Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 4.7.23

Good Friday morning. May you have a blessed Easter.

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The Easter Egg Roll is coming back to the White House, continuing a tradition dating back to 1878.

This year’s theme, selected by longtime teacher First Lady Jill Biden: “EGGucation.”

For the event, the South Lawn and Ellipse will be transformed into a school community, full of fun educational activities for children of all ages to enjoy.

Features touted by the White House include a schoolhouse activity area, a reading nook, a talent show, a field trip to the farm, picture day, a physical “eggucation” zone, a snack time tent and more.

NASA is also involved — one of the official wooden White House Easter eggs was launched into space and retrieved by Astronauts on the International Space Station, who will use it as a prop for a lesson demonstrating the laws of gravity.

The White House expects around 30,000 people to take part in this year’s Easter Egg Roll, including thousands of military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

Families of the U.S.S. Delaware and U.S.S. Gabrielle Giffords, the U.S. Naval vessels for which the First Lady is the sponsor, are among those invited to attend.

Those who didn’t snag a ticket through the public lottery can still follow along by viewing the @White House, @POTUS, @FLOTUS social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

“Eggs-clusive: White House debuting new Easter Bunny mascot at annual Egg Roll” via Betsy Klein of CNN — A new, oversized set of floppy ears will take their place on the White House’s Truman Balcony on Monday. It’s time for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, the festive, if kitschy, annual tradition dating to the 1870s. And this year, the iconic Easter Bunny, normally played by a good-humored staffer, is getting a much-needed upgrade. “After years of using loaned Easter Bunny costumes, we are ‘egg-cited’ to have our own Official White House Easter Bunny Family, thanks to the generous support of the White House Historical Association,” Vanessa Valdivia, representative for First Lady Biden, said.

“White House sticks with tradition and rolls the eggs” via Ellyn Ferguson of Roll Call — The White House rolls out its annual post-Easter celebration Monday with flocks of kids and 30,000 eggs on the South Lawn despite suggestions that it opts for potatoes or even rocks amid an avian flu outbreak and soaring prices. The egg industry is crowing over its victory. “It’s kind of our Super Bowl,” Emily Metz, CEO and president of the American Egg Board, said about the holiday, adding that more than 3 billion eggs are sold during the season.

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Bill Day’s Latest

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The Florida Gaming Control Commission is bringing on Eric Carr as its Director of External Affairs, effective April 11.

Carr has been working in the Process for 15 years, most recently as Director of Legislative Affairs for the Florida Commission on Offender Review.

For much of his career, Carr was working in the government relations branch of the Florida Medical Association, one of the most influential professional associations in the state. During his nine-year run at FMA, he had a hand in everything from grassroots organizing to social media management.

A graduate of Florida State University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Carr has worked at multiple other state agencies, including the Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation.

He has also worked on the campaign trail, including as a field director for Rick Scott’s successful 2010 run for Governor.

The Gaming Control Commission was established in 2021 alongside the ratification of a new Gaming Compact and is charged with regulating the gambling industry in the state, including pari-mutuels and card rooms.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

Here's a map of violent crime in Chicago over the last five years (left) and a map of mayoral election results by precint (right).

The areas hit hardest by violence voted for Brandon Johnson, who campaigned hard on alternatives to policing, instead of tough-on-crime Paul Vallas. pic.twitter.com/jqQaXcz5p8

— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) April 5, 2023

—@Fineout: At the end of the speech (Ron) DeSantis contends that if Democrats win in 24 they could pack the Supreme Court, make D.C. a state, abolish the Electoral College. Says Republicans outside of Fla have begun to develop a “culture of losing.” Says “In Florida, we have a culture of winning.”

—@ErikaDonalds: The Donalds are all in for The Donald in 2024!

Tweet, tweet:

Looks like someone has won the Fox News primary. pic.twitter.com/xq6snUGjQU

— AG Gancarski (@AGGancarski) April 6, 2023

— DAYS UNTIL —

NBA Play-In Tournament begins — 7; Taylor Swift ‘Eras’ Tour in Tampa — 7; NBA playoffs begin — 9; final performance of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ on Broadway — 9; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies ’23 conference begins — 11; DeSantis speaks at Utah Republican Party convention — 15; DeSantis speaks at the Jerusalem Post and Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem ‘Celebrate the Faces of Israel’ event — 20; ‘White House Plumbers’ premieres — 24; 2023 Session Sine Die — 28; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premieres — 28; Florida Chamber 2023 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 32; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 41; ‘Fast X’ premieres — 41; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres at Cannes — 43; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 50; NBA Finals begin — 55; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 55; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 69; ‘Secret Invasion’ premieres on Disney+ — 75; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 81; ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ premieres — 83; ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part One’ premieres — 98; Florida Chamber 37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School — 104; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ premieres — 106; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 113; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 130; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 199; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 213; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 229; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 295; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 307; Georgia Democratic Primary — 313; Michigan Democratic Primary — 326; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 358; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 413; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 476; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 476; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 505; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 518; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 583; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 729; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 756; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 945.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis’ long-haul strategy against Donald Trump comes into view” via Henry J. Gomez and Matt Dixon of NBC News — Even though it’s early and DeSantis isn’t officially a candidate yet, in talks behind the scenes, an expanded map is viewed as one of the keys to victory, three sources close to the Governor said.

“There have been multiple conversations about delegates and how they are picked in various states across the country,” a DeSantis adviser said. “One thing that we have looked at is that Trump can be beaten on the delegate portion of all this. He has never been good at that.”

Another DeSantis political adviser said there have been internal conversations about delegate strategy. Staffers expected to lead the effort include Ryan Tyson, a longtime Florida GOP pollster who played a crucial role in DeSantis’ 19-point re-election victory last year, and Jeff Roe, a longtime Republican operative who led Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign and is now advising the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down.

“I think if you look at out-of-state travel, it’s all over,” this person said. “It’s not missed on anyone there that it’s often to early states or large delegate states.”

DeSantis isn’t expected to skip the first contests. Still, the strategy carries risks: Advanced attention to states that award more delegates under winner-take-all rules later in the Primary season could translate into less time in the all-important first nominating contests, allowing Trump or another contender to develop unstoppable early momentum.

The early stages of the approach are evident in some of DeSantis’ travel this year.

Through Wednesday, DeSantis had attended more than a dozen events outside Florida. Only three — two in Iowa, one in Nevada — were in states expected to hold one of the first four Caucuses or Primaries. His first trip to New Hampshire is set for next week, a day after he gives two speeches in Ohio.

— DESANTISY LAND —

“DeSantis visits Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan, the ‘anti-Florida’” via The Associated Press — The visit will put the contrasting leadership styles of the Republican and Democrat on display after they scored landslide 2022 re-election victories that vaulted them to be their parties’ brightest emerging stars. In Florida, DeSantis and the GOP-dominated Legislature have moved the state further right, waging a culture war on what the Governor has called “woke” agendas. In Michigan, Whitmer has led the way on codifying abortion rights and advancing sweeping gun reform with Democrats in full control for the first time in decades.

“DeSantis threatens Disney, praises Florida GOP’s ‘culture of winning’ in Michigan visit” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis’ nationwide swing took him to Michigan, where he referred to Trump’s indictment by attacking “ideological” prosecutors and compared Florida Democrats to roadkill. He also vowed the state would get even with The Walt Disney Co., saying the company “tried to pull a fast one” by having the outgoing Reedy Creek board granted 30 years of development control to the company just days before a DeSantis-appointed board took over. “All I can say is, that story’s not over yet,” DeSantis said. “Buckle up, there’s going to be more coming down the pike.”

“At Hillsdale, DeSantis says New College will be a ‘little Hillsdale’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — For a second time during his Michigan trip, DeSantis extolled his own performance in remaking New College of Florida and found a uniquely receptive audience at Hillsdale College for his pledge to turn it into a “little Hillsdale.” “We put six conservative board members on a small liberal arts college in Sarasota called New College. I put Dr. Spalding on, I put Christopher Rufo from the Manhattan Institute and some other people,” DeSantis said. “The President fired the provost and it’s now been a new mission of being a classical liberal arts college. So, we’re going to be like a little Hillsdale, maybe down in Florida. Can you imagine how good that would be?”

“DeSantis donor quakes & New Hampshire foibles” via Tara Palmeri of Puck News — Among the 15-20 Republican megadonors who control the purse strings in GOP politics, there’s growing concern that DeSantis, the great white knight from Tallahassee, might not be the one, or at least not yet. Nevertheless, these are businessmen, hedge fund founders, and private equity moguls who appreciate optionality and are now looking to hedge their risk. “If DeSantis is the guy, we’re ready to go for it and we’re ready to throw our weight behind him,” one major donor said. “We want one or two of them rather than Trump. DeSantis should not misread early support for him, which I’m sure DeSantis hates. We’re ready to support two Trump alternative candidates, because why wouldn’t we?”

“Bob Iger outsmarting DeSantis is a master class in taking on bullies” via Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Time — The Florida troika of cronies DeSantis, activist Nelson Peltz, and former Marvel Chair Ike Perlmutter have met their match in Disney’s CEO Iger. Before the Governor’s plan could take effect, Iger had already finalized a legal agreement with the soon-to-be-dissolved prior oversight Board which transferred the key powers DeSantis tried to seize, directly to Disney for 30 years. Without grandiosity, Iger exudes the quiet confidence that has allowed him to speak up when the moment is urgent. He was one of several top CEOs who called for national unity and calm through the turbulent 2020 U.S. presidential succession.

“‘Total and complete disaster’: DeSantis takes rhetorical aim at Jerome Powell” via Alex Roarty of the Miami Herald — DeSantis has found a new rhetorical target as he prepares for a potential presidential bid: Federal Reserve Chair Powell. In news conferences and speeches across the country, Florida’s Republican Governor has begun to single out Powell — often by name — for criticism, arguing he has wreaked havoc on the economy and shown favoritism to wealthy investors. “This Fed Chairman has been a total and complete disaster,” DeSantis said last week in suburban Atlanta, speaking as part of a nationwide book tour. “And you are paying for it, and people all across this country are paying for it.”

“Democrats bid to use censorship law against DeSantis and ban his book” via Martin Pengelly of The Guardian — Democrats in Florida are attempting to use a state law that censors books in public schools against the Governor who signed it, DeSantis, by asking schools to review or ban the Republican Governor’s own book, The Courage to Be Free. “The very trap he set for others is the one that he set for himself,” Fentrice Driskell, the Democratic minority leader in the Florida statehouse, told the Daily Beast. DeSantis published The Courage to Be Free in February, in what was widely seen as an opening shot in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. He has said he wrote the book himself.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“Florida lawmakers, and DeSantis, charge ahead on six-week abortion ban” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — Abortion rights supporters may be cheering this week’s victory in Wisconsin, but Ron DeSantis didn’t get the memo. Here in Florida, he and GOP lawmakers are still pushing, as early as next week, to approve a far-reaching ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Florida House Speaker Paul Renner is even trying to sell the legislative proposal as a “compromise” because there are some Republicans who want an all-out ban. “When a child has a heartbeat, I think that’s when people say, ‘wait a minute, this is something different,’” Renner said, noting he believes life begins at conception.

“Senate opioid settlement fund plan mostly aligns with DeSantis, House focuses on treatment” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Florida’s share of a large settlement among states and opioid manufacturers is $205.7 million, but House and Senate plans on how to spend it are substantially different. The Senate proposal is largely in line with the plan DeSantis laid out in February, although it wouldn’t spend as much on his preferred programs. The Senate also would use some of the money to pay for treatment programs in prisons and grants for law enforcement agencies, which weren’t in DeSantis’ plan. The House plan focuses mostly on treatment, but both chambers would also use other funds not derived from the settlement for prevention, treatment and recovery services.

“House, Senate budgets diverge on education, economic development” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — The House and Senate each passed their preferred budgets this week (SB 2500, HB 5001) to set the stage for formal negotiations between the chambers later in the Regular Session. The Senate version is $113.6 billion, or about $600 million more than the House plan. Although the chambers agree on some issues, neither has tuition increases, Bright Futures Scholarships are funded at $590.7 million in each, and they’ve already approved $711 million for affordable housing as part of SB 102; there are still some major differences between them both in numbers and in their approach to a variety of programs.

“Florida lawmakers have new plan for insurance crisis: ‘Insurer accountability’” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — After years of giving Florida’s homeowners’ insurance companies largely what they wanted to stem rapidly rising premiums and insurer insolvencies, state lawmakers introduced a new approach this week: “insurer accountability.” That’s the title of a new bill that would increase fines for bad behavior by insurance companies, require them to report more information to the state, and follow “best practices” for handling claims. Property insurance companies would also be prohibited from dropping a policyholder until the repairs on their home have been completed. “If there’s bad actors out there, we’re going to hold them accountable,” said the bill sponsor, Sen. Travis Hutson.

—“Florida’s political climate caused lawmakers to stop push to ban forced prison labor” via Wilkine Brutus of NPR

“Senators add deep-water channel exemption to dredging bill” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Legislation intended to reduce impacts to corals and other marine life in deep-water dredging cleared its second Senate Committee after members added an exemption for shipping channel maintenance. SB 1072, which unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Community Affairs this week without debate, requires an independent contractor to determine any adverse impacts from dredging on the natural habitat. The House Water Quality, Supply and Treatment Subcommittee voted to add the deep-water channel maintenance exception to the House bill (HB 979) at the end of March.

“Will the Legislature shift the settings on data privacy for consumers?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Despite bipartisan support in the House, data privacy legislation has proven elusive over the last couple of years. When no updated privacy bill made it in the hopper before the start of the 2023 Legislative Session, it seemed to imply that the push to limit private companies trading on personal information had suffered a system crash. Then, the House Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee advanced a new bill. Rep. Fiona McFarland once again will carry the bill (HB 1547) and feels optimistic Florida will change the settings on who controls consumers’ private data.

“It’s halfway through Session. What have Florida lawmakers done to education?” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida’s Legislative Session hit the halfway point, and lawmakers have made significant headway in achieving an education agenda that reduces the strength of local School Boards. They’ve fast-tracked efforts to shorten board member term limits, return their elections to partisan races and ease the residency restrictions for candidates. Beyond that, they’ve also taken steps to take over decisions about what time classes can start for each grade level, when challenged books must be removed from circulation and which curriculum must be used for human growth and development courses.

— MORE FROM CAPITOL —

“Religious leaders fear Florida bill could make it a crime to take immigrants to church” via Skyler Swisher and Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel — Some Florida church leaders fear a proposed crackdown championed by DeSantis could criminalize giving immigrants without legal status rides to services, Sunday school or doctor’s appointments. State lawmakers are considering a sweeping immigration package that would make “willfully and knowingly” concealing or transporting a person who is in the country illegally a felony crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

“Could Florida curb parades with drag performers? Here’s what a new bill proposes.” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A bill under consideration in Florida’s Legislature could curb gay pride parades in public places statewide if such events were deemed to be “lewd” and children were watching, say gay advocates who worry about the proposal’s chilling effect. But state Sen. Clay Yarborough says the proposal is about protecting children from watching performances meant only for adults. “When we see things, we cannot unsee them,” he said.

“‘Anti-freedom’: Labor leaders push Polk lawmakers to oppose legislation targeting unions” via Gary White of The Lakeland Ledger — The Winter Haven office of state Rep. Sam Killebrew was empty on Thursday, but those who gathered there hope he will nonetheless hear the message they delivered, standing just outside the front door. The labor leaders and members were protesting House Bill 1445, sponsored by Rep. Dean Black. Titled “Employee Organizations Representing Public Employees,” the legislation would block the automatic deduction of dues from the paychecks of employees in public-sector unions.

“Anxiety among professors as DeSantis pushes ‘conservative firebrand’ for FAU president” via Kate Payne of WLRN — Florida Atlantic University hasn’t yet ironed out the job description for the next president of the university. But DeSantis’ office has reportedly already approached Republican Rep. Randy Fine for the job, despite him not having experience as an academic or administrator in higher education. Some professors at the university say they see this as a political influence that could jeopardize the integrity of the search. “I don’t know how possible it is to be able to fight back against this,” said Robert Lubarsky, a math instructor at FAU.

“Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford supports Florida residents’ right to concealed carry” via Nathan Cobb of The News Herald — “I fully support the constitution and the Second Amendment, and the Second Amendment does not provide permission for citizens to have firearms,” Ford said. “It basically says that it is the right of the people, and it shall not be infringed. “It’s really is a declaration toward government about not infringing on people’s natural right to keep and bear arms.” HB 543, which is slated to go into effect July 1, allows those eligible for a license to carry a gun without a concealed weapons license, which Florida residents receive after passing both a background check and firearms training course.

“Newcomer Bowen Kou adds $1M of his own money in opening month of SD 13 campaign” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Supermarket mogul Kou doesn’t have a website up for his relatively new Senate campaign. His Instagram shows attendance at recent political events, but no mention of his own candidacy. But he just dropped $1 million of his own money into his Senate District 13 run. He also raised more than $100,000 in outside contributions from across the country. “I’m running for Florida Senate District 13 to continue to make Florida a beacon of freedom and economic opportunity,” he said in a statement. “Too often, our conservative values have come under attack, so I’m stepping forward to put my name in the ring for Senate District 13 to protect our way of life.”

“Kim Kendall adds $150K in first month of HD 18 bid” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Kendall amassed upward of $150,000 in the first month of her House campaign. Kendall in March announced a bid to succeed term-limited Rep. Cyndi Stevenson in House District 18. “I’m delighted to begin my campaign with this strong showing of support,” Kendall said in a statement. She announced the totals ahead of releasing detailed fundraising reporting with the state, so it’s unclear how much of the funding comes from individuals, political groups or self-funding.

“Danny Nix running for HD 75” via Nancy J. Semon of the Punta Gorda Sun — Nix, 45, has filed paperwork to run for the House District 75 seat held by Rep. Michael Grant. Nix, a commercial Realtor, told The Daily Sun he was inspired to run by Gov. DeSantis. “His leadership on protecting and defending our freedoms is unmatched and, as a freedom-loving Floridian, I plan on focusing on continuing that fight,” he said. He and his wife, Carla, reside in Punta Gorda and are part of the Nix Team at Coldwell Banker Sunstar, in Punta Gorda. Nix said he is a “lifelong conservative” who “will use my experience with Florida’s real estate market to help make Florida more affordable and solve our housing crisis.”

“Third Republican enters race to succeed Rick Roth in HD 94” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — A third Republican has entered the race to fill Republican Rep. Roth’s seat in western Palm Beach County. Anthony Aguirre, a business owner with a focus on health care, is coming on strong with a similar message to DeSantis’ missives about fighting “woke.” Palm Beach County’s House District 94 is open because Roth is term-limited. The district runs from West Palm Beach’s suburbs to Belle Glade’s agricultural acres. “The fight to keep Florida free must continue. Every Floridian must heed Gov. DeSantis’ call to push back on ‘wokeism’ and ‘woke’ corporations that would impose their views on Floridians and their families,” Aguirre said.

Andres Asion starts Miami Beach Commission campaign with $100K raised — Entrepreneur Asion announced taking in $100K for the first month of his Miami Beach City Commission campaign. Serving for the past 20 years as a member of the City’s Board of Adjustment, the Miami Beach native is a member of the Board of Governors for the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, a past member of the Convention Center Advisory Board, and a two-time graduate of the Miami Beach Citizens Police Academy. “I’m running because our community deserves a trusted, independent voice and a proven leader who will fight for accountability, protect our quality of life, improve public safety, and deliver on promises made,” Asion said. He is president of the Andres Asion Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that assists children and families in need by partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Amigos for Kids, and the Overtown Youth Center, among others.

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

Adam Callaway: Department of Economic Opportunity

Vance Coley, PinPoint Results: Town of Ponce de Leon

Brennan Garcia, Continental Strategy: CrowdStrike

Steven Geller, Geller Law Firm: Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, OSCR, Professional Opticians of Florida

Paul Handerhan, Ramba Consulting Group: Federal Association for Insurance Reform

Jonathan Kilman, Christian Minor, Gerard O’Rourke, Elnatan Rudolph, Converge Public Strategies: Dynamic Integrated Security, Supernal

Will Rodriguez, Corcoran Partners: Discovery Hobe Sound Investors

Corey Staniscia, CSC Group: Orlando Sports Foundation

Alan Suskey, Jim Taylor, Shumaker Advisors Florida: SCHOLAR EDUCATION

— LEG. SKED —

— Revenue Estimating Impact Conference meets: 9 a.m., Room 117, Knott Building.

— STATEWIDE —

“Retailers anticipate growth in 2023 despite inflation” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Even with inflation making consumers choose purchases carefully, Florida retailers expect growth in sales this year. A new forecast from the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts retail sales in 2023 to grow somewhere between 4% and 6%. That would put national retail sales for the year as high as $5.23 trillion, the first time in history that national retail sales surpassed $5 trillion. The projection still expects less growth than in 2022, when sales jumped 7% and reached a record high of $4.9 trillion.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Clarence Thomas and the billionaire” via Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski of ProPublica — For more than two decades, Thomas has accepted luxury trips virtually every year from real estate magnate and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. He has vacationed on Crow’s superyacht; flies on Crow’s Bombardier Global 5000 jet; has gone with Crow to the Bohemian Grove, the exclusive California all-male retreat, and to Crow’s sprawling ranch in East Texas. The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court. These trips appeared nowhere on Thomas’ financial disclosures. His failure to report the flights appears to violate a law passed after Watergate that requires justices, judges, members of Congress and federal officials to disclose most gifts. Crow has gained a unique form of access, spending days in private with one of the most powerful people in the country. By accepting the trips, Thomas has broken long-standing norms for judges’ conduct, ethics experts and four current or retired federal judges said.

“Lawmakers call for tighter ethics code after revelations about Justice Thomas” via Zach Montague of The New York Times — No formal code of conduct on the Supreme Court specifically bars the justice from taking the trips mentioned in ProPublica’s reporting. But under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, justices, like federal judges, must file a financial disclosure each year that lists gifts of more than $415 in avoidance of even an “appearance of impropriety.” The cost of one of the trips with Mr. Crow may have exceeded $500,000, according to ProPublica. The Senate is considering a bill that would codify that practice, in line with past legislation. And new rules adopted in March now require the justices to report travel by private jet and extended stays at commercial properties including hotels, resorts and hunting lodges.

“Joe Biden vetoes bill that sought to toss EPA water protections” via Matthew Daly of The Associated Press — Defending his administration’s actions on clean water, Biden vetoed a congressional resolution that would have overturned protections for the nation’s waterways that Republicans have criticized as overly intrusive. Republicans and some Democrats targeted an EPA rule protecting thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, labeling it an environmental overreach that harms businesses, developers and farmers. In separate votes, the House and Senate used the Congressional Review Act to enact a measure blocking the clean water rule, which was adopted at the end of last year.

“Biden review of chaotic Afghan withdrawal blames Trump” via Zeke Miller and Nomaan Merchant of The Washington Post — Biden’s administration laid the blame on his predecessor, Trump, for the deadly and chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan that brought about some of the darkest moments of Biden’s presidency. The White House publicly released a 12-page summary of the results of the so-called “hotwash” of U.S. policies around the ending of the nation’s longest war, taking little responsibility for its own actions and asserting that Biden was “severely constrained” by Trump’s decisions. It does acknowledge that the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan should have started sooner but blames the delays on the Afghan government and military, and on U.S. military and intelligence community assessments.

“Supreme Court rules for transgender girl in school sports dispute” via Adam Liptak of The New York Times — The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a transgender girl may compete on the girls’ cross-country and track teams at her middle school in West Virginia while her appeal moved forward, signaling that a majority of the justices are not ready to enter another battleground in the culture wars. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., joined by Thomas, issued a dissenting opinion indicating that states are entitled to enact laws “restricting participation in women’s or girls’ sports based on genes or physiological or anatomical characteristics.”

“Biden administration proposes new rule for transgender athletes” via Ben Chapman and Laine Higgins of The Wall Street Journal — The Biden administration proposed a new rule that would prohibit wholesale bans on transgender athletes in college and K-12 education but would allow them to be excluded from competitions if needed to maintain a level playing field. Under the proposed regulation, schools wouldn’t be permitted to adopt “one-size-fits-all” policies that categorically ban transgender students from participating on teams consistent with their gender identity, federal officials said. But schools would have the ability to develop team-eligibility criteria that ensure fairness in competition or prevent sports-related injury.

“Biden’s proposal on transgender athletes clashes with DeSantis’ rules for Florida” via Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald — A Biden administration proposal that would set new regulations for transgender athlete eligibility in school sports is likely to brush up against a Florida law that bars transgender girls and women from participating in female scholastic sports. And Florida’s top education official is already vowing to fight the proposed changes “tooth and nail.” The proposed rule change would forbid schools from enacting outright bans on all transgender students from athletic teams that are consistent with their gender identities but would offer schools some flexibility when considering “fairness in competition” and other exceptions.

“IRS unveils $80 billion plan to overhaul tax collection” via Alan Rappeport of The New York Times — The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday unveiled an $80 billion plan to transform itself into a “digital first” tax collector focused on customer service and cracking down on wealthy tax evaders. The move lays the groundwork for an ambitious 10-year overhaul of one of the most scrutinized arms of the federal government. According to the Biden administration, the investment will yield hundreds of billions of dollars in deficit reduction. But efforts to bolster the IRS have drawn strong opposition from Republicans.

“Latest fed increase came down to the wire. ‘That was a rough weekend.’” via Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal — Federal Reserve Chair Powell and his colleagues faced their closest call on interest rates in years. It wasn’t until the clock was ticking down two days before their scheduled decision last month that senior leaders settled on a plan to lift them by a quarter percentage point. That was down to the wire in Fed time. Rate-setting meetings are usually tightly choreographed and devoid of suspense. The big decisions happen in the week leading up to the gathering and not during the two days of elaborate presentations and discussion around the boardroom table. Fed leaders like to avoid surprises so they can fine-tune their public message.

— EPILOGUE TRUMP —

“What happens next in People v. Trump” via Erica Orden of POLITICO — Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. What comes next? During Trump’s arraignment, Justice Juan Merchan set out a timeline for the next steps in the case, although he didn’t set a trial date. Prosecutors asked for a trial in January 2024, but Trump lawyer Todd Blanche balked at that and advocated for a date in the spring of 2024. Prosecutors are expected to turn over to Trump’s defense team the first tranche of discovery materials, consisting of grand jury minutes and exhibits, as well as notes of witness statements for those who testified before the grand jury.

“Trump said only 10 words during his arraignment. Here’s what they were.” via Derek Hawkins of The Washington Post — The first arraignment of a former U.S. President played out behind closed doors on Tuesday, walled off from the sea of television cameras and microphones outside. In total, Trump uttered just 10 words during the hourlong hearing. Most were one- or two-word responses to procedural questions from the judge. Together, they read almost like a haiku, a stark contrast with the rambling speeches, combative interviews and strongman’s bluster that have long defined Trump’s political persona.

“House GOP probe into Trump indictment spurs new battle” via Emily Brooks and Rebecca Beitsch of The Hill — A side battle over Trump’s indictment is emerging in Congress, where House Republicans fiercely condemning the probe have launched an investigation into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office. The new investigation, added on top of a pile of aggressive House GOP probes into the Biden administration and beyond, has prompted pushback from Bragg and congressional Democrats. They warn not only that it could interfere in an ongoing legal matter, but also question whether congressional Committees have jurisdiction to investigate a state-level case.

“Judge in Trump’s criminal case has received dozens of threats, police sources say” via Aaron Katersky and Olivia Rubin of ABC News — The judge overseeing the criminal case against Trump has received dozens of threats in recent days. Trump himself has repeatedly lashed out at New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan both before and after his court appearance, calling Merchan and Merchan’s family “Trump-hating” in a speech hours after he was arraigned on Tuesday. Merchan previously oversaw the tax fraud trial of the Trump Organization that ended in a conviction. Most of the threats against Merchan are in the form of harassing calls and emailed death threats.

“Trump lawyer warned by Stormy Daniels’s attorney of ‘ethical breach’” via Patricia Hurtado of Bloomberg — Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina may have a conflict of interest because Daniels shared “confidences” with him about her sexual encounter with Trump, a lawyer for the adult-film star said. Daniels is at the center of a hush-money case against Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records at his company related to the $130,000 he paid to buy her silence. Bragg claims Trump wanted to bury damaging information to boost his electoral prospects in 2016 and directed his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to pay Daniels. Trump repaid Cohen in installments, which were recorded as legal expenses in his records.

“Trump’s arrest lifts campaign of man he once condemned” via Jeffery C. Mays of The New York Times — Not long after Trump surrendered at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday, becoming the first former President to face criminal charges, Yusef Salaam, a candidate for a City Council seat in Harlem, sent out a statement. Salaam was one of five Black and Latino men exonerated in 2002 in the rape and assault of a female jogger in Central Park in 1989. Trump stoked the racist and sensationalized reaction to the case by taking out full-page advertisements in four city newspapers, including The New York Times, calling for the death penalty to be reinstated.

— 2024 —

“Trump makes play for DeSantis donors” via Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO — Trump is moving to undercut what’s expected to be a major point of strength for rival Republican DeSantis — reaching out to the Florida Governor’s donors directly to steal some of his top backers. In a memo to DeSantis’ donors obtained by POLITICO, Trump’s campaign sought to paint the former President as the inevitable nominee and urged DeSantis’ donors to jump ship. “The two things the memo illustrates are the President’s huge numbers and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ collapsing numbers,” the Trump campaign wrote in the memo. “Now is the time to demonstrate your support and join” the Trump effort.

“Josh Hawley gives 2024 update and teases his next plans” via Fox News — Sen. Hawley, a Missouri Republican, dodged a question asking whether he would support Trump or DeSantis in the 2024 Presidential Race, telling Fox News he has not decided on who he’ll back. Trump expanded his lead over the Florida Governor, who has yet to formally announce a White House run, in the Republican Presidential Primary, according to a Fox News national survey published last week. The survey found the former President doubled his lead since February, now up 30 points over DeSantis.

“No Wisconsin wake-up call: Republicans go full steam ahead on abortion restrictions” via David Siders of POLITICO — The drubbing Republicans took in Wisconsin this week revealed how harmful the issue of abortion still is to the party — and will likely remain through 2024. But following a state Supreme Court race that largely turned into a wholesale rebuke of GOP efforts to restrict abortion rights, Republicans in states across the country are plowing ahead with new restrictions anyway. Hours after the vote in Wisconsin, Idaho’s Republican Governor, Brad Little signed legislation prohibiting traveling with a minor out of state for an abortion without parental consent.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Did Joe Carollo weaponize code enforcement to hurt Little Havana biz? Trial set Monday” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — If Bill Fuller is to be believed, a decision he made to back a relatively obscure legislative aide running against Carollo six years ago sent the longtime Miami City Commissioner into such a tizzy that he commandeered city code enforcement investigators to “target,” penalize and shut down Fuller’s businesses. Carollo’s retaliation, he claims, ultimately cost four businesses he had an interest in $27.9 million. The lawsuit against the Commissioner seeks $2.5 million, as well as punitive damages. “The expectation is, it’s so chilling to him or any legislator, that ultimately no one will ever want to do it again,” Fuller said.

“Bill would spare controversial South Miami-Dade project from county revote” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Developers facing a revote of a Miami-Dade County Commission decision to shrink a development buffer to accommodate a project could get a reprieve in Tallahassee with a state bill that would retroactively fix an alleged flaw in last year’s local approval process. The bill sponsored by Republicans from Jacksonville and St. Petersburg would deliver a win for developers in Miami-Dade currently fighting a state ruling that the County Commission waited too long in approving the expansion of the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) that’s needed to build the South Dade Logistics and Technology District commercial complex outside of Homestead.

“Mother can give COVID-19 to fetus, causing brain damage, UM case study shows” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A new case study from the University of Miami (UM) Health System and the school’s Miller School of Medicine is showing that COVID-19 infection can breach the placenta during pregnancy and cause brain damage in a newborn. UHealth found two such cases at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Holtz Children’s Hospital, a teaching hospital affiliated with the university and Millers School. In both cases, the mothers contracted the infection in their second trimester and cleared the virus; however, one had a repeat infection in her third trimester, suggesting an unusual maternal and/or fetal immune response may have been a factor.

“Delray Beach agrees to settle with water quality whistleblower for $818K” via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The whistleblower who accused Delray Beach officials of penalizing her for disclosing the contamination of the city’s drinking water has reached an $818,500 settlement with city attorneys, her lawyers announced. All that’s left is for the Delray Beach City Commission to approve the settlement when it meets on April 18. “The Commission has been made aware of the settlement,” said City Attorney Lynn Gelin. “Settling the matter, while it’s a significant amount of money, is something the Commission is anxious to do.” Christine Ferrigan, a former water inspector, filed her lawsuit last year, months after her job was eliminated and she was escorted from the building.

“Lolita’s former trainers fight against the orca’s release to home waters. They fear it’ll end in tragedy.” via Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Though it may look like Lolita the orca’s life will have a fairy-tale ending of freedom, a group of her former trainers came out against the idea of releasing her in the wilds of Puget Sound, where she was captured in 1970. Lolita, the 57-year-old orca, has lived for more than 50 years in cramped quarters at the Miami Seaquarium, where she would perform live shows daily. She was deemed officially retired last year. Last week, new Seaquarium ownership, along with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay and animal-rights activists from the group Friends of Toki, announced plans to relocate the 7,000-pound whale from South Florida to the wilds of the Pacific Northwest.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Defeated GOP candidate seeks to subpoena top consultant in suit against blogger” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — A former Central Florida state House candidate is trying to subpoena a top GOP consultant with ties to the 2020 “ghost” candidate scandal after a political committee under his control slammed her in a series of mailers accusing her of being liberal. Liz Cornell, a Republican who lost her August Primary for a Lake County state House seat, is suing far-right blogger and Proud Boys associate Jacob Engels for libel after he published articles on his website accusing her of carrying on an extramarital affair and preying on an elderly client in her financial advising business.

“Brevard County Commission candidate David Neuman withdraws to run for Melbourne Council” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Republican Neuman has withdrawn his candidacy for a seat on the County Commission to instead run for Melbourne City Council. The surprise announcement came just over two months after he filed paperwork to run for the District 5 seat. Neumann, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for Melbourne City Council in 2020, cited a desire to tackle issues like infrastructure, homelessness, the lagoon and child abuse prevention, which he said he felt he could more directly address at the city level. At the county level, Neuman had an uphill battle in facing current Rep. Thad Altman in a Republican Primary.

“Embattled Apopka Fire Chief still has his job despite City Council’s ‘no confidence’ vote” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — After another tense session, the Apopka City Council voted, 3-2, to express “no confidence” in Fire Chief Sean Wylam and to fire City Attorney Michael Rodriguez, measures which are mostly ceremonial because only the Mayor has the authority to hire and fire. Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson said he does not intend to fire either, in a text message to the Orlando Sentinel. Wylam has been under pressure from the community — and his rank-and-file firefighters — since last Summer’s accidental, on-duty death of firefighter Austin Duran, who was crushed under a trailer of sand he was directed to move though he had never been trained to move it.

“UCF, other campuses ban TikTok app over security concerns” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — TikTok is banned from the University of Central Florida (UCF), the school told employees and students, as campuses across the state block the social video app from university-owned devices and networks because of growing concerns over potential security threats posed by the popular app. The Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system, issued an emergency rule last week saying campuses must prohibit the use of several apps on their campuses, including TikTok. The university system’s order cited the “continued and increasing landscape of cyber threats against our universities.” UCF’s announcement about the ban said the school was concerned that foreign governments may use social media apps, websites and platforms to collect user data and compromise devices.

“Orlando timeshare company exploits military families, new lawsuit says” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A pair of military service members and their wives are accusing an Orlando timeshare company of targeting and taking advantage of military families, according to a new federal lawsuit. Falling into the debt on their Wyndham timeshares has put their security clearances and their jobs in the military at risk, the two men said in the lawsuit. Daniel Folden, a New York resident who is a Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Air Force, and Logan Huskey, a Floridian who is an active-duty member in the U.S. Army, filed seeking class-action status.

“Disney names chief brand officer as company faces scrutiny over politics, content” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — As it faces criticism from conservatives of its politics and content, The Walt Disney Co. has appointed Asad Ayaz, a marketing and publicity veteran of Disney’s film and TV series division, as its first chief brand officer. Disney’s creation of the role comes as it encounters increased scrutiny in its ongoing feud with DeSantis over the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law last year, which led to the state dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and as conservative groups declare Disney’s political stances and entertainment content too “woke.” CEO Iger addressed the criticisms at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting this week.

“Port Canaveral seeks solutions to broker smooth cruise and space relationship” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — It’s actually good that one of the world’s largest cruise ships strayed into the safety zone and delayed a SpaceX rocket launch, Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray said. The incident happened on Jan. 30, 2022, when Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas ventured into the no-go zone during a southerly trajectory launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, forcing a scrub for the day just 33 seconds before liftoff. It’s the only time a cruise ship from the busiest cruise port in the world has stymied launch efforts from the Space Coast.

“Wildfire at Tiger Bay State Forest grows” via Patricio G. Balona of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — A wildfire that started at the Tiger Bay State Forest last month and was contained at more than 1,800 acres jumped fire lines and expanded to 3,181 acres, Florida Forest Service officials said. The wildfire, the largest, is one of 18 active wildfires currently in Volusia County. The fire, which was burning in swampy areas, near Rima Ridge Road and Bennett Field Road northwest of Scoggin Lake, broke through containment lines due to gusty winds and burned an additional 400 acres. On Thursday morning, officials said the fire, known as the double gate fire, grew overnight by 1,280 acres bringing the size of the wildfire to 3,181 acres since it started on March 25.

— LOCAL: TB —

“St. Petersburg leaders vote against giving $50K to abortion fund for travel expenses” via Katlyn Brieskorn and Brittany Muller of WFLA — In a 2-6 vote, the St. Petersburg City Council voted against providing $50,000 in additional funding for the Tampa Bay Abortion Fun for travel-related expenses. The Tampa Bay Abortion Fund helps Floridians who are more than 15 weeks pregnant with travel-related expenses for abortions at out-of-state clinics. State lawmakers threatened to pull funding from the city if the proposal was approved. One City Council member said she voted against giving the funds to the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund because “it has the potential to make many more problems than it can solve.”

“Tampa to pay $950k settlement for sexual orientation, gender identity counseling ban for minors” via Amber Jo Cooper of Florida’s Voice — The Tampa City Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday approving a $950,000 settlement by the City of Tampa for Liberty Counsel’s victory, which struck down a ban that prevented licensed counselors from providing “voluntary talk therapy to minors seeking help to reduce or eliminate their unwanted same-sex attractions, behaviors, or identity.” In the case, Vazzo v. City of Tampa, Liberty Counsel represents marriage and family therapist Robert Vazzo and his minor clients, as well as the Christian ministry, New Hearts Outreach Tampa Bay.

“St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field advisers to also evaluate airport” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — The same consultant the city retained to review proposals to redevelop Tropicana Field was selected by a committee to study the best future use of Albert Whitted Airport. A committee made up of city officials has selected HR&A Advisors Inc. to evaluate the long-term effects of keeping Albert Whitted as an airport or whether those 110 waterfront acres would be best used for something else. The city will now enter negotiations with HR&A to discuss the scope, narrow down the study’s details, and negotiate a price. The study is expected to cost more than $75,000, which requires the City Council’s approval, and work can’t officially start until then.

“Clearwater advances long-delayed plan to overhaul Drew Street” via Tracey McManus of the Tampa Bay Times — Residents who live off Drew Street, and commuters who make their way along the east-west corridor, all have their horror stories. With two narrow lanes in each direction and no center turn lane in the heavily residential section, cars regularly blow past the 35 and 40 mph speed limits and brake suddenly when drivers stop to turn left across traffic. The City Council confirmed its support for a state overhaul that would convert the four undivided lanes in the 2.3 miles between Osceola Avenue and Keene Road to one lane in each direction and add a center turn lane in the 2 miles from Myrtle Avenue to Keene Road.

“Tampa Bay’s redfish are contaminated with pharmaceuticals, study shows” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — A researcher at Florida International University caught 15 redfish around Tampa Bay, in areas ranging from the northern Hillsborough Bay to the bay’s southern mouth at Emerson Point. Now the results are public: All 15 fish in Tampa Bay had drugs in their blood. Specifically, every redfish had a heart medicine called Tambocor in its system, according to the study. The pharmaceutical is prescribed to treat irregular heartbeats. Redfish throughout Florida have an average of two different drugs in their blood. In Tampa Bay, that number is three.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Rebekah Jones’ son arrested in Florida after allegedly threatening to shoot up school, stab students” via Brandon Girod of the Pensacola News Journal — According to tweets, Jones said an officer told her a warrant had been issued for her son’s arrest after authorities received an anonymous report about messages her son shared in a Snapchat group. Jones says that someone claiming to be a cousin of one of her son’s classmates joined their private Snapchat group. She says the person recorded the conversations and reported them to the police after her son shared a popular internet meme criticizing the police.

“Ethics Commission says window closed on it investigating City Council member LeAnna Cumber” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The Jacksonville Ethics Commission took a hard pass on conducting its own investigation into whether Cumber gave a misleading disclosure statement in 2021. The Ethics Commission determined Tuesday a request by the Council’s Special Investigatory Committee on JEA Matters was not filed in the right form for the Commission to act on it. Even if the request had been made correctly, the city’s two-year statute of limitation on the Ethics Commission for opening such a probe had already passed, Commission members concluded. “Basically, we have no jurisdiction on this,” said Commission member Linda McCallum, who is a retired circuit judge.

“Fernandina Beach Commissioners name second consecutive Interim City Manager” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Fernandina Beach Commissioners were still in the process of finalizing their City Manager search committee when they also had to determine who would be the city’s next Interim City Manager. The man appointed to serve the initial 90-day term, former Police Chief Mark Foxworth, will be at the end of that term on May 24. Commissioners terminated the employment of then-City Manager Dale Martin in February after a falling out. “The discussion was, when this was put on the agenda, there was no Interim City Manager,” Commissioner Chip Ross said at the Commissioners’ meeting this week.

“JAXBIZ backs Jimmy Peluso, Mike Muldoon, Rahman Johnson in Jax City Council runoffs’” via Florida Politics — JAXBIZ, the nonpartisan political committee affiliated with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, is endorsing two Democrats and one Republican in the May election for the Jacksonville City Council. “This slate of business-friendly leaders will be excellent members of the City Council, along with those who were already elected by voters in March,” JAXBIZ Chair Abel Harding. In District 7, Democrat Jimmy Peluso is the JAXBIZ choice. A lobbyist for VyStar, he got more support than any other candidate in the March election in the district that stretches from Ortega to Springfield, securing 35% of the vote.

“Arrested protesters, permitless carry, crime reduction among hot topics discussed at town hall” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Leon County and Tallahassee City Commissioners weighed in on pressing issues and current events, from the arrests of abortion-ban protesters at City Hall to controversial bills moving through the Legislature, during The Village Square’s annual Tallahassee Town Hall. The forum featured City Commissioners Jack Porter, Curtis Richardson and Dianne Williams-Cox in one session followed by another with County Commissioners Nick Maddox, Rick Minor, David O’Keefe and Brian Welch.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Injection of polluted wastewater from Piney Point underground begins in Manatee County” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Efforts to permanently close the former Piney Point fertilizer plant took a major step forward this week as authorities began the controversial plan to inject pretreated wastewater from the troubled facility deep underground. The occasion marks the first time polluted wastewater from the former Piney Point fertilizer processing plant is injected underground in Manatee County. Manatee County Commissioners approved the construction of the well in 2021 as part of an overall effort by the state of Florida to permanently shutter the Piney Point facility. The state allocated $100 million in 2021 toward closure efforts, and another $85 million is in the works as part of this year’s budget.

“‘Gut-wrenching:’ 2 married couples from Indiana identified in fatal Venice plane crash” via Melissa Pérez-Carrillo of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Officials have identified the passengers who died after crashing around a half mile off the Venice Fishing Pier. The two married couples who died in the crash include pilot William Lumpkin, 64, Patricia Lumpkin, 68, Ricky Beaver, 60, and Elizabeth Beaver, 57. The two couples just finished having dinner at Sharky’s on the Pier before the crash and departed from the airport at 9:35 p.m. This is the second plane that has crashed while leaving the Venice Municipal Airport in the last four months following a crash in December. Investigators were able to find the bodies of the male passengers, but they couldn’t find the female passengers.

“FGCU bans use of TikTok, other apps on university Wi-Fi, devices” via Nikki Ross of the Fort Myers News-Press — TikTok, along with four other websites and apps, will no longer be accessible to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) students or staff on university devices or networks. For first-year journalism student Addyson McCullough ― who recently deleted her TikTok over concerns about its use of her personal data ― the FGCU restriction isn’t that big of a deal. “I think it’s kind of silly how dependent everyone is on it,” she said. “I think it’s a really good thing because, at least while we’re on campus, we should be focusing on our school.”

“Red tide clearing in Lee, Collier as background concentrations return” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — The latest red tide outbreak is still holding on as concentrations from normal, background levels to 1 million cells per liter and higher have been reported in Southwest Florida in recent days. Lee County has mostly been at the center of the bloom, which has flared for several months. Counts in Lee now are low-to-moderate, enough to cause fish kills and respiratory irritation in humans and marine mammals, while numbers in Collier are mostly at natural, background levels. Red tide (Karenia brevis) occurs naturally in the eastern Gulf of Mexico but is fed along the coast by excess nutrients running off farms and urbanized areas.

— TOP OPINION —

“DeSantis voters support aid for Ukraine. So should he.” via Marc A. Thiessen of The Washington Post — A Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll shows that while some MAGA Republicans agree with Trump’s soft stance on Ukraine, many more Republicans still support Ukraine. And the Primary voters who back DeSantis — or say they are open to backing him in a two-way race — prefer his old, pro-Ukraine position.

Asked whether they had a favorable view of Ukraine, just 42% of Trump supporters said yes. But 51% of Republicans overall — and 55% of DeSantis supporters — have a favorable view, the poll found. That is a 13-point difference in pro-Ukraine sentiment among DeSantis supporters over Trump supporters. When the field was narrowed to just Trump and DeSantis, the responses were even more stark: A whopping 69% of those who support DeSantis said we should back Ukraine until victory.

What does this tell us? First, many Republicans still support helping Ukraine. Second, DeSantis supporters are more hawkish than Trump supporters. Third, the voters DeSantis attracts away from other candidates if the field is narrowed are likely to be even more hawkish on Ukraine. Seven in 10 want to help drive Russia out of every inch of Ukrainian territory it has unlawfully seized.

Respondents were also asked whether the more than $27.4 billion in security assistance the United States has provided Ukraine since Vladimir Putin invaded “is a justified investment in the protection of an ally and its people or an unjustified expenditure in a foreign war?” On this, Republicans were almost evenly split, 49% in favor to 51% opposed. When faced with a crowded field, 44% of Trump supporters and 48% of DeSantis supporters said our investment in Ukraine was justified. But in a hypothetical two-man race between Trump and DeSantis, 59% of those who back DeSantis said our security assistance to Ukraine is money well spent.

— OPINIONS —

“Biden isn’t sorry about his Afghanistan withdrawal” via The Wall Street Journal editorial board — The White House document “outlines the key decisions and challenges” associated with the departure of U.S. troops in August 2021. Biden “believed the right thing for the country” was withdrawing all U.S. forces, the White House says, even as it blames the debacle on Trump. Biden’s “choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created” by Trump, the report says. Trump “provided no plans” for conducting a final withdrawal even though the former President had agreed to leave under an ill-advised agreement with the Taliban.

“A naive reading of the Gospels may be just what Christianity needs” via Ross Douthat of The New York Times — In the not-so-distant past when 90 or 95% of Americans identified as Christian, it was hard for almost anyone in that vast majority to read the Christian Gospels naively — to come to them without preconceptions, in the way of their original intended audience. with the rapid decline of institutional Christianity, the younger generations in America now include large numbers of people who have only vague and secondhand ideas about Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. At both the popular and the academic level, more people will experience the Gospels first as a form of testimony and storytelling that precedes any fully realized set of doctrines or vision of the church.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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— WEEKEND TV —

ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: Political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus; former Hillsborough County assistant state attorney Janae Thomas; former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Department of Justice Kevin O’Brien.

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 balancing environmental concerns with population growth as Florida welcomes an average of 1,000 new residents per day. Joining Spectrum News 13 anchor Curtis McCloud are Kimberleigh Dinkins, Senior Conservation Associate, Save the Manatee Club; Dr. James Douglass, Associate Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University (coastal marine ecology expert); and Jeff Brower, Chair of the Volusia County Council.

Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A look at a bill Senators passed that tightens rules on abortion, causing protests outside the Capitol. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried was arrested during the protest and will discuss the bill.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Sen. Linda Stewart will discuss bills in front of the Florida Legislature, including abortion, guns and environmental concerns; a profile of a local mother asking for Medicaid expansion; and a check-in with UCF interns working at the Florida Capitol.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Gary Yordon, Skye Beard and Monique Ellsworth, CEO of Second Harvest of the Big Bend.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Sen. Jennifer Bradley; Jacksonville City Council President Terrance Freeman; Pastor John Allen Newman of The Sanctuary at Mt. Calvary.

— ALOE —

“Disney to resume new annual-pass sales this month” via DeWayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Walt Disney World will start selling three levels of its annual passes to its theme parks again as of April 20, the company announced Thursday morning. Coming back this month are the Incredi-Pass, the Sorcerer Pass and the Pirate Pass, all of which saw price increases of $50-$100 in December. The passes will be available online. The Incredi-Pass, which has no blackout dates, will sell for $1,399 for a year’s access. It includes standard parking and discounts on select merchandise and dining.

“For a small French town, this 15,000-egg omelet is a 50-year tradition” via Anna Mindess of The Washington Post — Every Easter, a brood of volunteers in Bessières, a small town in southern France, collects 15,000 eggs — not to dye them pastel colors or even hide them for children to find. Early on Easter Monday morning, they will crack open the prodigious pile, add 2 pounds of salt, a pound of pepper, and a bucket of herbs, then whip it all up in massive pots. Another team, sporting tall chef’s hats, plops a dozen gallons of duck fat into a 13-foot-wide frying pan that weighs more than a ton and, wielding huge wooden paddles, stirs up a humongous omelet.

—“How to celebrate Easter when church isn’t your thing” via Gus Contreras, Ailsa Chang and Justine Kenin of NPR

“With eggs so expensive, should we be painting potatoes this Easter? There’s only one way to find out …” via Joel Snape of The Guardian — America, apparently, has been gripped with potato-decorating fever, sparked first by memes about how expensive eggs are getting in the run-up to Easter, and then a concerted effort by Potatoes USA to get everyone’s favorite root vegetable briefly trending. It didn’t hurt that American egg prices have risen 55% in a year, while potatoes are up just 14%. Meanwhile, with U.K. farmers threatening an egg shortage, I’ve been forced to reduce my own Gaston-like consumption levels to a mere two or three a day. And so, with my five-year-old voicing grave misgivings and absolutely no idea what kind of paint works on vegetables, I popped to the shops to grab a bag of Co-op’s third finest.

“Did you tackle a child on Sunday? Local mall apologizes for Easter Egg Hunt fiasco” via Chris Welter of WYSO — Organizers of an Easter Egg Hunt that happened over the weekend at The Greene shopping mall in Beavercreek, Ohio, are apologizing to the community. In a since-deleted viral Facebook post, the mall’s management team says they had a difficult time with crowd control at the egg hunt. They say grown adults pushed children out of the way and that people were knocked over as they searched for the two thousand eggs and close to one hundred prizes that were hidden in the mall’s center court area.

“Tipping is weird now” via Charlie Warzel of The Atlantic — The new tipping culture is confusing at best. I’ve found that some employees feel as uncomfortable about the point-of-sale moment as many consumers do. Square sent me data showing that tips received by both full-service and quick-serve restaurants exploded from 2020 to 2021; growth continued in 2022, but more modestly, full-service was up by more than 25% in the third quarter of 2022, and quick-service restaurants were up nearly 17%. The new tipping weirdness is about something bigger. Service employees have been made to work through a pandemic, often without adequate protection. A rise in tipping is a clear benefit for workers, but it also perpetuates a system in which employers can pay workers unfair wages and ask customers to make up the difference.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to former Sen. Annette Taddeo, Erica DiCeglie, Veronica Rudie, and Chris Turner.

___

Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.