Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
On Monday, the University of Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Donald Landry as interim President of UF.
Landry is Chair Emeritus of Columbia University’s Department of Medicine and is President of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters. Former President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2008.
Landry’s term begins Sept. 1, and he must be confirmed by the State University System Board of Governors, which is expected to take up the appointment at its Sept. 10-11 meeting.
“Dr. Landry is a highly accomplished scientist whose work is recognized around the world,” said Mori Hosseini, Chair of the UF Board of Trustees. “He has shown exceptional leadership in academia and beyond, building programs with innovation, energy and integrity. I am confident that Dr. Landry will bring those same talents to the University of Florida in service to the students, faculty and people of the great state of Florida.”
Landry said it is “an extraordinary honor” to step into the role.
“UF has made remarkable strides over the past 10 years and is now recognized as one of the top public universities in the country, and I look forward to working with its remarkable faculty, staff and students to continue building on that momentum.”
Landry is the Hamilton Southworth Professor at the New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center and director of Columbia’s Center for Human Longevity. He is the past Physician-in-Chief of New York Presbyterian/Columbia and previously served as chief of nephrology. As Chair of Columbia’s Department of Medicine, philanthropy grew fourfold, National Institutes of Health funding tripled, and the department rose to No. 3 nationally.
Landry’s appointment follows months of turmoil in Gainesville. Earlier this year, Trustees voted to hire University of Michigan President Santa Ono. But the state Board of Governors rejected the choice in June after heavy political pushback.
Ono was chosen as the replacement for Ben Sasse. Following his brief tenure, Sasse has been criticized for questionable, often exorbitant expenses, including five-figure catering contracts and unusually high salaries for remote positions awarded to staffers from his U.S. Senate office. Former UF President Kent Fuchs has stepped in to fill the gap since Sasse’s exit.
Evening Reads
—”Donald Trump threatens to sue California over redistricting plan favoring Democrats” via Brianna Tucker of The Washington Post
—”Democrats can win the redistricting war” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin
—“With Trump’s takeover, Washington finds a mission to resist” via Clyde McGrady, Bernard Mokam and Pooja Salhotra
—”Trump: ‘A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator’” via Ryan Bort of Rolling Stone
—“A crypto micronation is making friends at the White House” via Joel Khalili of WIRED
—”Florida cops turn traffic stops into deportations” via Arian Campo-Flores, Scott Calvert, and Elizabeth Findell
—”Tampa says it will remove street art, including pro-police mural” via Shauna Muckle of the Tampa Bay Times
—”Another lawsuit challenges Alligator Alcatraz” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—”DOT repaints Pulse crosswalk for a second time. FHP and OPD watching site” via Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel
—”What many parents miss about the phones-in-schools debate” via Gail Cornwall of The Atlantic
Quote of the Day
“Our response will be strategic, not reactionary. It may not be as emotionally satisfying as a street brawl.”
— St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, announcing that the city will not risk road funding to save street murals.
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.
We’re going to need a lot of Piña Coladas (or your favorite beach-vibe cocktail) to celebrate Florida’s No. 1 rank in using federal dollars for beach restoration.
Mix up a Silver Fizz for Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who is warning Floridians to think twice before getting an old-school amalgam filling next time they go to the dentist … and we all go twice a year, right?
Buy the folks at BusPatrol a Camera Obscura for helping track down the drivers who put kids in danger by ignoring the flashing lights and stop signs on school buses.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Marlins, Braves open series in Miami
Two teams struggling to stay within arm’s length of the wild card chase meet as the Atlanta Braves visit the Miami Marlins to open a three-game series tonight (6:40 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Florida).
With 33 games to play in the regular season, the Marlins sit eight games out of the final wild card spot in the National League. Miami got off to a hot start after the All-Star break, winning 11 of 15 to begin the second half of the season. Since then, they have lost 14 of 20, including dropping four of five in Atlanta earlier this month.
The main culprit of the Marlins’ struggles has been the offense. In the last 20 games, Miami has scored more than three runs only eight times, and in those eight games, Miami has lost six times.
If there is a silver lining, it has been the play of second baseman Xavier Edwards, who hit safely in 13 of the first 15 games this month. However, Edwards has gone hitless in his last four games.
Atlanta sits two games behind Miami, but unlike the Marlins, they have shown signs of life recently, winning eight of the last 11 games.
The series continues tomorrow evening and Wednesday afternoon. The three-game set is the last time the Marlins and Braves are scheduled to meet this season.
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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.
