Staff Reports
The narrative from the state Department of Education is that efforts to bolster teaching ranks have put more teachers in front of the state’s public-school students than last year.
The department (DOE) is pushing back hard against the most prominent teacher union’s claim that school is starting in the Sunshine State with teacher and school support vacancies at a record high. DOE says that better pay to stand in front of the state’s 3 million public school students and legislation that created more pathways to get there have put teacher vacancies down 8% from last year.
“Their hard work has paid off,” State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said in a prepared statement praising his department, the Governor and the state Legislature, though not precisely in that order.
But the report from the front lines — albeit from a group known to lean Democrat in high numbers — paints a grim reality.
“People are not staying because they are being told they are not teaching students; they are indoctrinating,” said Anna Fusco, who is the president of the Broward County chapter of the Florida Education Association. “People are bringing in false narratives, creating a hateful villainization of our teachers … it shouldn’t be happening.”
She’s talking about the Parental Rights in Education Law passed in 2022 and expanded in 2023. She also cites the law prohibiting education that makes people feel guilty or ashamed based on race or ethnicity.
In practice, it’s resulted in a host of rules on the ground. State training now includes warnings that teachers can be charged for providing “inappropriate” materials to minors. Fusco says it has cast a pall over the educational proceedings and empowered those who are quick to misinterpret.
“Being an attorney, or a doctor, or management or in IT, there are no laws out there saying if you say something wrong, they’ll be arrested,” Fusco said.
This year, kerfuffles have emerged about whether the College Board’s Advanced Placement Psychology can be taught in Florida schools and new African American history standards that seem to go against the grain of accepted scholarship. And it’s getting as personal as how teachers are allowed to call a student’s name.
Reports have surfaced that some school districts require that parents fill out a permission slip for a teacher to use anything other than the child’s legal name as written on their birth certificate.
FEA President Andrew Spar says that rules like that are ripping out the heart of why teachers want to teach.
The most memorable teachers are those who connect with their students; part of that process involves understanding and engaging individual students’ interests. It’s hard to do with so many rules, he said.
“The teachers who had the greatest impact on who I am, who I was, and helped shape me to be who I am today … those are teachers who connected with me in a real way,” Spar said.
Now teachers are getting color-coded messages telling them what’s OK to teach (highlighted green), what needs to be approached with caution (highlighted yellow), and what to avoid altogether (highlighted in red).
Spar has anecdotes aplenty: His daughter’s English teacher at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange is a coach, not certified to teach English. He said he met a teacher in Miami-Dade County this week who was quitting the day before school started there to go to Georgia and teach.
The DOE said their numbers result from their annual survey every year on the first day of school.
In Palm Beach County schools, the number of vacancies has dropped, so 3.3% of about 11,000 positions in the school district are vacant. Still, though, 360 permanent substitute teachers work in the system.
Florida law requires only a high school diploma to stand and deliver to the state’s students temporarily.
There’s a growing realization that new efforts are needed to address the teacher shortage, according to Alexandria Ayala, a Palm Beach County School Board member. Five out of six permanent substitutes at one of her district’s schools are on the path to becoming certified.
“The (human resources) team has developed some proposals to grow our own program that could help,” Ayala said. “It appears the prevalence of this scenario is prompting ideas and discussions about how to start addressing this.”
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Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida’s capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Anne Geggis, Christine Jordan Sexton and the staff of Florida Politics.
But first, the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:
— Take 5 —
Medicaid musings: Economists this week announced the Medicaid program would have a $227 million deficit at the end of the 2023-24 fiscal year. State economists overestimated the number of people who would be disenrolled from the program following the end of the public health emergency. Meanwhile, the state will increase the rates paid to the health plans and providers sponsored networks it contracts with to provide the poor, elderly and disabled health care, ranging from dental services to long-term care services. Medicaid managed medical assistance (MMA) plans are expected to get a 4.9% rate increase, long-term care plans a 3.3% rate hike. And dental plans less than a 1% increase. The Children’s Medical Services Plan, which contracts with the Department of Health to provide managed care to medically complex children (but is not considered part of the state’s MMA program), is slated to receive a 6.7% rate hike. Meanwhile, the state also pushed back the deadline for managed care plans to respond to the Medicaid ITN by three months.
Just say no: U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor this week refused to block a new law that bars certain Chinese citizens from being able to buy land in Florida, including agricultural land or property near military bases. Four Chinese immigrants and a real estate firm challenged the law that Gov. Ron DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson pushed. The U.S. Department of Justice weighed in and said that the law was unconstitutional and violated federal law. However, Winsor refused to issue a preliminary injunction because he maintained that those who sued did not show they were likely to prevail on the lawsuit. He also rejected an assertion that legislators intentionally discriminated against people of Chinese origin when they passed the law.
Going up: The security costs for DeSantis and his family rose significantly in the past year, according to a new report released this week by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The annual report from FDLE showed that the amount spent on a round-the-clock detail — along with the transportation costs for that detail — rose by nearly 60% from 2021-22 to 2022-23. More than $8.8 million was spent on security costs, not including money also spent by FDLE guarding the mansion grounds. The rise in security costs coincided with DeSantis running for reelection and launching a presidential campaign.
Georgia on my mind: Former President Donald Trump was handed his fourth indictment this past week, this time by Fulton County District Fani Willis. A grand jury indicted Trump and 18 allies for their role in trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the Peach State. Willis used laws that target gangsters to accuse Trump and others of a “criminal enterprise” to change the outcome in Georgia. Part of the indictment detailed a plot to tamper with voting machines in a rural county. Trump has denied all wrongdoing and contends the charges are politically motivated.
Commission rules bite Disney administrator: The legal counsel for the Florida Ethics Commission issued an opinion this week that Glen Gilzean has a choice to make — he can’t serve on that state board and run the district governing Walt Disney World. But as of Friday, he appeared reluctant to do that. Thursday, he emailed that same lawyer and asked him to propose changes to his contract to keep his $400,000-a-year job as the Walt Disney World governing district administrator Thursday, he sent an email to that same lawyer and asked him to propose changes to the contract for his $400,000-a-year job as the administrator of the Walt Disney World governing board to “bring it into conformity with the relevant rules.” The conflict resulting from Gilzean’s May appointment as administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District came to light this week via The Florida Bulldog, which pointed out that the Ethics Commission’s rules state that “no member may hold any public employment.”
— Final checks —
The Florida Disaster Fund dished out another $6.9 million in awards to support Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Southwest Florida, the Governor and First Lady announced this week.
DeSantis’ office said the new awards will support efforts on the ground and ensure that the impacted communities have ample resources to support long-term recovery efforts. With this week’s disbursements, the Florida Disaster Fund has awarded all $63.2 million in committed and received funds raised to help Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian.
“When Hurricane Ian struck Florida, the First Lady and I made a promise that we would be with the people of Florida every step of the way. Just under a year after the storm, I am happy to be awarding these funds to continue helping Southwest Florida in the recovery process,” DeSantis said.
“The Florida Disaster Fund has helped to cut through red tape and get money quickly into the hands of those who need it most. We’ve worked hard to raise more money than ever before and to disburse those funds faster than with any other storm.”
First Lady Casey DeSantis added, “When we launched the Disaster Fund for Hurricane Ian, the Governor and I were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the people of Southwest Florida. … Floridians are resilient, and it has been incredible to witness the work of nonprofit organizations on the ground who have made record progress in making these communities whole.”
The final batch of awards includes $2.3 million split among 17 long-term recovery groups in the hardest-hit counties; $2 million for Lee County Working Waterfront repairs; $900,000 for Lee County Emergency Management in partnership with the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades counties to house and manage the distribution network of commodities to Hurricane Ian survivors; $500,000 toward public boat ramp repairs; $500,000 for the Pine Island Beacon of Hope Organization; and $500,000 to help rebuild the Fort Myers Bayside Park; $200,000 to the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte counties.
The Governor’s office touted the speed at which the recovery funds were delivered — 84% of the nearly $64 million raised was deployed within 24 weeks after Ian made landfall. By comparison, 9.3% of Hurricane Michael funds and 12.8% of Hurricane Irma funds were awarded in the first 24 weeks following those storms.
— Scam alert —
After watching wildfires turn Maui into a smoldering heap, some Floridians may want to lend a helping hand — or donate a few bucks to relief efforts.
Attorney General Ashley Moody says that while supporting fellow Americans suffering in the wake of a natural disaster is a noble cause, some not-so-noble creeps are out there looking to capitalize on that goodwill.
“It is heartbreaking to see the devastation caused by the wildfires in Hawaii. Residents in the affected areas have endured tragic losses and Floridians may wish to donate to help the recovery. However, scammers may try to exploit the tragedy to take advantage of generous donors. Be cautious of bad actors when donating to help the victims of this tragedy,” Moody said.
Floridians who have lived through a major hurricane are familiar with the concept: A swindler may set up a GoFundMe, hire a phone bank, or blast out text messages carefully crafted to look like they came from legit charities. However, any cash you fork over is going directly into your pocket.
There’s probably a special, equally fire-ridden place for the people who perpetrate such scams, but the more pressing need is to not (literally) contribute to the problem. Moody’s office has some tips that will help you do just that.
First, check the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance at Give.org or Charity Navigator to determine whether a charity exists and if there are any complaints against the organization before donating. Next, do some research on how the charity uses donations. Repeat the first two steps if the charity reaches out to you rather than vice versa. Finally, read charity names carefully so you don’t fall for the old “Untied Way” trick.
If everything passes the smell test, then, by all means, donate to the cause — the people of Hawaii will thank you for it.
— Safety first —
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis swung through South Florida on Tuesday afternoon to deliver a few checks to firefighters.
The $50,000 in grant funding presented by Patronis, who doubles as State Fire Marshal, came from the Department of Financial Services’ Cancer Decontamination Grant Program, which Patronis convinced the Legislature to replenish during the 2021 Legislative Session.
The program promotes the health and safety of firefighters by providing financial aid to mitigate exposure to hazardous, cancer-causing chemicals.
According to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters, cancer “is the most dangerous threat to firefighter health and safety” and caused nearly two-thirds of career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002-19. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firefighters face a 9% higher risk of developing cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from the disease than the general population.
“It was an honor to join firefighters today in West Palm Beach to present them with checks for more than $50,000 in grant funding to ensure they have the vital equipment, training, and supplies needed to mitigate exposure to cancer-causing contaminants. These brave men and women work 24/7/365 to protect Floridians every day, no matter the cost. Between providing emergency services during Hurricane Ian to suppressing wildfires around the state, our firefighters are always ready to run toward danger to save the lives of others,” Patronis said.
According to a news release from Patronis’ office, The West Palm Beach Fire Department will receive $20,100, Marathon Fire Rescue will receive $24,750, and the Coral Springs Parkland Fire District will get the remaining $5,700.
“We have seen cancer tear holes in the firefighting community for far too long. Thanks to CFO Patronis, we will have the proper tools to do all that we can to limit the dangers of these toxins that we are exposed to and ensure that our fire firefighters are able to live long, healthy lives,” said West Palm Beach Fire Department Division Chief Jamie Walker.
Patronis also received praise from state Reps. Mike Caruso, Rick Roth, Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Kelly Skidmore, and several local elected officials.
“When everybody’s running out of the building, our firefighters are running in. They’re always ready, all the time. Now it’s time for all Floridians to stand behind them,” Roth said.
— Instagram of the Week —
— Slight delay —
Florida is postponing when it plans to announce the winners of contracts to manage the state’s health care safety net program.
State officials announced a three-month delay for the Medicaid managed care procurement and now said they will announce which organizations won the contracts in February 2024.
The modified timeline came 11 days before managed care providers were set to submit their responses to the Medicaid Invitation to Negotiate, originally released in April.
The new timeline gave health care networks until Friday to submit a second round of questions regarding the ITN. AHCA anticipates publicly posting the answers to the “Round 2” questions on Sept. 8.
Providers, meanwhile, will have until Nov. 9 to submit online comments to the state regarding experiences they have had with any of the plans that responded to the ITN. The new timeline has the state negotiating with top-scoring health networks in December and January.
The changes in the timeline could indicate potential unresolved concerns with the ITN that the state wants to resolve to avoid a possible future challenge. Florida Politics previously reported that the state had received at least two notices from potential vendors.
But it also means the DeSantis administration is delaying the award of the winning contracts until after the final third of the 2024 Legislative Session — and after several states have held their presidential nominating contests.
The initial timeline had the state announcing the winning contracts on Dec. 11.
— Unsealed —
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd is launching “Unsealed,” a new podcast highlighting the department’s often misunderstood role in government.
“The Unsealed podcast offers us the opportunity to bring attention to the great work being done in unexpected areas by the Department’s talented staff,” Byrd said. “The public may not be aware of the many varied roles of the Department of State. In addition to managing our state’s elections and corporations, Florida’s historical and cultural resources and libraries also fall under the purview of the Secretary of State.”
The podcast features conversations between Byrd and historians, scientists, subject matter experts, and others within the Department of State. Department of State Public Outreach Coordinator Elizabeth Johnson is the host.
New episodes will drop each month featuring a department employee to discuss their role or area of expertise. Byrd said the podcast will be rich with discussions on Florida’s history and insights into the department’s work.
The inaugural episode, “Keeper of the Seal,” features Byrd and Archives Historian Matthew Storey discussing the department’s history and its many roles in state government. The episode will also address how the role of the Secretary of State has changed over time.
The Department of State keeps Florida’s public records and preserves the state’s history and culture.
The first episode is available now on the Department of State’s Unsealed website. It is available across all podcast streaming platforms.
— More school blues —
Another education town hall has the state’s African American history standards on the agenda — along with school-based arrests, special education, and students’ mental health.
This education town hall, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Piney Grove Church, is not likely to set off the fireworks like the one in Miami Gardens did earlier this month when Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. did not show as promised.
But Sen. Rosalind Osgood is reprising her host role from that event, which brought 800 people together in response to the anger and outrage that followed the announcement that new history standards would include lessons on how enslaved people developed skills that could be used for their “personal benefit.”
“In Florida, the state of education is under attack, with multiple challenges risking its foundation,” Osgood said in a prepared statement announcing the town hall. “This town hall presents a vital opportunity for us to come together, listen to the concerns of the community, and find solutions to protect the quality of education. By having open dialogue and working together, we can ensure that our schools remain the center of excellence and nurture the potential of every student.”
Also, on tap to appear at the event in Lauderdale Lakes:
— Democratic Rep. Daryl Campbell, House District 99.
— Gordon Weeks, Broward County Public Defender.
— Jeff Holness, School Board Member, Broward County District 5
— Marsha Ellison, President of the NAACP Broward/Fort Lauderdale branch.
— Howard Hepburn, Deputy Superintendent, Teaching and Learning, Broward County Public Schools.
— Universal love —
More students — nearly half a million of them — want to opt out of the state’s public school system in the debut year of universal school choice and it’s a cause for celebration, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.
The news release says that 407,000 students have been awarded scholarships and 430,000 have applied. The number approved for the scholarship of about $ 8,000 per student, applicable at any participating private school, represents an approximately 60% increase over the previous school year.
Before this year, the scholarship had been limited to families making 400% or less of the federal poverty level (about $111,000 yearly for a family of four).
“I am proud of the work we have done so far, but we’re far from done — we will continue to empower parents and expand opportunities so that our students receive the best possible education,” DeSantis said in a news release.
The State Education Commissioner also chimed in on this one: “All parents want their children to receive a high-quality education, and our historic expansion of school choice scholarships will allow students to have the best chance of academic success,” said Diaz.
It remains to be seen how spreading precious education dollars to more schools will work out. Last Session’s legislation that created the new entitlement — expanding the voucher’s availability to all families regardless of income — puts the state in uncharted waters and represents the country’s most extensive expansion of universal school choice.
Why public employees like DeSantis and Diaz are cheering the movement of customers away from the public sector and into the private one might make an interesting doctoral thesis one day. DeSantis, after all, has been a driver of many new rules regulating public schools that private schools don’t have to follow.
Florida Education Association President Spar has his theories.
“There’s a political operation going on right now, which I think is intentionally trying to keep our public schools from being successful,” he said.
— Busted! —
It’s wise to lay off the gas when rolling through a speed zone. It’s doubly intelligent if you’re riding dirty.
Jairo Jaile La Parra of Boynton Beach allegedly made a not-so-smart decision.
The Florida Highway Patrol said they clocked La Parra’s red BMW going nearly double the speed limit in a clearly marked school zone — the yellow lights were blinking and everything, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
But, unfortunately for La Parra, it wasn’t until the red and blue lights started flashing that he remembered he had a brake pedal. The trooper who made the stop said the car reeked of marijuana and a box of THC vapes was lying on the rear passenger seat in plain sight.
La Parra was arrested and booked into Palm Beach County Jail on charges of possessing marijuana with intent to sell within 1000 feet of school or day care; possession of over 20 grams of marijuana; and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; keeping public nuisance for drug activity (vehicle); and possession of drug paraphernalia.
And he might have gotten away with it if it weren’t for his lead foot.
Of course, law enforcement officials discourage the possession, sale or use of illegal drugs. They also tend to prefer Florida children to attend class in one piece. To that end, the heads of FHP and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are urging drivers to slow their roll when they enter a school zone.
“School zones are places children should feel safe. While there are signs, lights and crossing guards, it is also up to us to ensure that our actions do not endanger those who look to us to protect them from harm,” said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner.
FHP Colonel Gary Howze added, “When operating a vehicle in and around school zones, awareness is key to ensure the safety of our youth. Being situationally aware while driving at all times is important, but paramount when approaching school zones.”
— Reaccredited —
The American Correctional Association (ACA) has reaccredited nine Florida Department of Corrections correctional institutions. The accreditations were awarded at ACA’s 2023 Summer Conference in Philadelphia.
The accreditation recognizes practices that ensure staff and inmate safety and security; enhance staff morale; improve record maintenance and data management; and improve facility function at all levels.
“It brings me great pride to recognize our staff’s daily pursuit of excellence and unwavering commitment to sustaining our reputation as a national leader in correctional practices,” Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon said. “Achieving ACA accreditation is a meaningful opportunity to showcase our efforts, build on our strong foundation, and sustain our steadfast commitment to upholding public safety. I want to express my gratitude to our leaders across the state who remain dedicated to our critical mission.”
The nine accredited institutions are Walton, Okaloosa, Avon Park, Desoto, Lake, Hernando, Dade, Homestead and Tomoka. Each received audits over the last year from ACA teams to review all aspects of prison operations. Each facility was found to be 100% compliant with mandatory standards.
ACA has been the recognized worldwide authority on corrections for nearly 150 years. Its Commission on Accreditation for Corrections certifies correctional facilities.
The Florida Department of Corrections has been seeking nationally recognized accreditation for its facilities from the ACA since 1968. All of Florida’s institutions have received ACA accreditation.
— Drop a line —
Many people say they know the best spot to drop a line, but they’re usually telling fish tales.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hopes to settle the matter regarding the friendly rivalry between Fellsmere Water Management Area (also known as Headwaters and Egan lakes) and Orange Lake.
FWC has organized a competition where anglers of all ages can submit their catches. The lake that tallies the heaviest weight of trophy-size bass (8 pounds or larger) will be the winner, and one angler from the winning side will be randomly selected for prizes from professional anglers Shaw Grigsby or JT Kenney.
As of July 31, Fellsmere was ahead with 84 trophy largemouth bass catches totaling 750 pounds. Orange Lake had 56 trophy catches entered the contest to date totaling 546 pounds and claims the only four Hall of Fame bass weighing 13 pounds or heavier.
Orange has time to mount a comeback — the competition runs through Sept. 30, and anglers must submit catches from this season by Oct. 15.
Both lakes have some prestige. Bassmaster’s presumably impartial fishing experts recently listed both waters alongside Lake Okeechobee on its prestigious “Top 10 Best Bass Lakes of 2023,” making Florida the most represented state.
Still, regardless of whether you have a dog in this race, FWC said the competition is about more than bragging rights.
“Conservation and research are the real prizes in this competition,” said Tom Graef, Director of FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “Information gathered from each submission helps guide our trophy bass management activities on these waters as well as statewide.”
— FSLA leadership —
The Florida Surplus Lines Association (FSLA) recently installed new leadership at its annual convention at The Breakers in Palm Beach Aug. 9-11, including Board President Dave DeMott.
The group also celebrated Gary Pullen for his 25 years of service and leadership supporting the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office.
The organization represents members in the surplus lines industry, including insurance companies, re-insurers, Lloyd’s brokers, premium finance companies, surveyors and claim adjustment companies.
The convention brought together members, partners and sponsors. It featured expert speakers giving updates on emerging innovations and trends, issues impacting the industry and legislative updates.
Presenters included Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, incoming Florida Surplus Lines Service Office Executive Director Mark Shealy, Capital City Consulting’s Ashley Kalifeh, Brad Turner of Burns & Wilcox, Hugh Burgess of Accerlant, and RLI’s Eric White.
This year’s convention theme was “Paradise Found in the Sunshine State.”
—SalterMitchell wins —
SalterMitchell PR brought home several honors from the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) annual conference, including one for a campaign to raise awareness for childhood hunger.
The firm, a communications consultancy specializing in Florida companies, organizations, governments and more, received three Awards of Distinction.
That includes recognition for the firm’s work on the No Kid Hungry Florida campaign raising awareness for childhood hunger. The campaign highlighted food as the “most important school supply” and noted that millions of kids nationwide don’t have access to nutrition.
SalterMitchell was also recognized for producing the Florida A&M University Medical Marijuana Education & Research Initiative’s quarterly report design.
The firm also received an Award of Distinction for its youth and caregiver tool kit design created for Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center.
The FPRA annual conference was held on Aug. 6-9 at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando. The conference is the largest and most anticipated FPRA event of the year. Spanning four days, it includes nationally recognized speakers, breakout sessions, networking and social opportunities, and awards.
FPRA is a membership professional organization providing professional development, leadership opportunities, professional recognition and more to individuals and companies in the public relations industry.
— Making it home —
School’s back, Seminole style.
For the next 15 days, Florida State University (FSU) hosts “Welcome FSU,” an opportunity for all students to learn about campus resources and ways to make Tallahassee, AKA T-town, their home.
“We are excited to offer a variety of events and on-campus opportunities to welcome our students to Florida State,” said Amy Hecht, vice president for Student Affairs. “We want our new Noles to feel a sense of community and belonging immediately. We know that the FSU experience is one of the reasons why our students are so successful, and we look forward to seeing students at ‘Welcome FSU’ events at the start of the semester.”
To that end, through Welcome FSU students are introduced to more than 650 student organizations, seven student government agencies, 54 fraternities and sororities, and more than 40 intramural sports.
While Welcome FSU lasts for 15 days, it works in conjunction with “Hello FSU!,” which is available throughout the semester.
Hosted by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, “Hello FSU!” aims to keep students engaged with campus resources and knowledgeable about fun things to discover and do on campus. “Hello FSU!” works with the Division of Undergraduate Studies and other campus partners, offering students access to information meant to keep them abreast of campus events, including:
— The Weekly Top 5: A curated collection of the week’s biggest events, programs, activities and deadlines. Debuts every Monday throughout the academic year on #HelloFSU social media and at hello.fsu.edu.
— How to FSU: Connects students with online guides and how-to resources to navigate various campus processes.
— Success Tips: Identifying resources and providing life management tips to help students succeed in and out of the classroom.
— Spotlight Stories: Special feature stories on programs, services and people from around campus.
— ICYMI: In Case You Missed It provides an extra reminder for key events or important actions.
— Capitol Directions —
Ron DeSantis — Down arrow — Dad has to keep it at 78° during a heat wave so Dion can own the libs.
Never Back Down — Down arrow — They could have at least suggested he swap the 44R for a 40S.
Brett O’Donnell — Crossways arrow — Can he do for DeSantis what Mike Figgis did for Nick Cage? Time will tell.
DOE — Down arrow — The Education Commissioner is hereby known as Manuel until we see a signed nickname form.
Credit rating — Double up arrow — Florida could get a Centurion Card … the U.S., not so much.
Mike DiNapoli — Down arrow — Sure, let’s put the person accused of embezzling from his sister in charge of $711 million.
Glen Gilzean — Down arrow — Welcome to Florida, where ethics are made of elastic.
Florida Bulldog — Up arrow — Their reporting is as strong and stout as their namesake.
Chinese immigrants — Down arrow — Somewhere, John F. Miller is looking up and smiling.
New College — Up arrow — It lost a lot of faculty, but they snagged the legendary David Rancourt out of free agency.
Floridians Protecting Freedom — Up arrow — They’ve gathered so many signatures in so little time, you’d think they were backed by casino money.
Dana Young — Up arrow — It’s almost like VISIT FLORIDA shouldn’t be on the chopping block every year.
The Southern Group — Up arrow — They’ve seen the top of the mountain, and it was so good they decided to stick around for three months.
Ashley Chaney — Up arrow — Pretty please, can we get reservations during the December committee week?
Fall Seed Library — Up arrow — Grab your gardening gloves and book it to the Leon County Main Library.
