Peter Schorsch
Good Monday morning.
We want to begin Sunburn this morning with a special shoutout to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) for its work in Taylor County, providing law enforcement support as the community recovers from Hurricane Helene.
While the area’s resources are strained, PCSO works to be completely self-sufficient, so they take no resources from local communities when they come in to help. They bring their own fuel, purify their own water, and operate with no support at all necessary from the locals. They even have their own medical services and a mobile mechanic shop to repair the inevitable flat tires from operating around so much debris.
They also care for their officers, providing air-conditioned bunk trailers, hot showers and good food. This allows their people to operate at a high level over a long period when exhaustion can easily kick in due to difficult conditions.
Even better, they have quietly obtained federal government surplus for little or no cost over the last 20 years. The result is extreme capacity at a very low cost.
Future House Speaker Jennifer Canady has been with them over the last few days and calls their work “absolutely astounding.”
“Grady Judd (like Kevin Guthrie, who is amazing) deserves every bit of praise he gets,” Canady added.
The PCSO is simply very, very good at what they do.
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Hurricane Helene steamrolled through the Gulf of Mexico, landing in the Big Bend late Thursday night, leaving heartbreaking destruction all along the state’s Gulf Coast.
The Category 4 storm, which made landfall at 11:10 p.m. ET near Perry in Taylor County, was particularly bad for people living along coastal communities, who faced winds as high as 140 mph. Helene was also the first significant storm to hit Tampa Bay — especially hard-hit was my beloved Pinellas County — since 1921.
Storm surges up to 20 feet flooded homes and businesses; as of Sunday, thousands of people were still without power.
According to The Associated Press, nearly 100 people died across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The dead included three firefighters, a mother and her 1-month-old twins, a 23-year-old passenger riding on I-4 near Ybor City, and an 89-year-old woman struck by a tree that hit her house.
Of the 11 Pinellas County residents who died, one was 79-year-old Marjorie Havard of St. Pete Beach, a woman very dear to the Florida Politics editing team.
Immediately after the impact, state and federal agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector began the recovery process by working to make aid available for anyone impacted by Helene.
If you need aid, there are some excellent places to start.
Online forums — such as local Nextdoor.com communities and Facebook groups based in your area, to name two — can provide information and links to organizations offering help, food distribution, cleanup efforts and more.
Want to lend a hand to those impacted by Helene? There are many ways you can help:
211 Tampa Bay Cares — is closely working with Pinellas County Emergency Management, Pinellas County Human Services, Pinellas VOAD, & other recovery organizations to ensure the safety of all citizens. Connect with us on Facebook & Twitter for relevant disaster information.
ABC Cares Foundation immediately funds construction industry members and their families in need after tragedies, hurricane-related or otherwise. Ninety-seven cents of every dollar raised goes to recipients in need.
A Door of Hope — provides help for children in crisis.
American Red Cross — financial donations for those impacted by Helene or blood donations for disaster victims.
Babycycle Diaper Bank — provides necessities like diapers, wipes, clean clothing, and other essential items.
Care USA — provides cash assistance to those affected by Helene.
Family Initiative — serves Taylor and Madison counties on the ground with a Mobil Response Sensory Trailer, giving sensory kits to special needs families impacted by the storm. The Mobile Response Sensory Trailer is prepared to support 500 special needs families affected by the storm. It offers a sensory-friendly, air-conditioned space with Wi-Fi to help those with special needs. It is hosted by clinicians to counsel and support impacted families.
Feeding Tampa Bay — says donations will immediately be sent to areas most impacted, helping to provide stability in the days, weeks and months after the storm. In partnership with the Tampa Bay area Emergency Operations Centers, Feeding Tampa Bay works directly with local emergency management operations to provide food, water, and hygiene items to our service area, state, and neighboring states during crises.
Fleet of Angels — has been called “the most responsive national go-to organization in the country” for helping horse owners and small rescues when they need urgent assistance after being devastated by a natural disaster or other major emergency.
Florida Disaster Fund — funds will be distributed to service organizations that help individuals in communities with disaster response and recovery. For Helene, administrative and credit card fees have been waived — 100% of every donation to the fund will be used to help Floridians recover.
FMB Strong — is dedicated to supporting communities in Fort Myers Beach, through food pantry donations, ensuring that no one goes hungry in the aftermath of a disaster.
GoFundMe — has started a general Hurricane Helene relief fund.
The Kearney Center — in Tallahassee is the largest provider of the continuum of homelessness services in the Big Bend region. The center expects an influx of storm victims to flee affected counties for Tallahassee.
Metropolitan Ministries — donations will provide families with the necessary food, water, shelter, and supplies they need.
OneBlood — has issued an urgent call for additional blood donations for Helene’s victims. All blood types are welcome, but the most needed are O-negative and O-positive blood and platelets.
Operation BBQ Relief — Sen. Jay Collins’ day job will gather a fleet of cooks, mobile pits, kitchens, and volunteers. Operation BBQ Relief delivers the “healing power of BBQ to disaster-affected communities, offering solace to residents, first responders, and relief workers.” They have feeding stations up and down the coast but also an option for large organizations (churches, schools, neighborhoods).
The Salvation Army — is mobilizing disaster response teams and mobile feeding units in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas to respond to Helene’s impacts. Your donation will help provide emergency aid, food, drinks, emotional and spiritual care, and long-term recovery services to the disaster’s survivors.
Samaritan’s Purse — has launched a five-site response to Helene in: Perry; Tampa; Valdosta, Georgia; High Country of northwestern North Carolina and eastern Tennessee; and Asheville, North Carolina.
Stronger than the Storm — offers kid-friendly resources to help children recover, reconnect, and develop resilience during challenging times before, during, and after disasters.
United Way of Florida — The UWOF fund will assist communities in Florida impacted by Helene.
Some other ways to help — “How to help those affected by Hurricane Helene” via Helen Bradshaw of Garden & Gun magazine
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And please don’t forget — Farm Share — So often, when disaster strikes, it’s a scramble to get aid to where it’s needed most. That’s why it’s reassuring to know that Farm Share is always ready to step in immediately – beginning preparations before Helene even made landfall. The state’s leading food nonprofit and largest food bank has already loaded and stationed over 220,000 pounds of shelf-safe food, water, ice, and hygiene products in the Big Bend and the state’s west coast, ready to respond wherever help was needed. Farm Share is working with the Division of Emergency Management, local officials, community partners, and Global Empowerment Mission to ensure the hardest hit families are supported as they begin the journey to recovery. Floridians can be thankful that this has become a pattern with Farm Share – within 24 hours of Debby’s landfall last month, the organization partnered with GEM to deploy two semi-trucks carrying over 70,000 pounds of essential supplies to help Floridians get back on their feet. Up and down the state and from coast to coast, Farm Share has repeatedly proven that when disaster looms, it’s ready to help.
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Happening today — The Fresh Market will distribute free bottled water in the parking lot of its Tallahassee location to those in need following Hurricane Helene’s impact: 9 a.m., 1390 Village Square Blvd, Tallahassee.
and
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🍾 — Break out your sharpest attire and make your way to the Governors Club on Thursday for the debut of the newly renovated lounge area. The club is rolling out the d’oeuvres and champagne at 5 p.m.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@NotCapnAmerica: CBS announces the moderators will NOT fact-check the candidates in the upcoming Walz/Vance debate, issuing a statement saying it’s the candidates’ responsibility to — not theirs — to fact-check each other.
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
—@MyFDOT_SWFL: After 24 hours of FDOT initiating emergency repair contracts, Longboat Key is open to residents starting at 1 p.m. today! Please access Longboat Key from the south entrance only. FDOT emergency road repairs are ongoing in Bradenton Beach and Longboat Pass Bridge is still closed.
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
—@FQ_SMU: Florida State sued the ACC over the ACC adding us. Tonight, we beat Florida State so bad that we put backups and walk-ons in with almost 5 minutes left. Thanks for coming out, Florida State.
— DAYS UNTIL —
JD Vance/Tim Walz Vice-Presidential Debate – 1; ‘Chef’s Table: Noodles’ premieres — 2; Las Vegas’ Tropicana resort implosion — 9; Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ premieres – 11; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s concept album based on the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ drops – 18; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami – 20; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 21; Florida TaxWatch’s 45th Annual Meeting – 35; 2024 Presidential Election – 36; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 37; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 46; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 52; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 52; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 58; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 58; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 64; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 64; MLS Cup 2024 – 69; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 81; College Football Playoff begins – 83; ‘Squid Game’ season 2 premieres – 87; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 94; Orange Bowl – 105; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 110; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 137; the 2025 Oscars – 153; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 155; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 178; 2025 Session ends – 214; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 215; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 298; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 408; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 445; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 582; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 599; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 619; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 657; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 736; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 810; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 950; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,384; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,909; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,630.
—TOP STORY —
“Ron DeSantis’ response to Hurricane Helene could define his future” via Kimberly Leonard of POLITICO — While it is very early in the state’s recovery, which will take weeks or even months, the hours and days after the storm has passed are critical. Rescuers rush to reach those who may be stranded, and first responders and line workers race to clear roads and restore power for the hundreds of thousands still in the dark.
On top of the humanitarian toll, storm response can make — or break — the legacy of Florida chief executives. Helene isn’t the most destructive or deadly hurricane DeSantis has responded to as Governor, but it’s the largest since he dropped out of the presidential race.
“Responding effectively to a natural disaster will certainly increase the Governor’s popularity and favorability ratings, which translates into political capital — which can be spent in the future if needed,” said Justin Sayfie, a partner at Ballard Partners who was a policy adviser to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
DeSantis isn’t on the ballot this November, but his response to the storm could still affect how the public views him — and stall or fuel his agenda during his last two years as Governor and beyond.
And it comes as the term-limited DeSantis enters the final two years of office, with some signs that his influence has already slipped in the state.
DeSantis blanketed the state before and soon after the hurricane left. On Thursday, at landfall, he appeared on “Fox and Friends,” Sean Hannity’s radio and prime-time Fox News shows, and the Weather Channel.
He addressed reporters from Tallahassee as the storm landed late Thursday night and toured damage sites at Perry, St. Pete Beach, and Cedar Key on Friday.
“For Tampa Bay, Helene was the worst storm in a century” via Langston Taylor, Ivy Nyayieka, Shreya Vuttaluru and Jack Prator of the Tampa Bay Times — Hurricanes aren’t new here. But late Thursday, after a long day in Tampa Bay of been-there-done-that winds, the Gulf of Mexico’s midnight black saltwater, pushed for miles by Helene’s force, finally ran out of room. It unleashed over seawalls and into neighborhoods and homes, in some places reaching 7 feet above ground. At least 11 people are dead in Tampa Bay, more than 1,000 were rescued, and tens of thousands saw flooding in their homes. Add it all up, and what its residents intuited is undeniable: Tampa Bay just had its worst hurricane in a century. Tampa Bay’s last direct hit was in October 1921. Today, a dense metropolis drapes the bay, and much more is at risk.
Where I grew up — “A sought-after Florida beach town digs out after Helene” via Molly Hennessy-Fiske of The Washington Post — To those who live on the narrow spit of land that is the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood — the tail end of barrier islands extending from St. Pete Beach up to Clearwater known as “The Key West of Tampa Bay beaches” — it’s a slice of paradise developed at the turn of the century and historically sheltered from major storms. But that history did not matter Thursday when Helene rampaged up the Florida coast, turning into the worst hurricane Pass-a-Grille had ever weathered. It flooded homes and businesses, tossed pontoon boats into yards, buried cars and streets in several feet of sand and claimed the lives of at least nine people in Pinellas County. Local business owners, some of whom had evacuated, were frustrated Saturday that they couldn’t get supplies and help onto the island to clean up and prevent further damage. Already, in humid Florida, mildew and mold were setting in.
“Cedar Key on Big Bend suffers major damages from Helene” via Anne Geggis and Greg Lovett of The Palm Beach Post — Law enforcement estimated that 25% of the homes on this island of 720 souls near Florida’s Big Bend had been destroyed. So, there was plenty of destruction and desperation to heal in this rural oasis surrounded by a lush marsh where lines of pelicans skim the watery surface. Along Cedar Key’s main drag that Hurricane Helene left to rack and ruin, they were hauling their way back to normal. After Sen. Rick Scott expressed his condolences for those Helene has hit hard and his commitment to getting them the resources they need, he also had some good news for companies that make stilts. “You’re going to have to build higher,” Scott said.
“‘It has to get better’: Madison County residents recount horrors” of Hurricane Helene via Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat — Sitting in a swivel office chair on Friday, Kenneth Butler had a view of the fleet of line workers’ trucks in the parking lot: The window in front of him had shattered into hundreds of shards. He watched the parking lot of the strip mall he was in turn into the launchpad for Madison’s power restoration efforts. Hurricane Helene’s mighty gusts blasted the front windows of the Citi Trends retail store, where Butler is the manager. During Helene on Thursday, “it sounded like someone was grabbing tin and just throwing it everywhere,” he said. Butler hunkered down with his wife and dog for the hurricane, and as the eye neared the town, they thought they were out of the woods during the fleeting break in Helene’s rage. But the winds intensified 30 minutes later, ushering in the worst of the storm and leaving Butler without a roof.
“‘It’s gone’: In tiny Gulf Coast community, Helene wiped out homes and businesses” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — “It’s gone. There’s a tree right on top of it,” Dana Webb said of the cottage she and her husband moved into just weeks ago but fled when they heard storm debris crashing into it. The house was split in half and destroyed by the hurricane, which also smashed restaurants, pushed boats onto land and drove one house into the middle of a road in the community along the Steinhatchee River on the state’s Big Bend. Helene landed near the mouth of the Aucilla River, north of Steinhatchee and in the Big Bend area. That section of Florida’s Gulf Coast is sparsely populated and home to fishing villages and vacation hideaways. Steinhatchee has fewer than 600 residents. Residents who survived Idalia said they were stunned by Helene’s wrath, especially as forecasts showed the storm would land west near Tallahassee.
“Fort Myers Beach suffers two major hurricanes in two years. How did it fare in Helene?” via Howard Cohen of the Miami Herald — Fort Myers Beach was ready for a remembrance ceremony to mark the travel destination’s recovery two years after Hurricane Ian walloped Southwest Florida, including Sanibel and Captiva. That celebration is off. Blame it on Hurricane Helene, which gouged up the Gulf west coast before smashing into Florida’s Big Bend in Taylor County. Nicole Berzin, spokesperson for Fort Myers Beach, said in a statement that the ceremony was canceled due to the effects of Helene and ongoing cleanup efforts. People from around Florida who flock to Lee County’s beaches, resorts and restaurants will understand what Benjamin Abes, Lee County’s public service director, referenced when he said that Helene “presented some challenges for our community.”
“‘It’s hard to walk away’: After three storms, Big Bend residents wonder if they can rebuild” via Jeffrey Schweers and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — The 100-mile stretch from Cedar Key to Perry has been hit three times in 13 months by three hurricanes and the damaging winds and floodwaters and power outages they brought with them. Each time, residents navigated roads blocked with fallen trees and power lines, cleared their properties, mucked out their homes, haggled with their insurance companies, repaired their boats, replaced their roofs, raised new barns and planted new crops and kept going. They started over instead of leaving this remote, sparsely populated and mostly rural region of lowlands and pine barrens known as Nature’s Coast. But with the region turning into Florida’s latest Hurricane Alley, and Helene’s punch so ferocious, some residents aren’t sure how much more they can put up with or afford. “It’s a whole different ball game,” Scott Peters, a charter fishing captain and owner of Crabbie Dad’s Bar & Grill in Steinhatchee, said of the losses he suffered from Helene.
— REAX —
“Joe Biden approves FEMA aid for Florida counties hit by Helene” via Michael Van Sickler of the Tampa Bay Times — FEMA announced that along with Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, federal aid would be available for those affected by Hurricane Helene in the following counties: Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Sarasota, Taylor and Wakulla counties. “Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” FEMA said in a statement. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621- 3362, or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
“DeSantis serves barbecue and prayers in Florida as another storm brews in the Gulf” via Jim Rosica of the USA Today Network-Florida — DeSantis slung plates of donated barbecue in the tiny town of Suwannee (pop. roughly 300) as he continues visiting parts of the state smacked by Category 4 Hurricane Helene last week. He also told residents that another storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico was “not something that you should be freaking out about.” The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said, “A tropical disturbance has a 50% chance of development in the Western Caribbean over the next seven days.” Its social media post added: “It is too early to determine what, if any, impacts may occur in the northeast Gulf.”
“What Helene could signal about the rest of hurricane season, and beyond” via Sarah Kaplan, Shannon Osaka and Dan Stillman of The Washington Post — This lopsided hurricane season illustrates forecasters’ challenges as climate change makes extreme weather less predictable and more intense. Even as some scientists say that Helene’s rapid growth and historic rainfall are signatures of a storm influenced by human-caused warming, they still strive to understand whether this year’s unusual storm activity is a fluke or a sign of things to come. Scientists have growing evidence that major hurricanes — those at or above Category 3 — are increasing in frequency, and many point to climate change as a cause. However, at this point, the data is not definitive on whether the overall number of storms will increase.
“How Helene could have widespread consequences for homeowners” via Anna Phillips and Brianna Sacks of The Washington Post — When Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida, it made landfall in the state’s sparsely populated Big Bend, far from the glittering cities with expensive waterfront property to the south. But that didn’t stop Helene from becoming another multibillion-dollar superstorm. The hurricane’s massive size and record-breaking storm surge left an equally massive footprint of destruction across the Southeast, from Florida’s Tampa Bay region to Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. The storm likely caused $15 billion to $26 billion in property damage and an additional $5 billion to $8 billion in lost economic output, Moody’s Analytics said.
— 2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —
🧭 — How many paths are there to the White House? According to Nate Silver, precisely 128. The polling guru’s latest piece dives into some of the more likely scenarios and a couple of the not-so-likely ones. Spoiler alert: Florida isn’t part of the equation. Check it out here.
😂 — No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; SNL is bringing back some of your favorite cast members from yesteryear to spoof the Harris-Walz ticket. Maya Rudolph is playing the Veep, with Dana Carvey onboard as Uncle Joe — if it’s even half as good as his iconic turn as Bush 41, we’re in for a treat. Read more at THR.
“Kamala Harris team quietly courts big-name GOP endorsements” via Tyler Pager of The Washington Post — Since Donald Trump first won the Republican nomination in 2016, scores of lifelong Republicans have criticized Trump, many choosing to vote for Democrats and others leaving the GOP altogether. As Trump makes his third run for the White House, the Harris campaign has ramped up its outreach to Republicans — from the rank and file to some of the party’s most recognizable figures — to win votes and bolster its message that Trump represents a unique danger to American democracy. As polls show, Harris and Trump remain in a tight race, and the Harris campaign hopes endorsements from former Republican luminaries will help win over Republican-leaning and independent voters who are deeply opposed to Trump.
“Heading into the Vice-Presidential Debate, Tim Walz is fighting nerves” via Edward-Isaac Dovere of CNN — Walz is telling people he’s just as nervous about facing Vance as he was the Sunday afternoon in August when he warned Harris in his running mate interview that he was a bad debater. Maybe more nervous, according to multiple people who’ve spoken to him. And the pressure is even higher when, for the first time in modern campaign history, Tuesday’s Vice-Presidential Debate is likely to be the last marquee event before Election Day. With many voters still saying they don’t know enough about Harris, it could be up to Walz to help convince them to trust a Vice President he barely knew himself before she picked him.
“Poll: Democrats’ advantage with Latino voters continues to shrink” via Nicole Acevedo and Mark Murray of NBC News — Harris is leading Trump among Latino voters. But that advantage has declined to Democrats’ lowest level in the past four presidential cycles, according to a new national NBC News/Telemundo/CNBC poll. Overall, the poll shows that Democratic presidential candidate Harris has lost some ground with Latinos at a time when these consequential voters are more likely than the general electorate to cite the economy and the rising cost of living as top priorities. On both of these issues, Latino voters give Trump the advantage, but a majority of them prefer Harris on temperament, competency and having the necessary mental and physical health to be President.
“Donald Trump and Harris battle over male voters — and what masculinity looks like in 2024” via Allan Smith of NBC News — One of the biggest fights playing out in this election is the battle for young, persuadable men of all races who appear to be less firmly in the Democratic column than they were just four years ago. For Trump, that has meant appearing on podcasts and alternative media platforms popular with young men while tailoring his get-out-the-vote effort to some of these “low-propensity” voters. For Harris, it has meant a shift in tone and message from recent Democratic campaigns, a targeted ad blitz, and a running mate whose bid is very much wrapped up in the subtext of what it means to be masculine in the 2020s.
“Inside the critical fight for the working-class voter” via Elizabeth Findell and Andrew Restuccia of The Wall Street Journal — Both parties fight to win over voters like Juan Flores. The 48-year-old stagehand, union member and father of eight, has worked in Las Vegas casinos for decades. Like most Nevada voters, his biggest concern is the economy — especially the cost of housing and availability of jobs. That’s one reason the registered Democrat and strong backer of abortion rights, who previously cast ballots for Clinton and Obama, is leaning toward voting for Trump, as he has done twice before. Flores said he doesn’t like Trump’s rhetoric and wouldn’t want him anywhere near his daughters. But Flores, who struggled to find a new job in his 40s, thinks the former President will focus on returning jobs to the U.S.
“In Alabama, Trump goes from the dark rhetoric of his campaign to adulation of college football fans” via Bill Barrow of The Associated Press — As Trump railed against immigrants in the Rust Belt, his supporters in the Deep South had turned his earlier broadsides into a rallying cry over a college-football game as they prepared for the former President’s visit later in the evening. Many University of Alabama fans, anticipating Trump’s visit to their campus for a showdown between the No. 4 Crimson Tide and No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs, sported stickers and buttons that read: “They’re eating the Dawgs!” They broke out in random chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” throughout the day, a preview of his rousing welcome early in the second quarter as he sat in a 40-yard-line suite hosted by a wealthy member of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
TFG — “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a new plan to paralyze the vote count in a critical swing state” via Mark Joseph Stern of Slate — Kennedy is taking increasingly bizarre and contradictory positions in his ongoing crusade to inject pandemonium into the 2024 Election. Right now, the former third-party candidate is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to restore his name to the ballot in New York, asserting a constitutional right to run for President in the state. At the same time, he is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to remove his name from the ballot in that state, asserting a constitutional right not to run there. Moreover, because it was too late to print new ballots in Wisconsin, Kennedy demanded that clerks manually place stickers over his name on some 4 million existing ballots.
— 2024 — FLORIDA —
“How Florida Democrats lost Florida — and how they can get it back” via Christopher Spata and Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — For decades, Florida elections were routinely decided by just a few percentage points. The state has lurched rightward: Trump won it by 3 points in 2020, and voters re-elected DeSantis in a 19-point landslide two years later. The weekly phone bank represents a small piece of the Democrats’ effort to wrench Florida back into the column of battleground states. Harris’ surprise candidacy sprang from a seemingly hopeless moment for Democrats after Biden’s botched debate. She has since mobilized an army of volunteers, shifted the polls, and, Democrats say, sparked excitement the party lacked for years. The energy has some earnestly wondering if Harris can recapture the magic of Obama’s winning Florida campaigns.
Happening today — The Florida Democratic Party will hold a virtual media availability with Chair Nikki Fried: 10 a.m., Zoom link here.
“Keep your eye on the Florida Senate race” via Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post — Despite Democrats having spent hundreds of millions of dollars over multiple election cycles in hopes of winning gubernatorial, Senate and presidential races in Florida, no Democrat there has held the governorship since 1999, a Senate seat since 2019 or won the state’s Electoral College votes since 2012. So, when the buzz starts that a Senate seat is in play in the state (recent polling shows incumbent Republican Scott’s lead within the margin of error), there is good reason for skepticism. Nevertheless, this time, Democrats might finally have a path to victory. A confluence of critical factors creates that possibility.
“An outsider from the inside, Rick Scott seeks another six years in the U.S. Senate” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald
“To become Florida’s first Latina U.S. Senator, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell must beat Scott” via Max Greenwood and Syra Ortiz-Blanes of the Miami Herald
“Amendment 3 campaign warns of fentanyl-laced marijuana, but some call it a myth” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — A statewide ad blitz by the group pushing for legalized marijuana warns Floridians of the dangers of black-market pot: It may be laced with fentanyl, they say, a potent drug driving an epidemic of fatal drug overdoses. “I’ve seen it firsthand,” Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young said in a 30-second television spot running in prime-time. Legal pot will be regulated and lab-tested, he said, making his case for why voters should support Amendment 3 in November. But amid heightened concerns across the country about the synthetic opioid fentanyl, usually taken separately or mixed with heroin or other opioids, experts unaligned with the campaign cast serious doubt on the claim that fentanyl-tainted marijuana is an actual problem.
— STATEWIDE —
“Florida will send rescue, communications ‘assets’ to North Carolina” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix — Even as post-Helene cleanup continues in Florida, the DeSantis administration is sending state “air assets” and satellite earth stations to areas of North Carolina where the storm caused catastrophic damage that isolated communities. “You had major, major devastation. Fortunately, our rescue operations were conducted … and we don’t have the demand for that right now,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Hudson, in Pasco County. He noted that many Floridians spend their Summers in the North Carolina and Tennessee mountains, where flooding has ripped out major highways and bridges. “You go there over the Summer; half the people there are from Florida,” the Governor said.
“Florida minimum wage hike beginning Monday involves complications, contradictions” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — While the constitutional amendment jacks up minimum wages from $12 an hour to $13 an hour as of Monday, it will keep rising annually until 2026. Even employees who earn tips at service industry businesses will have a minimum wage jump to $9.98 per hour under the measure. The entire movement for increased minimum wages has been contentious. Prominent attorney John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan, a famed law firm headquartered in Orlando, led much of the effort to see to the approval of the constitutional amendment. Since its approval, it’s had a mercurial impact on Florida politicians. DeSantis has warmed to Florida’s measure on the minimum wage escalator.
“Jared Moskowitz wants to spread property insurance risks nationally” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Hurricane Helene’s ultimate impact is still being discovered, but a congressional Democrat who served previously as Florida’s Director of Emergency Management thinks it’s necessary to smooth out the implications for storms nationally and “spread this risk around.” During a Fox News interview, U.S. Rep. Moskowitz championed legislation he has filed to “create a national catastrophic insurance fund.” “It would add no money to the deficit. It would allow states to buy bonds that when we have these 1 in 1,000-year storms will take that off the plates of the insurance companies, which is driving up 25% of the cost on reinsurance,” Moskowitz said.
“2 Florida Proud Boys plead guilty to Jan. 6 felonies” via Naomi Feinstein of the Miami New Times — Two Florida Proud Boys have pleaded guilty to felony charges for their actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021. On Sept. 26, Tom Vournas, 63, of Bradenton, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. Leonard Lobianco, 53, of North Port, pleaded guilty on Sept. 23 to a charge of civil disorder, also a felony. Court documents say Vournas and Lobianco and fellow members of their southwest Florida Proud Boys chapter, “Zone 5,” traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Jan. 6 festivities.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Buckle up, South Florida. Voting begins in Miami-Dade and Broward this week” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — The first ballots of the November General Election will go out to voters in Miami-Dade and Broward counties this week as South Florida enters the final stretch leading up to Election Day. The Miami-Dade Elections Department will send roughly 260,000 mail ballots on Monday to voters who have already requested one. According to the county’s elections department, the first domestic vote-by-mail ballots — more than 230,000 of them — will go out on Tuesday in Broward. While mail ballots were sent to overseas voters earlier this month, the coming deluge of domestic mail ballots will officially begin election season in South Florida.
“‘Grasping at straws’: Miami-Dade Clerk candidates trade barbs over taxpayer-funded ad” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — The race for Miami-Dade Clerk, long one of the county’s most politically innocuous offices, is getting a little hostile. This week, Democratic candidate Annette Taddeo accused incumbent Republican Clerk Juan Fernandez-Barquin of using taxpayer dollars from his office to pay for a Spanish-language radio ad promoting his campaign. The ad does not mention Fernandez-Barquin’s campaign. It includes no call for voter support or action. Instead, it tells listeners about Operation Green Light, a statewide program through which motorists with suspended licenses can more easily regain their driving privileges. Taddeo’s campaign nonetheless insists it’s a covert campaign commercial.
“Joe Saunders taps unions, advocacy groups to add $44K for HD 106 bid” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Former Rep. Saunders’ campaign to unseat Republican Rep. Fabián Basabe in House District 106 brought in more than $44,000 between Aug. 16 and Sept. 20, much of it from unions and advocacy organizations. Saunders, a Democrat, collected close to $20,000 through his campaign account and another $24,500 through his political committee, Friends of Joe Saunders. The Florida Democratic Party chipped in another $6,400 worth of in-kind aid for staff expenses. He also spent nearly $66,000. Most of it — $55,000 — went to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee. The rest covered consulting from MDW Communications and EDGE Communications, transportation, advertising, and fundraising expenses, and a $100 ticket to a Miami-Dade County Chamber of Commerce event.
“Elections chief talks of distrust as Palm Beach County ships batch of vote-by-mail ballots” via Hannah Phillips of the Palm Beach Post — Against a backdrop of nearly 200,000 vote-by-mail ballots, Palm Beach County’s top election official described a climate of distrust intensifying ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election. She said it manifests at public hearings, where attendees come armed with accusations but are uninterested in hearing answers. It collects outside of polling places, where loiterers question voters’ eligibility. It culminated at least once in a threat to her personal cellphone. “I used to work late at night,” Wendy Sartory Link said as employees hauled the first batch of vote-by-mail ballots onto a U.S. Postal Service truck. “I don’t do that anymore.”
“How the pastor of a small Broward church became a big voice in far-right politics” via Lauren Costantino of the Miami Herald — He doesn’t have a Sunday morning TV show, isn’t a household name in the world of evangelical Christianity and you aren’t likely to hear his sermons on mainstream Christian broadcasts. But Mario Bramnick, who leads a congregation of about 300 people in Cooper City called New Wine Ministries, is well-known in important Republican Party circles and an influential evangelical voice aligned with the controversial political movement known as Christian nationalism. Over the past several years, Bramnick has had the ear of powerful politicians, including Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. In Florida, he’s on the Faith and Community Advisory Council, a board of 25 members appointed by DeSantis.
C’mon Gary — “Broward Circuit reassigns Gary Farmer for making lewd comments from the bench” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Broward Circuit Judge Farmer recently spoke a little too loosely from the bench. Several vulgar comments he made in one day earned him a reassignment this week from the court’s criminal division to its civil court. Farmer — a former Senate Democratic Leader — shared a trifecta of thoughts unbefitting a Judge while ruling over his courtroom last month. Court administrators confirmed that Farmer’s comments prompted the change and ordered that he swap seats with Judge Marina Garcia Wood, who oversaw foreclosure cases until then. On Aug. 15, Farmer told one defendant to wear a condom while on probation, recited gay wordplay from an old comedy sketch, and nearly dropped an F-bomb while reprimanding another defendant.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Child, 11, charged with school shooting threat, has family members with criminal histories” via Mark Harper and John Dunbar of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — An 11-year-old boy who was arrested and forced to appear in a viral “perp walk” video by sheriff’s deputies after being charged with making violent threats has grown up around relatives with extensive criminal histories, an investigation by the Daytona Beach News-Journal shows. The Creekside Middle School student from Port Orange was arrested on Sept. 16 and charged with “intimidation — written/electronic threat of a mass shooting or terrorism.” Detectives say the boy got on FaceTime with three other minors and showed them “a bunch of guns and knives” and “what looked like real ammunition.”
“In five races, Orange County voters can choose sides in the fight over growth” via Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — In five key contests that are sparking incendiary debate, local voters face decisions on the November ballot that will help answer a critical question for Central Florida’s future: How will Orange County grow? Two proposed amendments to the county’s governing document could impose stricter control over development on rural lands. High-profile races for seats on the Board of County Commissioners could tilt the balance of power toward environmentalist-supported or builder-backed candidates once votes are tallied on Nov. 5. “This is for all the marbles,” said Chuck O’Neal, a longtime Central Florida environmentalist. “I’ve lived in Orange County off and on since 1961 and I don’t think there’s any election that has higher stakes than this one.”
“UCF trustees modify campus protest policies to include new restrictions” via Silas Morgan of the Orlando Sentinel — The University of Central Florida (UCF) Board of Trustees updated policies governing campus protests to address people who conceal their identity or restrict the movements of others. Trustees voted to add new language prohibiting people protesting on UCF campuses from wearing something that conceals their identity, including masks and hoods, while violating a law, regulation or policy or attempting to intimidate someone. Another change prohibits protesters from refusing to identify themselves to university officials, including law enforcement. The new regulation mentions that the UCF Code of Student Conduct already requires students to provide identification upon request from a university official or law enforcement officer.
“Helene storm surge ‘unbelievable’ on Pinellas barrier islands” via Max Chesnes and Ian Hodgson of the Tampa Bay Times — A raging river of Gulf of Mexico water ripped through the heart of Madeira Beach just minutes after deputies blocked access to Pinellas County’s barrier islands at 6 p.m. Thursday. It would be dusk by the time these densely populated islands would start facing the peak of Hurricane Helene’s storm surge, forecasters had warned, and here it came. The water churned and splashed as it overtopped boardwalks and dunes and funneled onto this beachside city’s main artery, Gulf Boulevard, named after the waterbody now invading it. No cars were on the road except for lifted trucks and Jeeps with thick, oversized tires.
“Negativity, partisanship in race for St. Pete City Council District 3” via William March of Florida Politics — Peter Boland and Mike Harting say they want their competitive race for the District 3 St. Petersburg City Council seat to be civil and nonpartisan – but hostile and partisan overtones are creeping in despite that. Both also said partisanship has no place in a campaign for a nonpartisan position concerned with municipal services. For the most part, that appears to be holding up. However, both the Harting and Boland campaigns have put out message-testing polls that rehearse negative, sometimes partisan messages about each other, and conflict has arisen over who is the true conservative. Boland said he has acknowledged and spoken openly about an arrest record for drug possession from his late teens and early 20s – he’s now 40. But said, “To say I’ve 30 scrapes with the law” – as the survey said – “is wholly dishonest. They must be talking about parking tickets.” Harting, meanwhile, provided copies of a survey that portrays him as a right-winger, a potentially damaging accusation in a city dominated by Democrats and moderate Republicans.
“Two bar owners running for St. Pete Council: One stayed open, the other closed” via Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times — Harting, the owner of 3 Daughters Brewing in the Warehouse Arts District, closed his bar Thursday “for the safety of our staff and customers” a Facebook post read. Boland, the frontrunner in the race, announced his downtown hotspot The Galley is open for normal hours, closing at 3 a.m. Friday. “Ride it out and let us serve you,” Boland posted. Both told the Tampa Bay Times that everyone should make their own decision on what’s best. For Harting, it was a safety issue. “I just think they need to be home with their families,” he said about his staff. Boland said he always defers to staff. Each employee working at The Galley opted to go in, Boland said, and they’ve got extra hands on deck Thursday.
“Victor Crist says ‘Taj Mahal’ not his fault — blames Marco Rubio” via William March of Florida Politics — Crist, the Republican candidate for Hillsborough County Clerk of Court, has a good answer to anyone who criticizes his role in building the controversially opulent 1st District Court of Appeals courthouse in Tallahassee, nicknamed the “Taj Mahal,” in the 2000s. In response to a question on the subject at a Tampa Tiger Bay Club forum, he blamed Rubio and Charlie Crist. “I did not construct it, I did not design it; that was Charlie Crist, (then) the Governor, and that was Marco Rubio, (then) speaker of the House,” Victor Crist said. Crist was Chair of the Senate Justice Appropriations Committee at the time. He said he found financing for the building. He said the building actually cost $60 million instead of the widely reported $48 million but that the financing plan he devised funded it “without a single taxpayer dollar.” But two politically connected judges on the appeals court – one a former Victor Crist staffer – lobbied heavily for months for the expensive design and accouterments.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Taylor County begins Helene recovery; Perry residents relieved, while devastation in other areas” via Maya Sargent of WTXL — “Devastation, it’s just truly devastation,” said Emergency Management Director John Louk about damage he’s seeing in Taylor County’s coastal communities. Louk said they saw a record-breaking storm surge. In more inland places like Perry, neighbors are taking a deep breath after surveying the damage. “Frustrating, but not as bad because the previous hurricane has taken down all the dead trees, so there wasn’t as much to cause damage,” said neighbor Robert Bass. Louk said Emergency Management is currently in the response phase before they move on to the recovery phase. “The documentation, the reporting of property damages, and all that sort of thing,” Louk said. Louk said lessons learned from Idalia have made this response much better and quicker.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“Residents allowed to return to Longboat Key” via Kevin Accettulla of News Channel 8 — Residents are allowed to begin returning to Longboat Key Sunday afternoon, according to town officials. Reentry began at 1 p.m., but the island is only accessible from New Pass Bridge on the south end, officials said. A curfew is in place between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., and 50% of the island is still without power. Officials said there will be intermittent water outages and low water pressure. A boil water notice is in effect, and residents are asked to conserve water. The Publix on the island has reopened. Residents are asked to call 941-316-1999 with any questions and should not call 911 unless it’s a life-threatening emergency.
“Islands in Manatee County begin limited reentry” via Spectrum News — Several towns in Manatee County have announced reentry plans. Residents, business owners and essential workers are allowed into the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. as a dusk-to-dawn curfew is currently in place. People must present a reentry tag or an ID and proof of address at the checkpoint on the Manatee Avenue bridge. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials said there is currently no access to Bradenton Beach as emergency road repairs are still ongoing. The town of Longboat Key is now open to all residents. FDOT asks residents to access Longboat Key from the south entrance only.
— TOP OPINION —
“America’s hurricane luck is running out” via Marina Koren of The Atlantic — Helene arrived during an Atlantic hurricane season that forecasters had predicted would be unprecedented, thanks to record-warm ocean temperatures proffering extra fuel for storms. Since Hurricane Beryl swept over the Gulf Coast in July, the season has been quieter so far than the most dire expectations — but still unusually intense for Americans living in hurricane country.
On average, one or two hurricanes make landfall in the U.S. per season. Helene is the fourth to come ashore on the Gulf Coast this year. This has only occurred a handful of times since the mid-1800s, with six as the record for landfalls on the U.S. mainland in a single season.
This season isn’t over yet, so topping that record isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Climate change isn’t to blame for where a hurricane touches down, or if it does at all. But Helene’s strength is a different kind of bad luck — a variety we humans inadvertently engineered.
Many hurricanes that reach land these days are more intense because of oceans warmed by climate change. Decades ago, Helene might have become a medium-sized storm — still destructive, but not a beast. This hurricane is a sign of America’s relentless hurricane seasons to come.
For months now, the waters in the Gulf of Mexico have been abnormally hot, spiking several degrees above the average temperature of the past decade.
These and other factors can make or break a hurricane. If the atmosphere is too dry or wind shear is too intense, storms may never spin their way into Category 1.
The problem is that when atmospheric conditions allow a storm to form, our warming, moistening world is poised to grow them into major threats.
— OPINIONS —
“Helene rattles a Florida complacent to threats of changing climate” via Nate Monroe of the Florida Times-Union — It’s only in those endless hours before landfall, watching the Doppler radar on loop, dreading the leviathan category-something that had just a day ago — or was it hours ago? — been little more than an untidy Summer storm, that we question the choices that got us here. Just look at that thing: It’s as big as the Gulf. Hurricane Helene was only the latest and certainly not the last history-breaker, record-smasher, flooder of homes, disrupter of lives. What Florida hasn’t figured out, what it has, in fact, seemed recalcitrant about, is acknowledging the big picture: Why do Floridians abide by elected leaders who’d rather fight exhausting culture wars than prepare the state for the hotter, more dangerous world we are inheriting?
“A ‘traumatized’ Gulf Coast, Florida, Southeast must watch possible storm threat” via Ryan Truchelut of the Tallahassee Democrat — Well, it happened again. I hope wherever this update finds you, you are safe, and your recovery process is getting started following Helene, a storm that stands with any of the worst hurricane disasters in U.S. history. The scope of the destruction, particularly in two places dear to my heart, the Big Bend and western North Carolina, is immense and difficult to comprehend, even as my home of Tallahassee has — again — escaped the very worst of a major hurricane by a hair’s breadth. At some point, I’m going to write something to try to put Helene into its proper meteorological and historical context. To be honest, I simply can’t do it right now. I need time and space.
“Haitian news brings back memories of trip to country after earthquake” via Mark Woods of The Florida Times-Union — I’ve been thinking a lot lately about going to Haiti in 2010, shortly after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook the country — probably because Haiti and, in particular, Haitian immigrants have been in the news a lot lately. And while that news has focused on other parts of the country, Florida is home to the largest population of Haitian immigrants in America, estimated at about 500,000. As it has often been in American history, immigration is a hot topic. How many people who weren’t born here should we allow to come here? Stay here? And how should we decide which people? I don’t know.
“Shrinking middle: After fixing condo laws, a new crisis looms if lawmakers don’t act” via the Miami Herald editorial board — Florida’s new condominium laws might present an opportunity for developers looking to buy up older, poorly maintained buildings to replace them with modern luxury towers. The new laws, inadvertently, could also put South Florida’s last vestiges of affordable housing at risk — and state lawmakers and local officials must be aware and prepare for that scenario. The reforms passed after the 2021 Surfside building collapse are meant to ensure that condo associations stay on top of maintenance by not allowing them to waive financial reserves and requiring inspections and reserve studies to determine how much they need to set aside for repairs. That was necessary to prevent another tragedy, but the requirements clash with reality.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“Disney is a perfect getaway for parents — without the kids” via Hannah Sampson of The Washington Post — Adam and Tami Shields have taken their kids to Walt Disney World half a dozen times since last Summer. They walked 12 miles a day while racing from ride to ride, meeting princesses, catching shows, and seeking food the 9- and 10-year-olds wanted to eat. For an early celebration of their 27th wedding anniversary, the Marietta, Georgia, couple returned to the park in June during the last four days of their annual passes — without the kids. They sampled all the restaurants they wanted to try, rode the rides they wanted, took a tour for people 16 and older, and staked out a central viewing spot for the fireworks show. “It absolutely was more relaxed,” said Adam Shields, a consultant.
“St. Augustine community effort saved its lighthouse, now celebrates 150th anniversary” via Matt Soergel of The Florida Times-Union — In St. Augustine, many people are happy to profess their love for their lighthouse, which is still standing, still shining, 150 years after its Parisian-made lens first was lit on Oct. 15, 1874. Some families speak of ancestors who were keepers there, while others participated in community-led efforts to save the property on which it stands. Then there are those who tell the ghost stories surrounding it, aimed at tourists. It’s a familiar sight visible for miles around. For a host of businesses, it serves as a logo and inspiration, with its spiraling black and white stripes and the red lantern and observation deck.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are former state Representative and former Alachua Sheriff Clovis Watson, Curt Anderson of The Associated Press, Michael Cantens, Tracy Duda Chapman, Harrison Fields, Jason Gonzalez of Lawson Huck Gonzalez PLLC, nice guy Jason Holloway, Steve Lapinski, Capital City Consulting’s Chris Schoonover, and Vito Sheeley.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
