Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
You reap what you sow, the saying goes.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is hoping Floridians take advantage of a new program her office is launching to sow some seeds — and maybe reap some positivity.
The Unity Gardens Initiative was launched last month to promote community gardens, a collaborative effort where neighbors share the responsibilities and the harvest of a communal vegetable garden. The hope is collective labor will foster bonds among those willing to get their hands dirty.
On Thursday, Fried announced that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will make it easier for Floridians to get their gardens off the ground — or into it — by distributing free seed packets through the University of Florida’s Institute of Food And Agricultural Sciences.
In total, 59 IFAS offices will serve as local pickup spots. Eggplant, corn, sweet peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and three different varieties of tomato seeds will be available as will an IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide.
“Food brings us together, and its production can bring our communities together,” Fried said. “Now, more than ever, we need to work together and encourage positive civic engagement — and these gardens are a great way to do that while growing healthy foods.”
A list of participating IFAS offices, scattered in counties across the state, is available online.
Evening Reads
“Abortion’s last stand in the south: A post-Roe future is already happening in Florida” via Laura C. Morel of Reveal News
“Florida no longer a haven for abortion access: ‘We cannot rest on any amount of protection that exists today’” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Democrats aim to use abortion rights to jolt state legislative races” via Blake Hounshell of The Washington Post
“Abortion has been treated as a fringe issue by Democrats for decades. This is the result.” via Anna North of Vox
“The Great Rage” via Quinta Jurecic of The Atlantic
“Supreme Court decision may hinder access to IVF, a revolutionary fertility tool of the Roe era” via Michael Wilner of McClatchy
“Florida Republicans won’t let go of Disney’s campaign cash” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO Florida
“Ron DeSantis bests Joe Biden by 11 points in prospective poll of 2024” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Why Republicans are attacking Disney for ‘grooming’ on LGBTQ rights” via Michael Feola of The Washington Post
“Ashley Moody announces Walgreens settles for $680M, concluding ‘historic’ opioid litigation in Florida” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics
“Floridians may get to carry guns without a permit. How would it affect them and Disney?” via Steven Lemongello and Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel
“Abortion pills stand to become the next battleground in a post-Roe America” via Pam Belluck and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times
“Your phone could reveal if you’ve had an abortion” via Geoffrey A. Fowler and Tatum Hunter of The Washington Post
“The media fell for ‘pro-life’ rhetoric — and helped create this mess” via Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post
“Memories of pre-Roe America, from people who were there” via Anne Branigin and Rachel Hatzipanagos of The Washington Post
“‘This is wholesale neglect’: Broward schools let elevator maintenance slide for years” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“As a prosecutor and as a judge, seeing the devastation firsthand I resigned (myself) to be an active player and make sure that redress was afforded to our state and our citizens. I now stand before you today to say we have successfully accomplished this mission.”
— Attorney General Ashley Moody, announcing a $680 million settlement with Walgreens.
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