Good Tuesday morning. We hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween.
Spotted at the Governor's Mansion Friday night for the Halloween Celebration, Esther Byrd and Secretary Cord Byrd, Secretary Dane Eagle, Secretary Shevaun Harris, Reps. Joe Harding, Randy Maggard, John Snyder, Bob Asztalos, Brendan Blais, Jordan and Ben Gibson, Taylor Hatch, Alyssa Howk, Stephanie Kopelousos, Alberto Garcia Marrero, Tara and Trey Price, Ashley and Scott Ross, Gina and Chris Spencer, Ray Treadwell, Marnie Villanueva, Lindsey and Skylar Zander.
A good time was had by all.
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After a raucous election cycle, it's time for the endgame. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Val Demings are planning after-parties.
For one, it'll be a victory bash; for the other, it'll be the venue for a short speech and a couple of drinks to drown their sorrows.
So, where will they be?
Rubio will watch the results come in from his hometown of Miami at the Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon, found at 5101 Blue Lagoon Drive. The doors open for guests at 6:30 p.m.
Endgame: Celebrations are in the works; one will be happier than the other.
Demings is holding her election night watch party in Orlando, with the address reserved only for guests who RSVP. Doors open at 6 p.m.
A week out from Election Day it looks like Rubio will have a cheerier party. He has consistently led in the polls with Demings coming close at points but struggling with low name ID. Recent polls have seen the incumbent Republican up double digits over Demings.
Election prognosticators are likewise high on Rubio. Sabato's Crystal Ball has listed Florida's U.S. Senate race as "Likely Republican" all cycle, The Cook Political Report recently shifted the race from "Lean Republican" to "Likely Republican," and FiveThirtyEight's model shows Rubio is "clearly favored" to win re-election.
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The Florida Bar has relaunched its voter education initiative, The Vote's in Your Court, for 2022.
The program informs voters about merit retention elections and judges' crucial role in the state's justice system. The initiative features The Guide for Florida Voters, a nonpartisan resource to aid voters in understanding judges and judicial elections.
"Many Floridians don't understand how our merit retention system works," said Florida Bar President Gary Lesser. "This is an incredibly important part of our democracy and ensuring that everyday Floridians have a say in our judicial system is incredibly important. This is why civic education and creating resources is so important to us — there is a great deal of power in our voters' hands, so it's important to be well-informed on these issues."
In Florida, county and circuit judges are elected directly by the voters in nonpartisan, head-to-head elections. However, state appeals court judges and Supreme Court justices appear on the ballot for merit retention, with voters asked whether individual judges should keep their seats for another term. If not retained, the Governor would appoint their replacement.
The Florida Bar has posted additional voter resources ahead of the General Election, including posting judicial candidate voluntary self-disclosure statements and merit retention biographies.
___
With reapportionment, many voters have found themselves living in a new House, Senate or Congressional district. Adding to the confusion, recent updates to voting laws have changed the procedures for mail-in and early voting.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and other social media networks, aims to prep voters for the Midterm Election with reliable information ahead of Election Day.
The company's Voting Information Center (VIC) features authoritative local information, including posts from verified local election authorities, with announcements and changes to the voting process as well as information regarding early voting, Election Day voting, and military or overseas voting.
VIC also includes contact information for election offices and links for users to check their voter registration or register to vote, although in Florida the deadline has passed for new registrants to take part in the 2022 election.
Users can find the information by navigating to the VIC page, and they can also choose to receive notifications for any election announcements.
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Google is bringing on Taylor Ferguson as its new government affairs and public policy manager for the Southeast region.
In his new role, Ferguson will monitor and influence policy important to Google, build relationships with elected officials, develop strategies to communicate Google's policy positions with elected officials, and work to strengthen the company's local community engagement.
Ferguson most recently worked as the senior director for Florida government & regulatory affairs for Parallel, one of the largest privately held, vertically integrated, multistate cannabis companies in the world with a footprint in Florida, Texas, Massachusetts and Nevada.
He previously held a number of legislative staff positions, building up more than a decade of experience in the Florida government.
Congrats to Taylor Ferguson, the new regional rep for Google.
His past roles include serving as a senior legislative aide to former Rep. Jake Raburn and holding the same position under former Sen. Rob Bradley during his term as Senate Budget Chief, which required him to function as the liaison between the Senator's office, the appropriations suite, and citizens inquiring about appropriations projects.
In the 2018 election cycle, Ferguson served as campaign manager to Sen. Ed Hooper in the 2018 election cycle, when the Clearwater Republican won a battleground race to return to the Legislature.
"Taylor is the best person to pioneer this new role at Google. His extensive knowledge from years spent working within the Legislature and as a top adviser on several campaigns, coupled with his political savvy, make him a strong asset to Google as they engage with leading policymakers in Florida and across the Southeast," Hooper said.
Earlier in his career, Ferguson worked as the communications coordinator for the Foundation for Excellence in Education. He is a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, where he earned a degree in political communications.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
Tweet, tweet:
—@CharlieCrist: In the spirit of Halloween, let's all get out to vote. We can't afford to have a Governor who's going to ghost us halfway through his term for a presidential run.
Tweet, tweet:
—@aedwardslevy: Halloween is essentially a 1-question survey (trick/treat/refused) conducted using address-based sampling and utilizing an innovative reverse-incentive structure; in this paper, I will
—@ShiraOvide: I will read all the articles about Home Depot's 12-foot tall, $300 Halloween skeletons. Thank you.
—@JimSwiftDC: One way to keep your children safe from Rainbow Fentanyl this Halloween is to stop steeping yourself in paranoid right-wing propaganda.
—@ChrisDunkerLJS: If you are a homeowner/drug dealer planning on passing out rainbow fentanyl to kids for free this Halloween, please shoot me a message for a story I'm working on for @JournalStarNews.
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
—@jon_bois: October's my least favorite month of the year. It's just so far away from April fool's day that it's easy to get discouraged. But when the calendar flips over to November, that's when it starts to feel a little more real
—@StephenKing: $20 a month to keep my blue check? Fuck that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I'm gone like Enron.
— DAYS UNTIL —
2022 General Election — 7; 'The Crown' Season 5 returns — 8; 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' premieres — 10; FITCon 2022 begins — 16; 'The Flash' premieres — 16; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar — 20; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play — 23; Florida TaxWatch's Annual Meeting begins — 32; 'Willow' premieres on Disney+ — 32; 2022 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 34; Cormac McCarthy's 'Stella Maris' releases — 35; 'Avatar 2' premieres — 45; final Broadway performance of 'The Music Man' with Hugh Jackman — 61; Bruce Springsteen launches his 2023 tour in Tampa — 92; 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' premieres — 108; final performance of 'Phantom of the Opera' on Broadway — 109; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 126; 'John Wick: Chapter 4' premieres — 144; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies '23 conference begins — 168; 2023 Session Sine Die — 185; 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' premieres — 185; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' premieres — 213; Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' premieres — 262; ''Captain Marvel 2' premieres — 269; Dune: Part Two' premieres — 367; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Part 2 premieres — 514; 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres — 570; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 633; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 633; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 675; 'Deadpool 3' premieres — 738; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 836; 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' premieres — 913. 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 1,102.
— TOP STORY —
"Jacksonville police, FBI investigating antisemitic messages at Georgia-Florida, elsewhere" via Teresa Stepzinski of The Florida Times-Union — Although law enforcement officials haven't identified any crimes associated with the messages, the Sheriff's Office said it is investigating, according to a statement.
"The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been made aware of antisemitic posts and displays in and around the City of Jacksonville. We have been looking into these actions and will continue to work with our partner agencies regarding these reports of antisemitic messages. At this time, the Sheriff's Office has not identified any crimes having been committed; the comments displayed do not include any type of threat and are protected by the First Amendment."
The message "Kanye was right about the Jews" was projected onto TIAA Bank Field's video board. It referred to Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, who posted hate speech attacking Jews on social media last week.
Antisemitism has experienced a resurgence across the nation.
In a video shared on social media, the message appears to have been projected from outside TIAA Bank Field onto the backside of one of the stadium's large video boards.
Elsewhere, the same message was projected onto a downtown building and other antisemitic messages were shared on banners displayed on overpasses on Interstate 10 and the Arlington Expressway over the weekend.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson's office said "such speech — even despicable speech — is protected by the First Amendment. If this office is presented with evidence indicating an intent to directly incite imminent criminal activity or specifically threaten violence against a person or group, then criminal prosecution may be implicated."
"What Ron DeSantis' silence on antisemitic messages says about the GOP" via David Rothkopf of The Daily Beast — It's been almost two full days since the words "Kanye is right about the Jews" were displayed on a screen at TIAA Bank Field stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, a reference to Kanye "Ye" West's recent antisemitic comments that were straight out of the notorious forgery and roadmap for antisemitic conspiracy theories, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The state's Governor, DeSantis, who attended the game, hasn't said a thing in public about the messages, even as other leaders condemned them. This includes Charlie Crist, who blasted DeSantis' silence as a "disgusting and absolute failure of leadership."
"Outraged officials condemn antisemitic messages appearing in Florida" via Lisa J. Huriash and Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz offered FBI statistics that show Jewish people make up 55% of the victims of religious hate crimes yet make up only 2% of the nation's population. "Silence is the oxygen that fuels antisemitism and racism," Wasserman Schultz said Monday. "We are speaking out and pushing back. We are not afraid or ashamed to call out whoever spews hate. The problems in South Florida mirror what's happening elsewhere in Florida and across the country.
— 2022 —
"Charlie Crist looks to replicate Democrats' Georgia strategy in race against DeSantis" via Max Greenwood of The Hill — Crist is leaning into an unusual strategy to turn out voters in his bid for Governor: paying people to talk to their friends, family and neighbors about his campaign. The tactic, dubbed "relational organizing" by political professionals, is relatively new in the world of campaign politics. Sen. Jon Ossoff relied on the strategy ahead of his successful 2021 runoff campaign against former Sen. David Perdue. The premise behind the strategy is simple: Instead of sending out volunteers and campaign staffers to have unexpected conversations with strangers, relational organizing relies on paid organizers or volunteers to have more natural, free-flowing political discussions with their acquaintances.
"Direct mail roundup: Big money drubs Crist on girls' sports, college debt forgiveness" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Anti-Crist mailers have enlisted a trans athlete and a nose-ringed, face-tattooed model to discourage voters from supporting the Democratic gubernatorial candidate — even if he didn't vote on the issues that involve them. The Seminole Tribe is largely financing Protect Our Values Political Committee, which wades into culture war issues with two new mailers. One stokes the concern that trans women athletes will squeeze cis women athletes out of competition, making it less likely that female-born athletes will ever come in first. The mailer then compares the situation with what happened when Black athletes entered professional sports.
New Crist ad slams DeSantis on abortion rights — Crist released a new ad blasting DeSantis for signing the 15-week abortion ban into law "with a smile on his face." Titled "Signing Away," the ad shows contrasts Crist's pro-abortion rights stance with DeSantis's "cruel political games as he aims to further strip women of their right to choose," the campaign said in a news release. "Look at that grin — Ron DeSantis signing away your right to choose. He's happy there's no exceptions for rape or incest. Happy because he thinks politicians like him should control women's bodies. As Governor, I'll protect your choice — and that's the difference," Crist says in the 15-second ad. The campaign said it is backing the ad with a seven-figure statewide media buy.
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
Crist drops $200K on broadcast, cable ads — Crist's gubernatorial campaign spent $126,689 on a new broadcast flight. According to AdImpact, the campaign will run today through Election Day in three media markets. It directs $73,555 to the Miami media market, $28,354 to the Orlando media market and $24,780 to the Tampa media market. The campaign has also thrown another $72,679 into cable ads, which will also run today through Election Day. The buy includes the West Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Miami markets and will place the Democratic nominee's ads on AMC, Bravo, CNN, Discovery, ESPN, Food Network, Fox News, Hallmark, HGTV, History, Investigation Discovery, MSNBC, TLC and TNT.
Assignment editors — Crist and Karla Hernández will join President Joe Biden and Demings for a Get-Out-the-Vote Rally: 10:15 a.m., 'Choose Freedom' bus tour, Miami; 4 p.m., rally with Biden, Miami Gardens. Location upon RSVP at this link.
"Marco Rubio claims Val Demings' cop past DQ'd her from being VP" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Biden didn't pick Demings as his running mate in 2020, and Rubio has a theory why. The Senator told Fox News' Mark Levin Sunday that Demings' career in law enforcement was a deal breaker for Biden, who of course picked former prosecutor Kamala Harris instead. "You know why Biden didn't pick her? She used to be a police officer and that's why she spent six months basically attacking the police," Rubio said, delineating his grievances with Demings further. Rubio is upping the offensive with just a week before voters head to the polls to select between Rubio and Demings in the U.S. Senate race.
"Demings talks about her mom and dad in final ad" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Democratic Senate candidate Demings is closing her campaign with an origin story. The 30-second ad "Mom & Dad" finds the Congresswoman from Orlando reflecting on her parents, as she contends that the policies backed by incumbent Rubio would harm people like them. "I'm the proud daughter of a maid and a janitor," says Demings in the ad. "They taught me to always show up and work hard. That's how I became Chief of Police." … "With rising costs, Marco Rubio isn't showing up to help, and when he does, he hurts Florida. Rubio missed almost every committee meeting for seniors, then voted against lowering prescription prices — but he will show up to gut Social Security and Medicare. I'll show up to protect them," Demings contended.
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
— 2022: CONGRESSIONAL —
"James Clyburn, Maxwell Alejandro Frost say Democrats can't write Florida off" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — There's too much at stake this year for Democrats to give up on Florida, much less the entire South. That's the message U.S. Rep. Clyburn gave as he campaigned alongside Frost in Central Florida. Clyburn reminded that it was the South who gave the Democratic nomination in 2020 to Biden, who went on to unseat Donald Trump in a closer-than-expected election. Biden famously began to turn the Democratic Primary in his favor only after winning South Carolina, largely on the strength of Clyburn's endorsement. "I tell people all the time, we did our part in the Primary," Clyburn told Florida Politics. "We may not be relevant in the General; where would you be if we had not done our part?"
Democratic Majority Whip James Clyburn stumps with Maxwell Alejandro Frost. Photo by Jacob Ogles.
"Eric Lynn holds fundraising advantage over Anna Paulina Luna in CD 13" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — A Pinellas County congressional seat once seen as an easy Republican flip could stay a fierce battleground until Election Day. In the final stretch of campaigning, Lynn holds a money edge as outside groups pillory Luna. Redistricting still leaves Florida's 13th Congressional District as a likely Republican pickup. But Lynn, the only Democrat to stick out the race, has more in the bank. He still holds $592,321 out of the $2,009,715 he's raised this cycle. That's partly the benefit of having no Primary opponent.
Luna, Lynn pour more cash into ads — Luna has placed another TV buy in her campaign for Florida's 13th Congressional District. According to AdImpact, her campaign spent $37,330 on a broadcast flight that starts Wednesday and continues through Monday in the Tampa media market. Luna's opponent, Democrat Lynn, also booked a new TV flight. His $39,459 buy covers cable ads running today through Monday in the Tampa market. Networks in the buy include CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Hallmark, HGTV, History, Investigation Discovery, MSNBC, Oxygen, Syfy, TBS, TNT, TV Land and USA. CD 13, which covers part of Pinellas, leans toward the GOP but is seen as competitive. To date, Lynn and committees backing his campaign have spent $8.4 million on ads. Luna and the committees backing her have spent $5.3 million.
—"Rick Baker endorses James Judge for CD 14" via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics
"Laurel Lee holds massive fundraising lead on Alan Cohn in CD 15" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Considered by most to be the Sunshine State's "new" congressional seat, both sides are spending heavily in Florida's 15th Congressional District. But Lee is the only candidate who still holds six figures in the bank as the clock winds down. She reported $257,132 in cash-on-hand in her most recent fundraising update, compared to Cohn's $35,503. A Secretary of State under DeSantis, Lee has held an advantage financially since winning a heated Republican Primary in August. Cohn, who ran for different configurations of CD 15 twice before, was able to enter his Democratic Primary late and still win.
Laurel Lee laps her opponent in the money race.
"Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick v. Drew Montez-Clark: Here's a guide to the U.S. House District 20 race" via Stephany Matat of The Palm Beach Post — Cherfilus-McCormick seeks a full congressional term, but Montez-Clark is fighting to take the seat in a decidedly blue district. House District 20 is made up of western portions of Palm Beach County and Broward County, such as Belle Glade and Plantation. The district was redrawn to take out a few votes from Pembroke Pines and swap it for some more votes in Plantation. Cherfilus-McCormick is running for a full term after winning a Special Election in January to fill the vacancy of the late Congressman Alcee Hastings, who died in April 2021 from pancreatic cancer. She had previously unsuccessfully challenged Hastings in 2018 and 2020.
Lois Frankel books $61K in broadcast ads — U.S. Rep. Frankel spent $60,925 on a new broadcast flight for her re-election bid in Florida's 22nd Congressional District. According to AdImpact, the flight will run today through Election Day in the West Palm Beach media market. The new ad buy comes two weeks after Frankel's campaign spent $60,729 on a broadcast flight that ran Oct. 18-31. Frankel, a Democrat, faces Republican Dan Franzese in the General Election. CD 22 is expected to vote Democratic on Election Day.
— 2022: LEGISLATIVE —
FRSCC goes on the attack in SD 10 — The Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee launched a new TV ad attacking Democratic Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil, who is challenging Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur in Senate District 10. The ad, titled "Extreme Joy," hits Goff-Marcil for what FRSCC says is an "extreme record" of voting for "higher taxes, sanctuary cities, and softer sentences for opioid dealers." The ad also says, "Extreme Joy also voted to teach radical gender identity to 8-year-olds, and let men compete in women's sports," among other things. The closing line says Goff-Marcil would bring "extreme joy for radicals" and "extreme misery for us."
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
https://vimeo.com/765696822
Assignment editors — Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book; Sens. Jason Pizzo and Linda Stewart; Reps. Geraldine Thompson and Goff-Marcil will travel across Central Florida in Senate Victory's first-ever statewide bus tour — the 'Florida Freedom Tour' — to meet with Democratic, Independent, and moderate Republican voters: 8:15 a.m., Winter Park Library, 1052 W Morse Blvd., Winter Park; 10:30 a.m., 719 Terra Place, Maitland; noon, Casselberry Library, 215 N Oxford Rd., Casselberry; 1 p.m., 1049 E Altamonte Dr., Altamonte Springs; 4 p.m., Goff-Marcil campaign office, 3895 Lake Emma Rd., Suite 111, Lake Mary; 6 p.m., Roni's, 1221 Historic Goldsboro Blvd., Sanford.
"Florida District 30: Incumbent Tina Polsky faces Parkland local and political newcomer for reconfigured seat" via Jasmine Fernández of The Palm Beach Post — Polsky will face Republican candidate William "Bill" Reicherter, who is a political newcomer, in November for the seat. Polsky has represented District 29 since she was elected as a Senator in 2020. But redistricting put her in the same district as Lori Berman, so Polsky moved to District 30. Reicherter has an extensive background in construction. As a small-business owner of more than 26 years in Broward County, he said he values teamwork and recognizes the importance of giving back to and appreciating workers.
"Joe Casello v. Keith Feit: Here are the candidates running for Florida House District 90" via Stephany Matat of The Palm Beach Post — The Florida House spent this past year running through hours of debate on topics like abortion, parental rights in education and immigration. Now it's time for voters in state House District 90 to weigh in. The district is a square block encompassing Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. Lantana, suburban Boynton Beach, and Boca Raton border it to the south. Casello, the incumbent Democrat, was a firefighter for more than 30 years. Feit brings forth his educational experience to back up his capability to hold office, saying he is no stranger to diverse opinions and can effectively collaborate to get a job done.
— STATEWIDE —
"After voter fraud arrests, Florida issues new forms that could bolster future cases" via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — A week after DeSantis announced the arrests of 20 people for alleged voter fraud, his administration quietly made a change that some say could help the state go after more people. Starting in August, Floridians on probation have been required to sign an updated form placing the burden on them to figure out if they're eligible to vote. Beneath warnings about remaining drug-free and reporting to their probation officer is the new message: "By signing this letter," the updated form states, "you agree that you are solely responsible for determining if you are legally able to register to vote and that you must solely determine if you are lawfully qualified to vote."
'Don't Say Gay' lawsuit re-emerges — A month after it was tossed out by the courts, a federal lawsuit challenging the state's law restricting classroom discussions on gender and sexuality has been renewed. As reported by Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida, the new complaint claims the "Parental Rights in Education" law — colloquially known as "Don't Say Gay" — is inflicting "concrete harms" on LGBTQ students, families and educators. "The intended impact of this law is apparent," attorneys wrote in the revised lawsuit. "It seeks to undo the equal inclusion of LGBTQ people and issues in Florida's schools and to impede policies requiring equal treatment and support of LGBTQ students." The plaintiffs — a group of parents, teachers and students — also claim that the law "has resulted in changes in behavior at every level of Florida's public-school systems."
'Don't Say Gay' heads to court — again.
"SCOFLA revokes 5 law licenses, disciplines 7 other attorneys" via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The Florida Supreme Court has issued orders to discipline 12 attorneys for misconduct, including five whose law licenses will be revoked. The Florida Bar announced the orders Monday as part of the latest round of disciplinary action from the Supreme Court, the Bar, and its Department of Lawyer Regulation. The orders aren't final until the windows close for appeals. Revoking a law license is "tantamount to disbarment." The attorneys cannot reapply for five years, and they must undergo a rigorous background check and retake the bar if they do.
"Nikki Fried demands Jeffery Moore resignation, removal after KKK photo" via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Fried wants Moore off a statewide conservation organization after a photo emerged allegedly showing the former Gadsden County Commissioner in a Ku Klux Klan costume. DeSantis appointed Moore to the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners in late July. Moore resigned from the Commission and dropped from the race to retain the seat last month after photos appeared to show him in a KKK costume, possibly at a Halloween party years earlier. While Moore no longer serves the county, he still serves as past president of the Association of Florida Conservation Districts.
"Oil producers got best of Florida's gas-tax 'holiday,' experts say" via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida's one-month gas tax holiday ended Monday without consumers ever seeing the full 25-cents-per-gallon break DeSantis promised at the beginning of October. The holiday did provide relief to the petroleum providers at the top of the supply chain because they're the ones who pay the tax to the state and then collect the money from the gas stations and convenience stores across Florida. "It failed to meet its intended purpose if the goal was to provide relief to Florida taxpayers," said Esteban Santis, an analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that studies policy and budget decisions. Motorists benefited, too, because the price of gas went down some, but not the full amount.
— AFTERMATH —
"Sarasota, Hardee counties approved for Ian federal direct housing assistance from FEMA" via Derek Gilliam of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Residents in Sarasota and Hardee counties have been approved for temporary direct housing aid from FEMA after initially being left out of the program. The federal program is supplying trailers and manufactured housing and other direct housing options to people whose homes are uninhabitable from Hurricane Ian. FEMA and state officials announced last week that residents of Collier, Lee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties had been approved for the program. A later news release from FEMA on Saturday said that Sarasota and Hardee counties had been added. Sarasota residents could already apply for a FEMA program that provided "rental assistance, hotel stays, home repair assistance and temporary lodging reimbursement to eligible applicants," according to a FEMA news release.
FEMA expands Hurricane Ian aid.
"City of Sarasota starts collecting Hurricane Ian construction and demolition debris" via Anne Snabes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The city of Sarasota began picking up Hurricane Ian-related construction and demolition debris from residences on Monday. The city's storm debris hauler, Ceres Environmental Services, Inc., will pass through Sarasota neighborhoods once to pick up the debris. City spokesperson Jan Thornburg said it isn't known how long the collection process will take. Sarasota County, meanwhile, began C&D debris collection on Oct. 21, said county spokesperson Brianne Grant. The city of Sarasota's public works director, Doug Jeffcoat, reminds residents that residential fencing is considered construction and demolition debris, not vegetative debris.
"Ian debris removal progress deemed 'tremendous' but much work still ahead" via Bill Smith of the Fort Myers News-Press — The job of picking up thousands of tons of Hurricane Ian debris continues throughout Lee County as the concept of just how big the job of cleaning up from the storm becomes clearer. Ian swept through Southwest Florida in a few hours. Cleaning up the mess created by the wholesale destruction of homes and businesses will take a lot longer, even while using bigger and more effective equipment, officials said at a meeting of County Commissioners Wednesday. "This debris profile is dramatically different than what we've experienced in the past from any storm that we've ever had to the memory of the most people in the room," said County Manager Roger Desjarlais.
"SW Florida organization recovery plan includes cleanup and rebuild in Harlem Heights" via Erica Van Buren of the Fort Myers News-Press — Recovery efforts following Hurricane Ian have kept Kathryn Kelly, founder and executive director of The Heights Foundation, and her staff on their toes, switching from serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to cleaning and rebuilding efforts. "I have a really great staff," said Kelly. "The hurricane hit on a Wednesday and on Saturday we got together and said, 'What can we do?' We're not trained for this. We thought, 'Well, we can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.' We put a post on Facebook, and people donated bread, peanut butter and jelly." The Heights Foundation, located south of Fort Myers at 15570 Hagie Drive, is a grassroots, hands-on organization that supports community development programs.
"Red tide is blooming offshore from Southwest Florida communities hit hardest by Ian" via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The red tide pushed toward the Southwest Florida coast by Hurricane Ian and recent cold fronts continue to bloom just offshore. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed Friday that red tide reached bloom levels last week in an area that stretches offshore from south Sarasota County, past the mouth of Charlotte Harbor, all the way down to Sanibel Island. There have been no fish kills reported related to red tide so far this year, according to the Commission. However, reports of respiratory irritation caused by the red tide were reported at various Sarasota County beaches last week, most recently at Venice Beach on Oct. 27; the Venice North Jetty Beach and Nokomis Beach on Oct. 26; and Manasota key Beach on Oct. 24.
— D.C. MATTERS —
"Joe Biden avoids some battleground states in midterms' final stretch" via Ken Thomas and Catherine Lucey of The Wall Street Journal — Biden is steering clear of some presidential battleground states with pivotal Senate and gubernatorial races, as his low approval ratings and voter frustration over the economy weigh on his party ahead of the November Midterm Elections. Of the 14 states with some of the most competitive Senate and Governor races, based on ratings from the Cook Political Report, Biden has visited six since Sept. 1. He hasn't been to Arizona, Nevada or Georgia, three states with high-profile Midterm races that also helped put him in the White House. Biden has made three trips to New York and two to Maryland but has visited Michigan and Wisconsin only once each.
Joe Biden visits low-key races, staying away from the big battlegrounds.
"Biden warns oil firms he'll seek to tax 'windfall' profits" via Akayla Gardner, Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Kevin Crowley of Bloomberg — Biden said he'd seek to impose higher taxes on oil companies that record "windfall" profits without reinvesting in production, with U.S. gasoline prices still high a week ahead of Midterm Elections. "The oil industry has not met its commitment to invest in America and support the American people," Biden said Monday. He called the industry's profits "a windfall of war." Companies that don't show they're reinvesting in production, he said, are "going to pay a higher tax on their excess profits and face other restrictions." No such proposal is likely to pass the current Senate, and unless Biden's party makes unexpected gains in next week's elections, the GOP and centrist Democrats will be able to block it for the near future.
"Supreme Court seems open to ending affirmative action in college admissions" via Robert Barnes and Anne E. Marimow of The Washington Post — Conservative Supreme Court justices on Monday seemed open to ending decades of precedent allowing race-conscious admission decisions at colleges and universities, repeatedly expressing doubt that the institutions would ever concede an "endpoint" in their use of race to build diverse student bodies. After nearly five hours of oral argument, the programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seemed endangered. The question is how broad such a decision might be, and what it would mean for other institutions of higher education. Harvard and UNC describe as "holistic" the process the universities use to review applicants. If schools are not allowed to use race, these universities say, enrollment by minorities will decline dramatically.
"Higher interest rates fuel losses at the Federal Reserve" via Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal — The Fed's operating losses have increased in recent weeks because the interest it is paying banks and money-market funds to keep money at the Fed now exceeds the income it earns on some $8.3 trillion in Treasury and mortgage-backed securities it accumulated during bond-buying stimulus programs over the past 14 years. The losses stem from some obscure monetary plumbing. The Fed's $8.7 trillion asset portfolio is full of mostly interest-bearing assets with an average yield of 2.3%. For the past decade, relatively low short-term interest rates meant the Fed earned more on its securities than it paid out as interest on reserves or other overnight loans. After covering its expenses, the Fed last year handed back about $107 billion to the government.
"Congress looks to states for Highway Trust Fund revenue solution" via Valerie Yurk of Roll Call — As electric vehicles appear more and more to be the future of transportation in America, the decades-old method of funding the nation's roads and bridges with gasoline taxes will soon be a relic of its past. Yet, the last time Congress addressed declining revenues in the Federal Highway Trust Fund due to the growth of more fuel-efficient vehicles and EVs, it punted much of the preliminary planning to the states. When the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law was enacted, Congress included $125 million for states to develop new financing plans for infrastructure programs based on motorists paying fees for miles driven rather than for the amount of fuel they use as well as for a federal effort to synthesize the various state plans and create a national funding plan.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
"Donald Trump asks Supreme Court to block tax returns from House" via Michael Macagnone of Roll Call — The former President said that the justices should pause a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to hand over tax returns to the House panel so that they can review his appeal. Last week, the full D.C. Circuit declined to revisit an August ruling that Committee Chair Richard Neal could access Trump's returns. In Monday's filing, Trump reiterated arguments that the appellate court had previously rejected, including that the Committee requested his returns for the sake of exposing him. The D.C. Circuit ruling said the court could only focus on the request itself, which met the requirements under the law. "The mere fact that individual members of Congress may have political motivations, as well as legislative ones, is of no moment," the D.C. Circuit wrote.
"Hillary Clinton seeks sanctions on Trump over failed conspiracy suit" via Erik Larson of Bloomberg — Clinton asked a federal judge to sanction Trump and his lawyers for filing an allegedly frivolous lawsuit accusing them of conspiring to undermine his term in office. Trump and his attorneys should be ordered to pay $1.06 million in legal fees and costs that were racked up by Clinton, her 2016 presidential campaign and several other Democratic-linked defendants for filing the suit as a "political stunt," according to a filing Monday in federal court in Florida. Trump's "theories were obviously and fatally defective from the very inception of this action," Clinton's attorney David E. Kendall and other defense lawyers said in the joint filing. U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks, appointed to the bench by Bill Clinton, dismissed the suit in September.
Hillary Clinton pushes back on a frivolous Donald Trump lawsuit.
"GOP bracing for Trump indictment soon after Election Day" via Alexander Bolton of The Hill — Republican aides and strategists privately expect Attorney General Merrick Garland to pursue an indictment of Trump within 60 to 90 days after Election Day, predicting the window for prosecuting Trump will close once the 2024 presidential campaign gains momentum. Republican aides on Capitol Hill and veteran party strategists emphasize they don't have any inside information on what Garland might do, but they say the Attorney General is under heavy pressure from Democrats to act and the deadline for pursuing an indictment is fast approaching. GOP aides also warn that an indictment of Trump by the Biden administration would further polarize the nation and likely strengthen Trump's support from the Republican Party's base as he and his allies would frame the prosecution as a political witch hunt.
"Amid the MAGA hats at Trump's Doral, LIV Golf finds niche" via Kent Babb of The Washington Post — For much of 2022, the first-year rebel golf series has been the focus of intense scrutiny. Much of it has focused on the jaw-dropping bonuses and prize money dangled in front of golfers to defect from the PGA Tour and the fact that the source of the cash is the Saudi Arabian government's Public Investment Fund. But as LIV's inaugural season ends, what's also clear is that the series has become undeniably intertwined with Trump and perhaps is most popular among his supporters. Two of its eight tournaments were at Trump courses, the former President has continually injected himself into golf's civil war, and ahead of the Midterms and a possible 2024 presidential campaign, Trump is again using sports as a political lightning rod.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
"Democrats worry the GOP could win traditionally liberal Miami-Dade" via Sabrina Rodriguez of The Washington Post — Mauricio Restrepo is frustrated that Democrats have failed to put up more of a fight against Republican gains in his home county of Miami-Dade, a liberal stronghold that could be captured by a GOP gubernatorial candidate for the first time in 20 years. "There's no way around it. It used to be a tossup state, but I would say it's not even close anymore," said the 39-year-old Colombian American teacher, who is a registered Democrat. Restrepo predicts that DeSantis, who is running for re-election this year, is going to win in Miami-Dade County: "All the Republicans are going to win for sure."
Could Miami-Dade slip away from the Democrats in 2022?
"'They want to destroy us all': GOP canvasser beaten in Hialeah makes fiery speech" via Nicholas Nehamas and Sarah Blaskey of the Miami Herald — Christopher Monzon, the GOP canvasser beaten a week ago in Hialeah in what he says was a politically motivated attack, had a message for his fellow Republicans. "They want to destroy us all," Monzon said in a defiant speech Sunday about those he sees as violently opposed to Republicans, including the political left, members of the media, and his assailants. "They're not hiding it anymore." Speaking at a small Miami Springs rally in his lengthiest comments since the assault, Monzon told the story of how two men stopped him in an East Hialeah neighborhood last Sunday while he was passing out GOP flyers and wearing campaign gear for Rubio and DeSantis.
"Hialeah man accused of beating Republican canvasser now faces additional felony charge" via David Ovalle of the Miami Herald — Prosecutors on Monday added a second charge against Javier Lopez, the man accused of beating up a Republican canvasser in Hialeah, a case that has garnered national attention after Rubio claimed the attack was politically motivated. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, in a court hearing on Monday, filed formal charges: aggravated battery with great bodily harm, and added an additional count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon because Lopez and another man allegedly sicced two German shepherd dogs on the canvasser.
"Former Proud Boy and alleged Capitol rioter to work polls on Election Day" via Joshua Ceballos of the Miami New Times — Miami-Dade County requires that poll volunteers during elections pledge to be "respectful of all voters" and to "remain nonpartisan," but at least one high-profile volunteer has cast some doubt on his desire to follow those rules. "That's right, you heard it right, I'm working the poll. Cry some more, liberals. Enjoy your day," said ex-Vice City Proud Boys leader Gabriel Garcia while wearing a "F**k Biden" hat in a video shared on the "Floridians FIRST" Telegram channel. Garcia, a former U.S. Army captain, currently faces six federal charges for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, when a group of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building.
"Fort Lauderdale about to elect first Black woman for City Commission. But who will it be?" via Suzannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — One of the four women vying to replace District 3 Commissioner Robert McKinzie in Fort Lauderdale's Nov. 8 election is about to make history. The candidates in the running to represent Fort Lauderdale's historically Black northwestern neighborhoods are Pamela Beasley-Pittman, president of the Dorsey Riverbend Homeowners Association; Yvette DuBose, a small-business owner; Donna Guthrie, president of the Melrose Park Civic Association; Nadine Hankerson, an economist with a Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University.
"Four candidates in high-stakes race for Fort Lauderdale District 1 Commission seat" via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The race for the District 1 seat has drawn four candidates vying to represent the city's northeast neighborhoods for the remainder of her term: Christina Disbrow, a small-business owner and former legislative aide; John Herbst, a CPA and former city auditor for Fort Lauderdale; Ken Keechl, an attorney and former County Commissioner; and Chris Williams, a real estate agent and president of the Coral Ridge Homeowners' Association. The new District 1 Commissioner will have a say in the building of a new City Hall and water treatment plant.
"2022 Election candidate profile: Cape Coral Mayor race" via Luis Zambrano of the Fort Myers News-Press — What will John Gunter bring to the Mayor role? "First and foremost is my five years of experience as a Council member. That's probably the biggest advantage that I bring to the table in my mind where there's not going to be a learning curve." What will Tom Shadrach bring to the Mayor role? "I have a lot of business background with the Boeing Company, 37 years as a program manager with complex aerospace and government contracting. I know how to get a lot of bureaucracy accomplished and get through the red tape."
What will John Gunter bring to the table as Mayor?
"Two Palm Beach County School Board seats are up for election Nov. 8. Who's running?" via Katherine Kokal and Giuseppe Sabella of The Palm Beach Post — Four candidates across two school board races will face off in the General Election on Nov. 8. In one race is Marcia Andrews, an incumbent with nearly 12 years of experience representing Wellington, the Glades and Royal Palm Beach on the board. She is facing a challenge from Jennifer Showalter, an outspoken advocate for parental rights. The other race pits Edwin Ferguson against Corey Michael Smith. Both attorneys are vying for the board seat being vacated by Dr. Debra Robinson that represents residents in Riviera Beach and a narrow stretch of neighborhoods that runs south mostly east of Interstate 95 to Delray Beach.
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"Gables policewomen say they were 'used as pawns' to take down chief in viral pool photo" via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — What was supposed to be a morale-building event among co-workers turned into a career nightmare for about a dozen women on the Coral Gables police force. A photo from a pool party that went viral led to a multiyear internal investigation, which was recently completed with no disciplinary action taken. On Aug. 3, 2017, an anonymous poster uploaded the photo to Instagram. It shows 14 female officers, most wearing swimsuits, in and around a swimming pool. Police Chief Ed Hudak, in uniform, stands in the back row. A final report summarizing the nearly five-year internal investigation, obtained by the Miami Herald through a public records request, determined that none of the women felt threatened by the chief.
"How Wellington is growing: Lotis complex of homes, restaurants, outdoor spaces to double in size" via Valentina Palm of the Palm Beach Post — Lotis Wellington, which will bring shops, homes and multifamily residences to the village, is already making plans to double its footprint along State Road 7. The Village Council has unanimously approved the annexation of 52.4 acres to build Lotis II on the west side of SR 7 just north of Wellington Regional Medical Center. Developers will erect the commercial and housing project next to Lotis I, a mixed-use property built on a former shell-rock mine. It is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2024. That property will include congregating and assisted-living residences for seniors, multifamily homes, medical offices, a drive-thru TD Bank office, a day care center and restaurants.
"Bright Health insurer will discontinue individual and family coverage in Florida" via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Bright Health will discontinue offering its health plans in 2023 in Affordable Care Act markets across the country, including Florida. About 300,000 people in the state will be affected, with the majority of them in South Florida. The retreat from the individual and family plans in nine states comes just ahead of the Obamacare open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1. The insurer issued a news release saying it would continue to offer coverage for customers through the end of the year but will pull their coverage starting Jan. 1. "Members enrolled in impacted plans will receive discontinuation letters," Bright Health said.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
"Consultant no longer seeks to remove prosecutor in 'ghost' candidate case" via Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel — Eric Foglesong, the political consultant accused of falsifying records to help a "ghost" candidate in 2020, is no longer seeking to have State Attorney Phil Archer's office removed from his case. Attorneys for Foglesong had argued that Archer, whose office prosecutes cases in Seminole and Brevard counties, had a "personal and heated political adversarial connection" to their client because Foglesong produced mailers attacking Archer in a 2012 campaign.
"Cocoa candidates rake in donations as City Council race nears end" via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Two political newcomers are entering the final stretch of the campaign for two Cocoa City Council seats having brought in more donations than the incumbents. More money doesn't necessarily predict a win, but it does give the candidate a campaigning advantage as the Nov. 8 vote approaches. In District 1 that advantage is extremely tight. The race for contributions puts challenger Ed Green just barely ahead of incumbent James "Alex" Goins, according to the most recent campaign finance report dated Oct. 24. Goins has raised a total of $7,670, of which he has spent $3,978.73, compared to Green's haul of $7,851.02 with $4,646.28 spent so far.
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James "Alex" Goins and Ed Green are raking it in.
"Among 7 Palm Bay charter amendments on ballot is one reducing tax increase restrictions" via Finch Walker of Florida Today — After a monthslong review by Palm Bay's Charter Review Commission during the first half of the year, seven charter amendments are on the ballot for the city as part of the Nov. 8 election. Among them is one that could change provisions of a current cap on revenue raised through property taxes. Others deal with such things as how residents can petition to put an ordinance change on the ballot; restrictions on employment by the city of its former elected officials, the process for filling vacancies on the City Council; and the City Council's meeting schedule. The content of these amendments is decided on by the Commission, which is made up of members appointed by Palm Bay City Council members.
"Port Canaveral closes budget year with record results, boosted by cruise comeback" via Dave Berman of Florida Today — The final numbers are in, and Port Canaveral reported record-setting revenue for the 2021-22 budget year that ended Sept. 30. Revenue was $128.06 million, which was 17.3% over what the port had been projecting before the budget year began in October 2021. At that time, the port expected revenue to come in at $109.15 million. In comparison, the port had operating revenue of $34.55 million in the 2020-21 budget year and $67.10 million in the 2019-20 budget year. Cruise operations were disrupted during parts of those budget years because of COVID-19. Cruise-related revenue was particularly strong in the just-ended 2021-22 budget year.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
"Sarasota residents to vote on penny sales tax extension, other important referendums" via Anne Snabes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Sarasota citizens will get to vote on numerous referendums in the Nov. 8 General Election, including the extension of the county's penny sales tax and, for city residents, whether to give Commissioners a pay raise. Sarasota County residents will notice four county referendums on the ballot, and those who live in the city of Sarasota will also have four city referendums. Meanwhile, the city of Venice voters will decide on 15 separate changes to the city charter. One key referendum that all registered voters in Sarasota County have a say in is the extension of the county's penny sales tax. Since 1989, Sarasota County has had a 1% local option sales tax on top of Florida's 6% levy.
"Manatee County Commissioner's 16-year run comes to a bitter end" via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — After 16 years in office, Carol Whitmore's last days serving as a Manatee County Commissioner have become mired by interpersonal conflicts with rival county leaders happy to finally see her go. The political drama peaked when County Commissioners canceled all but one of the scheduled public meetings until after the November General Election — once Whitmore and Commissioner Misty Servia are out of office. Commissioner Vanessa Baugh made the motion at the end of the Oct. 20 land use meeting, drawing immediate protest from Whitmore who chided Baugh and Administrator Scott Hopes over claims that she is tactfully being pushed out prematurely.
After 16 years in office, Carol Whitmore's service comes to a bitter end.
"Housing is a 'serious issue' for Bradenton workers. Business group tries new solution" via James A. Jones Jr. of the Bradenton Herald — The highest inflation in decades and more jobs than workers are huge problems facing businesses. But the need for affordable housing for the Bradenton area workforce has taken on a growing urgency as the price of room and board has gotten out of hand for those who staff local businesses. For several years, the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation has been quietly working behind the scenes with local businesses on a concept that could produce a solution, including wraparound services that workers need. Sharon Hillstrom, president and CEO of the Bradenton Area EDC, said developing a workforce housing community could be a joint effort of a number of businesses and organizations.
"Florida's 'great place' for 2022 is Naples' Bayshore district, despite Ian" via Harriet Howard Heithaus of the Naples Daily News — Walloped by Hurricane Ian, Bayshore Drive is still The Greatest, and that's official. The neighborhood around the south suburban Naples boulevard has won this year's Great Places in Florida competition sponsored by the American Planning Association (APA) Florida. Officials will present the award on Dec. 13 at a Collier County Board of Commissioners meeting. "The improvements made to Bayshore Drive have paid off," said Wiatt Bowers, AICP, president of APA Florida, in a news release announcing the award Thursday. He praised "updating and enhancing this popular corridor by implementing Complete Streets, installing green bike lanes and significant beautification amenities and advancing safety for pedestrians."
— LOCAL: N. FL —
"Flagler County Commission District 4 race: Candidates disagree on sheriff's office funding" via Frank Fernandez of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Jane Gentile-Youd and Leann Pennington are battling in the Flagler County Commission District 4 race. But Gentile-Youd has gained another formidable opponent: Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. In a recent letter sent to the media, Staly wrote that while he was not endorsing a candidate in the District 4 race, he and his wife were voting for Pennington and described Gentile-Youd as "the defund the police candidate." Gentile-Youd, who lives in southeastern Flagler County, denied in a phone interview ever saying she wants to defund the police. Instead, she said the county's fire department is underfunded while the sheriff's office is overfunded.
"In race to replace Leon Commissioner who died from long COVID-19, Hannah Crow renounces misinformation" via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — As Leon County looks for a new Commissioner after the late Jimbo Jackson died from "long COVID," one candidate is shaking off the specter of pandemic misinformation she once shared on social media. Crow, a candidate for County Commission District 2 in Southwest Leon County, has been dogged by her social media history in recent months. Among the conservative positions endorsed in her Twitter likes, Crow has previously liked tweets from November 2020 that encouraged people to flout COVID-19 lockdowns, such as one tweet from conservative radio host Charlie Kirk, or called the pandemic a scam, such as another tweet from conservative activist Candice Owens downplaying Donald Trump Jr.'s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Hannah Crow is having a social media problem.
"Poll: T.K. Waters ahead of Lakesha Burton in Jacksonville Sheriff race, election for Mayor 'still anyone's race'" via David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union — Waters holds a 5-point lead over Burton in the Jacksonville Sheriff race that still has a chunk of undecided voters up for grabs, a University of North Florida poll shows. Waters, a Republican, and Burton, a Democrat, are running in an unusual contest that will fill the remainder of the term vacated by former Sheriff Mike Williams when his move to Nassau County violated the City Charter's residency requirement and forced him to leave office a year early. Waters garnered 48% in the UNF poll and Burton was at 43% in the survey of registered voters who are likely to cast votes in the Nov. 8 election.
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"These Leon County officials got a big raise. Here's how much and why." via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — Every one of Leon County's elected officials got a substantial pay increase in October based on an annual calculation by the state's economic research department. The salaries of everyone from sheriff to tax collector to elected school officials are determined annually by the Florida Legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research based on a formula that takes into account population changes. Supplemental pay, bonuses and one-time bumps were added to the pot in some cases by the Florida Legislature this year. Constitutional officers can voluntarily decline the raises and have in the past. However, all eight officials whose salary is determined by the EDR accepted the increases, which went into effect earlier this month.
"TMH sees spike in flu patients, asks people with mild symptoms to avoid ER" via Christopher Cann of the Tallahassee Democrat — Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare has seen a surge of patients suffering from influenza symptoms in its emergency rooms, prompting the hospital to request people with mild cases to seek care elsewhere. "To help free up our medical staff and resources for patients who need immediate emergency medical care, we urge anyone experiencing mild flu symptoms to seek testing or treatment with your primary care provider or urgent care," read a statement from the hospital published Thursday. HCA Florida Capital Hospital has seen a similar jump in cases of influenza.
"Disney gives $1 million to support FAMU journalism school" via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — Over the next five years, The Walt Disney Co. will give $1 million to Florida A&M University to support students studying journalism at the historically Black school. The grant establishes the Disney Storytellers Fund at the Tallahassee university as part of the company's Future Storytellers Program, designed to "increase access to careers in storytelling and innovation for individuals from historically underrepresented or marginalized communities." It will be used to provide tuition and housing scholarships, specialized programming, leadership development, a stipend and more to select students.
— TOP OPINION —
"Let's declare a pandemic amnesty" via Emily Oster of The Atlantic — In April 2020, no one got the coronavirus from passing someone else hiking. Outdoor transmission was vanishingly rare. Our cloth masks made out of old bandannas wouldn't have done anything, anyway. But the thing is: We didn't know.
There is an emerging (if not universal) consensus that schools in the U.S. were closed for too long: The health risks of in-school spread were relatively low, whereas the costs to students' well-being and educational progress were high. The latest figures on learning loss are alarming. But in Spring and Summer 2020, we had only glimmers of information. Reasonable people — people who cared about children and teachers — advocated on both sides of the reopening debate.
Given the amount of uncertainty, almost every position was taken on every topic. And on every topic, someone was eventually proved right, and someone else was proved wrong. In some instances, the right people were right for the wrong reasons. In other instances, they had a prescient understanding of the available information.
The people who got it right, for whatever reason, may want to gloat. Those who got it wrong, for whatever reason, may feel defensive and retrench into a position that doesn't accord with the facts. All of this gloating and defensiveness continues to gobble up a lot of social energy and to drive culture wars, especially on the internet. These discussions are heated, unpleasant and, ultimately, unproductive. In the face of so much uncertainty, getting something right had a hefty element of luck. And, similarly, getting something wrong wasn't a moral failing.
Treating pandemic choices as a scorecard on which some people racked up more points than others is preventing us from moving forward.
We have to put these fights aside and declare a pandemic amnesty.
— OPINIONS —
"Senate race offers a dividing line: Who's really pro-life?" via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — We'll start by giving Rubio for threatening to withhold critical support for the 2017 Trump tax-cut package if the child tax credit wasn't increased. It worked. Other provisions of Rubio's plan are problematic. It would allow parents to opt for three months of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child — but only by tapping Social Security benefits that would be delayed or reduced when they are ready to retire. Like Rubio, Demings is sometimes ahead of her party on key measures that support children and their families. Unlike Rubio, her forward-thinking policies are consistently, and strongly supportive of measures intended to protect children's safety, health and future prosperity.
"America must step out of this self-destructive zombie dance" via Amanda Ripley of The Washington Post — All over the world, the U.S. government has pushed politicians to sign codes of conduct in times of conflict. Gang violence interrupters do this every day in Chicago and other cities — urging combatants and their supporters to join a nonaggression pact. In politics, this might mean pledging not to dehumanize one's opponent on social media or elsewhere. The codes could include vows to accept the results of the election after reasonable due process and, of course, to condemn all acts of violence, especially when they are perpetrated against a member of the opposition. This is the lowest possible bar for a democracy to function, something our own government has asked people emerging from civil war and genocide to do.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
"5 ideas for what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy" via Genevieve Shaw Brown of Good Morning America — Halloween candy buyback: The Halloween Candy Buy Back website is a great tool to find out where your kids can take their extra loot. Support the troops: There are a few options for donating your candy to troops overseas. One is called Soldier's Angels. Plug in your ZIP code on their website and find a donation location near you. Switch Witch: Parents can buy the Switch Witch toy and book to gear up for the "switch" before Halloween, or they can simply swap out the candy for healthier grist or treat a la the tooth fairy. Trade it in for Reese's peanut butter cups: If you're Reese's lover and will be in New York City on Wednesday, you're in luck. There's an actual Reese's vending machine that will allow you to trade the candy you don't want for Reese's peanut butter cup.
Leftover Halloween candy? Is there such a thing? Image via AP.
"Why some people hate candy corn — Philly's gift to the world — while others can't get enough. Scientists weigh in on 'Satan's earwax.'" via Tom Avril of The Philadelphia Inquirer — The police department in Fort Collins, Colorado, once said (only partly in jest?) that this tricolor staple of Halloween should be a crime. Many others, to judge by the millions of pounds of the stuff sold each year, can't get enough. It turns out there's a science to our love-hate relationship with the ubiquitous sweet, once dubbed "Satan's earwax." Scientists have measured a wide range of human preferences for sugar — our sweet tooth — and candy corn contains a higher percentage of sugar than almost anything on the shelf. People with an extreme sweet tooth, the types who tend to like ultra-sweet candies such as candy corn, represent 20% of the population, says Danielle R. Reed, a taste and smell researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.
"Billions of pounds of pumpkin will go to the landfill after Halloween" via Perry Miller of inhabitat.com — More than 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins will be thrown out in the U.S., adding tons of waste to landfills. When we throw those pumpkins out, they decompose and release methane — a harmful greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Is our pumpkin waste ruining the environment? It's certainly an issue, but the U.S. Department of Energy is working on the problem by teaming up with industry experts to develop integrated biorefineries, which are facilities that can efficiently convert plant and waste material into affordable biofuels. As of right now, none of the refineries are in full operation. In the meantime, keep enjoying your pumpkins. Carve them, decorate them and — after Oct. 31 — eat or compost them to reduce food waste.
"Why do St. Louis kids tell jokes on Halloween?" via St. Louis Magazine — Every Halloween, people new to St. Louis blink in confusion at the tiny people in monster costumes on their doorstep, bombarding them with terrible jokes. We can all agree that the trick-or-treat joke is a peculiar St. Louis thing. Why it's a peculiar St. Louis thing is harder to suss out. Folklorist John Oldani hypothesizes that it originated with Irish immigrants who celebrated the Gaelic harvest festival of Samhain. Ancient Celts adopted the apotropaic practice of dressing in costume to deflect the attention of ghosts; during the festival processional through the village, people offered poems in trade for food to celebrate the harvest and redistribute wealth. And that romantic old practice evolved into the joke-for-a-mini-Snickers swap that we know today.
"Florida wildlife cops posted a photo of a glow-in-the-dark 'creepy critter.' What is it?" via Madeleine Marr of the Miami Herald — Year-round in Florida, lots of frightening critters make your heart beat a little faster. The folks at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission put out a reminder of that on Monday, a few hours before trick-or-treaters hit the streets for Halloween. On Facebook, the agency posted a picture of a bioluminescent organ vampire squid. These critters have light-producing organs known as photophores. Never heard of it? You're not alone. This guy or gal lives far away from you and me, in the dark depths of the Atlantic and Gulf. "It's a real thing!" says the caption, which has an explanation for the odd-looking creature that looks a little like a swimming bat toy.
"SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket set to launch Tuesday morning" via Leo Santos of WTSP — The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center for the first time in more than 40 months. The mission of this launch is to deploy two spacecraft payloads directly into geosynchronous orbit. The rocket will launch at 9:40 a.m. from Launch Complex 39A. "For this launch, the Falcon Heavy's two side boosters will land on landing zone 1 and landing zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and the core stage will be expended," the agency wrote on its website. "During this double landing, you will be able to see the boosters descend back toward the landing zones … and then experience a double sonic boom from their re-entry.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, Danny Martell, Holly Moore, Jesse Panuccio of Boies Schiller Flexner, and Max Solomon.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
(@AnnaForFlorida) 
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