Drew Wilson
The Capitol region woke up to a wallop from the weather Friday morning, as a severe thunderstorm and a dangerous tornado scythed through Tallahassee.
Early assessments revealed extensive damage to rival a substantive hurricane, with numerous reports of trees and power lines down, knocking out power in large portions of the city, including streetlights. More than 80,000 customers reported outages at one point Friday morning.
One woman died when a tree fell on her home, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s office.
Leon County schools were canceled — although many children had already arrived — and Florida State University shut down for nonessential personnel.
Some state agency buildings were affected by the power outage, and some affected state agencies directed employees to work from home as needed.
Gov. Ron DeSantis directed emergency personnel to help local officials clear roads and restore power.
“Following the severe weather that impacted North Florida this morning, I have directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to work with local officials and do everything possible to return life to normalcy for our residents as quickly as possible,” DeSantis posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
The storm affected much of the Panhandle and Big Bend area, with damage felt in Santa Rosa, Taylor and Gadsden counties, in addition to Leon, as it made its way through the region.
“Residents of Leon and Gadsden counties are recovering following this morning’s tornadoes that ripped across our community,” Rep. Gallop Franklin, a Tallahassee Democrat, said in a news release. “I sincerely appreciate Gov. DeSantis, emergency management officials and our first responders for working quickly to provide urgent assistance to storm-hit residents, clear roadways and restore power in our community.”
According to a report from the Division of Emergency Management, as the storm rolled through at 8:15 a.m. Friday, there were wind gusts of 55-70 miles per hour and “several tornadoes associated with the storm.”
“There have been reports of utility disruptions, multiple trees and power lines down on roadways, and damage to residential homes in several counties along the Panhandle and Big Bend,” the report states.
Here’s hoping everyone’s power is back on by Mother’s Day.
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Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida’s capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Gray Rohrer, Christine Jordan Sexton and the staff of Florida Politics.
But first, the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:
—Take 5 —
Up In Smoke? Florida A&M University is putting on hold a supposed record $237 million donation that the university announced during graduation ceremonies last weekend. FAMU officials decided after skepticism mounted over the gift that the university received from Batterson Farms Corporation CEO Gregory Gerami and the Isaac Batterson Family 7th Trust. Multiple stories raised questions about the value of the gift and Gerami, who had pledged a large donation in 2020 to Coastal Carolina University only to have it canceled by school officials weeks after it was first announced. Batterson Farms is based in Texas and purports to sell hydroponic hemp farm products.
Power Play: A legal dispute between several hospital districts and school boards and Attorney General Ashley Moody went in front of an appeals court this week. Moody, whose office negotiated a $3.1 billion settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors, wanted to block the districts and school boards from pursuing their own lawsuits over the opioid crisis. A circuit judge sided with Moody but judges on the 1st District Court of Appeals sounded skeptical. Judge Brad Thomas even suggested several times that Moody’s position means that the Attorney General would have near unlimited power to pursue litigation in the state.
Money, Money, Money: DeSantis signed a tax-cut package (HB 7073) into law that includes several sales tax holidays as well as a cut in insurance taxes and fees that will be passed on to homeowners on their insurance premium bills. This year’s tax holidays include the traditional back-to-school tax holiday on clothes and school items that will start on July 29 as well as a monthlong sales tax break on event tickets to museums, sporting events, plays, festivals, fairs and outdoor items. Combined with a $450 million toll rebate program in a separate bill (HB 5003) DeSantis has pledged to sign, taxpayers could save nearly $1.4 billion over two years.
Calendar Freed Up? DeSantis said that he has “no plans” to call a Special Session even though he continues to acknowledge he remains open to having legislators return to Tallahassee to pass a measure modeled after a Texas immigration law that would allow state police to arrest people who cross the border illegally. DeSantis first said he was interested in a special session a month ago, and since there has been a buzz about it happening, including having the session cover more than just immigration. But DeSantis this week said his main focus in the near future is finishing going through the $117 billion budget passed by legislators back in March. The Governor needs to act on the budget before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.
Big Fine: The Office of Insurance Regulation this week levied a $1 million fine on Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance over the way it handled claims filed by policyholders who suffered damages due to Hurricane Ian. A market conduct examination found several violations of the state’s insurance code, including examples of where claims were not paid or denied within 90 days. Heritage has agreed to pay the fine and officials with the company say they have put in place changes designed to address concerns raised by state regulators. The $1 million fine is among the largest fines levied by state insurance regulators.
— Firewall —
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott wants answers from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly.
In a letter, Scott said he’s concerned about recent hacks and asks Easterly what steps CISA has taken to “hold contractors accountable” for failures to prevent cyberattacks.
“I am disturbed that companies which contract with the federal government to perform key, extremely sensitive services continue to be susceptible to hacks from foreign actors and that the persistent failures to prevent these attacks put our national security at risk,” Scott wrote.
Scott also asked Easterly what standards CISA has set for contractors to improve cybersecurity protocols and how often they are evaluating their standards and benchmarks.
Additionally, Scott asked how CISA can be “certain that ongoing hacking activities are not further jeopardizing U.S. government networks,” given that Russian actors have gained sensitive source code in the latest attack.
“I request your immediate attention and response to these grave concerns and threats to U.S. national security each of these incidents present,” Scott wrote.
— A celebration of life —
A “celebration of life” service for Bob Graham will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Miami Lakes United Church of Christ.
The 90-minute celebration is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the WPLG Local 10 website and YouTube channel.
Graham’s family will at 3 p.m. hold a two-hour public reception at the Miami Lakes Hotel.
Graham, a former Governor and U.S. Senator, died April 17 at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, former First Lady Adele Graham; and children Gwen Graham (and husband Steve Hurm); Cissy Graham McCullough (Billy); Suzanne Graham Gibson (Tom); and Kendall Graham; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Miami Lakes United Church of Christ is located at 6701 Miami Lakeway South. Parking at the church is limited; there is auxiliary parking available across the street at the Miami Lakes K-8 Center.
Parking at the reception is easier. The Miami Lakes Hotel is located at 6842 Main St.
— Hot take —
Arson Awareness Week ends today, but Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service know suspicious fires transcend an annual campaign, and they are reminding people to report them year-round.
“It only takes a spark to ignite a wildfire, which can endanger our citizens, their property, and our state’s wildlife and resources,” Simpson said. “Man-made fires only exacerbate our state’s wildfire season, but with the help of Floridians, we can help stop arsonists in their tracks.”
Simpson’s office advises people who suspect arson to remember the following:
— After calling 911, call the Arson Alert Hotline at (800) 342-5869.
— Do not approach the suspect.
— Identify physical descriptions of suspects.
— Identify vehicle descriptions and license plates.
— Identify the location where suspicious behavior was observed.
— Callers can remain anonymous, and information leading to the arrest of an arsonist could result in a reward of up to $5,000. More information is available online.
According to Simpson’s office, arson on wooded lands costs Florida taxpayers millions of dollars each year and is a felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, five years in prison or both.
Since January, 18,740 acres in Florida have succumbed to 780 wildfires
“Arson puts citizens and our first responders at risk, and we will not tolerate anyone who purposefully endangers the lives of Floridians with woods arson,” said Rick Dolan, Director of the Florida Forest Service. “Arson is a top cause of wildfire and a serious crime, so if you see suspicious activity, please report it.”
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
— Florida Legend —
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis unveiled the Bob Milligan Conference Room in the CFO’s Office on the first floor of the Capitol this week.
Milligan served as Florida Comptroller between January 1995 and January 2003. In that time, he helped spearhead the development of the Chief Financial Officer post that Patronis holds today.
“General Bob Milligan is a Florida legend and an advocate for responsible and accountable government. His leadership and appreciation for government accountability led to the creation of the Chief Financial Officer and helped spark the tradition of fiscal responsibility in the state of Florida for decades,” Patronis said.
“As we honor Bob’s legacy, I am grateful for his service to our country as a former U.S. Marine, and for his continued service to our state after his time as Comptroller. General Milligan’s life of service is a true testament to who he is, and an example of how current and future elected officials should conduct themselves. Future CFOs and employees will make important decisions in this conference room just as I have during my time in office, so it’s only fitting that the name of the man who started it all would adorn the entranceway.
“Thank you to former Comptroller Bob Milligan for your incredible service to our state, for your stewardship during your time in office and for continuing to inspire this CFO, and others after me, to keep our state government accountable to Floridians,” he concluded.
Milligan retired after 35 years in the U.S. Marines. He was a Commanding General, in the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
— Instagram of the week —
—The week in appointments —
SUS Board of Governors — DeSantis appointed Carson Good, President of Good Capital Group, to the Florida Board of Governors for Florida’s universities. He fills a vacancy on the Board and one of 14 seats for the 17-member Board appointed by the Governor. He also served on DeSantis’ Economic Transition Committee. Good also serves on the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, to which DeSantis reappointed Good in 2022. The Orlando area leader has also served as Chair of the Orange County Planning and Zoning Commission and was a Board member of Orange County Parks and Recreation. In the private sector, Good serves as a Board member of Alpine Income Property Trust, a private real estate investment company providing capital operators and making direct investments specifically within Florida.
— Raising Hope —
Seven Panhandle nonprofit organizations were recognized by First Lady Casey DeSantis and the Governor this week in Panama City Beach and one was bestowed with a $20,000 Hope Florida award.
“It was a pleasure to visit Bay County today to recognize and award funding to seven nonprofits in the North Florida community, including one of our top five CarePortal need-meeting churches,” the First Lady said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight their success and the continued success of the Hope Florida program.”
St. Andrew Christian Care Center, Food for Thought Outreach, A Bed 4 Me Foundation, Caring & Sharing of South Walton, BeGenerous, and Vision of Hope were recognized. First Baptist Church of Pensacola, one of the top five needs-meeting Hope Florida CarePortal churches in Florida, was awarded a $20,000 Hope Florida grant.
Erik Dellenback, the Governor’s Liaison for Faith and Community, said the DeSantis administration has made engaging with these organizations a top priority and the seeds of success are being sown in the Hope Florida program.
“I believe we are standing witness to an incredible model of simple yet profound connection that will sweep across the nation.”
The First Lady launched the Hope Florida Fund in July 2022 to harness the charity of the private sector to help fund nonprofit organizations. Hope Florida serves families, young children, vulnerable women, those facing crisis and other Floridians in need. Hope “navigators” help guide people to the path of independence and economic stability and success.
Floridians who need support can call 850-300-HOPE or visit www.HopeFlorida.com.
“Hope Florida has transformed the way Floridians in need access critical resources and its success is undeniable,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris.
“Its power lies in the strength and engagement of thousands of community partners from all sectors coming together to support a family in need and to provide hope. We are so grateful for the leadership of Gov. DeSantis and First Lady DeSantis for their unwavering support and continued investment in the growth of this amazing program.”
— FMEA to the rescue —
The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) has called on its mutual aid network to bring more than 215 personnel from 20 utilities across Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina to help with power restoration efforts in Tallahassee.
Nearly 80,000 people are without power in the state capital after severe weather swept across the panhandle and northern parts of the state. Overall, more than 166,000 were without power as of midday Friday, with nearly 86,000 of those outages in Leon County.
As of Friday late afternoon, scattered thunderstorms were still moving through parts of the Panhandle and North Florida, but conditions had improved from the strong winds and possible tornadic activity that had been wreaking havoc. Reports of downed trees and damaged buildings were also included. Severe damage was reported at Florida State University and Tallahassee Railroad Square. The storms also caused school closures in the city.
“Crews are working to restore power to the nearly 80,000 impacted City of Tallahassee customers as quickly and as safely as possible. The Florida Municipal Electric Association is in contact with federal, state and local officials and is prepared to call for additional resources, if necessary,” FMEA Executive Director Amy Zubaly said.
FMEA represents 33 public power communities across the state that collectively provide electricity to more than 3 million Floridians and Florida businesses.
— Swanky and surreal —
UF Health broke ground this week on the future location of the new Florida Recovery Center six-acre campus, in northwest Gainesville.
“We have one of the nation’s most highly recognized and distinguished programs to advance scientific discovery that leads to new treatment advances in caring for those suffering from addiction or substance use disorders,” said Steve Motew, M.D., M.H.A., FACS, the president and system CEO of the UF Health clinical enterprise.
“Now, with our latest plans for a new Florida Recovery Center campus, we will soon have facilities that match the clinical excellence offered by our nationally renowned UF addiction medicine specialists.”
FRC was recently ranked the No. 6 recovery center nationwide by Newsweek and the No. 1 center in the state.
The high ranks come in part because the center is part of an academic health center and offers patients the full scope of medical care for the conditions that can accompany addiction.
The new FRC facility will be composed of three buildings, a single-story commons facility and three-story residential spaces.
Combined, it will be 47,676 square feet and have 138 patient beds. The new campus will feature updated amenities, including a pool, gym, outdoor recreation area and pickleball court. An existing 18,700-square-foot administrative building will be renovated to house offices and services such as addiction evaluations, group and individual therapy, lectures and outpatient care.
“Addiction can affect anyone from any walk of life,” said Traci d’Auguste, COO of UF Health. “Since the UF Health Florida Recovery Center was founded in 1999, the University of Florida has shown they understand the complexities of the disease of addiction. This is why patients come here from all over the country, knowing that our UF Health physicians and researchers are leading experts in the field of addiction treatment.”
Scott Teitelbaum, M.D. and medical director of the FRC said the new space is a dream come true.
“It was our dream to be here and to have a treatment center here. It was always our dream to stand here today, and to have this dream be realized is somewhat surreal.”
Construction is expected to be completed by the Fall of 2025.
— Deep-dive —
The Florida Policy Project, along with two researchers, is releasing a new report: The Evolution of Florida’s Public Private Approach to Property Insurance.
The report is a deep-dive into Florida’s insurance market and details past, current and future opportunities in the state’s increasingly unaffordable property insurance marketplace.
“The cost of property insurance in Florida is among the highest in the country, creating financial burdens for consumers,” said former state Sen. Jeff Brandes, founder and President of the Florida Policy Project. “To address recurring availability and affordability concerns in the private market, the Florida Policy Project partnered with national research experts to create this primer report. The report provides in-depth information to better understand and make positive changes for Florida’s consumers.”
Carolyn Kousky and Lori Medders were the researchers on the project.
The report is an educational tool for policymakers, business leaders and consumers and is meant to help better understand Florida’s insurance market. It explains in detail the programs Florida has created and how they work both together and independently. That includes Florida’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, which pays claims on behalf of insolvent insurers.
One of the biggest challenges facing hurricane-prone Florida is the threat of severe loss, which could cripple all three programs.
“The Florida insurance market is again in a state of turmoil, driven in large measure by the growing risks of storms and floods the state faces. To help stabilize the market and keep insurance both available and affordable, risk reduction investments that take account of the continually escalating risk are necessary,” said Kousky, associate vice president for Economics and Policy at the Environmental Defense Fund.
Medders, a distinguished professor of insurance at Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University, said risk among Florida’s three public programs “should be more carefully modeled and evaluated” to avoid “a debt clash.”
The full report is available on the Florida Policy Project website.
— Friends with benefits —
The Florida State Parks Foundation awarded 10 state citizen support organizations (CSOs) $10,000 apiece to bolster their advocacy and education efforts.
Since 2021, when the grant program was first established, nearly $225,000 has been awarded to 36 CSOs or state parks without CSOs. Initially, the grants were for $5,000, but the amount was doubled to $10,000 this year.
“CSOs and Friends groups are at the heart of our state parks, and we are proud to support these organizations and the passionate, dedicated people who serve them,” said Kathleen Brennan, board president of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “Our small grants program has already done some amazing things at parks across the state, and this year’s increased funding will allow parks and CSOs to do even more. We can’t wait to see the results.”
Grants were awarded to the following CSOs:
— Friends of Camp Helen State Park (Panama City Beach) received a grant to restore the hardwood floors inside the park’s historic lodge building.
— Friends of DeLeon Springs State Park (Volusia County) received a grant to replace the boardwalk leading to “Old Methuselah,” a majestic, 500-year-old cypress tree that is among the most popular natural resources in the park.
— Friends of Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park (Naples) received a grant to purchase and construct a first-of-its-kind mobile plant propagation shade house that will assist efforts to repopulate native vegetation that was destroyed when Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida in 2022.
— Friends of Fort Clinch (Fort Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach) received a grant to improve its playground with inclusive and accessible equipment that will provide new play experiences for children of all ages and abilities.
— Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park (Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach) received a grant to purchase a new pickup truck for use by park volunteers.
— Friends of Koreshan State Park, Inc. (Estero) received a grant to clean and restore the park’s antique Koreshan paintings and rugs.
—Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park, Inc. (John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, North Palm Beach) received a grant to purchase new sheds to house park supplies and sea turtle program materials.
— Friends of Oleta River State Park (North Miami Beach) received a grant to restore two wooden bridges along the park’s trail system.
— Friends of Pensacola State Parks, which serves three parks in northwest Florida, received a grant to build a power wash transport system at Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park.
— Stephen Foster Citizen Support Organization (Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs) received a grant to provide bicycle racks and repair stands throughout the park.
— Once a Rattler, always a Rattler —
Florida A&M University’s Golf Team won the 2024 HBCU National Championship and Rep. Gallop Franklin was one of the first to give them a shoutout for their accomplishment.
Franklin served two terms as FAMU Student Body President and was a member of the school’s golf team. Now his House District 8 seat includes the university’s main campus.
“As a FAMU graduate who also played on the golf team, I believe that once you’re a Rattler, you’ll always be a Rattler. With the great job Coach Mike Rice and the team have done to lift the team to national prominence, Rattler Nation has reason to celebrate proudly, loudly and boldly,” Franklin said.
The Rattlers finished the championship winning by 29 strokes with a score of +27,891.
This is the second time the golf team has won the HBCU National Championship. The first victory was in 2000; head coach Mike Rice was the team’s captain and was the men’s medalist with a 208.
— Go ‘Nole Girl —
Sam Nelson, a fifth-grade science teacher at Florida State University (FSU) School, is one of five finalists for the Florida Department of Education 2025 Teacher of the Year award.
The winner will be announced at a gala in Orlando on July 25, 2024.
The finalists were chosen from 74 teachers recognized at the district level for their work, according to the DOE.
“I am pleased to recognize Samantha Nelson as one of the five finalists for the 2025 Florida Teacher of the Year award,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, adding that Nelson “embodies excellence through her hard work and dedication to her school and the overall community.”
Nelson earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from FSU. She is ESOL certified, Reading Endorsed, and is in the process of obtaining a Gifted Endorsement.
Nelson serves as a Teacher Induction Program Mentor, Grade-Level Team Leader, Elementary Tech, and PTSA Teacher Liaison for her school.
— Capitol Directions —
Tally — Heart — The sun will come back tomorrow. Hopefully, the power will, too.
City of TLH utilities — Down arrow — Trees and above-ground power lines don’t mix. Most of the state has figured this out.
Leon County Public Works — Up arrow — The name fits: After the storm hit, they were out in public working to clean Tally’s streets.
FPL, etc. — Up arrow — They put on their superhero capes and came to the rescue of everyone unfortunate enough to have City of Tallahassee Utilities.
Railroad Square — Prayer hands — It looks like it was hit by a freight train.
Dick Howser — Crane — It’s been a while since FSU baseball took that big of a beating.
FSU Circus Tent — Down arrow — From “Flying High” to laying low. Fingers crossed the Big Top makes a big comeback.
WCTV and WTXL — Up arrow — Both TLH stations gave calm collected forecasts and warnings in real time Friday morning, saving lives.
Olean’s Cafe — Up arrow — Olean McCaskill and her kitchen crew gave Tally a little sunshine on a cloudy day.
Special Session — Down arrow — Your vacation plans are safe. Maybe.
Hotel Duval — Down arrow — Does the fivefold price increase include a slap in the face, or is that extra?
Florida taxpayers — Up arrow — They’ll be doing a little less paying thanks to the tax cut package.
Manny Diaz — Up arrow — Despite all the drama, Florida is still No. 1 in education.
Randy Fine — Crossways arrow — We thought shouting “DO OVER” only worked during recess. We stand corrected.
Stan McClain — Up arrow — Once again, he delivered a tax-cut package with a little something for everyone.
Angie Nixon — Crossways arrow — She’s walking a tightrope. Hopefully, she keeps her balance.
Jason Pizzo — Up arrow — We’ve made the Fast & Furious joke like 10 times now … then again Vin Diesel made the same movie like 10 times now. Anyway, congrats on the bill, Senator!
Christine Hunschofsky — Up arrow — Finally, signing up for fraud warnings no longer increases your odds of being a fraud victim.
Michelle Salzman — Up arrow — The SAFE Act signing is big win for the Representative, and a bigger win for families with disabled children.
FAMU — Down arrow — We’d give them a pass, but they gave a huckster the mic after he did the same thing to Coastal Carolina.
Deveron Gibbons — Up arrow — Wouldn’t it be great if FAMU let him do his due diligence before they embarrassed themselves?
UF Jax — Up arrow — Speaking of transformational funding, UF’s really is in the bank.
The Southern Group — Up arrow — The state’s biggest lobbying firm makes some of the state’s best hires, Brian McManus is just the latest one.
Scott Dudley — Up arrow — It ain’t easy defending home rule, but this soon-to-be retiree did a heck of a job for FLC.
FDOT — Up arrow — A new poll of news publishers found 100% approval for Howard Frankland Bridge opening this year.
OJ — Up arrow — We don’t want to live in a world where welcome centers don’t serve orange juice and thankfully, we don’t have to.
Moms — Double up arrow — FTD does overnight delivery. We’ll never tell.
