Last Call — A prime-time read of what's going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Amy Hollyfield and Caitie Muñoz were elected to leadership positions on the First Amendment Foundation board.

The Foundation announced on Wednesday that the pair were elected during a virtual meeting of the board held earlier this week.

Hollyfield is the senior deputy editor of the Tampa Bay Times and was elected to serve as chair. She succeeds Jim Baltzelle, who works as the Southeast director for The Associated Press. He now holds the title of past chair at the First Amendment Foundation.

Munoz is the Broward County correspondent for WLRN Public Radio and was elected vice-chair. Frank Denton, the retired editor of The Florida Times-Union, will continue to serve as treasurer.

The leadership positions have two-year terms.

The First Amendment Foundation also announced that Lynn Hatter, news director at WFSU Public Media in Tallahassee, and Edward Birk, a shareholder at Marks Gray in Jacksonville, are now members of the Board of Trustees. Birk will also serve as the Foundation's general counsel.

Founded in 1984, the First Amendment Foundation is dedicated to protecting and advancing the public's constitutional right to open government by providing education, training, and information services. It is funded through voluntary contributions from organizations and individuals.

Evening Reads

"Health workers once saluted as heroes now get threats" via Heather Hollingsworth and Grant Schulte of The Associated Press

"Why are people nostalgic for early-pandemic life?" via Morgan Ome and Christian Paz of The Atlantic

"U.S. education secretary critical of Florida's COVID-19 policy for schools" via Brian Lowry of the McClatchy Washington Bureau

"Lawmakers propose to outlaw LGBT 'panic' defense in criminal trials during 2022 Session" via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix

"There are just 9 female governors. Both parties want change." via Liz Crampton of POLITICO

"How Republicans blocked cities from advancing climate solutions" via Rebecca Leber of Vox

"The llama, the hamster, and a new path for COVID-19 treatment" via Grace Huckins of WIRED

"Capitol Police chief sees rising threats" via Michael Balsamo and Colleen Long of The Associated Press

"We now know why Joe Biden was in a hurry to exit Afghanistan" via Fred Kaplan of Slate

"How police and armed groups turned the pandemic into a human rights crisis" via Alice Speri of The Intercept

"When Black history is unearthed, who gets to speak for the dead?" via Jill Lepore of The New Yorker

"Why House Democrats may be more united than they seem" via Nathaniel Rakich of FiveThirtyEight

"YouTube is banning prominent anti-vaccine activists and blocking all anti-vaccine content" via Gerrit De Vynck of The Washington Post

"Protected too late: U.S. officials report more than 20 extinctions" via Catrin Einhorn of The New York Times

Quote of the Day

"This abrupt change in policy from the Biden Administration is nothing but an attempt to punish Florida." — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, upon filing legislation to stop the federal government from monoclonal antibody rationing.

Bill Day's Latest

 

Breakthrough Insights