Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The beaches of Walton County will soon be open to the public again.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a repeal (SB 1622) of a law limiting public access and barring local governments from passing ordinances regarding customary use. That reverses legislation signed by former Gov. Rick Scott.
“By repealing the law, we return the authority back to local communities,” DeSantis said.
“Cities and counties can now adopt ordinances recognizing recreational customary use — walking, fishing, sunbathing, swimming — without having to obtain a judicial declaration, parcel by parcel. This bill is about restoring local control, cutting legal red tape, and putting our residents first. But it goes even further, to strengthen our coastal communities.”
Sen. Jay Trumbull, a Panama City Republican, argued the 2018 measure unfairly singled out Walton County.
“Overnight, people who had walked the same stretch of dry beach for generations were being told that they were trespassing,” Trumbull said.
“That’s not the Walton County I know, and it’s not the Florida I believe in. The people here weren’t asking for anything unreasonable. They just wanted to keep doing what they’ve always done — walk the beach, toss a football, build a sandcastle with their families — and instead, they got confused, conflict and courtroom battles all to protect a simple, time-honored way of life.”
Officials also stated that the bill would help combat beach erosion.
“We’re taking an important step to better protect and restore these beaches,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert. “The bill clarifies how local governments can set beach use rules without unnecessary red tape. It also simplifies how we can set erosion control lines, allowing vital beach nourishment projects to move forward more efficiently.”
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—”Donald Trump keeps reminding the American public to dislike him” via Christian Paz of Vox
—“Trump drops f-bomb in angry rant as ceasefire gets off to rocky start” via Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone
—”More homeowners find themselves underwater” via Veronica Dagher of The Wall Street Journal
—”Toys are getting pricier as tariffs kick in” via Abha Bhattarai of The Washington Post
—“In Florida, an ICE detention facility in the middle of the Everglades” via Lori Rozsa of The Washington Post
—”Can Florida handle hurricane recovery without federal support?” via Bea Lunardini of the Tampa Bay Times
—”Gov. Ron DeSantis signs crackdown on ‘dangerous’ abandoned boats” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
—”Is $32 too much for a Florida restaurant’s grouper sandwich? Yes, says DeSantis” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
—”Study: Auto tariffs could spark surge in vehicle insurance, especially for Floridians” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics
—”This is why high-end electric cars are failing” via Carlton Reid of WIRED
Quote of the Day
“I love grouper sandwiches. I don’t know if I can pull the trigger on $32.”
— Gov. Ron DeSantis, discovering the limit of his love for grouper sandwiches.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
If DeSantis thinks the sandwich prices are steep, don’t show him the price tag on its Boulevardier-based top-shelf pairing, The Lucky Grouper.
Speaking of premium prices … your auto insurance might go up soon. Perhaps it’s time to ditch the car for an Uber Gruber.
Come one, come all — Walton County beaches will soon be open to the public again. What better way to celebrate than with a Sandy Shore.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Rays open series with Royals
The Tampa Bay Rays open a three-game series in Kansas City against the Royals (7:40 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Sun).
The Rays begin the series two games behind the American League East-leading New York Yankees but atop the A.L. wild card race. Tampa Bay leads the wild card race by 2.5 games. If the season ended today, the Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners would earn Wild Card Spots.
The Rays will send Taj Bradley (4-5, 4.95 ERA) to the mound against the Royals’ Kris Bubic. Bradley has not earned a win since May 21, but the Rays have won the last two games in which he has started.
The Royals trail the final wild card spot by 2.5 games after a streaky last two weeks. Kansas City lost six straight, swept in back-to-back three-game series against the Yankees and the Athletics before winning four straight games, including all three in a series at the Texas Rangers. Then they lose two of three in San Diego.
The first phase of All-Star voting ends on Thursday. Tampa Bay first baseman Jonathan Aranda is third in the balloting behind the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt.
The Rays’ Brandon Lowe is fourth among American League second basemen. No other Rays are among the top five vote-getters at their position.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
