Peter Schorsch
Good Monday morning.
One of the state’s largest lobbying firms is launching a spinoff consultancy offering clients deep expertise in everything from market research to project management.
TSG Advisors brings together talent from both government and the private sector to provide services that many of The Southern Group’s lobbying clients have been clamoring for.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in clients seeking advisory and consulting services,” said The Southern Group’s Managing Partner Rachel Cone.
“TSG Advisors allows for the separation of advocacy from consulting to better tailor services to the needs of clients. As the public policy landscape and regulatory environment gets more and more complex, organizations and businesses need subject-matter experts to help them adapt and advance.”
The new consultancy will focus initially on two key industry segments — education and public safety — and will provide clients with services that go far beyond influencing and advising on public policy.
The menu includes market research and analysis; C-suite and executive consulting; go-to-market strategy and market positioning; grant development, resource allocation planning and strategy; RFP response strategy, development and evaluation; and project management and oversight.
TSG Advisors-Education will be led by Sheela VanHoose, who boasts more than 15 years of experience advising and advocating for clients nationwide. Dr. Henry Mack, former Florida Department of Education Senior Chancellor, will lead Higher Education, and Wendy Dodge, former Senior Director of Legislative Affairs for Polk County Public Schools, will lead K-12.
Jason Fuqua will lead the TSG Advisors-Public Safety team; he was formerly Vice President of Sales for RapidDeploy — a national, integrated emergency response platform — and Director of Professional Services at Inspired Technologies.
Joining Fuqua are Andy Patrick, who has held positions with the U.S. Air Force, New York Air National Guard, New York State Police, U.S. Secret Service, and South Carolina House of Representatives, and DeWitt Zemp, who served as a presidential appointee working on security and cybersecurity issues.
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Duke Energy has hired veteran comms professional Kaitlin Kirshner as its new Communications and Public Affairs Director.
Kirshner comes to the utility company from Amazon Web Services, where she worked for three years, first as a crisis communications manager and later as the senior policy communications manager.
In her new role, Kirshner will be based out of Washington, D.C.
She previously worked in external affairs at Hess Corporation; as corporate communications manager at Koch Industries; and as the Vice President of Public Affairs and Crisis at BCW Global, a multinational public relations and communications firm.
Kirshner earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and attended Harvard Business School’s executive education program for strategies on social impact.
Based in North Carolina, Duke Energy is one of the largest utility providers in the United States, serving about 7.2 million customers across the Midwest and Southeast, including nearly 2 million in the Sunshine State.
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A week after drawing his first major challenger, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is unleashing a volley of endorsements for his re-election campaign.
The first-term Republican Senator and former Governor announced that nearly all county sheriffs in the state — 59 — were backing his 2024 bid. In a news release, the campaign said Scott “has been proud to work alongside these sheriffs” on “crises affecting the state like hurricanes, storm recovery, school safety and the fentanyl crisis.”
The endorsement announcement came alongside the rollout of Scott’s public safety platform for the 2024 election.
His priorities: opposing any effort to “defund the police”; securing funding for law enforcement officer support services; cracking down on “liberal prosecutors who refuse to do their jobs”; pushing for “mandatory strict minimum sentences” for crimes against law enforcement officers; strengthening qualified immunity for law enforcement officers; and eliminating no-knock warrants in any case that does not involve violent crime.
“Across the nation, we continue to see the harmful impact of what the Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies of coddling criminal behavior does to communities in places like New York and California. While Democrats villainize our brave law enforcement officers, I will always stand alongside them and provide them with the resources they need to get the job done,” Scott said in a news release.
“Supporting Florida’s great law enforcement officers is the most important thing we can do to keep Florida safe, and I will fight any attempt by the radical Democrats at all levels of government who try to diminish and attack our law enforcement officers.”
Despite railing against Democrats for supposed “soft-on-crime” policies, Scott’s campaign noted that the sheriff endorsements were “bipartisan” — they included Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young and Calhoun County Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel, both elected Democrats, as well as Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a conservative who was elected as an NPA.
The rest of the list is Republican law enforcement officers, including some with statewide name recognition such as Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who called Scott “a champion for safety and law enforcement.”
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@ElonMusk: And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds
—@SecCardona: I refuse to stay silent as Florida’s leaders try to censor history, gaslighting communities of color. Our children need to know our history, the good and the ugly parts, so that we can raise a generation who will not repeat its mistakes.
—@WillHurd: Unfortunately, it has to be said — slavery wasn’t a jobs program that taught beneficial skills. It was literally dehumanizing and subjugated people as property because they lacked any rights or freedoms.
—@ScottFist: Wondering if #DeSant-istory might start hitting a Florida sector where even conservatives give a shit: should/would African American college blue chip recruits start deciding they would rather play in a state that DOESN’T teach that slavery was good for some Black people?
Tweet, tweet:
Mayor Donna Deegan welcomes Vice President Kamala Harris to Jacksonville. Photo by @claireheddles from @JAXTDY. pic.twitter.com/GG5MqsCzFe
— WJCT News (@WJCTNews) July 21, 2023
Tweet, tweet:
Life-changing moment! Connected with incredible leaders from all over the country, who, just like me, yearn for a fresh start. We found support and encouragement in one another, forging friendships that will last a lifetime! ❤️✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/TK6WJVp24w
— Shevrin “Shev” Jones (@ShevrinJones) July 23, 2023
—@SherylCrow: I’m from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence. There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting. This is not American or small-town-like. It’s just lame
—@DanAmira: Watched Barbie and Oppenheimer at the same time, found them both fairly indecipherable, not a fan
Tweet, tweet:
I took 1 star reviews of #Barbie from furious men on letterboxd and put them on the posters because it makes the film seem ever cooler. pic.twitter.com/V4YzmnB8bj
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) July 23, 2023
— DAYS UNTIL —
Gov. Ron DeSantis to speak in Iowa at Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash — 13; ‘Billions’ final season premieres — 18; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 23; Port Orange, Lake Helen, Ponce Inlet to hold elections — 29; The first GOP Presidential Primary debate — 30; ‘Ahsoka’ premieres on Disney+ — 30; The U.S. Open begins — 35; 2023 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 38; Florida House Fall 2023 Interim Committee Meetings begin — 56; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 74; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 91; Britney Spears memoir ‘The Woman in Me’ drops — 92; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 102; Suncoast Tiger Bay Club hosts ‘Evening with the Tigers’ — 106; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 109; Formula 1 will take over the Las Vegas Strip — 115; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 121; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 128; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 142; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: (Donald) Trump vs. DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 169; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 169; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 177; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 194; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 197; Georgia Democratic Primary — 203; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 214; Michigan Democratic Primary — 220; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 230; 2024 Oscars — 232; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 249; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 284; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 304; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 368; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 368; New ‘Alien’ premieres — 389; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 397; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 515; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 571; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 648; ‘Moana’ premieres — 704; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 879; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 1,012; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,034; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,247; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,386; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,342; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,705.
— TOP STORY —
“Ron DeSantis faces swell of criticism over Florida’s new standards for Black history” via Sarah Mervosh of The New York Times — After an overhaul to Florida’s African American history standards, DeSantis is facing a barrage of criticism this week from politicians, educators and historians, who called the state’s guidelines a sanitized version of history.
For instance, the standards say that middle schoolers should be instructed that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit” — a portrayal that drew wide rebuke.
In a sign of the divisive battle around education that could infect the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris directed her staffers to immediately plan a trip to Florida to respond, according to one White House official.
“How is it that anyone could suggest that in the midst of these atrocities, there was any benefit to being subjected to this level of dehumanization?” Harris, the first African American and first Asian American to serve as Vice President, said in a speech in Jacksonville.
Florida’s new standards land in the middle of a national tug-of-war on how race and gender should be taught in schools. There have been local skirmishes over banning books, what can be said about race in classrooms, and debates over renaming schools that have honored Confederate generals.
“DeSantis doubles down on claim that some Blacks benefited from slavery” via Kevin Sullivan and Lori Rozsa of The Washington Post — DeSantis is continuing to defend Florida’s new curriculum, which covers a broad range of topics and includes the assertion for middle school instruction that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Civil rights leaders, educators and others have expressed revulsion at the idea that enslaved people benefited from the experience. Marvin Dunn, a Professor Emeritus at Florida International University and author of “A History of Florida: Through Black Eyes,” said DeSantis would gain no political advantage from his argument because “it is so outrageous that people are going to reject it.” “These children know in their hearts and in their minds that slavery was evil,” he said.
“In Jacksonville, Kamala Harris warns of ‘national agenda’ to whitewash Black history” via Steve Patterson and Hanna Holthaus of The Florida Times-Union — Harris carried the culture war over America’s past through downtown Jacksonville Friday, delivering a rebuttal to new state standards for school curricula she said, “replace history with lies.” “I do believe this is not only about the state of Florida. There is a national agenda afoot,” Harris told an overflow crowd at the history-laden Ritz Theatre and Museum in LaVilla. The Vice President filled the 400-seat venue in the city’s most notable historically Black neighborhood and used the stage to weave together criticisms of measures DeSantis’ administration has pursued to reject what DeSantis terms “woke ideology.” Harris argued DeSantis’ efforts reach dangerously far outside the mainstream.
—“DeSantis charges Harris with trying to ‘chirp and demagogue’ Florida Black History guidelines” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
Joe Biden for President Co-Chair slams DeSantis for slavery curriculum — Co-Chair Cedric Richmond joined in piling on the DeSantis administration over the new African American history standards, saying DeSantis already “needs another campaign reset” following the Board of Education vote. “His comments in support of the idea that slavery had its benefits for slaves are obviously disgusting but they’re also a symptom of the extremism that’s infected the Republican candidates running for President,” Richmond said. “There’s no debate over slavery. It was utterly evil with zero redeeming qualities. Not a single Republican candidate has condemned this effort to rewrite history. Not a single Republican candidate has any business running this country.”
—”Chris Christie says DeSantis has only himself to blame for Florida education controversy” via Kelly Garrity of POLITICO
— THE TRAIL —
“DeSantis’ campaign is hemorrhaging support with this type of GOP voter, polls show” via Alex Roarty of the Miami Herald — A trio of Republican Primary polls, including previously unpublished data, show that Florida’s Governor has suffered steep declines in support among GOP voters with at least a bachelor’s degree, an erosion that threatens to undermine his candidacy. Their defections — which started in the Spring and have continued this Summer — are disproportionately responsible for DeSantis’ overall decline in the race, where polls show he now sits a distant second place to Trump. In all three surveys, the Governor now has barely half the support with college-educated White voters that he did when the year began, with larger drop-offs than he suffered with other demographic groups. These voters abandoned DeSantis’ campaign at roughly twice the rate as Republicans without a college degree, a review of polling data found.
“A ‘leaner-meaner’ DeSantis campaign faces a reboot and a reckoning” via Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — Allies are complaining about a lack of a coherent message about why Republican voters should choose DeSantis over Trump. Now, his advisers are promising to reorient the DeSantis candidacy as an “insurgent” run and remake it into a “leaner-meaner” operation, days after the first public glimpse into his political finances showed unsustainable levels of spending and a fundraising operation that was alarmingly dependent on its biggest contributors and that did not meet its expectations. From the moment DeSantis entered the race, his team operated on the false premise that he could campaign the same way he did as Governor when Florida’s lax campaign finance rules allowed him to collect million-dollar donations and borrow the private planes of friends at will.
—“Fox panel flames DeSantis campaign: ‘We gotta do an intervention’” via Michael Luciano of Mediaite
“The DeSantis surveillance state, revisited” via Tina Nguyen of Puck — It has seemed as if the DeSantises’ collective paranoia has led them to profoundly mismanage the campaign. It’s hard to imagine they’d be in this pickle had they brought in a cohort of political professionals to manage the operation at scale. If the campaign cannot get its act together in the next several months, DeSantis is going to have to buckle down, stack his schedule with five campaign stops a day, and put in nonstop facetime with Iowa voters and local power brokers. Absent a fundamental reassessment of its campaign structure, the DeSantis family surveillance state — a functional mini-authoritarian regime inside Florida, but an unwieldy proposition for a nationwide campaign — may hinder its growth.
“Report: Anti-LGBTQ ad attributed to ‘Proud Elephant’ actually internal DeSantis campaign production” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — The initial” Proud Elephant” credit was just to give the campaign plausible deniability, according to New York Times reporting. “A DeSantis campaign aide had originally produced the video internally, passing it off to an outside supporter to post it first and making it appear as if it was generated independently, according to a person with knowledge of the incident,” says the article. Originally, the DeSantis campaign called the video “fair game,” since DeSantis’ rival Trump was a “pioneer” in injecting trans acceptance into the cultural mainstream by allowing transgender women to compete in his beauty pageants. But then, it turns out, DeSantis — or somebody — did care.
“DeSantis takes shot at Donald Trump during Utah campaign event, says GOP wave can happen with ‘no distractions’” via Emily Anderson Stern of The Salt Lake Tribune — Ahead of a fundraising dinner with Beehive State donors, DeSantis, with over a dozen Republican state lawmakers standing behind him, took a shot as Trump. More Utah GOP lawmakers lingered in the back of the news conference, hesitant, but considering backing an alternative presidential candidate in an electorate where Trump has previously not fared as well as in other red states. “That red wave that was supposed to happen across the country (last year) … can be done, but we just got to have no distractions — none of the other side things,” DeSantis said.
— “DeSantis, in deeply conservative Utah, says he’s driven more by faith in God than by politics” via Michelle Price and Sam Metz of The Associated Press
—”DeSantis camp briefs donors, pledges to ‘Let Ron be Ron’” via Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO
— Spotted at donor retreat in Deer Valley at the Stein Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah, Former Senate President Bill Galvano, Slater Bayliss, Mike Corcoran, Nick Iarossi, Adrian Lukis, and Jared Rosenstein.
“Trump leading DeSantis by 23 points in new South Carolina poll” via Jared Gans of The Hill — The poll from National Public Affairs released Wednesday showed Trump with 41% support among likely GOP Primary voters in the state, up from 39% last month. DeSantis came in second with 18%, a 5-point drop from the 23% he had last month. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley came in third with 12%, followed by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott with 10%. All other candidates included in the poll had support in the single digits.
“Iowa Republicans say DeSantis doubts may be overblown but urge him to ramp up campaigning” via Brianne Pfannenstiel and Galen Bacharier of the Des Moines Register — DeSantis’ allied super PAC has built the largest ground game in Iowa, they say — one that will soon include multiple offices and nearly two-dozen full-time staff. And the DeSantis operation, though spending heavily, still has millions of dollars at its disposal. Still, DeSantis has campaigned so far in Iowa like a front-runner — not a challenger with a 25-point polling gap to close on Trump. Iowa Republicans said if DeSantis wants to gain momentum, he needs to follow the traditional Iowa caucus playbook and start hitting the campaign trail in earnest — not just at high-profile events like the Iowa GOP’s approaching Lincoln Dinner, but in smaller meet-and-greets where he can talk to Iowans one-on-one.
—”Poll: Tim Scott closes in on DeSantis in Iowa” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“DeSantis super PAC will host bus tour through Iowa ahead of Lincoln Dinner” via Brianne Pfannenstiel of the Des Moines Register — Never Back Down is beginning to take over some event planning from DeSantis’ presidential campaign, launching a bus tour that will take him through Chariton, Osceola and Oskaloosa ahead of Friday’s Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner. DeSantis is looking to reset after his most recent financial disclosures showed his campaign is quickly burning through money while failing to close the large polling gap with the race’s front-runner, Trump. DeSantis’ well-funded super PAC has raised more than $100 million and previously indicated to the Des Moines Register it would ramp up its Iowa operations by opening a network of five campaign offices by the end of July and increasingly host its own events for DeSantis to attend.
—”DeSantis complains that George Patton would be stuck as a Colonel in today’s military” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Casey DeSantis says ‘America’s Karen’ and ‘Walmart Melania’ nicknames are ways to get her to ‘back down’” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Some may call Casey DeSantis nasty names, such as “America’s Karen,” “Walmart Melania” or a “Jackie O. (Kennedy) wannabe,” or criticize her distinctive eyebrows, but Florida’s First Lady says she’s unfazed. “One thing that the corporate media did get right about me: I do shop at Walmart,” DeSantis said on the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.” “I think it’s interesting and you probably can sympathize with this when they come after you and they’re just calling you names. That means they don’t want to litigate the merits of their case. They don’t want to have that conversation. They want to call you names, they want to try to get you to back down. But I can tell you the No. 1 thing — we will not back down when it comes to our family,” the First Lady added.
— MORE 2024 —
“Trump gets bad news from his own pollster’s firm” via Katherine Fung of Newsweek — A Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research poll surveying voters in 40 competitive House districts across the nation found that while President Biden has an edge over Trump in those crucial swing districts, DeSantis was a bigger threat to the incumbent. While Biden led Trump 47% to 43% in a hypothetical matchup, Biden and DeSantis were to be tied at 45%. Trump and DeSantis are both gunning to be the Republican nominee. DeSantis has been the only other GOP candidate to break away from the crowded field, but polls continue to give Trump a wide lead over DeSantis, suggesting that he’s still the favorite among Republican voters.
“Atlanta law enforcement readies for a possible Trump indictment” via Tamar Hallerman of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution — If the scene at Trump’s federal arraignment in Miami last month is any guide, his surrender could attract hordes of protesters, counterprotesters and news media from around the world. Law enforcement will be tasked with arranging a safe travel route for the Republican from the airport to the Fulton County courthouse or jail to be processed. They will also need to diffuse any threats from inside or outside the buildings. “It’s not a Chamber of Commerce moment, but you want to make sure it’s a good visit for the city because we’ll be in an international spotlight,” said Joe Whitley, a former U.S. attorney in Atlanta who served as a top Department of Homeland Security official.
“Mike Pence struggles to gain attention and traction in long shot bid” via Marianne LeVine of The Washington Post — While Pence’s advisers are emphatic that he will make the debate stage, the mere uncertainty is emblematic of the early challenges the Indiana Republican is confronting in his nascent campaign. Pence has struggled to gain attention or traction by running a traditional and low-key conservative campaign in a race dominated by firebrands like Trump and DeSantis. Vice Presidents typically enter their party’s nominating contest as strong contenders if not front-runners. Yet Pence is registering well behind Trump and DeSantis and much closer to long shot candidates like tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, while also being far outraised by his rivals.
“Vivek Ramaswamy says he’s qualified for the RNC debate” via Shelby Talcott of Semafor — Ramaswamy has officially qualified for the upcoming Republican National Committee debate in August, his campaign told Semafor. Ramaswamy, a successful investor running on an “America First” platform that he says will build on Trump’s presidency, wasn’t registering in the polls when he first announced his presidential run in February. His campaign says he met the RNC’s 40,000 donor fundraising requirement back in May and that they have over 65,000 unique donors to date. He’s also officially met the RNC polling rule, which requires a candidate to have at least 1% in three separate independent national surveys recognized by the Committee. As part of his finance efforts, he’s offered fundraisers the chance to keep 10% of any donations they raise for his campaign.
“Biden goes all in on Bidenomics. Voters aren’t buying it.” via Sabrina Siddiqui and Christian Robles of The Wall Street Journal — Biden stood at the lectern of a shipyard here with a familiar pitch as he seeks a second White House term: The economy remains strong. “It’s not an accident, it’s my economic plan in action,” Biden told a crowd of mostly union workers Thursday at the latest stop on his nationwide record-burnishing tour. “Together, we’re transforming the country.” But many voters aren’t buying it. They say they haven’t felt the impact of legislation that is the centerpiece of Biden’s campaign, and they cite what may be his main albatross: inflation. High prices have turned economic issues that could’ve been a tailwind for his re-election into a headwind. “Inflation’s terrible. Everything’s more expensive than it was,” said James Watson an independent voter who manages a convenience store at a Philadelphia gas station.
—“GOP’s crumbling case against Biden on crime, immigration and inflation” via Dave Lawler and Stef W. Kight and Courtenay Brown of Axios
“‘Mama bears’ may be the 2024 race’s soccer moms. But where the GOP seeks votes, some see extremism” via Sara Burnett of The Associated Press — In many election cycles, there’s a snappy shorthand used to describe the type of voters who may help decide the winner. Think soccer moms or security moms. Even NASCAR dads. And now, the “mama bears.” These conservative mothers and grandmothers, who in recent years have organized for “parental rights,” including banning discussion of gender identity in schools, have been classified as extremists by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They have also been among the most coveted voters so far in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary.
— DOWN BALLOT —
“Democrats scramble to reach voters after Florida cancels mail-in ballot requests” via Jane C. Timm of NBC News — Florida Democrats say they’re spending and organizing to chase down people who vote by mail after election officials across the state canceled all standing mail ballot requests this year. The legislation cut the duration of mail-in ballot requests in half from four years to two. It also required that existing requests for mail ballots be canceled at the end of 2022, forcing election workers to cancel millions of requests and start their lists of vote-by-mail voters from scratch. In practice, which means that voters who requested mail-in ballots in 2021 or 2022 will have to make such requests again to vote in local races and the 2024 Primary and General Elections. In previous years, voters would not have had to request a ballot again for four years.
“Filling campaign coffers with filler? Republican HD 94 candidate to attend ‘Botox Party’ fundraiser.” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Gabrielle Fox could be smoothing her way to victory in a five-person Republican Primary race to represent Palm Beach County’s House District 94, with a Botox party fundraiser planned for her next week. Fox is dead last in the money race to succeed term-limited Republican Rep. Rick Roth in the district that runs from West Palm Beach’s suburbs to Belle Glade’s agricultural acres. But a supporter is going to try to fix that wrinkle with a distinctly unique, even if on-brand for South Florida, approach to raising money for her campaign. The “Patriot Spa Social” will be 6 to 8 p.m., July 27 at the TOTALE Medical Rejuvenation Center in Boca Raton. Nicole Sconzo, owner of the spa, is the host of the event.
— DESANTISY LAND —
“In ‘big deal’ case, DeSantis argues he can invoke ‘executive privilege’ to conceal records” via Douglas Soule of USA Today Network-Florida — DeSantis wants to invoke “executive privilege” to conceal records from public view. Open records advocates and media groups say how an appeals court rules could dramatically affect the public’s ability to get information in Florida, a state long known for transparent records laws. DeSantis’ interpretation “runs afoul of the virtually unfettered right of access and serves no public purpose,” wrote organizations including the Florida Center for Government Accountability and the League of Women Voters of Florida in a friend-of-the-court brief. “In the 178 years that Florida has existed, not a single court decision has recognized the existence of any executive privilege.”
“DeSantis downplays J6 ‘protest’” via The Associated Press — DeSantis downplayed the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying it was not an insurrection but rather a “protest” that “ended up devolving, you know, in a way that was unfortunate, of course.” DeSantis, speaking on the podcast of comedian Russell Brand, said the idea that Jan. 6 “was a plan to somehow overthrow the government of the United States is not true, and it’s something that the media had spun up.” The Governor has made similar comments in the past dismissing that the attack was an insurrection, saying at a 2022 news conference that it was “an insult to people” to call it an insurrection when “nobody has been charged with that.”
—”A brief history of DeSantis comments — and dodges — on Trump and Jan. 6” via Hannah Knowles of The Washington Post
“Inside the DeSantis doc that Showtime didn’t want you to see” via Roger Sollenberger of the Daily Beast — When Showtime pulled a VICE documentary exploring DeSantis’ experiences with Guantánamo Bay detainees, it was hard to ignore the timing: It was one day after DeSantis officially declared for President. The transcript features interviews with former prisoners and a former Naval staff sergeant-turned-Gitmo whistleblower who overlapped with DeSantis. All three allege inhumane treatment at the hands of the U.S. government, with the detainees directly implicating DeSantis in approving and overseeing brutal measures. These former prisoners alleged that DeSantis watched forced feedings, a cruel and degrading practice that a United Nations investigation into the controversial offshore prison concluded was torture in Feb. 2006.
“DeSantis goes after Bud Light, ignores Florida’s Vladimir Putin problem” via Daniel Kline of the Miami Herald — DeSantis has based his campaign for President around his so-called “war on woke.” This is an attempt to play to conservatives by damning companies and people who try to support inclusivity or celebrate people who are part of traditionally marginalized groups. That led to DeSantis taking over the Reedy Creek Improvement District RDIC, a Special District that had been controlled by Disney. The Governor portrayed this as him taking away special treatment from the company to be fair to other businesses. Disney CEO Bob Iger shot down any idea that DeSantis was just leveling the playing field during his company’s second quarter earnings call.
“DeSantis tweets sarcastically about Biden’s seventh grandchild” via Mariana Labbate of The Messenger — DeSantis attacked the Biden-Harris administration on Twitter over Vice President Harris’ visit to Florida on Friday, saying that “maybe if Biden’s granddaughter moved to Florida, he’d actually visit her.” Harris is in Jacksonville, where she will deliver her remarks on the newly approved curriculum for Black history which includes teaching students about “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The Vice President called the new curriculum earlier on Thursday “an attempt to gaslight us.”
“DeSantis’ budget vetoes were driven by politics, some Florida Republicans say” via Dave Berman and Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — As the 2023 Session of the Florida Legislature was winding down in early-May, Republican Senate and House members also were in the process of pledging their support for DeSantis’ expected, but at the time undeclared, run for President. By mid-May, 99 of the 113 GOP state legislators at the time had come on board, including six of the seven who represent Brevard County. The local legislator who didn’t immediately endorse DeSantis for President was Sen. Tom Wright of New Smyrna Beach, whose district includes most of Volusia County and northern Brevard County.
“Right-wing activists seek to ban “Arthur’s Birthday” from Florida school libraries” via Judd Legum of Popular Information — On July 12, 2023, the book Arthur’s Birthday was formally challenged in the Clay County School District, which is located outside of Jacksonville. It’s unclear exactly why Arthur’s Birthday was challenged because the Clay County School District would not immediately release the challenge form. On Page 5 of the book, Arthur invites a monkey in his class named Francine to the party. Francine is excited and says, “Oh boy, we can play spin the bottle.” On the book’s last page, Arthur’s friends present him with a gift. It’s a glass bottle with the words “Francine’s Spin the Bottle Game” printed on it. No aardvarks or monkeys are shown playing spin the bottle.
— STATEWIDE —
“The steep cost of DeSantis’ vaccine turnabout” via Sharon LaFraniere, Patricia Mazzei and Albert Sun of The New York Times — A close review of Florida’s pandemic response, including a new analysis of the data on deaths, hospitalizations and vaccination rates in the state, suggests that DeSantis’ account of his record leaves much out. DeSantis’ push to swiftly reopen businesses helped employment rebound, but also likely contributed to the spread of infections. But on the single factor that mattered most in fighting COVID — widespread vaccinations — DeSantis’ approach proved deeply flawed. While the Governor personally crusaded for Floridians 65 and older to get shots, he laid off on them once younger age groups became eligible. That left the state particularly vulnerable when the Delta variant hit. Floridians died at a higher rate, adjusted for age, than residents of almost any other state during the Delta wave.
“The Florida School Board mom fending off DeSantis’ culture war” via Michael Daly of The Daily Beast — One of the 14 local School Board members whom DeSantis has targeted for removal in next year’s election is Jennifer Jenkins, a 36-year-old elementary school speech pathologist who achieved a miracle in 2020 by defeating a far-right incumbent in a deep red Florida county by nine points. Jenkins is also a mom, and she was at her Brevard County home on Friday morning with her 7-year-old daughter Olive, who was having a playdate with a best buddy. Jenkins then got a call that necessitated a sudden change in plans. “I told [Olive] I was going to meet the Vice President,” Jenkins told The Daily Beast. The invitation to see Harris reminded her that even though she was the sole Democrat on her local School Board, she has many allies.
“Democrats debut insurance-focused webinar series to ‘prioritize real solutions’ for Florida” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Florida is now well into hurricane season. To better help residents with property insurance problems, Senate Democrats are kicking off a new town hall-style webinar series. The goal, said Florida Senate Democratic Caucus Communications Director Jossie Barroso, is to “bring lawmakers, experts and the people together to hear from and inform the public, and provide real solutions to help Floridians.” The interactive three-part series starts with “Homeowners Insurance 101: A Guide for Insurance Coverage.” In the past 18 months, seven insurers went out of business, 15 stopped offering new policies, and four, like Farmers, left the state. That’s despite multiple Special Sessions on property insurance.
“In sharp contrast with their anti-ESG/DEI rhetoric, state officials remain silent on millions of dollars flowing to ‘woke’ Mercer” via Caden DeLisa of The Capitolist — Despite persistent “anti-woke” messaging, state agencies have engaged in dozens of contracts with Mercer, a consulting group that isn’t bashful about its corporate alignment with diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) initiatives and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles. Mercer, despite its affinity for DEI and ESG principles, it turns out, is firmly woven into the very fabric of Florida’s state government, and nobody in state government wants to acknowledge it. Several state agencies, including the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Management Services (DMS), and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) have entered at least 64 contracts with Mercer for consulting, actuarial, and governmental relations services across the past decade.
“Medicaid ‘unwinding’ not what state expected” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The number of Floridians enrolled in the state’s health care safety net program is not dropping as much as anticipated. Even as state officials remove people from Medicaid rolls, thousands more than expected are enrolling in the safety net program. Florida started “unwinding” Medicaid with the end of the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida health care officials anticipated about 900,000 people would be disenrolled from the program by the end of June. Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Deputy Secretary of Health Care Finance Data Tom Wallace told the Social Services Estimating Conference that, instead, 640,000 people have been removed from the Medicaid program in the 12 weeks since the state started the “unwinding” process.
Happening today — The Revenue Estimating Conference meets: 9:30 a.m., 117 Knott Building.
Happening today — The Florida Department of Commerce Department meets to workshop broadband services: 2 p.m., information at floridajobs.org.
— D. C. MATTERS —
“Congressional Black Caucus members demand Florida remove ‘racist tropes’ from new African American history standards” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Florida’s members of the Congressional Black Caucus are putting the Florida Department of Education on blast for its new African American history standards, which among other things require students to learn how slavery was beneficial to Black people. They’re calling for an immediate reversal of the Board of Education’s decision to adopt the lesson guidelines and excise the “racist tropes” and “lies” it would perpetuate. “These standards are out of touch with reality and will leave future generations of Florida out of touch and disadvantaged in the world outside of Florida,” Florida Reps. Maxwell Frost, Frederica Wilson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Caucus Chair Steven Horsford of Nevada wrote.
“Inflation-reduction action: What María Elvira Salazar, Anna Paulina Luna have done to lower costs for Floridians” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — While inflation slows across the U.S., rising just 0.2 percentage points last month after three years of surging costs worldwide, Florida remains a hot spot for ballooning prices with the highest rates in the country. Two Sunshine State areas now lead the way with a roughly 7% annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — well beyond the national average of 4%. Atop the list is the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater area, which has seen a year-over-year CPI uptick of 7.3%. The other is the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area, known also as Greater Miami, where residents have seen the CPI rise 6.9% over the past year.
“Congressional candidate Eddie Speir puts school’s tax-exempt status in jeopardy” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Some candidates aren’t ready for prime time. That would be putting it gently for congressional candidate Speir. It only took one month for Speir, the belligerent gadfly the Florida Senate rejected after his appointment to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees, to make a blunder that could cost him a lot more than the shellacking he’s likely to receive courtesy of Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan, who Speir, in his not-so-infinite wisdom, is challenging. Speir, along with his wife, Claire, are the founders of Inspiration Academy, a newly formed Christian school in Bradenton. The school, which employs more than 50 people, is a 501(c)(3) that receives funding and support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota, the Manatee Community Foundation, and others.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“The Bible will stay in Palm Beach County schools, Board decides” via Angie DiMichele of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A rabbi, a Baptist church pastor, a born-and-raised Catholic and an atheist walked into a Palm Beach County School Board meeting. They were all there for the same reason: to talk about removing the Bible from public schools. The request to remove the Bible in Palm Beach County Schools began with Rabbi Barry Silver in April. His repeated requests to the Olympic Heights Community High School Principal and Superintendent Michael Burke failed, leading him to a final effort before School Board members. The Board decided unanimously with practically no discussion that the Bible will remain on schools’ shelves.
“Accusations against Florida lawmaker are disturbing, just like his House record” via the Miami Herald editorial board — Fabian Basabe’s short political career started on the wrong foot when he ran for a Miami Beach Commission seat in 2021. A circuit judge disqualified him from running, ruling he did not meet the city’s residency requirements. Basabe’s problems have now descended from run-of-the-mill controversies to bizarre and disturbing. Now a state representative in his first term, he faces a series of accusations ranging from sexual harassment to biting people. A lawsuit filed by two former aides accuses Basabe, a married father of one, of making lewd sexual comments and advances toward a legislative aide and an intern. One of the young men previously said Basabe slapped him and told him to stand in a corner during an event. A Florida House investigation into the incident turned out “inconclusive.”
— LOCAL: C. FL —
Exclusive — “Police execute meth bust at former Orlando Sentinel managing editor’s home” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — An Orlando arrest put a former Orlando Sentinel editor at the center of a story bound for headlines. Orlando Police conducted an investigation at the Greenwood Street home belonging to Jane Healy. Meanwhile, police arrested Randall Healy Clark, Healy’s son, on a number of drug-related charges, including trafficking in methamphetamines with an amount exceeding 14 grams. He also faces charges of possessing methamphetamine and other controlled substances with intent to sell. Clark is also charged with possessing methamphetamine and Vicodin. Voter registration records show Clark’s home address as Healy’s home.
“Agency withholds mug shot of Seminole sheriff’s son accused of fleeing traffic stop” via Christopher Cann of the Orlando Sentinel — The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has withheld the mug shot of Sheriff Dennis Lemma’s 19-year-old son, who turned himself in Wednesday after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop, initially citing an exemption intended to protect medical information, which an SCSO representative later said was a mistake. In a statement released hours after his son’s arrest, the sheriff said, “I firmly believe that my family should be held to the same standard as anyone else in the community, and while I love my son and family dearly, they too are not above the law.” However, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Karla Mendoza in a news release, which included the Sheriff’s statement, said Dylan Lemma’s mug shot would not be released.
“Yes, tourism has slowed in Orlando, but don’t blame Disney vs. DeSantis” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — This hasn’t been the most sizzling of Summers for Central Florida’s theme parks. Rising costs, searing heat and the shifting of post-pandemic travel to international locations and cruise ships are putting a damper on attendance, experts say. Those same experts don’t think Disney’s culture war battle with DeSantis is a major player, pointing to a nationwide slump. The attractions industry “is flatter than a pancake,” said Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services Inc. “Six to eight weeks ago, I started seeing this softening haze move in,” Speigel said. “It’s spending and (higher) reaction pricing at all the parks, not just Disney.”
“Daytona Beach tourism board approves $15.7M budget in ‘softening’ year” via Jim Abbott of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Amid a Summer tourist season that’s expected to fall short of record-setting numbers a year ago, the Halifax Area Advertising Authority board of directors this week unanimously approved a proposed $15.7 million budget that includes money to expand Daytona Beach’s ‘Beach On’ marketing campaign. The $15,670,200 budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1 represents a modest 1.9% increase over the $15,384,270 for the current fiscal year. It’s based on estimated tourism bed-tax collections of $13,077,109 by the county’s finance division. That estimate is 6.2% lower than the estimate of $13,939,270 for the current fiscal year.
“Amazon to set up $120 million Space Coast shop in competition with SpaceX’s Starlink” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Amazon and Jeff Bezos have big plans to launch thousands of satellites from the Space Coast, hoping to play catchup and compete with Elon Musk and SpaceX’s Starlink service. To speed up the process, it’s going to build a $120 million facility to prep those satellites just miles from the launchpad. The company announced Friday it has agreed to expand into Florida with Project Kuiper, the name for its future broadband satellite network, by setting up a 100,000-square-foot processing facility at a nearly 80-acre site at the Kennedy Space Center’s former Shuttle Landing Facility. The deal brokered by Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development agency, promises as many as 50 jobs with an average salary of $80,000 as well as 300 jobs during construction.
— LOCAL: TB —
“Meet the Tampa lawyer who just agreed to defend Trump” via Andrew Long of the Tampa Bay Times — Tampa attorney John Lauro joined Trump’s legal team this week as the former President faces the possibility of a third criminal indictment related to a federal investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. Lauro, a white-collar lawyer, is a former federal prosecutor with extensive experience in criminal and commercial litigation who has previously represented Trump attorneys Christina Bobb and Alina Habba. A graduate of Georgetown Law, Lauro has been a prominent legal presence in Tampa Bay for decades, said Tampa criminal defense lawyer and longtime friend John Fitzgibbons.
“Tim Burke and lawyers deny hacking Fox News, demand return of devices” via Justin Garcia of the Tampa Bay Times — Burke’s home office is gutted. In May, FBI agents searched his house while looking for evidence related to leaked Fox News footage, including an antisemitic rant from Kanye West and behind-the-scenes footage of Tucker Carlson on his now-canceled show. Burke, 44, had his phone, computers, hard drives, and other electronic devices confiscated, though he still hasn’t been charged with a crime. On Friday, his lawyers filed a motion to the U.S. Department of Justice demanding that Burke’s devices be returned.
“Screening of Conservation Florida documentary planned for Winter Haven brewery” via The Lakeland Ledger — Conservation Florida will hold an exclusive screening of a new documentary on July 28 at 7 p.m. at Grove Roots Brewing Co. in Winter Haven. “Protect Our Paradise: Our Growth” is one segment of a six-part documentary series. The episode delves into Florida’s growing population and how it is affecting the state’s land, wildlife and quality of life. The episode focuses on Polk County, Conservation Florida said in a news release. The creative team will attend to share stories of the making of the documentary.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“After delay, DeSantis begins process to appoint judge to succeed the late Kevin Carroll” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — After a more than three-month delay, DeSantis has finally begun the process to appoint someone to succeed the late Circuit Judge Carroll. On Tuesday, the 2nd Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission announced DeSantis asked it to provide him with “highly qualified nominees” for the vacancy no later than Sunday, Aug. 20. The deadline set by DeSantis is notable because the timing of when Carroll’s seat next comes up for election hinges on whether the Governor makes the appointment before or after Aug. 20.
“Sheriff’s vision for modern policing sounds expensive. And weird” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan proposed a record-breaking $573 million budget for the Sheriff’s Office. Just days later, Sheriff T.K. Waters made it clear the largesse still isn’t enough. In an unusual town hall-style event of his own, Waters unveiled plans to rebrand his agency, redraw decades-old policing zones and implement a new program that would allow residents to voluntarily permit the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to tap directly into the camera feed on their private home security systems. The former Mayor, Lenny Curry, made much hay of his administration’s investments in JSO, which, when he took office, had a budget just under $400 million. Waters made all this sound for naught, almost as if JSO was only just beginning to emerge from some primordial era. Jacksonville, he said, “deserves a modern model of policing.”
“Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office joins move to use private security cameras in crime fighting” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — At a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office town hall that attracted hundreds to the Prime Osborn Convention Center, Waters announced the agency is launching ConnectDuval, a program that lets owners of security cameras voluntarily register them with the Sheriff’s Office so its officers can quickly know who to contact about obtaining video footage that helps solve crimes. The program also gives security camera owners an option of letting the Sheriff’s Office get the video feed directly in real time, a partnership that has faced criticism that it creates a “Big Brother” surveillance network when the government is receiving such video information.
“Amid rising taxes in Tallahassee, Children’s Services Council votes to roll back tax rate” via Alaijah Brown of the Tallahassee Democrat — Amid outcry from the public against a possible tax increase, the Leon County Children’s Services Council voted to roll back its property-tax rate for the 2024 fiscal year. During a Thursday meeting, the CSC cast a 4-0 vote to roll back its tax rate from 37.5 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value to 34.77 cents. As a result of this rare step for a taxing authority in Tallahassee, the rate is expected to generate $7.63 million in revenue, the same amount as the current fiscal year.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
“Tom Knight running for seat that Nancy Detert held on Sarasota County Commission” via Anne Snabes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Former Sarasota County Sheriff Knight has filed to run for the Sarasota County Commission District 3 seat next year, setting up a three-way Republican Primary race with Commissioner Neil Rainford and real estate businessman Gregory Wood. DeSantis appointed Rainford in June to the District 3 seat, which had been vacant since the passing of Commissioner Nancy Detert in April. Knight was among those who had applied for the Governor’s appointment to the seat. Rainford, a senior project executive at Mullet’s Aluminum Products Inc., has held the District 3 seat since June 13. His term ends in November 2024, so he has filed to run for a following, four-year term.
“New College of Florida sees ‘ridiculously high’ faculty departures ahead of Fall semester” via Steven Walker of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — More than one-third of New College of Florida’s faculty have left for part or all of the upcoming academic year, the college’s provost said at a Board of Trustees committee meeting this week. As New College faces a record group of incoming first-year students, the school’s provost, Brad Thiessen, told the Board of Trustees at a meeting that 36 of the more than 90 faculty are slated to retire, resign, take unpaid leave or undertake outside research assignments ahead of the upcoming Fall semester. The faculty losses come amid a shake-up in leadership at New College in January spearheaded by DeSantis to transform the Sarasota campus into a more conservative college emphasizing classical studies.
“Toxic blue-green algae bloom spreads to Cape Coral; testing equipment being placed” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — A toxic blue-green algae bloom that’s been drifting around downtown Fort Myers has now spread to other areas, including the Cape Coral Yacht Club. “We do have an (air testing) unit near the river and the yacht club, and we are aware of blue-green algae presence there and we’re testing nearby,” said Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce. “July and August are prime months because water temperatures seem to be higher than normal. And today the heat index is 108. So, you’re close to the incubation temperature we use to grow cultures. The conditions are perfect for a super bloom.”
— TOP OPINION —
“Building a legal wall around Trump” via David French of The New York Times — In roughly 30 months, the American legal system has built the case law necessary to combat and deter American insurrection. Bar associations are setting precedents. Courts are setting precedents. And these precedents are holding in the face of appeals and legal challenges. Trump is already attempting to substantially delay the trial on his federal indictment in the Mar-a-Lago case, and if a second federal indictment arrives soon, he’ll almost certainly attempt to delay it as well. Trump does not want to face a jury, and if he delays his trials long enough, he can run for President free of any felony convictions. And what if he wins? Simply put, the American people can override the rule of law.
— OPINIONS —
“DeSantis has entered the doom loop” via Paul Waldman of NBC News — What happened to the Republican who was supposed to be a smarter and more competent version of Trump? From where he sits, this wave of negative media coverage no doubt seems deeply unfair. After all, the first nominating contest is still six months away. He and the other candidates only just started the quadrennial marathon of shameless pandering that is the Primaries. They haven’t even had their first debate. But if DeSantis thinks he isn’t getting a fair shake, he should remember that he was largely a media creation in the first place. Remember, long before he officially announced a run for the White House, DeSantis was universally acknowledged as the principal alternative to Trump.
“DeSantis is really bad at running for President” via Nicole Narea of Vox — DeSantis’ latest campaign finance report, which came out last week, showed warning signs for the GOP hopeful. While he raised more than any other Republican candidate, bringing in $20 million, he has also spent almost $8 million since launching his campaign in late May. What’s more, he isn’t attracting the kind of grassroots donors that Trump has, with less than 15% of DeSantis donations coming in amounts of $200 or less. It may be a problem that DeSantis just can’t rectify. The party has far from moved on from Trump, even if the donor class is eager to do so. And at the moment, there’s no sign that even a third indictment will change that.
“Algorithms are making kids desperately unhappy” via Chris Murphy for The New York Times — There are numerous problems with children and adolescents using social media, from mental health deterioration to dangerous and age-inappropriate content and the lackluster efforts tech companies employ to enforce their own age verification rules. But the high schoolers with whom I met alerted me to an even more insidious result of minors’ growing addiction to social media: the death of exploration, trial and error and discovery. Algorithmic recommendations now do the work of discovering and pursuing interests, finding community and learning about the world. Kids today are, simply put, not learning how to be curious, critical adults — and they don’t seem to know what they’ve lost. A retreat from the rituals of discovery comes with a cost.
“Is the cure to male loneliness out on the pickleball court?” via Michelle Cottle of The New York Times — No gender has a lock on loneliness, but men, in particular, seem to be struggling with the basics of making friends today. Surveys indicate that men have seen a much sharper decline than women in their close friendships over the past 30 years; a higher percentage of men than women report having no close friends at all (15% versus 10%); men receive less emotional support from friends than do women; and they are less likely than women to admit being lonely, making it tough to gauge, much less address, their suffering. Which is where playtime comes in. Pursuing a hobby is widely recognized as a good way to meet people and establish connections.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“A St. Petersburg scientist worked with Robert Oppenheimer to build atomic bomb” via Michelle Stark of the Tampa Bay Times — In the midst of the pop culture hype surrounding Christopher Nolan’s new movie “Oppenheimer” is the true story of the development of the atomic bomb. And one of the NASA scientists who worked alongside J. Robert Oppenheimer retired to and died in St. Petersburg. His name was J. Allen Crocker. The Tampa Bay Times wrote about his death in January 1996, when Crocker died at age 84 at St. Anthony’s Hospital. Trained as an electrical engineer, the scientist worked with Oppenheimer and Enrico Fermi at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory at the University of California as part of the Manhattan Project. He was born in New York and came to St. Petersburg in 1976 from Bethesda, Maryland. He was a member of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.
“Universal Studios: DreamWorks land coming next year” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Universal Studios theme park will open a land based on DreamWorks Animation characters in 2024, Universal Orlando announced. Visitors can expect to see interactive play spaces and attractions based on “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” “Shrek” “Trolls” and “Kung Fu Panda,” the resort said. The new DreamWorks land will go where a set of KidZone attractions, including Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, operated until January. That area, near the E.T. Adventure ride, has been behind construction walls for months. Universal Orlando’s website indicates that the land would include meet-and-greet areas. A new name was not revealed for the area.
“Legoland Florida’s Flying School, the last remaining Cypress Gardens coaster, will close” via The Ledger — Legoland Florida Resort is phasing out one of the last remaining rides from the Cypress Gardens era. Flying School, an inverted roller coaster, will offer its final rides on Aug. 16, National Roller Coaster Day, the attraction said in a news release. The ride will be removed to allow for “future awesomeness,” the news release said. The steel coaster is original to Cypress Gardens, one of the original Florida attractions. The park closed in the late 2000s, giving way to Legoland Florida. The minimum height to ride Flying School is 44 inches. Guests under 52 inches must be accompanied by a rider at least that tall.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to our friend Charlie Crist, as well as Steve Birtman, Mike Fernandez, Lorena Rivas Hardwick, and Ann Howard; and a belated shoutout to Sarasota School Board member Bridget Ziegler.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
