Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 3.28.24

Good Thursday morning.

Breaking overnight — “Federal court upholds Ron DeSantis-backed congressional map” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — A panel of federal judges upheld Florida’s congressional map, turning away a challenge that alleged it was discriminatory against Black voters after the district held by former Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat, was dismantled. The decision is a substantial victory for Republicans and Gov. DeSantis, who muscled the map through Florida’s GOP-controlled Legislature. The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that those who challenged the map did not prove that Republican legislators discriminated against Black voters by adopting the map that was shaped by the DeSantis administration. “Consequently, whatever might be said about the Legislature’s decision to give up the fight for preserving a Black-performing district in North Florida, it did not amount to ratification of racial animus in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments,” the opinion read. The ruling can be directly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But even if it is, any appeal would be unlikely to resolve ahead of this year’s elections.

___

A top-of-the-‘burn happy birthday shoutout to our fellow Gasparilla Parade reveler, Attorney General Ashley Moody.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@GovRonDeSantis: Today I signed HB 621 to provide homeowners with remedies against squatting and increase penalties on squatters. While other states allow criminals and vagrants to take over, Florida does not. With this action, Florida is stopping the squatters scam.

—@ChristinaPushaw: In my opinion, it’s wrong of @brad_polumbo to suggest that Gov. DeSantis, of all people, is somehow insufficiently dedicated to defending parental rights. But I do not agree with calling Brad a MAP or anything like that. He is just a libertarian who opposes regulating Big Tech. It’s totally fair game to point out how allowing children unfettered access to social media has enabled predators. But that doesn’t mean it’s fair to claim Brad himself is one.

—@DaveWeigel: One of the reasons Rs are bearish on DeSantis ’28 or ’32 etc. (Nikki) Haley dramatically expanded her donor network by running for President. DeSantis shrunk his big donor network, tapped out Tallahassee donors, and revealed that his COVID freedom fame couldn’t build a small $ network.

—@AnnaForFlorida: Failed presidential candidate Ron DeSantis backs down, again, lol This time as a settlement with Disney lawsuit.

—@VoteRandyFine: Reporter: “You just learned that Disney dropped their lawsuit and now you won’t have to get deposed and can stop producing documents. What are you doing next?” Me: “I’m going to Disney World!” ;-). Excited about the next chapter for the Florida-Disney relationship!

—@JohnFSnyder: Even in a changing world, there are still fundamental principles that stand the test of time. My daughter has been in a classical school since third grade and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Tweet, tweet:

Hippity, hoppity, Easter’s on its way! The Burgess bunch is egg-cited to celebrate this weekend! pic.twitter.com/fHb0H6DXRA

— Danny Burgess (@DannyBurgessFL) March 27, 2024

Tweet, tweet:

🚨Free cheese related news for 2024🚨

If the Rays score in the third inning during any home game this season, you score FREE @Culvers Cheese Curds! pic.twitter.com/HyzfXhUaiG

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) March 27, 2024

Tweet, tweet:

New stamp issued on Manatee Appreciation Day 📬 #savemanateesstamp https://t.co/i96NIXbPcD

— U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) March 27, 2024

— DAYS UNTIL —

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ released — 1; March Madness Final Four (women’s) begins — 7; March Madness Final Four (men’s) — 10; Florida TaxWatch’s Spring Meeting — 14; The Masters begin — 15; Kentucky Derby — 38; 2024 Leadership Conference on Safety, Health & Sustainability — 43; ‘Bridgerton’ new season (part one) premieres on Netflix — 51; French Open begins — 53; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 55; Dave Matthews Band 2024 Summer Tour begins in Tampa — 55; Monaco Grand Prix — 59; the 2024 World Cup begins — 75; season two of ‘House of the Dragon’ returns to Max — 80; ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ premieres — 93; Republican National Convention begins — 109; the 2024 World Cup ends — 112; 2024 MLS All-Star Game — 117; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on NBC/Peacock — 120; ‘Alien: Romulus’ premieres — 139; Democratic National Convention begins — 145; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 149; 2024 NFL season kicks off — 162; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami — 204; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 207; 2024 Presidential Election — 222; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 235; MLS Cup 2024 — 250; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres — 320; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins — 341; 2025 Session ends — 401; ‘Moana’ premieres — 451; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 482; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 484; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 589; ‘Avatar 3’ premieres — 631; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 768; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 784; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 995; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,135; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 2,094; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 2,816.

— TOP STORY —

“DeSantis says there is a ‘desire to move forward with Disney” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — DeSantis is now blaming his long fight with The Walt Disney Co. on its California corporate headquarters, and said he knew Walt Disney World was not the force behind it.

“Some of that stuff was really driven by Burbank. It was not driven by Orlando, and I think we’ve always understood that,” DeSantis said at an Orlando news conference.

“I think there’s a desire to move forward,” DeSantis said. “They probably have opportunities to do, to expand their footprint, to continue to attract visitors. And those things, when they coincide with the state’s interest, we think that’d be good.”

“I would just point out a year ago, people were trying to act like that all these legal maneuverings were all going to succeed against the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. “The reality is, here we are a year later, and not one of them has succeeded.”

— EPILOGUE —

“Gov. DeSantis signs bill squashing ‘squatters’ rights’” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — DeSantis signed legislation (HB 621) making it easier for police to remove squatters from a residence. During a bill signing ceremony in Orlando, DeSantis said the bill was needed to crack down on a scourge affecting states led by Democrats, such as New York and California. “Homes are being invaded, and those states and their laws are not siding with the homeowners; they’re siding with the squatters,” DeSantis said. “We are, in Florida, ending the squatters scam once and for all.” Now a homeowner can file a complaint with police showing they own the property, that the squatters aren’t related to them and there isn’t any ongoing litigation surrounding the property.

— OTHER STATEWIDE —

“DeSantis pans ‘phony narratives’ from media about measles” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — From his personal account on X, DeSantis offered a snarky quote of a post from one of his followers. The post suggested that coverage of an in-state school flare-up of the disease was more pronounced than that of an Illinois shelter for undocumented immigrants. The poster asserted that “there are 30+ cases of measles tied to an illegal immigrant shelter in Chicago, but I haven’t seen the same news coverage about this as the < 10 cases in Florida last month.” “Gee, I wonder why?” the Governor responded. He followed this up with commentary during a news conference Wednesday. “Now, you see 30 cases in Chicago with illegal aliens. I don’t hear the same carping from the media. In fact, they’re not talking about it really very much at all. So, it just goes to show you the phony narratives that get put out all to drive an agenda,” DeSantis said.

“DeSantis activates Florida State Guard again on Haitian immigrants desperate for safety.” via Frank Cerabino of The Palm Beach Post — It appears that DeSantis still thinks he’s running for President. That explains why he has activated yet again his Y’all Qaeda Militia, a group of undertrained, unpaid, civilian volunteers to repel a nonexistent “invasion” from Haiti. “We cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida,” DeSantis said when first announcing the new deployment. Activating his goon squad as a response team is the kind of Fox-News-chumming cruelty that has helped to propel DeSantis to the scrap heap of Republican presidential candidates. “We’re putting our assets in place to defend the state,” was how DeSantis framed his latest posturing as the steadfast warlord of Florida to a Fox News audience. Calling people fleeing an irrefutable humanitarian crisis “illegal aliens” is both cringeworthy and legally incorrect if they are arriving to make well-founded asylum claims.

“Jimmy Patronis joins letter urging IRS to shut down Direct File program” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Chief Financial Officer Patronis and the top financial officers of 20 other states wrote to federal officials asking them to shut down a pilot program allowing citizens to file their tax returns directly with the government. The program, Direct File, lets citizens skip paying for a tax preparer or online aide, such as Turbo Tax, to file their federal taxes with the Internal Revenue Service. But the letter — addressed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel — claims that the benefits are minimal, if any, and could hurt taxpayers. Direct File is a pilot project available in 12 states, including Florida.

— 2024 —

“Donald Trump slow to invest in states that could decide election as some in GOP fear ‘skeleton’ campaign” via Steve Peoples of The Associated Press — In his bid to retake the White House, few states hold as much promise for Trump as Michigan. Trump has already won the state once and Joe Biden, who reclaimed it for Democrats in 2020, is confronting vulnerabilities there as he seeks re-election. Trump’s campaign promises an aggressive play for Michigan as part of a robust swing-state strategy. But, at least for now, those promises appear to be mostly talk. The Trump campaign and its partners at the Republican National Committee haven’t yet made significant General Election investments in the state, according to Michigan Republican Party Chair Pete Hoekstra. The National Committee, he said, hasn’t transferred any money to the state party to help bolster its operations heading into the General Election. There are no specific programs in place to court voters of color. And there’s no General Election field staff in place.

“DeSantis tops poll of preferred Trump running mates” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A YouGov survey conducted from March 24-26 found 64% of Republican-leaning independents and Republicans would approve of the Governor taking that spot, the highest positive number in a field of candidates including Ben Carson, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Carson, at 55%, is the second choice. DeSantis has better numbers than two other Republicans who washed out of the presidential race. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina was acceptable to 51% of respondents, while Vivek Ramaswamy was at 50%. One name not considered in the poll: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, whose name has been linked with the role.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Rick Scott meets with Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with Scott, his first visit to the country since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7. Scott last went in the Summer of 2023. The PM “thanked him for visiting Jerusalem and for his unwavering support for the State of Israel, especially at this time,” per a post from the Israeli PM’s social media account on X. Netanyahu framed Scott’s visit in light of the United States not vetoing a United Nations (U.N.) Security Council vote calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, which he said was “a very, very bad move.” “The worst part about it was that it encouraged Hamas to take a hard line and to believe that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

“Aaron Bean pursues congressional override of decision denying Florida permitting authority” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Congress last week voted to restore Florida’s permitting authority over wetlands. But it’s unclear whether the process can be jump-started anytime soon. U.S. Rep. Bean introduced an amendment last week on a larger bill, the Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act (HR 7023), that would codify Florida’s authority to issue permits. Bean, a Fernandina Republican, said it’s critical to restore Florida’s 404 Program, which transferred permitting authority from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). But a court in February said the authority was wrongly granted to the state in the first place. That decision has done more to stop critical environmental projects than to help, Bean said.

“Maxwell Frost blasts DeSantis on Haiti, calls for helping refugees fleeing violence” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — U.S. Rep. Frost called for extending protected status for Haitians fleeing the violence in their country and slammed DeSantis for suggesting he might call a Special Session to arrest and detain Haitian refugees who come to Florida. “Imagine the Haitian people in our community waking up every morning to see the devastation in Haiti,” said Frost, an Orlando Democrat, at a news conference at his Orlando office. “And (then they) turn on the TV and see their bigoted Governor use his power not to console the people, not to tell them he’s going to do what he can to help the island and to help Haiti, but to demonize and dehumanize them. It’s disgusting.”

— DOWN BALLOT —

“Top Trump surrogate DC Draino may run for Congress against Laurel Lee” via Javier Manjarres of The Floridian — One of Trump’s top presidential surrogates and political influencers, Rogan O’Handley, aka DC Draino, may be considering a run for the U.S. Congress against Republican U.S. Rep. Lee in Florida’s 15th Congressional District. In a recent conversation with Lee County Republican Party Chair Michael Thompson, O’Handley appeared interested, yet reserved but said that he would seriously consider a run against Rep. Lee if all the MAGA political planets aligned. Chair Thompson told The Floridian that O’Handley “has not ruled anything out.” O’Handley’s potential congressional bid would certainly be seen as a shot across the bow to Team DeSantis.

“Massie blasts Trump’s ‘ridiculous bullying tactics’ in trying to primary Florida Republican” via Sarah Fortinsky of The Hill — Rep. Thomas Massie slammed Trump for encouraging a primary challenge against a Florida Republican, saying he was employing “ridiculous bullying tactics.” Trump on Sunday took aim at Rep. Lee, the only member of the Florida House delegation to endorse DeSantis over Trump in the GOP Presidential Primary. She ultimately endorsed Trump after DeSantis ended his campaign. “Any great MAGA Republicans looking to run against Laurel Lee in Florida’s 15th Congressional District? IF SO, PLEASE STEP FORWARD!” Trump posted on Truth Social late Sunday night. Massie, who also initially endorsed DeSantis, shot back at Trump. “This is unhelpful and unwarranted,” Massie wrote on social media.

“Lawyer Laura F. Kelley wants to oust David Borrero, launches HD 111 bid” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Rep. Borrero now has a declared challenger, as Kelley enters the race as a Democrat. So far, the two are the only candidates in the contest for Florida House District 111. The district sits in northwest Miami-Dade County, including all or part of the cities of Doral, Hialeah Gardens, Medley, Miami Lakes and Sweetwater. Kelley has been based in Doral for a decade. She founded LFK Immigration PA, which focuses on immigration law. She is also involved with the Doral Girl Scout Troop and serves in leadership for the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s South Florida Chapter.

“Annette Taddeo hires Andrea Gomez Gonzalez as Campaign Manager for Miami-Dade Clerk bid” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Sen. Taddeo is bringing on Gonzalez to serve as Campaign Manager for Taddeo’s Miami-Dade Clerk bid. “I am excited to welcome Andrea to the team as we fight to ensure transparency, accountability, and accessibility in our justice system and in our finances,” Taddeo said in a prepared statement. “Together, we’re building a campaign focused on integrity, putting our residents above special interests and political agendas.” Gomez has served as a Text Organizer for the Democratic National Committee headquarters. She has also worked on political campaigns in various capacities, such as “grassroots organizing, strategic communications and volunteer management,” according to an announcement from Taddeo’s campaign.

Happening tonight:

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Save the date:

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“State Board says Broward schools owe $80M to charter schools” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A state Board found probable cause that the Broward School District failed to comply with state law, saying it owes about $80 million from a 2018 referendum to charter schools. The Florida Board of Education, during a meeting in Winter Park, gave the district until the next Board meeting on April 17 to get into compliance. Marylin Batista, General Counsel for the School District, said that the timeline is too quick because the district must negotiate with 87 charter schools. The issue involves a four-year referendum that voters approved in 2018 for teacher raises, mental health, safety and security. The ballot language said charter schools with at least 900 students would get safety and security money, but no other money was shared.

OFFS! — “A bitcoin boom is happening in Miami — again” via Michael Butler of the Miami Herald — From a well-attended bitcoin event at the Miami Beach Convention Center in 2022 to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s bumpy ride as “America’s crypto Mayor” to the short-lived name change that led the Miami Heat to play at FTX Arena, Miami’s connection to cryptocurrency is significant. While 2023 was mired by the FTX scandal that was exposed in November 2022 and reports that earning opportunities for crypto millionaires had dried up, there is a renewed interest in bitcoin investment this year. Earlier this month, bitcoin’s value rose to an all-time high of more than $73,000. Last March, for comparison, the price hovered in the $20,000 range.

“Centners’ talk of ‘sprinkling’ money around reeks of a Miami-style spin” via Betsy Warwick for the Miami Herald — The Centners spun a tale about “sprinkling money around” to various organizations, about which they claim ignorance as to the who, what, when, where and why. “Sprinkling” is what you do with breadcrumbs, not $245,000. In addition to the stench of corruption that surrounds this tale, there are two other troubling matters. Did the public get a fair exchange when the State Attorney’s Office granted immunity to the Centners for the mendacious sludge they gave in return, as the Herald reported? As self-described “educators” of young children, with an obligation to at least appear ethically and morally upright to their students, the Centners have failed. Shouldn’t they pack up and leave town before the “sprinkling” becomes a deluge?

“South Florida homebuyers face higher prices, while also finding more options” via Abigail Hasebrook of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Prospective homeowners in South Florida face a market rife with high price tags and mortgage interest rates. But with a rise in available listings, they’re also likely to find more choices when buying a home. The region’s inventory, which is measured by the number of active listings, increased in both Broward and Palm Beach counties from February 2023 to February of this year, according to market reports by the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors. “It’s always a good thing to have inventory increase in this type of market,” said David Serle, the Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors’ president. Palm Beach County leads the way, with more than 5,000 active listings of single-family homes in February 2024, a 26% change from last year when active listings of single-family homes hovered around 4,000.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Disney World’s government gets a new leader under same pay as predecessor” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — It’s a new era for Disney World’s government. On the same day that the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board settled its state litigation with Disney, the Board approved hiring Stephanie Kopelousos as the new District Administrator, effective immediately. Kopelousos will get paid $400,000 annually, the same salary as her predecessor, the Board said during its meeting. “Stephanie comes to the district with a distinguished career of public service to our state,” said Board member Charbel Barakat. “She has a reputation for being experienced and honorable in public service and an honest broker.” Kopelousos is DeSantis’ former senior adviser and the director of Legislative Affairs and had been the Clay County Manager for eight years.

ICYMI — “DeSantis appoints Craig Mateer to Disney Oversight Board” via Mark Skoneki of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis appointed Orlando entrepreneur Mateer to the district that oversees Disney World, filling a spot left open after Chair Martin Garcia resigned earlier this month. Mateer is the founder and CEO of CCM Capital Group, which provides hospitality, real estate and logistics services. He also founded the luggage handling business Bags Inc., which he sold for $275 million in 2018. Mateer, a graduate of Florida State University, has been a generous donor to DeSantis’ campaigns for Governor and President and to the Florida Republican Party. DeSantis previously named Mateer to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority in March 2021 and to the Florida Board of Governors a year later.

“Disney affordable housing project gains backing of Orange County Board” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney’s first affordable housing project cleared a critical hurdle — but just barely. Just when it appeared Orange County Commissioners might turn down a proposed land-use change needed to develop 114 Disney-owned acres into a 1,400-unit multifamily housing project in Horizon West, Mayor Jerry Demings took charge. At his urging, Commissioners voted 4-2 to send the proposed change in the county’s comprehensive land-use plan to Tallahassee for a state review, a mandatory step in the approval process. Commissioner Nicole Wilson, whose west Orange district includes Disney parks and fast-growing Horizon West, cast a “no” vote on Disney Imagineering’s request for “transmittal.” Commissioner Emily Bonilla also voted “no.”

“Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill fires back at elder-abuse injunction” via Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — Responding for the first time to explosive elder-abuse allegations against her, Orlando City Commissioner Hill claims in new court filings that those seeking to dislodge Hill’s power over an elderly constituent are the ones at risk of exploiting the woman, not Hill herself. Hill is asking to have the court injunction levied against her last week dissolved, arguing that the 96-year-old woman’s vulnerable state leaves her in no position to change who has her power of attorney. Adriane Alexander, a Tampa woman, displaced Hill and gained power of attorney over the woman last month. In court papers that led to the injunction and as part of a separate state investigation, Hill is accused of manipulating the woman.

“Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel joins crowded race for Brevard County Commission District 1 seat” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Diesel filed to run for the Brevard Board of County Commissioners, joining a crowded race and setting the stage for a four-way Republican Primary this summer. Incumbent District 1 Commissioner Rita Pritchett, a Republican, will not be eligible for re-election this year due to term limits, opening the field for a race that now has six candidates, including four Republicans. Pritchett, looking to remain in county government, filed to run this year for Brevard County Tax Collector against incumbent Lisa Cullen. Diesel will face off against his former colleague on the Titusville City Council, Republican Robert Jordan; former Moms for Liberty member Katie Delaney; and Mims activist Dwight Siegler, who has previously run for the seat as a Democrat.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Tampa Bay Rays fan perks this season: concerts, self-checkout food, giveaways” via Sharon Kennedy Wynne of the Tampa Bay Times — The Tampa Bay Rays unveiled a starting lineup of fan perks for the new baseball season, including a stingray-themed hoodie among its giveaways, a self-checkout station for hot food, postgame concerts and a new look for the field itself. The home opener is March 28 against the Blue Jays and when fans enter the stadium, they will find a new “Gluten-Free Favorites” stand. It will offer wheatless versions of ballpark staples and menus throughout the park will more clearly alert customers to allergens and vegan options. Fans will also get some postgame concerts this season, starting on July 26 with alternative rock band Jimmy Eat World, followed by country singer Riley Green on Aug. 10 and hip-hop artist T-Pain on Aug. 16. There are some new food vendors, including Cookie Fueled Mama and a new pretzel-themed concession booth called Twisted. One of the most noticeable changes this season will be the field itself. The artificial turf has been replaced with a new field of green that is striped like a freshly mowed lawn.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Santa Rosa Dems say ‘something nefarious’ underway on local ballot” via Tom McLaughlin of the Pensacola News Journal — A Democrat, any Democrat, throwing his or her hat in the ring to seek office in uber-conservative Santa Rosa County could conceivably warrant a lot of attention from local party activists. But in the case of William Blake Martin, who pre-filed on March 18 to run for the District 1 seat currently occupied by Santa Rosa County Commission Chair Sam Parker, what was initially enthusiasm has grown into out-and-out suspicion. “It’s very obvious something nefarious is going on there,” said BJ Brunious, the county’s elected Democratic State Committee member.

“Jackie Pons files to run for Jefferson Superintendent after school lifts grade to a C” via Alaijah Brown of the Tallahassee Democrat — Former Leon County Schools Superintendent Pons filed paperwork Wednesday to run for Superintendent of Jefferson County Schools. “I’m excited and I’m just so proud of the work we’ve accomplished over the last three years at the school,” Pons, current principal of the Jefferson County K-12 School, told the Tallahassee Democrat exclusively after filing. “We received so much community support, and I am very proud of the team we’ve put together, and the reason I’m running is to keep that team together to make sure we improve the school system.” The longtime educator went to the Jefferson County Supervisor of Elections Office Wednesday to file his paperwork, bringing the number of candidates up to five, including incumbent Superintendent Eydie Tricquet, who is running for re-election.

“JEA’s insurance firm fronted nearly $9 million for ex-executives’ defense” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — One of JEA’s insurance firms paid nearly $9 million to finance the legal defense of ex-CEO Aaron Zahn and CFO Ryan Wannemacher throughout their trial on federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges, according to a February invoice, a financial arrangement JEA officials objected to years ago but nonetheless continued through the conclusion of the case. The $8.93 million paid by AEGIS Insurance Services through February could grow since the sprawling trial stretched from late February into mid-March. A jury convicted Zahn of a conspiracy to steal municipal funds and of wire fraud; a separate jury acquitted Wannemacher on both charges. It’s not clear how much of the nearly $9 million is attributable to each former executive. The invoice only lists the total paid out.

“St. Johns County launches program to combat vandalism at public parks” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — With about $75,000 in damage to public parks due to vandalism in the past year, St. Johns County is launching a new program designed to ward off damage to public property. The “Enjoy, Don’t Destroy” program will involve specific videos and multimedia messaging programs to advise St. Johns County residents to protect and help in the upkeep of their public parks. There will be a formal launch event of the program on April 5 at Julington Creek Plantation Park. St. Johns County Parks and Recreation officials say the Enjoy, Don’t Destroy program is a serious effort because the cost of vandalism at parks in the Northeast Florida county has been significant. In 2023, there were 191 cases of vandalism at St. Johns County parks, and the parks and rec work orders to repair that damage amounted to $63,403.43. In 2024, there have already amounted to 46 work orders for vandalism repair at parks, accounting for $10,948.92 in repairs this year.

“Now it’s official: TCC to become Tallahassee State College after DeSantis OKs name change” via Tarah Jean of the Tallahassee Democrat — DeSantis signed the state legislation that will allow Tallahassee Community College to be renamed Tallahassee State College. The name change is effective July 1. “We are so grateful to the Governor for taking the time to mark this significant occasion with us,” TCC President Jim Murdaugh said in a prepared statement sent to the Tallahassee Democrat. “We look forward to moving into the future together as Tallahassee State College.” The Wednesday signing comes after the bill (SB 522) was passed by lawmakers and presented to DeSantis on March 19 following the 2024 Legislative Session’s end. The name means TCC will now be branded as a state college, falling in line with most of the other colleges in the Florida College System.

“Tiger Bay: Leon legislative delegation highlights policy wins this Session at Capitol” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — Republican Sen. Corey Simon and Democratic Reps. Allison Tant and Gallop Franklin shared inside-the-bubble stories of the recently concluded 60-day Session. Franklin, Simon and Tant secured about $131 million in local projects, subject to approval by the Governor, and a pay raise for the area’s 20,000 state employees — a $26 million impact on the local economy. Simon touted his efforts as Senate Education Committee Chair to deregulate public schools, end high-stakes testing, and find ways to identify struggling students earlier. Franklin pushed a bill to allow pharmacists to prescribe HIV prevention medication and allow home health services for Medicaid patients. Tant thanked Simon and Franklin for backing her effort to create a “supported decision-making” law for parents to advocate for adult children with developmental disabilities. She has a developmentally disabled son.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

BOG approves $1.1M for New College — The State University System Board of Governors voted Wednesday to send $1.1 million in performance-based funding to New College. The vote came after New College President Richard Corcoran updated Board members on progress the school has made toward goals it previously outlined in a student success plan. Corcoran cited facility improvements and the creation of an “internship scholarship” program, which provides $2,000 to students who get internships. The school did not achieve its student retention rate goal of 75% and has not made hires for all of the “academic coach” positions it created. The Board credited the school on the latter because it is currently in the process of making the hires.

“Free speech at heart of legal act by man banned from Cape Coral meeting, motion says” via Luis Zambrano of the Fort Myers News-Press — A Cape Coral resident has filed legal action against the city government after his removal from Council chambers and subsequent ban from meetings, seeking relief for what he calls a constitutional injustice. Scott Kempe is represented by Matt Miller-Novak, an Ohio lawyer with Barron Peck Bennie & Schlemmer, and Derrick Eihausen, with the Eihausen Law Firm in Fort Myers. “We think (the city is) in the wrong for ejecting him from the meeting, to begin with, for sitting backward in a silent expression that was politically protected,” Miller-Novak said. “They truly jumped the shark when they decided to arrest them based upon an unconstitutional ban.”

“County Commissioners tweak Conservation Collier, millions in acquisitions on the horizon” via Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News — County Commissioners have solidified changes to the popular Conservation Collier program. They tweaked the ordinance governing the land-buying program, with three separate unanimous votes. Big changes include allowing the county to sell Conservation Collier land, but only if proceeds are returned to the program, and setting the tax rate for the program every year up to the amount approved by voters. Commissioners accepted a few, but not all of the last-minute changes suggested by Brad Cornell, the policy director for Audubon Florida and Audubon of the Western Everglades. His suggestions, in part, were designed to tighten up on the county’s ability to divert the program’s money to other uses.

“State College of Florida announces presidential finalists, sets public forum dates” via Steven Walker of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — State College of Florida’s presidential search committee announced three finalists to replace Carol Probstfeld, who announced her retirement as president effective July 1. The three candidates, Tommy Gregory, Martyn Clay and Anthony Iacono, will participate in public forums on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Each candidate is vying to replace Probstfeld, who has been president since 2013. The SCF District Board of Trustees approved the candidates on March 20. Following the public forums, the Board would likely bring one candidate to a vote at its April 30 Board meeting. Once approved by the Board of Trustees, the selected candidate would also need to be approved by the Florida Board of Governors.

— TOP OPINION —

“Tragedy in Haiti and Baltimore becomes racist fodder for some Florida GOP leaders” via Fabiola Santiago of the Miami Herald — What do Haiti’s deadly chaos and the Baltimore bridge collapse have in common?

The tragedies are racist fodder for some of Florida’s top Republican leaders.

Lake County GOP Chair Anthony Sabatini posted on X the terrifying video of the ship’s struggles. “DEI did this,” Sabatini joked.

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion.

At least six people are dead. The young Mayor of Baltimore tackling the crisis, Brandon Maurice Scott, is an African American elected in 2020 — not through multicultural programs but with an enviable 70% of the vote.

Then, there’s DeSantis, the state’s top Republican.

He has always told us who he is, through both words and deeds.

So why now expect a man who launched his gubernatorial bid in 2018 on Fox News using dog-whistle language against his African American opponent — and has dismantled DEI programs at colleges and universities and whitewashed racist history in public schools curriculum — to give a damn about the suffering of Haitians? The stories and videos out of Haiti of innocents, including children, being randomly shot at by gangs are heartbreaking.

Is there any amount of strife that can move DeSantis?

The silver lining is that Florida’s Black leaders aren’t staying silent.

“Imagine the Haitian people in our community waking up every morning to see the devastation in Haiti,” said U.S. Rep. Frost, an Orlando Democrat. “And [then they] turn on the TV and see their bigoted Governor use his power not to console the people, not to tell them he’s going to do what he can to help the island and to help Haiti, but to demonize and dehumanize them.”

He added: “It’s disgusting.”

Yes, it is.

— OPINIONS —

“Joe Biden, the (still) unpopular President” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — Biden’s problem is that his job approval rating has bounced around in a very limited (and low) range since his first year in the White House. It first dipped into negative territory — that is, with approval lower than disapproval — on Aug. 24, 2021, when he had been in office for seven months. It fell below 45% on Oct. 7, 2021, and it has never risen as high as 45% since. Biden’s job approval hit a bottom (so far) of 37.1% on July 20, 2022. After recovering to around 44%, it has moved between 40% and 44% ever since, with the exception of a couple of dips into the high 30s. The conclusion to draw from this is that voters pretty much know what they think about Biden. They made up their minds before he had been in the office a year, and they haven’t changed since. It’s not clear whether they will change again in the next few months.

“Under Florida’s new, shorter construction defect timeline, homeowners and HOAs must be proactive” via Phillip E. Joseph and Gabriel Z. Coelho of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Beginning this Summer, Florida’s new state law on construction defects goes into effect, cutting by 30% the amount of time that property owners have to bring construction defect claims forward. That means property owners must move faster and smarter before the Summer to understand the implications of the new law. DeSantis signed Senate Bill 360 into law last summer, but the law goes into effect July 1, 2024. Formerly, owners had a decade to bring construction defect claims. After July, that window is reduced to just seven years. As it stands, if your property is already past the seven-year threshold, you still may have time to file a claim.

“Here’s how Florida’s cannabis amendment balances freedom and regulation” via John Bash and Glenn Burhans for the Tampa Bay Times — Last week, DeSantis expressed concern that the amendment would lead to rampant marijuana smoking in public spaces like city sidewalks and hotels — even near schools. His basic claim was that the text of the amendment would forbid the Florida Legislature from regulating the “time, place, or manner” of marijuana use. But the Governor is mistaken about what the amendment does. If voters approve the amendment, the Legislature will have full authority to regulate or ban the use of marijuana in public places — that it already exercises for tobacco and alcohol. The Governor’s concerns, while no doubt well-intentioned, are unfounded. The Florida Constitution already grants the Legislature broad powers to regulate public conduct and protect public health.

“How Florida is hurting the burgeoning hemp industry” via J.D. McCormick for the Tampa Bay Times — It’s a shame how a simple lack of information can lead to huge financial consequences. During the recent General Session, Florida legislators passed a bill that will cause significant financial losses to the state and its citizens, by actively ignoring the input of the industry they are attempting to regulate out of existence. The hemp industry contributes $10 billion to Florida’s economy and is regulated by both the state through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the federal government through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although hemp is distinct from marijuana cultivated for medicinal purposes, large medicinal marijuana corporations are the only ones who will benefit from a reduction in the number of small businesses in the hemp industry.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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A post shared by Governor Ron DeSantis (@flgovrondesantis)

— ALOE —

“Duke Energy marks Opening Day with ‘Share the Light’ pledge” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Every time the Tampa Bay Rays win this season, Duke Energy will brighten its customers’ day. The utility company announced Wednesday that it will donate $1,000 to its Share the Light Fund to help families in need for every regular-season game the Rays win. The Share the Light Fund is a customer assistance program to help Florida residents pay for utility expenses, including electricity and natural gas. “Year-round we provide this assistance and additional options for our customers facing financial hardship, but we especially look forward to this time of year when we can lean on the Rays and our community agencies to help us reach even more families and individuals in need,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president.

“Whether it’s March Madness or not, women’s elite sports is a slam dunk for Florida’s economy” via Talia Blake of WLRN — Interest in women’s sports has been growing over recent years, with viewership up to 41% from 34% for the 2023 World Cup, according to Nielsen. Nielsen also reports that last year’s NCAA tournament drew nearly 10 million viewers for the final game between LSU and Iowa — up 103% from 2022. Randall Croom, an associate professor of Management at Stetson University, said interest in women’s sports is growing in Central Florida as well. “For example, Grant Hill and Tamia, one of my favorite R&B singers ever, have both invested in Orlando Pride. So, we’re seeing people recognize that it just makes good business sense to invest in women’s athletics, and we’re certainly beginning to see more of that even here in Central Florida.” Research firm Deloitte predicts that revenue from women’s elite sports in the U.S. will surpass $1 billion for the first time ever in 2024, a 300% increase from 2021.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to state Rep. Vicki Lopez and Chris Bailey, director of State Government Affairs for Spectrum, and Ben Porritt, senior vice president for Corporate Affairs for Brightline Trains.

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