Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Here’s another double dose from the Florida Politics team.
Spectrum News is making Hurricane Ian coverage free through its Central Florida affiliates ahead of the storm’s landfall.
Bay News 9 and the Orlando area’s News 13 have opened website paywalls and the Spectrum News App. Those media will remain open through the storm and the immediate aftermath.
“Spectrum News meteorologists are working round-the-clock to track Hurricane Ian, including what to expect county-by-county, evacuation orders and storm warnings as they occur,” said Claudia Claussen, senior manager for public relations for Spectrum Networks. “Coverage also includes live on-the-ground reports from communities across Tampa Bay, Central Florida and beyond, as well as the latest information from city, county and state officials.”
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Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis made another plea for Floridians in the path of Hurricane Ian to take the storm seriously.
The storm is expected to make landfall in Southwest Florida and bring rain, wind and storm surge to many coastal communities.
“Floridians must stay vigilant and make final preparations for this storm immediately,” Patronis said in a statement. “Hurricane Ian is expected to cause up to 15 inches of rainfall in parts of south Florida, isolated totals up to 24 inches of rainfall in central west Florida, and severe flooding. This makes for dangerous road conditions and significant damage to your home and business.”
Patronis also left tips for Floridians, including not running a generator inside or near a home or garage, using sandbags and plastic sheeting to disperse water and more.
“Heed all watches and warnings from local officials and stay alert for shelter availability and evacuation information,” Patronis said. “If you are asked to evacuate, please do so. My office will continue to coordinate with the Florida Division of Emergency Management as the storm progresses.”
Evening Reads
—“Hurricane Ian now a fierce Cat 3 as track shifts south and early rains sweep Florida” via Alex Harris and Michelle Marchante of the Miami Herald
—“Ian is near Tampa Bay. Here’s how the area fared in other storms.” via Jay Cridlin of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Ian headed for SW Florida, but Gov. Ron DeSantis warns Tampa, inland areas to brace for impact” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics
—“DeSantis is making an asylum crisis of his own” via Dara Lind for The New York Times
—“DeSantis: The making and remaking (and remaking) of a MAGA heir” via Gabriel Sherman of Vanity Fair
—“Jan. 6 panel delays hearing as Hurricane Ian aims at Florida” via Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick of The Associated Press
—“Are political winds blowing in Republicans’ favor again?” via Nate Cohn of The New York Times
—“Teen interest in long-lasting birth control soars after Roe” via Heather Hollingsworth and Arleigh Rodgers of The Associated Press
—“A run for the money: Five most expensive Florida legislative races still in play” via Tristan Wood of City & State Florida
—“Low-lying and flood-prone, Tampa Bay area braces for first major storm in a century” via Brady Dennis of The Washington Post
—“Hurricane Ian: Publix stores closing in Tampa Bay” via Daisy Ruth of WFLA
—“Lee County officials lay out plans as Hurricane Ian shifts toward Southwest Florida” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Halloween Horror Nights, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party & more canceled due to Hurricane Ian” via Amanda Kondolojy of the Orlando Sentinel
—“Stranded Shrimp as Jax declares state of emergency for Hurricane Ian” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“I don’t want to get into Monday morning quarterbacking before Monday. What we all need to do is to be focused on protecting fellow Floridians.”
— Charlie Crist declining to comment on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ response to Hurricane Ian.
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