Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 3.27.24

Good Wednesday morning.

Breaking overnight — “‘ROCKSTAR’: Donald Trump is endorsing state Sen. Joe Gruters” — via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Trump is endorsing state Sen. Gruters — for a statewide office in 2026. Trump posted on Truth Social that the Sarasota Republican should be Florida’s next Chief Financial Officer. “I am hearing that America First Patriot Joe Gruters is considering launching his Campaign for Chief Financial Officer of the Great State of Florida,” Trump posted. “Joe was on the ‘Trump Train’ before it even left the station, and if he decides to run, he will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. As a State Senator and Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, Joe has done more than anyone to help turn Florida RED, and elect Republicans across the State. A decorated CPA, Joe is a ‘ROCKSTAR,’ who will work hard to Grow our Economy, Stop Illegal Immigration, Strongly Support Law Enforcement, and Protect our always-under-siege Second Amendment. RUN JOE, RUN! This is an Endorsement I would love to make.”

___

Five years ago, INFLUENCE Magazine unveiled its initial list of the ‘Great Communicators’ in Florida politics. With the latest edition almost done, we are pivoting to the next edition and unveiling a second edition of the ‘Great Communicators.’

Here’s the previous edition of INFLUENCE in case you need an example of what I am talking about:

Please send me your nominations for the best communications directors, advocates, journalists, public affairs pro, PIOs, spokespeople, and writers in #FlaPol.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

There’s only one tweet in Situational Awareness today because when “The Wire” intersects with Florida politics, that’s all I need:

Your mother did you, but after a hard life of service on a truck-stop lot, can we really hold her loosened, battered womb responsible for dropping you head-first on the Winnebago floor and burdening our society with another empty, racist demagogue thereafter? We cannot. https://t.co/KsPCdXfjrs

— David Simon (@AoDespair) March 26, 2024

— DAYS UNTIL —

Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2024 season begins — 1; Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ released — 2; March Madness Final Four (women’s) begins — 8; March Madness Final Four (men’s) — 11; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 15; The Masters begin — 16; Kentucky Derby — 39; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 44; ‘Bridgerton’ new season (part one) premieres on Netflix — 52; French Open begins — 54; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 56; Dave Matthews Band 2024 Summer Tour begins in Tampa — 56; Monaco Grand Prix — 60; the 2024 World Cup begins — 76; season two of ‘House of the Dragon’ returns to Max — 81; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 94; Republican National Convention begins — 110; the 2024 World Cup ends — 113; 2024 MLS All-Star Game — 118; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on NBC/Peacock — 121; ‘Alien: Romulus’ premieres — 140; Democratic National Convention begins — 146; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 150; 2024 NFL season kicks off — 163; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami — 205; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 208; 2024 Presidential Election — 223; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 236; MLS Cup 2024 — 251; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 321; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins — 342; 2025 Session ends — 402; ‘Moana’ premieres — 452; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 483; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 485; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 590; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 632; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 769; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 785; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 996; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,136; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,095; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,817.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis lobbied for windmill ban, records show” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — It was never all that clear why the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature felt the need to cancel windmills. There are no operational wind farms in Florida, and the sponsors of the legislation admitted it was highly unlikely someone would want to build one any time soon.

But there was someone lobbying for the wind ban from behind the scenes: DeSantis.

Aides to the Republican Governor helped write the proposal and pushed lawmakers to include it in a broader energy bill (House Bill 1645) that was already moving through the Legislature, according to emails obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute, a utility and fossil fuel industry watchdog group.

DeSantis wanted to ban more than offshore wind farms, too. One document that his office shared with the Florida Senate recommended that lawmakers “fully prohibit any wind energy technology in this state.”

It’s not clear why DeSantis decided to target wind energy. His office declined to answer questions about the bill, which the Governor has not yet signed into law. The lawmakers who sponsored the legislation — Sen. Jay Collins and Rep. Bobby Payne — declined to answer questions, too.

But it’s possible that DeSantis, who crashed out of the 2024 presidential campaign but is apparently plotting another run in 2028, plans to use wind energy as yet another liberal boogeyman that he can claim to have vanquished in Florida — much the way the Governor also attached himself mid-Session to a bill banning the sale of lab-grown meat. Wind energy has become a popular target on the right, particularly for followers of Trump.

— EPILOGUE —

“Sales tax holidays for Florida await DeSantis approval. See what’s new and what’s changed” via Cheryl McCloud of the Tallahassee Democrat — The Legislature took a look at a $1.5 billion tax relief package earlier this month. House Bills 7073 and 5001 provide tax savings in areas that range from back-to-school and disaster preparedness supplies to toll relief and property insurance tax relief. If approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis, or allowed to become law without his signature, the proposed tax holidays and tax-relief programs take effect July 1, unless otherwise noted. “Inflation has led to significant increases in costs that are negatively impacting families,” said Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican.

“FIU students and UF professor sue over bill banning higher ed dealings with ‘countries of concern’” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A Chinese professor and two Chinese graduate students are suing in federal court to stop a new law that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says unfairly targets Chinese international students and others from working as graduate assistants for academic research projects. Zhipeng Yin and Zhen Guo, doctoral students from Florida International University, joined University of Florida professor Zhengfei Guan in filing the lawsuit over SB 846 in the U.S. District Court’s Miami Division. “This law is unfair, unjustified, and unconstitutional,” said Daniel Tilley, legal director for the Florida chapter of the ACLU. “Everyone in the United States is entitled to equal protection under our laws, including citizens of other countries. The discriminatory policies pushed by the DeSantis administration will not go unchecked.”

— OTHER STATEWIDE —

“DeSantis offers help to Maryland after bridge collapse” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “I have directed (the Florida State Emergency Response Team) to offer assistance to the State of Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The State of Florida stands willing to help and our prayers are with the victims and first responders,” he said on social media. Reports indicate that a cargo ship lost power for a period of time before it collided with a support pier for the bridge on Interstate 695, causing the bridge to collapse into water. A rescue effort is ongoing, but as hours have passed between the incident and now, it is increasingly unlikely that people found will still be alive. Two people were rescued already, but it is unknown how many people fell into the water, and the investigation will be ongoing for the foreseeable future.

To watch video of the collapse, please click the image below:

“Cabinet approves Chris Spencer as SBA chief” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — DeSantis’ top budget aide, Spencer, will be moving to take over the top spot at the state agency handling Florida’s investments — just as soon as he’s finished analyzing the budget. The Cabinet unanimously approved DeSantis’ nomination of Spencer to be Executive Director at the State Board of Administration (SBA), but DeSantis said Spencer won’t officially take over until his office is done scrutinizing the budget passed by the Legislature. “The start date will be announced depending on how quickly we can get through this budget,” DeSantis said. Lawmakers approved HB 5001 during the Regular Session but have yet to formally send it to DeSantis’ desk. It’s typically among the last of the bills transmitted to the Governor each year. DeSantis’ team, though, is reviewing the $117.5 billion spending plan for possible line-item vetoes.

“Governor, Cabinet protect thousands of acres in Central Florida from development” via Martin E. Comas and Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel — Nearly 4,400 acres of pasture lands in Central Florida will soon be forever protected from development and continue serving as critical pieces of a statewide wildlife corridor. Acting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, Gov. DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved purchasing Yarborough Ranch in Seminole County and development rights to the Heart Bar Ranch in Osceola County. “This is fantastic,” Richard Durr, director of Seminole’s parks and recreation department, said about the state’s acquisition of the Yarborough land. “The fact that we could see this property put into conservation and recreation to some degree … it’s just a wonderful outcome.”

—“Major land deals squeak by after Jimmy Patronis votes against them” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO

“Thousands of Florida kids lost Medicaid. Now some have no coverage” via Joe Mario Pedersen of Health News Florida — Early estimates for disenrollment predicted that between 900,000 and 1.75 million residents would no longer be eligible. It was also predicted that kids would make up a large bulk of those terminated from coverage. It’s been one year since Florida began sending letters of Medicaid redetermination. About 979,000 people have been disenrolled, and as predicted, children have felt the impact much more. Since the start of disenrollment last year, nearly 460,000 kids have lost Medicaid coverage. Only about 49,000 have successfully migrated to Florida KidCare, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP. It is unclear what has happened to the vast majority of children.

“Florida arrests petition gatherer accused of submitting fraudulent signatures for abortion measure” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has arrested a Tampa man for allegedly committing petition fraud on an abortion initiative. Investigators say Andres Felipe Salazar, a paid petition circulator for Floridians Protecting Freedom, submitted more than 30 fraudulent signatures in Sarasota County. Tampa police arrested Salazar on March 21. The 37-year-old is being held on 12 charges of criminal use of personal identification information. He was released on a $5,000 bond. The arrest by Tampa Police followed an investigation by FDLE’s election police force, working with the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office. Ron Turner serves as Supervisor of Elections in the county.

Happening today — The State Board of Education meets: 9 a.m., Winter Park High School, 2100 Summerfield Road, Winter Park.

Happening today — The Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Consumer Services Committee meets: 11 a.m., Zoom link here. Teleconference: 786-635-1003 | Code: 977 8143 2199.

— 2024 —

“Bloomberg/Morning Consult swing state poll hints at Joe Biden comeback” via Alex Thompson of Axios — Biden made significant gains against Trump during the past month in six of seven 2024 swing states, according to a Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll. It’s the first time in months that the swing state poll has Biden within striking distance of Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. The poll measured a period in which Biden followed his impassioned State of the Union address with a swing state tour and a series of sharp attacks on Trump. Biden performed best in the Rust Belt swing states, where both candidates have been arguing they are the best to resuscitate American industry. The polls showed the President with a 1-point lead in Wisconsin and tied with Trump in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

“Judge imposes gag order on Trump in Manhattan criminal trial” via Ben Protess and William K. Rashbaum of The New York Times — The New York judge presiding over one of Trump’s criminal trials imposed a gag order on Tuesday that prohibits him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors and jurors, the latest effort to rein in the former President’s wrathful rhetoric about his legal opponents. The judge, Juan M. Merchan, imposed the order at the request of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which brought the case against Trump. The district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, has accused Trump of covering up a potential sex scandal during and after his 2016 campaign. The ruling comes on the heels of Justice Merchan’s setting an April 15 trial date, rejecting Trump’s latest effort to delay the proceeding. It will mark the first criminal prosecution of a former President.

“Could Trump pick Marco Rubio as VP? There are constitutional hurdles to an all-Florida ticket” via Zac Anderson and David Jackson of USA Today — Trump‘s vice presidential list is ever growing. But at least one prominent candidate has a special challenge: Rubio, a Senator from Trump‘s own home state of Florida. The U.S. Constitution and the rules of the Electoral College discourage running mates from the same state. That’s actually why Dick Cheney changed his residency from Texas back to Wyoming in 2000 as George W. Bush made him the vice-presidential nominee. Trump aides said he does not have a VP shortlist — he has a long list that is getting longer by the week. They also said he’s not close to making a final announcement and may not do so before the opening of the Republican National Convention on July 15.

“Cable news overcorrected, and needs to go back to airing Trump’s speeches at length” via Melinda Henneberger of the Miami Herald — Remember when cable news got the blame for electing Trump in 2016, because airing so many of his rallies in their entirety was seen as the gift of free advertising? That was never completely fair, because it wasn’t CNN’s fault that so many voters loved what they saw. His supporters have long since wished away this and all other evidence of psychopathy, either by claiming he never said or did any of these things or insisting that if he did then he didn’t mean it. It’s those who might or might not stay home who need persuading, along with the tiny but significant number of actual swing voters in key states. And what both of those groups need to see is much more Trump, who in a media overreaction has all but disappeared from many channels.

— D.C. MATTERS —

Tweet, tweet:

BIG NEWS FOR #FL04: My amendment to protect Florida’s 404 Program has PASSED! ✅

Protecting our unique environment & natural resources is best managed in cooperation w/ local gov’t and stakeholders in Northeast Florida, not through misguided federal overreach. pic.twitter.com/Vx4CMDx2jh

— Aaron Bean (@RepAaronBean) March 22, 2024

“Florida bankers say passage of SAFE Act for cannabis clients is in sight” via Christina Georgacopoulos of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — A conclusion to bankers’ long-fought battle for federal regulations around serving the cannabis industry could be right around the corner. Tampa Bay banker Rita Lowman and an envoy of Florida Bankers Association representatives met with legislators in Washington, D.C., last week, and she said there was confidence the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act could pass in the U.S. Senate this year or early next year after the election. The SAFE act would provide a safe harbor to banks and financial institutions that service the cannabis industry — a bill that was first introduced in 2013 but has failed to secure support in several votes until the Senate Banking Committee gave it a bipartisan stamp of approval late last year.

— DOWN BALLOT —

“EMILY’s List endorses Lucia Báez-Geller in bid to unseat María Elvira Salazar” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — EMILY’s List is throwing its support behind Miami-Dade School Board member Báez-Geller as she mounts a bid in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. That seat is currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Salazar. Báez-Geller is one of two Democrats competing to take on Salazar in November. “Floridians in the 27th Congressional District are ready for a leader who puts their lives, their families, and their futures ahead of political games. Lucia Báez-Geller is that leader, and EMILY’s List is proud to endorse her today in this key flip seat,” EMILY’s List President Jessica Mackler said in a Tuesday statement announcing the endorsement.

Charlie Stone backs Chad Johnson in HD 22 — Johnson, a former Levy County Commissioner running in state House District 22, is rallying more veteran lawmakers behind his bid. Former state Rep. Stone, an Ocala Republican, endorsed the Chiefland Republican. “House District 22 needs someone in Tallahassee who is a tried-and-true conservative and has a vested interest in the community’s future,” Stone said. “Chad Johnson is the right man for the job. He puts high value on free markets, fiscal responsibility, and the quality of life that the residents of North Florida enjoy. He is the right voice and the best choice for the voters of Alachua, Levy and Gilchrist counties.” Johnson also boasts the support of Reps. Bobby Payne, Stan McClain, Ryan Chamberlin and Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Lake Okeechobee water is heading to Florida’s coasts. What that means for red tide.” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — Just days after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said El Niño rains meant it needed to release Lake Okeechobee water into Florida estuaries, clean water advocates took to the sky to document the damage. The images show plumes of murky lake water clashing with normally clear and sparkling waters. Aerial imagery earlier this month showed lake water flowing out of the St. Lucie inlet and colliding with the Atlantic Ocean. On the west coast, the water poured out of the Caloosahatchee River and collided with the Gulf of Mexico. The short-term consequences of Lake Okeechobee discharges are already becoming clear: In the St. Lucie River, salinity levels have dropped, putting oysters and other marine life at risk. If high volumes of lake water continue into April, oysters and fish spawning in the Caloosahatchee could be harmed, environmental nonprofits worry.

“Florida’s budget has $1.8B for Miami-Dade projects. Where will the money go?” via Douglas Hanks and Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald — About $1.8 billion in state funds could flow into dozens of projects in Miami-Dade County as part of the state budget that’s awaiting veto decisions by Gov. DeSantis. A new legislative report offers the most detailed look yet at where the money is slated to go in the $117 billion spending plan for the 2024-25 budget year, which begins July 1. All of those funds could be approved or vetoed by the Governor. Broward County had the most project money listed in the March 21 report by the Florida House Appropriations Committee, with $1.82 billion in the pipeline ahead of the Governor’s decisions, according to a Miami Herald tally of the budget items.

“FAU’s dental school is placed ‘on pause’ after losing state funding” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Florida Atlantic University (FAU) won’t get a College of Dentistry any time soon after the state Legislature pulled back $30 million it allocated last year to help start the program. In addition, Barbara Feingold, an FAU Board of Trustees member, has yet to sign a gift agreement on a $30 million pledge she made in 2022. There are questions about whether she ever will. “The strategic direction of the university is fluid and always under consideration by the Board of Trustees,” FAU spokesperson Lisa Metcalf said in an email to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Clearly, a College of Dentistry requires a pause and, possibly, a pivot. Regardless, all decisions are made in the best interests of the university.”

“Hialeah Council member who sued the Mayor is leaving. Now he seeks a position in Miami-Dade” via Verónica Egui Brito of the Miami Herald — Bryan Calvo, the youngest Council member ever elected in Hialeah and a constant challenge to the administration of Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo Jr., will leave his seat on the City Council, with his sights set on a more ambitious position within Miami-Dade County. Calvo is running to become Miami-Dade’s first elected Tax Collector, a position currently appointed by the county Mayor. Calvo will compete in the Republican Primary for the nomination in August. Republican Dariel Fernandez, a former candidate for Miami-Dade County Commission, is also running for the position. Less than three years after his election in Hialeah at age 23, Calvo has often found himself politically isolated on the Council.

“Brightline orders more coaches as demand for seats increases on Miami-Orlando trains” via Ananya Tiwari of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Brightline has ordered more coaches to meet the increasing demand for seats on its Miami-Orlando service, according to the high-speed rail company’s monthly ridership report for February. Train cans have a maximum of 10 coaches, which hold about 240 passengers each, and a locomotive on each end, Brightline spokesperson Katie Mitzner told TCPalm. Trains running through the Treasure Coast have averaged four coaches since the long-distance service began in September. The first new Siemens coaches will start arriving by Summer, Mitzner said. In February, one of every three trains was at capacity or close to it, according to the report.

“Deadly scooter accidents highlight a new technology at odds with South Florida lifestyle” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The victims of scooter accidents are often young. In the last month alone, two scooter accidents left South Florida students dead while commuting. On Monday, 16-year-old Anthony Malec was hit and killed by a Tesla while riding his electric scooter to school. On March 5, Daniel Bishop, a senior at the University of Miami, was struck and killed while riding his scooter to class. Bishop had attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas and survived the mass shooting in 2018. In car-reliant areas like South Florida, scooters have served as a makeshift solution to the “last mile” problem, or the last leg of a journey, such as from home to campus or between a Brightline train station and an office.

“Lake Okeechobee water is heading to Florida’s coasts. What that means for red tide” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — It didn’t take long for the aerial images to emerge. Just days after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said El Niño rains meant it needed to release Lake Okeechobee water into Florida estuaries, clean water advocates took to the sky to document the damage. The images show plumes of murky lake water clashing with normally clear and sparkling waters. On the east coast, aerial imagery earlier this month showed lake water flowing out of the St. Lucie inlet and colliding with the Atlantic Ocean.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Though skeptical, Orange County Commissioners won’t rule out transportation tax” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Reluctant Orange County Commissioners agreed to continue exploring a possible sales tax hike for transportation on the November ballot — but warned Mayor Jerry Demings that he has a big job ahead to convince them. “I’m skeptical of it,” said District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe while District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore nodded her head in agreement. “The bottom line is I don’t see anything different from two years ago.” In 2022, county voters trounced a proposed penny-per-dollar sales-tax increase for 20 years aimed at creating better and safer roads, more punctual Lynx bus service and an expanded SunRail commuter line, with 58% voting “no.”

“Disney affordable housing project gets OKed after long debate” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — During a contentious meeting Tuesday, the Orange County Commissioners approved Walt Disney World’s affordable housing complex. Local residents voiced concerns the development would only exacerbate the community’s problems with overcrowding and transportation. In a vote of 4-2, the Commission approved moving the project along for state agencies to review it. However, the two dissenters argued that the decision should be delayed so that officials could obtain more information. Disney is working with a private developer to construct a 1,400-unit affordable housing complex on 80 acres in booming west Orange County. Ask any Disney cast member, and it’s not hard to find someone who commutes two hours or shares housing with a half-dozen roommates because finding somewhere affordable to live is difficult.

“7 vie for 2 seats on Haines City Commission, a mix of former candidates and newcomers” via Sara-Megan Walsh of the Lakeland Ledger — Haines City voters have a full roster of seven candidates to choose from for two Commission seats in the April 2 municipal elections. Two challengers, Joseph Burgos and Jayne Hall, look to unseat the incumbent Morris West in the race for Haines City’s Seat 3. It’s a four-way race for the open Seat 4, currently held by Mayor Roy Tyler — the longest-serving local Commissioner in Florida. Tyler has served approximately 33 years, despite nearly being unseated by a disqualified candidate in April 2020. He chose not to run for re-election.

“City of St. Cloud hit by cyberattack” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — The city of St. Cloud was the target of a cyberattack, affecting phone lines and limiting the forms of payment accepted for some services, city leaders said. Though several departments were impacted, the city’s government is operating “as best as possible” while the issue is resolved, according to a news release posted to the city’s website. In-person payments for Parks and Recreation events and services are temporarily cash-only, but online facility reservation payments and event registrations are still accepting credit cards. The transfer station where residents can dump their garbage is only accepting cash payments right now, according to the news release. All trash and recycling collection routes are to operate as scheduled.

— LOCAL: TB —

“How the Baltimore bridge collapse compares to the fall of the Sunshine Skyway” via Jay Cridlin of the Tampa Bay Times — Americans awoke to images from a devastating scene in Baltimore, where a cargo ship rammed overnight into a major bridge, crumpling the road and sending cars into the water. For some in the Tampa Bay region, the scene conjured memories of the biggest bridge disaster in local history: The collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge after it was hit by a freighter in 1980. Though they occurred 44 years apart, it’s hard to shake the similarities between both tragedies. In both Baltimore and St. Petersburg, the ships approached slowly, inevitably, with pilots unable to right their steering paths before impact. The Skyway crash occurred on a stormy Friday morning. John Lerro, the harbor pilot captaining the 19,734-ton Summit Venture, said he couldn’t see where he was going and didn’t have an up-to-the-minute weather forecast as he approached. It was only as he came within a few hundred feet of the bridge that he got his bearings and realized he was outside the shipping channel, with the wind pushing him astray.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Could bridge collapse happen in Jacksonville? Mayor assures Dames Point has safeguards” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — Mayor Donna Deegan said after the collapse of a Baltimore bridge struck by a cargo container ship that the Dames Point bridge in Jacksonville has built-in safeguards for shielding the heavily traveled span from an impact. Ships pass daily under the Dames Point bridge on their way to and from the Dames Point terminal just west of the bridge and the Talleyrand terminal near downtown. Baltimore is also a busy port city. The overnight accident caused the Francis Scott Key Bridge to collapse in a matter of seconds when a ship leaving the Port of Baltimore rammed into one of the piers holding up the span at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Several vehicles and construction workers were on the bridge when the impact happened.

“Jacksonville police union frustrated with negotiations with Donna Deegan administration” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — While every labor negotiation is characterized by a back-and-forth between the union and Jacksonville’s government, this one is unique in that the city’s police union wonders if the delay in negotiations amounts to a breach of good faith. FOP head Randy Reaves sent an email to members this week noting that negotiations were expected to continue on Wednesday, but that after three months with the union’s wage proposal, the Mayor’s Office hadn’t offered a counter, which Reaves told his members was “troubling, to say the least.” “The Mayor wanted to go back to the table with the FOP early because she indicated we were a priority. It’s been three months since our first meeting,” Reaves said.

“Survey: Nearly half of Tallahassee residents fear losing loved one to gun violence” via Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat — Amid a year of almost record violence, the Tallahassee-Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys surveyed the community to gauge residents’ perception of safety, main causes of violence and potential solutions. Now, the results are in — nearly half of local residents are concerned they’ll lose a loved one to gun violence. The local organization conducted a 19-question, online survey in May 2023 — right before last year’s peak time of violence — that was sent out to Tallahassee and Leon County residents 18 years or older. The survey received 668 legitimate responses. More than half said the area in which they live have maintained the same level of safety in the past year, but 45% — almost half — of respondents indicated some level of concern that they would lose a loved one to gun violence.

“Prosecutor wants UF student accused of sex attack jailed until trial to protect community” via Vivienne Serret of WUFT — In a highly unusual move, a prosecutor is asking a judge to keep a University of Florida student accused of attempted sexual battery in jail indefinitely. William Thomas Horan, 21, of Pembroke Pines in South Florida, is accused of pinning down a classmate on a bed while groping, choking, and kissing her and pulling down her pants on the evening of Feb. 12 at her off-campus apartment. Police said Horan’s accuser had bruises on her neck. They had been platonic friends and never had a sexual relationship, she told investigators. In a highly unusual move on Monday, Assistant State Attorney Nicole Reed filed a motion in Alachua County Circuit Court asking Judge Philip Pena to revoke Horan’s bond. She predicted a “substantial probability” that Horan, who is 5’ 7” and weighs 150 pounds, would be a threat to the city. She said no conditions of his release — such as GPS monitors or court-ordered supervision — could protect the community.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Manatee County’s Piney Point injection well spills thousands of gallons of wastewater” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Manatee County-owned injection well dedicated to the disposal of Piney Point’s contaminated wastewater has caused its first spill. The county has reported to the Department of Environmental Protection that it spilled an estimated 6,000 gallons of untreated industrial wastewater pumped from the former Piney Point fertilizer plant. The release was caused by a power outage from a tripped breaker, which resulted in a loss of communications with an off-site transfer pump sending the contaminated industrial wastewater from the Piney Point site to the pretreatment plant. Continued pumping resulted in an overflow until staff manually shut off the transfer pump to stop the discharge.

“SRQ airport inks major deals with New College, Manatee County and airline carriers” via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport approved a land swap agreement to convey 30.94 acres of land to New College of Florida permanently, pending final approval by the Federal Aviation Administration and state funding appropriations. The Airport Authority approved the land sale during a public meeting, where they also approved new agreements that will keep six major airlines operating out of the airport for at least 10 more years. Last week, Manatee County also agreed to match up to $1.1 million in funding for the construction of a new observation area that will overlook the airport runway. New College leases land from the SRQ airport for a portion of its campus located east of Tamiami Trail.

“New College pitches marine mammal grad program to BOG” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Come the Fall Semester, New College of Florida could be launching a master’s program in marine mammal science. New College has drafted a proposal for the program, known as MIMMS, which will be reviewed and voted on by the State University System Board of Governors on Wednesday. According to the document, the university already has the pieces in place to offer the new program. In addition to qualified faculty and interested students, its Sarasota-based campus and facilities afford it proximal relevance to marine mammal scholars. New College has expressed interest in launching a MIMMS program for more than a decade, but Richard Corcoran has been working to fast-track the launch since taking over as president in late 2023.

— TOP OPINION —

“Kids are smarter than us, and other facts on Florida’s social media ban” via Stephanie Hayes of the Tampa Bay Times — DeSantis on Monday signed a bill barring kids from social media. It’s a lightened-up version of an earlier bill DeSantis vetoed.

House Bill 3 bans kids 13 and younger from creating accounts and requires platforms to seek and destroy their profiles. Teens aged 14 and 15 would need parental consent to post selfies they will later regret, and so on. The bill also blocks minors from adult websites and requires visitors to prove their age.

The websites would have to use third-party age verification software, which could involve submitting government IDs or facial scans. This scenario has played out in Texas, where PornHub suspended service to the state on the heels of an age-verification law. Not that anyone in Texas or Florida has any interest in that enterprise, nope, moving along.

Most reasonable people want to protect kids from the darker elements of the internet, but the question is whether that task should fall to parents or the law. It’s hard to miss the fact that this bill is akin to co-parenting with the government. That’s a phrase you may have heard before — when it is convenient for the folks using it. Ahem.

Children are born knowing more about electronics than their parents. Each new model of humans is released into this world with a working knowledge of processes and products that haven’t been invented yet. This is why you can hand a toddler an iPad, turn your back for 10 seconds, and they’ve reprogrammed the thermostat.

For their part, teens testified about the good bits of social, like talking to friends, learning, running businesses. They have elegantly conveyed their points because, to reiterate, kids are smarter than us. Got it? Good. Now, can one of them come help me take a screengrab of a video?

— ONE MORE TOP OPINION —

“Another Carolina Amesty scandal. Time for someone new” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — This past Sunday, the Sentinel published the latest chapter of Amesty’s weirdness, once again involving her family’s small, unaccredited college. The school, while trying to get a state license, had filed paperwork listing 10 educators, but five told the Sentinel they’d never actually worked there.

One even said that a signature — attributed to him and notarized by Amesty herself — wasn’t actually his.

Basically, if you had to sum up Amesty’s brief tenure, it’s train wreck meets dumpster fire meets enough already.

All of which makes it remarkable that not a single candidate from either party has filed to run against her this year.

And by remarkable, I mean remarkably pathetic.

It’s ridiculous that Florida Democrats haven’t yet fielded a candidate in this competitive House district that’s home to Disney World.

But it’s also ridiculous that Republicans haven’t decided they can do better.

Seriously, Florida Republicans, is this hot mess of financial red flags the best you have to offer?

You’d think principled conservatives — the kind who’d like to show their face in the Publix grocery aisle — would say: We’ve seen enough.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jimmy Patronis (@jpatronis)

— ALOE —

“Florida Retail Federation pushes for local spending during robust Easter shopping season” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Florida Retail Federation (FRF) officials are projecting that the Easter season will be a prosperous one for retailers, as the annual holiday approaches Sunday. The National Retail Federation (NRF) published a report based on a survey this month that stated 81% of consumers will celebrate Easter in some fashion this year and they plan on being customers of retailers to help celebrate the occasion. That will result in an estimated $22.4 billion spent across the U.S. on Easter retail merchandise, goods and services before the holiday concludes Sunday. That comes out to about $177 per person spent on candy, gifts, food and clothing this Easter holiday.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Today would have been Bob Levy‘s birthday. We miss you, my friend. Celebrating today are Alexandra Glorioso, Joni James, and Jarred Torres.

___

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