Peter Schorsch
Good Thursday morning.
The Florida Chamber is bringing the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time to its marquee workplace safety event next year.
Michael Phelps, who has won 23 gold medals, will be the opening speaker at the 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health + Sustainability, set for May 9-10 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
While Phelps’ pool deck prowess is unmatched, the legendary swimmer has made a splash in his post-Olympics career by sharing his struggles with mental health and encouraging others — athletes and average Joes alike — to do the same.
“I didn’t take care of myself fully for 20 years. By starting from the top, prioritizing mental health, doing it on a daily routine has given me the chance to become a better version of myself,” he told Insider earlier this year.
His message jibes with the overall theme of the Chamber’s event: transforming Florida into the safest, healthiest and most sustainable state in America.
While the Chamber does place particular emphasis on how business can lead the way with innovative practices in the workplace, the Conference will highlight members’ successes and promising practices that can improve the well-being of Floridians of all walks of life.
“Phelps’ inspiring presence is sure to ignite passion and determination among attendees to prioritize mental health in and out of the workplace, making this conference an unparalleled experience you don’t want to miss,” the Chamber said in a news release.
More information on the 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health + Sustainability, including registration details, is available on the Florida Chamber’s website.
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Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) has named Sara Sanders Bremer as its new Director of Government Relations, effective Aug. 14.
Bremer will rejoin FCCC to lead its legislative efforts by guiding strategies around statewide issues, fostering relationships with government partners, and advocating for Clerk priorities that support their critical services.
Bremer is uniquely familiar with Florida Clerks’ legislative priorities, having worked within FCCC’s legislative program in multiple capacities from 2008 through 2021.
Two years ago, Bremer left FCCC to become the Assistant Director of Government Relations at the University of Florida, where she further honed her skills and expanded her expertise.
“Sara is one of the most thoughtful, organized, motivated, and kind people in the process,” said Chris Emmanuel, the University of Florida’s Director of Government Relations. “We are thankful for many legislative wins Sara has brought to her alma mater and look forward to seeing her continued successes in this new role. The Clerks have hired back an outstanding Gator.”
At FCCC, Bremer will advocate for legislative support to close the Clerks’ funding shortfall gap. With her addition, FCCC said it is poised to build upon its recent legislative successes with long-term solutions that address funding issues and protect the critical services offered by Clerks’ offices across the state.
FCCC CEO Chris Hart IV added: “We are thrilled to welcome back Sara Sanders Bremer as our new Director of Government Relations for the association. Sara’s exceptional familiarity with legislative matters concerning Clerks of Court, her unparalleled acumen in navigating the legislative process, and her proven ability to advocate for complex issues make her an ideal choice to lead and elevate our government relations program as we continue seeking funding that makes Clerks whole.”
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@GovRonDeSantis: It’s my duty to protect the people of Florida. We will not tolerate a State Attorney who pursues an agenda at the expense of Floridians. Florida is a law-and-order state. As long as I’m Governor, it will stay that way.
—@SenRickScott: I’ve said since February that SA (Monique) Worrell’s suspension would be justified, and I’m glad the Governor took this action today. Florida will never be a sanctuary state for criminals.
—@AndrewWarrenFL: Another illegal and unconstitutional attack on democracy by a small, scared man who is desperate to save his political career. He wants to be a bully, but he’s actually a coward who has repeatedly violated the rule of law and the will of the voters to cover up his own weakness.
Tweet, tweet:
Proud to stand beside my friend, our rightfully elected State Attorney @MoniqueHWorrell this morning.
We stand ready to do whatever it takes to get Monique Worrell back into the office the PEOPLE elected her to. pic.twitter.com/RzPtkmpDcm
— Chris King (@ChrisKingFL) August 9, 2023
—@DougJBalloon: The real winner of the Montgomery riverfront brawl? Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
—@NateMonroeTU: While DeSantis flop sweats his way through Iowa — fake-smiling and fake-laughing with enough tension to pop the strings on a harp — his state simmers and suffers. It’s difficult to operate an ice cream shop when your only product is formaldehyde in a cup.
—@CommMannyDiazJr: There was nothing sudden about my inability to attend Senator (Shevrin) Jones’ town hall. As I told the Senator last week, I will be visiting schools throughout the state to welcome back students, parents and teachers for the first day of school.
—@ShevrinJones: Along with over 560,000+ constituents, of whom 42% are Black, consisting of parents and students, I am profoundly disappointed. I shared this same disappointment with you when we communicated. It’s all good, the people still desire answers about how we move forward.
—@fineout: Ed Commissioner (Manny) Diaz said he can’t attend an education town hall in Miami Gardens tomorrow because he’s visiting schools. Sen. Jones said Diaz agreed July 23 to come and discuss African American history curriculum. Back-to-school dates were already in place by then
—@Mdixon55: 2000 people requested tickets for this event
— DAYS UNTIL —
‘Billions’ final season premieres — 1; Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ tour in Tampa — 6; Port Orange, Lake Helen, Ponce Inlet to hold elections — 12; The first GOP Presidential Primary debate — 13; ‘Ahsoka’ premieres on Disney+ — 13; ‘Gran Turismo’ premieres — 15; The U.S. Open begins — 18; 2023 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 21; Florida GOP 2023 Statesman’s Dinner — 35; Florida House Fall 2023 Interim Committee Meetings begin — 39; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 57; Taylor Swift Eras Tour stops in Miami — 69; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 74; Britney Spears memoir ‘The Woman in Me’ drops — 75; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 85; Suncoast Tiger Bay Club hosts ‘Evening with the Tigers’ — 89; ’Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 92; Formula 1 will take over the Las Vegas Strip — 99; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 105; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 111; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 125; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: (Donald) Trump vs. DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 152; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 152; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 155; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 172; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 180; Georgia Democratic Primary — 185; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 197; Michigan Democratic Primary — 203; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 213; 2024 Oscars — 215; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 264; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 284; the Republican National Convention begins — 340; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 351; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 351; New ‘Alien’ premieres — 372; the Republican National Convention begins — 340; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 380; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 498; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 554; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 631; ‘Moana’ premieres — 687; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 862; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 995; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,017; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,230; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,369; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,325; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,688.
— TOP STORY —
“Ron DeSantis suspends another Democratic state attorney” via Lori Roza and Tim Craig of The Washington Post — DeSantis removed Worrell, a Democrat, from her job as the chief prosecutor for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit Court at a brief news conference in Tallahassee. It’s the second time in a year that the Governor, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, suspended an elected Democrat from office.
“The state of Florida is a law-and-order state,” DeSantis said from the room of the Florida Cabinet. “Refusing to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida puts our communities in danger and victimizes innocent Floridians.”
Worrell called the move “a political hit job” by a “weak dictator.”
“This is a smoke screen for his failing and disastrous presidential campaign,” Worrell said at a news conference outside her office in Orlando.
The action by the Governor, who has largely been absent from Florida as he campaigns in early Primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, came five days after two Orlando police officers were shot and injured during a traffic stop. SWAT officers later killed the suspected shooter.
The local police union accused Worrell of being “soft on crime,” on Monday — a theme DeSantis echoed Wednesday.
DeSantis’ office has had Worrell under scrutiny for more than a year. Worrell, the state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, which includes Orange and Osceola counties, was elected in 2020 with 66% of the vote. She ran as a liberal prosecutor who promised “restorative justice.” She said crime rates have fallen in Orlando since she took office.
Worrell, the second African American elected to the position and the first of Caribbean descent, said she will continue her re-election bid.
—”Andrew Warren decries DeSantis’ decision to suspend Monique Worrell” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics
“Who is Andrew Bain? Federalist Society judge picked by DeSantis to replace Worrell” via Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel — Bain, a member of the conservative Federalist Society, former prosecutor and Orange County judge, was picked by DeSantis to replace Worrell after he suspended her as State Attorney for Orange and Osceola counties. Bain was appointed to the county bench by DeSantis in 2020. Before that Bain, 37, worked as a prosecutor for about seven years in the Orange-Osceola circuit, handling cases involving misdemeanors, felonies and juvenile delinquencies. “I started my legal career at this office,” Bain said. Speaking at a news conference with DeSantis, Bain cited the “second purpose of the law” as described by John Calvin, the 16th century French Protestant reformer.
— THE TRAIL —
“Donald Trump to be accompanied by Florida Republicans in Iowa amid dueling visit with DeSantis” via Julia Shapero of The Hill — Trump is set to be accompanied by nine Florida Republicans who have endorsed him over their home state Governor and Republican presidential hopeful, DeSantis, at the Iowa State Fair this weekend. Florida Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Carlos Gimenez, Anna Paulina Luna, Brian Mast, Cory Mills, Greg Steube and Mike Waltz will join Trump Saturday at the event in the key early-voting state, where both he and DeSantis are set to make appearances.
“Joe Biden picks on Rep. Lauren Boebert in clean energy manufacturing speech” via Alex Gangitano of The Hill — President Biden mocked Boebert on Wednesday during remarks out West on clean energy manufacturing, making her the latest Republican to get called out in his recent speeches. The President, in remarks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, discussed how climate change is leading to jobs being created to fix the problem, highlighting that a CS Wind plant is being constructed in Pueblo, Colorado. “Like in Colorado, where CS Wind broke ground on what will be the world’s largest wind tower manufacturing plant. And coincidentally, CS Wind is Congresswoman Lauren Boebert — you know, the very quiet Republican lady — it’s in her district,” Biden said.
New ad highlights DeSantis’ military service — DeSantis 2024 dropped a new ad spotlighting the Governor’s military service. “When our country was under attack, Ron DeSantis fought back. He joined the Navy, became a JAG Officer, volunteered to serve in Iraq, deployed with Navy SEAL Team 1, and earned a Bronze Star,” the ad narrator states. “Ron DeSantis embodies service over self.” In a news release, the campaign noted that, if elected, DeSantis would be the first President since 1988 to have served in a war. The 36-second spot follows the rollout of DeSantis 2024’s plan to “restore America’s military and make it mission-focused once again.”
To watch the video, please click on the image below:
—“DeSantis’ ‘terrible Summer’: Donors, experts see narrowing path to overtake Trump” via Zac Anderson of The Sarasota Herald-Tribune
—“DeSantis trolls Kamala Harris with campaign T-shirt, coffee mug” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“DeSantis, with a subtle maneuver, hides his small-dollar donations” via Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Shane Goldmacher of The New York Times — When WinRed, the company that processes nearly all online Republican campaign contributions, recently released its enormous trove of donor data for the first half of the year, donations were conspicuously absent for one presidential candidate: DeSantis. It was no technical glitch. The DeSantis campaign worked with WinRed in a way that prevented the disclosure of donor information, ensuring that the campaign’s small donors would remain anonymous. The arrangement appears to be the first of its kind for a presidential campaign since WinRed’s founding four years ago and could presage a return to an era in which far less information on small donors is made public, at least for Republicans.
“‘Like a boxing match’: DeSantis and Gavin Newsom embrace ‘risk’ in surprise debate” via Allan Smith of NBC News — “It’s a decent idea because Ron DeSantis has to find a way to break through and make some news on his own that’s not about Donald Trump,” Justin Clark, Trump’s 2020 deputy campaign manager and GOP pollster with National Public Affairs, said. “This does carry some risk — it’s not a Hail Mary, but it’s going for it on fourth down late in the first half.” The event is not without risk for Newsom, either. For starters, a right-wing opinion host will moderate it. Should DeSantis come across well, scoring points on Newsom in the process, Newsom could inadvertently play a role in boosting DeSantis’ GOP Primary campaign while harming his own prospects for higher office.
— MORE 2024 —
“The GOP’s belated — but growing — admission that Trump lost” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post — We’ve also seen something of an evolution from Trump’s 2024 opponents on that more fundamental question of the legitimacy of Trump’s defeat. Thanks to DeSantis finally deciding, after 33 months, to say Trump lost, nearly all of them have now done so. Some of the candidates have layered their acknowledgments that Trump lost with vague allusions to supposed problems with the election. That was the way Republicans couched their comments when they tried to massage Trump’s wild claims between November 2020 and January 2021. But now they are at least near unanimous that he lost, which is contrary to Trump’s own continued insistence that he was the rightful winner.
“Chris Christie dares Trump to call him a ‘fat pig’ to his face” via Bess Levin of Vanity Fair — When he’s not threatening to intimidate government witnesses, Trump is going after his GOP Primary rivals in the crudest terms possible. Which on Tuesday, meant calling former New Jersey Governor and 2024 hopeful Christie a “fat pig.” Christie responded to the remarks by suggesting Trump didn’t have the balls to say such things to his face at the first GOP debate — or show up at the debate, period. Christie skewered Trump for the string of indictments he’s been hit with since March, and the fact that Trump has tried to portray himself as a victim.
“Tim Scott: It’s ‘ridiculous’ to talk about climate over border emergency” via Caroline Vakil of The Hill — Sen. Scott said it’s “ridiculous” to talk about a climate emergency when the country is facing an emergency at its southern border. Scott was asked about Biden’s recent interview with The Weather Channel, in which the President said that “effectively speaking,” he already declared a national emergency concerning climate change. Calling it “a dereliction of duty,” Scott continued, “Let’s be clear about it. President Biden has failed this nation, especially in declaring the actual emergency, which is an emergency at our border. Fentanyl has killed 70,000 Americans; he should reinstate Title 42 for a health emergency called fentanyl. It’s killing Americans.”
“Mike Pence swipes at Vivek Ramaswamy over 9/11 comments” via Brett Samuels of The Hill — Republican presidential candidates Pence and Ramaswamy exchanged barbs after the former Vice President said he was “deeply offended” by Ramaswamy’s comments that he does not believe the 9/11 Commission. Pence, in an interview with the Union Leader in New Hampshire, addressed Ramaswamy’s comments that the conservative entrepreneur made to Blaze TV when he was asked whether he believed the government about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “I don’t believe the government has told us the truth,” Ramaswamy said. Pence told the Union Leader the comments “deeply offended” him. “I understand he was probably in grade school on 9/11 and I was on Capitol Hill,” Pence said.
“Trump’s 2024 campaign plans collide with strategy to stay out of jail” via Alex Leary of The Wall Street Journal — Trump’s campaign strategy is increasingly colliding with the legal one, sapping his time and financial resources as he pursues the twin goals of winning another term in the White House and staying out of prison. Trump says he is so politically energized by the three criminal indictments he faces that he claims he needs one more to ensure his election, a wish he could receive in the coming days from a Georgia grand jury over his efforts to overturn the 2020 Election. But Trump’s inflammatory attacks on prosecutors and judges are in direct conflict with his lawyers’ efforts to win him acquittals.
“Special counsel obtained search warrant for Trump’s Twitter account” via Kyle Cheney of POLITICO — Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a search warrant for Trump’s Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, earlier this year. Twitter’s initial resistance to complying with the Jan. 17 warrant resulted in a federal judge holding the company, now called X, in contempt and levying a $350,000 fine. A federal court of appeals upheld that fine last month in a sealed opinion. On Wednesday, the court unsealed a redacted version of that opinion, revealing details of the secret court battle for the first time.
“Trump classified papers judge questions prosecutors’ use of 2 grand juries” via David Lyons of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Two grand juries. One criminal case. Was their dual use proper? Or did federal prosecutors working for Special Counsel Jack Smith somehow run afoul of the rules by using a pair of investigative panels in their classified documents case against Trump? That’s what the judge overseeing the case against the former President wants to know some two months after he was indicted in South Florida along with personal valet Waltine Nauta for allegedly mishandling sensitive papers and obstructing a federal investigation. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, of Fort Pierce, raised the question in a filing in response to a government motion for a hearing on alleged conflicts of interest by the defense.
“Trump hearing on classified documents coming Thursday to Fort Pierce. Here’s what we know” via Gianna Montesano of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Trump and co-defendants Nauta and Carlos De Olivera are scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge Thursday to enter pleas to new charges added July 27 to an indictment in the classified documents case. Trump, though, has signaled he will skip the arraignment hearing at 10:30 a.m. at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. United States Courthouse. “I waive my right to appear in court at my arraignment,” Trump said in a court filing. Nauta is expected to attend the hearing to be arraigned on two new obstruction counts added in a superseding indictment. Like Trump, he may file papers to waive his appearance, but so far that hasn’t happened.
— DOWN BALLOT —
“Sen. Rick Scott visits Volusia County in ‘Keeping Our Kids Safe Tour’” via Mark Lehman of Click Orlando — Sen. Scott met with law enforcement, school officials and other local leaders in Volusia County Wednesday for a discussion on children’s safety. The roundtable discussion was held at a Boys & Girls Club in DeLand and is part of Scott’s “Keeping Our Kids Safe Tour.” Scott spoke about his legislative priorities and actions to protect Florida kids and families. Those in attendance spoke about challenges facing children and educators. The topics included drugs, human trafficking, toxicity on social media, and video game violence.
“Florida Democratic leaders urge Debbie Mucarsel-Powell to run for Senate” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Several Florida Democratic leaders are trying to draft former Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell to challenge Scott. Prominent activists and political organizers said the Miami Democrat represents the best chance to challenge the Republican incumbent. “Debbie Mucarsel-Powell would be a game-changing candidate for U.S. Senate,” said Jeffrey Miller, President of the South Florida AFL-CIO. Mucarsel-Powell won a seat in Congress in 2018, unseating Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo. She lost re-election two years later to Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, who has since won a second term in Congress.
“Two is a crowd for Democrats looking to take on Scott without a Primary first” via Stephany Matat of The Palm Beach Post — Two sources with knowledge of her plans said Mucarsel-Powell has committed to running against Scott and is getting ready with a team to launch a campaign. The sources also said in separate conversations that state Rep. Fentrice Driskell of Tampa is also considering a run. However, they said that top state Democrats prefer that Driskell, who serves as Florida House Minority Leader, run for Governor in 2026. One of the biggest concerns that political strategists engaged in these discussions said they harbor is the need to avoid a Primary battle next August. The 2024 Democratic senatorial nominee in Florida will need every dollar they can raise to strike back at the incumbent.
— DESANTISY LAND —
“DeSantis, tourism district argue for dismissal of Disney lawsuit” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis’ tourism oversight Board fired back against Disney, arguing that the court should either abstain from or dismiss the entertainment giant’s federal lawsuit. Disney’s allegations that Florida violated its First Amendment rights by overhauling Disney World’s special government district are “meritless,” lawyers for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District wrote in a legal brief. “The Constitution … does not entitle Disney to a local government that functions essentially as the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, nor does it grant Disney a right to undermine the State’s attempt to end that corrupting arrangement,” they wrote.
“Judge denies request to block ban on undocumented-immigrant transport” via The Associated Press — Civil rights groups asked a federal judge Tuesday to stop Florida officials from enforcing a section of a new state immigration law that criminalizes transporting someone who has entered the United States unlawfully. But the jurist denied the request immediately on a technicality. The portion of the law known as Section 10 makes it unsafe for people to get to medical appointments, meet with family and go to work, the groups said in a motion that is part of a July lawsuit challenging the law. “For many individual Plaintiffs, Section 10 interferes with their ability to go about their daily lives,” said the motion, which asks for a temporary injunction halting enforcement.
— STATEWIDE —
“A giant real estate developer may have discovered another tax loophole in Florida” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — Records show that an affiliate of Benderson Development — a commercial property developer whose holdings include the sprawling University Town Center mall near Sarasota — used the loophole to shave $275,000 from its Florida income tax bill over two years. It involves a big federal tax break on capital investment — which the company is trying to turn into a state tax break, too. Imagine that The Walt Disney Co. spends $140 million to build a new ride in Orlando. The company has obviously incurred a huge upfront expense. But it also gained a valuable, income-producing asset — albeit one that will lose value over time and eventually need repairs or replacement. So, Disney is allowed to write off that expense on its taxes. But Congress has repeatedly offered businesses a tax break known as “bonus depreciation.” That allows them to write off these kinds of capital investments much faster.
“Back to school: Parents must give permission for teachers to use kids’ nicknames” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — Central Florida’s public school students head back to campuses Thursday, and if any of them go by a nickname or a name that isn’t in their official school records, parents must give permission for teachers to use those monikers. Orange County Public Schools said the new rule applies if parents want a boy named Robert to be called Rob or want a transgender girl with the name Robert on the birth certificate to be called Roberta instead. The notification from Seminole County Public Schools about the new rule tells parents, “Without the signed consent form from parent/guardian, staff are required to use only the legal name of the student.”
“What’s killing Florida’s coral reefs — and why you should care” via Dino Grandoni and Allyson Chiu of The Washington Post — In recent weeks, a blistering marine heat wave has sent water temperatures off the coast of South Florida, home to the largest living barrier reef in the continental United States, skyrocketing to record highs, causing an extensive coral bleaching event. The situation may get worse before it gets better, with much of the Caribbean projected to see coral-damaging temperatures in the coming weeks. “What people are really worried about is the longer it lasts, the more damage you start to see,” Jessica Levy, director of restoration strategy at the Coral Restoration Foundation said. “The fact that this happened in July and then we still have August and September, that’s scary.”
“Breeding technology helps scientists save coral species” via Mark Parker of the St. Pete Catalyst — With 100-degree water temperatures in the Florida Keys causing what one researcher called “unimaginable” deaths, local experts are pushing the scientific envelope to breed more resilient coral. Keri O’Neil, director and senior scientist for the Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation Program, is celebrating a small victory in the fight to save a threatened species from unprecedented heat. Corals are animals with an external skeleton created by thousands of tiny polyps, and the Tampa-based facility’s rescues are producing babies. Nurturing elkhorns to spawn in a lab is a perilous and complex endeavor. In September 2022, Aquarium scientists became the world’s first to successfully replicate the once-a-year process in a controlled environment. In addition, O’Neil noted that hottub-like ocean temperatures could impact reproduction in rescued coral, underscoring the spawning event’s importance. “The ones that we brought in from the ocean, we honestly didn’t know if they would spawn at all,” she said. The Aquarium’s corals began spawning on Aug. 4, about two weeks after O’Neil’s team joined a frantic effort to rescue the threatened species.
“Florida tops the nation in attracting high-income households” via Devonta Davis of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Florida attracted the most high-income households, those making over $200,000 a year, in the U.S. between 2020 and 2021. Despite the cost of living rising in the Sunshine State, the number of high-earning households continues to grow steadily. The state saw a net increase of 27,500 high-income households after subtracting the 12,567 that moved out from the 40,134 that moved in. Nearly 444,500 people moved here from July 2021 to July 2022.
— D. C. MATTERS —
“Biden orders ban on U.S. investments in China’s sensitive high-tech industries” via Peter Baker and David E. Sanger of The New York Times — Biden escalated his confrontation with China on Wednesday by signing an executive order banning American investments in key technology industries that could be used to enhance Beijing’s military capabilities. The order will prohibit venture capital and private equity firms from pumping money into Chinese efforts to develop semiconductors and other microelectronics, quantum computers and certain artificial intelligence applications. China is likely to see it as part of a wider campaign to contain its rise.
“Power sector rips Biden climate proposal” via Rachel Frazin of The Hill — A major lobbying and advocacy group for electric companies is pushing back on the Biden administration’s proposed climate regulations for power plants. In comments released this week, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is calling on the EPA to rethink how it will go about trying to reduce climate pollution from electricity. Under the EPA’s proposal, existing coal plants would be required to reduce their emissions by 90% based on the potential of emission-capturing technology. New natural gas plants and some existing gas plants would be required to either carry out the same cuts or run mostly on hydrogen energy. The EEI said the carbon capture and hydrogen energy technologies on which the rule is based are not “not deployable, available, or affordable across the entirety of the industry.”
“Defense agency holds contest for AI tools to boost cybersecurity” via Gopal Ratnam of Roll Call — The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, on Wednesday announced a new competitive grant program to design AI-based tools that can find and fix bugs in commonly used software. The contest is being launched at the annual DEFCON hacking conference starting Wednesday in Las Vegas. The program will award about $20 million in prize money, including a top prize of $4 million, said Perri Adams, the program manager at DARPA who will oversee the contest. DARPA also will fund seven small businesses each with $1 million to help them compete in the first phase of the competition, Adams said.
“JMI urges Florida delegation to vote against credit card crackdown” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — The James Madison Institute joined several other business groups asking Florida’s congressional delegation to vote against legislation that would boost credit card regulation at the federal level. The vice president of the conservative think tank, Lindsay B. Killen, wrote Florida’s U.S. Senators and Congress members a letter this week about the “Credit Card Competition Act,” which was recently reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat. Durbin’s office said the legislation aims to stop unfair practices by credit card giants like Visa and Mastercard, particularly regarding network and interchange fees.
“The average age of Congress is rising. That’s unlikely to change soon.” via Nick Mourtoupalas and Derek Hawkins of The Washington Post — Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s sudden freeze-up in a news conference last month, during which he appeared unable to speak for about 20 seconds, is a recent episode involving different lawmakers that have called attention to the age and health of Congress. Overall, Congress is getting older. The current class of lawmakers is one of the oldest in history, with an overall median age of 59. The median age of Senators is 65, the highest on record. In the House, the median age has hovered between 57 and 58 for the past decade, higher than in any year before that period.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Fabián Basabe sparks feud with Shevrin Jones over LGBTQ laws, local funding” via Jessee Scheckner of Florida Politics — He’s set his sights on Florida’s first openly gay Senator, Democrat Jones, over credit for local funding earmarks in this year’s state budget and a pair of LGBTQ-targeted bills that passed with his support. In a Wednesday letter, Basabe accused Jones of putting his “own name on all my hard work in securing record funding” for the areas where their districts overlap. He also complained that Jones has refused to meet with him and challenged the Senator to specify which lines in a pair of laws the GOP pushed through earlier this year target LGBTQ people. “You only provide a disservice to our constituents, and I do not appreciate your two-faced tactics toward our communities,” Basabe wrote in the letter, which bore the official Florida House seal. A few sentences later, he invited Jones to work with him “for the benefit of all” in his district, “if you finally choose to do so.”
“Palm Beach County Schools reverse course, will offer AP Psych this year” via Katherine Kokal of the Palm Beach Post — In an abrupt about-face, Palm Beach County Schools announced it will offer Advanced Placement Psychology after pulling the class last week due to statewide uncertainty about whether the course complies with parental rights laws. Schools Superintendent Mike Burke announced the decision at a back-to-school news conference, just six days after the district decided to pull the course from its offerings for the school year. Burke said the entire AP Psych course will be taught to Palm Beach County students, including unit six, which covers gender identity and sexuality as part of its content on developmental psychology.
“Here’s how South Florida schools will handle the AP psych course and its LGBTQ lessons” via Jimena Tavel of the Miami Herald — After a spat between the Florida Department of Education and the College Board over gender identity and sexual orientation lessons in a college-level high school class, Miami-Dade County Public Schools will offer the Advanced Placement Psychology course this school year, Superintendent Jose Dotres told the School Board in a memo Wednesday. Asked whether the course would be altered in any way, Miami-Dade school district representative Jackie Calzadilla said in an email: “No, all learning targets will be addressed throughout the course.” Broward County Public Schools announced Wednesday it will treat AP Psychology as an elective and parents will need to sign a document that allows their children to take the course.
“FAU receives $11.5M donation for amyloidosis research: What does it mean for the school?” via Jasmine Fernández of the Palm Beach Post — Amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by the buildup of an abnormal protein. It is life-threatening, and there is no known cure. But with an $11.5 million donation to Florida Atlantic University in July, Boca Raton philanthropists Ann and John Wood will help advance research on the disease. The donation will allow the university’s Schmidt College of Medicine to create the FairfaxWood Health and Innovation Technology Initiative. The initiative will focus on the FAU Amyloidosis Project, designed to create a “game-changing infrastructure that will combat amyloidosis using a collaborative, whole-body approach,” a news release from the university said.
“Miami airport expands facial-recognition verification of passengers’ identities” via Vinod Sreeharsha of the Miami Herald — If you booked air travel to visit family in Latin America on Avianca, Copa, or LATAM airlines, or to enjoy a late Summer adventure to the Middle East or Europe on Emirates or Turkish Airways, many of you likely will encounter something new before boarding your flight at the airport. The intent is to hasten your journey. Miami Airport on Wednesday started adding facial-recognition technology to at least 20 more international departure gates to verify the identification of individual travelers. Passengers leaving on international flights from these gates will line up in the airline boarding area and a small touchless camera will take a picture of each person and match it with their passports on file. This step should take seconds and eliminate the need to show your boarding pass and passport.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“‘Ghost’ candidate in Osceola County Commissioner race found guilty, sentenced to jail” via Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel — A former Kissimmee City Commissioner accused of being a “ghost” candidate in the 2022 District 4 race for Osceola County Commission was found guilty on all 14 criminal charges for campaign finance reporting violations and sentenced to 180 days in jail. The verdict came after a jury found Carlos Irizarry, 67, guilty on charges of willful certification of false or incomplete campaign treasury report and false reporting or deliberate failure to include information, according to court documents. Irizarry was sentenced to 180 days of incarceration at the Osceola County jail, 90 days of probation and 60 days of community service, according to court records. Irizarry pleaded not guilty on all 14 counts of election finance violations, court records show.
“Conservative former Moms for Liberty member announces run for Brevard County Commission” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Conservative activist and former Moms for Liberty member in Brevard County Katie Delaney announced she would be running to represent North Brevard’s District 1 on the County Commission. Her entry into the race makes her the third Republican actively running for the seat in a Primary to be held next August against former Titusville City Council member Robert Jordan and former Commission candidate Dwight Seigler, who has previously run as a Democrat and lost. Democrat Bryan Bobbitt and Libertarian Nathan Slusher are also running to represent District 1, which includes Port St. John, Titusville, Mims and Scottsmoor, as well as part of Cocoa. Republican Rita Pritchett currently represents District 1 and serves as the Commission’s Chair.
“Former Joel Greenberg associate gets prison term for COVID-19 loan fraud” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — A former associate of Greenberg was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to helping the disgraced Seminole County Tax Collector and others fraudulently obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nabil Dajani — who also was ordered to pay $734,500 in restitution to the federal government — is now the fifth person to have either pleaded guilty or been convicted on federal charges in connection with Greenberg’s crimes. In handing down Dajani’s 78-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell referred to Greenberg as “kind of like a criminal octopus” because so many people tied to the former tax collector have faced federal charges.
“Audit finds problems with handling, storing of hazardous materials by Orange County Utilities” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — A comptroller’s audit found Orange County Utilities carelessly mishandled hazardous materials in its workplaces, posing potentially unsafe conditions for employees. “They had (hazardous) materials in containers with no labels or with labels that were illegible, a problem because if stuff starts leaking out you don’t know what it is,” Comptroller Phil Diamond said, listing instances of careless handling of flammable, dangerous materials. “This could be very serious.” The audit was conducted in 2020 but 13 site inspections were performed in August 2021. “I think it’s important that utility management went with us on our inspections because they got to see what we were inspecting,” said Wendy Kittleson, assistant comptroller.
“Brevard superintendent clarifies decision on district not offering AP Psych course” via Finch Walker of Florida Today — Citing state law and concerns about student and teacher safety, Brevard Public Schools’ Superintendent provided clarity Tuesday on why the Advanced Placement Psychology course will not be taught this year within the district. Near the end of a 90-minute School Board meeting, Mark Rendell told the public that Florida Superintendents had been advised multiple times that the course could only be taught if done so in an age-appropriate manner. According to House Bill 1069, which restricts discussions of gender and sexuality in grades K-12, this would make teaching the course in its entirety impossible, he said, as a section of the course mentions gender and sexuality.
“SeaWorld blames 2% attendance drop on bad weather, wildfires” via DeWayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Attendance was down 2% at SeaWorld Entertainment’s theme parks during the second quarter, a drop that officials attributed primarily to “significantly adverse weather” and effects from Canadian wildfires. SeaWorld’s parks saw 125,000 fewer visitors in 2023’s second quarter, which ended June 30, than they did in 2022. “Some combination of unusually hot and cold weather, rain, and/or the fallout from Canadian wildfires impacted most of our markets during the quarter,” said Marc Swanson, CEO of SeaWorld Entertainment.
— LOCAL: TB —
“Pinellas argues it doesn’t owe Pasco taxes. It just paid them anyway.” via Jack Evans of the Tampa Bay Times — For nearly a decade, Pinellas County’s government has argued that it shouldn’t have to pay taxes on land it owns in Pasco County. The county still believes it’s immune from taxation, and the dispute between the counties is still waiting on a ruling from the Florida Supreme Court. But Pinellas has paid the taxes anyway: As of last week, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano said, Pinellas has paid off back taxes on its 12,400 acres of north Pasco ranchland. The county brought its balance to zero with a $64,394.04 check sent to Fasano’s office last Wednesday. It cut the check, Fasano said, after his office allowed the initiation of a process that could have led to the land being auctioned off. Pinellas bought the land, collectively known as the Cross Bar and Al Bar ranches, for its groundwater resources in the 1970s and 80s. Regional water supplier Tampa Bay Water now owns the wells on the land, and Pinellas harvests timber and pine straw there.
“Descendants and stakeholders of erased Clearwater cemetery discuss designs for potential memorial” via Nick Popham of Bay News 9 — A group of stakeholders and descendants of a forgotten cemetery in Clearwater held a meeting to discuss the area around Missouri Avenue. The design team, which includes descendants of some of the people buried at the erased site, is discussing how they should commemorate and honor the remains of people buried under the area around the FrankCrum building. Part of what they want to do is move the graves from the FrankCrum site over to another forgotten cemetery in North Greenwood. The descendants met with the city recently and are still working on putting the final touches on their proposal.
“Tampa’s first Muslim-led resettlement agency prepares to welcome refugees in September” via Jada Williams of ABC Action News — For many, escaping a war-torn country and finding a new home is scary. “CAIR Florida, we’ve had an influx of refugees and asylum cases, and by the grace of God, we’ve seen a lot of asylees being granted their asylum cases in a very fast and efficient manner,” said CAIR Florida Chief Executive Director Abdulah Jaber. A new Tampa resource is making the transition feel more welcoming to some. Under the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration, Radiant Hands is now a federal resettlement agency. It’s also the only Muslim organization, joining Lutheran Services, Church World Service, and Gulf Coast Jewish Family as the city’s official resettlement agencies.
“Inland Hillsborough under rare ‘excessive heat warning.’ Here’s what to know.” via Michaela Mulligan of the Tampa Bay Times — The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued an “excessive heat warning” for parts of west Central Florida, including portions of Hillsborough County — which might be a first for the Tampa Bay area, forecasters said. An excessive heat warning is issued when the heat index could reach 113 degrees. Wednesday’s warning began at 11 a.m. and will run until 7 p.m., for Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, inland Hillsborough, inland Manatee and inland Sarasota counties, along with other eastern parts of the state. The heat index could reach a staggering 115 degrees in those areas, the warning said. Those not in an excessive heat warning are under a heat advisory in Florida, and heat indexes there could reach 112 degrees.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Can Escambia Children’s Trust buy land for the city? Attorney general asked to weigh in” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — The Escambia Children’s Trust wants an opinion from the Florida Attorney General on if the tax-funded organization can legally buy property for another entity after Pensacola proposed having the trust fund a $3.5 million grant to create a Children’s Resource Center. The trust voted 7-0 on Tuesday to have its attorney officially request a legal opinion from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office over the question of buying property. Meanwhile, during a discussion over the Trust’s policy on awarding “sole-source” contracts, Children’s Trust Executive Director Tammy Greer said that based on the current policy, she would not have moved forward with the city’s proposal.
“GRU expects to increase electric, wastewater for customers to offset rising costs, debt” via Andrew Caplan of the Gainesville Sun — Officials for Gainesville Regional Utilities plan to ask the City Commission for rate increases for electric and wastewater for the upcoming budget cycle, the municipal utility announced this week. The projected annual increases have become an industry standard but come at a time when Gainesville’s utility is under more scrutiny than ever before — and more so than any other utility in the state. In June, DeSantis signed a controversial bill that took away the Gainesville City Commission’s century-long control of the utility, placing all decision-making powers with a board he will soon appoint.
“Panama City Beach Council gives City Manager more decision-making power in emergencies” via Nathan Cobb of the Panama City News-Herald — The City Manager now has more unilateral decision-making power during select emergencies. The Panama City Beach City Council on Tuesday approved the second and final reading of an ordinance to give the City Manager the authority to make governing decisions during natural, technological and human-made emergencies without the approval of the Council. Such situations might include hurricanes or terrorist attacks. This adds to an existing ordinance put in place in April 2022 that gave the City Manager the same authority during civil emergencies. The ruling came in the wake of “Panamaniac,” an unsanctioned event that created a dramatic spike in crime throughout the area.
“Jacksonville Civic Council names Dennis Whittle as CEO and president” via Max Marbut of the Jacksonville Daily Record — The Jacksonville Civic Council appointed Whittle its new CEO and president to lead the organization into the next chapter of its public policy and community work. Whittle will become the third executive leader of the JCC and will start in the position in September. He succeeds Jeanne Miller, who announced in December she was leaving the organization and would serve as interim CEO until a new chief executive was selected. “Dennis is an excellent choice to lead the JCC now and into the future,” Eric Mann, Chair of the JCC board, said Aug. 7 in a news release. “He will be responsible for leading the JCC through implementation of the organization’s recently adopted strategic plan which will continue to strengthen and expand JCC’s impact in our community.”
“‘Future ready’: Inside TCC’s new charter school on campus, Tallahassee Collegiate Academy” via Tarah Jean and Alaijah Brown of the Tallahassee Democrat — School is back in session, but it’s a first for Tallahassee Collegiate Academy as the new charter school in town. The STEM-based school’s doors officially open Thursday with 150 to 200 students in grades 9-11 from Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties being taught by nine teachers on Tallahassee Community College’s campus in what used to be TCC’s three-story Academic Computing Center building. The single-building school off Appleyard Drive is decked with its blue, yellow and white spirit colors inside and greets students with the words “Welcome to Tallahassee Collegiate Academy” written across a wall on the first floor, along with the slogan “The future belongs to those who prepare for it. Let’s get future ready.”
“Jacksonville will be “living laboratory” for UF architecture degrees” via David Bauerlein of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union — The Cathedral House at the St. Johns Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville wouldn’t look out of place on the main campus of the University of Florida or any other university where the Gothic Revival style radiates a vibe of academia. The third floor of the four-story building is unused space. But over the coming year, a $350,000 renovation of the floor will turn it into City-Lab Jacksonville, joining Orlando as the second satellite location in the state where the University of Florida offers graduate-level classes for working students in the field of architecture.
“Proposed 38.4-mile commuter rail corridor would operate between Downtown Jacksonville and St. Augustine” via Taylor Levesque of First Coast News — Proposed plans for the first commuter rail corridor in Northeast Florida are in the works. The 38.4-mile First Coast Commuter Rail would operate between downtown Jacksonville and St. Augustine with stations along the way. The idea is that it will improve transportation and alleviate congestion between the two cities. The plans for the commuter rail are still up in the air but for the first time on Tuesday night, the public was invited to ask questions about the project. The meeting gave people the opportunity to see the vision for where the commuter rail will operate and what amenities the stations will bring to passengers and the communities around it.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
“After years of water issues, Manatee County wants to cut back on wetlands protections” via Ryan Ballogg of the Bradenton Herald — Manatee County leaders are fast-tracking proposed cuts to local wetland protections that would make it easier for developers to build near-natural habitats. The changes would reduce the required buffer zone between wetlands and development. They would also remove rules that require developers and the county to make efforts to restore habitats disturbed by building. A hearing before the county Planning Commission is set for 9 a.m. Thursday. The rules could appear before the County Commission for initial approval as soon as Aug. 17, and a final vote is slated for Oct. 5. Critics of the proposed changes say they could lead to an increase in pollution and habitat destruction.
“Manatee County eyes new properties for conservation, delays homeless veteran decision” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Crooked River Ranch property has been in the same family for decades, but Manatee County announced the waterfront site is one of several under consideration for purchase for environmental protection. Another larger tract of land called the Gamble Creek Preserve was also approved for conservation in the Parrish area. “My late father and mother held a deep affection for this old Florida property with its natural beauty and riverfront location,” said Elizabeth Skidmore, Crooked River Ranch co-owner. “For my father, he’s had it since the ‘70s. This place was his therapy. His place to unwind and commune with nature. It would be a treasured legacy to see it shared with others.”
“Collier County faces nearly $10.7M in unfunded requests next year. What we know” via Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News — Collier Commissioners are grappling with how to deal with a list of unfunded wants and needs for next year. County Commissioners discussed unfunded requests made by county staff, totaling nearly $10.7 million, ahead of September’s budget hearings. Commissioners provided direction on some requests, but held back on others, until they can have a larger discussion at the budget hearings, where they will consider trims to cover at least some of the unfunded items. Much of the discussion between the board and staff centered around parks, including rising maintenance costs, especially for public pools. The unfunded list included a request for $480,000 to support special events, staff training, and equipment and supplies for parks.
“Claims bill would clear $20M to grossly neglected son of former DCF foster parent” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Lawmakers next Session will consider awarding a Fort Myers boy who suffered severe brain damage a $20 million settlement from the state Department that paid and repeatedly ignored complaints about his drug-addicted and allegedly abusive mother. The boy, called C.C. in legislation (SB 8) Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez filed this month, will require lifelong care due to injuries he sustained overdosing on his mother’s methadone supply. That’s in part because the Department of Children and Families (DCF) failed to properly investigate seven serious complaints filed against the mother, Anna Highland, during the three years it licensed her as a foster parent, Rodriguez’s measure says.
“Construction on $90 million expansion of SMH Venice Emergency Department to begin” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Sarasota Memorial Health Care System will soon start construction work on a $90 million expansion of the Emergency Department and surgical facilities at the hospital’s Venice campus at the intersection of Laurel and Pinebrook roads. Plans call for increasing the size of the Emergency Department from 28 to 62 beds and the number of surgical suites from six to eight with enough shell space to add another eight surgical suites in the future. Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Venice campus was near capacity shortly after it opened in November 2021. The Sarasota County Public Hospital Board had approved adding a third bed tower to the campus before that.
— TOP OPINION —
“With second suspension, DeSantis alone picks who’s worthy of elected office” via the Miami Herald editorial board — In an executive order, DeSantis wrote that Worrell’s office has the lowest rate of incarceration among 20 judicial circuits for a series of violent felonies, such as armed robbery and gun crimes. He accused her of not seeking mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes and of “arbitrarily” limiting the number of counts for possession of child pornography. The suspension order included reports on incarceration rates from state agencies.
Worrell pushed back, saying at a news conference that a Department of Juvenile Justice report included in the order was “fabricated” by the agency that reports to DeSantis. She said her office has implemented jail diversion programs, and that Florida’s culture of “lock them up and throw them away” has not reduced crime.
This feud will guarantee DeSantis a lot of publicity and a platform to sound tough on crime in the GOP Presidential Primary. With his polling numbers down and his campaign going through a makeover, DeSantis is doing what he does best: finding a new liberal enemy he can crusade against.
Except, DeSantis is doing what no other Governor has done: abuse his authority to remove elected officials for political points. Florida law gives Governors broad authority to suspend people from office, but his predecessors used that power sparingly, normally reserving it for officials who have been arrested, not for ideological reasons.
DeSantis doesn’t respect democratic norms. He pushes them as far as he can.
Even if Worrell has been a bad state attorney, we doubt DeSantis has spent as much time and resources investigating Florida’s Republican prosecutors.
— OPINIONS —
“Can DeSantis’ campaign for President manage to rise from the dead?” via Howard Simon of the Miami Herald — With his stubborn defense of Florida’s new teaching standards for African American history, DeSantis has saddled himself with an image that is outrageous, hypocritical and so silly that it will be difficult for anyone other than complete devotees to take him seriously. DeSantis displays an arrogance and stubbornness that makes it difficult for him to admit the need for a course correction. The name of the super PAC backing his presidential bid, Never Back Down, is a giveaway. Of course, the DeSantis campaign may be able to rejoin the land of the living — especially if the Trump campaign is crippled by the former President’s mounting legal problems. Or, perhaps, we’ll see a DeSantis campaign reincarnated in some future election cycle.
“The prosecution of Trump may have terrible consequences” via Jack Goldsmith for The New York Times — Even if the prosecution succeeds in convicting Trump, before or after the election, the costs to the legal and political systems will be large. There is no getting around the fact that the indictment comes from the Biden administration when Trump holds a formidable lead in the polls to secure the Republican Party nomination and is running neck and neck with Biden, the Democratic Party’s probable nominee. This deeply unfortunate timing looks political and has potent political implications even if it is not driven by partisan motivations. The unseemliness of the prosecution will most likely grow if the Biden campaign or its proxies use it as a weapon against Trump if he is nominated.
“Lionel Messi is giving Major League Soccer something historic” via León Krauze of The Washington Post — Miami, a soccer-crazy town, welcomed him in a frenzy. Murals of Messi dressed in Inter pink popped up around town. Tickets sold out to watch him play in the team’s small, temporary stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Messi responded with fireworks. He has played four games and scored seven goals, at least half those in his trademark physics-defying fashion. But Messi has done something even more remarkable: He has treated MLS with respect. At 36, Messi could have approached his contract with Inter Miami as a comfortable early retirement. After 43 trophies, what else is there left to do? Play like a fierce, competitive lion for an emerging franchise in the United States, it turns out.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“John Wick ‘Continental’ trailer reveals Mel Gibson’s mysterious villain” via James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter — Continental focuses on events surrounding a hotel for assassins in New York City and stars Colin Woodell as Winston Scott — the young version of the Continental Hotel owner played by Ian McShane in the Keanu Reeves movies. Gibson also stars as a character named Cormac, an underworld kingpin and the hotel’s current manager. The Continental is the Oscar winner’s first TV series work since his recurring role in the short-lived 2004 ABC comedy Complete Savages.
To watch the trailer, please click on the image below:
“Someone in Florida just won $1.58 billion, the biggest Mega Millions jackpot in history” via C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network — Someone finally won the massive Mega Millions jackpot last night, and that person or group is now the biggest winner in Florida lottery history. One ticket took the estimated $1.58 billion prize, the largest Mega Millions jackpot yet. That’s billion, with a b. Although that number is just for bragging rights. According to the Mega Millions website, the cash option for that jackpot is $783.3 million. The winning ticket was sold at a Publix in Neptune Beach, the Florida Lottery said Tuesday night. And it was a quick pick. Check your numbers! Another Florida ticket won a second-tier Mega Millions jackpot of $1 million, which is still nothing to sneeze at. And a Fantasy 5 winner will soon have their jackpot of $57,258.55 to think about.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to Angie Herron, Democratic communications consultant Josh Karp, and Tyler Sununu.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
