Good Wednesday morning.
A top of the ‘burn birthday shoutout to top pollster Ryan Tyson, who turns 43 today. You can tweet at him @Ryan_Tyson.
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A leader in the Sunshine State restaurant and hotel industry has been inducted into the VISIT FLORIDA Tourism Hall of Fame for her contributions to attracting more tourists.
Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, was honored last week in Tampa for her contributions to the tourism industry in Florida over the past three decades.
“I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame,” Dover said. “This recognition is not just a reflection of my individual efforts but a testament to the unwavering support of my faith, family, and the incredible dedication of our team. Over the past 30 years, our collective vision and hard work have shaped the hospitality and tourism industry in profound ways. This achievement is as much a celebration of their commitment as it is of my own. I am truly grateful for this distinction and look forward to continuing our journey of excellence together.”
Dover was acknowledged for protecting and promoting Florida’s $112 billion tourism industry. She played a prominent role in opposing Florida’s alcohol beverage tax, which was repealed. She’s also encouraged increased use of the Florida Tourist Development Tax to promote and lobbied Florida’s restaurants to keep more hours during the pandemic.
Dover was also a key advocate for relocating FRLA’s HQ from Hollywood to Tallahassee, where industry officials are better positioned to get facetime with the lawmakers responsible for crafting the state’s pro-tourism policies.
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Once legislators are elected in November, they will have roughly a month to celebrate before rolling up their sleeves and doing the people’s work in Tallahassee.
The Interim Committee Week schedule ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session will begin shortly after Thanksgiving. The House will kick things off with its first week of meetings starting Dec. 2.
The Senate will follow with its Committee week beginning Dec. 9.
From then on, the chambers’ schedules aligned, with meetings scheduled for the weeks of Jan. 13 and Jan. 21 — the Tuesday after MLK Day — and the weeks of Feb. 3, Feb. 10 and Feb. 17.
The Senate also has an Organizational Session slated soon after the election, on Nov. 19, when Wauchula Republican Sen. Ben Albritton will officially drop the word “designate” from his title and become the full-on Senate President.
That’s assuming that Republicans continue to hold an advantage in the chamber, which is likely given the dearth of competitive seats on the November ballot.
Still, if the winds blow their way, there’s an outside chance Democrats will break the GOP’s supermajority in both the Senate and House — based on the current split, the minority party would need to pick up five seats in the House and three seats in the Senate to do so.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
Tweet, tweet:
—@SmartandSafeFL: Don’t let the prohibitionists scare you. With #YesOn3, the Legislature has EVERY right to enact public consumption laws. Just like they already do with alcohol and tobacco.
—@VoteAPL: Don’t believe the fake poll. Here is legitimate polling showing I have a 5-point lead. By the time I am finished, it will be even larger
—@AGAshleyMoody: Every time we beat unlawful policies put forth by @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris in court, the law-defying duo tweak their approach, and we end up back in court — to beat them again. This time, it’s yet another “new” plan to force hardworking Americans to pay off other people’s student loan debt. It’s like playing whack-a-mole: every time we win, this administration makes a minor change and tries again. The plan was unlawful last week when we won, and it is unlawful this week in their latest attempt.
—@CoachTrillBill: BREAKING: Florida vs Florida State will be aired on C-SPAN2 at 11:30 a.m. on a Tuesday when everyone is at work
— DAYS UNTIL —
2024 NFL season kicks off – 1; Packers will face Eagles in Brazil – 2; GOP Victory Dinner — 3; Apple is expected to announce new iPhones and Apple Watch models — 5; Donald Trump/Kamala Harris debate (maybe) – 6; ‘The Old Man’ season two debuts – 8; ‘The Penguin’ premieres – 15; the Laver Cup begins – 16; JD Vance/Tim Walz Vice-Presidential Debate – 27; Las Vegas’ Tropicana resort implosion — 35; Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ premieres – 37; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s concept album based on the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ drops – 44; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami – 46; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 47; Florida TaxWatch’s 45th Annual Meeting – 61; 2024 Presidential Election – 62; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 66; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 74; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 78; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 78; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 84; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 90; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 90; MLS Cup 2024 – 95; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 107; College Football Playoff begins – 109; ‘Squid Game’ season 2 premieres – 113; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 119; Orange Bowl – 130; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 135; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 163; the 2025 Oscars – 179; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 181; 2025 Session ends – 240; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 327; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 327; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 434; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 471; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 608; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 625; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 645; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 683; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 762; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 836; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 976; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,409; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,935; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,656.
— TOP STORY —
“Whistleblower who warned about plan to put golf, hotels in Florida state parks is fired” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — James Gaddis had just returned home Saturday afternoon when he found a dismissal letter waiting on his townhouse’s doorstep.
The former two-year Florida Department of Environmental Protection employee told the Tampa Bay Times he was the one who leaked information about the state’s plans to build golf courses, 350-room hotels, pickleball courts and more at nine state parks, including two in the Tampa Bay area.
According to a copy of the letter shared with the Times, the agency now appears to be firing him.
Gaddis, 41, a cartographer hired by the agency, said his actions weren’t political and that there were two main reasons he chose to speak out: the rushed secrecy behind the park plans and the vast environmental destruction that would be caused if they were to be completed.
“It was the absolute flagrant disregard for the critical, globally imperiled habitat in these parks,” Gaddis said in an interview Monday morning. Gaddis said he was tasked with making the proposed conceptual land use maps that depicted the golf courses and other developments.
In his eyes, two proposals were especially egregious: the Jonathan Dickinson State Park golf course and the 350-room hotel at Anastasia State Park.
“This was going to be a complete bulldozing of all of that habitat,” Gaddis said. He recalls his hand, hovering over a computer mouse, shaking with anger and frustration as he was told to rush his maps from senior leadership. “The secrecy was totally confusing and very frustrating. No state agency should be behaving like this.”
— 2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —
“Ron DeSantis rips Kamala Harris’ ‘outrage’ over Donald Trump’s Arlington Cemetery photo-op” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “I don’t see the outrage. If people like Harris and the media are going to express more outrage at that than the people that made them gold star families in the first place, something is wrong,” the Governor said Tuesday at Daytona State College. DeSantis said Trump “was invited by the Gold Star families.” “He didn’t just show up to make a scene. They invited him to be there. They asked him to pose for photos with the family members of the fallen.” The families offered a statement defending Trump, released on Sunday by Trump’s campaign. It corroborates DeSantis’ interpretation of events.
“Trump campaign blitzes swing states, Sen. Rick Scott appearing in Georgia for ‘policy tour’” via Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice — Trump’s campaign is hitting crucial swing states this week as part of its “Agenda 47 Policy Tour,” with Florida Republican Sen. Scott to appear in Georgia Tuesday at 6 p.m. The week will end with an afternoon Trump rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin. The Tuesday Braselton, Georgia, event will feature Scott, Linda McMahon, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, and Missouri Republican Rep. Jason Smith. Trump’s team is also hitting Mesa, Arizona, on Tuesday, featuring Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, and Arizona Republican Rep. Eli Crane. Then, on Thursday, Trump’s team is hitting Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, and Monica Crowley.
“Harris has energized Democrats so much, they think they can win the South” via Tribune News Service — The surging enthusiasm for Harris in Georgia and North Carolina is convincing local Democratic leaders that she can score the first double win in the Southern swing states since Jimmy Carter. More than 52,000 volunteers have joined the Harris campaign there since she announced her presidential bid — so many that county party heads barely know what to do with them. One official in the Greensboro, North Carolina, area described her headquarters as a “madhouse,” with up to 30 people showing up every day to help and a deep-pocketed donor shelling out to pay neighborhood canvassers. Harris, a Californian, has opened up an electoral path in two traditionally Republican states in the South that no Democrat has won together since Georgia native Carter in 1976. In the latest poll of registered voters in seven swing states, she leads Trump by two percentage points in both states.
— 2024 — FLORIDA —
“Trump met with top marijuana company CEO and Florida GOP Senator before supporting legalization measure” via Kyle Jaeger of Marijuana Moment — Ahead of announcing his support for the marijuana legalization initiative on Florida’s ballot this weekend, Trump met with the CEO of a major cannabis company, as well as with a GOP state Senator who is in favor of the reform. Trump took some by surprise when he took a position on the state measure — which he’ll have the chance to vote on in November as a Florida resident. Before making his announcement on Saturday, he had a meeting with Florida Sen. Joe Gruters and Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. Trulieve has contributed over $70 million to the cannabis campaign Smart & Safe Florida behind Amendment 3.
“Harris allies kick off ‘reproductive freedom’ bus tour in Palm Beach” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — Allies of Harris on Tuesday kicked off a national bus tour focused on reproductive rights with a stop in Palm Beach, where they assailed Trump just days after he came out against a proposed ballot measure in Florida that would enshrine protections for abortion rights in the state constitution. Arriving in a blue bus emblazoned with the phrase “fighting for reproductive freedom,” several surrogates of Harris’ presidential campaign — including Florida Democrats like U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and U.S. Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, as well as national allies like U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison — took turns hammering Trump as a hypocrite who flip-flopped on his position on abortion rights.
“DeSantis defends Trump’s Arlington National Cemetery incident” via Tristan Wood of WFSU — DeSantis is defending Trump following the Trump campaign’s actions at Arlington National Cemetery last week. Trump was at the cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying to honor fallen military members who were killed during the United States pull out of Afghanistan. Trump’s campaign posted a video of him at the ceremony on its social media page, violating a federal law prohibiting political activity on cemetery grounds. Members of Trump’s entourage are also accused of shoving a cemetery employee who was informing them about the rules. DeSantis defended Trump, saying the families of those killed invited Trump there. “I don’t see you know the outrage. But here’s the thing: if people like Harris and the media are going to express more outrage at that than the people who made them Gold Star families in the first place, something is wrong. That is unacceptable,” he said.
“Inside the bitter personal battle between top FBI and DOJ officials over Mar-a-Lago” via David Rohde of NBC News — For months, prosecutors from the DOJ’s national security division and the leaders of the FBI’s Washington Field Office had disagreed over an ongoing criminal probe. Tension and debate between prosecutors and agents during an investigation are routine and often welcomed. Career officials from the FBI Washington field office eventually took an unusual step. Several FBI agents in the Washington field office were concerned about the aggressive tactics and political donations of Jay Bratt, one of the Justice Department prosecutors. DOJ said that Bratt pursued all cases aggressively, noting that he had a long history of investigating the handling of classified documents by Democrats, including Hillary Clinton. In the Trump case, they added that Bratt had tried for months to seek a resolution with Trump that would not involve a search of Mar-a-Lago.
“Wilton Simpson hosts Trump fundraiser with VP nominee JD Vance, wife Usha at farm in Trilby” via Amber Jo Cooper of Florida’s Voice — Simpson hosted a fundraising event Thursday with Vance and his wife Usha. The event supported Trump, who is running at the top of the Republican ticket alongside Vance. Simpson shared photos of the event on X and said he was “honored” to host Vance and his wife Usha at his farm in Trilby. “We’re working hard to send @RealDonaldTrump back to the White House,” Simpson wrote. “Florida is Trump Country!” Simpson has been a longtime contributor to the Republican Party of Florida and has fought for many of its conservative policy positions in the state Senate and as Agriculture Commissioner.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 1 —
“Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical pot company, bets $75M+ on Amendment 3” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Trulieve is betting big on Florida’s recreational marijuana ballot initiative, pumping millions of additional dollars into a legalization campaign that is entering a crucial stretch. The state’s largest medical marijuana company has now donated more than $75 million to Smart & Safe Florida, the group backing Amendment 3, adding another $15 million in August. That makes it far and away the biggest contributor to the campaign, and Trulieve will be an enormous beneficiary if the measure passes. Florida’s Amendment 3 has already shattered the previous fundraising record for a marijuana-related ballot initiative, set in California in the 2016 Election cycle, according to an analysis by OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan organization that tracks money in politics. Groups supporting marijuana legalization in California raised a combined $36.7 million there.
“Club For Growth poll shows Anna Paulina Luna with five-point lead over Whitney Fox” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — A new poll shows U.S. Rep. Luna leading Democratic challenger Fox, but still shy of majority support. The poll, conducted by WPA Intelligence for the Club For Growth PAC, found 48% of voters ready to re-elect the St. Petersburg Republican. Meanwhile, 43% plan to support Fox. The poll found that 10% of voters in the district remain on the fence. Pollsters surveyed 400 likely voters in Florida’s 13th Congressional District on Aug. 28 and 29. The polling memo, obtained by Florida Politics, did not include survey language, meaning it’s unclear whether voters were given information about candidates or provided a simple question about their voting plans. Club For Growth is a national conservative group that advocates for free market principles.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 2 —
“New Lindsay Cross ad touts environmental chops, ‘cleaning up Tallahassee’” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — State Rep. Cross is releasing a new ad promoting her re-election campaign to St. Petersburg-based Florida House District 60. Cross is facing a tough challenge from St. Pete City Council member Ed Montanari, a Republican. In her ad, produced for the home stretch heading into the Nov. 5 General Election, Cross touts her work as an environmental scientist and ensuring access to clean water while juxtaposing that work with her work “cleaning up Tallahassee.” “As an environmental scientist, I was proud to help clean up Tampa Bay. Now, I’m cleaning up Tallahassee, taking on corporate polluters who contaminate our water, opposing bailouts for big insurance who raise our rates, standing up to developers who are increasing traffic and decreasing our quality of life,” Cross narrates in the 30-second spot over images of her collecting trash from local waterways and, alternatively, dressed in business attire and speaking with voters.
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
“Adrian Petrila backs Chris Scherer for Pinellas County Commission to protect St. Pete Beach’s ‘unique character’” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — St. Pete Beach Mayor Petrila is endorsing Scherer for the Pinellas County Commission. Scherer, a Republican, is running for the open District 1 seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Janet Long. Scherer faces Democrat Cookie Kennedy. “We need more leaders at the local level who understand what makes our beach communities special,” Petrila said. “That is why I’m proud to endorse Chris Scherer for Pinellas County Commission. Scherer is a conservative businessperson who knows how to support local job creators while defending home rule and protecting the unique character of cities like St. Pete Beach. I’m excited to support his campaign.” It’s worth noting that Scherer’s opponent is the former Mayor of Indian Rocks Beach.
“James Reyes, Rosie Cordero-Stutz campaigns accept first debate, add endorsements to Miami-Dade Sheriff bids” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Reyes and Assistant Miami-Dade Police Director Cordero-Stutz are onboard for the first of two planned English-language debates in the race for county Sheriff. It’s set for Sunday, Oct. 6 on ABC affiliate WPLG’s “This Week in South Florida,” with anchor Glenna Milberg moderating. Reyes, a Democrat, is competing with Cordero-Stutz, a Republican, to be the county’s first elected top cop in more than half a century. On Friday, Reyes’ campaign called for four televised debates, two in English, two in Spanish. Cordero-Stutz’s camp tentatively agreed to the plan. Four days later, Reyes’ team announced that it accepted WPLG’s offer to host the first debate. Cordero-Stutz’s campaign told Florida Politics it has also agreed to the debate’s date and terms.
— STATEWIDE —
“Governor says nearly $400M in nursing education investments is paying off” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — DeSantis took a victory lap at a news conference in Daytona Beach, celebrating nearly $400 million in nursing investments over the last three years to educate and train nurses, the central nerve in the health care delivery workforce. On Tuesday, DeSantis, whose mother was a nurse, said there are more than 3 million registered nurses in the state. But he said that isn’t enough to gird the workforce against a growing and aging Baby Boomer population. DeSantis committed to funding two education programs to increase the state’s working nurses. One program is called PIPELINE, an acronym for “prepping institutions, programs, employers and learners through incentives for nursing education.” The $100 million program rewards colleges and universities for nursing education programs based on student achievement and student success.
“A court decision worries developers eyeing Florida’s aging condos” via Greg Allen of NPR — Three years after a residential building collapsed in Florida, killing 98 people, new regulations have led to a steep increase in the cost of condo living. With the rising costs, residents in many aging buildings are selling out to developers who are racing to replace them with new luxurious high-rises. In Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, many older buildings have been torn down and replaced by new gleaming high-rise condominiums. But an older building is now vacant on a prime waterfront spot in the neighborhood. Jacqueline Fraga says, “They’ve already taken out a lot of windows and doors, if you can see in the floors upstairs.” Fraga owns one of the now-empty units in the Biscayne 21 condominium. All but a handful of apartments in the 192-unit building were bought by a developer who wants to tear it down and build a bigger, more deluxe building. Fraga is one of the unit owners who took the developer to court right before demolition started.
“New funding coming to Florida to help keep women alive in childbirth” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Omari Maynard thought life was great when his partner Shamony came home from the hospital with a baby boy, their second child. Shamony died two weeks later from a pulmonary embolism, a pregnancy complication. Maynard now has two small children to care for and speaks out often to let single fathers whose partners died from childbirth know they are not alone. Losing a loved one from childbirth complications is more common than many realize. A five-year average shows that 24 women per 100,000 births in Florida died during pregnancy, delivery or shortly after delivery. Research shows the vast majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Only a year ago, the state’s high death rate triggered the Florida’s Hospital Association to issue a statewide call to action urging hospitals to play a more decisive role in reducing the incidence of maternal death in Florida.
“Florida lawmakers stay quiet as corporations buy thousands of homes” via Rebecca Liebson and Teghan Simonton of the Tampa Bay Times — As investor-backed firms buy up homes across the country, policymakers at every level are considering how to limit Wall Street’s control of the housing market. In Congress, Democrats have proposed a bill requiring hedge funds to sell off single-family homes over the next decade. In Minnesota, a state representative tried to restrict the number of homes an individual or company could own. At a rally in Atlanta, Harris pledged to “take on corporate landlords and cap unfair rent increases” if elected President.
State pushes appeals court to uphold post-Parkland law — Attorneys for the state are asking the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a law passed after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre blocking adults under 21 from purchasing long guns. The filing is part of an ongoing challenge filed by the National Rifle Association, which argues the restriction runs afoul of rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment. The law has already been upheld in U.S. District Court and by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Following the latter ruling, the NRA requested the case go before the full court.
“The country’s largest publishers sue Florida over school book bans” via Maham Javaid of The Washington Post — A group of major publishers, authors and parents have sued Florida education officials over a law that allows parents and local residents to limit what books are available in school libraries if they depict or describe “sexual conduct.” The lawsuit filed by Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins and others alleges that the state law, enacted last year, brought about hundreds of book removals and violates First Amendment rights to free speech. According to the lawsuit, some of the books that Florida has required be removed from school libraries under House Bill 1069 include Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple,” Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughter-House Five.”
“Consumer sentiment up in Florida as confidence reaches highest level in three years” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The economic outlook among Floridians continued on an upward trajectory in August for the third month in a row, reaching heights that haven’t been seen since 2021. The University of Florida (UF) Consumer Sentiment Survey for August showed Floridians feel more confident about the economy, with sentiment rising to 76.4 points last month, up 1.6 points from July. Sunshine State consumer sentiment is catching up with the national trend, showing that Americans have been increasingly confident about the economic picture for four months. Hector Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, said several developments resulted in increased consumer confidence in the economy.
“Supreme Court allows HHS to divert funds over abortion referrals” via Ann E. Marimow of The Washington Post — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the Joe Biden administration to strip millions of health care dollars from Oklahoma over its refusal to direct patients to information about abortions — a federal requirement that the state says would be at odds with its strict ban on terminating pregnancies. Last year, the Biden administration diverted $4.5 million from Oklahoma’s family planning program, primarily serving low-income or uninsured patients. In challenging that decision, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told the Supreme Court that state health care organizations cannot be punished for not advising patients about ending their pregnancies. The state said that the Health and Human Services Department is illegally imposing conditions on funding that are not specified in the half-century-old nationwide family planning program known as Title X.
“U.S. charges Hamas leaders in Oct. 7 massacre in Israel and other terrorist attacks” via Adam Goldman, Ronen Bergman and Glenn Thrush of The New York Times — Federal prosecutors charged Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, and five senior members of the group with planning and carrying out years of terrorist attacks in Israel, including the Oct. 7 massacre. The criminal complaint, initially filed in New York in February, implicated two other senior members of Hamas not previously thought to be directly involved in the attacks. It also listed the number of Americans believed to have died at 43. The other leaders named are Ismail Haniyeh, who had overseen Hamas’s political office in Qatar; Muhammad Deif, the commander of the group’s military wing; Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of the group’s military wing; Ali Barakeh, a senior Hamas official based in Beirut; and Khaled Meshal, a former political leader of the group who remains a top official. Deif and Issa were killed in Israeli airstrikes during the fighting in Gaza.
“The regulatory state is in flux like never before, and businesses are hating it” via Dylan Tokar of The Wall Street Journal — The fight over Biden’s regulatory agenda is in full pitch, but it could be months or even years before a winner is declared. Although some uncertainty is par for the course with elections, this year’s race is dishing up an extra helping of unease for companies. As of late May, the Biden administration had issued 273 economically significant rules, more than any of the past six administrations managed to accomplish in the entire four years of their first term. Regulators have made it clear that additional rules are in the works. The size and scope of Biden’s regulatory push, meanwhile, has been met with stiff resistance by business groups and the Supreme Court. With the regulatory state increasingly a top political issue, many of the President’s most ambitious rules face stiff legal headwinds no matter the election’s outcome.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Once united in grief and pain, Parkland families and survivor prepare for clash over killer’s money” via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Families of the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting are headed to court to challenge one plaintiff’s claim that he now owns the rights to the name of the Parkland gunman and the $400,000 inheritance left when his mother died in 2017. The lawyer representing Anthony Borges said in late June that he had negotiated a civil settlement with Nikolas Cruz, saying he could not grant so much as an interview without the written consent of Borges, who was critically injured on the third floor of the Parkland high school’s now-demolished freshman building during the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting. A jury in 2022 declined to sentence Cruz to death. The deal between Cruz and Borges left a bitter taste in the mouths of numerous plaintiffs who have sued Cruz, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and three men who were responsible for security at the high school during the attack.
“‘The law must be followed’: South Florida’s civilian police oversight boards shutter after statewide ban” via Shira Noolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — South Florida’s police oversight boards have been forced to a halt after a state law went into effect in July that bans civilian boards from investigating police misconduct. Fort Lauderdale’s Citizens’ Review Board no longer has access to internal affairs investigations of excessive force or discrimination, or the ability to tell a city manager what a proper punishment should look like. Nor will Miami-Dade’s Independent Civilian Panel or the city’s Civilian Investigative Panel, which the city informed last week it could not continue funding. Broward’s Police and Criminal Justice Review Board, created to study issues in policing after the racial justice protests in 2020, was suspended in June, and a proposed ordinance set to be heard at a Commission meeting on Thursday would discontinue it.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Obesity is weighing down Florida’s economy. How to shrink the numbers” via Talia Blake of the Central Florida Public Media — A new report by Global Data shows that obesity cost Florida $30.1 billion in 2022 ─ impacting $2.15 billion of the state budget or 4% of fiscal year revenue. Randall Croom, associate professor of management at Stetson University, said that’s a significant amount of money every Floridian should pay attention to. In addition, the report shows obesity and being overweight in 2022 cost Florida $2.8 billion in health-related absenteeism and disability costs. As employers fund insurance, Croom said, obesity also takes a toll on who can work. Croom said there are some low-cost solutions, and he applauds Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila for his efforts. The Mayor’s Fitness Challenge invites residents to various fitness activities, like conditioning with the Pine Ridge High School JROTC, cycling, power walks, etc. “There are all these great things that people can do at a local level,” said Croom. “There’s no need to think that this is going to be something that is going to be horrible and painful, or even particularly costly.”
“Family sues Disney World after child hit by fireworks ember in the eye” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A 7-year-old standing near Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle was hit in the eye by an ember from the fireworks last year. The child’s mother, Nicole Ufie, sued Disney last month in Orange Circuit Court for more than $50,000. “Our lawsuit alleges that he continues to have eye problems and permanent scarring, and that Disney World failed in their responsibility to maintain a safe environment at their park,” Morgan & Morgan attorney Roman Diveev said in a statement. “We will hold Disney and other parties involved accountable for their negligence to get justice for this family and hopefully prevent another child from getting injured by Disney’s fireworks.”
— LOCAL: TB —
“Tampa Bay Times names new managing editor, other senior staff” via Florida Politics — The Times Publishing Company has appointed seven staff leaders to senior positions with the Tampa Bay Times, a move designed to position the paper for new innovation and growth. Justo “Jay” Rey has been named advertising and marketing vice president. Rey is also president and publisher of Tampa Bay Newspapers, a role he will continue. Also, on the business side, Morgan Peterson has been promoted to director of philanthropy and communications. Michael Van Sickler and Traci Johnson have been named managing editors on editorial operations. Rebecca Woolington and Claire McNeill have been elevated to deputy managing editors. Allison Ross has been promoted to assistant managing editor.
“Tampa General strengthens partnership with USF Health with $162M investment” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine have become quite a power couple — a relationship further strengthened with the influx of $162 million from Tampa General. The historic investment in academic medicine will enhance integration across the two organizations and deepen their commitment to excellence in quality health care. The more than $162 million that Tampa General will direct to USF Health in 2025 is roughly $100 million more than what TGH invested in its university affiliate just over five years ago. “Through our collaborative efforts at Tampa General and USF Health, we are transforming the health care landscape. Together, we have expanded our world-class teams, launched new cutting-edge initiatives, adopted innovative technologies, and disrupted old care delivery models,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“St. Johns Superintendent makes pitch for school taxes” via Noah Hertz of Jacksonville Today — Superintendent Tim Forson is pressing the need for two school taxes. In an interview with Jacksonville Today, Forson characterized the taxes as critical to serving students and preserving the quality of life in the county. Forson says that continuing the district’s half-cent sales tax and approving a new 1-mill property tax will help fight overcrowding, get students out of portables and into classrooms, and fill the district’s vacant roles. The half-cent sales tax first went into effect in 2016, and Forson says the measure has enabled the district to fund the construction of much-needed schools and make students and personnel safer. “There are a number of schools that wouldn’t be in existence right now had we not had that half-cent sales tax,” he says. “The other part of it that I think has been really important — that people don’t see — is the dollars that we’ve spent on school safety, and the half-cent sales tax has been a great resource for us to do that.”
“Embattled Jacksonville Housing Authority names interim CFO after initial choice backed out” via Drew Dixon Florida Politics — Turbulence at the Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA) continues as the agency appoints yet another Chief Financial Officer. After the JHA Board thought they had a permanent CFO in Tyson Montoya when they agreed to appoint him in June, they had to reopen the position. Montoya, the CFO of the Utah Communications Authority, was selected in June to replace previous JHA CFO Dennis Lohr following a national search. Montoya was supposed to assume the position on July 3 but turned down the role before his July start date. The CFO position at the Jacksonville Housing Authority remained vacant over the Summer. However, the agency found at least an interim CFO in the last week of August. Longtime Jacksonville attorney, certified public accountant and nonprofit operative Mamie L. Davis agreed to temporarily lead the Jacksonville Housing Authority late last month.
“Jacksonville state attorney seeks $130K from activist who lost records lawsuit, citing a rarely-used legal provision” via Bea Lunardini of The Tributary — A Jacksonville public-records activist who sued the Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office could now face a six-figure bill in a case that may redefine the landscape of open-records litigation in the Sunshine State. Curtis Lee sued the State Attorney’s Office in 2020 for alleged violations of public records laws. Not only did he lose his case, he now faces the prospect of paying the agency’s legal bills, a sum the state says exceeds $130,000. This case represents one of the first major tests of a 2017 amendment to Florida’s public records laws. That amendment allows government agencies to seek reimbursement for legal costs if they can prove a records request or lawsuit was made for “an improper purpose.”
“Pier pressure: St. Johns County closes end of St. Augustine Beach pier due to piling damage” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier has had a challenging summer. Now, county government officials are closing the structure’s end to ensure it is safe. In July, the pier at St. Augustine Beach ended up in an unusual situation after a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach replenishing project provided so much new sand that the pier was no longer over water. That eliminated any fishing activity, surfing and other water recreation surrounding the structure, at least briefly. Then, in early August, Hurricane Debby caused erosion to much of the new sand around the pier, and it appeared anglers and surfers would once again enjoy the benefits of the pier. But now St. Johns County officials are not so sure the structure is sound.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann pleads not guilty to DUI charges, waives arraignment” via Tomas Rodriguez of the Naples Daily News — Hours after police detained the Naples Mayor Wednesday night, her name and mug shot under the latest Collier County arrests, the elected official serving her second term filed a written plea of not guilty, waiving her arraignment. Heitmann faces one count of driving under the influence. Court records revealed Monday she waived her arraignment and claimed her innocence the same day she was released on a $500 bond. State law allows defendants to waive their right to an arraignment hearing and submit a written plea of not guilty if a licensed criminal defense attorney represents them. Months after she won her second term, Heitmann, represented by defense attorney Derek Verderamo, faces one count of DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or higher. In Florida, the legal limit is 0.08.
“Collier Commissioners decline to weigh in on possible Naples Airport move to county” via J. Kyle Foster of the Naples Daily News — Collier County Board of Commissioners aren’t interested in whether the 80-year-old Naples Airport should move. However, if they could stop the notion, they would. “I don’t have much of an interest in discussing moving the airport,” said Vice Chair Burt Saunders, District 3, during Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting. Commissioners briefly discussed the airport’s exploratory study, which started looking at possible locations in east Collier County and costs to move the airport out of the center of Naples. Before discussing the study results and voting on whether to move forward with the second phase of a move consideration, the Naples Airport Authority Board, at its mid-August meeting, decided it wanted to hear from the Naples City Council and Collier County Commissioners.
“Estero Island Beach Club passes first hurdle” via Annette Montgomery of WINK — Fort Myers Beach‘s local planning agency got its first look at the proposed new Estero Island Beach Club next to Diamondhead on Estero Boulevard. The club is asking to build ten-story buildings where the two and three-story buildings stood before Hurricane Ian. With the current rules, that may be harder than it sounds. Multiple neighbors spoke before the LPA and said they fear what Fort Myers Beach will look like years from now if this goes through. That means it should have no bearing on any future development plans. Nancy Walker, a Fort Myers Beach resident, said the projects will have a large impact on the future of Estero Island. “This project, and many of the projects you’ll be voting on in the future, weeks and months, will effectively determine the future of our town for our little island,” said Walker. “Imagine how beautiful our town will be without giant multistory complexes looming down over Estero and the beach.”
— TOP OPINION —
“Don’t trust the election forecasts” via Justin Grimmer for POLITICO magazine — Statistical models that aggregate polling data and use it to estimate the probability of each candidate winning an election have become extremely popular in recent years. Proponents claim they provide an unbiased projection of what will happen in November and serve as antidotes to the ad hoc predictions of talking-head political pundits. And of course, we all want to know who is going to win.
But the reality is there’s far less precision and far more punditry than forecasters admit.
Are these calculated probabilities any good? Right now, we simply don’t know. In a new paper I’ve co-authored with the University of Pennsylvania’s Dean Knox and Dartmouth College’s Sean Westwood, we show that even under assumptions very favorable to forecasters, we wouldn’t know the answer for decades, centuries or maybe even millennia.
To see why, consider one way to evaluate the forecasts: calibration. A forecast is considered calibrated if the estimated probability of an event happening corresponds to how often the event actually happens. So, if a model predicts Harris has a 59% chance of winning, then a calibrated model would expect her (or another candidate) to win 59 out of 100 presidential elections.
Our paper shows that even under best-case scenarios, determining whether one forecast is better calibrated than another can take 28 to 2,588 years. Focusing on accuracy — whether the candidate the model predicted to win actually wins — doesn’t lower the needed time either.
Again, under best-case settings, determining whether one model is better than another at the state level can take at least 56 years — and, in some cases, more than 4,000 years’ worth of elections.
The reason it takes so long to evaluate forecasts of presidential elections is obvious: There is only one presidential election every four years. In fact, we are now having only our 60th presidential election in U.S. history.
— OPINIONS —
“What Harris means by ‘freedom’” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — She has elaborated on it in some campaign speeches. (It should be noted that Harris hasn’t actually given many campaign speeches, even though the campaign is now in its final stretch, because she started so late after a secretive group of Democratic power brokers pushed Biden out of the race.) By “freedom,” Harris does not mean the basic rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, the press, and assembly. When Harris says “freedom,” she means the freedom for people to experience the priority items on the Democratic Party agenda. The first freedom on Harris’ list is what she calls “reproductive freedom,” by which she means the freedom for women to have an abortion. Abortion, which Democrats view as perhaps their strongest issue in the 2024 Election, is always at the top of Harris’s definition of freedom.
“Beware of media fixation with horse-race coverage” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — What the polls say about who’s ahead in the presidential campaign is the least important news any voter needs. That’s the point of a provocative article, “Why the Media Won’t Report the Truth about Trump,” published online by The Intercept, a nonprofit progressive news source. Author James Risen, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who covered government for The New York Times, stretched his point slightly in the title. There are media outlets whose coverage digs deeply into Trump’s character, record and intentions. But it’s often difficult to sort out from the talking heads and the clickbait on social media, which obsesses on “horse race” coverage.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“Beautiful but highly destructive: On the hunt to kill elusive, invasive lionfish on Florida’s reefs” via Lee Ann Anderson of Fresh Take Florida — With venomous, featherlike spines, the beautiful fish – distinguished by their red, brown and white stripes – threaten Florida’s reef ecosystems so dangerously that the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has organized contests to reward recreational and commercial divers who kill and remove them. Monday was the final day for this year’s statewide contest. Last year’s winner, Baye Beauford, 45, of Jacksonville, who owns a car repair shop, caught 1,514 during the three-month Summer tournament. Hundreds of divers across Florida captured over 30,000 fish during more than 900 trips last year.
“Villainous show coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2025” via Haley Coomes of Click Orlando — Magic Mirror on the wall, who are the most wicked Disney Villains of all? Starting in the Summer of 2025, Captain Hook, Maleficent, Hades, and other Disney foes will take the stage together at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. According to the Disney Parks blog, the Sunset Showcase will be transformed into a mysterious, reflective realm of the Magic Mirror. The show is taking over Sunset Showcase, so fans have until Oct. 7 to take one last lap around the Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy track. While Disney has not yet released show specifics, one art concept image shows a stage dedicated to Cruella de Vil, with fashion portraits and murals of The Old De Vil Place. The news of this new show comes in addition to the newly announced Villains Land, where villains will have a dedicated space full of “dark and thorny” attractions at Magic Kingdom.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to Valerie Wickboldt of Avail Strategies. Belated best wishes to smart guy Ryan Tyson.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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