Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.8.23

Good Monday morning.

Continental Strategy is announcing the addition of Mark Pinto to its rapidly growing team.

Pinto will serve as the Managing Partner of their Jacksonville office. In addition, Continental is promoting Vice President Ashley Spicola to serve as Managing Partner in their Tallahassee office.

The firm has expanded quickly since its launch just over a year ago, with its first-year finance report putting them in the top 15 lobby firms in the state. These new additions will bring their lobbying, legal and operations staff to a total of 30 personnel.

Continental Strategy President Carlos Trujillo said: “Mark will be a dynamic and skilled addition to our team, and especially those clients we serve in Northeast Florida. We know he will be a core and valuable member of our growing team.”

Trujillo continued: “Ashley has been instrumental in our success during the 2023 Legislative Session. Promoting her to Managing Partner in addition to serving as vice president is a strategic move to continue our growth while maintaining our excellent client services in Tallahassee.”

Pinto has extensive expertise in government relations, including securing millions of dollars in state appropriations for nonprofits such as charter schools, public schools, transportation projects, hospital funding, mental health and environmental projects. He also helped secure a $1 million private gift from the PLAYERS Championship/PGA TOUR for Flagler Health+ to provide mental health services to St. John’s County Schools.

In Pinto, Mark played a crucial role in securing a medical marijuana license when only a few were awarded, which was a significant victory accomplished during a Special Session.

Spicola worked for seven years for Gov. Rick Scott and is a veteran policy adviser and strategist with insider-level knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the state budget process, from developing a proposed budget to the Governor’s signature (or veto).

Before joining the team, Spicola served as a consultant for the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, where she advised and developed policy and budget proposals for its 14-member hospital systems throughout Florida. She adeptly navigated the complex business and policy environment in which hospital systems operate to administer the most complicated care to the most critical patients, including children.

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Who will earn a Golden Rotunda for 2023? We are asking for your help!

On July 4, INFLUENCE Magazine will reveal the winners of this year’s Golden Rotundas in several categories:

— Lobbying Firm of the Year — Mid-size Lobbying Firm of the Year.

— Boutique Lobbying Firm of the Year.

— New Lobbying Firm of the Year.

— Lobbyist of the Year.

— In-house Lobbyist of the Year.

— Best Lobbyist in several sectors, including Appropriations, Education, Environment, Gaming, Health Care and Insurance.

Florida Politics is putting out another call for nominations and voting is underway.

To complete a ballot, email your selections to [email protected]. You must include your name, and you must vote in at least three categories — only one vote per person. Entries cannot be changed. ALL BALLOTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL.

I also reserve the right to add to the award categories and revise any rules for eligibility and voting. The goal is for the lobby corps to recognize the best of the business, so it will be implemented if a suggestion is made to improve the process.

Winners will be featured in the Summer 2023 edition of INFLUENCE Magazine.

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They all can’t be winners.

When a political party has a supermajority in both chambers of the Legislature, the ultimate outcomes from the Legislative Session don’t come as much surprise.

With the GOP firmly in charge, this Session was rife with headaches for Democrats, from restrictive abortion measures to what critics describe as renewed culture wars in education to long-sought changes to tort law.

This year’s Legislative Session, like many in conservative states throughout the nation, was marked by headline-grabbing bills.

With nearly 1,700 bills filed this Legislative Session and more than 300 of those passed, there were bound to be myriad winners and losers.

Florida Politics consulted with industry insiders, political savants, consultants, lobbyists and others intimately familiar with The Process to compile the definitive list of this year’s Legislative Session winners and losers.

Here is the definitive #FlaPol list of who won and who took a fall:

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@MattGaetz: I ran the (Ron) DeSantis Debate Prep in 2018. Though I prefer (Donald) Trump for President (bigly), the release of these videos by the person operating the camera is disloyal hackery that I do not abide. Staffers who leak on the candidates they’ve done work for deserve the reputations they get.

Tweet, tweet:

 

Florida just wrapped up their legislative session. You may not agree with everything they did and DeSantis signed, but I don’t think anyone can dispute this is the most effective session in state history.

We’ve never seen anything like it. List below:https://t.co/IhNSceKJHs pic.twitter.com/7L0q2nTF5m

— AG (@AGHamilton29) May 6, 2023

—@Mdixon55: “You either have to put up or shut up on that, so we will see.” DeSantis on his future

—@JKennedyReport: DeSantis’ agenda seems to be built around peeling off Trump voters … but the question is how large a pool of voters that represents and whether the Governor has the right formula to reach them.

Tweet, tweet:

 

“Supporters of Mr. Trump had promised to push back against Mr. DeSantis’s appearance in Rothschild…But only a handful of people showed up at a rally in support of Mr. Trump outside the convention center where Mr. DeSantis spoke.”https://t.co/RLIxsliuam

— Sally Goldenberg (@SallyGold) May 7, 2023

—@JonLemire: Tucker Carlson has been contacted by outlets — including the right-wing Rumble and Newsmax — that offered to pay him more than his Fox contract. Carlson and Elon Musk also had a conversation about working together but didn’t discuss specifics.

—@svdate: Failing to mention Jan. 6 in a story about Trump is akin to writing about Neil Armstrong without mentioning the moon landing or about Jeffrey Dahmer without bringing up cannibalism.

—@EmilyThornberry: Got to say it, @PennyMordaunt looks damn fine! The sword bearer steals the show.

Tweet, tweet:

i guess he found them …2004, John Kerry – Swift Boat / Medals – political ad – closed captioned https://t.co/m50RSo7GhO via @YouTube pic.twitter.com/rztLMRiQCK

— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) May 6, 2023

Tweet, tweet:

Took Sine die off this year! pic.twitter.com/C7ZIk0evXQ

— Jeff Brandes (@JeffreyBrandes) May 6, 2023

Tweet, tweet:

Subtle suggestion for next year's #metgala camou dog walker @lapresmidi pic.twitter.com/3lhJw73KVR

— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) May 7, 2023

— DAYS UNTIL —

Florida Chamber 2023 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 3; Special Election in House District 24 — 8; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 9; ‘Fast X’ premieres — 11; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres at Cannes — 12; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 17; NBA Finals begin — 24; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 24; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 39; DeSantis to headline Nevada PAC’s annual basque fry — 40; ‘Secret Invasion’ premieres on Disney+ — 44; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 50; ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ premieres — 53; ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part One’ premieres — 67; Florida Chamber 37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School — 73; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ premieres — 78; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 85; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 99; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 168; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 182; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 197; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 263; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 277; Georgia Democratic Primary — 282; Michigan Democratic Primary — 294; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 305; 2024 Oscars — 307; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 327; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 382; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 445; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 445; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 478; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 491; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 552; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 698; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 725; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 914.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis continues to test the waters of 2024 and supporters are getting restless” via Nicholas Nehamas of The New York Times — For now, DeSantis’ reluctance to declare his candidacy underscores the challenge he will face if he does join the race against a former President who retains the support of his party’s base.

DeSantis must figure out how to set himself apart from Trump without alienating his supporters — a complicated political maneuver given how closely he tied himself to Trump during his first run for Governor in 2018.

At the Saturday event, a sold-out dinner for the Republican Party of Marathon County (Wisconsin), DeSantis continued to focus on his record as Florida’s Governor, rather than making a direct case for why he should be President.

“In Florida, we deliver big victories every single day,” DeSantis said, adding that he put conservative principles ahead of political expediency. “A leader is not captive to polls. A leader gets ahead of polls. A leader sets a vision, executes on that vision and delivers results.”

DeSantis played all his greatest hits. He received a standing ovation when he criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, and said that Florida had chosen “freedom over Fauci-ism.”

But as DeSantis stays on the sidelines of the presidential race, even some of his backers have grown anxious and publicly urged him to declare. An announcement, they say, would allow DeSantis to make a more forceful case for himself as the Republican with the best case for beating President (Joe) Biden, and to defend himself more vigorously against Trump.

— DESANTISY LAND —

“Don’t ‘piss off his voters’: Recordings reveal DeSantis’ 2018 thoughts on dealing with Donald Trump” via Olivia Rubin and Will Steakin of ABC News — During his first bid for statewide office in 2018, DeSantis was grappling with a key issue that he could soon face again during his potential 2024 bid for the White House: how to not alienate Trump’s base. “Is there any issue upon which you disagree with President Trump?” Rep. Matt Gaetz asked DeSantis in footage exclusively obtained by ABC News of the team’s mock debate sessions during DeSantis’ 2018 run for Governor. “I have to figure out how to do this,” then-Congressman DeSantis replied, while letting out a deep sigh. “Obviously there is because, I mean, I voted contrary to him in the Congress,” DeSantis continued. “I have to frame it in a way that’s not going to piss off all his voters.”

To watch part of the video, please click the image below:

“DeSantis camp unmoved by report on past Trump comments: ‘Swing and a miss from Disney-funded ABC’” via Hanna Panreck of Fox News — Team DeSantis responded to an ABC News report Sunday showing footage of DeSantis, preparing for his 2018 gubernatorial run and said it was “another swing and a miss from Disney-funded ABC.” ABC News obtained recordings of DeSantis’ debate preparation for his 2018 run for Governor. The outlet reported that the recordings of DeSantis show a “glimpse” of how he appealed to Trump’s base while “also working to carve out his own lane as a candidate.” “Another swing and a miss from Disney-funded ABC. The best their propaganda machine could do with the 2.5 hours of leaked footage is further proof that Ron DeSantis is unwilling to be anyone but his authentic self — no matter the politics,” Dave Abrams, a representative for DeSantis’ political team, said.

“Matt Gaetz, Byron Donalds denounce release of DeSantis debate prep footage” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Gaetz is no longer in DeSantis’ political orbit, but he’s denouncing the leak of footage from a time when he was central to the Governor’s political operation. ABC News reported on a debate preparation video recorded during the 2018 campaign, with footage included about how DeSantis would deal with tough questions. Gaetz believes the material is out of bounds.

“Inside DeSantis’ 2024 launch prep: Donor dinners, a more personal pitch” via Hannah Knowles of The Washington Post — DeSantis is dining with dozens of wealthy fundraisers at the Florida Governor’s mansion in Tallahassee this week and next, people familiar with the meetings said. The visits are giving top supporters more face time with the Republican Governor as he prepares to launch his presidential campaign following criticism that he’s neglected the personal side of politics. Small groups of “bundlers,” who raise money from their own larger networks of donors, are getting briefings from the Governor’s advisers and having dinner with DeSantis and his wife, Casey DeSantis, according to four people familiar with the meetings, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private interactions.

“DeSantis derides ‘paid agitators’ protesting in Governor’s Office” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis doesn’t believe there is anything spontaneous about protests in the Florida Capitol’s Plaza Level this week. During a very friendly interview on Newsmax, the Florida Governor suggested the protesters were paid provocateurs, using a loaded phrase to make his point. “These people are paid to be agitators quite frankly,” DeSantis said Friday night, before telling his interviewer that the “agitators” didn’t bother him a bit. The Associated Press reports that 14 people were arrested and taken to the Leon County Jail, with the Florida Capitol Police and Florida Highway Patrol providing law enforcement response.

“How DeSantis deploys state police to enforce political agenda” via Beth Reinhard of The Washington Post — The mission was a tightly held secret as two agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement traveled to a remote Texas town, hundreds of miles away on the U.S.-Mexico border. They worked for a statewide police agency charged with protecting the Governor and investigating major crimes. But last Summer, they were enlisted in a highly unusual effort: laying the groundwork for a politically charged operation, ordered by DeSantis, to fly border-crossers from San Antonio to the liberal haven of Martha’s Vineyard.

“DeSantis says he’s ‘not backing down’ while ripping Disney during Wisconsin speech: ‘They do not run the state of Florida’” via Katherine Donlevy of The New York Post — DeSantis bragged Saturday that he was the first Governor to put The Walt Disney Co. in its place after the megacorporation tried to push back against his legislative agenda. “I’m not backing down,” DeSantis said during a speech at the GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Wisconsin. “We run the state of Florida. They do not run the state of Florida. DeSantis has been battling Disney since the conglomerate publicly opposed the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity across all grades.

“DeSantis brings the ‘good news’ to embattled Wisconsin Republicans” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis went to the Badger State Saturday, delivering the “good news” about how a transformational conservative Governor could flip a perpetual swing state and how that model may make him presidential material. “I come bearing good news and you may say what good news is there. Republicans have had a series of disappointing election results, not just here in Wisconsin, but really across the country,” DeSantis said. “So, what’s the good news? The good news is the State of Florida and what we’ve achieved shows Republicans can win again.” The Governor, addressing a Republican dinner crowd in Wausau, drew comparisons between the Dairy State and the Sunshine State before he was elected Governor.

“DeSantis expects China crackdown bill to be national model” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is excited about legislation that inhibits Chinese nationals and those from other countries of concern from owning Florida property. “I think ours has been the most ambitious of anywhere in the country and I think it’s likely to be something that is a model for other states to follow … soon,” DeSantis told reporters. The Senate and House finally agreed on legislation cracking down on China and other hostile nations buying land near military bases and critical infrastructure Thursday evening, with the bill going back and forth between the two legislative bodies until the final hours of the Legislative Session.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“How DeSantis gave Democrats the ‘Session from hell’” via Gary Fineout, Andrew Atterbury and Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO — Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature ended its Session calmly on Friday, wrapping up a monumental stretch of lawmaking that will serve as the springboard for DeSantis when he begins his expected run for President in the next few weeks. The relatively lightweight final day contrasted with the frantic and emotionally charged moments that had dominated the 59 days of the annual Session, one of the most productive stretches of right-wing lawmaking any state’s seen in years. DeSantis’ allies in the Legislature delivered nearly everything he asked for, whether it was imposing new regulations on Disney, or a law designed to block China from buying land in Florida.

—”House Democrats lament Session of missed opportunities” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”Kathleen Passidomo celebrates Session of relief, recovery and conservative reform” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

“Republicans increase budget for DeSantis’ election police effort” via Adam Edelman and Matt Dixon of NBC News — Florida lawmakers have signed off on a budget that includes more money for an election investigations office championed by DeSantis that has garnered controversy and outrage but few results. Most notably, in August, it arrested 20 people on charges of being ineligible to vote when they cast ballots in the 2020 election, but who were also told by the DeSantis administration that they could legally vote. The $116 billion proposed spending plan passed unanimously in both chambers Friday includes $1.4 million for the Office of Election Crimes and Security, which was created in 2022 as part of what DeSantis described as the state’s ongoing “election integrity” efforts. It’s a roughly 20% increase from the 15-person office’s current $1.1 million budget.

— MORE LEGISLATIVE —

“So what did Democrats win in Florida’s Legislative Session? They hope it’s the presidency” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — These are dark times for Florida Democrats in the Legislature. Elements of DeSantis’ legislative blueprint sailed through House and Senate Committee meetings on 15-5 and 5-3 votes as the GOP consistently rolled over the outnumbered Democrats. Registered Democratic voters stayed on the sidelines last November, with more than half not casting a ballot. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell knew election night when Democrats sank deep into superminority status they would hold little or no influence at the state Capitol.

“All options remain for Confederate monuments after state bill dies in Committee” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — An attempt to stop local governments from moving historic monuments and memorials off public land won’t come up for a final vote in this year’s Session of the Florida Legislature, leaving all options on the table for decisions about the fate of Confederate monuments that have polarized communities. State Rep. Dean Black said he will bring the measure back up in the 2024 Session. “We’re going to make some policy changes to it and some refinements,” Black said. “It will definitely be refiled in the next upcoming Session.” Cities and counties across Florida have been determining whether they will remove Confederate monuments from public spaces.

“Here’s how ‘Dreamers’ got lawmakers to protect in-state tuition law” via Ana Ceballos of the Tampa Bay Times — They attended Florida public schools and grew up in different pockets of the state after being brought to the country by their parents as children. For nine weeks in a row, dozens of these young immigrants known as “Dreamers” traveled to Tallahassee to meet with Florida lawmakers. Every week, they traveled for hours by car from cities like Miami and Orlando, to urge legislators to protect a 2014 law that has allowed them to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities. Their goal was to share their stories with lawmakers, mostly Republicans, to convince them to counter an effort led by DeSantis, who earlier this year sought to repeal the law, saying the state should not “subsidize” the education of non-U.S. citizens.

“Fourth attempt to institute accountability in pet cremations fails this Session” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Sine Die Friday closed the curtain on a fourth attempt to memorialize a beloved cat whose end galvanized an effort to keep a similar story from happening again. “Sevilla’s Law,” first proposed for the 2020 Session, died without a Committee hearing, despite bipartisan sponsors. Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell and Democratic Rep. Joe Casello filed legislation (SB 60, HB 1061) that would regulate animal crematoriums and provide consequences for something like what happened to Sevilla. Laurie Sullivan of Palm City has been to Tallahassee and appeared in front of the Martin County legislative delegation to describe her experience.

“Bill on track for Governor’s signature would bring space monument to Florida Capitol” via TaMaryn Waters of the Tallahassee Democrat — A bill designed to initiate the first steps toward bringing a space-themed monument to Florida’s capital is on track to be signed by the Governor. The measure, HB 1189, gives the green light to establish the Florida Space Exploration Monument. It would be administered by the Florida Department of Management Services, which would be tasked to develop a design plan, location within the Capitol Plaza and cost projections. The bill also allows for the creation of a design contest and selection Committee to offer input. A potential price tag for the monument is not yet available. DMS will work with Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, to work on strategizing an approach toward what’s feasible.

— MORE FROM CAPITOL —

“Democrats fume as Florida Legislature votes to name road after Rush Limbaugh” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Florida House passed a road designation bill that will name a street after conservative talk show host Limbaugh. HB 21 includes language first proposed by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia to name a stretch of Cortez Boulevard between U.S. 41 and S.R. 50/50A in Hernando County as “Rush Limbaugh Way.” Democrats in the House objected to the measure adding the Senate language but to no avail. Rep. Lindsay Cross was the first to ask whether the Limbaugh language was in the House bill, leading to objections. “Why are we keeping that in the bill?” asked Rep. Anna Eskamani.

“Advocates say lawmakers are chipping away at Florida’s Sunshine Laws” via Margie Menzel of WFSU — Supporters of open government in Florida had a rough Legislative Session, with roughly 20 more exemptions to Florida’s once-honored Sunshine Laws. The state is known for its broad open records and public meeting laws, known as Sunshine Laws. But Florida First Amendment Foundation Director Bobby Block says lawmakers have steadily chipped away at them, especially under the DeSantis administration. Barbara Petersen leads the Florida Center for Government Accountability. She figures the Legislature approved 20 exemptions this year.

— STATEWIDE —

“Abortion pill legal challenge threatens miscarriage care” via The Associated Press — Less than a year after losing her daughter Emilia at five days old, Jillian Phillips suffered a miscarriage. It was Halloween weekend in 2016, and her doctor said she could wait for it to end naturally, have a surgical procedure, or take medication. She chose the medicine, passed the remains of her nine-week pregnancy at home, and buried them in a memorial garden, near some of Emilia’s ashes. “Once I found out that the baby inside me was no longer viable, I didn’t want to just walk around carrying the emotional trauma of that,” said Phillips, a 41-year-old single parent of three from North Brookfield, Massachusetts. “You just kind of want it finished. And the medication works pretty quickly.”

“More time to prepare for a storm: New National Hurricane Center forecast goes to seven days” via Kimberly Miller of The Palm Beach Post — Five years ago, before Hurricane Dorian shredded the Northern Bahamas, Ida went on a multistate killing spree and Ian drowned Lee County in 15 feet of storm surge, scientists began testing how to warn people earlier that a tropical cyclone is brewing. The result of their research will debut this hurricane season in a forecast that shows the likelihood and location of storm formation seven days ahead of time. It’s not a change to the iconic hurricane cone, which is a five-day track prediction used once a storm forms. Meteorologists hope adding two days to the timetable for potential landfall gives people more wiggle room to prepare, not panic.

“Florida codes keep new homes ‘high and dry.’ Do they make flooding worse for neighbors?” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — It’s become a common sight in development-crazed South Florida: Shiny new homes popping up in neighborhoods of low-slung older homes, almost always constructed on the land raised by trucked-in gravel. The added elevation has become standard thanks to decades of stricter building codes and a growing understanding that Florida buildings need to rise to withstand storms and floods of the future. Complaints of new development worsening flooding in surrounding areas are common across South Florida, and flood plain experts say it underlines a problem with perhaps the leading strategy for coping with flooding driven by climate change.

“Heritage Insurance returns to profitability as it exits Florida’s market” via Christina Georgacopoulos of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Heritage Insurance Holdings Inc. is returning to profitability as it retreats from Florida’s disastrous property insurance market. The Tampa-based carrier reported a second consecutive quarter of positive earnings with $14 million in net income, versus $12.5 million last quarter and $30.8 million in losses in the first quarter of 2022, the latest earnings report shows.

“School book challenges, already on rise, could escalate in Florida” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — A Clay County father who had already urged the removal of dozens of books from his local public schools warned state officials in November that they needed to weed out the “poison” from school library shelves. He had a list of more than 3,600 books with “concerning content,” Bruce Friedman told a Florida Department of Education group tasked with recommending library rules. “Clean up this mess,” he warned, “or like I’m doing locally, we’ll take them down one book at a time.” He wasn’t bluffing about what he was doing in his home county. The Clay school district now has a list of about 400 books that have been challenged as inappropriate, with 90% of the objections filed by Friedman.

“Millions are stuck in dental deserts, with no access to oral health care” via Lauren Peace of the Tampa Bay Times — Annual dental checks are essential to overall health. But of the 67 counties in Florida, experts say, only one has enough dentists to treat all patients. Nine counties in Florida have fewer than three practicing dentists apiece. Lafayette County doesn’t have a single one. “It’s a social injustice,” said Grimmett, director of dental services at the not-for-profit, which serves Medicaid and uninsured patients in the Tampa Bay region. “You will never be totally well if you don’t have oral health,” she said. In Florida and across the nation, vulnerable and marginalized communities — already prone to higher rates of chronic disease and limited access to health care — are left behind in these dental deserts.

“Pride organizers keep eye on drag laws ahead of festivals” via The Associated Press — Organizers of Pride festivals and parades in mostly conservative states where there’s been a broader push targeting LGBTQ+ rights have been under increasing pressure to censor their events. They’re taking steps like editing acts and canceling drag shows to still hold their annual celebrations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identity in today’s contentious climate.

“$2.5 million gift will support purchase of critical conservation lands in Florida” via Florida Daily — In a historic gift, environmental philanthropists Stu and Rebecca Sjouwerman have donated $2.5 million toward the acquisition of critical conservation land within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. “As a lifelong lover of nature and animals, it gives me great happiness to help preserve and protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor,” Rebecca Sjouwerman said. “Stu and I recognize that certain Corridor lands are in urgent need of protection lest they be lost to development forever, and we are glad we are in a position to make an immediate difference.”

— SKED —

Assignment editors — Floridians Protecting Freedom is holding a news conference to launch a ballot initiative campaign to give Florida voters the chance to ensure their personal medical decisions are theirs to make. The decision to have an abortion belongs to Floridians, their families and those they trust — the campaign seeks to ensure those protections remain in the state constitution: 10 a.m., Florida Press Center, 336 E. College Ave., Suite 100, Tallahassee. Livestream online here.

— 2024 —

“Joe Biden faces broad negative ratings at start of campaign, poll finds” via Dan Balz, Scott Clement and Emily Guskin of The Washington Post — As he begins his campaign for re-election, Biden faces substantial and multiple challenges. His overall approval ratings have slipped to a new low, more Americans than not doubt his mental acuity, and his support against leading Republican challengers is far shakier than at this point four years ago. Trump leads a still-forming field of candidates for the Republican nomination, receiving about twice as much support as DeSantis. But Trump carries his own baggage, with a majority saying he should face criminal charges in cases involving efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, events leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob and his handling of classified documents.

“Trump ad paints former President as political outsider amid legal woes: ‘Embrace that label’” via Juia Mueller of The Hill — A new ad by Trump paints the former President as a political outsider against the litany of legal woes he faces as well as his impeachments by Congress. “Following your convictions means you must be willing to face criticism from those who lack the same courage,” Trump’s voice says in the video over clips of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. The video opens with voice-overs of news clips about Trump’s troubles, from his 2020 impeachment to the House Select Committee’s investigation of Jan. 6.

To watch the ad, please click on the image below:

“Wall Street Primary wide-open as DeSantis stumbles” via Sam Sutton and Ben White of POLITICO — Wall Street is firmly in the Never Trump camp. Finding a Republican who can make “never” happen is another question. DeSantis had been seen as the top pick to lock down the support of financial titans who have already pumped millions into his state campaigns. But as he stumbles through gaffes over everything from his personal demeanor and stance on Ukraine to his snacking habits, Wall Street donors are keeping the door open to his competitors. Where Wall Street puts its money matters because financial industry executives are among the biggest donors in Presidential Elections.

“What DeSantis’ ‘Florida blueprint’ means for his 2024 White House bid” via Sam Cabral of Yahoo News — For many Republicans keen to see somebody other than Trump challenge Biden for the U.S. presidency in 2024, one name has stood out: DeSantis. On Friday, after his state’s Legislative Session drew to a close, the Florida Governor said he would decide “relatively soon” if he was going to launch a 2024 presidential bid. Since taking office in 2019, the 44-year-old Harvard Law graduate and former U.S. naval officer has helped transform his state into a laboratory for conservative policymaking. This year, he has signed a series of bills, delivered to his desk by a heavily Republican State Legislature, into law. From waging war on “wokeism” to tightening restrictions on abortion, they make up what he calls a “blueprint for America’s revival.”

“Prez hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy questions Disney carve-out that DeSantis signed” via Matthew Crowley and Louis Jacobson of the Tampa Bay Times — Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy is questioning the sincerity of DeSantis’ political war with Mickey Mouse. The conservative entrepreneur said DeSantis has shown more deference toward The Walt Disney Co. than his current, well-publicized feud would suggest. During an April 30 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” his first on the program, Ramaswamy spotlighted an exception written into a 2021 Florida law targeted at social media companies and that protected Walt Disney, a major Florida employer. Ramaswamy said that signing the law with an exception tailored to Disney made DeSantis beholden to corporate interests.

— DESANTIS IN DECLINE? —

“The devolution of DeSantis” via Nate Cohn of The New York Times — At the beginning of the year, DeSantis looked as if he might be the answer to all the Republican Party’s problems.

For the first time in decades, a conservative politician rose to national prominence on issues that unified the party’s populist base with its beleaguered establishment. He seemed to offer Republicans a path beyond the divisions and defeats of the last 15 years. DeSantis does not seem like the answer anymore. His poll numbers are cratering. His strength as a General Election candidate is being questioned. This is partly because he’s fallen flat on the national stage, but it’s also because he’s slowly devolved into an older kind of Republican — the kind without answers to the party’s problems.

He’s been bogged down in the very issues that divided and hurt Republicans in the past, like abortion, entitlements, Russia and the conduct of Trump. Against Trump and without Democrats as a foil, his instinct to take the most conservative stance has pushed him far to the right. He’s devolved into another Ted Cruz.

DeSantis’ varying campaigns against everything from coronavirus restrictions to gender studies curricula weren’t extraordinarily popular, at least not in terms of national polling, but it was a type of political gold, nonetheless. It let him channel the passions of the Republican base and get on Fox News without offending bourgeoise conservative sensibilities on race, immigration and gender. In fact, many elite conservatives disliked “woke” and coronavirus restrictions just like the rank and file.

This combination of base and elite appeal made him a natural candidate to lead an anti-Trump coalition.

Since then, DeSantis’ coalition has unraveled. His superficial struggles on the campaign trail may be evident to most, but what is more easily overlooked is an overarching struggle to balance the competing needs of an ideologically diverse coalition in a Republican Primary.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“Biden says he would sign gun legislation immediately if he could” via Kelly Garrity of POLITICO — Biden on Sunday called on Congress to pass new gun control legislation and said he would “sign it immediately,” in the wake of a shooting in Allen, Texas, which left at least eight dead and seven injured. “Too many families have empty chairs at their dinner tables. Republican Members of Congress cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug. Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough,” Biden said in a statement. “Once again, I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers.”

“Texas police seek motive in mall shooting that killed 8” via Gabriella Borter and Maria Caspani of Reuters — Texas police on Sunday were investigating what motivated a 33-year-old gunman to kill at least eight people at a mall over the weekend, as Biden called for stricter gun laws. The Texas Department of Public Safety on Sunday confirmed the identity of the assailant in Saturday’s shooting as Mauricio Garcia, a 33-year-old resident of Dallas. Police said Garcia killed eight people and wounded at least seven on Saturday afternoon at Allen Premium Outlets mall in Allen, a northern suburb of Dallas, before police killed him.

“Biden hopes strong job market means soft landing for economy” via The Associated Press — For Biden, the past few days have raised hopes that the U.S. economy can stick a soft landing, possibly avoiding a recession as the 2024 Election nears. Most U.S. adults have downbeat feelings about Biden’s economic leadership, as high inflation has overshadowed a strong jobs market. It’s long been economic orthodoxy that efforts to beat back inflation by the Federal Reserve would result in unemployment rising and the country sinking into recession. But to the president and some economists, the April jobs report issued Friday challenged that theory with its 3.4% unemployment rate and 253,000 jobs gained.

“Biden to deliver commencement address at Howard University, Air Force Academy” via Danielle Douglas-Gabriel of The Washington Post — Biden will deliver the commencement address for the Class of 2023 at Howard University and the Air Force Academy, the White House announced Saturday. Biden will give the keynote address at Howard, the historically Black university in the District that is Vice President Kamala Harris’ alma mater, on May 13. President Barack Obama was the last sitting President to give the commencement address at Howard, in 2016. The White House said Biden will speak at the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony on June 1 in El Paso County, Colorado. This will be Biden’s third commencement address to Air Force cadets and his first as President.

“Migrant child labor debate in Congress becomes mired in immigration fight” via Karoun Demirjian and Hannah Dreier of The New York Times — Weeks after revelations that migrant children are being regularly exploited for cheap labor in the United States prompted bipartisan outrage and calls to action on Capitol Hill, Congress has moved no closer to addressing the issue, which has become mired in a long-running partisan war over immigration policy. Legislation to crack down on companies’ use of child labor has gone nowhere and currently has little Republican backing, while Democrats’ efforts to increase funding for federal agencies to provide more support services to migrant children who cross the border by themselves face long odds in the House, where the GOP has pledged to slash agency budgets.

“CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to step down” via Sarah Toy of The Wall Street Journal — Walensky will be stepping down as director of the CDC in June, the agency said Friday. Dr. Walensky decided to step aside, after more than two years in the job, as the Biden administration prepares to end the national health emergency around COVID-19 next week and just hours after the World Health Organization declared the crisis was over.

“Janet Yellen says White House needs Congress to avoid debt default” via Azi Paybarah of The Washington Post — Yellen on Sunday urged congressional Republicans to drop their demand that Biden cut spending in exchange for raising the nation’s debt limit ahead of an estimated June 1 default deadline. “These negotiations should not take place with a gun … to the head of the American people,” Yellen said on ABC’s “This Week.” Yellen’s comments are the latest demand from the Biden administration ahead of the President’s meeting slated for Tuesday with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders.

“Senate Republicans say no to any clean debt-limit increase” via Laura Litvan of Bloomberg — A group of 43 Senate Republicans including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said they’d oppose allowing a vote on legislation increasing the U.S. debt limit with no strings attached, saying “substantive spending and budget reforms” must be part of the package. The group’s letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer included almost every Republican in the chamber and showed they have the votes to block legislation, raising the stakes on Biden and Democrats who control the chamber. “Our economy is in free fall due to unsustainable fiscal policies,” GOP Senators said in the letter. “This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms.”

“The brazen explanation for concealing the Ginni Thomas payment” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post — Clarence Thomas’ argument for accepting billionaire GOP donor Harlan Crow’s largesse over the years and not disclosing it leans heavily on the claim that Crow didn’t have business before the court. That defense isn’t going to cut it when it comes to the news that conservative judicial activist and Thomas family ally Leonard Leo proactively obscured a payment to Thomas’s wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas. So, Leo has gone with a different and rather blunt explanation. Effectively it’s: Yes, I did it because I wanted to hide it. The Washington Post reported documents that show Leo in 2012 instructed GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway to bill a nonprofit he advises and pay Ginni Thomas $25,000. He also told her, “No mention of Ginni, of course.”

“Saudi-financed LIV Golf expands its reach into Washington” via Alan Blinder and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — LIV Golf, the league financed with billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and facing scrutiny over its motives and ambitions, has hired one of Washington’s most influential consulting conglomerates, whose co-founder works with a super PAC supporting DeSantis. The league, whose close links to Trump have helped bring LIV both a greater spotlight and a storm of condemnation, said Friday that it had reached an agreement with the conglomerate, GP3 Partners, to promote “LIV Golf’s mission to modernize and supercharge” golf.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

”State ‘sprinkle list’ could give Treasure Coast an extra $6 million. Where would it go?” via Thomas Weber of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Up to $6 million in extra state money could benefit a variety of projects and nonprofits on the Treasure Coast this year, if DeSantis gives them the OK. Together, the state House and Senate recommended about $670 million at the end of this year’s budget negotiations for the “sprinkle list,” or the list of unfunded state and local projects promoted by lawmakers. The list includes money for Indian River State College and Sebastian Inlet State Park as well as for the nonprofit Ocean Research & Conservation Association and LifeBuilders of the Treasure Coast. “There’s so many people that we are not able to help because we simply don’t have the funds, but the need is there,” said Diamond Litty, 19th Judicial Circuit Court public defender and president of LifeBuilders.

“COVID-19 vaccine, testing sites run by Miami-Dade to permanently close, officials say” via Devoun Cetoute of the Miami Herald — Miami-Dade County is winding down its remaining coronavirus testing and vaccination programs this weekend as the World Health Organization announced Friday the COVID-19 pandemic no longer represents a “world health emergency.” “I am enormously proud of our extraordinary response to the COVID-19 pandemic by putting in place and scaling effective public health programs, partnering closely with our cities and local businesses to protect residents and visitors, and keeping our economy moving forward,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement. The Mayor confirmed Thursday that she had contracted COVID-19 for the third time but was experiencing only mild symptoms.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Polarized politics at the forefront of superintendent selection in Brevard” via Finch Walker of Florida Today — “Polarizing.” “Shovel-ready.” “No strengths.” “This is the person we need.” What do those words and phrases have in common? All were descriptions used for the man selected to be Brevard Public Schools’ next Superintendent, illustrating the environment Mark Rendell will face from Day One. As the only one of the three finalists who has worked in Brevard, Rendell was known to many and that means he comes into the top job with strong support as well as adamant detractors. School Board members, who selected Rendell in a 3-2 vote May 2, pointed out that they received more feedback about him than any of the other finalists, not all of it positive.

“Along the I-4 corridor, intervention programs are slowing the teen suicide rate” via Maddy Mae Dickinson and Andrew Hamilton of WUSF — Schools and communities along the I-4 corridor are defying a national and statewide uptick in teen suicide thanks to the introduction of successful mental health intervention programs and the hiring of more mental health professionals. In Orange County, the suicide rate among children and teens dropped 13% from 2020 to 2021. That compares with a 1% drop statewide for Florida during the same period. Depression, a major cause of suicide, continues to be a national public health issue. About 180,000 Floridians aged 12-17 suffer from depression. And about 64% of Floridians aged 12-17 diagnosed with depression did not receive any care in the last year.

“UCF gets $15M in PECO money for new nursing school building” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — The University of Central Florida (UCF) is helping fight the nursing hiring shortage and is slated to get nearly $15 million from the state’s Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) funds for those efforts. The PECO dollars will help the university build a new, larger school of nursing building at its Lake Nona campus near UCF’s medical school. “We are grateful to the Florida Legislature for including our request for the funding of a new UCF College of Nursing building in their final budget,” said UCF President Alexander Cartwright in a statement this week.

“Disney’s LGBTQ fans worry about Florida policies even as many consider the park a safe haven” via Emma Sánchez of NBC News — DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policies have some LGBTQ Disney fans and Disney World employees on edge to see what the future will be for the Magic Kingdom. Adding to worries is Disney’s legal battle with the state over control of the special tourism district where the Disney World parks reside. After the 2022 passage of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law among critics, LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida issued a travel advisory for the state, warning tourists of “hostile” policies. DeSantis considers the advisory a “political stunt,” Deputy Press Secretary Jeremy T. Redfern said.

“Disney World’s Tigger gets investigated, revealing tough character job at the Most Magical Place on Earth” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — This seemed like a situation Tigger probably hadn’t experienced before in the Hundred Acre Wood. But at Disney World, Tigger the character found himself under investigation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for inappropriately touching a woman. Ultimately, the Sheriff’s department ruled the allegation arising from a Magic Kingdom restaurant as unfounded and law enforcement cleared Tigger, or rather, the man behind the mask. The Sheriff’s report gives some insight into how tough it can be to play a Disney World character at the Most Magical Place on Earth.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Two more Polk residents join Republican field to succeed Sam Killebrew in Florida House” via Gary White of The Lakeland Ledger — With the Primary election still 15 months away, the race to succeed Rep. Killebrew in the Florida House of Representatives has already drawn a crowded field. Two more candidates have filed to run for House District 48, creating a race of five Republicans with no Democrats yet in the race. Killebrew, a Republican from Winter Haven, faces term limits next year. District 48 contains eastern Polk County south of Haines City. Jerry Carter of Winter Haven and Amilee Stuckey of Lake Wales both filed to run on Monday.

“Court documents hint at ‘public corruption’ within city of Tampa” via William March of the Tampa Bay Times — The arrest of a former sex offender in March raised hints of “public corruption” in Tampa city government and impinged on city politics during the recently concluded, contentious City Council race. Last week, city officials confirmed there is an ongoing investigation in the matter by the Tampa Police Department, but would provide no details, nor would State Attorney Susan Lopez’s office. The hints came from a court filing by the State Attorney’s Office seeking to seal a search warrant in the arrest of John Ring, also known as Gio Fucarino, on charges of failing to provide some of the information required to be filed by registered sex offenders. He has pleaded not guilty.

“Catholic Church is losing Hispanics in Tampa Bay and U.S. Why?” via Juan Carlos Chavez of the Tampa Bay Times — While Catholicism remains the largest religious group among Latinos in the United States, its share of those worshippers has dropped over the past decade from 67% to 43%. The study shows that young Hispanics are less Catholic and more likely to be religiously unaffiliated than older Latinos. The Pew study shows that slightly less than half of Latino youths between 18 and 29 identify as unaffiliated. But among older Latinos, only 1 in 5 is not religiously affiliated. The analysis found that the majority of these Hispanics, aged 50 or older, were born outside of the U.S.

“More Florida and Tampa Bay families are living paycheck to paycheck” via Gabriella Paul of WFSU — More households in the greater Tampa Bay region are living one emergency away from poverty. This group — called ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) — struggles to afford basic necessities, like housing and health care, despite falling above the federal poverty line. Experts say ALICE households are particularly vulnerable because they typically earn too much to qualify for public assistance.

“Pinellas County launches new Housing Action Plan” via Breanne Williams of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Elected officials and housing advocates gathered at the 2023 Homes for Pinellas Summit last week to launch the new countywide Housing Action Plan. The event was held at the Central Park Performing Arts Center on April 28, and more than 120 people attended. This was the first countywide event of its kind to take place in person, there was a virtual Homes for Pinellas Summit in 2020. During the event, Pinellas County and Forward Pinellas presented the new Housing Action Plan. Several local governments that had signed onto the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact were in attendance for the event, and attendees discussed how to enact the new plan.

“As Pinellas hears another no on beach-erosion fix, what’s next?” via Jack Evans of the Tampa Bay Times — The Army Corps of Engineers has denied a waiver that would have let a massive, already-behind-schedule beach renourishment project move forward in Pinellas County. The thumbs-down from the Corps’ headquarters signals that it’s digging its heels in amid a yearslong standoff with the county over the replenishment of sand on a critically eroded stretch of coastline. It may also mark a turning point, with county officials turning their eyes toward other potential sources of money so they can do the project without the Corps. The pumping of tons of sand onto an 8½-mile stretch of Sand Key, from North Redington Beach in the south to north of Belleair Beach, is crucial to maintaining the shoreline as a tourism draw, habitat for endangered species and natural storm buffer, local leaders say.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Lawmakers inserted millions of dollars for Jacksonville area items. Here’s what they’d do.” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — A new University of Florida campus in Jacksonville, an extensive overhaul of the historic Hotel Ponce de Leon at Flagler College in St. Augustine, replacement of cranes at Jacksonville’s port, road projects in St. Johns County and expansion of the University of North Florida’s business college are among the big-ticket items that state lawmakers added to the proposed state budget. Other proposals would help pay for buying out houses in St. Johns County that have been continuously jeopardized by coastal erosion and also put state dollars into curbing the persistent flooding problems in downtown St. Augustine.

“Pandemic funding weaponized in Jacksonville Mayor’s race” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Donna Deegan is speaking out against a new ad against her in the race for Mayor. “This attack ad is dirty politics as usual, and the type of desperate behavior we see time and time again from candidates who are losing this close to an election. They lie, smear, and distort the truth to distract from their own records,” said Deegan, who also addressed the ad in a video on Twitter. The spot accused Deegan of taking “hundreds of thousands of dollars of COVID money,” with her DONNA Foundation continuing to work through the pandemic, which actually saw a 78% uptick in call volume in the months after COVID-19 and mitigation strategies changed society.

“Charles Garrison calls for unity of purpose in Jax City Council race” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — To read the political mail sent by the truckload across Duval County, you might believe the only issue in the election is crime and who’s endorsed by which cops, and further that some candidates would like nothing more than to allow civilized society to burn to the ground. Garrison, the Democratic candidate in the Jacksonville City Council at large Group 5 seat, released an ad recently intending to combat that narrative. He maintains Duval voters have had enough with “us vs. them mentality.” The ad, “Building Forward Together,” opens with Garrison speaking from a riverfront Jacksonville park in which he explains he’s a Democrat now, but he used to be a Republican, and that neither party gets it right all the time.

To watch the ad, please click on the image below:

“School board to discuss future of Shane Andrew as superintendent” via Andrew Caplan of The Gainesville Sun — The superintendent for Alachua County schools is once again in the hot seat due to growing concerns coming from board members and district staff. A discussion regarding Shane Andrew’s contract is set for Tuesday, according to the upcoming agenda, though tensions have been mounting from frustrated parties for months. Andrew, who was named interim superintendent in March 2022 after the previous board’s firing of Carlee Simon, has been tasked with helping form a strategic plan, rezoning overcrowded schools, addressing the district’s achievement gaps and growing discipline issues. But in the year that he has led the district, little progress has been made on the most pressing issues.

“Island Seafood owners found guilty of COVID-19-relief fraud, head to prison” via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahassee Democrat — A Tallahassee couple is heading to federal prison after being found guilty of falsely collecting over $4.8 million in COVID-relief funds. Wilbert Jean Stanley, III, 43 and Felicia Jackson Stanley, 43, owners of Island Seafood, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and making false statements in connection to COVID-19 pandemic relief, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Wilbert Stanley was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, and Felicia Stanley was sentenced to 24 months.

“Prosecutors plan to call FPL exec in key JEA hearing” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — Federal prosecutors plan to call a Florida Power & Light vice president as a witness in an upcoming hearing in the fraud case against former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and CFO Ryan Wannemacher. The upcoming hearing, set to begin May 15, is intended to force federal prosecutors to demonstrate the evidence they marshaled to indict Zahn and Wannemacher is not tied directly or indirectly to sworn statements the two men provided to city attorneys in 2019 about their involvement in the JEA privatization controversy — statements for which they received Garrity protection, meaning their contents can’t be used to incriminate them.

“UF’s new president, Ben Sasse, has yet to make a big splash on campus” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times — In March, about six weeks after Sasse started as the University of Florida’s 13th president, flyers began popping up around campus asking where he was. “MISSING,” said the headline over his photo. “Have you seen this man?” Those with information were asked, tongue in cheek, to call the president’s office in Tigert Hall. “UF needs a leader,” the message declared. When Sasse was interviewing for the job last fall, the former Republican U.S. Senator pledged to “listen, listen, listen and listen some more” when he arrived. But almost three months into his tenure, some student leaders are expecting more.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“An uncontrolled Collier County fire grows to 8,400 acres despite weeklong containment efforts” via Michael Braun of WFSU — Wildland firefighters in Big Cypress National Preserve were working Sunday to try to contain any part of the Sandy Fire, which has charred 8,400 acres and is still burning. The Sandy Fire broke out Monday in an area of the preserve in the far eastern part of Collier County. By Sunday morning, firefighters caught a break as wildfire weather conditions turned less favorable as crews worked to keep the fire from another surge. Riki Hoopes, a National Park Service wildfire information officer, said that as of late Saturday night crews set small, controlled fires around structures on the northern edge of the wildfire to protect the buildings.

“Gunfire in Bradenton outlet mall parking lot sends stores, shoppers into lockdown” via Ryan Ballogg of the Bradenton Herald — Gunfire between two vehicles in a parking lot of Ellenton Premium Outlets sent the mall into a temporary lockdown on Sunday afternoon, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said. The shooting was reported around 4:40 p.m. in the mall’s east parking lot. “From what I’m hearing, it was all very quick,” sheriff’s office spokesperson Randy Warren said. “They shot at each other and then they both fled out of the area.”

— TOP OPINION —

“‘Just another baby for them.’ Parents, feds fight for kids stuck in Florida nursing homes” via Carol Marbin Miller of the Miami Herald — The state likes to boast of its stellar finances — the $117 billion budget approved this month set a record. At the same time, it tightly rations funds for the care of children and others who require help.

Regardless of need, lawmakers decide what they want to spend on Floridians with severe disabilities and medical needs. When the money runs out, that’s it. And for those left out, it’s sorry, maybe next year. It’s why Floridians needing social services languish on waiting lists for years, even decades.

With Medicaid managed care plans dispensing the state’s dollars, few families are approved for round-the-clock nursing care, children’s advocates say.

Those who are approved must cope with notoriously unreliable in-home nursing, a byproduct of the state’s penurious reimbursement rates. And so, parents are forced to put them in nursing homes, sometimes hundreds of miles distant.

“This warehousing of children,” said Kenneth Goodman, who founded and directs the medical ethics program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, “is beneath us.”

The state’s own inspection records speak of children left for hours in diapers “soaked with urine,” of children contracting dangerous respiratory infections from contaminated medical equipment, of a child losing nearly 50% of her body weight, of soiled, moldy buildings and piles of dirty laundry.

The state set aside about $28 billion for Medicaid-funded health care, an arbitrary figure that is not nearly sufficient, forcing care to be rationed.

— OPINIONS —

“It’s beginning to feel a lot like 2016 again” via Ross Douthat of The New York Times — Around the time that Trump announced his presidential campaign, there was a lot of chatter about how anti-Trump Republicans were poised to repeat the failures of 2016, by declining to take on Trump directly and letting him walk unscathed to the nomination. This take seemed wrong in two ways. First, unlike in 2016, anti-Trump Republicans had a singular, popular alternative in DeSantis, whose polling was competitive with Trump’s and way ahead of any other rival. Second, unlike in 2016, most Republican Primary voters have now supported Trump in two national elections, making them poor targets for sweeping broadsides against his unfitness for the presidency. But I will admit, watching DeSantis sag in the Primary polls — and watching the Republican and media reaction to that sag — has triggered flashbacks to the 2016 race. Seven years later, it’s clear that many of the underlying dynamics that made Trump the nominee are still in play.

“Why is Florida grounding $200 million worth of perfectly good police drones?” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — Florida lawmakers have agreed to pony up $25 million for law enforcement agencies to replace aerial drones. Police, firefighters and mosquito control districts across Florida and around Tampa Bay use drones. They are cheaper and faster than launching a helicopter. They also help track suspects and find missing people. Police and local governments have spent at least $200 million on Chinese-made drones. It would be unnecessarily wasteful not to keep using them. It makes sense for the U.S. military to avoid Chinese drones, but local law enforcement doesn’t use them for military or top-secret purposes.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

 

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— ALOE —

“It’s the Chris Pratt Cinematic Universe at the weekend box office” via Jessica Wang of Entertainment Weekly — Pratt is having a good weekend at the box office. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the final installment of Marvel’s trilogy centered on a ragtag group of intergalactic mercenaries led by Pratt’s Star-Lord, opened at No. 1 with $114 million at the North American box office and an additional $168 million overseas, per Comscore. Though it opened behind its predecessor, Vol. 3 surpassed the first Guardians of the Galaxy, which opened in 2014 with $94 million. The final film, which introduces Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock, at long last dethroned Super Mario Bros. Movie, which also stars Pratt and sat atop the box office for the past four weeks.

What Peter is reading — “New G.I. Joe movie being developed after scrapped Amazon pilot” via Anthony Nash of ComingSoon. Net — A new G.I. Joe movie is reportedly in the works following 2021’s Snake Eyes, according to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Speaking to Collider, di Bonaventura revealed that he and others had attempted to develop a television series based on the property with Amazon and Paramount. However, it didn’t pan out and the project fizzled. Now, the producer says they’re looking at what they can do at the movies. “We actually developed a pilot with Amazon. This was before Paramount+, just as Paramount+ was coming in,” said di Bonaventura.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Celebrating today is the wonderful Elizabeth Ray, as well as our dear friend Ashley Walker. Happy birthday also to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Juan del Cerro and Libby Alexander Pigman.

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