Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.13.25

Good Monday morning.

Smith Bryan & Myers has a new name: SBM Partners.

This announcement from partner-owners Jeff Hartley, Teye Carmichael and Lisa Hurley comes as the firm welcomes a merger with Crisafulli Consulting, headed by former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli.

“Over the last 40 years, this firm has built a reputation as a trusted partner in business, government and politics. Our new branding as SBM Partners reflects the growth of our expertise and experience while honoring the deep history and strength in reputation of this team,” said Hartley, President and Managing Partner at SBM Partners.

SBM Partners boasts a wide range of clients in Florida and nationwide, including automotive, health care, retail, telecommunications and tourism businesses.

Crisafulli joined the firm as a partner-owner, effective Jan. 1. With the merger, SBM Partners adds an extensive portfolio of clients across industries, including agriculture, energy, education and insurance, which Crisafulli has supported while running a boutique-sized government relations firm for the last eight years.

“As Speaker of the House, I worked closely with the team at SBM Partners on a number of priority issues for our state. They are more than experts in the process; they are also highly trusted by lawmakers,” said Crisafulli. “I am thrilled with this opportunity to merge the two firms and be a part of the SBM team. By combining our capabilities and our portfolios, we can deliver even more for our clients.”

Also joining SBM Partners this year is Parker Powell, former deputy director of legislative affairs to Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Powell joins a team of government relations and political consultants including David Daniel and Jonathan Rees.

The firm’s new brand reflects the growth and expansion of the team while honoring its founders: Gary Smith, Matt Bryan, and Julie Myers.

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Super lobbyist Heather Turnbull is used to wearing multiple hats on behalf of her numerous clients, but now she’s trying on a new and unique role: Interim Vice President of State Government Relations for HCA Healthcare in Florida.

Turnbull, Managing Partner of the Top-5 firm Rubin Turnbull & Associates, has long been one of HCA’s lead lobbyists. Turnbull will remain a Managing Partner at Rubin Turnbull, even as she shifts much of her focus to overseeing all matters related to lobbying and government affairs for HCA Healthcare in Florida.

“Not only is Heather one of the best lobbyists I’ve ever worked with, but her knowledge of HCA’s issues and understanding of our unique corporate culture makes her a perfect fit for this role,” said Bryan Anderson, Corporate Vice President of Government Relations for HCA Healthcare. “I am eternally grateful to Heather for her willingness to step up at such a critical time.”

Turnbull will take over as interim VP on Feb. 3, replacing Allison Kinney, who last week advised HCA that she would be leaving her post.

A veteran lobbyist, Turnbull rose to Managing Partner at her firm — formerly The Rubin Group — almost five years ago to the day. Since then, she and founder-slash-President Bill Rubin have elevated the firm into the upper echelon of state lobbying practices in Florida.

Under Turnbull, who oversees all lobbying operations at the firm and leads the firm’s client efforts, Rubin Turnbull consistently lands in the Top 5 in Florida Politics’ quarterly revenue rankings. The firm’s most recent reports, covering the third quarter of last year, showed more than $2.85 million in earnings.

While HCA and other health care companies are some of the firm’s top contracts, the Rubin Turnbull team handles well over 100 clients ranging from trade groups to universities and even to cryptocurrency trading platforms.

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Audrey Brown has been named Chief Executive Officer of the South Florida-based nonprofit Promise Fund.

Brown has more than 20 years of experience in the health care and insurance industries and advocacy experience. Before joining the Promise Fund, she served as President and CEO of the Florida Association of Health Plans (FAHP). During Jeb Bush’s administration, she also held leadership roles with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, AvMed Health Plans, and the Executive Office of the Governor.

“Audrey brings an enormous amount of health care industry and policy experience to the Promise Fund,” said Promise Fund co-founder and former Amb. Nancy Brinker. “She will play a critical role as we expand our geographic service area to help women throughout Florida, and we’re thrilled to have her on our team.”

Promise Fund, founded in 2018, helps women in Palm Beach, Broward, and Martin counties who have limited or no access to health care obtain screenings, treatment, and more for cervical cancer and breast cancer.

“I know from firsthand experience that access to care is critical and early detection can improve health outcomes and save lives,” said Brown. “I am privileged to join the Promise Fund and work with the team to ensure we are removing barriers to access so that all women — both locally here in Palm Beach and ultimately across the state of Florida — can get screened and enter treatment at earlier stages to improve outcomes. Screening is a critical first step in ensuring that all women get the care they deserve and the Promise Fund’s mission-driven work is changing lives.”

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@JDVance: Hopefully, everyone is cool with me skipping the inauguration so I can go to the national title game

—@TVietor08: Every five years or so, Mark Zuckerberg makes Facebook policy changes and does an interview where he acts like he’s a newborn baby who just appeared on earth and has no understanding or ownership over what came before. But this time, he’s styled like Drake’s molly dealer.

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@anneapplebaum: Every single thing everybody suddenly wants to do in Greenland — mine for minerals! Use shipping lanes! Set up bases! — is possible now, in cooperation with Denmark or is already happening. The discussion of “occupying” Greenland is just pointless aggression toward an ally

Tweet, tweet:

—@VoteRandyFine: From the river to the sea, Manhattan will be @UN free.

—@Mdixon55: Getting the chips-to-toppings ratio for nachos exactly right, like exactly, might be the toughest thing to do in sports

— DAYS UNTIL —

House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 4; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 4; AFC and NFC championship games — 13; Special GOP Primary to replace Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District — 15; DNC Chair election — 19; Grammy Awards — 20; Super Bowl LIX — 27; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 28; ‘Cobra Kai’ final episodes premiere — 31; ‘The White Lotus’ season three premieres — 34; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 38; ‘1923’ season two premieres — 41; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 49; the 2025 Oscars – 48; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 50; Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 52; 10th annual Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 65; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 74; Special Election for CD 1 — 78; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 99; 2025 Session ends – 109; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 109; Epic Universe grand opening — 129; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 130; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 137; DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet will meet — 149; James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ premieres — 179; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 193; ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ premieres on Disney+ — 205; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 247; ‘Wicked: Part 2’ premieres — 312; DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet — 338; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 340; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 477; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 494; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 515; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 553; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 705; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 845; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 991; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,278; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,394; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,794; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,525.

— TOP STORY —

“After burning opioid money on marijuana ads, a state agency wants more cash” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — DeSantis spent millions of dollars in taxpayer money this Fall on thinly disguised campaign ads against ballot measures that would have legalized marijuana and overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban.

Now, his administration is asking for even more money for marketing.

Specifically, DeSantis’ Department of Children & Families is asking Florida lawmakers for $28.4 million from the state’s share of a nationwide legal settlement with the opioid industry for the agency to spend on “prevention and media campaigns.”

That would be a nearly 60% increase over the current budget, in which the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature gave the DeSantis administration $18 million in opioid settlement funds to spend on marketing programs.

It might be because DeSantis seems to have burned a bunch of this year’s opioid-marketing money on his publicly funded ad campaigns against the marijuana and abortion ballot measures.

DeSantis and his aides have repeatedly refused to answer basic questions about that unprecedented campaign, in which the state spent an estimated $20 million on “public service announcements” warning about the risks of marijuana and defending Florida’s abortion laws just as voters were deciding the fates of Amendment 3 and Amendment 4.

Purchasing records show that the Department of Children & Families was one of four state agencies that signed near-simultaneous contracts with the same advertising agency just before the agencies began jointly sponsoring marijuana and abortion ads. Payment and invoice records show that DCF funded most of its portion with opioid settlement money — money that is, by law, supposed to be spent combating the opioid epidemic.

And now DCF wants even more opioid-marketing money.

— LEGISLATIVE —

“Lori Berman brings back bill to cap the cost of breast exams for state employees” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Every year, tens of thousands of women in Florida receive life-threatening breast cancer diagnoses. And that doesn’t include those unaware they have the disease because testing is too costly. Sen. Berman is working to eliminate such cases among state employees. Berman filed legislation this week (SB 158) to expand coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations, without cost-sharing, for women enrolled in Florida’s state group insurance program. “It says if you go in for a mammogram and you need to have a supplemental exam, like an MRI or an ultrasound, that they can only charge you the same copay they charged you for the mammogram,” Berman, a breast cancer survivor, told Florida Politics.

“Rosalind Osgood wants to ease reserve cost burden for owners of low-rise condos away from ocean” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Christine Cordoso, a resident of the Sunrise Lakes Condominium, says her monthly maintenance fee is set to rise to $1,600 a month thanks to a new state law that requires full funding of reserves for repairs. That’s in addition to her bill for taxes and insurance for her Phase IV condo unit, she said. Cordoso was among about 60 unit owners who gathered at the Phase 4 clubhouse to hear Sen. Osgood’s plan to exempt buildings like hers from requiring condo associations to fully fund reserves to pay for repairs needed over 10 years. “We take very good care of our building. We’re on fixed incomes,” she said.

“After switching parties, Hillary Cassel receives heavy blowback — and praise from Donald Trump” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Two weeks after becoming a Republican, Cassel still has a profile on Instagram that describes her as a “proud Democrat.” Now beginning her second term as a state representative from Broward County, Cassel has attracted more attention in the past two weeks than during her two years in the Florida House. The reason? Her year-end switch to the Republican Party and the scorching criticism she aimed at the Democrats as she departed the party that she had supported and that had supported her, just weeks before. Cassel’s move won her praise from Trump.

“St. Johns County ‘need list’ includes airport renaming, infrastructure asks” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The new Legislative delegation for St. Johns County, which includes Sen. Tom Leek and Reps. Sam Greco and Kim Kendall, heard what stakeholders want in 2025. One speaker called it a “need list.” Yet it remains to be seen how much will be deliverable from Tallahassee. St. Johns County Commission Chair Krista Joseph wants state matching funds for the District 23 Medical Examiner’s Office (a “critical need” for the “outdated office” encompassing St. Johns, Flagler, and Putnam) and the North Beach flood mitigation project affecting 84 blocks that “sit in a bowl.” She also wants funding for the Florida Museum of Black History. “We’re hearing crickets,” Joseph said about the state’s commitment to the “epicenter of African American history.”

— SPECIALS —

“‘Absolutely not’: Ron DeSantis says he won’t appoint himself to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “Absolutely not.” So much for DeSantis engineering his next political move by naming himself the successor to outgoing U.S. Sen. Rubio. DeSantis made the declaration in Jacksonville on Friday while responding to a reporter’s question about the potential self-appointment. Rubio appears likely to be the next Secretary of State, leaving a vacancy in the Senate that the Governor is tasked with filling. DeSantis mocked the idea that he would pick himself, suggesting that those speculating on that were offering “grist for the mill” but didn’t know his thinking. “It’s funny, you know, these people write these things … and anytime they’re talking about anything I’m doing, they’re just making it up, right?” DeSantis said.

“Cory Mills has eyes on Rubio’s Senate seat in 2026 — no matter who DeSantis picks” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Mills intends to run for U.S. Senate in 2026 — even if he is not named to the post by DeSantis. Mills told the press on Saturday he doesn’t know when DeSantis will appoint a successor to U.S. Sen. Rubio, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State. Mills said he would certainly enjoy the chance to serve. But regardless of who DeSantis chooses, Mills has his eye on Rubio’s seat the next time it is on the ballot. “You can probably guarantee my hat is going to be thrown in the ring for 2026,” Mills said.

— TRANSITION —

“‘There is going to be shock and awe with executive orders’” via David Cohen of POLITICO — Trump will issue “a blizzard of executive orders” as soon as he inaugurated Jan. 20, Sen. John Barrasso predicted Sunday. Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Barrasso said: “When President Trump takes office next Monday, there is going to be shock and awe with executive orders. A blizzard of executive orders on the economy, as well as on the border.” For better or worse, executive orders allow a President to bypass Congress. But Barrasso, the new Senate majority whip, said that he expects Trump to also rely on the narrow Republican majority in the Senate and even more slender one in the House to get his agenda enacted.

“Trump’s Cabinet disruptors soften key views as hearings loom” via Zachary Basu of Axios — Tulsi Gabbard, tapped to lead the U.S. intelligence community, was deeply suspicious of the national security apparatus and publicly opposed Section 702 foreign surveillance authorities as a member of Congress. Gabbard said she now supports the Section 702 surveillance program thanks to updated whistleblower and civil liberty protections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., chosen to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, falsely claimed in 2023 that the polio vaccine caused cancer that killed “many more people than polio ever did.” RFK Jr. told reporters on Capitol Hill last month: “I’m all for the polio vaccine.” Pete Hegseth, an anti-DEI stalwart picked to be Defense Secretary, bluntly opposed women serving in combat roles in the military. After an early clash with Army veteran Sen. Joni Ernst, Hegseth said he supports “all women serving in our military today,” including in combat roles.

“Rubio nomination complicated by attack on Elon Musk’s Tesla and China’s ban” via Michael Kranish of The Washington Post — When U.S. Sen. Rubio escalated his broadsides against the Chinese government over what he called a “grotesque campaign of genocide” against Uyghur Muslims, Beijing responded in 2020 with an extraordinary rebuke: banning the Florida Republican from the country. Afterward, Rubio accelerated his criticism and attacked Musk’s electric car company for opening a showroom in the region. Rubio’s efforts to aid the Uyghurs could become a focus of his nomination hearing for Trump’s Secretary of State. His human rights advocacy could complicate his diplomatic work with one of America’s primary adversaries and potentially pit him against Trump and Musk, his key ally.

“Inside Musk’s plan for DOGE to slash government costs” via Theodore Schleifer and Madeleine Ngo of The New York Times — An unpaid group of billionaires, tech executives, and some disciples of Peter Thiel, an influential Republican donor, is preparing to take up unofficial positions in the U.S. government in the name of cost-cutting. As Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) girds for battle against “wasteful” spending, it is preparing to dispatch individuals with ties to its co-leaders, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to agencies across the federal government. After Inauguration Day, the Silicon Valley-inflected, wide-eyed recruits will be deployed to Washington’s alphabet soup of agencies. The goal is for most major agencies to eventually have two DOGE representatives as they seek to cut costs, as Musk did at X, his social media platform.

“They were once soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now they may soon lead the nation’s national security team.” via Sam Brodey of The Boston Globe — It was a nighttime raid gone tragically wrong, as told by U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz in his memoir of serving as a Green Beret officer in Afghanistan. In attempting to take out a Taliban-aligned chief at his compound, Afghan forces under Waltz’s command also accidentally shot and killed the warlord’s young daughter. This inflection point for Waltz typified much about the decadeslong conflict known as the Global War on Terror: Messy geopolitics. Unintended consequences. Doubt over what the U.S. was accomplishing. Waltz has been more consistent as a voice for the muscular projection of U.S. power. Still, despite his associations with the “neocon” establishment that Trump’s movement has decried, he has been a loyal defender and campaign surrogate for Trump on foreign policy, specifically on a position in which both parties are more hawkish today: China.

“Mike Waltz sets scene for Trump approach to Ukraine and Israel” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Waltz stepped up to signal Trump’s approach to intense situations, including resolving the war between Ukraine and Russia and addressing the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Waltz is a Republican from St. Johns County, representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District, whom Trump picked to serve as the incoming administration’s National Security Adviser. Sunday morning, he fielded questions from interim host Jonathon Karl during an extensive interview about pressing foreign affairs facing the administration once Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Waltz, a former Green Beret, took a hawkish stance when pressed on ending the two-year war between Russia and Ukraine. When asked about Trump’s announced plans to set up a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Waltz pivoted to increasing sentiments to end the conflict.

“FBI briefs top Senators on armed services panel about Pete Hegseth” via Karoun Demirjian of The New York Times — FBI officials briefed the top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on the findings from their background check of Hegseth, Trump’s pick to serve as Defense Secretary, according to two people aware of the briefings. U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi and the Chair of the armed services panel, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island, its top Democrat, each huddled separately with FBI officials for over an hour, according to a person familiar with the briefings, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive proceedings. It is traditional for the FBI to brief only the Chair and ranking member of panels on the findings from a background check of Cabinet nominees.

“The Trump Border Czar who wants to combine MAGA with realism” via Michelle Hackman and Tarini Parti of The Wall Street Journal — Tom Homan, a pugnacious cop who will serve as Trump’s Border Czar, has taken up a surprising mantle for a longtime immigration hard-liner: the realist in the room. Homan, who served as the Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump’s first term and helped design his family separations policy, has spent the weeks following the election right-sizing Trump’s sweeping campaign promise to arrest and deport millions of immigrants living in the country illegally. In private transition meetings and occasionally in public, he has emphasized that immigrants with criminal records should be the primary targets for arrest — a narrower set of people than the 15 million to 20 million Trump had pledged to go after.

“‘You can’t deport them’: Mario Díaz-Balart says non-criminals shouldn’t fear Trump’s expulsion plan” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — The mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants is a signature policy of Trump’s coming administration. However, according to Díaz-Balart, Sunshine State residents who live here illegally but otherwise obey the law have little to fear. There are protections for Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Cubans and other expatriates of countries under oppressive regimes who have since become productive members of American society, U.S. Rep. Díaz-Balart said. “You can’t deport them back to those countries,” he said. “You can’t deport somebody back to a country where you know they’re going to potentially suffer real persecution.” Díaz-Balart stressed that the immediate targets of deportation after Trump retakes the White House on Jan. 20 will be the roughly 1.4 million immigrants living stateside with existing deportation orders and “thousands upon thousands of convicted criminals” — including more than 13,000 homicide convicts — who are noncitizens.

“JD Vance says Jan. 6 participants who committed violence ‘obviously’ shouldn’t be pardoned” via The Associated Press — Vance says people responsible for the violence during the Capitol riot “obviously” should not be pardoned, as Trump is promising to use his clemency power on behalf of many of those who tried on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the results of the election that Trump lost. Vance insisted in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that the pardon question is “very simple,” saying those who “protested peacefully” should be pardoned and “if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.” He later said there was a “bit of a gray area” in some cases. Trump said he would issue pardons to rioters on “Day One” of his presidency, which begins Jan. 20. “Most likely, I’ll do it very quickly,” he said. He added that “those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy.”

“White Christian nationalists are poised to remake America in their image during Trump’s second term, author says” via John Blake of CNN — There’s an image that captures the threat posed by the White Christian nationalist movement and how it could become even more dangerous over the next four years. Taken during the Jan. 6 insurrection, the photo shows a solitary White man, his head pressed in prayer against a massive wooden cross, facing the domed U.S. Capitol building. An American flag stands like a sentinel on a flagpole beside the Capitol under an ominously gray sky. The photograph depicts a foot soldier in an insurgent religious movement trying to storm the halls of American power. What’s unsettling about the photo four years later is that much of the religious zeal that fed the insurrection is no longer outside the gates of power. Many of that movement’s followers are now on the inside, because their Chosen One, Trump, returns this month to the Oval Office.

“Jack Smith, Special Counsel in Trump cases, resigns” via Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck of The Washington Post — Smith has resigned from the Justice Department after completing his work overseeing two federal prosecutions of Trump, according to a government court filing. Though Smith’s departure was expected, official word of the end of his two-year appointment was another step in the winding down of the criminal cases against the former and future President, just over a week before Inauguration Day. Smith, a veteran federal and war crimes prosecutor, became the public face of the Justice Department’s efforts to hold Trump accountable for two sets of alleged crimes: trying to block Joe Biden’s 2020 Election victory; and, after leaving the White House, mishandling highly classified documents and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them.

“Trump can still vote after sentencing, but can’t own a gun and will have to turn over DNA sample” via The Associated Press — Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction. Unless the conviction for falsifying business records is someday overturned, Trump will have felonies on his criminal record, which will affect some of his rights. Trump is registered to vote in Florida and he will be able to vote there. Under federal law, people convicted of felonies are not allowed to possess firearms. By law, every person convicted of a felony in New York must provide a DNA sample for the state’s crime databank.

“Trump announces deputies for Interior” via Jennifer Tachnin of POLITICO — Trump on Saturday afternoon unveiled his slate of deputy secretaries to tackle energy and environmental policies in his second term. Trump’s selections for the No. 2 posts will return former senior officials to the Interior, Energy and Transportation departments along with EPA. The nominees include Katharine MacGregor, who would return for a second turn as Deputy Interior Secretary. MacGregor served in numerous Capitol Hill and Interior posts, including as deputy chief of staff, before rising to deputy secretary in early 2020.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Joe Biden awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis” via Zolan Kanno-Youngs of The New York Times — Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to Pope Francis, granting one of the nation’s highest honors to a figure he called “the People’s Pope.” “Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled,” Biden wrote on X. “You are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.” Biden honored the pontiff during a weekend in which he was scheduled to meet with the Pope in person at the Holy See. The President, however, canceled the three-day trip to Italy to coordinate the federal response to raging wildfires in Los Angeles, according to a White House statement.

“Biden officials say the truth about Havana Syndrome is still unknown” via Julian E. Barnes of The New York Times — White House officials said that the truth behind the mysterious ailments known as Havana Syndrome was still unknown, contradicting a new intelligence assessment about what had befallen spies and diplomats for the last nine years. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released an updated assessment of the ailments, reinforcing its earlier conclusion that no foreign government was responsible for them. However, the document, an update of the intelligence community’s conclusions in 2023, noted that two spy agencies had, at least subtly, shifted their positions. The White House pointed out that change in a briefing with reporters. At the same time, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence gave a separate briefing that differed sharply in emphasis and tone.

“Biden’s fateful decision to run in 2024 will be part of his legacy” via Dan Balz of The Washington Post — Biden conceded mistakes — among them that he failed to sign his name to covid checks sent out by the government. His allies acknowledge that he was not built for this era of politics and media and that his old-school style made it more difficult to reach voters and make the best case for himself. Looming is the question of whether Democrats would have fared any better against Trump if he had chosen not to run and Democrats had held a contested Primary that would have begun early in 2023. A lengthy post-election article in the Wall Street Journal described the efforts by advisers to manage what the story called Biden’s “limitations.” That followed a pre-election article in the Journal quoting various politicians, many of them Republicans, as saying they saw evidence of a diminished President.

“Supreme Court to weigh reinstating Obamacare requirements struck down by lower court” via The Associated Press — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider reinstating some preventative care coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act that a lower court struck down. The federal government appealed to the high court after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with employers who argued they couldn’t be forced to provide full insurance coverage for things like medication to prevent HIV and some cancer screenings. The lower-court ruling chipped away at the program, sometimes called Obamacare. Challengers raised religious and procedural objections to some of the requirements.

“A delay in GOP’s tax plans could push up costs by hundreds of billions” via Brian Faler of POLITICO — The price of extending Republicans’ tax cuts will surge by hundreds of billions of dollars if lawmakers dawdle, new government figures show. The Treasury Department released numbers showing that rolling over all of the soon-to-lapse provisions and undoing other reductions in business benefits triggered by the 2017 law would cost $5.5 trillion — substantially more than the $4 trillion the Congressional Budget Office has projected. There are several reasons why Treasury’s price tag is much higher, but a big one is that its analysis begins in 2026, not 2025, like CBO’s.

“Trump tells House Republicans to find a ‘fair number’ on SALT” via Benjamin Guggenheim and Meredith Lee Hill of POLITICO — New York Republicans came out of a Mar-a-Lago meeting with Trump on Saturday confident that the incoming President is on board with increasing a key deduction for state and local taxes. And they have marching orders from Trump: Go back to Congress and negotiate a “fair number.” “The President certainly wants to increase the deduction for SALT to provide more relief, because he knows that our Mayors and Governors are crushing taxpayers,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis in an interview after the meeting. “He wants us to work on what would be a fair number.”

“Mike Haridopolos sees Greenland as critically important to Space Force’s mission” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Haridopolos says greater control of Greenland could be crucial to the American space industry — and, in turn, Florida. The Indian Harbor Beach Republican said he’s closely watching Trump’s push for the U.S. to acquire the northern nation. While the first-term Congressman did not discuss Trump’s suggestion that he may explore military intervention, he expressed confidence the incoming administration can cut a deal favorable to the U.S. “This is exactly the kind of conversation that America should be having right now because it is about improving American security and investing in our future,” Haridopolos told Florida Politics.

“GOP rep suggests California relief aid should be withheld over state policies” via Ashleigh Fields of The Hill — Republican Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio said he believes Congress should withhold disaster relief funds from California in the wake of devastating Los Angeles wildfires until the state government makes environmental policy changes. He said, “If they want the money, then there should be consequences where they have to change their policies.” “I mean, we support the people that are plagued by disaster, but we have to put pressure on the California government to change course here,” Davidson stated, blaming Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for policies that have made the fires “worse.”

“Ahead of looming ban, TikTok creators ask fans to find them on Instagram or YouTube” via Salvador Rodriguez of CNBC — Before Jack Nader started posting beauty videos on TikTok in 2023, he was working as a Starbucks barista in Chicago and living at home with his parents. But after Nader, now 21, started taking his videos seriously in April of that year, his TikTok account blew up. With more than half a million followers, he was able to generate enough income through brand sponsorships and his share of ad revenue that he quit his coffee shop gig and got his own apartment. “This is my 9-to-5 job,” Nader, who said he makes between $1,000 and $12,000 per month as a creator, told CNBC. “This is what I do to make a living. This is how I pay for my groceries. This is how millions of small businesses make their money.” “Not everyone from my TikTok following is going to come over, and that’s really sad,” Nader said.

— STATEWIDE —

“Gov. DeSantis signs first death warrant of 2025 for man convicted in Charlotte County case” via Gray Rohrer of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida — James D. Ford, who was convicted in the 1997 murders of Greg and Kimberly Malnory, a Charlotte County couple, is set to be executed after DeSantis signed his death warrant. The execution is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 13. According to a 2007 Sarasota Herald-Tribune report, Ford was sentenced to death in 1999 for brutally killing the Malnorys, who were found shot and bludgeoned to death at South Florida Sod Farm in a remote part of Charlotte County, on April 7, 1997. The couple had a toddler in their truck and were out on a fishing trip with Ford, who worked with Greg Malnory at the farm.

“Evan Power re-elected as Florida GOP Chair by resounding vote” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Republican Party of Florida Chair Power won election to a full two-year term heading the state party. And the final vote wasn’t close. At a quarterly meeting at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Power fended off a challenge by freshly elected Charlotte County GOP Chair Dave Kalin in a 183-19 vote. “It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of the most successful state party in the nation! It would not be possible without the support and hard work of our grassroots leaders, who continue to inspire me. I am humbled by their support and look forward to working with them to reach new heights and recruit and support the best Republican candidates,” Power, elected for two years, said after the vote.

“DeSantis says Florida school choice should be national model” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — On Friday, DeSantis returned to Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Academy to discuss education policy and school choice. During the visit, he argued that Florida’s school choice model should be a national template in the new Congress and presidential administration of Trump. “The Congress has an opportunity to make a difference,” DeSantis said. “We hope that they will consider looking at Florida’s model for education choice and applying that nationally, which can be done. And you don’t need the Department of Education for this. You can do it through a tax credit program, through the tax code, and through the Treasury Department and can even pass it with budget reconciliation in the U.S. Senate.”

“Florida high school students graduate at record rates for 2023-24 school year” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Florida’s general high school graduation rate for the 2023-24 academic year registered a higher score than ever. There’s a new record for the percentage of Florida students who got their high school diploma. The graduation rate for the Sunshine State increased by 1.7 percentage points in the past year. The rate came in at 89.7% for 2023-24, the highest ever recorded in the state. “Florida leads the nation in education because we put education over indoctrination, empower parents, and have made school choice universal,” said DeSantis in a press release this month. “This record graduation rate is a prime metric of our success, in addition to our #1-in-the-nation rating.” The latest graduation figures exceed the pre-pandemic graduation rate of 86.9% in the school year 2018-19. The pandemic-era school years 2019-20 and 2020-21 were exempt from the statewide standardized assessment requirements commonly applied under Florida law.

“Whooping cough cases in Florida increase eightfold from 2023 to 2024, state says” via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the USA Today Network — The number of whooping cough cases in Florida soared in 2024. From Jan. 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, the Florida Department of Health reported 715 cases of pertussis – an eight-fold increase over the year before, which had 85 cases. Following a nationwide trend, incidences of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, have been increasing to pre-pandemic levels. But in 2024 in Florida, the number of cases was still almost double that of 2019, which recorded 359 cases.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Where do the tax dollars go in Miami-Dade? Newly powerful Clerk promises easy answers” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Juan Fernandez-Barquin has been Miami-Dade’s County Clerk since the Summer of 2023 but never with the watchdog powers he inherited this week. On Tuesday, the former Republican lawmaker assumed control of a newly empowered Clerk’s Office. This week, thanks to a change in the Florida Constitution, the Clerk’s Office took over the auditing and accounting staff previously under the control of Miami-Dade’s Democratic Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava. At his ceremonial swearing-in, Fernandez-Barquin promised to use his Office’s expanded powers to give residents a more straightforward look at how the county government spends tax money.

“Trump plan to build 1,500 multimillion-dollar condos in Doral faces public hearing” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Trump’s plan to build a 1,500-unit condominium complex in Miami-Dade County could move forward next week after residents have their say. The Doral City Council is set to hold a public hearing on Jan. 15 on a resolution approving a site plan and master development plan for the project, which would rise at the Trump National Doral Miami golf resort. After public input, the panel will also decide whether to approve rezoning the 56.4-acre property at 4400 NW 87th Ave. Doral Council members gave a preliminary OK to the rezoning in August. Brian Bandell of South Florida Business Journal first reported on the item, sponsored by the city’s Planning and Zoning Department.

“Delray officials demand answers, transparency from fire truck crash with Brightline train” via Jasmine Fernández of the Palm Beach Post — Community members in Delray Beach aren’t the only ones who want answers after a Dec. 28 Brightline train collision with a city fire truck. City officials want them, too. “When we have something of this magnitude, it is really important about transparency,” Mayor Tom Carney said at a Commission meeting. The crash in Delray Beach left three firefighters and 12 Brightline passengers injured. Assistant Chief Kevin Green, Division Chief Todd Lynch, Captain Brian Fiorey, and Driver Engineer David Wyatt were subsequently placed on paid leave, according to a public announcement on Jan. 3 from Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martin.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Winter storms cause slight decrease in holiday travel at Orlando airport” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — Winter storms that blasted the Northeast and South in recent weeks — causing flight delays and cancellations around the country — led to slightly fewer passengers flying out of the Orlando International Airport this holiday season compared to the previous one. The airport — known by its code MCO — saw more than 1.4 million passengers fly out of the airfield between Dec. 20 and Jan. 5, what officials consider the “holiday period.” According to statistics provided to the Orlando Sentinel by MCO, that’s 6,802 fewer flyers than the previous holiday period, which saw just over 1.44 million passengers. Before the recent storms, officials forecast 14,416 more passengers this holiday season than last.

“Osceola Sheriff calls Brady list decision ‘political gimmick’ by former State Attorney Andrew Bain” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez pushed back against his placement on a list of untrustworthy law enforcement officers, saying the move by former State Attorney Bain was revenge for not offering his endorsement in November’s election. The statement Lopez sent to reporters that evening signaled the strongest rebuke of Bain’s decision on Dec. 30 to put him on the Brady list maintained by the State Attorney’s Office. It stemmed from the Sheriff’s conflicting comments about posting a photo on social media showing the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto covered in brush. On Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson issued a more-measured statement claiming the decision was meritless. Lopez signed the latest response.

“State is zeroing in on a route for a high-speed alternative to U.S. 27 in eastern Polk County” via Gary White of The Lakeland Ledger — Nancy Bissett hoped she had heard the last of plans for a toll road placed near the plot of land she and her husband have called home since the 1980s. Bissett was dismayed to receive a recent notice of an upcoming meeting at which a state agency will provide details on a possible extension of the Polk Parkway from the Lake Wales area north toward Interstate 4. “I was not expecting that to come back,” Bissett said in a weary voice. Why not? “I’m an optimist,” she replied with a rueful laugh. “I’m fast changing that position.” Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise is evaluating an alternative corridor for Central Polk Parkway East from State Road 60 to U.S. 17-92. The process will consider possible routes for what the agency, a Florida Department of Transportation division, describes as a tolled, limited-access highway.

“‘Thank you, Ham’: Indian Harbour Beach Council member Hamilton Boone dies at 77” via Britt Kennerly of Florida Today — The online message sharing the passing of Boone, an Indian Harbour Beach City Council member, is heartfelt, ending with the words “Thank you, Ham, for your life of service and impact upon the city you loved.” Boone, an Eau Gallie native, died Thursday at age 77. A physician assistant and small-business owner, he was elected to Indian Harbour Beach’s City Council in November 2023. Mayor Scott Nickle said the news of Boone’s death was “a total shock and very surprising to us.” “We knew that he was having some health issues, but we thought he was on the mend, and he was going to be rejoining us on City Council very soon,” Nickle said.

“Ex-Disney World employee pleads guilty to hacking menu” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A former Disney World employee is pleading guilty to hacking into the resort’s menu system, renaming wine regions from the drink menus after recent mass shootings and sticking a swastika image on another menu, according to his plea agreement filed in federal court. In addition, Michael Scheuer changed the QR digital menu codes so people would be directed to boycott.israel.org. He also changed some menu backgrounds and images to white, so the documents looked blank. Disney caught his tinkering before the menus could go out to the public. Those were some new revelations in the plea agreement, where Scheuer pleaded guilty to two charges.

“Disney accused of Moana-based copyright infringement, again” via Matt Schimkowitz of AV Club — How far will animator Buck Woodall go to prove that Disney stole his idea for Moana and Moana 2? At least as far as court. Reviving allegations that Disney stole the idea for Moana from Woodall’s screenplay for his animated feature Bucky, Woodall filed a lawsuit against Disney for allegedly copying story and character beats from Bucky and incorporating them into Moana and Moana 2. Woodall’s lawyers accuse it of willfully obfuscating its properties through various subsidiaries, such as Walt Disney Pictures and Television, Walt Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Mandeville Films, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment, for “the sole and exclusive purpose of hiding documents, hiding evidence, hiding money and masking the modus operandi of (The Walt Disney Co.), during all times material hereto, of stealing and pirating the intellectual property of others.”

— LOCAL: TB —

“Audit: Tampa’s stormwater pumps haven’t been maintained adequately” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times — Tampa city officials have acknowledged that failed pump systems contributed to flooding during Hurricane Milton in neighborhoods where residents thought there was little risk. A recent audit of the city’s bridge and pump station maintenance and operations presented to the Tampa City Council found some of the city’s pumps have not been adequately maintained. The audit was called for in 2023, and actions were reviewed from 2021 to the end of 2024. It is separate from an audit of what happened during Hurricane Milton in October 2024. That report will be presented Jan. 30.

“Hillsborough County tourism tops $1 billion again despite hurricane challenges” via Chris Young of WMNF — Hillsborough County tourism has hit a billion-dollar milestone – again. The high tourism dollars came even after a busy hurricane season last year. Hillsborough County’s tourism and hospitality industry exceeded the billion-dollar mark in hotel taxable revenue in 2024 for a third straight year. This comes despite Hurricanes Helene and Milton hitting nearby. Santiago Corrada is the President of Visit Tampa Bay. “When you’re a near miss, there are then perception issues that you have to overcome through marketing,” Corrada said. Corrada said displaced citizens and work crews after the storms played a role in high hotel numbers, alongside partnerships and marketing campaigns.

“Pat Bean, Hillsborough’s first female county administrator, dies at 79” via Colbi Edmonds of the Tampa Bay Times — Bean, who rose through the local government ranks to serve as Hillsborough County’s first female administrator, died Monday in Tampa after a long illness. She was 79. Kevin Gray, Bean’s son, confirmed his mother’s death to the Tampa Bay Times and said she had been battling vascular dementia since 2014. Bean held several executive positions in Hillsborough County government before taking the helm as an administrator in 2003, succeeding Dan Kleman, for whom she served as top deputy.

“Fears of discrimination widespread in St. Pete Fire Department” via Colleen Wright of The Tampa Bay Times — A third-party management evaluation of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Department found that it could treat women and minorities better, hire a more diverse workforce and ensure promotions are accessible to everyone — concerns previously reported by the Tampa Bay Times about former Fire Chief James Large’s leadership. City Council members requested the study in 2023 after comments from an anonymous city employee survey accused Large of creating a hostile work environment for women and minority employees. Seven active firefighters told the Times that Large made sexist, racist, and homophobic remarks, acted inappropriately toward women, and did not take seriously minority recruitment and promotion efforts or concerns of Black firefighters. One woman alleged she was mistreated by Large after suffering a miscarriage.

“Appeals court says Andrew Warren’s case challenging suspension is moot” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO — A federal appeals court panel vacated its ruling from a year ago siding with former State Attorney Andrew Warren over his challenge to DeSantis suspending him from office. The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals judges said Warren’s challenge to the suspension now is moot because his term had ended. Warren lost a bid in November to unseat Suzy Lopez, who DeSantis appointed to replace Warren in 2022. DeSantis removed Warren, a Democrat, in August 2022 for signing onto statements in support of deferring prosecution for bans on abortion and transgender care for minors.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Donna Deegan is considering the first veto of her term” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — Jacksonville Mayor Deegan and City Council could be headed toward a veto clash over the Meridian Waste contract for garbage collection. Deegan has until Tuesday to decide whether she will veto legislation approved 17-2 by the Council that gives a 29% rate increase to Meridian Waste, far higher than the 5% increase Deegan asked the Council to back for what the city pays Meridian to pick up the residential garage. If she were to veto it, it would be the first time she’d taken that action. A veto battle would come after friction in recent months over the balance of power between the Mayor’s Office and the Council.

“City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow quietly disbands One Tallahassee PC after 2024 Election” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — City Commissioner Matlow’s One Tallahassee political committee, which he created ahead of the 2024 Election in hopes of ousting one of his colleagues and helping another, quietly disbanded late last year. Matlow, who launched the PC last April, wrote the Florida Division of Elections on November 26, several weeks after the election, that he was disbanding it. “I’m emailing to provide notice that One Tallahassee PAC is now closed,” Matlow wrote. “Please let me know if you need any additional information.”

“Duval County legislators agree to carry local bill expanding Five Points drinking” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Bottoms up. That’s the takeaway from measures taken Thursday by the Duval County Legislative Delegation, which will carry a local bill allowing liquor service at FIVE on Park Street. The hope is that the concert venue, which will replace the beloved Sun-Ray Cinema, will help revive the Five Points commercial strip riddled by businesses leaving in recent years. It aims to create a new special zone for event centers known as the “Urban Transition Area North of Park Street,” expanding alcohol service as long as more than half of income comes from sales of food and tickets. The district will extend to Margaret Street.

— LOCAL: SW. FL —

“North Port eyes May 13 Special Election to ask voters about financing infrastructure needs” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The city of North Port is preparing for a May 13 Special Election that could have four questions for voters, including whether to borrow money for some significant projects. Two questions involve the city’s borrowing authority and whether the City Attorney and the Clerk could live outside North Port. Other questions may include borrowing for specific water and sewer infrastructure projects, financed through user fees, and issuing a bond for a new North Port Police station, which would be repaid through property taxes. City Commissioners discussed the possible questions at a Jan. 6 workshop and can vote on what they’ll ask at a Jan. 14 meeting.

“When will Manatee County wetland protections be restored? Officials look for faster way” via Ryan Ballogg of the Bradenton Herald — Some of Manatee County’s newly elected Commissioners hope to speed up restoring local wetland protections that were removed in 2023. In September, the Board voted to restore the county’s wetland buffers, which protect sensitive environmental areas from development. However, Manatee County staff said that it would require amending the Comprehensive Plan again — a slow process that requires several public meetings and state approval. However, during a special meeting, Commissioner Robert McCann presented a different approach that he claimed would restore the protections immediately. He called for a vote to revoke the Board’s previous ordinance that removed certain wetland protections from the Comprehensive Plan in 2023.

“Sarasota County high schools set record graduation rate, move up in state rankings” via Heather Bushman of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Sarasota County high schoolers tossed a record-breaking number of caps in setting a graduation rate record last year, the Florida Department of Education confirmed. According to new Department of Education data, Sarasota County’s class of 2024 achieved a graduation rate of 92.5%, the highest in the School District’s history. The rate moves Sarasota County from 19th to 13th among Florida’s 67 districts in state graduation rate rankings, with all six of Sarasota County’s traditional public high schools increasing their rates from the previous year and meeting or exceeding a 90% graduation rate for the first time. Sarasota County improved from 90.3% last year.

— TOP OPINION —

“Trump is making America Florida” via Mary Ellen Klas of Bloomberg — There is a reason that Trump has tapped so many Floridians to fill his administration. Part of it is proximity — Trump has a mansion in Palm Beach — but more than that, Florida is the breeding ground for the kind of government Trump envisions for his second term: A souped-up executive branch that has contempt for institutions, a talent for exploiting the resentment of working-class voters; a desire to give favorable treatment to donors; and an urge to aggressively use state power to attack dissenters.

Florida, under unified Republican control for 25 years, has been the cradle of this type of government. Fueled by an ambitious Governor and a Republican Legislature focused on appealing to the party’s extremes, Florida became a fertile proving ground for the culture-war battles that ignited the MAGA movement and the authoritarian experimentation that followed. It’s given us the Proud Boys and Moms for Liberty and is home to more Jan. 6 rioters arrested than any other state.

Two broad trends have made all this possible in Florida, and they are dynamics that are also gradually reshaping the rest of the U.S. The first is changing demographics, combined with a heavy dose of inequality.

Trump and DeSantis have chosen to take advantage of these demographic trends by stoking anger and resentment — including among many of the 22% of Floridians who are immigrants — then vaguely promising to improve the economic status of everyone, from tax-avoiding billionaires to the working class. Voters believed them.

— OPINIONS —

“Drop the outrage over Trump’s foreign-policy bluster” via Eliot A. Cohen of The Atlantic — Trump has had a remarkably vocal pre-presidency, particularly on foreign policy. Against the background of a no less astonishing silence from Biden, Trump has threatened to unleash hell on Hamas unless it cuts a deal with Israel before he is sworn in, mused about seizing the Panama Canal and Greenland, and advocated the annexation of Canada—not to mention that he has promised to end the war in Ukraine and inflict tariffs on friend and foe alike. Trump’s observation that none of the foreign policy decorum that Presidents, let alone Presidents-elect, are supposed to maintain should come as no surprise. We have long known that he has no filters and makes outlandish, boorish, menacing, ridiculous promises and threats.

“Here are five ways Florida Democrats can stop losing and start winning” via Sam Koplewicz of the Miami Herald — Florida Democrats have the raw potential to win but lack the technique, structure, and strategy. In 2022, Republican candidates spent $132 million more than their Democratic counterparts. But Florida doesn’t just need more money — it needs smart, patient capital. The state party should act as a support engine — offering best practices for voter registration, shared messaging tools and access to robust data systems. Local candidates receive little to no support from the state party. That has to change. Democrats cannot simply tell voters that the economy is actually “the envy of the world.” The not-as-bad-as-the-other-guy campaigns are not working. We must speak to people’s lived experiences — and run candidates who do too. The state has everything it needs to win — we need to fix the technique. Republicans have done the same to great success.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

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— ALOE —

“Disney Cruise Line’s future class of ships to get smaller” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney Cruise Line announced Friday that three of its future ships in its expansion to a fleet of 13 in the next seven years will be smaller than all but its two original vessels. DCL just welcomed its newest ship, Disney Treasure, sailing out of Port Canaveral as the sixth in the fleet with a sister ship in the Wish class, Disney Destiny, headed to Port Everglades at the end of 2025. It also has the Disney Adventure, which is its own class of ship, headed to Singapore before the end of the year, which will grow the fleet to eight. Friday’s announcement revealed details for four more vessels ordered by DCL to be delivered between 2027-2031. The first would be a fourth sister ship in the Wish class, while the last three will be a new class, which has yet to be named.

“Manatee County Clerk set to host fifth annual Valentine’s Day Group Wedding” via Vin Mannix for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Love is going to be in the air at Courtyard Square outside Manatee County’s Historic Courthouse. Valentine’s Day will be celebrated again in a delightfully cool and unique way by the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller at its fifth annual Valentine’s Day Group Wedding on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. Manatee County Clerk Angel Colonneso will officiate at the special group nuptials to be held in the Courtyard Square, 1115 Manatee Ave. W. Couples must have a valid marriage license to participate and can go to eventbrite.com (pulse.ly/mklqdlb1cp) for details about the Clerk’s Valentine’s Day Group Wedding event. Registration for the event is open until Feb. 7.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy birthday to former Rep. Charlie Stone, attorney Tony Glover; Francisco Gonzalez, director of philanthropy at the National Review Institute; Toni Smith Large, attorney Matt King, Marco Pena, Phillip Perry, Chester Spellman; Kyle Ulrich of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, and Lucy White.

___

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