Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 8.4.23

Good Friday morning.

The newly launched TSG Advisors is adding education consultants Dr. Carrie Henderson and Dr. Barbara Jenkins to the team.

Henderson has spent her career supporting postsecondary institutions at the institutional, state and national levels. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice Chancellor of the Florida College System. She previously worked at Florida State College of Jacksonville, where she coordinated with stakeholders to map financial goals for progressing toward an ideal college system.

“Carrie Henderson is one of the leading change makers helping to bring about much-needed innovation in American higher education today. … With Carrie’s track record, she would be an invaluable consultant to any effort to bring about large-scale innovation at the institution or system levels,” said Dr. Davis Jenkins, Senior Research Scholar at the Community College Research Center and Research professor in Education and Social Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Complementing Henderson’s expertise in higher education, TSG Advisors’ other new addition brings in-depth knowledge of the K-12 space. Jenkins will serve as Superintendent in Residence at the firm.

Jenkins has worked in public education for over three decades, most recently as Orange County Public Schools Superintendent. Under her leadership, the district was awarded the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education and District Accreditation from AdvancED for its best practices in the education field. Her work in the district also earned her the Florida Superintendent of the Year award in 2017 and a spot as a finalist for the national title.

“Barbara Jenkins is one of the most highly regarded urban superintendents in the country. For more than 30 years, she has been dedicated to the success of our youth and displays an undying passion for supporting education leaders. I have no doubt she will be a significant positive force at TSG Advisors,” said Ray Hart, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools.

Congrats to good people — For the sixth consecutive year, Florida Trend magazine has named Tallahassee’s Aegis Business Technologies one of Florida’s Best Companies to Work For. The 2023 list is featured in the August issue of Florida Trend magazine, ranking 100 companies in small, medium and large employer categories based on workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. Aegis came in at No. 7 in Small Companies. The Best Companies program is managed by Florida Trend and Workforce Research Group and is endorsed by the HR Florida State Council. “When you decide to make something your life’s work — the rules change; nothing is just a job anymore. An office is not a building; it’s a professional home,” said Aegis CEO Blake Dowling, a frequent contributor to Florida Politics. “We are beyond thrilled that Florida Trend recognizes our positive workplace, and we thank them for the accolade.” Good job, Blake and Team Aegis!

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@BDomenech: Today was the first day in a year that I think (Donald) Trump could win.

—@TimODc: Fun fact: Trump’s lawyer John Lauro also defended the NBA ref who was gambling on/fixing games, Tim Donaghy

Tweet, tweet:

What would an indictment in D.C. be without themed cocktails?

New $12 drinks at @fightclubdc include The Mr Smith Came To Washington (a sweet, creamsicle-like “clarified Orange Crush” made with Sagamore Rye) and Co-Conspirator #1: R. Giuliani (a New York Sour with smoky mezcal). pic.twitter.com/EWUAAExfsq

— Fritz Hahn (@fritzhahn) August 3, 2023

—@WesleyHuntTX: Why would anyone pay attention to a debate between a person who’s not even running for President and a candidate who is down by 30/40 points in EVERY SINGLE Primary poll?

—@Jaykenworthy: Indiana campaign consultants trying to calculate how Taylor Swift’s three-day residency in November 2024 will affect early voting.

—@CordByrd: History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Studying the history of American elections, the rhyming is on par with Rapper’s Delight.

—@LeaderBookFL: FL has banned AP Psychology in our schools. Once again, the (Gov. Ron) DeSantis administration is politicizing the classroom, putting FL students at a disadvantage as they apply to colleges & compete against students from other states with the freedom to take this nationally available advanced course. The Governor doesn’t care about education, just his agenda.

—@AndrewWarrenFL: Impressive group of fmr Rep. Governors & other high-ranking officials filed brief in support of Disney lawsuit — saying DeSantis’ retaliation against Disney is a “chilling authoritarian impulse” & “symptom of autocracy” like what Russia & China do that is “severely damaging” to FL.

Tweet, tweet:

309 days after Hurricane Ian’s landfall, today is the last day the old Fort Myers Beach Town Hall will stand

Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt tells me it’s slated to be demolished tomorrow.

Here’s how it looked today: pic.twitter.com/0vUfBPbvpk

— Max Chesnes (@MaxChesnes) August 3, 2023

Tweet, tweet:

It was an honor to speak at the @FLGuard's Annual Conference Dinner! 🇺🇸

Since the very birth of this nation – America has been driven by the heart of the citizen soldier.

It was great to be in the company of so many dedicated men and women who serve our state and nation with… pic.twitter.com/JDHvQgDfZV

— Jay Collins (@JayCollinsFL) August 3, 2023

— DAYS UNTIL —

DeSantis to speak in Iowa at Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash — 2; ‘Billions’ final season premieres — 7; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 12; Port Orange, Lake Helen, Ponce Inlet to hold elections — 18; The first GOP Presidential Primary debate — 19; ‘Ahsoka’ premieres on Disney+ — 19; ‘Gran Turismo’ premieres — 21; The U.S. Open begins — 24; 2023 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 27; Florida House Fall 2023 Interim Committee Meetings begin — 45; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 63; Taylor Swift Eras Tour stops in Miami — 75; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 80; Britney Spears memoir ‘The Woman in Me’ drops — 81; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 91; Suncoast Tiger Bay Club hosts ‘Evening with the Tigers’ — 95; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 98; Formula 1 will take over the Las Vegas Strip — 105; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 111; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 117; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 131; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: Trump vs. DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 158; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 158; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 162; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 179; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 186; Georgia Democratic Primary — 192; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 203; Michigan Democratic Primary — 209; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 219; 2024 Oscars — 221; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 273; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 293; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 357; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 357; New ‘Alien’ premieres — 378; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 386; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 504; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 560; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 637; ‘Moana’ premieres — 693; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 868; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 1,001; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,023; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,236; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,375; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,331; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,694.

— TOP STORY —

“Donald Trump pleads not guilty to plotting to overturn the 2020 Election” via Glenn Thrush of The New York Times — Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges that he conspired to remain in office despite his 2020 Election loss, appearing before a judge in a Washington courthouse in the shadow of the Capitol, where his supporters rampaged in an effort to undermine the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump stood before a federal magistrate judge who asked for his plea to the four counts he faced. He replied, “Not guilty.”

It was the third time in four months he stood before a judge on criminal charges. But it was the most momentous, the beginning of what prosecutors say should be a reckoning for his multipronged efforts to undermine one of the core tenets of democracy.

Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya, who oversaw the roughly half-hour hearing, ordered Trump not to communicate about the case with any witnesses except through counsel or in the presence of counsel. At the request of Trump’s lawyers, she set the date for the first hearing before the trial judge, Tanya S. Chutkan, for Aug. 28 — the latest option she provided.

Delaying the proceedings as much as possible is widely expected to be part of Trump’s legal strategy, given that he could effectively call off federal cases against him if he wins the 2024 Election.

Following the hearing, Trump spoke briefly at Reagan National Airport, saying it was “a very sad day for America.”

Trump said he was a victim of “persecution” by President Joe Biden’s Justice Department. “This was never supposed to happen in America,” he said before boarding his private plane to return to Bedminster, New Jersey.

—@HugoLowell: New: Conditions of release for Trump include prohibition from discussing facts of the case with anyone known to be a witness in this case except thru counsel

“Mike Pence says Trump pushed him ‘essentially to overturn the election’” via Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — Pence said that Trump and his advisers had tried to get him “essentially to overturn the election” and that the American people needed to know it. The remarks, made in an interview with Fox News, are some of Pence’s most pointed to date about what he experienced in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, when he presided over the congressional certification of Biden’s victory. And they came as Pence, who is trailing his former boss, the GOP front-runner, in the Republican Primary, has faced a slog in his attempt to get enough small-donor donations to qualify for the first Republican debate on Aug. 23. An adviser to Pence said he got more than 7,000 donations on Wednesday, the day after Trump’s indictment on charges of conspiring to overthrow the 2020 election.

“How Rudy Giuliani became co-conspirator 1” via Jonah E. Bromwich of The New York Times — Co-Conspirator 1, who Giuliani’s lawyer acknowledged appeared to be his client, figures in each of the three conspiracies it alleges took place — leaving open the possibility that Giuliani could be charged himself. The former Mayor who made his name as a lawman now faces a reckoning with the law. Giuliani’s relationship with Trump hangs in the balance. A person close to Trump who spoke confidentially to describe a private relationship said that while they don’t speak regularly, the former President retains a fondness for Giuliani born from his stint as Mayor when the two dealt with each other often.

“Trump’s jury pool for Jan. 6 trial: A city that remembers the attack” via Amy Qin of The New York Times — When jury selection begins in the trial of Trump concerning his efforts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election, defense lawyers will probably face an uphill battle. It’s not just that the pool of potential jurors in D.C. is heavily Democratic (though it is) or that the city is home to a great many lawyers (one in 40 residents, the most per capita of any state or district). To many of the district’s residents, the mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was more than a national political crisis: It was also a horrific act of local violence that felt deeply personal. “I don’t think you will find a D.C. resident who is not aware of what happened on Jan. 6 and was not impacted by some way, either that day or in the days following,” said Christina Henderson, a member of the D.C. Council and a former staffer for Sen. Chuck Schumer.

“‘The worst Trump could’ve got’: Lawyers spill on his Jan. 6 judge” via Adam Rawnsley of Rolling Stone — Attorneys tell Rolling Stone that Chutkan is perhaps the toughest judge he could’ve gotten in the Washington, D.C., district court. “It’s probably the worst draw for Trump. She’s the worst judge he could’ve gotten handed,” one attorney with experience representing a Jan. 6 defendant said. “She’s pleasant, she’s nice, and she’s fair, but she’s a tough judge with these Jan. 6 cases.” Chutkan’s record of tough sentences in Jan. 6 cases has driven Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham to make cartoonish pronouncements about the supposed bias against the former President. “The judge in this case hates Trump,” he told Fox News on Wednesday evening.

“Outside of Trump’s arraignment, revelers mark dueling visions of justice” via Emily Davies, Paul Duggan and Ellie Silverman of The Washington Post — One man brought a sign that said “Loser” and a box of golden Oreos as fuel for the day. Another brought a 5-by-3-foot flag that said, “Trump or Death.” The two men sat far apart, each hoping to decorate the grounds of the E. Barrett Prettyman courthouse with their version of the truth.

— THE TRAIL —

“Ron DeSantis says he will ‘start slitting throats on Day One’ in executive branch” via Anders Hagstrom of Fox News — DeSantis will combat the “deep state” and “start slitting throats on Day One” if he is elected President in 2024, he said Sunday. DeSantis made the statement during a Q&A session at a campaign barbecue event in New Hampshire, telling the crowd that he intends to take on the entrenched officials in executive branch agencies. “We’re going to have all of these deep state people, you know, we are going to start slitting throats on Day One,” DeSantis said. The violent terminology echoes DeSantis’ own ruthless campaign against political opponents in Florida, where he advanced conservative policies at a relentless pace.

“DeSantis campaigning last week promised (presumably metaphorical) blood will flow if he’s elected” via Michael Moline of Florida Phoenix — DeSantis, struggling in the Republican Presidential Primaries, is resorting to sanguinary rhetoric on the campaign trail, promising to execute drug smugglers and start “slitting throats” of federal bureaucrats. DeSantis made the comments over the weekend during a campaign event in New Hampshire. Of drug cartel members caught at the border, he said, “They’re going to be shot stone-cold dead.” They echoed a statement DeSantis made last month regarding Pentagon staffing.

“DeSantis nabs support from 35 local South Carolina leaders” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — DeSantis has secured endorsements from 35 South Carolina leaders, including 32 current and former local elected officials, one state Representative and two former state Representatives. The endorsements add to the 15 lawmakers who already offered their support for DeSantis in the Republican Presidential Primary. The sole new endorsement from a South Carolina Representative brings the Florida Governor’s total endorsements from state lawmakers nationwide to 275, an accomplishment his campaign said on Thursday demonstrates “the strength and enthusiasm” DeSantis is building.

📰 — Extra, Extra: Mayors of Nowheresville, South Carolina endorse DeSantis’ sinking ship: Team DeSantis sent an overly-hyped news release Thursday touting endorsements from some pretty insignificant figures. It’s not a good sign for the Governor. Read my snark here.

“Poll: Only 15% of Florida voters believe DeSantis will be GOP presidential nominee” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A new poll from Newsweek suggests that Sunshine State residents don’t think their Governor has a path to the GOP nomination against Trump. In fact, most Floridians think Trump has it locked already. The poll of 840 eligible voters, conducted on July 25 and July 26 by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, shows 51% of Floridians saying Trump is “most likely to be the Republican nominee for the 2024 Presidential Election.” Meanwhile, just 15% think DeSantis will ultimately be the GOP standard-bearer. That’s less than the 21% who say they don’t know who will win, but it’s more than all other candidates, described by Newsweek as at “2% or less.”

“Memo: Trump campaign claims DeSantis is no John McCain” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Key strategists from the Trump campaign are shooting down the theory that DeSantis can reboot his campaign as successfully as McCain did 16 years prior. In a memo, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita reject the theory that DeSantis, whose campaign is “marred by idiocy,” is capable of a modern version of the former Arizona Senator’s “2008 comeback” in which he revitalized a stalled campaign and won the GOP nomination (only to lose the General Election to Barack Obama, of course). “The ‘08 McCain and ‘24 DeSantis ‘political reboots’ share one, and only one, similarity: Overspending and not enough fundraising. Every other metric one could look at just doesn’t compare.”

“NBPA says $50K gift ‘alarming’ after DeSantis’ comments” via Tim Bontemps of ESPN — The National Basketball Players Association said that a $50,000 donation made by the Orlando Magic to a super PAC supporting DeSantis’ presidential campaign was “alarming given recent comments and policies of its beneficiary.” “NBA governors, players and personnel have the right to express their personal political views, including through donations and statements,” the NBPA statement said. “However, if contributions are made on behalf of an entire team, using money earned through the labor of its employees, it is incumbent upon the team governors to consider the diverse values and perspectives of staff and players.” The statement comes after DeSantis made comments supporting Florida’s new African American history standard that says some Black people benefited from slavery.

“DeSantis agrees to take on Gavin Newsom in Fox News debate” via Kim Bellware of The Washington Post — After a year of taunting and sniping, Republican presidential hopeful and right-wing DeSantis has agreed to meet California’s Democratic Gov. Newsom on the debate stage. Fox News host Sean Hannity will moderate the live debate, pitched as a showdown of Red vs. Blue policies at the state level. Hannity on Wednesday played a clip from his June interview with Newsom where the Governor said he was “all in” to debate his Florida counterpart before cutting to a smiling DeSantis, who appeared remotely. “Absolutely,” DeSantis said in response to the challenge. “I’m game. Let’s get it done. Just tell me when and where.”

— MORE 2024 —

“About half of U.S. Republicans could spurn Trump if he is convicted, poll shows” via Jason Lange of Reuters — The two-day Reuters/Ipsos poll asked respondents if they would vote for Trump for President next year if he were “convicted of a felony crime by a jury.” Among Republicans, 45% said they would not vote for him, more than the 35% who said they would. The rest said they didn’t know. Asked if they would vote for Trump if he were “currently serving time in prison,” 52% of Republicans said they would not, compared to 28% who said they would. Trump has proclaimed his innocence in all the cases against him and accuses prosecutors of conducting a “witch hunt” that aims to derail his campaign.

“Memo: Vivek Ramaswamy ‘on track to eclipse DeSantis’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “(Ramaswamy) has seen rapid movement in polling and is on track to eclipse Ron DeSantis,” reads a 14-page memo to supporters that cites four polls that show Ramaswamy surging, including a Kaplan Strategies poll that shows him tied with DeSantis at 12% support. “Over the last 45 days,” the campaign has had the most “sustained growth and success” of any operation in the Republican field, offering the “best return on investment” as measured by “ballot growth” and “image growth.” “Vivek is spending significantly less than his competitors on traditional advertising per percentage point in national polls, proving his message and vision lands with the GOP electorate. This is a likely prediction of who will succeed in the 2024 Election when comparing spending in 2015 to 2023.”

“Former executive at firm that paid Francis Suarez $170K says CEO improperly redirected loan funds” via Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald — A former executive at developer Rishi Kapoor’s real estate company says in a newly filed deposition that Kapoor improperly moved millions of dollars in loans intended for a Miami condo project to a different corporate account so that he could use the money to buy out two disgruntled major investors. Greg Brooks, the former Chief Financial Officer at Location Ventures, said in the deposition that Kapoor obtained two private loans totaling $12 million that were supposed to be for the Coconut Grove project. Brooks said the developer instead diverted the loans to help him purchase the equity interests of a New York couple who had invested in his company.

“Joe Biden builds finance team, including Central Florida native Jessica Porter” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Biden’s re-election campaign announced additions to its finance team, including one Central Florida native. Porter, originally from Clermont, came on as Grassroots Fundraising Director. The campaign also named Colleen Coffey and Michael Pratt as Finance Co-Directors for the Biden and Kamala Harris team. “Colleen, Michael and Jessica have already been invaluable to our historic fundraising efforts to date and will be critical to our efforts to build an unparalleled and historic fundraising operation to ensure we have the war chest we need to win in November 2024,” said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign Manager. While Porter is a Florida native, much of her work has been in Washington and North Carolina.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich to serve as part of U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s re-election finance committee” via Mitch Perry of Florida Phoenix — Other prominent Republicans serving as Scott’s “honorary” finance Co-Chairs include current U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, Utah’s Mike Lee, and Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson. Former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry fill out that list. In a news release, Scott said that he is the top enemy of national Democrats going into this election cycle. “They are going to spend millions upon millions to air false attacks and lies against me,” Scott said in the release. “I’ve been traveling the state meeting with Floridians on my 67 counties Sunshine Tour, and I’ve been working hard to raise money, so we have the resources to counter Democrats’ phony attacks. I look forward to continuing to fight for Florida families in the U.S. Senate and appreciate everyone on my finance team who will help ensure we keep the Democrats failed socialist policies out of Florida.”

— DESANTISY LAND —

“College Board says Florida schools may not offer AP Psych without gender lessons” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — The approximately 30,000 Florida teens who planned to take the Advanced Placement Psychology course might have to find something else for their schedules. The College Board, which operates Advanced Placement, released a statement after being told the state Department of Education is requiring that their psychology courses omit lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation — a condition that the educational organization finds unacceptable. Officials at the New York-based College Board said they learned the news from a participant in a private conference call between Superintendents and state officials. Pinellas Superintendent Kevin Hendrick and Bill Montford, chief executive of the state’s Superintendents’ Association, later confirmed the information.

“DeSantis’ state-funded office hires ousted campaign aides” via Sophia Cai and Alex Thompson of Axios — DeSantis’ gubernatorial office recently hired three people who had been laid off by the campaign, according to three sources familiar with the situation. The Florida Governor is leaning on his taxpayer-funded office to keep select aides in his orbit as the campaign goes through a cash shortfall that led it to dump one-third of its staff in July. DeSantis Campaign Manager Generra Peck told roughly three dozen campaign staffers during a meeting last month at the Tallahassee campaign HQ that they’d be let go. DeSantis’ Chief of Staff from the Governor’s Office, James Uthmeier, then appeared and urged them to apply for jobs in his office, two people familiar with the meeting said.

“Casey DeSantis raised $63M for Hurricane Ian relief. Where did it go?” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — More than 10 months after Hurricane Ian tore through Florida, millions of dollars raised through first lady Casey DeSantis’ Hurricane Ian relief campaign remain to be spent. Over $63 million in donations rolled into the Florida Disaster Fund as images of the storm’s devastation filled the airwaves, according to Volunteer Florida, the nonprofit organization that oversees the fund. Volunteer Florida reports it has awarded about $54 million to charity and response agencies. About $9 million is left to be allocated as the anniversary of the storm approaches, the organization said. In Central Florida, money from the fund is being used to build affordable housing for seniors, clean up flooded houses, cut down storm-damaged trees, and address other damage not covered by insurance or FEMA, disaster relief officials said.

“‘Dismayed:’ DeSantis’ Disney district administrator rebuked by ‘betrayed’ civil rights group” via Douglas Soule of USA Today Network — When announcing that DeSantis’ district governing Disney World abolished its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, District Administrator Glen Gilzean Jr. name-dropped his previous employer, the Central Florida Urban League. “Our district will no longer participate in any attempt to divide us by race or advance the notion that we are not created equal,” Gilzean, who is Black, said in the Tuesday announcement. “As the former head of the Central Florida Urban League, a civil rights organization, I can say definitively that our community thrives only when we work together despite our differences.” But that civil rights organization is an affiliate of the National Urban League, which blasted Gilzean and the decision.

—“Linda Stewart slams DeSantis’ Disney board for slashing safety spending, ending DEI” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

Good luck! — “Muslim advocacy group CAIR is calling on Florida to drop PragerU for anti-Muslim content” via Nancy Guan of WUSF Public Media — Florida recently became the first state to officially approve PragerU, an unaccredited nonprofit organization, and their newly launched PragerU Kids content to be used in the K-12 public school curriculum. The decision allows teachers to use the group’s educational content, mainly composed of short video clips, as “supplemental materials” in classrooms. PragerU describes itself as a pro-American voice that provides an “alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media and education.” It’s named for co-founder, conservative talk show host Dennis Prager. But critics have called it out for promoting anti-immigration theories, downplaying systemic racism, and promoting other right-wing ideas such as the Lost Cause mythology that claims the Civil War was not fought over slavery. Now, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Florida chapter are calling on the Department to “clarify and reject any relationship between the Islamophobic Prager University and Florida schools.”

“Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade on leaving Florida: ‘My child isn’t safe there’” via Emily St. Martin of the Tampa Bay Times — Wade and Union are further elaborating on their decision to relocate their family from Florida to California. The retired NBA star, 41, and the “Bad Boys II” actor, 50, said finding a community for their daughter Zaya Wade, who is transgender, was a big part of their decision to leave Florida in 2021. “When you have the kind of rhetoric that is being espoused in Florida and adopted into law, that’s not an option if my child isn’t safe there,” Union told Parents magazine for a cover story published Tuesday.

— STATEWIDE —

“Floridians are seeing more of Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez while DeSantis is on the presidential campaign trail” via Victoria De Cardenas of WEAR News — Since DeSantis announced his presidential run, many have asked what happens to Florida. The Governor has promised Florida would be taken care of while he campaigns across the country and one political expert says Floridians should keep an eye on Nuñez. “It’s a beautiful day to talk about the wonderful work that the Governor and I have been doing,” Nuñez said. Critics of the Governor have said he’s abandoning his home state, but political expert Craig Agranoff says having Nuñez in front of cameras bodes well for her political future.

Good! — “Florida Ethics Commission rejects complaint lodged against top DeSantis aide” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — Florida’s Ethics Commission is tossing aside allegations from Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried that one of DeSantis’ top aides may have violated state ethics laws. Fried filed complaints against three senior DeSantis administration officials in the wake of news stories, including one from NBC News that detailed how several top official aides to the Republican Governor reached out to lobbyists by text message and asked for contributions to DeSantis’ presidential campaign. Another story by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that Office of Policy and Budget Director Chris Spencer asked a GOP legislator to endorse DeSantis in the race.

“Psychological evaluations are no longer required for adult transgender patients” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The state’s medical boards agreed to strip a month-old requirement from consent forms that transgender adults undergo a “thorough psychological and social evaluation” before initially receiving hormone replacement therapy and every two years thereafter. The emergency rules were enacted in response to a new law (SB 254) that limits access to gender-affirming care and requires patients to sign informed consent forms. The law had directed the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine to create the informed consent forms, which were recommended for adoption by the Joint Rules/Legislative Committee and went into effect July 7.

“‘Everglades literacy’ lacking in many Florida schools. This program aims to change that” via Ashley Miznazi of the Miami Herald — The Everglades — a sprawling complex system under pressure from development, pollution and climate change and home to endangered species and giant invasive snakes — literally sits in the backyard of tens of thousands of school children across South Florida. But it doesn’t get much, if any, mention in many classrooms. “Personally, I feel like in schools, they don’t tell you enough about the Everglades,” said Karen Rojas, a high school senior in Miami-Dade County. Last month, 140 teachers attended a program put on by The Everglades Foundation, an influential environmental advocacy group based in Palmetto Bay, which aims to close that knowledge gap.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“Former Florida Congresswoman reflects on her Jan. 6 Committee role after Trump indictment” via Antonio Fins of The Palm Beach Post — The lone Florida voice on the congressional panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the U.S. Capitol said the indictment against Trump is a “sad” outcome, although it is proof U.S. democratic institutions are standing firm. Former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy said it is a “tragedy” that Trump chose to violate his oath of office and some of the country’s bedrock principles in seeking to “overturn a fair and free election.” “I think it is a sad day for America that a man who held the highest office in this country had to be indicted,” said Murphy.

“Businesses brace for deluge of new regs from Biden’s labor cops” via Nick Niedzwiadek of POLITICO — D.C.’s slowest month is going to be one of the busiest for the nation’s labor cops. Biden’s appointees are poised to dramatically reshape the work lives of tens of millions of workers and the businesses that employ them. The Department of Labor, National Labor Relations Board and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, each operating on a separate track, are readying to push out new regulations and rules on everything from overtime pay to who counts as an employee.

“Deadline looms for toxin-exposed veterans to register for backdated benefits” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — One week from today will mark a year since Biden signed the PACT Act, the largest expansion of benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances in more than 30 years. To date, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has received more than 770,000 PACT Act claims, of which 78% were approved. That includes some 65,000 Florida veterans who signed up for benefits since the legislation went into effect last year. There is no formal date by which veterans must apply for the new benefits. However, the coming anniversary of the PACT Act’s ratification, Aug. 9, is the last day veterans must apply for those benefits to be retroactive to when the measure was signed.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Deputies to close off Stoneman Douglas for tour and reenactment of mass shooting” via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Broward deputies will be closing off access to the area surrounding Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Friday, making room for a delegation from Congress to tour the site and, later, for at least one reenactment of the mass shooting that permanently scarred South Florida 5½ years ago. Road closures will begin at 2 a.m. on Pine Island Road/Coral Springs Drive from North Community Park (just north of Westview Drive) to the intersection of Pine Island and Holmberg Road. Holmberg will be closed off from the Pine Island intersection west to the Heron Bay Boulevard roundabout, also starting at 2 a.m.

“Ethics complaint over alleged slap dismissed against Broward School Board member” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A state Commission has dismissed an ethics complaint alleging Broward School Board member Allen Zeman inappropriately slapped a district staff member on the buttocks, saying the allegation doesn’t fall within the Commission’s purview. The Florida Commission on Ethics has not yet taken any public action on a complaint against another School Board member, Brenda Fam. She was accused of touching the buttocks of an 18-year-old student at a district-sponsored event on March 27. Both Zeman and Fam denied wrongdoing. The Ethics Commission announced it had dismissed an unrelated complaint against Fam involving a dispute with a neighbor, but the Commission wouldn’t comment on the inappropriate touching allegation.

“Sex, drugs and a Broward doctor banned from female patients and controlled substances” via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald — Just three weeks after Deerfield Beach’s Dr. Sameh Wahba got his Florida license, the New York State Department of Health filed a complaint charging him with incompetence, negligence, sex with a patient and prescribing addictive drugs to seven patients without documented reason. Wahba gave up his New York license, claiming he “could not successfully defend at least one of the charges.” Three years and seven months later, Florida’s Board of Medicine disciplined Wahba. A final order fined Wahba $2,500 and “permanently restricted” him from seeing female patients and prescribing controlled substances. He also must complete two five-hour continuing medical education courses.

“Delayed ‘signature bridge’ project Miami delayed again — to late 2027” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A repeatedly delayed project to double-deck a portion of the Dolphin Expressway and erect a “signature bridge” flourish over Interstate 395 in Miami has now encountered even more setbacks. The project, which was expected to top off this year when shovels first hit dirt back in April 2019, is now expected to reach completion in late 2027 at a cost $38 million more than originally estimated. Cynthia Turcios, a representative for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) branch spanning Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, said “supply chain issues, among other factors, including weather and holidays” caused the new delays.

“Surfside Mayor’s comment about speaking Spanish angers Commissioner, others during meeting” via Catherine Odom of the Miami Herald — Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger and Commissioner Nelly Velasquez often butt heads at Town Commission meetings. But at a meeting this week, their usual conflict escalated further. As Danzinger spoke about a proposal to extend the length of elected officials’ terms, Velasquez attempted to chime in to voice her disagreement. Danzinger asked her to stop interrupting him. Then the Mayor asked, “Does anybody know how to speak Spanish to tell it to her?” Members of the audience audibly gasped at the comment, and Danzinger used his gavel to bring the room back to order. When asked about the remark, Danzinger told the Herald he was “trying to get information clarified to the Commissioner.”

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Orange County’s tourist-tax revenue slipped again in June” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Tourist-tax revenue in Orange County, which hit an all-time high in March, slipped again in June, a third-straight monthly drop after 14 consecutive record months. “The roller coaster’s heading down,” said Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond, who sometimes uses the analogy of a theme-park thrill ride to illustrate the volatility of the revenue stream. He said the lower year-over-year figures for April, May and now June suggest that pent-up demand for post-pandemic theme-park vacations has waned after spawning historic tourism revenues. “I think we’ve plateaued,” said Diamond, whose office tracks revenues raised by the county’s 6% tax added to the cost of a hotel room, a home-sharing rent like Airbnb, or other short-term lodging option.

“Orlando International Airport’s voice: Carolyn Fennell retires after 43 years” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — Winding up her lengthy career, Fennell has personified Orlando International Airport perhaps more than anyone. She’s worked there longer than every colleague, reported to 13 Directors and nine Chairs, and helped grow her workplace from a backwater landing strip to the gateway for the nation’s top tourism stop. Along the way were recessions, a terror attack, mortgage crisis and a pandemic. Fennell has been director of public affairs for nearly 43 years. She’s had various titles for mostly the same job: the airport’s voice for all those people and events.

“Seminole Commissioners seek return of taxpayer money from Joel Greenberg’s ‘no work’ contracts” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — Days before political consultant Michael Shirley was found guilty of profiting greatly from a bribery-and-kickback scheme with Greenberg, Seminole County Commissioners agreed to explore how to recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in public money doled out by the disgraced tax collector for “no work” contracts. “The fact that, we believe, there were no-work contracts that happened in this county, then our citizens are owed money,” said Commissioner Andria Herr. “For people to do that, and get off absolutely scot-free, with no ramifications, is completely unacceptable.” In all, Greenberg paid out more than $2 million in public money on more than a dozen lucrative contracts for attorneys and consultants, some of whom were his personal associates.

“‘An absolute circus’: Apopka City Council censures Mayor Bryan Nelson during contentious meeting” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Apopka City Council voted to censure Mayor Nelson, alleging he lied to the board this Summer about the employment status of the city’s former legal counsel, Michael Rodriguez. “We, as a Council, as well as the people we represent, deserve better,” said Commissioner Kyle Becker, who drafted the censure resolution that levies no fine or other punishment to hold him accountable. The unusual action, adopted by a 3-1 board vote, followed a rancorous 30-minute exchange between the two-term Mayor and his Council colleagues as all sides talked over one another on the dais. As a voting member of the Council, the Mayor voted against censuring himself.

“UCF to rework hiring process after Sentinel report on veteran services director’s past misconduct” via Christopher Cann of the Orlando Sentinel — The University of Central Florida intends to “improve” its hiring process after an internal investigation found “significant weaknesses” that, in part, led to the employment of Michael Kepner to lead the university’s military outreach program. After the Orlando Sentinel published a story detailing his past misconduct, the University Compliance and Ethics department began looking into the hiring of Kepner, who in 2015 was convicted in a military court-martial related to allegations that he had sexually harassed and assaulted a female subordinate. Investigators found several blunders by multiple departments leading up to UCF’s offer of employment, including that no one looked into Kepner’s disclosure of unacceptable conduct in the military or his termination from Valencia College.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Jane Castor calls proposed tax hike for Tampa a ‘critical investment’” via Olivia George of the Tampa Bay Times — Facing an influx of new residents and an ever-growing backlog of maintenance projects, Tampa Mayor Castor on Thursday proposed a double-digit tax rate increase and unveiled a $1.92 billion budget that reflected a long list of persistent challenges for Tampa, from spiraling rents to potholed streets. Her property tax hike would help boost the city’s general revenue fund, its main operating account, by $45 million. It would add about $230 to the tax bill of a homeowner with a home with an average assessed value. Castor said a rate increase, which has happened in Tampa only once since 1989, is necessary to tackle the city’s pressing concerns: housing, transportation, public safety and parks. The proposed hike comes as the Tampa Bay region grapples with one of the highest inflation rates in the nation.

“St. Petersburg Council Chair wants embattled Fire Chief out” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — City Council Chair Brandi Gabbard joined calls for new leadership at the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Department after anonymous comments from an employee survey accused its chief of overseeing a hostile workplace for women and minorities. In a statement Thursday, Gabbard said in her own interactions with Fire Chief Jim Large, she has experienced “disrespect, bullying, and attempts at intimidation.” And she said she has shared her experience with Mayor Ken Welch over the past month. She is the second Council member to call for Large’s replacement. Council member Richie Floyd posted a statement online Wednesday calling for a “change in leadership.” In a text, the city spokesperson referred to previous statements on how city officials are still working through the survey’s results and “determining next steps to ensure fairness for all members of our city team.”

“St. Pete City Council to re-examine Tenant Bill of Rights” via Spectrum Bay News 9 — City Council members will hear from residents Thursday about repealing the city’s tenant bill of rights in its entirety. St. Petersburg, along with dozens of municipalities across the state, adopted rules for how landlords should handle rent increases and evictions. But a new state law preempts those regulations, setting a statewide standard instead. According to the meeting’s agenda, the city is considering repealing all ordinances which codified the tenant bill of rights, in order to comply with the Florida Landlord Tenant Act. Critics say the law offers fewer protections for tenants than the bill of rights. Members of the St. Pete tenants’ union will be speaking at the meeting to ask city leaders not to repeal the measure.

“St. Pete votes to expand program that involves social workers in nonviolent police calls” via Jenny Dean of 10 Tampa Bay — The St. Petersburg City Council voted on Thursday to renew and expand a program that helps police divert mental health calls to social workers. It’s called the Community Assistance and Life Liasion program, or CALL, and it was started in early 2021 after protests and demands for police reform across the country. Emergency calls that are nonviolent and noncriminal can be diverted to a navigator or social worker that deals with mental health issues or youth-related calls to help resolve the situation and even provide follow-up care. Many times, they don’t need to involve law enforcement. “Currently we are 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. This would move services until 2 a.m. That would be an expansion of services as well and we are adding additional staff. We’re adding a navigator pair and a clinical-level supervisor,” St. Pete Police Administrative Services Bureau’s Megan McGee said. The additional funding would also allow the program to provide supplemental items for people on calls who might need them.

“Pinellas planning agency undergoes significant expansion” via Mark Parker of the St. Pete Catalyst — Forward Pinellas will expand from 13 to 19 board members — with St. Petersburg receiving two additional seats — as its director explores creating a regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Chair Janet Long called Wednesday’s discussion an emergency meeting, as time is running out for local elected officials to agree on representation. She also noted it was the sixth time the board debated the issue. Forward Pinellas must submit an apportionment plan to the Governor that aligns with the latest census statistics by the end of the year. The agency is also leading an initiative to merge Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas County’s planning agencies into one MPO. The agency’s board comprises area Mayors, City Council members, and County Commissioners. St. Petersburg officials currently hold two seats, 15.4 % of the vote. However, the county’s largest municipality encompasses 26.9% of its population. County Commissioners represent 28.7% and have three votes, and Clearwater — with 12.2% of Pinellas residents — holds one seat.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“The cost of playing politics with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — A man arrested this past Spring for allegedly filing a “blatantly false” administrative complaint against a police officer following a January traffic stop pleaded no contest and will have adjudication withheld, meaning he won’t be convicted of the second-degree misdemeanor and must only pay the minimum court costs. For Breion Brown, the defendant, the result was about the best he could have hoped for. For Sheriff T.K. Waters, who turned Brown’s arrest into a rather explicit public-relations stunt, the resolution of Brown’s case should give pause. In arresting Brown, Waters established a new precedent, according to defense attorneys I had spoken to earlier this year.

“‘Fresh eyes’: Donna Deegan puts her stamp on Jax Kids Hope Alliance Board” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Jacksonville Mayor Deegan is putting her own people on the city’s Kids Hope Alliance board, as she seeks to make the organization align with her administration’s priorities and move away from the Lenny Curry era. She will be replacing Board members Tyra Tutor, Jenny Vipperman and Marvin Wells, as well as former Jacksonville City Council candidate Rose Conry and Rebekah Davis, the wife of defeated mayoral candidate Daniel Davis. Only Kevin Gay, who has worked on Deegan’s transition, and Marsha Oliver, who was once a spokesperson for the Curry administration, will remain on the seven-person panel. The new nominees include Lawrence E. Dennis, a VP at Mainstream Development Educational Group and former Regional Superintendent for Duval County Public Schools.

“Number of registered lobbyists plummets at City Hall; ethics watchdogs worried” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — The number of lobbyists registered to do business at City Hall took an unexpected and precipitous plunge this year, prompting ethics watchdogs to renew their call to close a “consultant loophole” in Tallahassee ordinance. Last year, 29 lobbyists represented clients from Honeywell to Publix and smaller companies in between registered to lobby City Commissioners and staff. They paid their annual $25 registration fees and disclosed their clients and interests. But so far this year, only six lobbyists have signed up, marking a 77% year-to-date drop and an all-time low in registration numbers since the city’s lobbying ordinance was enacted in 2011.

“Bay County OKs requirements for short-term rentals, including warnings for beachgoers” via Nathan Cobb of the Panama City News-Herald — Bay County Commissioners on Tuesday approved two ordinances that will affect short-term rental property owners and tourists visiting the area. One creates an annual checklist of requirements for such owners, while the other mandates that information on rip currents and double red flags be displayed on their properties. “We want to do the absolute best we can do to educate every single person who comes here, even if they forget what they learned last year,” Commissioner Clair Pease said. “We want to do it every time they come, and we want them to teach their children.”

“Critics of Florida Black history standards rally outside Duval County schools headquarters” via Steve Patterson of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union — Critics of new statewide directions for teaching Black history in public schools carried signs and chanted outside the Duval County School Board’s Southbank headquarters before the board met Tuesday evening. “History is not a crime! Tell the truth and not a lie,” shouted the crowd of close to 100 people ridiculing standards that have become entwined with DeSantis’ presidential aspirations and drew a rebuke from Vice President Kamala Harris. Critics urged the School Board to adopt a resolution rejecting the standards, which have been widely ridiculed as whitewashing the past by referencing Blacks benefiting from skills gained in forced labor.

“Skanska lost its appeal. What that ruling means for Pensacola.” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — A federal appeals court sided with a Pensacola federal judge who found that Skanska was negligent in its response to Hurricane Sally when more than two dozen of its barges broke loose from their moorings, causing chaos across Pensacola Bay. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled against Skanska’s request to overturn Pensacola U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier’s December 2021 decision that found Skanska could not shield itself under an obscure 19th-century maritime law. More than 1,000 people and businesses have come forward with claims against the company in state court because of damage caused by the barges or economic loss from the closure of the Pensacola Bay Bridge for eight months following the storm.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Manatee County has a new Acting County Administrator as Lee Washington steps down” via Jason Dill of the Bradenton Herald — Manatee County Commissioners named Charles Bishop as an acting County Administrator during a special meeting, a news release said. Bishop replaces Washington, who resigned for personal reasons, the release said. “Mr. Washington stepped up when we asked and did the job,” Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge said in the release. “And thank you, Charlie, for stepping up to serve the county as well.” Bishop is a retired United States Air Force veteran with a master’s degree in public administration. He has worked as a project manager, facilities service manager, infrastructure division manager, construction services division manager and director of property management for Manatee County. In August 2021, Bishop was named a deputy county administrator.

“Scott Wirth tapped Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief months after Chief Ronald Martin’s resignation” via Tomas Rodriguez of the Fort Myers News-Press — Months after one of the longest-tenured Fire Chiefs in Southwest Florida announced his resignation, Fort Myers Beach Fire announced his replacement. The Fort Myers Beach Board of Fire Commissioners selected Wirth. He was the fire district’s chief of operations before he began his role as Acting Fire Chief in March when then-Chief Martin announced his resignation. Wirth has 34 years of public service and has served the coastal community since 2017, just before Hurricane Irma, according to a memo from the fire district. In 1989, while in high school, Wirth began his career in the fire service when he joined the Placid Lakes Volunteer Fire Department in Lake Placid, Fire Official Jennifer Campbell wrote in Wednesday’s memo.

— “New Fort Myers Chief seeks crime control — but reckless drivers beware” via Bill Smith of the Fort Myers News-Press

“Skeptical residents pack house as developer talks about plans for Sarasota’s Laurel Park” via Derek Gilliam of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Nearly 100 residents of the downtown neighborhood of Laurel Park attended a neighborhood workshop hosted this week by Benderson Development Co. in a process that could see part of the historic neighborhood rezoned and redeveloped after Sarasota County government vacates its longtime headquarters. The county has a lease agreement that runs through 2025 with Benderson after the Manatee County-based company purchased the property for $25 million in 2021. Benderson — which developed the University Town Center and is working on the Siesta Promenade, among many other commercial projects — met a skeptical audience concerned about recent changes to state law that creates the potential for dramatically higher residential growth.

— TOP OPINION —

“DeSantis hits reset button on campaign trail. Unfortunately, it’s too late for Florida” via the Miami Herald editorial board — DeSantis hit the reset button, shifting his focus to economic issues, as the Herald reported this week. He’s still rallying against what he describes as “woke,” but he’s poised to show his populist and sympathetic side.

On Monday, he announced a set of conservative run-of-the-mill economic proposals, vowed to cut spending and even talked about the country’s wealth gap and college debt. While some may welcome his sharpened attention to pocketbook concerns, we know better.

Even if DeSantis magically transforms into Ronald Reagan, the damage he’s done has been enshrined into every facet of Florida law and policy.

He has censored what teachers can say in classrooms about LGBTQ+ Americans and race. He’s railed against educators trying to “indoctrinate” kids while doing his own brainwashing.

Thanks to DeSantis, your kids may now be exposed to a cartoon video by PragerU Kids in which Christopher Columbus tells children that slavery was “no big deal” in his time, and that “being taken as a slave is better than being killed.”

Your child cannot receive gender-affirming care if they are transgender, even when recommended by a doctor. They can’t use the bathroom that aligns with their identity in government buildings. Your teenager cannot attend a drag queen show, not even with your supervision or consent. And your kid’s schoolteacher may lose their job if they teach Black history in a way that makes White parents feel their children are being blamed for racism.

Primary voters either care more about real issues or their support for Trump is too strong to waver for any other candidate. Regardless, by shifting his strategy DeSantis has recognized cultural grievances only go so far. In Florida, unfortunately, they’ve gone too far.

— OPINIONS —

“The closing of the Florida mind” via Tina Nguyen of Puck — In a Primary that requires Trump’s rivals to distinguish themselves, anyone with a hope of winning the ’24 nomination has been forced to sympathize with Trump’s legal predicament, if not take his side. In a perfect world, the DeSantis campaign would be executing the “reset” it promised donors after weeks of gut-punch headlines: slumping poll numbers, out-of-control spending, sputtering fundraising, spooked donors, mass layoffs, the Peck versus Jeff Roe blame game, et cetera. Instead, he’s spending his time talking about purging the Justice Department — and still getting labeled a squish. DeSantis, at his core, is still running a Florida gubernatorial campaign, not the national presidential campaign he needs to win.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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— WEEKEND TV —

ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: PragerU CEO Marissa Streit, ABC News Political Director Rick Klein and Tallahassee correspondent Forrest Saunders.

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at South Florida politics and other issues affecting the region.

In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A discussion of what’s new for students and parents as they prepare to start a new school year, including a year-round school pilot program, and funding changes passed by the Legislature. Joining Walker are Commissioner Martha Santiago, District 4, Polk County and former education professional; and Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up for Students.

Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A look at Trump’s first court appearance after being indicted on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 Elections; and Florida Democrats launch “Take Back Florida” tour, aimed at rebuilding voter registration losses.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Rep. Johanna Lopez will discuss her first Legislative Session and what is on the agenda for lawmakers when they start Legislative Committee Week this Fall.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Steve Vancore and Kevin Guthrie.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Jacksonville City Council District 1 member Ken Amaro, UNF Biology Chair/professor Dr. Cliff Ross, Duval County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Accountability & Assessment Corey Wright, and Director of Career & Technical Education Jill Fierle.

— ALOE —

“Taylor Swift adds 3 more Eras Tour stops in Florida” via Spectrum News — Swift will be returning to Florida for her Eras Tour next year. The singer-songwriter announced on Thursday that she has added three Miami stops for Fall 2024. She will perform at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 18, Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. Swift also announced additional Eras Tour stops in New Orleans, Indiana and Toronto. Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams will open for Swift for the additional tour dates.

“Historic Ybor clock was believed to be magical. Now it’s a Lego set.” via Paul Guzzo of the Tampa Bay Times — Attention master builders: This new Lego structure wasn’t created by Lord Business and requires no Kragle. The J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has developed a set that re-creates their Ybor City factory with the fabled magical clock. And yes, said the company’s fourth-generation owner and general counsel Drew Newman, it’s awesome because, as “The Lego Movie” teaches, everything is awesome when it comes to the bricks. The set is not affiliated with the Lego company. It was designed by Brooklyn, New York-based Common Bond Design’s Tampa office, Newman said, and assembled and packaged by Indiana’s Brick Loot, which makes “custom sets using real LEGO bricks for Netflix, Penske, Domino’s and other businesses.”

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy birthday to former Rep. Andrew Learned, who has a lot to celebrate:

Welcome to the world Samuel James Learned ❤️ Sam was born this morning at 8:33 weighing 8lbs-9oz and 21" long, perfectly healthy. Mom is doing great, recovering, and enjoying her snuggles. Life is good. pic.twitter.com/CptFcxTheK

— Rep. Andrew Learned (@AndrewLearned) August 3, 2023

Also celebrating today is good guy, Rep. Tom Leek and our friends, Ryan Anderson, Patrick Baskette, Marty Fiorentino, and Herbie Thiele.

___

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