the Legislature says there is so much more the Governor should be doing to help hospitals deal with the new wave of COVID-19 cases.

— And finally, two stories: A Florida Man who can steal your catalytic converter in 90 seconds flat and a Florida Woman arrested for exposing his breasts to her husband … in jail.

To listen, click on the image below:

— ALOE —

“Though delta variant spreads, Florida tourism skyrockets with 31 million visitors” via Alessa Dufresne of Inside the Magic — During the pandemic, travel slowed down … a lot. Still, now, as vaccination rollout has been made available and travel restrictions begin to loosen, Florida’s tourism rates are nearly back to a pre-pandemic state. During the second quarter of the quarter of 2020, Orlando International Airport only saw 700,000 passengers visit. This quarter, the airport has seen 5.4 million tourists enter the state. This totaled a 677.9% increase for Orlando International Airport alone. The total amount of tourists is only 2.2% less than in the pre-pandemic state, showing that tourism is almost completely back to normal. While tourism numbers jump, however, so are the state’s COVID-19 case numbers.

“The Nanny could be immortalized as a LEGO Ideas set” via Rachael Davies of Brick Fanatics — The latest LEGO Ideas set to achieve 10,000 supporters was created as an homage to the 90s TV show, The Nanny. The eponymous build is the second creation from Castor-Troy to make it to the LEGO Ideas review period, joining Movie Set in the second 2021 review. Made from about 2,900 parts, The Nanny is a recreation of Maxwell Sheffield’s house from the TV show on 7 East 75th Street NYC. It includes some of the main sets of the series, and of course, the main characters, with nine minifigures included. The rear has a removable facade, so you can interact with the characters inside.

“‘Like back-to-back championships’: Two more baby albino alligators at this Florida zoo” via Madeleine Barr of the Miami Herald — Welcome to the world, little ones. Wild Florida in Kenansville announced the birth of two albino alligators last week. Their proud parents, Blizzard (dad is 16) and Snowflake (mom’s 27), actually had four hatchlings last year. One of the little guys (or gals) appeared in the Facebook video announcing the recent birth. “That’s like back-to-back championships,” said a Croc Squad worker who showed off the adorable newborns next to their older sibling for size comparison. The two smallest, whose names haven’t been released, will be available for the public to see in the Gator Park area in the coming weeks.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to Sen. Ben Albritton, Rep. Vance Aloupis, and former Rep. Sharon Pritchett. Also celebrating today is photographer Kim DeFalco and the “Grim Reaper” Daniel Uhlfelder.

___

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