Peter Schorsch
Good Sunday morning, and welcome back to “Brunch,” a pop-up newsletter about the 2022 Legislative Session.
It’s cold and dreary in St. Pete. And for the first time in months, there’s no *real* football on the tube (sorry, the Pro Bowl doesn’t count). So today might be one for binging the shows you’ve missed. I still need to catch up on ‘Boba Fett.’
This week marks the middle of Session, so dust off your ‘bills are dying’ memes and get your Solo Cups ready for Sine Die. Someone tell Kevin Cate to dust off the #CateSineDie board. March 11 is coming in a hurry.
Be sure to check out our choices for the Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida politics. And be on the lookout for the latest edition of Christine Sexton‘s “Diagnosis” newsletter, which will drop later tonight. She has a scoop at the top of it that is sure to set Tally on fire.
Enjoy your Sunday.
— Florida replated —
Legislative maps are out of the legislative oven, but there’s a lot to digest there. Wonder exactly how the lines shifted from the last election cycle to what’s likely to be in place for the 2022 cycle? Check out our tour of the new Florida.
— Miami’s loss: With South Florida basically losing a House and Senate seat, there’s a scramble on the coast in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties. A Sunny Isles-to-Lighthouse Point SD? A more compact Homestead HD? Not to mention new numbers.
— Panhandle privilege: Living in Florida’s westernmost point means never having to learn a new district number. It barely means learning new lines. But check out the changes if you live there or guffaw in envy if you don’t.
— Tampa Bay scrambled: Hillsborough has been sliced up in a whole new fashion, pitting incumbents on one another and reimaging a Bay-crossing minority access seat. Check out the results.
— Osceola’s revenge: Growth in Central Florida means a new seat in the Greater Orlando region. But that means rejiggering a whole lot of existing jurisdictions as every from Disney World to the Space Coast gets a little more compressed.
— Registration race —
The Florida Democratic Party is spending big to register new voters.
— The announcement: Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz will detail the multimillion-dollar game plan at a virtual news conference Monday morning.
— Big Wigs: Florida Democratic Party brass will attend the event. Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book, House Democratic Leader-Designate Ramon Alexander and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava are slated to show.
— Context: The registration race comes as the 2022 election draws near. Florida Republicans last year trumped the Democratic Party’s registered voter advantage for the first time in decades.
— Details: Diaz and company will host the conference Monday at 9:30 a.m. Interested parties can register online.
— Becoming Rep. Daryl Campbell —
— Democratic Rep. Daryl Campbell’s path to representing House District 94 was anything but usual, and the same can be said for his official swearing-in Tuesday.
— Background: Campbell won the seat of his former boss Rep. Bobby DuBose to represent a west-central Broward County House District after being elected on the same day the 2022 Session started. After winning the Special Primary, he faced no other candidates, giving him the seat outright. But whether he would have to wait until the scheduled General Election on March 8 to be seated was a question that ping-ponged between the offices of the Secretary of State and Speaker Chris Sprowls for weeks.
— Emotional moment: It all concluded Tuesday as Campbell was sworn in front of the entire House chamber, followed by a rousing standing ovation. “It was surreal — to have the Democrats and Republicans and stand up and clap for me,” Campbell said. “And joining them in this fraternity.”
— Where he’s at: He’ll be occupying the office that Rep. Omari Hardy had before he stepped down to run for Congress.
Memorialized on Twitter: Not everyone gets this treatment.
— Dade Days —
Miami-Dade residents took the Capitol by force this week as part of a two-day showcase known as Miami-Dade County Days.
— Main event: Dating back to 1988, the event highlights the achievements of cities within Miami-Dade County and gives attendees a forum to advocate for their interests.
— Bring your appetite: The showcase, however, isn’t strictly business. The event features the “World Famous Paella Fest” on the Capitol Courtyard and boasts a “Taste of Hialeah” evening reception.
— Consumer review: “Dade Days … a week I both look forward to and fear because I get to see many from Miami, but I also end up overwhelmed by being pulled in 5 different directions … all worth it,” said Democratic Rep. Michael Grieco of Miami Beach on Instagram.
— Catholic Day —
Parishioners and bishops traveled Wednesday to Tallahassee as part of Catholic Day at the Florida Capitol.
— Door to door: Representing the Catholic Church in Florida, guests met and prayed with lawmakers throughout the day. They also viewed various committee meetings and took part in an award ceremony breakfast.
— The issues: The group advocated on several topics, including abortion and conscience protections for health care providers, among others. The group is urging lawmakers to support a bill (SB 770/HB1251) that would exempt prohibit the death penalty against those with “serious mental illness.”
— Tradition: Catholic Day ended with a 47-year-old tradition of Red Mass. At the service, bishops prayed for those working in the legislative, judicial and executive branches.
— School Breakfast —
Lawmakers and Capitol guests enjoyed a nutritious school breakfast at an observation deck event hosted Wednesday by the Florida School Nutrition Association.
— The backstory: The event showed lawmakers examples of healthy school meals served across the state. In fact, the meal served Wednesday is the same plate students in Leon County might enjoy on any given day.
— Legislation: Hosts urged lawmakers to take up a proposal to provide free breakfast to students in low-income families, rather than what are now reduced-priced breakfasts. The proposal (SB 1656 & HB 1187) is sponsored by Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy and Republican Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez.
— The sponsor: “School meals are a lifeline for many students, and participating in school breakfast sets students up for success,” Trabulsy told Florida Politics. “I’m honored to support policies that remove barriers and allow more children to access school breakfast programs.”
— Fried at the Fair —
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is kicking off the 2022 Florida State Fair at the Florida State Fairground in Tampa with the annual Flip the Switch event this Thursday.
— The Flip is that? — At 6:30 a.m., Fried will “flip the switch” to turn on the Midway lights, signaling the opening of the Fair. At a fair, the Midway is where carnival games, amusement rides, trade shows, food booths and other exhibits cluster.
— What’s the Fair? — The Florida State Fair was first held in Tampa in 1904. It is one of the largest events in the Sunshine State, attracting an average of more than 500,000 people during its 12-day run.
— Step right up!- The 2022 Florida State Fair opens at 10 a.m. on Feb. 10 and runs through Feb. 21.
— Magic Man speaks in Jacksonville —
Magic Johnson, one of the all-time NBA greats, will visit Jacksonville Monday for a conversation about HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness. Clear Health Alliance will host the panel.
— Stopping the stigma: Johnson rocked the sports world in 1991 when he said he had tested positive for HIV. The announcement came early enough in the outbreak that many wondered whether it was a death sentence, while some players feared transmission on the court. Johnson eventually returned to the NBA after treatment. He has become a vocal advocate for safe sex and has spoken out on facts regarding HIV transmission.
— Awareness: Monday is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and Johnson will visit the Jacksonville River City Downtown Hotel to participate in a panel and speak about the disease.
— Also attending: Simone Marstiller, Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, will sit on the panel as well. Holly Prince, president of Simply Healthcare Plans, will also be on hand.
— Details: The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. Monday. The hotel is at 245 Water Street in Jacksonville.
More than 117,000 Floridians are living with HIV, according to the latest data from the Department of Health. While education has increased, Florida was tops in the nation in infections in 2019, with nearly 5,000 reported.
— NFL stargazing —
Yes, we know the Super Bowl doesn’t happen for another week, but there is an option for those needing a football fix. The NFL Pro Bowl is set for a 3 p.m. start on ESPN. From the start, it’s going to look a little — well, OK, a lot — different. For instance, there will be no kickoffs.
— Huh? The winner of the opening coin toss has the option of spotting the ball anywhere on the field while designating direction or choosing whether to start on offense or defense from the designated spot. Ah, but they must announce that spot before the other team decides whether to play offense or defense. Regardless of which privilege is chosen, the team determining the spot must announce the starting field position before the other team can decide whether to play offense or defense. The loser of the toss will have first choice between the two privileges to begin the second half.
— Another twist: Following a successful field goal or extra-point attempt, the scoring team has two choices: give the opposition the ball at its own 25-yard line with a first-and-10, or the scoring team can keep the ball at its 25-yard line while facing fourth-and-15. That could make for some fun in the final minutes of a close game.
— Hurry-up offense: Things will run a little faster, too. Instead of a traditional 40/25 second play clock, they’ll experiment with a 35/25 second play clock.
— Super Bowl exemption: You won’t see all-stars from the Cincinnati Bengals or L.A. Rams; those players are getting ready for another game next Sunday. But Florida fans will have a few familiar faces to root for.
— Tampa time: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are well-represented: receiver Mike Evans, defensive tackle Vita Vea, center Ryan Jensen, guard Ali Marpet, linebacker Shaquil Barrett, and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Quarterback Tom Brady (retired) and offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (injured) originally were selected but opted not to play.
Cornerback Xavien Howard represents the Miami Dolphins. No Jacksonville player made the list.
— Brunching out —
Food Glorious Food (FGF) has the feel of a special occasion setting with a laid-back vibe where you can indulge in top-notch dishes paired with creative cocktails and sinfully good desserts.
— Backstory: The restaurant is celebrating its 40th anniversary, which is an impressive feat on its own. Here’s another: FGF is the longest-running, woman-owned business in Tallahassee. Co-owner Susan Turner founded the restaurant in 1982. She later became business partners with chef Kevin Stout and his wife — and pastry chef — Michelle. The three expanded the space and menu to become an upscale destination for brunch, lunch and dinner. In 2020, FGF was named to Florida Trend Magazine’s Golden Spoon Awards Hall of Fame.
— Setting: Walk down a short flight of steps to Food Glorious Food, a modern space with vibrant art, soft lighting and a large dining area. The restaurant’s top floor is a cozy bar called Beans @ Betton and you can dine on outside patios under the shade of umbrellas.
— The menu: The varied FGF menu changes, but there are always lots of tempting choices. A breast atop a Belgian waffle. On a recent visit, other favorites included the flavorful Cuban frittata, garnished with black beans, salsa fresca, cheddar and Texas-sliced bacon. The delectable eggs Benedict is made with a slab of fried green tomato instead of the traditional Canadian bacon (that’s available too). Next time, we’ll save room for desserts — on our visit, they were a double chocolate chunk muffin and pecan sour cream coffeecake.
— Beverages: We opted for a cappuccino, but the bar features bloody mary and mimosa options, including bottomless OJ mimosas.
— Details: Food Glorious Food, 1950 Thomasville Rd., Suite C; 850-224-9974. Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., reopens at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (brunch), reopening at 5:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
