Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 12.12.24

Good Thursday morning.

A top-of-the-burn birthday shoutout to Natalie Brown of RSA Consulting.

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Florida is attracting more residents from people migrating from other states. However, the pace is beginning to slow down compared to previous years, and business leaders are sounding alarms.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce published its latest migration report this week, which analyzes the number of people moving into and out of the state. The analysis of 2023 shows there was a net total pickup of 126,000 people.

Chamber officials acknowledged that increasing new residents is always a positive trend because the uptick will lead to more business. However, the business advocacy group admitted that the figure represents a concerning downturn.

“While this figure reaffirms Florida as a top destination for new residents, it also represents a nearly 50% decrease from the previous year and marks the first major decline in net migration in a decade. The report attributes this shift to two key factors: rising housing costs and perceived limited career opportunities for younger, early-career workers,” a Chamber press release said.

The report continues, “Housing costs have been identified as the primary reason for out-migration, with residents leaving for states like Tennessee and North Carolina, which offer more affordable living options. The Florida Chamber-backed Live Local Act, alongside the Florida 2030 Blueprint goals, aims to address these challenges.”

The Florida Chamber migration report noted that the Sunshine State still leads the nation in net income migration, with $36.1 billion annually. That figure is three times higher than Texas, which is second.

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Albany, New York-based lobbying firm State & Broadway is joining forces with Converge Public Strategies.

State & Broadway specializes in lobbying New York’s state government and boasts a strong track record representing clients in the health care, energy, finance and technology industries. In addition to its industry clients, the firm is well-known for its work on behalf of labor interests in New York.

By joining Converge Public Strategies, State & Broadway will expand its influence, leveraging the Miami-based firm’s national reach and cross-sector public affairs and advocacy expertise.

Meanwhile, Converge Public Strategies gains State & Broadway’s experience, relationships, and strong presence in New York, which is a key jurisdiction for many of the firm’s clients.

“We are thrilled to join Converge Public Strategies, a firm that shares our values and commitment to client success,” said Larry Scherer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of State & Broadway.

“This partnership allows us to expand our capabilities and offer clients unparalleled access to both state and national decision-makers. Our team’s deep knowledge of New York’s political landscape, combined with Converge’s resources in Florida and across North America, will help us achieve even greater outcomes for our clients.”

Converge CEO Jonathan Kilman added, “This represents a strategic milestone for Converge as we continue to expand our capabilities across key markets. Adding State & Broadway strengthens our firm’s presence in New York and complements our national platform, allowing us to better serve our clients.

“Larry Scherer’s reputation as a major power player in Albany is well-known, but he’s also a terrific human being. From our first interaction. I could see he and his team would be a great fit for Converge.”

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Suzanne Dowling has been promoted to COO at Health Network One, the company announced this week.

With more than 25 years of experience at HN1, most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations, Dowling has been instrumental in shaping the company’s operational strategy and driving significant growth in partnership with HN1’s current COO and co-founder, Robert Leahy, who is retiring but will remain with the company as a Senior Adviser.

Dowling’s appointment comes on the heels of the recent announcement of Heyward Donigan as CEO and the transition of current CEO Luis Mosquera to Executive Chair, also effective Jan. 1, 2025.

“Suzanne is a highly skilled and dedicated leader who has consistently delivered exceptional results,” said Mosquera. “Her deep understanding of our business, coupled with her strong operational acumen, makes her the ideal person to lead our operations team.

“Throughout her career at HN1, Suzanne has played a pivotal role in leading the development team for GDS (Global Delivery System), the company’s specialty management system. She, Paul Batignani, and their talented team have worked tirelessly to build and design this state-of-the-art, proprietary platform.”

In her new role, Dowling will oversee all aspects of HN1’s operations, including Information Systems, Information Technology, Claims Operations, and Business Intelligence. She will be critical to driving the company’s next stage of growth through the launch of new, value-based specialty programs and networks nationwide.

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Congrats — In April, Alan Schwiederek, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office member since October 2021, was honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. In 2023, he volunteered more than 1,052 hours to the residents of Walton County. In June 2024, Schwiederek obtained his Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft System license and now serves on the Sheriff’s Office’s drone unit.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@RealDonaldTrump: The resignation of Christopher Wray is a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice. I just don’t know what happened to him. We will now restore the Rule of Law for all Americans. Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America. They have used their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of which will never be able to recover from what has been done to them. Kash Patel is the most qualified Nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency’s History, and is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again, and soon. As everyone knows, I have great respect for the rank-and-file of the FBI, and they have great respect for me. They want to see these changes every bit as much as I do but, more importantly, the American People are demanding a strong, but fair, System of Justice. We want our FBI back, and that will now happen. I look forward to Kash Patel’s confirmation, so that the process of Making the FBI Great Again can begin. Thank you!

—@JenniferJJacobs: President-elect (Donald) Trump will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (today)

—@Redistrict: Fact: in 2024, the House majority was decided by just 7,309 votes across three districts (#IA01, #CO08 and #PA07) out of 148 million votes cast nationwide.

—@NancyMace: Thank you to my colleagues who have spoken out in support of my safety and condemned violent attacks. @realannapaulina filed a resolution in November to condemn the death threats I began receiving after speaking up for women. After being physically accosted last night, it’s time we see that move forward.

—@MDixon55: Weird to watch state speakers races play out so publicly. In Florida, they treat them like state secrets that will cause a plague of locusts if discussed out loud

—@AnaCeballos_: From a delayed confirmation process in the Florida Senate due to concerns about her Moms for Liberty job to becoming Vice Chair of the Florida Commission on Ethics. It’s been a journey for (Tina) Descovich.

Tweet, tweet:

—@JimRosicaFL: Inbox: @FanDuel has announced that James Hartmann and Louis Trombetta, former exec. dir. of @FLGamingControl, have been named as Directors of Government Relations for the online gambling concern.

— DAYS UNTIL —

Army-Navy game — 2; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 6; College Football Playoff begins – 8; ‘What If …?’ season three premieres — 10; Squid Game’ season two premieres – 14; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 20; Orange Bowl – 28; House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 43; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 43; Special GOP Primary to replace Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District — 47; DNC Chair election — 51; Super Bowl LIX — 59; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 60; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 71; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 78; the 2025 Oscars – 80; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 82; 10th annual Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 97; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 106; Special Election for CD 1 — 110; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 131; 2025 Session ends – 141; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 141; Epic Universe grand opening — 161; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 162; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 169; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 225; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 372; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 509; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 526; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 547; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 585; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 659; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 737; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 877; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,310; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,426; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,826; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,557.

— TOP STORY —

“CNN poll: Most Americans approve how Donald Trump is handling his return to the White House” via Jennifer Agiesta of CNN — Most Americans expect Trump to do a good job upon his return to the White House next month (54%) and a majority approves of how he’s handling the presidential transition so far (55%), according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS.

Trump won last month amid broad disapproval of President Joe Biden’s handling of the job and deeply negative feelings about the state of the country and the economy. Almost 7 in 10 Americans in the new poll think Trump will be able to bring change to the country (68%), though only about half of Americans (48%) say they believe it will be change for the better.

The findings suggest the President-elect has earned a honeymoon period with the public as he prepares to return to the White House after being voted out four years ago amid broadly negative approval ratings of his own. However, the poll finds that positive sentiment toward Trump often trails the level that greeted other recent incoming Presidents, even when he outperforms his own previous transition numbers.

The country’s mood appears to have lifted somewhat following Trump’s win, partly due to the shifting partisan sentiments often seen after elections in which the presidency changes partisan hands. Most still say that things in the country are going badly (61%), but the share of people who say things are going “very badly” stands at just 15%, the lowest in CNN polling since May 2018. The 38% who say things are going well is the highest since December 2021.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“Alex Rizo targets education reform, optometrist allowances, helping Maury Hernandez” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Heading into his third House term, Hialeah Rep. Rizo is sticking with his go-to subject: education. The former teacher and public schools administrator-turned-education consultant has a few bills planned for the 2025 Session focused on instructor recruitment, training, and student funding. He is also drawing up measures to expand optometrist services, provide foster youths more autonomy once they become adults, and rerunning a claims bill to make an ex-Broward Sheriff’s deputy financially whole. “I’m always doing something in education. It’s really close to my heart,” he said. “And last year, I was able to carry two of the three education deregulation bills.”

“Ahead of 2025 Session, Jason Shoaf has Wakulla Springs, recidivism relief on his mind” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Rep. Shoaf plans to fight for his district this Legislative Session, with a focus that should benefit other areas of the state as well. Among his top priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session, Shoaf wants to figure out why Wakulla Springs’ water quality has been declining and how to fix it. “Wakulla Springs has been a priority for a number of years,” Shoaf said, noting that a new program at Florida State University (FSU) has student researchers working in the area studying how water quality has degraded. Shoaf represents House District 7 in the Big Bend area, including all or parts of 11 counties from Dixie to Gulf and as far inland as Liberty and Hamilton.

Save the date:

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“Bill would allow child care as a campaign expense” via Margie Menzel of NPR — Boynton Beach Democratic Sen. Lori Berman waited to run for public office until her children were in high school. Now, she says she has some regrets. So, Berman has filed a bill she hopes will encourage young parents to run — by helping to cover their child care costs. “We especially want to encourage young women to run, and we know that women are often the primary child care givers and that that’s a reason why they might not consider running for public office, because of the expense of child care,” she said. “This way, by having the expenses paid for by your campaign, it takes the pressure off that issue. And hopefully, we’ll see more young parents running for office.”

“Linda Chaney takes second go at establishing dental therapy amid statewide dental shortage” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Rep. Chaney has again filed legislation that seeks to establish a framework for dental therapy in Florida. The measure (HB 21) would create a Council on Dental Therapy to evaluate and manage the emerging industry, including establishing requirements, services, limitations and prohibitions related to dental therapy. Dental therapists have more training than dental hygienists but don’t hold the same advanced degrees as dentists. They are licensed to fill cavities, extract teeth, place temporary crowns and provide basic dental care under the supervision of a licensed dentist. In some cases, where the dental therapist has obtained a master’s degree, such medical professionals work in dental health care along the same lines as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

“Michele Rayner rolls out more endorsements as she seeks to secure Dem stronghold in SD 16” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Rep. Rayner, just days after launching her Senate District 16 campaign and rolling out her first slate of local endorsements, is announcing more support from colleagues in the House. Reps. Robin Bartleman, Daryl Campbell, Joe Casello, Hillary Cassel, Kevin D. Chambliss, Lindsay Cross, Dan Daley, Lavon Bracy Davis, Tae Edmonds, Anna Eskamani, Ashley Viola Gantt, Mike Gottlieb, Rita Harris, Dianne Hart, Christine Hunschofsky, Felicia Simone Robinson, Allison Tant and Marie Paule Woodson are all endorsing Rayner in her bid for SD 16. “Having worked with Rep. Rayner for the past four years in the Florida House, I know she has the heart, work ethic, and skill set to be an effective State Senator and to add an important voice to the Florida Senate,” said Hunschofsky, who is the House Democratic Leader-designate.

— SPECIALS —

“Panhandle lawmakers want Nathan Boyles in the Florida House” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Several lawmakers in the Panhandle are making clear who they want filling a soon vacant House seat. Former Okaloosa County Commissioner Boyles, who launched a campaign Monday in House District 3, announced endorsements from Republican state Sens. Don Gaetz and Jay Trumbull, state Reps. Shane Abbott and Alex Andrade, and former state Rep. Jayer Williamson. “I’m honored to have the support of so many leaders from our region who’ve helped make our state the best place to live, work, visit and retire,” Boyles said. “These leaders have been on the front lines of fighting for our conservative values for years and their trust and confidence is truly humbling.”

—TRANSITION —

“Time magazine to name Trump ‘Person of the Year’” via Meridith McGraw of POLITICO — Trump is expected to be named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” — and to celebrate the unveiling of the cover, the President-elect will ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning. Last year, pop superstar Taylor Swift was recognized. Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to mark the magazine cover reveal. Trump was also named Time Person of the Year in 2016 after he won the Presidential Election. He joins 13 other U.S. Presidents, including Biden, who have received the recognition.

“Susan Collins grills Pete Hegseth but remains undecided on his bid for Defense Secretary” via Karoun Demirjian of The New York Times — U.S. Sen. Collins, a Maine Republican, said she had privately questioned Hegseth on both policy issues and the misconduct allegations against him but would not decide whether to back Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon until after a thorough vetting. “I pressed him on both his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him,” Collins told reporters after a private meeting with Hegseth that lasted well over an hour. “I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” She said she would not be deciding on Hegseth’s bid to lead the Pentagon until after an FBI background check on him was complete and he had undergone a confirmation hearing.

“National poll finds Pam Bondi, Ron DeSantis with negative approval ratings amid possible moves” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A new national survey from YouGov shows the next U.S. Attorney General and a man linked with potentially running the Defense Department both have room to improve their approval ratings. The poll of 1,593 adults conducted between Dec. 8 and Dec. 10 shows that Bondi and DeSantis are broadly popular with Republicans but less so with independents and Democrats. Bondi is regarded favorably by 23% of respondents and unfavorably by 24%, with 51% unsure. Among Republicans, she enjoys a 43% approval rating against 11% disapproval. Meanwhile, just 8% of Democrats approve of her, while 41% of them disapprove. She’s at -1 with independents, with 20% approval against 21% disapproval.

“Joe Biden administration looks to reinforce U.S.-China ties ahead of Trump’s return” via Alan Rappeport of The New York Times — The Biden administration is making a final push to reinforce the communication channels it established between the United States and China before the relationship between the world’s largest economies potentially faces fresh upheaval when Trump takes office next month. A team of senior Treasury Department officials will travel to Nanjing, China, this week for a final U.S.-China financial working group meeting. A separate group of Treasury officials will convene with their Chinese counterparts on the sidelines of a Group of 20 gathering in South Africa this week for a bilateral economic working group meeting.

—D.C. MATTERS —

“Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden” via The Associated Press — Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden after earlier promising he would do no such thing. That displeasure tracks with the bipartisan uproar in Washington that ignited over the President’s about-face. The survey found that a relatively small share of Americans “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges. About half said they “strongly” or “somewhat” disapprove, and about 2 in 10 neither approve nor disapprove. The Democratic President had said repeatedly that he would not use his pardon power for the benefit of his family, and the White House continued to insist, even after Trump’s election win in November, that Biden’s position had not changed — until it suddenly did.

“House Democrats will target Anna Paulina Luna and recruit against four other Florida Republicans in 2026” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. House Democrats say they are searching for a good candidate to challenge U.S. Rep. Luna. But they also have their eyes on four other Republican-held seats in Florida if conditions are right. House Majority PAC, the super PAC dedicated to expanding the Democratic caucus in the House, launched a recruiting effort Tuesday to find candidates in any potentially competitive seats in the midterms. With Trump returning to the White House, the minority caucus sees opportunities to expand its map substantially. A memo released by the super PAC puts Florida’s 13th Congressional District, where Luna just won re-election to a second term in November, on a list of targeted seats. But it also suggests the right candidates could unseat U.S. Reps. Carlos Giménez, Laurel Lee, Cory Mills and María Elvira Salazar.

“House passes major Pentagon bill despite Dem revolt over transgender health care” via Connor O’Brien of POLITICO — The House passed an $895 billion defense policy bill despite considerable opposition from Democrats over language restricting gender-affirming medical care for transgender children. Most Democrats voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, which outlines Pentagon policy for the year. The bill passed with a 281-140 bipartisan vote but lawmakers in both parties said it would have likely sailed through without the culture war issue. “Big Brother, big government attacks like those just don’t belong in this bill,” said Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, who chairs the House Equality Caucus. He argued Republican leadership prioritized “right-wing extremist dogma over national defense.”

“Bill Clinton tells ‘The View’ he’s open to discussing ‘preemptive pardon’ for wife Hillary before Trump takes office” via Zachary Leeman of Mediaite — Former President Clinton told “The View” he’d be open to discussing a potential “preemptive pardon” for his wife with Biden. Clinton joined “The View” table to discuss the incoming administration and his new book “Citizen” when co-host Sunny Hostin asked if he thought it was “wise” for Biden to “preemptively pardon” people who may be on an “enemies list” for Trump. “Do you think it would be wise of President Biden to pre-emptively pardon any potential targets? What about your wife, Hillary Clinton?” she asked. “She apparently is on Kash Patel’s list.”

— STATEWIDE —

“Jimmy Patronis launches study on gold and silver as Florida tender” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Chief Financial Officer Patronis wants gold and silver as legal tender in Florida. As he runs for Congress, the Cabinet member launched a study on how precious metals could be used as currency for goods and services. “This is an exciting initiative that has the potential for enormous growth in our state,” Patronis said. “Gold and silver have been trusted assets for thousands of years, and it makes perfect sense to use them as legal tender. I’m launching this study to determine the best way to get it done. I’ve also included in the framework of the study that gold and silver cannot be taxed as property for the purposes of using them as money.”

“Hurricane Milton takes toll on Florida’s upcoming citrus harvest” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Citrus production across Florida will be down heading into the end of the year due largely to a wild hurricane season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the citrus crop will likely yield about 12 million boxes of oranges in the state. According to December’s projections, there will be another 1.2 million boxes of grapefruit and some 350,000 boxes of tangerines and tangelos for the 2024-25 harvest season in the Sunshine State. That’s down from the October forecast, which predicted 15 million boxes of oranges, 1.4 million boxes of grapefruit and 400,000 boxes of tangerines and tangelos would be produced during the harvest season.

“Florida Wildlife Commission takes step toward allowing bear hunting” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed Wednesday to consider options for controlling the state’s growing bear population, potentially including hunting. At a meeting in Lakeland, Commissioner Gary Lester urged the agency to consider approving a hunt after wildlife officials said bear populations are increasing in four of seven state regions. Agency staff did not make a recommendation on allowing a hunt.

“Jay Collins files farmworker housing bill after DeSantis vetoed similar measure” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Collins has filed legislation (SB 84) that would open the door for on-site housing for “legally verified agricultural workers.” The measure is similar to a bill (SB 1082) he filed in the 2024 Legislation Session that cleared both chambers easily but fell victim to DeSantis’ veto pen at the time. DeSantis, in his veto message, said he worried the measure did not have an enforcement mechanism and could lead to housing undocumented migrants. The version of the bill for the 2025 Legislative Session is nearly identical and appears not to include language that would remedy DeSantis’ concern. Still, it’s likely to gain broad support again — including backing from the state’s agriculture industry, as it had the first go-around — and DeSantis not being wrapped up in a presidential contest on the national stage could help convince him to tuck the veto pen away this time.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Miami brothers, real estate stars, arrested by FBI. Accused of raping, drugging women” via Charles Rabin, Jay Weaver and Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald — Three brothers from Miami Beach who rocketed to fame through the sale of luxury real estate from Miami to Manhattan were taken into custody by Miami FBI agents and local police Wednesday morning and charged with a slew of state and federal sex trafficking and rape crimes. The charges follow at least four civil lawsuits filed in early Summer in New York State court that are filled with disturbing allegations of drugging and raping women. Twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, and their older brother Tal, 38, were awakened at their Miami Beach homes by police and investigators from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the FBI, read their rights and hauled away in handcuffs. Tal Alexander later appeared in Miami federal court before Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid. He wore blue jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, cuffed by his ankles and wrists.

“Monroe GOP re-elects Rhonda Rebman Lopez as Chair, backs her party leadership slate” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Keys Republicans are keeping Lopez as their leader and elevating a slate of candidates she backed for other top county party roles. The Republican Party of Monroe County just re-elected Lopez to Chair its Executive Board by a two-thirds margin, a press note from the organization said. Party members also elected Tim Urbanski as Vice Chair, Bettye Chaplin as Secretary and Henry Stark as Treasurer. Former Monroe GOP Committee member Kathy Ovide challenged Lopez and Urbanksi for the Chair and Vice Chair posts, Lopez told Florida Politics. Chaplin and Stark won unopposed. Lopez, 60, credited her Wednesday win to her strong performance as a fundraiser. This election cycle, she said, she was the top per-capita fundraiser in the state. “Together, we will work tirelessly to grow our party, turn out voters, and ensure Republican victories in 2026 and beyond,” she said.

“Judge’s ruling in Riviera Beach could doom candidacies of Douglas Lawson, several office-seekers” via Wayne Washington of the Palm Beach Post — A Palm Beach County Circuit Judge has ruled that multiple candidates for office in Riviera Beach should not have paid their campaign filing fee with a debit card instead of with a campaign bank check. Judge Reid Scott II‘s ruling, issued verbally after a virtual hearing, would disqualify both candidates for Mayor, City Council member Lawson and two other candidates who filed to run for Council positions in the March municipal election. The city’s Mayor, Ronnie Felder, had attempted to file for re-election and initially paid his filing fee with a debit card.

“Hialeah puts proposed charter-school expansion in public park on hold. What’s at stake?” via Verónica Egui Brito of the Miami Herald — A project to expand a charter school in Hialeah, which could allow it to take over two multipurpose playing fields on public parkland, remains very much alive after the City Council chose to postpone a vote instead of denying it, even though a majority of the Council members spoke against its approval. The City of Hialeah Educational Academy, affiliated with the large charter school company Academica, is located at 2590 W. 76th St, on a corner of Slade Park. The school has been leasing the land from the city since 2008 when former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina founded it. Shortly after leaving public office, Robaina joined Academica as Chief Operating Officer.

“South Florida, Tampa Bay nonprofits join blue tech accelerator program with $14M federal earmark” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Five nonprofits in Florida are joining forces with two organizations from California and Spain to support and expedite sea-focused tech and innovation with a significant funding boost from the federal government. It’s called The Continuum, launching with $13.9 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Ocean Entrepreneur Accelerators program. Sunshine State organizations engaged in the effort include the Miami-based Seaworthy Collective, Fort Lauderdale-based Ocean Exchange, Tampa Bay Wave, St. Pete Innovation District and University of South Florida (USF). Also involved: Los Angeles-based venture advisory Braid Theory and the World Ocean Council, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Law enforcement breaks up illegal gambling operations in Volusia and Brevard counties” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — State and local law enforcement officials joined forces to investigate multiple illegal casinos that were busted and shut down in Volusia and Brevard counties in the past week. The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) issued a press release outlining the law enforcement crackdown on illegal gaming machines and bogus casinos. “The cooperative relationships developed between the Florida Gaming Control Commission and our partner law enforcement agencies are essential to fulfill our mission, and these efforts are making an impact,” said Ross Marshman, Acting Executive Director of the FGCC. “Through innovative strategies, enhanced resources, and collaboration, these partnerships reflect our dedication to fostering trust and accountability while effectively addressing public safety concerns related to illicit gambling locations.”

“Volusia School Board to reconsider Chair after Jessie Thompson disparages students, Board” via Mary Ellen Ritter of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — After video surfaced of Volusia County School Board Chair Thompson making derogatory remarks about Board members and students and admitting to feeding false data to fellow Board members, the Board unanimously decided to reconsider who will serve as Chair. It was Thompson’s first meeting in her new role. Members agreed at the meeting to move agenda item 3.01, Election of Chair to the Volusia County School Board, from the Nov. 19 annual organization session to the next meeting’s agenda — Jan. 14 — for discussion.

“Edgewater City Council member Rob Wilkie resigns citing harassment to his family, employees” via Brenno Carillo of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Edgewater City Council member Wilkie, who ran unopposed and was sworn into office in October, announced his resignation, effective Jan. 6. At the Dec. 2 City Council meeting, Wilkie cited episodes of harassment to both his family and his business’ employees as the reason for his decision. “After much thought and reflection, I have decided that it is my time to step away from my role,” Wilkie said. “As with any role, there are moments when personal and professional priorities shift. These priorities shifted when I realized owning a business and being on City Council do not mix.” Wilkie ran unopposed for the District 4 seat and was elected in the August Primary.

“As Disney World adds more rides, ticket prices are going up, CFO says” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — As Disney World adds new rides in a multibillion-dollar expansion, fans can expect theme park prices to rise, one company official said. “We’re delivering more value. Value is what you get as a consumer. Price is what you pay,” Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said during a Q&A session at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. “People feel good about the value they’re getting, so we ought to be able to take more pricing. As a result, we will drive good financial results out of it.” Johnston discussed various topics, including Disney theme parks, Epic Universe, Disney movies and streaming services. Johnston did not indicate how high prices could jump at Disney World in what’s evolved into a complex pricing system these days. The cost varies depending on how many days you go, which park you visit and what time of the year it is.

— LOCAL: TB —

“Rays, government partners express stadium deal optimism” via Mark Parker of St. Pete Catalyst — Tampa Bay Rays executives now believe they have the votes needed to advance previously approved plans for a new $1.37 billion stadium. Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters subsequently expressed similar optimism. The Commission will consider approving a financing mechanism for its contribution to the ballpark for a third time on Dec. 17. Despite the long-negotiated agreements seemingly rising from a fresh grave, financial obstacles remain. “We anticipate that the Pinellas County Commission will authorize the bonds at their next meeting,” said Rays President Matt Silverman in a prepared statement. “As we stated in our letter three weeks ago, we remain ready to work with all key stakeholders to fill the funding gap their delay has created.” The Tuesday afternoon announcement followed Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred’s meeting Monday with Peters and County Administrator Barry Burton at the Lealman Exchange. He also met with St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch inside City Hall.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Dean Black highlights Duval GOP successes under his leadership, welcomes new Chair” via Michelle Vecerina of Florida’s Voice — Rep. Black pointed to the Republican Party of Duval County’s successes over the past six years under his leadership and welcomed the new Chair. “It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of the @DuvalGOP over the past 6 years,” Black said. Black will now serve as Duval County’s State Committee member. He said he is “proud” to welcome and congratulate Charles “Scooter” Barr as the new Duval GOP Chair. “Let’s stay united and build on the incredible momentum we’ve achieved over these past six years. Welcome, Chairman Barr!” Black said. Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power thanked Black for his service, saying he looks forward to continuing to work with him as a state Committee member.

“City Council member says Jacksonville’s handling of garbage fee resembles pension debacle” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The days of missed garbage pickups that enraged Jacksonville residents have ended. Still, the cost of fixing that mess is putting the city’s solid waste fund on track to be about $500 million in debt by 2031 and is drawing comparisons by one City Council member to the city’s pension fund debacle. The city assesses a garbage fee for residential curbside collection that once raised enough money to cover the cost of pickup and disposal. However, the city’s cost of carrying out that service has spiked recently, and the garbage fee hasn’t changed since 2010. The gap widened after the City Council voted Tuesday in favor of a 29% increase in what the city pays Meridian Waste, one of two commercial haulers contracted by the city. Council members said they don’t want to see a repeat of what happened three years ago when yard debris went uncollected for weeks at a time, and the city had to suspend curbside recycling to catch up.

— LOCAL: SW FL —

“Concerns about reduced meeting schedule cited at final 2024 Sarasota School Board session” via Heather Bushman of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Concerns surrounding a reduced Sarasota County School Board meeting schedule lingered as the Board held its last meeting of the year. On the heels of a decision to cut meetings from two a month to one in 2025, the Board tied up loose ends as it convened for the last time in 2024. Approved items included the 2026-27 student calendar, an affiliation agreement with New College of Florida, and the name and mascot of the new high school in Wellen Park; with a public comment period that saw speakers still protesting the reduced meeting schedule, the Board signed off on last month.

“Marco Island Council member Tamara Goehler accused of abuse of power after her dogs bite child, puppy” via J. Kyle Foster of the Naples Daily News — Marco Island City Council member Goehler’s dogs got out of her house without leashes and bit a 13-year-old neighbor and her puppy, according to the girl’s parents and a police report. Goehler’s behavior after the incident is under investigation by Marco Island Police Department. According to the police report, the girl was walking the family’s 5 1/2-month-old petite golden doodle on a leash on Saturday, Dec. 7, when she passed in front of Goehler’s home on Richmond Court. Someone opened the front door, and Goehler’s two “terrier-type dogs” ran out after the puppy.

“City reaches another milestone in the rebuild of Naples Pier, as it awaits federal approvals” via Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News — The city has reached another milestone in its plans to rebuild the Naples Pier. The City Council approved an amendment to a local consultant’s agreement, valued at more than $1.38 million, to allow for the completion of design, engineering and inspection services. The amendment to the city’s contract with Turrell, Hall & Associates appeared on the consent agenda. While matters on the consent agenda aren’t usually discussed, City Manager Jay Boodheshwar offered more context and briefly updated the multimillion-dollar project before the vote. “People want to know where we are,” he said. “What’s happening.”

— TOP OPINION —

“The J6 presidency” via William Kristol of The Bulwark — Our next President instigated Jan. 6 and is a full-throated defender of those who rioted that day. Our next Vice President, JD Vance, is someone who says he would not — as Vice President Mike Pence did — have stood in the way of overturning the election. Trump’s nominee for Attorney General traveled the country at the end of 2020 promoting the Big Lie and trying to pressure both the courts and Congress to nullify the election results. His nominee for FBI director was part of the effort within the government to undermine the election.

No one should be surprised, as The New York Times reported over the weekend, that applicants for political positions in the Trump administration are asked about Jan. 6:

“The questions went further than just affirming allegiance to the incoming administration. The interviewers asked … what they thought about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and whether they believed the 2020 Election was stolen. The sense they got was that there was only one right answer to each question. …

“[Some] applicants… said they gave what they intuited to be the wrong answer — either decrying the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 or saying that President Biden won in 2020. Their answers were met with silence and the taking of notes. They didn’t get the jobs.”

This makes sense. Trump made no secret as a candidate of his pro-January 6th views. He makes no secret of them now. It will be a pro-Jan. 6 administration staffed with pro-Jan. 6 appointees, supported by a party with a majority in both houses of Congress whose members either endorse or acquiesce in the legitimizing of Jan. 6.

One must conclude, four years after, that Jan. 6 succeeded.

— OPINIONS —

“Trump’s immigrant crackdown will hurt Florida most” via the Miami Herald editorial board — It’s like 2017 all over again when it comes to Trump and his threats about ending Temporary Protected Status. TPS, a federal program familiar to Floridians, protects some immigrants from deportation for a limited time because of emergency conditions in their home countries, such as Venezuela and Haiti. To qualify, they must live in the U.S. when their country is designated for TPS and must meet a certain cutoff date. It allows them to live and work legally in the U.S. but does not offer a pathway to permanent legalization. In his previous term, Trump tried and failed to end TPS for immigrants from Haiti and Nicaragua. This time, the President-elect should think twice. His home state of Florida would be affected more than any other. Almost a third of about 863,880 TPS recipients now live in this state, many from Venezuela and Haiti, places with well-documented turmoil and failures.

“Democrats can work with DOGE. I know exactly where to start.” via Ro Khanna for MSNBC — The U.S. defense budget is approaching $1 trillion. About half is going to defense contractors with a history of overcharging the Pentagon and fleecing American taxpayers. Raytheon recently agreed to pay $950 million to resolve investigations concerning defective pricing, foreign bribery and export control schemes. The public is tired of this waste and abuse. I want the U.S. to have the greatest military in the world and the resources to counter increasingly sophisticated threats from our adversaries, but we need a more sensible approach. That is why I have been the only House Armed Services Committee member to vote against the bloated defense budget.

“Matt Gaetz’s next move” via Byron York of The Washington Examiner — Not all that long ago, on Oct. 3, 2023, then-Rep. Gaetz succeeded in his audacious plan to lead a tiny group of Republicans, eight in all, working in an alliance with 208 Democrats to topple Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. Today, one year and two months later, Gaetz is out of Congress, out of a job, and has reportedly signed with a small television news outlet, One America News Network, to host a prime-time program. At age 42, Gaetz will undoubtedly have more acts in his life. But it seems safe to say his effort to bring down the Republican Party in the House did not end well. When Trump stunned many observers by nominating Gaetz to be attorney general, Gaetz’s past of attacking and undermining his own party came back at him fast — and that was before discussion of a long House Ethics Committee investigation concerning allegations that Gaetz, in the words of a New York Post report, “had engaged in sex with a minor, used illicit drugs and taken bribes, among other alleged crimes.”

“‘Whore’-calling, Special Olympics-threatening Randy Fine for Congress?” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — When Trump chose GOP Congressman Mike Waltz as his National Security Adviser, Republicans had a choice when looking for a replacement. They could promote any number of reputable conservatives to run for this heavily Republican-leaning seat on Florida’s east coast, including former legislative leaders, thoughtful local officials or even a respected former member of Congress. Or they could go for divisive buffoonery. They went with option B, otherwise known as Fine. Other candidates are running, including a couple of Republicans who seem to have serious and sober platforms. But Trump endorsed Fine, so the Brevard County Republican is the clear favorite — even though he has generated more cringe-inducing headlines than a mid-2000s mashup of Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Iguana invasion shuts down Florida high school pool indefinitely” via Scripps News — The swimming pool at a Florida high school has been shut down indefinitely after a large number of iguanas on the property forced the Department of Health and the School District of Palm Beach County to close the pool for safety reasons. Scripps visited the pool and found dozens of iguanas of different sizes sunbathing on the bleachers and deck, which was covered in the reptile’s excrement. We also spotted large amounts of their feces along the pool’s edges near the bleachers. “What they leave behind is definitely gross,” Lake Worth Beach resident Alyssia Jaume said. She describes the iguana invasion at Lake Worth High School as an oasis for reptiles.

“Scrooge you! To avoid post-election fights, many young adults are skipping the holidays” via StudyFinds — As the dust settles on another contentious election year, many Americans are preparing for family gatherings with one primary goal: avoiding political arguments at all costs. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) reveals a telling portrait of post-election exhaustion. More than seven in 10 adults (72%) hope to sidestep political discussions during holiday get-togethers, with nearly two in five people (38%) saying they’ll even avoid certain family members to prevent potential conflicts. The study, conducted by The Harris Poll between Nov. 25 and 27, 2024, surveyed over 2,000 U.S. adults and uncovered a deep sense of emotional fatigue following the presidential election. The results highlight a generational divide in how people approach potentially divisive family interactions.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Celebrating today are former Reps. Dick Batchelor and Jennifer Webb, as well as BG Murphy and Katie Strickland.

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