Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 10.18.23

Good Wednesday morning.

Breaking overnight — “Nicolás Maduro and opposition agree to presidential elections in expectation of lifted sanctions” via Antonio Maria Delgado and Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald — In a move that is expected to lead Washington to lift some of its sanctions against Caracas, the Maduro regime and the Venezuelan opposition signed on Tuesday two separate accords paving the way for a presidential election that would be supervised by the European Union, the U.N. and other international observers next year. The accords, signed in Barbados, came after a series of meetings held earlier this year between representatives of the Joe Biden administration and Caracas regime, to put an end to a long-lasting political and economic crisis in the South American country that has spurred more than 7 million Venezuelans to seek refuge in neighboring countries and in the United States. The agreement contains pledges to implement several electoral reforms, long demanded by the opposition, including the audit of the voters’ registry, long suspected to include hundreds of thousands of deceased and non-existent voters. The revision would also seek to include voters now residing outside the country.

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The Florida Policy Project is preparing to release a pair of deep-dive reports outlining best practices to achieve better outcomes in the Sunshine State’s criminal justice system.

The first report, Better Outcomes for Florida’s Aging Inmates, is particularly relevant to Florida, where 29% of inmates are 50 years old or older. The second report, Best Practices to Limit Inmate Reentry to Florida’s Prisons, provides data for cost savings and second-chance hiring.

Dr. Thomas Baker, Ph.D., an associate professor of Criminology at the University of Central Florida, authored both reports. The Florida Policy Project plans to release another report focusing on best practices for veterans in Florida’s prisons next month.

“Florida has an opportunity to do more to keep our communities safe by educating and employing released inmates. The data shows that states with robust education and job-focused reentry programs have better outcomes, which improves public safety,” said Florida Policy Project President and former Sen. Jeff Brandes.

“By offering improved education options, job training, and in many cases supervised release, Florida can improve its recidivism and improve outcomes.”

The reports go live at 8 a.m. on the Florida Policy Project website.

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Rep. Joel Rudman wants to convince the capital city that the heart of rock ’n’ roll is still beating.

Though Rudman works as a physician during business hours, he is known to sling a guitar over his shoulder and play it loud at local venues throughout his district.

He and his band, the Freedom Fighters, have wowed crowds in Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties — not even a literal knee-shattering injury could keep the Doc offstage.

Now it’s Tallahassee’s turn.

The first-term Navarre Republican is holding a “Rock with the Doc” event tonight at Fire Betty’s, 1122 Thomasville Rd. The show starts at 7 p.m., but as anyone who’s heard Mr. Brownstone knows, that’s not when the main draw will take the stage.

Rudman tells Florida Politics he’ll plug his guitar — a Gibson Les Paul that sports the Working-Class Dog album cover — into the amp sometime between 8 and 8:15 p.m.

There will be plenty of entertainment for those who show up on time. Rudman’s opening act features former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp’s son on the guitar.

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Central Florida Public Affairs is holding a bash to celebrate its second anniversary and the grand opening of a new office in downtown Orlando.

Veteran public affairs and government relations professional Sharon Smoley launched the firm in late 2021, putting her more than two decades of experience to work for clients looking to get a foothold in the booming Central Florida economy.

Her work has been praised by the likes of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Tim Guiliani, the CEO of Orlando Economic Partnership, where Smoley worked before putting out her shingle.

Smoley, a Leadership Florida alum and Rollins College MBA grad, offers services including lobbying and advocacy, coalition building, policy research and strategic communications.

The grand opening celebration will be held at the new office, located at 1420 E. Robinson St., on Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. Send RSVPs to [email protected].

— DAYS UNTIL —

Republican Party of Sarasota County honors First Lady Casey DeSantis with the 2023 Stateswoman of the Year Award — 1; Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ premieres — 2; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 5; Britney Spears memoir ‘The Woman in Me’ drops — 6; NBA 2023-24 season tipoff — 6; Taylor Swift’s ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ released — 9; the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership summit — 10; Suncoast Tiger Bay Club hosts ‘Evening with the Tigers’ — 19; ‘The Marvels′ premieres — 21; 2023 Florida Chamber Mental Health Innovation Summit — 22; Formula 1 will take over the Las Vegas Strip — 30; ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ premieres — 36; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 42; Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ premieres — 46; 2023 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 44; 2023 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 56; Zack Snyder’s ‘Rebel Moon’ premieres — 65; Matt Dixon’s ‘Swamp Monsters: (Donald) Trump vs. (Ron) DeSantis ― the Greatest Show on Earth (or at Least in Florida)’ released — 83; 2024 Florida Chamber Legislative Fly-In and reception — 83; Florida’s 2024 Regular Session begins — 83; Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner — 88; 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards — 89; South Carolina Democratic Primary — 108; New Hampshire and Nevada Democratic Primaries — 110; South Carolina GOP holds first-in-the-South Primary — 128; Michigan Democratic Primary — 130; Trump’s D.C. trial on charges related to trying to reverse his 2020 Election loss — 138; Super Tuesday — 139; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 143; 2024 Oscars — 145; Georgia Democratic Primary — 146; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 150; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 196; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 205; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 215; Republican National Convention begins — 269; New ‘Alien’ premieres — 273; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 281; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 282; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 312; Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami — 356; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 368; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 429; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 485; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 564; ‘Moana’ premieres — 621; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 795; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 926; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 948; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 1,161; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,300; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,256; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,619.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis PAC blasts Nikki Haley’s ‘sympathetic’ remarks on Gaza refugees in major TV ad” via Marc Caputo of The Messenger — The war in Gaza is now the subject of the first TV attack ad of the Republican Presidential Primary.

In a new 30-second commercial, the super PAC backing DeSantis is highlighting his calls to ban any refugees from Gaza, and it’s contrasting his remarks with a more nuanced approach voiced by U.N. Ambassador Haley over the weekend.

“We should care about the Palestinian citizens,” Haley told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “America has always been sympathetic to the fact that you can separate civilians from terrorists.”

But in a Republican Primary that’s staunchly pro-Israel and increasingly critical of Palestinians, Haley’s comments instantly put her on the defensive from conservative pundits, DeSantis and his super PAC, Never Back Down.

In the Never Back Down super PAC ad, Haley’s “sympathetic” remarks are bracketed by DeSantis’ hard-line position he first laid out Saturday in Iowa. After playing Haley’s quote, the ad transitions to DeSantis bashing her in an NBC interview on Sunday evening.

“She’s trying to be politically correct. She’s trying to please the media and people on the left. I don’t care about that,” DeSantis said. “I can tell you this as President the number of people we will bring in from Gaza is zero. We are not going to do that.”

The ad is scheduled to run Tuesday evening as part of a $2 million ad buy on Iowa and New Hampshire broadcast TV, and it’s also running nationally on Fox and Newsmax. Never Back Down is also advertising a similar spot on streaming services that features more criticism of Haley from conservative pundits.

To watch the ad, please click the image below:

— THE TRAIL —

“DeSantis says jihadis would never have made it through Ellis Island” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis continues to lay out his opposition to allowing Hamas sympathizers into the U.S. DeSantis said that if prospective immigrants arrived at Ellis Island in 1900 and said they “supported Islamic jihad” that they would never have been admitted into the United States. “You would have been turned away from Ellis Island. If you came and you rejected the basic foundational principles of America, you would have been rejected from coming into this country. That would have been non-negotiable,” DeSantis said. It’s worth noting that DeSantis’ own forebears were among the 12 million Americans naturalized through that conduit long ago.

“DeSantis disses Haley, Mike Pence in pitch to Virgin Islands GOP” via David Catanese of McClatchy DC — DeSantis dismissed Republican rivals Haley and Pence as candidates who won’t be able to win the persuadable pool of GOP Presidential Primary voters necessary to defeat Trump, according to audio obtained by McClatchy DC. Speaking to about 30 members of the Virgin Islands GOP Committee virtually, DeSantis said his campaign estimates that 20% of the 2024 Republican electorate will definitely vote for the former President, with 35% having ruled Trump out completely. That leaves about 45% of Republican voters who are still considering their options. “They’re not going to vote for people like Pence and Haley. I respect them; they’re just not,” DeSantis told the Virgin Islands group, referring to voters in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

“DeSantis jokes about lack of Virgin Islands’ electoral representation” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Campaigning in front of Virgin Islands Republicans, DeSantis made light of the territory’s current inability to vote in presidential elections. “How would the Virgin Islands vote for President — would they be red or blue?” DeSantis asked. “I don’t want to pony up free electoral votes for the other team.” Independent Sen. Alma Francis-Heyliger asked DeSantis about not being able to vote in the Presidential General Election, describing the disenfranchisement as being “almost like you’re in a different class of citizen, even though we are citizens of America.”

— MORE 2024 —

“Will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoil the election for Joe Biden — or Donald Trump?” via Nathaniel Rakich of ABC News — No sooner had Kennedy Jr. announced he was running for President as an independent than Republicans and Democrats alike started fretting about the possibility that he would siphon votes away from them in 2024. “Voters should not be deceived by anyone who pretends to have conservative values,” a representative for Trump said of Kennedy. And a co-founder of the center-left group Third Way similarly expressed concern about the third-party bid, telling the Wall Street Journal, “Our take on it is that anything that divides the anti-Trump coalition is bad.”

“Casey DeSantis addresses Eddie Munster, Walmart Melania Trump insults” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — First Lady DeSantis addressed ugly personal insults that she has heard in recent years, including comparisons to the fictional “Eddie Munster” of 1960s sitcom fame and Trump. DeSantis was unsparing in describing how these barbs affected her and how she pushed through and overcame them. The First Lady experienced the Eddie Munster insult at the height of her breast cancer recovery while balancing official duties and an arduous healing process. “There was a time where, you know, I really struggled with some of the wigs because, you know, that’s your image. And so, there were some that I thought were good. And I remember going out and doing an event where I was like, that was awful,” she said.

— DESANTISY LAND —

“For Palestinians in Florida, DeSantis’ anti-Gaza stance is ‘heartbreaking’” via Juan Carlos Chavez, Jay Cridlin, and Jack Evans of the Tampa Bay Times — Dalia Mousa-Fakhouri’s mother came to Florida at age 2, with a birth certificate that listed her place of birth as “Jerusalem, Palestine.” Her father was born in Texas to immigrant parents, and his family also wound up in Florida. To Mousa-Fakhouri, who lives in Jacksonville, DeSantis has long represented a populist vision of the state not so different from the promise her grandparents sought, a place with “equal opportunity for people to work and live and make money.” The past few days, though, have shaken her faith in her Governor and preferred presidential candidate. “He’s wonderful,” she said. “He’s done a lot for our state. But unfortunately, his comments really made me second-guess everything.”

“DeSantis administration slow to implement patient safety culture surveys” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — A legislative-mandated push to find out if health care professionals in Florida trust the hospitals where they work has yet to be put in place three years after it was ordered. Lawmakers in 2020 passed a bill requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to survey their staff members about their workplaces and report the information to the state. But the information won’t be available until sometime in 2026. That’s because the DeSantis administration has been slow to implement the rules necessary to make it happen. And on Monday, a top health care regulator put the blame, in part, on the public health emergency associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“How DeSantis’ ban on Chinese homeownership has impacted buyers and real estate agents three months in” via Kimmy Yam of NBC News — Three months after Florida banned many Chinese citizens from owning property, some real estate agents say they are losing business as families across the state are walking away from deals. Longtime Florida resident Kristen Zhang was thrilled when last year her parents in China decided to buy a new house nearby, built from the ground up, in Orlando. After being separated during the pandemic, they’d finally be able to spend time with their grandkids. But in May Republican DeSantis signed a bipartisan law, SB 264, banning certain Chinese nationals from buying property in the state to counter “the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the state of Florida.”

“Jeffrey Epstein concerns pop up in DeSantis’ Virgin Islands campaign chat” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Republicans in the Virgin Islands pressed DeSantis on how federal neglect led to a shortage of lawyers and judges that potentially enabled Epstein’s crimes. Gordon Ackley, Chair of the Virgin Islands Republican Party, grilled DeSantis about a lack of appointments for key positions as the financier, who died in prison under a cloud of sex trafficking charges in 2021, allegedly committed heinous acts. “As President you get to appoint U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals and federal judges that oversee the territories. These appointments are very important to us because this is the only check and balance we have against our Democrat-controlled Legislature and we need these checks and balances in place,” Ackley said.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“Biden’s trip to Israel carries risks for U.S. policy — and his own legacy” via Vivian Salama and Tarini Parti of The Wall Street Journal — The U.S. hopes Biden’s trip will serve as a warning to any third parties, whether other countries or militant groups such as Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, that the U.S. was prepared to act if they join the conflict. By traveling to the region, the President puts his credibility on the line and appears to step deeper into the conflict, even as Biden and top administration officials asserted that U.S. combat troops wouldn’t be sent into another war.

“Jim Jordan fails to win Speakership on first ballot” via Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks of The Hill — House Judiciary Committee Chair Jordan failed to win the Speakership in the first round of voting Tuesday after 20 Republicans withheld support from his bid, denying him the votes needed to secure the gavel. The vote was 200 for Jordan, 212 for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, six for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and seven for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The total number of Jordan holdouts was the same as the number of opponents who kept McCarthy from the gavel for multiple ballots at the start of the year.

“Florida does it again: 3 Republicans help prevent first-ballot Speaker win for Jordan” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Three Florida Representatives helped deny Jordan a victory on the first ballot for House Speaker. As expected, U.S. Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez and John Rutherford declined to support the Ohio Republican. Díaz-Balart and Rutherford both cast votes for Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The protest votes came less than a week after House Republicans in a conference vote chose Scalise over Jordan in a 113-99 vote.

—“Why Jordan’s Speaker bid failed — for now” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post

—”Jordan’s allies may be overestimating his popularity” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post

“Matt Gaetz, now a well-known disrupter, honed his brash style in Florida” via Emily L. Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times — Leaderless and paralyzed by intraparty Republican fighting for nearly two weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives has been unable to agree on much. Yet members from both parties have found common ground in recent days: Bitterness toward Rep. Gaetz. The hard-right Republican from the Florida Panhandle has attracted ire from fellow Republicans, Democrats and conservative media figures alike for leading the charge to oust McCarthy earlier this month. Some of the sharpest barbs have come from other Republicans from Florida. “I’ve got serious issues with Matt Gaetz and what he just did, not only to the Republican Party but to this nation,” Giménez said.

“Pentagon orders 2,000 more U.S. troops to be ready to deploy to the Middle East” via Eric Schmitt of The Washington Post — The troops are currently stationed in the United States and other locations, including Europe, Pentagon officials said. If deployed, they would likely not serve in combat roles, the officials said. Sabrina Singh, a Defense Department spokeswoman, said on Tuesday that the Pentagon had determined it needed to ready additional air defense, security, logistics, medical and intelligence specialists, but it had not yet identified specific units to increase their preparedness.

“Justice Amy Barrett calls for Supreme Court to adopt an ethics code” via Abbie VanSickle of The New York Times — Barrett said that she favored an ethics code for the Supreme Court, joining the growing chorus of justices who have publicly backed adopting such rules. “It would be a good idea for us to do it, particularly so that we can communicate to the public exactly what it is that we are doing in a clearer way,” she said during a wide-ranging conversation at the University of Minnesota Law School with Robert Stein, a longtime law professor and the former chief operating officer of the American Bar Association. Barrett added that “all nine justices are very committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct.” But she said she could not speak for the court on a timeline, or precisely what such a code might look like.

— STATEWIDE —

DeSantis job money flows to Whiting Aviation Park — More than $4 million is on its way to Santa Rosa County to beef up infrastructure at an industrial park positioned right near Naval Air Station Whiting Field. In announcing the Job Growth Grant Fund award, DeSantis said it would result in “high-wage job opportunities and further support the growth of the aerospace industry.” The money will help construct a helipad and a massive taxiway between Whiting Aviation Park and the Naval Station. Officials expect the construction to attract aerospace, defense and security enterprises to the industrial park. Among those businesses already operating at the park is Leonardo Helicopters Florida, which recently opened a support center there. Lt Gov. Jeanette Nuñez thanked Leonardo Helicopters and said that the newly announced grant money “builds upon those investments and reaffirms Florida’s commitment to the future of Florida’s aerospace and defense industries.”

Lawmakers, agency heads recognize Florida Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol — The Florida Behavioral Health Association is hosting Behavioral Health Day at the Capitol today, with several elected leaders and agency heads expected to speak on the future of mental health and substance use disorder treatment during a 10:30 a.m. event in the Capitol courtyard. Joining FBHA CEA Melanie Brown-Woofter are Sen. Gayle Harrell, Reps. Sam Garrison and Randy Fine, Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris, and Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida. Other confirmed speakers include National Alliance on Mental Illness Florida Interim Director Ashley Grimes, Florida Association of Managing Entities CEO Natalie Kelly, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Board Chair Richard Townsend.

“Proposal to rename A1A ‘Jimmy Buffett Highway’ hits sour note with readers” via Brian Burgess of The Capitolist — As the debate over renaming Florida’s iconic State Road A1A heats up, and two competing legislative proposals vying for public and political support, Capitolist readers have already had their say on one of them. In our reader poll, which is still active, 61.2% oppose renaming Florida’s most famous road to “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway,” while 38.8% are in favor. The Capitolist first reported on the House Republican proposal to rename the road on Oct. 2, 2023. But part of the reader’s resistance may be linked to the sheer scale of the proposal. Newberry Republican Rep. Chuck Clemons had introduced a bill aimed at renaming the entire length of State Road A1A in honor of the late musician Buffett.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Frederica Wilson nears $200K raised this cycle toward eighth CD 24 term” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Since winning re-election to a seventh term in November, Democratic U.S. Rep. Wilson has raised just shy of $200,000 to again defend her seat representing Florida’s 24th Congressional District. According to her filings with the Federal Election Commission, she raised $91,000 of that sum between July 1 and Sept. 30. Carry-over funds from prior campaigns placed her total holdings by the end of this year’s third quarter at about $604,000. Her campaign also carried roughly $15,000 in debt, all of which was owed to her for out-of-pocket campaign expenses.

“Mack Bernard stacks up $150K for Senate run” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Palm Beach County Commissioner Bernard has made a running start, raising more than $150,000 in his first 117 days campaigning for a promotion to a Senate seat. Between his personal campaign and his political committee, Friends of Mack Bernard, the West Palm Beach Democrat and lawyer raised nearly $90,000 in the last quarter, adding to the amount he collected between starting June 5 and the start of the third quarter. Sen. Bobby Powell’s term representing Senate District 24 is not technically over until 2026, but he intends to resign sometime around the qualifying period for County Commission in May to run for the seat Bernard is vacating.

“The Ed Montanari and Lindsay Cross matchup in battleground HD60 will be a race to watch” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — With St. Petersburg City Council member Montanari now in the race for House District 60, challenging incumbent Democrat Cross after weeks of speculation that he would throw his name in the hat, Cross now likely faces a more difficult race than the one she won two years ago. The St. Pete Republican is likely an ideal candidate in the battleground district where Democrats carry a slight voter registration advantage with just under 41,000 voters compared to just over 36,000 Republican voters.

Happening today — Rep. Davis Smith will be holding a fundraiser: 8 a.m., House Campaigns Office, Tallahassee. More info at [email protected].

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— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Despite arrest, corruption charge, Miami police union still all in on Alex Diaz de la Portilla” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — A month after Miami Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla was arrested on charges of trading a vote for hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations and gifts, it hasn’t cost him the support of Miami’s men and women in blue. In June, Miami’s Fraternal Order of Police announced it was putting its considerable political heft behind Diaz de la Portilla, a former state Representative once the union’s chosen politician of the year. On Monday — a month after Diaz de la Portilla’s Sept. 14 arrest — the union’s president made it clear that nothing had changed as far as he was concerned.

“GOP donor known for racist tweet, American flag outfit dies in attempted murder-suicide” via Ben Wieder and Sarah Blaskey of the Miami Herald — A Republican activist who has been a reliable donor to Trump and DeSantis, despite a racist tweet that put him on the outs with DeSantis’ predecessor, Rick Scott, shot a woman and then himself in the parking lot of a Palm Beach County restaurant, according to sheriff’s deputies. The activist, 72-year-old Steve Alembik, died. The woman, wounded in the back and arm, survived when she ran into the restaurant bleeding and was rushed to the hospital. The shooting happened at a BurgerFi outlet in Delray Beach a week ago Monday, although Alembik’s identity wasn’t revealed until last Friday. The wounded victim was believed to be his wife.

“Jeffrey Epstein survivor who testified against Ghislaine Maxwell dies in West Palm Beach” via Holly Baltz of the Palm Beach Post — One of Epstein’s victims who testified against Maxwell in her trial for sex-trafficking minors has died of an accidental overdose. Carolyn Andriano, 36, died May 23 of an overdose of methadone, fentanyl and alprazolam in a West Palm Beach hotel room, said Mike Jachles, spokesperson for the West Palm Beach Police Department. She testified in 2021 that she had been addicted to “pain pills and cocaine” and that she had taken them “to block out” Epstein’s sexual abuse. For four years, Epstein had abused her at his Palm Beach mansion, starting in 2001 when she was 14, she said.

“‘A knot in my stomach’: Her son returns to Israel to fight Hamas after attacks” via Lauren Costantino and Omar Rodríguez Ortiz of the Miami Herald — Natalie only had a few hours to say goodbye to her 22-year-old son David last Saturday — the day of the deadly Hamas attacks in Israel — after he decided to return to Israel to re-enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. David — a dual citizen who grew up in Aventura, moved to Israel after graduating from high school and served in the military through last Summer — decided just moments after he heard the news. “He held my hands and he said, ‘Mom, I know you’re gonna start crying now. And you’re not gonna stop for a while.’ He knows me well,” said Natalie, who asked the Herald not to use their last name out of security concerns.

“In Miami, Israeli envoy praises Florida: ‘No better state’ for support after attack” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — The head of Israel’s Miami consulate said no state has shown more support for Israel than Florida in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants. “The state of Florida — on a state level, on a community level, on an elected officials’ level — has stood up and is showing its support in all of the ways and means possible,” Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, Israel’s Consul General in Miami, told Miami-Dade Commissioners. “There is no better, more supportive community or state,” he said, “than the state of Florida.” After his remarks, Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution declaring Miami-Dade “supports Israel and her right to defend herself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas.”

“Lease agreement between Coral Gables Mayor and embattled developer Rishi Kapoor is over” via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — Embattled developer Location Ventures is no longer leasing retail space from Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, the Mayor said, severing a financial relationship that connected Lago to a planned luxury condo tower that the firm’s former CEO had planned to build across the street. Lago told the Miami Herald that he and Location Ventures mutually agreed about two or three weeks ago to “terminate” the developer’s lease agreement for the retail space at 1424 Ponce de Leon Blvd. The developer — which is currently liquidating its assets, and whose former CEO Kapoor is under the scrutiny of federal investigators — had planned to use the former martial arts studio as a sales center showroom for its upcoming development project.

“Home insurance is so high in this Florida town, residents are leaving” via Deborah Acosta of The Wall Street Journal — James and Laura Molinari left Chicago for a two-story stucco home in this city’s historic Flamingo Park neighborhood. The four-bedroom house was a short bridge away from Palm Beach Island and within walking distance to downtown West Palm Beach. “We love it here,” said James, who plays golf with his 3-year-old son on Saturdays and can swim year-round in his backyard pool. Then the renewal for his home insurance arrived. The new rate for the year starting in September was around $121,000 — more than seven times what the Molinaris said they paid last year, and more than 13 times what they paid when the family moved to Florida in 2019.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Spirit Rock expression on Israel-Palestine conflict dispirits some Embry-Riddle students” via Mark Harper of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Horrific scenes from Israel and Gaza in the past two weeks have shocked and stirred college students with ties to the Middle East both nationally and locally, including at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). ERAU’s students poured some of those feelings into a vehicle of free expression on the Daytona Beach campus — the much-painted Spirit Rock, which is often used to promote an event, market a fraternity, sorority or student organization. It’s been joked that the rock has doubled in size since its arrival in 2004 from all the layers of paint.

“‘Like nothing we have seen before’: Israel-Hamas war hits home for Ormond Beach woman” via Jim Abbott of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — During 17 years of service in the Israel Defense Forces, Keren de Via had seen her share of battlefield carnage, but none of that has prepared her for the scenes unspooling in real time on TV news and social media over the past 10 days during the Israel-Gaza war. “I have served in Gaza, in Jordan, in Lebanon, and I’ve experienced a lot of horrific situations,” said de Via, a native of Israel who moved to the United States four years ago with her teenage daughter. “This is like nothing we have seen before, nothing that we could even imagine. It’s the definition of Satan.”

“Melbourne Beach has contested races for Mayor, Town Commissioner seat” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Two positions are on the Nov. 7 Municipal Election ballot in Melbourne Beach ― one for Mayor and one for a Town Commission seat. Joyce D. Barton and Alison “Al” Dennington are running for Mayor, seeking to succeed incumbent Wyatt Hoover, who is not seeking re-election. The position has a three-year term and a salary of $3,800 a year. There also are two candidates for a seat on the Town Commission that is now held by Barton, who is leaving that position early to seek the Mayor’s Office. The candidates are Jason Judge and Adam Meyer. This election is for a two-year term to fill the remainder of Barton’s term. Commissioners are paid $3,100 a year.

“Disney lawyers subpoena ex-Reedy Creek leader in DeSantis legal fight” via Mike Schneider of The Associated Press — Disney attorneys want to question a previous administrator of the governing district that provides municipal services to Walt Disney World as part of its defense against a state lawsuit brought by a Board made up of appointees of DeSantis. Disney attorneys said in court papers that they have subpoenaed John Classe, the former administrator of what was previously called the Reedy Creek Improvement District for 55 years. The takeover of the district, which was previously controlled by Disney allies, came after the company publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades.

“Surprise delivery: 3 endangered sawfish born at SeaWorld Orlando” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — An unexpected pregnancy is making history at SeaWorld Orlando. Three smalltooth sawfish pups, born this Summer at the theme park, are now living backstage and providing data and mystery. SeaWorld’s aquarium is the only one in the U.S. to house the endangered species and the second one in the world to host a successful birth. The mother has lived at SeaWorld since at least 1988; she and a male are residents of the park’s Shark Encounter aquarium. “This is a monumental event for us and for all zoos and aquariums,” said Becki Orze, one of the zoological specialists of that habitat. The pregnancy was discovered during a routine exam’s ultrasound. It came out of nowhere, officials said.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Hillsborough approves new principals for 3 schools” via Marlene Sokol of the Tampa Bay Times — The Hillsborough County School Board approved the appointment of three principals at its regular meeting Tuesday in Tampa. Christian Finch was named principal of Gibsonton’s Eisenhower Middle School. Kelly Snellgrove was approved as principal of Mort Elementary. Jennifer Dames is being transferred from her job as Reddick Elementary principal to Potter Elementary.

“Tampa scores $1.75M federal grant for transit planning” via Henry Queen of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the city of Tampa $1.75 million to establish a new office dedicated to accelerating large transit projects. The Regional Infrastructure Accelerator will explore financing options to extend the TECO Line Streetcar, implement a bus rapid transit line to the University of South Florida and build a $500 million citywide bike network. Longer-term projects, such as a premium transit route from downtown to Tampa International Airport, will also be considered for loans and other financing tools. The city’s transit wish list totals $1.8 billion.

“Japanese bank opens big office in Tampa, to employ up to 500 people” via Ashley Gurbal Kritzer of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is opening an East Coast hub in Tampa that will eventually employ up to 500 people. MUFG, which is based in Tokyo and has U.S. headquarters in New York, has subleased 80,000 square feet of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s campus in MetWest International, the Tampa Bay Business Journal has learned. MetWest International is a mixed-use development in Tampa’s Westshore business district. MUFG is taking the third, fourth and eighth floors in MetWest III at 4050 W. Boy Scout Blvd.

“Pasco school employees, district tentatively agree on 3.5% pay raise” via Marlene Sokol of the Tampa Bay Times — The Pasco County school district and its employees have reached a tentative agreement that would raise pay by 3.5% if implemented. The increase for teachers would come on top of an average 8.9% raise made possible by a property tax to support teacher pay approved last year by voters. And it follows a 5.4% raise in 2022. “From our standpoint, it’s never enough,” said Jeff Larsen, director of operations for the United School Employees of Pasco. “We know certainly that our teachers and school-related personnel are working very hard and we wanted to put money in their pockets as soon as we possibly could. So, we are pleased with the timing of this outcome.”

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Voter fraud charges dropped against 69-year-old Florida woman arrested at 3 a.m.” via Douglas Soule of the Tallahassee Democrat — The charges have been dropped for the 69-year-old Tallahassee woman who was arrested at 3 a.m. last month for alleged voter fraud. Marsha Ervin’s attorneys were alerted Tuesday afternoon by a filing from State Attorney Jack Campbell, whose 2nd Judicial Circuit office oversaw her case. She was one of dozens in Florida to get arrested following voter eligibility confusion. “While there was sufficient probable cause for arrest, subsequent information has compromised the State’s ability to proceed further,” Campbell wrote.

“Pensacola will open new staffed drop-off recycling location every Saturday starting Nov. 4” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Pensacola will open a new staffed recycling drop-off center after the city ended its curbside recycling program last month. The new drop-off center will be open every Saturday beginning Nov. 4 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2759 N. Palafox St. The city officially ended it curbside recycling program in the last week of September after years of high contamination rates in city recycling and a price increase from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority.

“Okaloosa County leaders show solidarity with Jewish community” via Collin Bestor of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Local leaders of Okaloosa County and members of the Jewish community came together at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds on Sunday for an evening of psalms and songs that showed solidarity for the people affected by the ongoing conflict in Israel that started 10 days ago. In attendance during the events were the Mayors of Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach and Cinco Bayou, along with Okaloosa County Commissioners Mel Ponder and Carolyn Ketchel. Congregations and officials from the Temple Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach and Chabad of the Emerald Coast in Destin also participated.

“State audit committee blindsides Gainesville officials by ordering new investigation” via Nora O’Neill of the Gainesville Sun — At what was supposed to be a review of Gainesville’s response to a two-year-old state audit, Republican state lawmakers passed a pre-prepared motion asking Florida’s auditor general to launch a new investigation into the city of Gainesville, as well as Mayor Harvey Ward and his role in a delayed bond issuance that cost taxpayers millions. The meeting largely revolved around the city’s cuts and procedural changes to various departments from years before City Manager Cynthia Curry and Ward’s leadership, including oversight of Gainesville Regional Utilities. While some members of JLAC thanked the city for its efforts, state Rep. Mike Caruso said he was disappointed with Gainesville’s lack of “bold” action, adding that he expected more from the city nearly 300 miles outside his district.

“Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan wants Jaguars stadium deal done ‘sooner rather than later’” via Hanna Holthaus of The Florida Times-Union — After returning from her first trip as Mayor to London, Deegan is ready to continue negotiations on what is expected to be one of the highest-priced deals in city history. The Jaguars released their first renderings for the proposed “stadium of the future” in June, which kicked off a media tour across the city to solicit community feedback on the design before starting negotiations. Deegan’s negotiation team had only met with the Jaguars once, but she hoped they could move quickly.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Florida Health Dept.: West Nile virus case from September confirmed in Sarasota County” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued a mosquito-borne advisory after confirmation of a single case of West Nile virus in early September. Chuck Henry, the health officer for the department’s Sarasota County office, publicized the case in an email to the Sarasota County Commission. Wade Brennan, manager of the Sarasota County Mosquito Control District, said the infection occurred in the southern portion of the city of Sarasota. Both surveillance and mosquito control efforts in that area started in early September when the infection was believed to have occurred. “We’ve done multiple treatments, larviciding — killing the mosquitoes in the ditches — and also adulticiding mosquitoes in that area,” Brennan said.

“Punta Gorda City Council to hear report on vacation rentals” via Elaine Allen-Emrich of the Punta Gorda Sun — For months, Punta Gorda City Council member Mark Kuharski has asked the Council to have City Attorney David Levin investigate if the city could regulate short-term or vacation rentals without violating state law. The Board agreed to have Levin look into it. During Wednesday’s 9 a.m. City Council meeting at the Military Heritage Museum, 900 W Marion Ave., Levin will report his findings. In the backup material, Levin wrote, “Local governments have adopted ordinances regulating short-term or vacation rentals within their jurisdictions, consistent with the guidance issued by the Florida Attorney General.” Kuharski contends that more can be done to help in neighborhoods where these rentals exist.

“Casey DeSantis event in Sarasota closed to media” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — DeSantis will be in Sarasota Thursday to give a speech to the Sarasota GOP and receive the group’s Stateswoman of the Year award, but media members won’t be allowed to cover the event. Sarasota GOP officials said in a statement that party officials decided to close the event to the media but did not say why. “The Republican Party of Sarasota County has closed the Stateswoman of the Year event to all media,” the party said in a statement. A series of columns by Herald-Tribune columnist Chris Anderson criticized the Sarasota GOP recently for claiming DeSantis is the first recipient of the Stateswoman of the Year award, which also was given to former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney in 2017.

“Marco Island discusses making beaches smoke free” via J. Kyle Foster of the Naples Daily News — This week, the Marco Island City Council talked about proposing a smoking ban in its city parks and on its beaches. After being asked in September to investigate the idea and for the police department to conduct an enforcement analysis, Assistant City Manager Casey Lucius presented information and a proposal for what banning cigarettes and vaping would look like. “We are not advocating one way or another,” Lucius told the City Council. “City Council would need to amend a current city ordinance that allows smoking cigarettes, cigars and/or pipes or consuming any other tobacco product in city parks only in allowed in designated “smoking areas,” Lucius said.

— TOP OPINION —

“Biden has a critical advantage for 2024. He should make it known.” via Joel Benenson for The New York Times — What will it take for Biden to win? From both wins and losses, I’ve learned that there are three things every candidate needs to remember: Campaigns are about big things, not small things. Campaigns are about the future, not the past. And campaigns are about the voters’ lives, not the candidate’s.

For Biden, following that mantra means making this election a forward-looking choice built on a contrast of economic vision and values. More important, it means leaning into his greatest asset: his long record of working across the aisle.

He built his career on doing the hard work of compromising with the other side to get things done for the American people. Since he took office in 2021, he won passage of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law to repair the nation’s roads, bridges and railways; bring high-speed internet to rural communities; and more, an achievement made possible by 32 Republicans who crossed the aisle (13 in the House and 19 in the Senate). He signed the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in nearly 30 years, with 29 votes from Republicans (14 in the House and 15 in the Senate).

Those numbers may not sound like much, but in a country exhausted by political division and with him most likely up against a Republican opponent whose only game is to divide, it’s a critical advantage.

Biden should also lean on his gifts of public empathy. Joe from Scranton is someone who understands that we can’t keep telling people that what they see and feel isn’t real. Month after month, the economic numbers of his presidency have provided evidence that our economy is recovering and our society is stable.

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“$1.5 million to lead a college with 698 students?” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Earlier this year, Richard Corcoran made eyes roll when the former House Speaker who’s famous for grousing about government largesse took a job as the president of the smallest college in Florida’s public university system — and started cashing a massive paycheck.

First, DeSantis’ appointees at New College in Sarasota replaced the sitting president, who had a base salary of $305,000, with Corcoran, who had no higher-ed experience and paid him $699,000.

Then Team DeSantis decided to shower Corcoran with benefits and perks that brought his package up to $1 million.

Well, if that wasn’t enough, the Tampa Bay Times now reports that DeSantis’ operatives conducted a questionable “analysis” that suggests Corcoran may be entitled to a compensation package worth as much as $1.5 million.

All to run a college that’s smaller than most middle schools with 698 students.

A lot has been made of this group of political cronies trying to remake New College into some kind of right-wing institution. But the closer you look, the more it looks like those involved have ambitions that are more financial than ideological. The partisans may be cheering. But these guys are laughing all the way to the taxpayer-funded trough.

— OPINIONS —

“DeSantis stokes Jewish-Palestinian division in Florida. It’s dangerous and deplorable” via Fabiola Santiago of the Miami Herald — It’s what politicians do. Chaos breaks and they chime in, state their stance in the glare of cameras and play the statesman role. But in the case of DeSantis, the political ritual extends further. Every occasion, no matter how tragic and complex, is an opportunity to advance his hard-right Republican presidential ambitions. He fans the flames of division at home, lighting matches in the fresh wound of heartbreak and war. It has been his trademark as Florida’s Governor. He exploits outrage, pain and fear to highlight his extremist agenda — and score political points with the Trump base of White-nationalist voters.

“The state is improperly using ‘voter fraud’ prosecutions to paper over its failures” via Jeff Brandes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Florida is making a grave mistake. The state is spending precious resources prosecuting its own citizens who registered and voted with a good faith, albeit mistaken, belief in their eligibility. Instead, Florida should fix its process, which caused this confusion to begin with. Among its many shortcomings, the state for years neglected to provide any reasonable way for Floridians with past convictions to reliably determine whether they are eligible. The state also engaged in minimal outreach to inform and educate the public on the changes to voting rights for people with past convictions.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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— ALOE —

“Netflix steers into live sports with ‘Drive to Survive,’ ‘Full Swing’ stars” via Rick Porter of The Hollywood Reporter — Netflix is taking a swing at live sports. The streamer, which has mounted a few live events in the past year, has set its first live sports event — one that also reinforces the company brand. Netflix will stage a nine-hole golf match, which it’s calling the Netflix Cup, and will feature athletes familiar to viewers of two of the streamer’s docuseries, “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” and “Full Swing.” Formula 1 drivers Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz will be paired with PGA Tour golfers Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas for the match, which is set for Nov. 14 at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.

To watch a promo for the Netflix Cup, please click the image below:

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Celebrating today are Monica Rodriguez of Ballard Partners, as well as former Rep. Amber Mariano, Rep. Hillary Cassel, Tim Cerio, General Counsel of Citizens Insurance, Caitlin Conant, Marcus Jadotte, Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida, Ashley Lukis, former U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, and Alexandra Webb.

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