Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.19.23

Good Friday morning.

It was never a will-he-won’t-he, just a waiting game, but now it looks like the wait is over.

News outlets across the nation are reporting that Gov. Ron DeSantis will officially launch his presidential campaign next week.

Of course, the details are attributed to unnamed sources (the Governor’s favorite) but there’s far too much smoke to write this off as a “people are saying” situation.

DeSantis has long been rumored to get his campaign rolling in late May or early June after signing a raft of bills that play well with the MAGA crowd, such as the DEI and trans care measures he put his name on this week.

Hedge the specifics with a grain of salt — one source cited by CNN and others said that the launch date is still a “moving target” and that DeSantis may change it if for no other reason than to say the media got it wrong, one of his favorite pastimes.

Caveats aside, the current consensus is Team DeSantis is currently crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on campaign paperwork and will file it with the Federal Elections Commission next week.

Don’t expect a giant kickoff for the clerical formality unless you’re a loaded GOP donor. And if you are, you probably knew the deets since you booked your accommodations and drafted a check ahead of the May 25 soft launch in Miami.

For the rest of us, the big day comes a week later with a public announcement in Dunedin, the Governor’s hometown. There’s no specific date attached, but it may end up being the much-rumored June 1 — that would certainly explain why hotel room prices are a few bucks above the norm in the Pinellas County town, not that we’re travel agents or anything.

Go ahead and muddle that salt into some tea leaves, because the timing may be tied to when Donald Trump and those in his inner orbit make their seasonal migration from Mar-a-Lago to New Jersey. The former President’s campaign is being coy about when that’ll happen.

No matter the date, Trump took the gloves off a while ago and he’s not putting them back on. And it seems DeSantis will finally take his off after Memorial Day weekend.

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The Florida Retail Federation is bringing government relations expert Angela Bonds aboard as Vice President of Government Affairs, effective June 5.

“Angela brings to FRF a unique understanding of the policies and regulations that impact Florida’s retail industry. She is a trusted voice who has a wealth of experience developing and advancing policies and budgets within state agencies,” said FRF President and CEO Scott Shalley. “Angela is highly respected throughout the Capitol and will be an outstanding advocate for Florida’s retail industry.”

Bonds will lead FRF’s government relations team, including Gina Sisk, Jessica Hunter and several consultants, in advocating for the more than 270,000 retail businesses in Florida.

Bonds previously served as government relations manager for Dean Mead, where she represented FRF, Marriott International, Caravan, the American Sportfishing Association and Florida Outdoor Advertising Association, among others.

In the 2023 Session, Bonds helped advance several FRF priorities, including the Telephone Solicitation Act and a tax-cut package that included several sales tax holidays.

“Angela is a consummate professional that I and many others in the process have relied on to advocate for communities across the Sunshine State,” said House Majority Leader Michael Grant. “She’s a strong addition to Team Retail, and I’m confident she’ll fight for the retail businesses and for the best interests of the people of Florida.”

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U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz has a new starting lineup for his third term in Congress.

Waltz, a Republican representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District, announced a half-dozen change-ups to his congressional staff roster on Thursday, including James Hewitt’s elevation to Deputy Chief of Staff — he previously served as Communications Director and will continue running comms for the Congressman going forward.

Also climbing the ranks: Carl Schuler, who was promoted from Legislative Correspondent to Legislative Aide; Emma Scheidt who moved up to Legislative Correspondent after working for a year-and-a-half as a Staff Assistant; and Brandi Anderson, who was hired full-time as a constituent service representative after serving as a Gold Star fellow. Anderson will work out of Waltz’s district office in Ormond Beach.

Waltz office is also welcoming a couple of new hires.

Thomas Boodry comes aboard as Legislative Director. A Florida native, Boodry previously held the same title in Texas U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ office and before that worked as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s Legislative Aide.

Andrew Peek joins as the Congressman’s National Security Advisor after working as a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council since November 2020. A U.S. Army veteran, Peek previously worked as Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran, and as a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska.

“I am proud that we have established an office culture of advancement and retention by hiring dedicated staff while also bringing in new team members with policy expertise,” Waltz said. “I look forward to working with my staff to ensure Floridians’ best interests are looked after both in Washington, D.C. and in our home district.”

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NBC News anchor Lester Holt is taking NBC Nightly News on the road, straight to Florida. Holt will anchor special editions of the show, entitled Nightly News: Lester Holt Reports Live from Florida, from Fort Myers Beach on Monday and Miami on Tuesday.

The special will provide on-the-ground coverage of the lasting impacts of Hurricane Ian and deep-dive reporting on political and cultural forces at play in the Sunshine State and grabbing national attention as DeSantis prepares to make his announcement about running for President in 2024.

Holt’s program will feature local reporters from WESH in Orlando and WTVJ in Miami and NBC News National Correspondent Gabe Gutierrez.

During the Fort Myers broadcast, Holt will discuss Florida’s homeowners’ insurance situation and speak to residents impacted by Hurricane Ian. The program will also include a report from WESH anchor Sanika Dange on the impact of climate change on Florida’s tourism industry.

In Miami, NBC News’ Gutierrez will report on Florida’s political landscape and its national impacts and WTVJ anchor Constance Jones will profile Captain Barrington Irving, the first Black pilot and the youngest to fly solo around the world.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@GavinNewsom: Turns out, bigoted policies have consequences. That’s 2,000+ jobs that will be welcomed back with open arms to the Golden State. Thank you for doing the right thing, @Disney.

—@RepGlennIvey: I am calling on @Jim_Jordan & @JudiciaryGOP to immediately open an investigation into @GovRonDeSantis and his alleged mishandling of federally funded police in Florida to carry out his political agenda, intimidate voters and abuse his authority. Americans deserve transparency.

Tweet, tweet:

Can’t wait til toe hits leather! pic.twitter.com/5bjgzoNUtQ

— Gene Deckerhoff (@gened01) May 18, 2023

— DAYS UNTIL —

Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit — 9; NBA Finals begin — 13; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 13; DeSantis to speak at 2023 NCGOP State Convention — 21; The 2023 Tonys — 23; Disney and Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ premieres — 28; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 28; DeSantis to headline Nevada PAC’s annual basque fry — 29; ‘Secret Invasion’ premieres on Disney+ — 33; ‘The Bear’ returns to Hulu — 34; Florida Chamber 2023 Florida Learners to Earners Workforce Solution Summit — 39; ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ premieres — 42; ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning — Part One’ premieres — 56; Florida Chamber 37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School — 62; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ premieres — 67; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 74; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 88; Florida House Fall 2023 Interim Committee Meetings begin — 122; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 140; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 157; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 171; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 186; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 235; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 252; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 266; Georgia Democratic Primary — 271; Michigan Democratic Primary — 283; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 294; 2024 Oscars — 296; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 316; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 371; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 434; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 434; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 467; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 480; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 541; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 687; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 714; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 903.

— TOP STORY —

“Disney pulls plug on $1 billion development in Florida” via Brooks Barnes of The New York Times — “Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes, or not?” Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said on an earnings-related conference call with analysts last week.

On Thursday, Iger and Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s theme park and consumer products Chair, showed that they were not bluffing, pulling the plug on a nearly $1 billion office complex that was scheduled for construction in Orlando. It would have brought more than 2,000 jobs to the region, with $120,000 as the average salary, according to an estimate from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

The project, known as the Lake Nona Town Center, was supposed to involve the relocation of more than 1,000 employees from Southern California, including most of a department known as Imagineering, which works with Disney’s movie studios to develop theme park attractions.

Most of the affected employees complained bitterly about having to move — some quit — but Disney largely held firm, partly because of a Florida tax credit that would have allowed the company to recoup as much as $570 million over 20 years for building and occupying the complex.

The company’s battle with DeSantis and his allies in the Florida Legislature figured prominently in Disney’s decision to cancel the Lake Nona project, according to two people briefed on the matter.

“DeSantis continues arguing attacks on Disney don’t threaten ‘free market’ principles” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — In an interview with The American Conservative, DeSantis doubled down on his contention that attacks on the company’s previous “special privileges” do not constitute an attack on the “free market.” “What is a free market? Does an absence of government necessarily mean free market? I would say, sometimes, absence of government could just devolve into corporatism, and I think too many people on the Right have basically been corporatists over the years,” DeSantis contended.

—“Disney lawyers seem honestly shocked that DeSantis legal team is so bad at this” via Joe Patrice of Above the Law 

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Former President Trump published the following post on Truth Social on April 18, 2023:

—”‘That’s spite’: Francis Suarez knocks Ron DeSantis over costly ‘personal vendetta’ with Disney” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics

— DESANTISY LAND —

“The DeSantis project” via Molly Ball of Time magazine — By operationalizing the culture war into a set of concrete policies, DeSantis has transformed the nation’s third most populous state. What was once the butt of jokes about gators and retirees is now the swaggering, Southern-tinged Free State of Floridan — where men are men, woke is broke, and business is booming. If critics see DeSantis as a would-be authoritarian, allies see a conservative who gets things done. Many predicted that his hard-charging first term in office would provoke a backlash. Instead, the opposite occurred. What was once America’s paradigmatic swing state now pulsates bright red. For the first time in modern history, registered Republicans outnumber Democrats. The people of Florida seem to like the steady hand — even if it’s an iron fist.

—”DeSantis drops below 20% in RealClearPolitics average of GOP Presidential Primary polls” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

“Ready for Ron PAC can’t hand DeSantis email addresses of ‘petition’ signers, federal court rules” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Federal campaign finance laws won’t allow Ready for Ron (RFR), a political action committee started to encourage DeSantis to run for President, to hand its list of email addresses of supporters to the Governor, a federal court ruled. The PAC aimed to gather petitions urging DeSantis to jump into the 2024 presidential race and wanted to deliver the petitions, along with the email addresses of the signers, to DeSantis. RFR appealed the ruling of the FEC in court, but Judge Randolph Moss of the Washington, D.C., U.S. District Court upheld their determination.

“Are truckers really boycotting Florida over DeSantis’ immigration policies?” via John Bowden of the Independent — In recent days, social media has been flooded with videos of truck drivers claiming they are boycotting Florida after DeSantis signed into law a strict immigration enforcement bill. Truckers across the United States had decided en masse to cease deliveries to the Sunshine State, citing the tough immigration policies. One TikToker who made a video about his own concerns about the law, sanchezmanuel33, told The Independent that he thought “thousands” of truckers were participating. However, it does not appear that such a mass demonstration has been taking place as of yet.

“DeSantis just took two big steps to make trans lives illegal” via Chris Geidner of Rolling Stone — DeSantis signed several bills into law that will criminalize multiple aspects of being transgender, part of a broader attack aimed at making it at best difficult and at worst illegal to be a trans person in Florida. Although inaccurately framed as being bills whose purpose is to “let kids be kids,” we must closely examine these new laws to understand the full scope of DeSantis’s anti-LGBTQ efforts and the fact that he has no clear end in sight. In a year with more than 50 anti-LGBTQ bills already having been passed into law across the country, DeSantis and Florida’s Republican lawmakers are taking things much further.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“After a personal meeting, and a $10K donation, DeSantis approved a $10M earmark” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — Last June, just a few days after he signed last year’s state budget, Gov. DeSantis visited the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach to promote funding for Everglades restoration and other environmental programs. He highlighted one line item that he’d approved: $10 million for the Cox Science Center and Aquarium. The museum, DeSantis noted, is “very popular with the summer camp kids, very good for education.” But another part of the reason may be that a key Science Center booster is also a big DeSantis donor who records show personally lobbied the Governor to support the project — and who had just given DeSantis another $10,000.

“Kathleen Passidomo says Legislature had ‘cojones’ to pass controversial bills this year” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Senate President Passidomo called the 2023 Legislative Session a success because of the legislative and executive branches being in lockstep. “Some of it was controversial,” she said. “But when you think about it, a lot of the things we did this Session were things that people were thinking about, but because of political correctness, didn’t have the capacity — or the cojones, for that matter — to do it.” The Naples Republican gave her assessment at an Orlando meeting of Florida TaxWatch. She joked it was in her best interest to make a surprise visit and speak to the group. “There is a budget coming out in a couple of days, and I don’t want any of my projects to be called turkeys,” she said.

“New path for parents to oversee adult children with disabilities signed into law” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Parents of children with disabilities won’t have to jump over legal hurdles if they want a part in the last segment of their adult child’s education. The legislation (HB 19) that Democratic Rep. Allison Tant filed and Republican Sen. Corey Simon carried in the Senate creates a new pathway for parental involvement after a child on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) turns 18. The way it has been, the privacy rights of an 18-year-old make it so that parents don’t have a seat at the table for teacher conferences and the like unless they’ve gone to court to get legal guardianship over their child.

“Federal judge to weigh temporary halt on transgender health care rules, law” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — DeSantis has taken a pincer grip to transgender care by using his administrative power to halt minors from accessing it, prevent state dollars from being used to pay for it, and using his sway over lawmakers to codify the high-profile rules into law. These changes, which have been roundly criticized as cruel and discriminatory by transgender advocates, will have a key moment in court on Friday. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle is scheduled to hold a hearing in a lawsuit that is challenging rules adopted by medical boards at the insistence of the DeSantis administration as well as the new law (SB 254) that bans minors from receiving gender-affirming care.

— HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL —

President Joe Biden is appointing former U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch and LSN Partners founder Alex Heckler to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.

Deutch represented Broward and Palm Beach counties in Congress from 2010-22. He was a founding Co-Chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism and Co-Chair of the Congressional Study Group on Germany, a role he used to advocate for Holocaust survivors with the German Chancellor and members of the Bundestag.

He resigned his seat last year to become CEO of the American Jewish Committee.

His service to the Jewish community dates to his youth, including through his Chair of the Hillel Governing Board and as a lay leader with the Jewish Federations of Cleveland and South Palm Beach County, among other roles.

Heckler, in addition to founding LSN Partners, is a lawyer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He’s also a prominent Democratic Party activist, fundraiser and strategist.

He holds leadership roles in several organizations, including Beyond Differences, a California-based nonprofit that works to promote inclusivity and reduce social isolation among young people, and the Young President’s Organization, Americas Gateway Chapter.

The two men were among 10 appointees the Biden administration announced this week. The others were Kevin Abel, Michael S. Beals, Kimberly Marteau Emerson, Danielle Borrin Hertz, Jonathan Lavine, Harry Evans Sloan, Alan D. Solomont and Gary Phillip Zola.

— STATEWIDE —

“2023 hurricane season: Fear rain as much as storm surge as climate change increases threat” via Kimberly Miller of The Palm Beach Post — For decades, most deaths in tropical cyclones were brine-choked drownings as saltwater surged over fringy coastlines tearing down beach homes and taking lives. But the scarier threat now may be coming from the sky. New numbers released at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference this month found that 57% of deaths directly attributable to tropical cyclones from 2013 through 2022 were from freshwater flooding caused by heavy rains. About 15% were from high surf or rip currents, 12% were from wind and 11% were from storm surge. Other causes included tornadoes, high lightning and unknown.

“Scientists are watching early El Niño signs in a different way” via David Heckard of News 4 Jax — The probability of an El Niño developing this summer continues to increase, and scientists now have a unique way of monitoring the early signs. A NASA satellite called Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is watching the waters of the central Pacific but using a very different technology. Most satellites that monitor the Pacific off the coast of Peru monitor water temperatures. This is often a great indication that El Niño conditions are underway.

“Nearly 250K people dropped from Florida Medicaid in April, most due to procedural reasons” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Nearly 250,000 people were disenrolled from the Medicaid program in April, most of them due to procedural red tape and not a determination that they no longer were eligible for the state net program. State officials reviewed determinations for 461,322 people in April. Of those, 249,427 people were removed from the Medicaid rolls, most of them (205,122) for procedural reasons. About 10% of the people reviewed were deemed ineligible for Medicaid and transferred to the federal health care marketplace, where they can purchase a subsidized health policy if they qualify for coverage.

“Personnel note: Alex Kelly tapped to lead Secretary of Commerce” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Kelly, a Deputy Chief of Staff to DeSantis will be named Secretary of the newly renamed Department of Commerce. The Executive Office of the Governor confirmed Kelly’s appointment. He has held the Deputy Chief of Staff role in the Governor’s Office since April 2021 and previously served as Chief of Staff to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran. Regarded as one of the most capable staffers in state government, Kelly served as vice president for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a school choice advocacy group founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush, before Corcoran plucked him in late 2018.

“Florida TaxWatch, Prepaid College Foundation to increase PLA scholarships to 15” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation are nearly doubling a set of scholarships for students in poor communities. The news came at a luncheon honoring some Principal Leadership Award (PLA) winners. Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch said it’s critical to both recognize valuable teachers at Florida schools and to increase the ability to better students’ life trajectories.

“Fishery research off Florida subject to funding by South Carolina Legislature” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Fish survey work along the South Atlantic coast done for the federal government and multiple state agencies nonetheless is beholden to the South Carolina General Assembly for the tools and transportation, which in this case is the same thing — the research vessel itself. “She’s on her last legs, and we’ve known that for a while,” Mel Bell, Director of the South Carolina Office of Fisheries Management, said. The good news is a replacement vessel is on the way. The survey runs from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape Canaveral in Florida.

“Publix confirms it will once again phase out GreenWise Market banner” via Ashley Gurbal Kritzer of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Publix Super Markets Inc. will once again phase out its GreenWise Market banner, less than five years after reintroducing the concept. The Lakeland-based grocer confirmed to the Tampa Bay Business Journal that it will transition eight Publix GreenWise Market stores to traditional Publix stores. The GreenWise stores are much smaller than traditional Publix stores and have an emphasis on organic and specialty items as well as prepared and made-to-order foods.

— SKED —

Happening today — The Department of Economic Opportunity releases employment data for April (preliminary), and March (revised): 10 a.m.

— 2024 —

“GOP says deep red Florida unwinnable for Joe Biden. But can state help him win voters elsewhere?” via Antonio Fins of The Palm Beach Post — Republicans insist deep red Florida will be a lock for the GOP presidential nominee next year, but could it help re-elect Biden just the same? This Spring, the Governor and the Republican supermajority in Tallahassee served up an unsparingly red-meat legislative menu for the base. Those entrées included a six-week abortion ban, repeal of a state permit requirement to carry a concealed firearm and expansion of a parental rights in education bill dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. Then there is the plethora of policies critics say are efforts to curtail academic freedom in universities, ban books from K-12 classroom shelves and end diversity programs.

“DeSantis’ secret invitations for a Wednesday campaign announcement” via Marc Caputo of The Messenger — The invitation for DeSantis’ de facto presidential campaign kickoff Wednesday in Miami isn’t fancy. And it’s all hush-hush. It’s either word-of-mouth or a text message. Just don’t talk about it if you’ve got it. The location is pure swank: The Four Seasons Hotel on Brickell Avenue. Suggested attire: “dressy casual resort wear,” according to an invite for the event shared with The Messenger — but only on condition of anonymity. The reason for the Wednesday filing? The campaign paperwork needs to be filed for Thursday when the invitees are all encouraged to “work” for the campaign after attending a political briefing in the morning.

“DeSantis tells donors Donald Trump can’t win in 2024” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is nearing a 2024 launch, and central to his case will be the argument that Trump can’t win. That was the message he put forth on a call to donors organized by his Never Back Down super PAC Thursday. “You have basically three people at this point that are credible in this whole thing,” DeSantis told donors. “Joe Biden, Trump and me. And I think of those three, two have a chance to get elected President — Biden and me, based on all the data in the swing states, which is not great for the former President and probably insurmountable because people aren’t going to change their view of him.”

“Inside DeSantis’ plan to outwork Trump in Iowa” via Marc Caputo of The Messenger — DeSantis views Iowa as such a make-or-break state for his presidential bid that he’s considering a plan to campaign across all 99 of its counties, insiders familiar with his thinking tell The Messenger. As the first Presidential contest, the Iowa caucuses play a pivotal and unpredictable role in presidential nominations, but they take on outsized importance in 2024. Trump is ahead in the polls with a double-digit lead over DeSantis, who in turn is well ahead of a handful of third-tier candidates. So, if DeSantis loses Iowa, it could give Trump an aura of inevitability and a sense of momentum that leads to a cascade of victories that make him the de facto nominee.

“Could Trump run a good campaign?” via Shelby Talcott of Semafor — The biggest change this year that I hear mentioned in Republican circles is that Trump’s feuding crew of family members and political amateurs have been replaced by veterans of GOP politics dating back to the George W. Bush years. “The caliber of the people is completely different,” a person close to Trump’s campaign said. “[Previous] campaigns — for a significant portion of the campaigns — were run by people who hadn’t run a campaign before.” In particular, Susie Wiles, a former top DeSantis adviser, and Chris LaCivita, best known for his work on the 2004 “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” group and various Senate races, seem to have actual control of the campaign mechanics for now.

“Poll: Dead heat for second place between DeSantis, Chris Sununu in New Hampshire” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Granite State presents an increasingly rocky terrain for DeSantis, at least according to one new survey. A National Research Inc. poll shows that DeSantis and Gov. Sununu are statistically tied for second place. “Former President Donald Trump holds a 21-point lead over DeSantis in a multicandidate ballot, 39%-18%. But the unique story in New Hampshire is the fact that Gov. Sununu is essentially tied with DeSantis for second place, garnering 17% of the vote,” the polling memo asserts.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“Supreme Court won’t hold tech companies liable for user posts” via Adam Liptak of The New York Times — The Supreme Court handed twin victories to technology platforms on Thursday by declining in two cases to hold them liable for content posted by their users. In a case involving Google, the court for now rejected efforts to limit the sweep of the law that frees the platforms from liability for user content, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. In a separate case involving Twitter, the court ruled unanimously that another law allowing suits for aiding terrorism did not apply to the ordinary activities of social media companies.

“Kevin McCarthy, Chuck Schumer eye debt-limit votes ahead of June 1 deadline” via Erik Wasson of Bloomberg — Speaker McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Schumer are making plans for votes in the coming days on a bipartisan deal to avert a catastrophic U.S. debt default. McCarthy said that negotiators on the federal debt limit may reach an agreement in principle as soon as this weekend, lining up a vote in his chamber, “I can see now where a deal can come together.” To avoid a historic U.S. default, McCarthy said, the House will need to vote by next week on any compromise produced by the negotiators he and Biden named on Tuesday.

“Congress crosses its fingers for the new Big Four to avert debt disaster” via Sarah Ferris and Burgess Everett of POLITICO — Kyrsten Sinema, who’s convened her share of bipartisan deal making groups, has stayed pretty quiet on the debt limit standoff. Until now. The Arizona Independent on Wednesday cheered a new quartet who’s leading negotiations for Biden and the Big Four congressional leaders. That group now consists of White House counselor Steve Ricchetti, budget chief Shalanda Young, legislative affairs chief Louisa Terrell and McCarthy emissary Rep. Garret Graves.

“Fed officials face ‘loathsome’ playbook for debt-ceiling standoff” via Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal — Washington’s debt-limit impasse could soon force officials at the Federal Reserve to revisit a crisis-management playbook they put together during similar fights a decade ago. The conflict risks leaving the Treasury Department unable to pay all its bills on time, including its obligations to holders of U.S. government securities, the lifeblood of global markets. Severe financial turmoil from the threat of a missed payment could compel the Fed to run to the rescue. The Fed’s options include buying Treasurys shunned by investors because of the risk of a delayed payment or allowing banks to pledge defaulted securities as collateral for loans from the central bank.

“Conservatives push for border bill to be added to debt ceiling negotiations” via Katherine Doyle, Scott Wong and Sahil Kapur of NBC News — With the lifting of Title 42, House conservatives are making the case that the situation at the border is an emergency and mounting an eleventh-hour push to include the recently passed Republican border bill in debt ceiling talks. A GOP aide said conservatives believe Republicans are already making a compromise by negotiating over spending caps and that there should be room for further negotiation given the significance of the border issue. The source described the group as “making a lot of noise about it.”

“Democrats in Congress want to investigate DeSantis’ use of police” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee want Congress to investigate DeSantis, alleging he’s used law enforcement to advance his political prospects. U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey led a letter to Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan demanding an inquiry. U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Steve Cohen both co-signed the letter. All serve on the Judiciary Committee. Ivey said Congress needs more information on a statewide elections police force, which utilizes federal funding. He also wants information on whether DeSantis will use federal funds to send Florida police to the Mexican border.

“Marco Rubio, Rick Scott reintroduce the Combating BDS Act to protect Israel and counter antisemitism” via Michelle Rosenberg of The Floridian — U.S. Senators Scott and Rubio, along with a cadre of their colleagues, have reintroduced the Combating Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Act. The legislation aims to fortify the economic standing of Israel against the BDS movement, a global campaign seeking to delegitimize the Jewish state through economic measures. The BDS movement has been widely criticized for inflicting economic harm on Israel and jeopardizing its commercial engagements. The Combating BDS Act of 2023 is designed to enhance protections for U.S. state and local governments that divest from or restrict contracting with entities engaging in BDS activity against Israel, including businesses operating in Israel or Israeli-controlled territories.

“Rubio warns China is trying to topple dollar’s global dominance” via Alexander Bolton of The Hill — Rubio, the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is warning that China is trying to replace the dollar with the yuan as the world’s most traded currency and has evaded U.S. sanctions on Russia by setting up transfer trade system independent of Western banks. Rubio, in an op-ed for British news site The Telegraph, warned that the United States’s ability to punish other countries through financial and banking sanctions is being challenged by China’s yuan, which is now the most traded currency in Russia.

“LA Dodgers uninvite LGBTQ+ charity to annual pride night over Rubio’s protest” via Elizabeth Hunter of News 4 Jax — The LA Dodgers have uninvited an LGBTQ+ charity to their annual pride night over a letter from Rubio after he accused the team of being “unwelcoming to Christians.” The Dodgers had planned their 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night for June 10. At the event, the Dodgers invited several LGBTQ+ groups. As part of the event, the LA Dodgers planned to give a “Community Hero Award” to the LA Chapter of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

“Anna Paulina Luna files to expel Adam Schiff from Congress” via Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice — Rep. Luna filed a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to expel Rep. Schiff over his involvement in the Trump-Russia collusion narrative and investigation. Luna’s resolution came after Special Counsel John Durham’s report was presented to Congress, which found the FBI did not apply the same rigorous standards to allegations against Trump’s campaign compared to others, like then-candidate Hillary Clinton.

“Lawmakers consider more security for offices following Gerald Connolly staff attack” via Stephanie Lai of The New York Times — The attack on two congressional aides this week at the Fairfax, Virginia, office of Rep. Connolly has prompted members of Congress and their staffs to consider additional safety measures in their workplaces outside of Washington. On Monday, two staff aides were injured and subsequently hospitalized after a bat-wielding man entered Connolly’s district office asking for the Congressman and then went on a rampage. According to Connolly, one of his senior aides was hit in the head, and an intern in her first day on the job was hit in the side.

“House Ethics panel will continue George Santos investigation despite indictment” via Ryan Nobles and Julie Tsirkin of NBC News — The House Ethics Committee has informed the Department of Justice that it will not defer its investigation into Rep. Santos even though the New York Republican is facing a federal indictment, a top Republican on the panel confirmed to NBC News. The Ethics Committee has a long history of stepping aside when the Justice Department picks up a probe into a member of Congress, as it did recently with an investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz.

“Every administration since the ’80s has mishandled classified documents, says the National Archives” via Kyle Stewart of NBC News — Every administration since President Ronald Reagan’s has mismanaged classified documents. The House Intelligence Committee voted to release the transcript of their testimony Wednesday afternoon. The problem of maintaining classified documents extends beyond just Presidents and Vice Presidents, the National Archives officials said. Mark Bradley, who directs the agency’s Information Security Oversight Office, said that since 2010, his office has gotten more than 80 calls from libraries that have found classified information in papers belonging to members of Congress.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony won’t do settlement deal in ethics case, records show” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward Sheriff Tony didn’t make a settlement deal in a state ethics case that sought to hold him responsible over omissions and untruths on official forms on his rise toward becoming the county’s top cop, records showed. The results of a meeting held Tuesday were made public in a document posted online Thursday morning through the state’s Division of Administrative Hearings. Tuesday’s conference resulted in an “impasse. The parties did not resolve the issues in dispute, and this case should proceed to final hearing here at DOAH,” wrote Judge Hetal Desai.

“‘We failed.’ Broward Schools to end year with no sex ed” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward schools offered no sexual education classes to students this school year, a move that School Board members have described as a major failure. Sex ed has traditionally been taught during the last two months of school, but with the school year ending in three weeks, officials acknowledge they have no approved curriculum and no time to create one. The announcement outraged some School Board members. “We’re almost at the end of the school year. Our students have not received a sexual health curriculum. That is very, very dangerous,” Board member Sarah Leonardi said. Board member Allen Zeman said: “There’s no excuse” for failing to teach a subject that the School Board had affirmed in March as important.

“Lawsuit against developer reveals undisclosed side job for Miami Mayor Francis Suarez” via Joey Flechas and Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — When Miami Mayor Suarez shoveled dirt in January at a Coconut Grove groundbreaking ceremony for new luxury condos, he wasn’t just a Mayor promoting growth in his city — he was a paid consultant for the developer building the project. Suarez quietly worked for a Coconut Grove developer for at least eight months from August 2022 through March 2023, earning a minimum of $80,000 for a previously undisclosed consulting side job, according to a former real estate executive who is suing his ex-employer. The job, which Suarez had not disclosed until questioned about it by the Miami Herald, came to light in a lawsuit filed against Location Ventures, LLC by the company’s former chief financial officer, Greg Brooks.

“Fabián Basabe warns youth center funding could be vetoed after Twitter account mocks him” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Rep. Basabe suggested a $1 million funding earmark he secured for Miami’s Overtown Youth Center could be vetoed after a Twitter account dedicated to mocking him shared an “embarrassing” video of him. The Miami Beach Republican told Florida Politics he won’t seek the veto himself but warned that Democrats’ “bad faith actions” and “unwillingness” to cooperate with GOP lawmakers could motivate DeSantis to nix the appropriation.

“‘One of the humblest humans’: New president takes over FIU amid tumultuous time in higher ed” via Jimena Tavel of the Miami Herald — In a ceremony that attracted about 850 and cost about $45,000, Kenneth Jessell, who landed in the top office of Florida International University (FIU) after an unexpected turn of events, officially took over the reins of the largest public university in South Florida. “I feel so excited,” said Jessell after his swearing-in, held at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at FIU’s main campus in West Miami-Dade. “I’m so proud and honored to be the sixth president of FIU.” Jessell, 67, became the interim president at FIU in January 2022, after former President Mark Rosenberg suddenly resigned when a woman who worked in his office accused him of misconduct.

“In Miami, NATO official says only Ukraine can decide what ‘just and lasting peace’ would look like” via Nora Gámez Torres of the Miami Herald — Even as several countries have offered to mediate in the search for a political solution to the war in Ukraine, including several in Latin America, a high-ranking North Atlantic Treaty Organization official insists that only the Ukrainian government can determine what it will consider “a just and lasting peace.” In an interview with the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald during a visit to Miami this week, the Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Public Diplomacy at NATO, Carmen Romero, said that helping Ukraine to recover territory occupied by Russia would allow the Ukrainian government to come to the negotiating table with a stronger hand.

“The Miami ‘drumroll’ for 2026 World Cup begins Thursday with logo reveal, festivities” via Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald — The 2026 World Cup is still three years away, but South Florida residents will start seeing signs that the world’s largest sporting event is headed to Miami. FIFA, Greater Miami and Miami Beach unveiled #WeAre26, the official World Cup 2026 brand and the Miami host city logo. The launch kicked off the official countdown to the 48-team tournament, which will be held June 21-July 19, 2026, across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Miami is one of 16 host cities and could host as many as four to six games at Hard Rock Stadium. Local organizers also are bidding to host pre-Cup national team training camps, tournament training sites, a fan festival, and international media and broadcast centers.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Orlando Holocaust museum unveils a new design” via Laura Kinsler of the Orlando Sentinel — A year after releasing the first conceptual drawings of the new $106 million Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in downtown Orlando, the museum board and architects are asking for official city approval for the project, which has been refined and redesigned to address increased security risks. The design team, led by Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB), will go before the city’s Appearance Review Board in June seeking a major certificate of appearance approval for the 44,500-square-foot building slated for the 2.5-acre site at 75 S. Ivanhoe Blvd. in downtown’s North Quarter district, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. The former Chamber of Commerce building will be demolished to make way for the museum and civic space.

“Orlando among nation’s fastest-growing metro areas in 2022” via Mike Schneider of the Orlando Sentinel — The flight from urban areas that took place during the first year of the pandemic either reversed or slowed in its second year, as last year metropolitan areas in Texas and Florida boomed and declines in New York and Los Angeles were halved. During the first full year of the pandemic in 2021, more than half the 20 largest U.S. metro areas lost residents, and all U.S. metro areas grew by just 0.1%. By comparison, only eight of the 20 largest metro areas decreased in 2022, and the growth rate for all U.S. metros was 0.4%. The Villages, a relatively new retirement community northwest of Orlando, was the fastest-growing U.S. metro area between 2021 and 2022, increasing by 7.5%.

“Orange County School Board reluctantly approves book ban policies, with hands tied by the state” via McKenna Schueler of Orlando Weekly — As Florida school districts continue to crack down on books deemed too controversial for public school libraries and classrooms, members of the Orange County School Board last week reluctantly agreed to revised policies that are meant to help keep the district in compliance with state law on school library materials. School board member Karen Castor-Dentel, representing District 6, was the only board member to vote against the new policies, arguing the policies contain gaps that “favor those who wish to ban books.”

“Bible makes list of nearly 300 books anonymously submitted to Brevard schools for review” via Finch Walker of Florida Today — Books including scenes depicting rape, incest, drug use and graphic violence have been the topic of heated debate for more than a year at Brevard Public Schools (BPS) board meetings. Now, a different type of text has been brought into the debate: The Bible. The Good Book is not often brought up at School Board meetings, save for the occasional mention of suggestive or violent passages. However, various translations of the text were included on a list of 296 books submitted by an anonymous person on May 12. The list was sent to Stephanie Soliven, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Leading and Learning at BPS, with a message saying every book on the list violated state statutes.

“Brevard Commissioners approve 11 tourism grants to sports events, including robotics” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — In a process that moved forward smoother than some other recent tourism grant proposals, the Brevard County Commission approved more than $100,000 in grants for 11 sporting events. That included a scholastic robotics competition, which was the first nontraditional sports event to get such a grant. The vote was 3-1, with Commissioner John Tobia, who typically opposes tourism grant requests, voting “no.” Funding for the grants comes from Brevard County’s 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals. The Office of Tourism estimates that the 11 sports events will have a combined economic impact of $20.8 million for the Space Coast.

“Former Orlando ‘officer of the year’ found guilty of battery” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — A former Orlando police officer previously named “officer of the year” was found guilty of battery nearly a decade after he was accused of groping a victim during an illegal search. The case against disgraced former officer Jonathan Mills stemmed from an August 2014 traffic stop, in which he searched the victim’s car and body for drugs, including touching the victim’s genitals. The accusations against him were investigated internally until 2021, when the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office charged him with misdemeanor battery and sexual battery, with the latter charge later being dropped. Mills was sentenced to 30 days in the Orange County Jail, 11 months probation, and 50 hours of community service.

“Without fiber optics, some Seminole County rural residents feel left behind” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — For Norma Morrison and her family, the simple benefits of connecting to the internet — such as watching a movie on Netflix, joining a telemeeting for work or downloading a school lecture — can be a frustrating ordeal, especially if more than one device is being used in their home. The movie will halt midway with a spinning wheel. The Zoom meeting will freeze. The lecture or assignment will take long minutes to download. Like hundreds of residents in the mostly rural areas of east Seminole County, the Morrisons — who live in Chuluota — face excruciatingly slow and data-restricted internet service because of the lack of reliable broadband service. “High-speed internet here is a joke,” Morrison said.

“Legal fight over Disney World’s Rise of the Resistance ride ends” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — One of the biggest surprises in Disney World’s popular Rise of the Resistance ride is the grand finale, when it feels like you are making a narrow getaway jettisoning out of an escape pod — just like in the “Star Wars” movies. That memorable moment of the ride has also been part of a legal fight since 2021 after a company sued Disney for patent infringement. Court documents show the lawsuit ended last month after Disney and Raven Sun Creative reached a confidential settlement. Neither Disney nor Raven Sun Creative responded this week to a request for comment or to provide any details on the suit’s outcome.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Tampa Pride cancels ‘Pride on the River’ event due to political climate” via Gabrielle Calise of the Tampa Bay Times — Due to the current political climate in Florida, Tampa Pride is canceling its annual Pride on the River event. “In the end, we didn’t want to take any chances,” said Carrie West, president of Tampa Pride. The decision came Wednesday after DeSantis signed HB 1438, which holds businesses accountable when children attend “adult live performances,” such as drag shows. Last year’s Pride on the River on Sept. 24 included events such as a diversity boat parade, fireworks extravaganza, drag brunches and live performances.

“Faith group demands 5,000 affordable housing units from St. Petersburg” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — Faith & Action for Strength Together seeks solutions for injustices ranging from lack of affordable housing to juvenile justice reform, applying pressure on elected officials. On Thursday, they demanded that the city create 5,000 housing units for families making 80% of the area median income or less, which is around $65,000 for a family of four, by the end of Mayor Ken Welch’s first term in 2026. That’s more aggressive than the new housing goals Welch’s administration recently rolled out. In April, he pledged 3,200 units of affordable housing citywide over the next decade. The faith leaders said it wasn’t clear what incomes families would need to qualify for that housing.

“Affordable apartments, offices proposed at St. Pete site Moffitt sought” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — A development group interested in creating affordable and market-rate housing, offices and shops has submitted an unsolicited proposal for a city-owned lot once considered for a Moffitt Cancer Center satellite campus. Property Markets Group/PMG Affordable and Feldman Equities have offered the city $8 million for the block at 800 First Ave. S. The land is currently used as a surface parking lot. It’s not the first time the site has lured unsolicited bids. The Moffitt proposal, which included an outpatient treatment center, hotel and residential tower was an unsolicited bid that was vetoed by Welch.

“USF’s new football stadium could draw inspiration from Houston and Colorado State” via Henry Queen of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — A study analyzing the financial feasibility of the University of South Florida’s proposed $340 million football stadium has projected the university could cover $150 million in debt with stadium revenue. That falls short of the $200 million loan that the USF Financing Corporation is asking the USF Board of Trustees and Florida Board of Governors to approve. The university expects to make up the gap with non-stadium-related revenue.

“Polk County legislators tout bill successes, local funding at Lakeland Chamber breakfast” via Gary White of The Lakeland Ledger — Fittingly for an event held at a church, members of Polk County’s legislative delegation invoked the need for prayers Tuesday morning as they discussed the recently completed Session. Four legislators recounted their success in securing funds for local projects in the $117 billion budget the Florida Legislature adopted during the Session, which concluded May 5. The quartet — Sen. Colleen Burton; Rep. Melony Bell; Rep. Jennifer Canady; and Rep. Josie Tomkow — also acknowledged that a higher power has dominion over the budget: DeSantis.

“St. Petersburg student wins state Google Doodle competition” via Sharon Kennedy Wynne of the Tampa Bay Times — A St. Petersburg fourth grader’s artwork, a drawing of her in her hijab mastering the tennis and karate that helped her overcome bullying, is the Florida state winner for the 15th annual Doodle for Google art contest for kids. Her artwork now moves on to a national competition and voting is open until Thursday, May 25, at doodles.google.com/d4g/vote. Click on the Grades 4-5 category to see the Florida winner by Iman Haddouche-Miranda, age 9 (actually age “9 and a half,” as she firmly reminds). The precocious girl in the teal hijab said simply, “I want to be me.”

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Mayor-elect Donna Deegan plans to relaunch citywide initiative from mid-2000′s to address violent crime” via Tarik Minor of News 4 Jax — Jacksonville’s newly-elected Mayor, Deegan, said one of her top priorities in Duval County is reducing violent crime. To do so she said she will be bringing back a citywide initiative that was successful in the past. Mayor-elect Deegan plans to relaunch the Jacksonville Journey Program. In the mid-2000′s when violent crime was skyrocketing in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Journey Program succeeded in addressing the roots of violent crime. But before Sheriff T.K. Waters and Deegan can get down to city business, the two city leaders must first clear the air.

“Business nixes plan to bring 800 manufacturing jobs to Nassau County” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Nassau County is losing out on an estimated 800 jobs after a project fell through to bring a beverage manufacturer to the area. “Unfortunately, we didn’t really have a lot of harmonizing with Project Harmony, as you all are aware of, I’m sure, by now,” Sherri Mitchell of the Nassau County Economic Development Board said to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners recently. “Harmony, unfortunately, in their last 90 days of due diligence, when they had a chance to look at the property, the owner, unfortunately, came back to (Florida Power and Light) and pulled out of the deal — completely pulled out of the deal. That was a hard one to take because we had been dancing around with them for three years.”

“FBI agent: Former JEA CEO told associate he expected big payout from controversial bonus plan” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn told an outside attorney who was hired to help privatize the city agency that Zahn expected to receive “approximately $40 million” from a bonus scheme he and the utility’s former finance chief are accused of concocting in secret. The agent, Robert Blythe, was summarizing an interview he conducted with Stephen Amdur, of the New York-based firm Pillsbury, which was one of the lead law firms JEA had hired to help solicit offers from private companies to acquire Jacksonville’s city-owned electric, water and sewer utility during the ultimately canceled sale effort. Blythe said Amdur told investigators that Zahn mentioned the potential $40 million payout in June 2019.

“Tallahassee’s anti-LGBTQ+ hate hits tourism” via Todd Lemay of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The 2023 Florida Legislative Session may be over, but the effects of passed legislation, including a slate of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that were signed by the Governor this week, have yet to hit home. Across the state, communities of people who either weren’t paying attention or simply didn’t think all that Tallahassee nonsense affects them, are about to get a rude awakening. One such impacted area will be Florida’s travel industry. I’ve worked in it for over 22 years, including through 9/11, the Great Recession and the pandemic. And the distinct possibility for more harm to tourism is real. Although the fight between DeSantis and Disney has gotten headlines, the Mouse understands better than anyone that a storm is coming, and we will have no choice but to fight our way through it.

“Latino truck driver boycott over new immigration work rules causes Jacksonville businesses to worry” via Marilyn Parker of News 4 Jax — Imagine your favorite restaurant, grocery store, or farmers market with limited produce. That could soon be a reality. Latino truck drivers are encouraging truckers everywhere to boycott Florida in response to the state’s immigration laws. Tio Moralez, a Jacksonville restaurant owner, told News4Jax he buys veggies for his restaurant and the changes could impact him.

“Garden Club of Jacksonville earns historic designation, state awards” via Tom Szaroleta of The Florida Times-Union — The Garden Club of Jacksonville received recognition on the state and national levels at its annual meeting Tuesday. The club, which has about a thousand members and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022, has been selected as Florida’s Garden Club of the Year and its Riverside Avenue headquarters has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

“Florida A&M University receives bomb threat, issues an all-clear alert following a search” via Tarah Jean of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida A&M University received a bomb threat on its main campus Thursday before an all-clear alert was later sent out to students, faculty and staff. The bomb threat was received via telephone in the university’s Information Technology area at 12:46 p.m. FAMU’s Police Department along with the Tallahassee Police Department evaluated the university’s campus and searched all of its buildings at 2 p.m. before confirming that there was no bomb around 2:50 p.m., a FAMU representative told the Tallahassee Democrat.

“Breeze Airways adding 6 nonstop destinations from Jacksonville in a week” via Action News Jax — The Jacksonville International Airport will be having direct airline flights through Breeze Airways to Los Angeles, Raleigh-Durham & Pittsburgh, Returning Norfolk, Richmond & Columbus Flights. The inauguration of the Los Angeles airline will be today. Breeze will also add a one-stop/no plane change BreezeThru service this week to New York-Islip, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Louisville, Kentucky.

“Electric vehicles in Jax: ‘Be patient’; better infrastructure is coming” via Dan Scanlan of WJCT News — A growing number of people in the Jacksonville area are turning to electric vehicles, part of an explosion in ownership worldwide. But local EV-charging infrastructure hasn’t kept pace. A study by iSeeCars in February ranked Jacksonville as the 25th most EV-friendly city, with one charger for every 2,664 residents, just above the national average rate. Local experts expect federal funding will help change that in the coming years.

“UF group holds memorial service for one of campus’ oldest residents, the Bicentennial Tree” via Elliot Tritto of WUFT — Twenty years ago, Jack Davis started teaching environmental history at the University of Florida. On most workdays outside his classroom, he would greet one of the university’s oldest residents: the tall, longleaf pine tree nicknamed the Bicentennial Tree. Earlier this year, UF English professor Terry Harpold told Davis the tree had died and would have to be cut down. Davis noticed the tree’s slow decay last fall when it looked “anemic and had no needle growth.”

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Collier leaders may pay for health care team in Immokalee after federal grant was returned” via Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News — A team of health care workers in Immokalee may gain job security at the behest of Collier leaders. That would be an about-face from mid-February when the Collier County Commission voted unanimously to return a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grant was covering the workers’ salaries to conduct COVID-19 education, among other services. The board faced lobbying from residents to send back the money, who argued the health care workers were pushing the COVID-19 vaccine upon the migrant farmworkers.

“Sarasota County to get $201M in HUD block grants” via Barb Richardson of the Venice Gondolier — When the Sarasota County and North Port City Commissioners got together for the first time since 2019, it was what happened at the conclusion of the meeting that generated applause. County Commission Chair Ron Cutsinger announced the county was the recipient of a $201.5 million community development block grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “We’re very, very pleased and looking forward to seeing how this money will be used,” Cutsinger said. “A lot of goodwill be coming out of this.” Cutsinger didn’t elaborate on details, but those came from the county later in the afternoon. The funds are from HUD’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program.

“Warm Mineral Springs: Will North Port allow “high intensity” development near the archaeologically important sinkhole?” via Seán Kinane of WMNF — Warm Mineral Springs. It’s a small but important body of water in the southern Sarasota County city of North Port. On Tuesday, we interviewed experts on its history, archaeology, hydrology, caves and biology. And other guests spoke about a proposal by the City of North Port for development near Warm Mineral Springs. Warm Mineral Springs was formed more than 12,000 years ago as a sinkhole in the middle of a much wider Florida when sea levels were much lower. The greenish body of water is now 240 feet across and more than 200 feet deep.

“Naples Design District makes quick comeback from Hurricane Ian” via Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News — The Design District has bounced back from Hurricane Ian. Most of the damage has been repaired. Redevelopment continues. It’s come a long way since the storm flooded and uprooted many of its businesses. Nearly all of the businesses are up and running again. However, some have changed or won’t return. The district, known for its eclectic mix of local shops, restaurants, galleries and design studios, saw significant flooding from Ian’s unprecedented storm surge in September. Located to the east and the north of U.S. 41, to the west of Goodlette-Frank Road, and to the south of Seventh Avenue North, the area sits only about a mile from the beach.

“‘Really good reporter, really good guy’: Longtime Naples journalist Eric Staats dies at 55” via Dave Osborn of the Naples Daily News — Staats died May 12. He was 55 and worked all 33 years of his professional career for the Naples Daily News. After graduating from the Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute (AOL/SI) in 1985, Staats attended Indiana University and graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. While there, he worked as editor of The Indiana Daily Student newspaper. The same year he left college, he began his career at the Daily News, as a business and real estate reporter. He worked as a city government reporter from 1992 to 1995. Former Naples Mayor Bill Barnett remembered Staats as a soft-spoken, serious journalist.

“Dolores Menendez, Cape Coral City Attorney, dies at 67” via Luis Zambrano of the Fort Myers News-Press — Cape Coral officials are remembering City Attorney Menendez as a thoughtful and caring woman who represented the city with dignity and respect. “It is with profound sadness that we announce that City Attorney, Dolores Menendez passed away today,” said Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her daughter and the rest of her family.” The long-serving public servant had planned to retire in 2024. The city did not release the cause of death. She worked for the city of Cape Coral for 32 years and had a legal career in Florida that spanned 43 years. She was a graduate of Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport.

“Caribbean king crabs arrive at Mote Aquaculture Park; seen as key to restoring coral reefs” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The first baby Caribbean king crabs born at Mote Aquaculture Research Park arrived Tuesday morning — less than a week after their mom and 31 other crabs moved north from the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration on Summerland Key in South Florida. Thousands of siblings are resting comfortably in their nursery while their mother has already been moved back into a tank with other adults. The baby crabs will play an integral part in the $100 million effort to restore coral along the Florida Reef Tract because they will be test pilots for the build out of the Mission Iconic Reefs regional grazer hatchery.

— TOP OPINION —

“Let’s talk about Jacksonville …” via Steve Schale — Tuesday night was a big win for Deegan in Jacksonville. As is often the case when something happens in politics that conventional wisdom didn’t see happening, everyone tries to find the hidden meaning. But sometimes the secret is — to quote my GOP brother from another mother (and fellow First Coaster) Kevin Sweeny — “well, maybe there is no secret at all.”

So, let’s get to the foundational reasons behind her win — at least as I see it.

Duval County is not what you think it is, and by all standards is more Democratic than the state.

Just like some people are surprised to learn the first Thanksgiving in America was celebrated in Jacksonville — there are people who seem oddly surprised that a Democrat won in Duval County.

The last two competitive Mayors races — 2011 and 2015 (2019 was largely uncontested) had margins of D +1 (Alvin Brown 2011) and R +3 (Lenny Curry 2015).

And up the ballot, the average margin of the last four Presidential Elections is R +0.25, with Biden winning by four in 2020 — and the last 3 before 2022 (2010, 2014, and 2008) is R +4, with Andrew Gillum winning by four in 2018. And DeSantis’ margin of 11, while quite strong, was significantly less than his statewide margin.

The point of this is Duval itself is competitive, there is no reason to think a strong Democratic candidate can’t win. It was a huge win — a historic win — but it is not a shocking win.

Deegan was a tremendous candidate.

Like everyone who calls Jacksonville home, for a huge chunk of my life, Deegan has been a fixture — albeit on television. Her brand isn’t as a Republican or Democratic candidate — rather, she is Donna Deegan. And this brand, frankly, was underappreciated by most.

— OPINIONS —

“After Title 42, there’s a border crisis whether Biden admits it or not” via Jonah Goldberg of the Tampa Bay Times — The lifting of Title 42, which allowed the government to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to expel migrants for public health purposes, has not resulted in “chaos” at the border, according to most news accounts. Intended or not, this is a great example of managing expectations. Because Biden predicted things would be “chaotic for a while” after Title 42 expired, “chaos” at the border suddenly became the political metric to watch for, as if a monumental crisis absent chaos is no big deal.

“DeSantis vs. Disney has a $1B price tag for Florida. National voters, be warned” via the Miami Herald editorial board — The Magic Kingdom made about $1 billion disappear in Florida on Thursday. Amid an escalating feud with DeSantis, Disney pulled a serious power move. The company canceled a massive office complex set for Orlando, a development that was supposed to bring with it more than 2,000 high-paying jobs. Boom. A billion dollars, evaporating into thin air. That’s the price tag now attached to DeSantis’ over-the-top, politically opportunistic war on “woke.”

“Here’s a solution to DeSantis’ Social Security and Medicare conundrum” via Henry Olsen of The Washington Post — Trump has been hammering DeSantis over his past votes to significantly change Social Security and Medicare. The Florida Governor and former Congressman has attempted to wave away the attacks, but there’s a better way to counter Trump’s charges: Appeal to both GOP conservatives and populists by targeting entitlement benefits to those in need. Social Security and Medicare are often called the “third rail” of U.S. politics for a reason. Because every working American receives or expects to receive benefits from these programs, any talk of reform raises the specter of unpalatable changes. That’s why so few politicians talk about reducing the spending growth in these programs even though current levels of taxation simply cannot support it for long.

“Secrecy based on ‘executive privilege’ is chilling” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — By tradition, the attorney general is the symbolic keeper of Florida’s public records and protector of open government. For a time, that Cabinet office was the public’s passionate ally. It still publishes the annual Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual listing legal precedents and the ever-growing list of exceptions that the Legislature almost habitually creates to move more and more information into the shadows. “Florida is nationally recognized for its strong support for government in the sunshine and the commitment is reflected in our statutes and Constitution,” Attorney General Ashley Moody declared in the 2022 manual. “ … I remain committed to the principles of transparency embodied in these laws and the benefits they secure for our state.”

“Remember when Trump and DeSantis loved each other? Neither do they.” via Gail Collins of the Tampa Bay Times — Hard to imagine the Trump and DeSantis families getting together for a cookout. But the gap between the two men grows much wider when you look at personal behavior. Only one of them just got a $5 million verdict from a jury that found he sexually abused a woman in a department store dressing room. Trump has been trying to insinuate that DeSantis had some shady doings with high school girls in his far, far distant past. Trump made a huge impact by appointing three anti-choice judges to the Supreme Court. But now he’s noticed that voters are coming down very strong in favor of abortion rights, and he’s switched right around.

— WEEKEND TV —

ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: Political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus; Ryan Gorman of “The Ryan Gorman Show” on NewsRadio WFLA; Former Assistant Attorney U-S Department of Justice Kevin O’Brien; ABC News Political Director Rick Klein.

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 on the economic impact of the military throughout the Sunshine State. Joining Spectrum News 13 anchor Greg Angel to discuss is Sen. Danny Burgess.

Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A look at the potential announcement of DeSantis’ presidential run. A sit-down interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: A review of the Florida Legislative Session with House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Steve Vancore speaks with NWF Health Network CEO Mike Watkins.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Government Law attorney Chris Hand; City Council member Nick Howland, who is also executive director of The Fire Watch; Brig. Gen. (ret) Mike Fleming of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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— ALOE —

“Leonardo DiCaprio senses impending doom in teaser trailer for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’” via Abid Rahman of The Hollywood Reporter — The first teaser trailer for Scorsese’s much-anticipated feature Killers of the Flower Moon has been revealed. The nearly two-minute clip gives us our first glimpse of leads DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart and Lily Gladstone playing Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman who has inherited an oil fortune. We also see Robert De Niro as Ernest’s uncle, the cattleman William Hale.

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

“Rafael Nadal to miss French Open with hip injury, expects 2024 to be last year of tennis career” via The Associated Press — Nadal announced Thursday that he is pulling out of the French Open because of a lingering hip injury that has sidelined him since January and that he expects 2024 to be the final season of his career. The owner of a record 14 championships at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament will miss it for the first time since making his debut there in 2005. Nadal delivered the news of his withdrawal and future during a news conference at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain. He said he does not want to set a date for his return to the tennis tour but expects it to take months.

“First full-size 3D scan of Titanic shows shipwreck in new light” via The Associated Press — Deep-sea researchers have completed the first full-size digital scan of the Titanic, showing the entire wreck in unprecedented detail and clarity, the companies behind a new documentary on the wreck said Thursday. Using two remotely operated submersibles, a team of researchers spent six weeks last summer in the North Atlantic mapping the whole shipwreck and the surrounding 3-mile debris field, where personal belongings of the ocean liner’s passengers, such as shoes and watches, were scattered. Richard Parkinson, founder and chief executive of deep-sea exploration firm Magellan, estimated that the resulting data, including 715,000 images, is 10 times larger than any underwater 3D model ever attempted before.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, Senate President Passidomo, John Laufer, and former Sen. Daphne Campbell. Celebrating this weekend are former Sen. George LeMiuex, Rep. Anna Eskamani, Bill Arnold, James Blair, Ashley Chambers, Tom Feeney, Tim Heberlein, Matt Mitchell, Rusty Roberts, and Mike Suarez.

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