Peter Schorsch
Good Friday morning.
Some incumbents on Tampa City Council may be in trouble if results from a fresh St. Pete Polls survey hold up after the March 7 municipal election.
District 1 City Council member Joe Citro and District 3 incumbent Lynn Hurtak are both trailing challengers, while District 4 incumbent Bill Carlson leads his opponent and seems to be maintaining support despite a moneyed challenge from the wealthy former McDonald’s franchiser Blake Casper. District 5’s Orlando Gudes posted only a narrow lead over his challenger, with nearly half of all respondents still unsure about the race.
Citro, the current City Council Chair representing the citywide District 1, received just shy of 13% support in the poll, taken Feb. 28 through Mar. 1, while two challengers — Alan Clendenin and Sonja P. Brookins — each topped 19% (Brookins had the slight edge with 19.8% while Clendenin pulled in 19.5%, though the difference is statistically insignificant.)
But don’t count the incumbent out — Citro’s deficit is only just outside the survey’s margin of error (5.3 percentage points). The poll also found more than 51% of voters who planned to vote but hadn’t yet were still undecided.
In District 3, also a citywide seat, Hurtak faces former state Sen. Janet Cruz and is trailing badly, according to the survey. Cruz led with 33% support to Hurtak’s 19%. Like surveys of other Tampa City Council races, many voters (32%) are still undecided.
Even though Hurtak is an incumbent, this will be her first appearance on the ballot. She was appointed last year after former City Council member John Dingfelder resigned. Since then, she has been one of three members of the Council to frequently oppose Mayor Jane Castor’s agenda or vote in favor of items that would erode her executive authority.
To some, the race is a referendum on Castor, whose longtime partner, lobbyist Ana Cruz, is Janet Cruz’s daughter.
Carlson seems to be holding his own in the District 4 battle despite a more than $200,000 funding deficit. Backed by $255,000 of his own money, Casper has raised $333,000 for the race while Carlson has brought in nearly $110,000, still a large sum for a City Council contest.
Despite the funding deficit though, Carlson leads 43% to 26%, with 29% still undecided.
Gudes, meanwhile, leads challenger Gwen Henderson 29% to 23%. But anything could happen in the race. Gudes’ lead is well within the poll’s very large margin of error (9.4 percentage points for that district) and nearly 49% of voters polled were still undecided in the race.
Gudes is facing a potentially difficult re-election battle this year after a city investigation last year found credible accusations that Gudes made inappropriate comments and created a hostile work environment. Gudes was cleared in a harassment lawsuit, but the allegations against him have followed nonetheless, especially with the City of Tampa settling with the accusing employee for $200,000.
Gudes also has a clear money advantage, with nearly $44,000 raised as of the most recent campaign finance reports. Henderson, meanwhile, has raised just shy of $15,000.
___
President Joe Biden has tapped former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy to sit on a White House advisory committee overseeing international trade.
The President’s Export Council advises Biden with direct feedback on how U.S. trade policies affect business sectors. The 25-member board features top leaders from labor, real estate, national security, law, and Fortune 200 companies. Murphy will serve alongside the heads of companies such as Citigroup, United Airlines, CVS, FedEx, 3M and others.
“I am honored to serve on the President’s Export Council and to represent Florida business leaders,” said Murphy, who represented the Treasure Coast in Congress from 2013 to 2017. “As someone who has always been passionate about economic growth and job creation, I am excited to have the opportunity to work with this talented group of individuals to promote American exports and help create new opportunities for businesses and workers across the country.”
Murphy is the Chief Investment Officer of Coastal Construction Group and the founder and CEO of Togal.AI, an artificial intelligence company that automates the estimating process in construction.
Murphy, a Democrat, exited Congress after unsuccessfully challenging U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in the 2016 cycle. Since leaving office, he has been named Chair of the Future Forum Foundation, a nonprofit that works with Congress and the private sector to address the future of work.
His appointment to the Export Council comes as the Biden administration seeks to reinvigorate American exports and promote trade policies to support economic growth.
“I am confident that with Patrick’s leadership and expertise, the President’s Export Council will be well-positioned to help promote American exports and support job creation through trade,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “I look forward to working with him and the rest of the Council to advance our shared goals.”
___
Thomas Hobbs is sailing over to Port Tampa Bay to serve as its next Chief of Staff.
Hobbs brings more than two decades of political experience, dating back to his work in Gov. Jeb Bush’s Office of Drug Control Policy, the Office of Policy and Budget, and as the lead in the Special Projects Division. He has also worked as the deputy director for the Majority Whip in the state House.
For the past 10 years, Hobbs has served as a lobbyist representing several Fortune 500 companies, tech and education clients, and municipalities and special districts. He is also a Major in the Florida Army National Guard assigned as the Headquarters Commander for Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.
“Much like the wonderful region we serve, Port Tampa Bay is experiencing growth and is on the rise. I am excited to welcome a seasoned government relations expert to the Chief of Staff position,” Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson said. “Thomas’ leadership experience in Florida politics and serving in the Army National Guard make him the perfect candidate to help our port excel. We are fortunate to welcome him to our team.”
As Chief of Staff for the port, Hobbs will support strategic direction, internal and external business and operational relations, and engagement with the public and stakeholders.
He will report directly to Anderson and will help manage Anderson’s priorities, including directing the research and writing support for special projects. Hobbs will also be responsible for local, state and federal policy efforts and for representing the port before appropriate entities and participating in initiatives that impact port operations.
___
Tom Leek goes into Session with $2.2M on hand — As we go to the final weekend of fundraising before the start of Session, word on Adams Street is that Rep. Leek will be north of $2.2 million cash on hand when the March 10 reports are filed, between his Senate District 7 campaign account and political committee.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@POTUS: I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule — but I don’t support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the Mayor’s objections — such as lowering penalties for carjackings. If the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did — I’ll sign it.
Tweet, tweet:
Great seeing the best Governor in America today! Thanks @GovRonDeSantis for your leadership and for a vision that America has been waiting for! pic.twitter.com/TkLg5oisUb
— LeAnna Cumber (@LeAnnaCumber) March 2, 2023
Tweet, tweet:
Shirt worn by a DeSantis supporter at Florida Blueprint book promotion event in Jacksonville pic.twitter.com/DUpFc3YorC
— Gary Fineout (@fineout) March 2, 2023
—@PikeBot: It’s not the most consequential, but arguably the most overtly shameful episode in the political press’s recent history was when Chris Rufo outright said on the record that he intended to lie repeatedly to the press, and then we still had to endure like a year of press credulity
—@PatHedger18: TLDR: a bill introduced in the Florida Legislature to require people who are paid to blog about elected officials to register with the state & disclose their compensation every month, or face thousands in fines. Strong candidate for the most anti-free speech bill of the year.
Tweet, tweet:
Congrats to our Vice President Tim Parson on being sworn in to serve on the @chamberofwalton Board of Directors! Today’s meeting included businesses and elected officials in Walton County and beyond. @TLPres2032 @JenniferJGreen #flapol @JimmyPatronis @ShaneAbbottFL pic.twitter.com/2tuSq3FBHa
— Liberty Partners (@LibertyPartners) March 1, 2023
— DAYS UNTIL —
Tampa Municipal Election — 4; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 4; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 11; Premiere date for Season 3 of ‘Ted Lasso’ — 12; World Baseball Classic finals begin in Miami — 14; annual Red Dog Blue Dog fundraiser — 18; ’John Wick: Chapter 4′ premieres — 21; ‘Succession’ Season 4 begins — 23; MLB Opening Day 2023 — 27; Tron Lightcycle/Run debuts in Walt Disney World — 32; Suits for Session — 33; ‘Air’ starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon premieres — 34; NBA Play-In Tournament begins — 39; Taylor Swift ‘Eras’ Tour in Tampa — 44; NBA playoffs begin — 44; final performance of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ on Broadway — 44; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies ’23 conference begins — 46; 2023 Session Sine Die — 63; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premieres — 63; Florida Chamber 2023 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 67; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 76; ‘Fast X’ premieres — 76; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 84; NBA Finals begin — 90; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 91; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 105; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 116; ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ premieres — 118; ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part One’ premieres — 133; Florida Chamber 37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School — 140; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ premieres — 142; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 148; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 234; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 246; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 327; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 341; Georgia Democratic Primary — 348; Michigan Democratic Primary — 361; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 393; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 448; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 511; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 511; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 553; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 616; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 764; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 791; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 980.
— TOP STORY —
“Ron DeSantis says GOP will not ‘mess with Social Security,’ as Democrats and Donald Trump slam his past support for privatization” via Steve Contorno of CNN — DeSantis distanced himself from his past support for privatizing Social Security and raising the retirement age as potential future political foes seize on his previous ideas for the popular retirement program.
“We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,” DeSantis told Fox News. “I think that that’s pretty clear.”
As a congressman, DeSantis voted for nonbinding budget resolutions that would have made age 70 the new threshold for seniors to collect their federal benefits. A recent review of DeSantis’ comments during his 2012 congressional campaign found support for privatizing Social Security as well.
The attempt by DeSantis to publicly walk back a position foundational to the fiscal conservatism that defined his early political career comes as Trump has made support for Medicare and Social Security an early fault line in the 2024 GOP Presidential Primary. Trump singled out DeSantis, who is traveling the country to promote his new book and raise his profile ahead of a highly anticipated campaign for President.
In his latest of several appearances promoting his book, Fox News host Dana Perino asked DeSantis about a proposal to raise the retirement age for federal benefits to 70. He pivoted to criticizing President Biden’s past votes on Social Security before appearing to dismiss concerns about the long-term financial outlook of federal entitlement programs.
“There’s a lot of the budget people used to say, they would blame Social Security or Medicare for budget woes. But the reality is they have printed trillions and trillions of dollars, and that has really fueled the inflation,” the Governor said.
“Eyeing 2024, DeSantis vows ‘next step’ will be ‘executed quickly’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — During an interview on Fox News, the Governor cited a leakproof administration as an example of moving in stealth. DeSantis said he had “personnel working for us who believed in the mission and anybody who didn’t, if anyone tried to leak or do anything, we got rid of them. And really, for the last four years, I didn’t have a single leak in my administration … And you could have the best vision in the world, make the best decisions as the executive. If you don’t have people that will carry out that and implement it, then it’s not going to amount to very much … So, when I would come out and announce our next step, people can take it to the bank that would be executed quickly, and the results would follow.”
“DeSantis usually avoids the press. For Rupert Murdoch, he’ll make an exception.” via Michael M. Grynbaum of The New York Times — DeSantis, a sulfurous critic of the news media, has all but shunned one-on-one interviews with mainstream political reporters, speaking almost exclusively in recent months with friendly conservative pundits. DeSantis’s face is on the cover of Thursday’s edition of The Times of London, whose American correspondent recently conducted an extensive interview with DeSantis at the Republican Party’s headquarters in Tallahassee. The Times of London, one of England’s oldest and most respected papers, is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire has already thrown its considerable influence behind the prospect of a DeSantis presidential bid.
“Dallas GOP dinner featuring DeSantis closed to media” via Gromer Jeffers Jr. of The Dallas Morning News — DeSantis’ “fireside chat” at Saturday’s Dallas County Republican Party’s Reagan Day Dinner will occur behind closed doors. “We are not able to invite the media,” said Dallas County Republican Party Chair Jennifer Stoddard-Hajdu. “That was the decision of Gov. DeSantis’ team.” On Friday, DeSantis will speak at the Harris County Republican Party’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner, which is also closed to the media. Rice University political scientist Mark Jones said that DeSantis has an uneasy relationship with the media and doesn’t want to risk making a mistake before his expected entry into the Republican presidential sweepstakes.
—”Fact-checking DeSantis’ book: What ‘The Courage to Be Free’ glosses over about his record” via Yacob Reyes and Amy Sherman of PolitiFact
“DeSantis: Is this man the next U.S. President?” via David Charter of The Times — The first sign that DeSantis has more than Florida on his mind is that he wants to meet at Republican Party headquarters, rather than the state Governor’s Office where his day job is based, just a few blocks away. The next sign is a table arranged with piles of his new book, The Courage to Be Free — a self-promotional memoir being a rite of passage for any U.S. presidential hopeful. When he tells me about the need for more “vigor” and “energy” in the White House before explaining just how “high-octane” he is, the rising star of Republican politics comes closer than ever to confirming his worst-kept secret. Such is the anticipation that he will announce a campaign for President soon.
“Most Black voters disapprove of DeSantis blocking Black history course, approve of Joe Biden” via Mabinty Quarshie of USA Today — Most Black voters disapprove of DeSantis’ recent moves to block the teaching of a Black history high school class, part of his recent push to reshape the state ahead of an expected presidential run, according to a new poll. The poll also showed that Biden remains highly popular among Black voters. The HIT Strategies’ latest BlackTrack survey comes as DeSantis has emerged as the leading challenger to Trump in the race for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, a contest that has major implications for the direction of the GOP as a whole.
— LEGISLATIVE —
“Attorney General backs law protecting Florida sex trafficking victims from traumatic depositions” via Spencer Norris and Brittany Wallman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Attorney General Ashley Moody said she supports proposed legislation that would protect victims of sex trafficking from being forced to testify against their abusers. The law would prohibit forced depositions of victims or witnesses of any age, as well as any person with intellectual disabilities, unless “good cause” can be shown to justify it. Depositions are witness interviews conducted by attorneys before a trial. A Sun-Sentinel investigation found that Florida is just one of three states where a victim of sex abuse and trafficking can be deposed without requiring the court’s permission first. Traffickers have used lax protections to intimidate their victims out of testifying against them and to secure plea agreements on reduced charges.
“Tyre Sampson bills strengthen ride safety but keep records secret” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — Legislation filed after teenage tourist Sampson’s death on the Orlando Free Fall drop tower would improve ride safety, his mother’s attorney and a ride safety expert say, but it could also keep future accident investigations secret until they’re done. Sen. Geraldine Thompson filed what’s been dubbed the Tyre Sampson Act and a companion records exemption bill Feb. 16. The first follows frameworks Thompson and the agriculture department drafted last year to close gaps in laws identified during the state’s accident investigation of Tyre’s death last March.
“Lawmakers might take money from college students and give it to gas stations” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — Legislation has been filed ahead of the 2023 Session that would force the Florida Lottery to pay retailers a 6% commission on every ticket they sell. It comes one year after lawmakers slipped a provision into a 126-page budget bill late in the 2022 Session that forced the Lottery to raise retailer commissions to 5.75% for the current fiscal year. Permanently bumping Lottery commissions to 6% would mean a multimillion-dollar windfall for businesses like Publix, 7-Eleven and Circle K. But the legislation — HB 715 and SB 1488 — would also leave far less money to Florida’s “Educational Enhancement Trust Fund,” funded with Lottery profits and pays for things like Bright Futures scholarships, smaller class sizes in public schools, and construction projects at state universities.
— MORE LEGISLATIVE —
“School vouchers for all: Great idea or ‘casino gambling’ with education?” via Leslie Postal and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida leaders are poised this month to expand school voucher programs to every student, a move celebrated by school choice advocates who say all parents deserve state funding to help pay for whatever education they deem best for their children. But critics argue an expansion will mean more public money spent on private, often religious, schools that operate without state oversight. Some hire teachers without college degrees and deny admission to certain children — most often those who don’t speak English fluently, have disabilities or are gay. Some use Christian biology books that unlike mainstream texts discredit evolution and declare, “Only God could have made a platypus.”
“New bill would force Anna Maria Island to allow a parking garage for beachgoers” via Ryan Callihan of the Bradenton Herald — A new bill filed in the Legislature would overrule the city of Holmes Beach for a planned parking garage on Anna Maria Island — and it has the support of county leaders. Rep. Will Robinson, a Bradenton Republican, announced his plans to file the bill earlier this year, citing a need for more access to public beaches in Manatee County. If approved in the coming months, the bill would give county government officials permission to build a three-story parking garage by removing Holmes Beach from the permit approval process. “Folks are getting frustrated. They can’t access the beaches, they’re turning around and they’re going back home,” Robinson said during a January interview with the Bradenton Herald.
— LEG. SKED. —
— Dress in Blue Day. Dress in Blue Day lets allies everywhere join the mission to end colorectal cancer. By wearing blue, you bring awareness to this disease and support our work as well as honor all who are impacted by colorectal cancer. All of March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: 8 a.m., Capitol Complex.
— The Revenue Estimating Impact Conference meets to discuss several issues: Housing, tax exemptions, property tax exemptions for surviving spouses of veterans, license taxes, and energy efficiency, among others: 9 a.m., Room 117, Knott Building.
— The Joint Self-Insurance Estimating Conference meets to examine state employees’ health insurance: 1:30 p.m., Room 117, Knott Building.
— Senate deadline for approving final drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including companion bills. House member bill final draft form deadline: All member bill requests must be in final draft form, including requests for companion bills no later than 5 p.m.
— MORE FROM CAP —
“FDLE asked to probe racist phone rant left for Victor Torres” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — An angry voicemail laced with profanity and racial slurs left on the Kissimmee office phone of Sen. Torres has been forwarded to state law enforcement officials to investigate. The Central Florida Democrat received the minutelong message from a man who claimed to be from Polk County. He was upset about Torres’ opposition to a bill that would fine credit card companies if they tracked firearms and ammunition sales in Florida. “What we don’t need is a baldheaded (expletives deleted) freak like you (expletive deleted) trying to take our guns away, trying to track us down here,” said the caller, whose name and phone number were redacted from the recording provided to the news media but provided to law enforcement.
To listen to the redacted phone call, please click on the image below:
Lauren Book responds to hate message directed at Victor Torres — Sen. Torres this week received a hateful voicemail from a man angered over the Senator’s opposition to a bill related to the tracking of gun and ammunition purchases. In a news release, Senate Democratic Leader Book said, “diversity of opinion should never lead to threats of violence — period, the end.” She continued, “Any individual who spews the kind of hateful, racist, threats of violence like those made against Sen. Torres — a man who has dedicated his life to public service, from an esteemed career protecting public safety as a New York City cop to his current representation of Central Floridians in the Florida Senate — will be reported to and swiftly dealt with by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.” Torres said some of the blame for the voicemail belongs to Republican politicians for “empowering these racist zealots with their divisive Hate Agenda.”
New and renewed lobbying registrations:
Halsey Beshears, Magnolia Strategies: CSRS
David Bronstein, Bronstein & Carmona: Personal Insurance Federation of Florida
Kevin Comerer, Rubin Turnbull & Associates: Braman Management Association
Christopher Dawson, GrayRobinson: CareerSource Pinellas
Paul Hawkes, Ashley Spicola, Continental Strategy: Florida Chiropractic Physician Association, Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida
Samantha Laurel: Miami-Dade County
Will McKinley, Erik Kirk, PooleMcKinley: NCIC Inmate Communications
Drew Meiner, Capital City Consulting: Gulf Coast State College Foundation
Travis Moore, Moore Relations: Rachel’s Challenge
Winn Peeples, The Peeples Group: South Florida Quarter Horse Association
Chris Snow: Sunshine Water Services
— STATEWIDE —
“Was the solution to Florida’s insurance crisis found 15 years ago?” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida’s property insurance market was in free fall in 2006 after a series of hurricanes. Premiums were rising. Insurers were going out of business or threatening to leave the state. In response, a group of St. Petersburg businessmen and lawyers produced a sweeping solution: Have the state offer hurricane insurance. Let private insurers offer everything else. Armed with data and political connections, group members flew private planes to Tallahassee on repeated trips to meet with then-Gov. Charlie Crist, lawmakers and the state’s insurance regulator. Instead of being welcomed, they found their idea was “a political hot potato,” one member said.
“DEP drags its feet on halting pollution of Florida’s precious springs” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix — Florida, as I am fond of pointing out, is like no other place on earth. We get more lightning strikes here than in the rest of the country. More sinkholes than the rest of the U.S., too. On the plus side, though, we’ve also got more first-magnitude springs than anywhere else on the planet, “first-magnitude” referring to how much water gushes out from underground. You’d think we’d take better care of these precious jewels than we do. Instead, the state agency in charge of protecting them, the badly misnamed Department of Environmental “Protection,” has treated these “bowls of liquid light” more like toilet bowls that never get flushed. But a court ruling issued in mid-February may turn things around.
“Lake Okeechobee discharges resume; Army Corps says algae controlled” via Ed Killer of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Lake Okeechobee discharges have resumed at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Discharges were halted for two days because of the presence of cyanobacteria on the lakeside of the dam gates. On Feb. 22, the Department of Environmental Protection measured microcystin, a toxin found in cyanobacteria that is released when it degrades and dies, at 0.62 parts per billion. Microcystin at 8 ppb is harmful to mammals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. On Feb. 28, discharges were halted. At 8:30 a.m. March 2, discharges resumed, a Corps spokesperson confirmed.
“Nikki Fried taps Rachel Berger to head FDP transition” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Following her victory to take the Florida Democratic Party Chair position, Fried is turning to Berger, who helped lead that campaign, to be Transition Director as she settles into the post. Berger has extensive experience at the FDP. She joined in 2015, becoming deputy director of party affairs in 2017 and director of party affairs in 2019. “Rachel has been a trusted adviser to myself and to the Florida Democratic Party for the better part of a decade,” Fried said. “Her experience, her talent, and her relationships with party leaders, volunteers, and elected officials will be invaluable in the coming weeks.”
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Biden pushes for $1.6B funding for pandemic fraud measures” via Geoff Mulvihill of The Associated Press — Biden’s administration is asking Congress to approve more than $1.6 billion to help clean up the mess of fraud against the massive government coronavirus pandemic relief programs. In a strategy announced Thursday, the administration called for money and more time to prosecute cases, to put into place new ways to prevent identity theft and to help people whose identities were stolen. On a call with reporters, White House American Rescue Plan coordinator Gene Sperling had hope that Congress, including the GOP-controlled House that is often hostile to the Democratic administration, would see the spending as an investment.
“Biden push to end Title 42 border policy won’t end the legal fights” via Suzanne Monyak of Roll Call — The Supreme Court likely won’t decide a current case on the so-called Title 42 border policy this term if the Biden administration follows through with plans to end that pandemic-era directive in May, legal experts said. But that almost certainly would usher in a new round of court battles, either as a challenge to this latest attempt to end the Title 42 policy or as a challenge to some of the policies that replace it. The justices in December agreed to decide an appeal from a group of Republican-led states that are seeking to defend the policy, which has been in place since 2020. The policy allows border agents to rapidly turn back migrants who cross the border without considering their asylum claims.
“Marco Rubio rejects intelligence finding that ‘Havana syndrome’ not linked to foreign adversary” via Alexander Bolton of The Hill — Rubio, the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement early Thursday rejecting the finding by the U.S. intelligence community that the constellation of ailments known as “Havana syndrome” cannot be linked to a foreign adversary. Rubio says just because intelligence agencies cannot conclusively link the headaches, dizziness, tinnitus and other symptoms associated with “Havana syndrome” to any cutting-edge weapon possessed by foreign agents that doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility.
“Rick Scott says suspension of Monique Worrell would likely be justified” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Sen. Scott is suggesting DeSantis has good reason to suspend State Attorney Worrell. “Families in Central Florida deserve accountability. That’s why I am demanding answers from State Attorney Worrell,” Scott tweeted. “If the failures we suspect are confirmed, Gov. DeSantis would be right to remove her.” The Naples Republican, a former Governor, posted the assessment a day after DeSantis’ Office sent a letter demanding information about past cases involving a murder suspect.
“Time after time: Rubio, Scott introduce Sunshine Protection Act for 4th time” via Brandon Hogan of Click Orlando — Sens. Rubio and Scott reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act for Congress’ consideration Thursday, marking the fourth such effort to “lock the clock” and make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The legislation has been filed in the U.S. Senate in every Session since and starting with the 115th, each time with a companion bill in the House. The announcements seem to come either ahead of or soon after the day we set our clocks forward an hour, in this instance more than a week ahead of the March 12 “spring ahead” date.
“The story behind Matt Gaetz citing Chinese propaganda at a hearing” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post — In 2021, Rep. Gaetz decried what he labeled “a fusion of the interest of the Chinese Communist Party and much of the apparatus of the United States government.” At a hearing Tuesday, Gaetz cited, and entered into the record, an article from a newspaper that the Trump administration designated as a propaganda outlet, apparently without knowing that’s what he was doing. The moment added some color to an otherwise relatively uncontentious hearing on oversight of U.S. funding for Ukraine. And even aside from the article’s provenance, it was a remarkable document to point to at a congressional hearing.
“Vern Buchanan tours Manatee train derailment site, calls for federal attention to aging rails” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Six rail cars that derailed this week while carrying drywall and 30,000 gallons of propane gas continued to lie on their side just behind a warehouse and industrial park in south Manatee County on Thursday, and cleanup could take several more days. Congressman Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, toured the site alongside local elected officials. He called for increased urgency in rehabilitating the nation’s railroad infrastructure, much of which he said is aging. “We are going to have to take a look at what happened here and what’s happening across the country,” Buchanan said.
“Greg Steube introduces bill to help gain tax deductions for Hurricane Ian damage” via the North Port Sun — U.S. Rep. Steube wants income tax relief for people recovering from Hurricane Ian. Steube, of Sarasota, represents all of Sarasota and Charlotte counties along with a portion of Lee County — the area of the country where Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28. More than 150 people died in the storm. NOAA issued a report stating Ian’s financial damage was more than $110 billion — the most of any natural disaster in 2022 and the third most damaging, financially, hurricane on record. Only Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey caused more damage. Steube introduced a bill “to provide income tax relief to Americans recovering from Hurricane Ian.”
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“Trump not immune from lawmaker lawsuits over Jan. 6 attack, U.S. says” via Michael Macagnone of Roll Call — Democratic lawmakers and Capitol Police officers should be able to pursue civil lawsuits against Trump over actions he took leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the Justice Department told a federal appeals court Thursday. In a brief requested by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Justice Department said Trump’s status as President doesn’t protect him from the consequences of all actions he took while in office. Trump had relied on that protection in seeking to dismiss lawsuits over his speeches and tweets before the attack on the Capitol, the DOJ wrote.
“Trump explains why ‘certain candidates’ skip CPAC” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Trump, the headliner of this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), says he knows why candidates are skipping the event. In Truth Social posts that elide specific names of non-attendees like DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, Trump explained the snubs in his latest attempt to assert primacy ahead of what clearly will be a contested GOP Presidential Primary. “The only reason certain ‘candidates’ won’t be going to CPAC is because the crowds have no interest in anything they have to say. They’ve heard it all before, and don’t want to hear it again. But my speech, on Saturday night, is already a sold-out ‘monster,’” Trump said, offering a reminder of the likely news hook from the event.
“DeSantis doesn’t ‘know’ how much Trump endorsement ‘matters’ anymore” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — That’s the takeaway from comments DeSantis made on the Fox News Channel “America’s Newsroom.” “I don’t know,” he told host Bill Hemmer, who asked how much Trump’s endorsement “matters” in 2023. “I mean, I think our voters always make their own decisions. And they consider, obviously, endorsements, and at that time when he was President, his was the big enchilada. But our voters want to look at you and size you up and they take this responsibility very, very seriously.”
“Fox News is reportedly shadowbanning Trump” via Matt Steib of New York Magazine — After a number of Trump-endorsed Republicans lost key elections in the midterms, the many wings of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire began to urge the party to move past Trump. Now that dynamic may be escalating in a way that could hurt his shot at the GOP nomination in 2024. Trump is now facing an unofficial ban at Fox News, with the network refusing to book him or even talk much about him in the context of the Republican presidential primary. “It’s certainly — however you want to say, quiet ban, soft ban, whatever it is — indicative of how the Murdochs feel about Trump in this particular moment,” said one aide. Another said they’ve heard directly from people at Fox News that the policy exists.
“PNC Bank ends business relationship with Donald Trump Jr’s MxM News app company ‘without cause’” via Brooke Singman of Fox News — PNC Financial Services Group Inc. abruptly terminated its business relationship with the news aggregation app company launched last year by Trump Jr. and former Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich. MxM News was founded and launched last year by Trump Jr. and Budowich to compete with apps that aggregate news content for readers, like Apple News, Google News and others that conservatives have accused of censorship. The parent company of MxM News is ROCDIGITAL, LLC.
— 2024 —
“Democrats are open to ditching Biden in 2024” via Nathaniel Rakich of FiveThirtyEight — The race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination has been getting all the attention lately. But at least one person is trying to make fetch happen on the Democratic side. Last weekend, self-help author, motivational speaker and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson announced she was running for president again. Williamson will attempt to defeat a sitting president for renomination, which has never happened in the modern primary era. Conditions may be ripe for a serious primary challenge against Biden, though it probably won’t be Williamson. Only 31% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said they want the party to renominate Biden, while 58% said they’d prefer someone else.
“Eyeing 2024, DeSantis vows ‘next step’ will be ‘executed quickly’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis isn’t announcing his 2024 plans yet, but he promises that when he does, the “next step” will be “executed quickly.” During an interview on the Fox News Channel’s America’s Newsroom, DeSantis cited his leakproof administration as an example of how he’s moving in stealth, for now. DeSantis said he had “personnel working for us who believed in the mission and anybody who didn’t, if anyone tried to leak or do anything, we got rid of them. And really, for the last four years, I didn’t have a single leak in my administration.”
—“DeSantis down by double digits with Virginia Republicans” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“New book in hand, DeSantis adds Iowa to list of cross-country destinations” via Alex Roarty of the Miami Herald — DeSantis will travel to Iowa next week to make his long-awaited debut in the state that hosts the GOP primary’s first nominating contest, an aide to the Governor confirmed. The Governor will appear alongside GOP Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds at two events on March 10, a week after he released his new book, “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.” Last week, DeSantis met with influential Iowa conservative Bob Vander Plaats in Naples, although Vander Plaats said the two men did not discuss a potential White House bid.
“GOP’s 2024 race captured in one Fox clip” via Mike Allen and Noah Bressner of Axios — Rarely does one picture truly tell 1,000 words. But a Fox News segment this week perfectly captured the state of the GOP’s 2024 presidential race, in a few short frames. Rupert Murdoch, the Trump booster turned critic, has turned Fox News into a very friendly platform for DeSantis — promoting his unofficial run for president. While DeSantis has surged to the clear No. 2 in the GOP field, the diner crowd echoed what four recent polls found: This is Trump’s party — and crashing it will be harder than many presume.
“‘Both those dudes gonna get crushed!’ Impromptu 2024 debate breaks out on Capitol steps between GOP and Dem congressmen” via Alex Griffing of Mediaite — Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Byron Donalds engaged in a lighthearted impromptu debate on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday about who is going to win the 2024 Presidential Election. Not surprisingly, both House members backed the popular standard-bearers of their respective parties, with Donalds boosting Trump and DeSantis, while Bowman backed Biden and name-dropped Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“The murder count in Miami is trending. Probably not in the direction you think” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — In the first two months of this year there have been just four homicides in the city of Miami — a historically low and probably unsustainable pace but also part of a long and often overlooked trend. Miami may never shake its deadly Cocaine Cowboys reputation in some quarters but — at least judging by the murder count — the city is far less dangerous than it was decades ago. The last two years combined recorded just 97 homicides — the lowest tolls since 1964 when the city had about 100,000 fewer people. If this year’s pace continues, which police and crime analysts suspect is a long shot, it would cut even those low annual numbers in half. What’s going on?
“Miami-Dade Inspector General: Private transportation company with $64M county contract operated unsafe buses” via Francisco Alvarado of the Florida Bulldog — A private transportation company with a lucrative Miami-Dade contract to operate more than two dozen public transit routes put unsafe buses on the street, according to a recent memo by a county watchdog. Miami-Dade Inspector General Felix Jimenez concluded his three-year-old review of Limousines of South Florida’s previous no-bid, sweetheart deal without making any recommendations to the County Commission. Three months earlier, the Commission OK’d a new $64.1 million contract to handle bus service for 28 outsourced routes for the next five years. Under its previous agreement that began in 2017, Limousines of South Florida earned approximately $32.5 million.
“Feds pick Miami to roll out effort to help indigent get better access to lawyers” via Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — Unlike the rich, most people accused of breaking the law need a public defender or a private attorney to represent them at taxpayer expense. The system has worked that way since the 1960s, but the Biden administration admits it could stand improvement. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a nationwide tour in Miami to recognize the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Gideon v. Wainwright, guaranteeing a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a lawyer and a fair trial. The “Gideon” tour, named after the North Florida man who had to represent himself after being charged with stealing $5, soda and beers from a Panama City bar, promises to be more than ceremonial.
“Broward schools make dramatic changes to sex ed website — then reverses them” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The sex education curriculum for Broward schools went through a brief but dramatic change this week, with drawings of human anatomy and most references to contraception and LGBTQ issues being eliminated from the district’s website. On Monday, the same day as the district’s deadline to turn in sex education materials to the state Department of Education, the district posted a heavily redacted version of its comprehensive sex education curriculum, cutting out entire chapters. Then on Wednesday, after a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter questioned why such changes were made without public notice or board approval, as normally required by state law, spokesperson John Sullivan said the move was “inadvertent.” By Wednesday afternoon, the old sex education curriculum was back up.
“UF campus in West Palm Beach: Is it back on? Jeff Greene says he’s willing to compromise” via Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post — A once-kumbaya plan to bring a bustling University of Florida (UF) campus to West Palm Beach looked kaput when the state’s flagship school groused about “regrettable divisions” in the community. But the self-made Palm Beach billionaire at the center of the fray said he still wants to bring a campus to downtown, is meeting with new UF President Ben Sasse this month and is willing to compromise to get a deal done. Developer Greene, who once waited tables at The Breakers before earning billions of dollars betting against the subprime mortgage market, said having his name on the school in exchange for donating 5 acres of land gave him skin in the game.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“‘I was shocked’: Victims’ families accuse DeSantis, Scott of politicizing Orlando shooting” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — The families of two of the victims in last week’s shooting in Pine Hills criticized Gov. DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Scott for their responses to the killings, adding that neither had reached out to offer condolences a week after the tragedy. Attorney Mark NeJame, who represents the families of Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons and 9-year-old T’Yonna Major, read a statement to reporters blasting both Republicans after they sent letters criticizing Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell for not prosecuting Keith Moses, the alleged killer, for misdemeanor marijuana possession in November 2021. Even if he had been convicted and served the maximum one-year jail sentence, he would have been out of jail “months before the murders happened,” NeJame argued.
“Sheriff: Prosecutors should have looked closer at suspect’s case before Pine Hills shooting” via Amber Jo Cooper of Florida’s Voice — Orange County Sheriff John Mina said prosecutors should have looked closer at Moses’ criminal record and cases before him allegedly shooting five people last month, according to Spectrum 13. Moses is the suspected shooter who allegedly shot five people on Feb. 22, killing three of them including a 9-year-old and a television reporter. Moses has at least eight felony and 11 misdemeanor arrests. 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Worrell said Moses’ only adult offense was possession of marijuana in 2021, which her office did not charge.
“$150K bond set for woman, 76, accused of killing sick husband in Daytona Beach hospital” via Frank Fernandez of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Ellen Gilland, who was has been jailed without bond since the day police said she shot and killed her terminally ill husband at AdventHealth Hospital in Daytona Beach, now has a chance at release after a judge set a $150,000 bond. The 76-year-old Gilland has been held at the Volusia County Branch Jail since Jan. 21, when she shot and killed her 77-year-old husband, Jerry, in his hospital room, according to police. She then pointed the gun at a nurse and a hospital security officer, police said. Gilland later fired the gun at least in the direction of police officers before she was arrested, according to testimony and reports.
“Orlando makes it tougher than most metro areas to park the car and walk, study says” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — Orlando ranks as almost the worst metro area in the nation for walking, a report says. The region already is deemed especially dangerous for pedestrians. But the report, Foot Traffic Ahead, finds that Central Florida also makes it harder than dozens of other metro areas to park the car and walk a reasonable distance for work, groceries, lunch out, a haircut and much of living life. “If one wants to participate in the economy in Orlando,” said Christopher Leinberger, the report’s writer and a thought leader for urban development, “you must drive.”
“After 15 years of trying, Daytona Beach getting $3M for flood mitigation study” via Eileen Zaffiro-Kean of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Imagine living in a low-lying neighborhood so flood-prone that you have to worry about barricading your home with sandbags and fleeing for higher ground every time there’s a tropical storm — or even just really heavy rainfall — headed your way. For many decades, that’s been the anxiety-filled reality for thousands of people who live between Nova Road and the Halifax River. Just five months after dozens of those urban core residents had to be rescued out of their homes as Tropical Storm Ian blasted through the city, some of the best possible news was announced.
— LOCAL: TB —
“Poll: Janet Cruz holds commanding lead in Tampa City Council battle” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Former Sen. Cruz is leading her opposition by double digits. The poll, taken among 345 likely Tampa voters, showed Cruz leading her closest competitor, incumbent Hurtak, by nearly 17 percentage points, at 34% to 17% overall. When looking at those who indicated they had already voted, Cruz led 43% to 14%, and among those who plan to vote, Cruz led 33% to 19.2%. Still, nearly 32% of those who plan to vote but haven’t already, said they were still undecided in the race. It’s also worth noting the poll has a relatively large margin of error, at 5.3 percentage points.
“British hiring firm picks Ybor City for North American headquarters” via Jay Cridlin of the Tampa Bay Times — A British staffing agency that specializes in sales and recruitment for software startups has picked Tampa as the site of its U.S. headquarters. Strive Sales will work out of the Industrious coworking space in Ybor City as it extends its brand across Florida and eventually North America. In a statement, Strive’s U.S. hiring manager, John Hitchen, pointed to the area’s rapid uptick in venture capital investments as a big reason for the move. “Tampa offers everything we were looking for in a North American headquarters — a robust talent pipeline, an active startup community, low business costs and an excellent quality of life,” Hitchen said. “We’re looking forward to building our team and joining this vibrant community.”
“USF Sarasota-Manatee hits ‘significant milestone’ with $42M dorm groundbreaking” via Lauren Coffey of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — The University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus has taken a $42 million step toward shifting away from a label as a commuter school. The school held a groundbreaking for its first-ever student housing complex Wednesday, which will span six stories across 100,000 square feet. The building is expected to house up to 200 students and be completed in the fall of 2024. “This project represents a significant milestone in the University of South Florida’s history,” said USF President Rhea Law in a statement.
“Should Hillsborough impose parental controls at libraries? New Commissioner thinks so.” via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — A Hillsborough County Commissioner wants parents to know what their kids are reading at the public library. Commissioner Michael Owen also wants the adults to have the opportunity to block their youngsters from having access to materials in the adult section of the library or “checking out controversial books dealing with sexuality.” “These should be safe spaces for parents to trust their children are not getting fed garbage, basically,” Owen said. He also called for the county’s 30-branch library system to drop its affiliation with the American Library Association.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
“Collier, Lee County schools have banned or restricted 42 books” via Nikki Ross of the Naples Daily News — Dozens of books in the Collier and Lee public school districts have been challenged by parents or community members since the beginning of the school year. And 42 books have either been banned or restricted. Much like districts across Florida, Collier and Lee districts have wildly varying approaches to how they are complying with a Republican-backed law for “curriculum transparency” signed last year by DeSantis. The law, HB 1467, requires districts to catalog every book on their shelves and put a formal review process in place for complaints. Collier schools have reviewed 115 books, pulling three from the shelves. In Lee County, 33 books have been challenged, and one book has been pulled from shelves entirely.
“Venice Council to consider affordable housing incentives” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Venice leaders may be ready to consider changes to its development rules to foster construction of more affordable housing, including smaller units on lots with houses and incentives for developers to make some of the homes in their projects more affordable than the market rate. The City Council talked briefly about the ideas Tuesday and will consider the topic more at a March 10 workshop, which will also cover other land regulation topics, including green building and sustainability standards, grassed lawn standards, dust reduction and the current prohibition of medical marijuana dispensaries. “We’re going to need some private involvement, private developers, private investment to do some of this work,” Senior Planner Nicole Tremblay said.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“The vision thing” via Chris Hand for Medium — George H.W. Bush lost his bid for re-election, in part because of that inability to master what Bush termed “the vision thing.” Three decades later, “the vision thing” is again notable for its absence in another campaign — the 2023 Jacksonville mayoral contest. Any voter has seen plenty of negative messaging about why certain candidates shouldn’t be Mayor. But voters have received less information about where mayoral hopefuls would lead Jacksonville if elected. It is difficult for anyone to reach an intended destination without knowing what it is. Lacking the compass of a strategic vision, a Mayor can lose control of the City Hall narrative, become consumed with daily crises, and deplete that most precious resource: Time.
“Grim Jacksonville mayoral race reveals entitled, empty campaigns” via Nate Monroe of the Florida Times-Union — Supporters of JAX Chamber President Daniel Davis want the story of the moment to be the apparent collapse of his archrival, Jacksonville City Council member LeAnna Cumber, a fellow Republican and former establishment foot soldier who went rogue and challenged Davis’ bid for Jacksonville Mayor. And certainly, Cumber’s failure to launch — a phenomenon now tracked by two recent public polls — is a stinging indictment of an over-consulted, overly negative, overreaching campaign, a real-time flop that neither millions of dollars nor inside-game maneuvering were able to overcome.
“A decades-old battle for the naked heart of Jacksonville continues in 2023 mayoral race” via Alexandria Mansfield of The Florida Times-Union — Mayoral candidate LeAnna Cumber proposed raising the age of dancers to 21 and made strip club restrictions something of a personal mission in her elected life. Cumber insists that adult entertainment clubs pose a serious threat to the city’s well-being and function as crime hubs, but only 16 clubs remain in Jacksonville. This works out to about one club per every 59,663 residents. The political battleground surrounding nudity in Jacksonville is long-enduring. In 1975, a city ordinance made it a punishable offense for a drive-in movie theater to show films containing nudity when the screen is visible from a public street. The ordinance was shot down in an opinion delivered by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell, who said people on the public streets, “if offended by viewing the movies, can readily avert their eyes.”
“EC Superintendent Tim Smith will not resign after legislator calls for him to step down” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Rep. Michelle Salzman is calling for Escambia County School District Superintendent Tim Smith to resign, but Smith says he “will stay the course.” Salzman sent a letter to Smith and the Escambia County School Board on Wednesday, calling on him to step down from his position, saying he has failed to take actions she requested on several issues. Salzman’s letter comes as School Board member Kevin Adams has pledged to bring an item requesting a new referendum to return the school district to the elected Superintendent system despite the appointed system being approved by a majority of Escambia County voters in 2018. Smith took office in November 2020 as the school system was still in the grips of how to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Santa Rosa wants a 640-acre Naval training field in East Milton to bring in jobs” via Tom McLaughlin of the Pensacola News Journal — The county has opened “preliminary discussions” with the U.S. Navy to work a deal that would secure for it the Santa Rosa Navy Outlying Field, which is located near the intersection of I-10 and State Road 87, according to Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree. “The Navy hasn’t approved or endorsed (the proposal),” Ogletree said. “The Navy team is still working on the preliminary ask and will need to get through proper approval channels.” Ogletree said the county already owns a 100-acre site adjacent to the training field, making the 642 acres an “ideal spot” for further development. He said the county has proposed an equal land exchange where the county would build the Navy another training field in another location.
“Bay District Schools adjusting to new state law, required to review all books in schools” via Ebonee Burrell of the Panama City News Herald — Rhonda Sumpter, Bay District Schools supervisor for instructional technology and media services, said the district immediately adhered to the new policy and started by reviewing books in media centers and classroom libraries. “The process for evaluating materials for inclusion in library collections is continuous and systematic,” Sumpter said. “Each year, media specialists complete inventory of the library collections based on the state statute.” Starting Jan. 1, all school librarians and media specialists were expected to complete training to start the process of removing books deemed inappropriate in schools. Sumpter confirmed that the district had completed all necessary training. As of Monday, only two titles had been submitted for reconsideration in Bay District Schools, and the process still needs to be completed.
“TPD chief opts not to fire officer who tested positive for drugs over City Hall advice” via Jeff Burlew and Christopher Cann of the Tallahassee Democrat — Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell decided not to fire an officer who tested positive for a controlled substance while on duty despite the objections from city human resources officials and concerns he may not be fit for duty. The officer tested positive for amphetamines June 3, and was placed on leave. The officer, whose name was redacted from city records, said he tested positive because he had mistakenly taken Adderall belonging to a family member. An outside medical review officer told Revell that the positive drug test could have been from one-time accidental use of the drug. The officer himself is an anomaly among city employees — of the 22 who tested positive for a controlled substance over the past two fiscal years, he was the only one who wasn’t terminated.
“4 elementary schools in Alachua County to be rezoned by next school year” via Andrew Caplan of The Gainesville Sun — At least four elementary schools will be rezoned by the Alachua County school district before the start of the next school year, officials announced. Though the district has yet to finalize details on the exact changes that will be made, the spot rezoning impacts almost 3,000 students, as their families will be unsure what school their children will attend next year. The district announced by email that the initial four schools impacted will be Terwilliger, Chiles, Hidden Oak and Meadowbrook elementary schools. Of the four, data shows only the newly opened Terwilliger is under capacity with enough room for more students to attend. Last year, the district similarly did a spot rezoning for the overcrowded Idylwild Elementary School to send students to the revitalized Metcalfe Elementary School.
— TOP OPINION —
“‘Cocaine Bear’ and ‘The Courage to Be Free’ by DeSantis: A review” via Alexandra Petri of The Washington Post — What is the plot?
“Cocaine Bear”: A bear does cocaine, and a group of people have to fight that bear.
“The Courage to Be Free”: God only knows. Here are some chapter titles, to give you an idea of the reading experience: “The Magic Kingdom of Woke Corporatism.” “The Liberal Elite’s Praetorian Guard.” “Power in a Post-Constitutional Order.”
Who are the characters?
“The Courage to Be Free”: The only character is DeSantis. DeSantis gives little indication of his personality, other than that he feels he invariably knows the right thing to do in all situations, though he does include the self-deprecating aside that “for me, I rejected the idea that I would strike a balance between academic achievement and athletic success because I was not willing to give less than 100% to either baseball or my academics.”
Is it scary?
“Cocaine Bear”: I would say it is more gory than scary. I laughed often.
“The Courage to Be Free”: It is terrifying! The writing almost lulls you to sleep. But then you jerk awake realizing that DeSantis has just said, in the most convoluted way possible, that the Constitution has already lapsed, and he is thus justified in imposing his will on the people because he is right, and they will thank him for it! Not to mention how blithely he suggests that his state’s response to COVID-19 was an unqualified success.
What kind of things would you text your friends while you consumed it?
“Cocaine Bear”: “cocaine bear is phenomenal.”
“The Courage to Be Free”: “This book will never end. Yet is somehow only 262 pages long.”
“It’s no cocaine bear.”
— OPINIONS —
“Julio Fuentes: Support for Latino community, law enforcement intersects in case of Maury Hernandez” via Florida Politics — Hernandez, a former Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputy, is a double victim — of violent crime and of gross bureaucratic incompetence. The provisions of felon David Maldonado’s probation clearly dictated that he is not allowed to carry a firearm. Yet, the probation officer assigned to Maldonado knowingly allowed him to carry a gun. Later, Maldonado was seen by Hernandez speeding through red lights. After catching up and then engaging in a chase on foot, Hernandez was shot in the face when Maldonado turned and fired at him — in the face. But there is a path to justice. HB 6003 and SB 20 from Reps. Tom Fabricio and Alex Rizo and Sen. Tom Wright would finally make things better and right for the Hernandez family.
“Florida university trustees should not be sole arbiters of who becomes faculty” via Michael A. Coon and Abigail R. Hall of the Miami Herald — House Bill 999 was recently filed in the Florida Legislature, raising alarm among academics in the Sunshine State and across the country. From decisions over curriculum, the ability to review tenure, the thing that protects academic researchers from being fired for their research topics, and other provisions, it’s easy to see why people are concerned. The bill states that the hiring authority for faculty rests with the university Presidents and their boards. What does differ, however, is that, “The president and the board are not required to consider recommendations or opinions of faculty of the university or other individuals or groups.”
WEEKEND TV
ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell; political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus; Tallahassee correspondent Forrest Saunders.
Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at politics in South Florida and other issues affecting the region.
In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A discussion of the Republican agenda in the upcoming Legislative Session. Joining Spectrum News 13 Anchor/Reporter Curtis McCloud are Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Tom Leek.
Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A look at the Florida Legislative Session and the important bills being considered.
Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Spectrum News 13 political analysts Wes Hodge and Eddie Fernandez will help breakdown the upcoming Legislative Session and discuss proposed legislation.
The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Gary Yordon and pollster Steve Vancore.
This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Jacksonville City Council member Kevin Carrico; Mary Jo Terry of Yrefy, LLC., and Cathedral Arts Project VP Melanie Hammer.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“‘Succession’ releases official trailer for final season” via James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter — The Roys civil war erupts in the final season of HBO’s Emmy-winning drama series Succession. Below is the official trailer for the show’s last 10 episodes, which debuts on HBO on March 26. The final season‘s official description: “The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is complete. A power struggle ensues as the family weighs up a future where their cultural and political weight is severely curtailed.”
To watch the trailer, please click on the image below:
“Manatee rescued from red tide near Bradenton. It’s the fourth in SW Florida in a week.” via Robyn Murrell of the Bradenton Herald — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Mote Marine Lab rescued a sick and wounded manatee near Holmes Beach. The FWC tweeted that the animal was lethargic, possibly due to red tide. It’s the fourth manatee they’ve helped rescue from the red tide in less than a week. The manatee also had a gash on its tail from a boat or watercraft and was taken to ZooTampa for treatment. Red tide in Southwest Florida is a growing issue, and while the smell may turn away beachgoers, the blooms are harmful to wildlife like manatees. Last Sunday, the FWC rescued a lethargic and unresponsive manatee in Lee County, near James City, likely because of red tide.
“Vegan Butterbeer on sale at Universal’s Harry Potter land; Disney World water park reopening” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Vegan Butterbeer is on the menu for the first time at Universal Orlando, and a Disney World water park is reopening this month after a renovation. Universal and Disney World announced their latest offerings Thursday as the parks get ready to welcome visitors during the busy Spring Break period. Universal said it’s adding a dairy-free option of the popular drink on the menu for the first time at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It will be available at the Three Broomsticks restaurant in Hogsmeade and the Leaky Cauldron restaurant in Diagon Alley.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Bradley Bean, Dan Conston, president of Congressional Leadership Fund and American Action Network, Lisa Kauffman, and Sean Stafford.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
