Good Thursday morning.
As Thanksgiving approaches, we ask our loyal Sunburn fans — particularly those in The Process — to let us know what you're grateful for this year. We will publish the comments in our Tuesday edition — the last one for the holiday week. Please send your emails to Peter@FloridaPolitics.com.
What are you grateful for? We want to know.
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Ballard Partners was once again the top-earning lobbying firm in the state, according to compensation reports covering the third quarter.
Firm founder and President Brian Ballard and the two dozen lobbyists at the firm put an estimated $6.52 million in the till during the reporting period, with $3.79 million of that earned lobbying the Legislature.
The haul is a 5% bump over the firm's Q2 tally and makes for three consecutive quarters that the powerhouse clinched No. 1 in overall earnings.
The honor is based on median earnings estimates, which Florida Politics calculates by using the middle number of the per-client ranges firms list on their compensation reports. Firms also report overall ranges, however, that line tops out at $1 million — a hurdle each of the Top-5 firms hops without breaking a sweat.
Using the top end of per-client ranges puts a different firm on top: The Southern Group.
Co-founder and chair Paul Bradshaw captained TSG's lobbying team to another $6 million-plus quarter. Based on median earnings estimates, the firm earned $6.18 million — about $340,000 behind Ballard Partners.
However, max earnings estimates show The Southern Group could have earned as much as $8.82 million, which is $250,000 more than Ballard's $8.56 million max.
Capital City Consulting remained in a comfortable third place. The 12-member team led by Ron LaFace and INFLUENCE Magazine's 2021 "Lobbyist of the Year," Nick Iarossi, logged $2.67 million in legislative earnings and $2.26 million in executive earnings for an overall total of $4.93 million in Q3.
That's a slight bump from the $4.75 million CCC raked in during the April-through-June reporting period.
Meanwhile, GrayRobinson held firm to the No. 4 ranking it first earned earlier this year. Firm President and CEO Dean Cannon led a Q3 effort that saw the law and lobbying firm collect $1.41 million in the Legislature and slightly over $1.33 million in the executive.
The $2.75 million total keeps pace with the firm's reports for the first two quarters of the year and puts GrayRobinson in the position to earn nearly $11 million in 2022.
Ron Book and lobbying partners Rana Brown and Kelly Mallette rounded out the Top 5. As ever, the crew was a model of efficiency. Its $2.30 million total works out to more than $750,000 per team member — an average that no other firm in the state can compete with.
Florida lobbyists and lobbying firms faced a Nov. 14 deadline to file compensation reports for the period covering July 1 through Sept. 30. Compensation reports for the fourth quarter are due to the state Feb. 14.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@POTUS: NASA's Artemis is in flight. This ship will enable the first woman and first person of color to set foot on the lunar surface and will lead countless students to become explorers and show America's limitless possibilities to the world.
Tweet, tweet:
—@LeeDrutman: One thing to keep in mind for the GOP 2024 fight is that most GOP Primaries are winner-take-all. So even if (Donald) Trump only pulls 30% support, he could still win a crowded field, just as he did in 2016, and his perceived weakness will attract more entrants.
—@maggieNYT: (Suzie) Wiles and (Chris) LaCivita have extensive knowledge of how campaigns work. But whether Trump will listen to anyone's advice over the long-term is another
—@TheRickWilson: Gentry conservatives today: "No. Trump is a totally unacceptable candidate. All hail the glory of the (Ron) DeSantis-(Glenn) Youngkin ideological tendency!" Gentry conservatives soon: "Spank me, Daddy Trump. I've been so naughty, and I deserve to be punished. Severely."
—@DougJBalloon: Opinion | I'm a Kerry-McCain-Romney-Clinton-Biden voter. Here's why I'm ready to support Ron DeSantis in 2024.
—@MarcACaputo: Sen. Ron Johnson in nominating Rick Scott for GOP Senate Leader over Mitch McConnell said Scott "set Ron DeSantis up for success in FL," per source familiar. It's not gonna sit well w/DeSantis Land. The gov won by a historic 19.4-point margin. And he doesn't get along w/Scott
—@jacobogles: I know such things are hard to get when these closed-door conference votes take place, but I would love to have a full list of the 10 Scott votes.
—@atrupar: "I don't know if you know, vampires are cool people, are they not?" — Herschel Walker's speeches are somehow even less coherent than his TV appearances. Like, what it this
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
— DAYS UNTIL —
'The Flash' premieres — 1; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar — 5; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play — 8; Florida TaxWatch's Annual Meeting begins — 17; 'Willow' premieres on Disney+ — 17; Georgia U.S. Senate runoff — 19; 2022 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 19; Cormac McCarthy's 'Stella Maris' releases — 20; 'Avatar 2' premieres — 30; final Broadway performance of 'The Music Man' with Hugh Jackman — 46; The James Madison Institute's Annual Dinner — 69; Bruce Springsteen launches his 2023 tour in Tampa — 76; 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' premieres — 92; final performance of 'Phantom of the Opera' on Broadway — 93; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 110; 'John Wick: Chapter 4' premieres — 127; Taylor Swift 'Eras' Tour in Tampa — 147; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies '23 conference begins — 152; 2023 Session Sine Die — 169; 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' premieres — 169; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' premieres — 197; Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' premieres — 246; ''Captain Marvel 2' premieres — 253; Dune: Part Two' premieres — 351; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Part 2 premieres — 498; 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres — 554; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 617; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 617; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 659; 'Deadpool 3' premieres — 722; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 820; 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' premieres — 897. 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 1,086.
— TOP STORY —
"Ron DeSantis initially 'not particularly enthusiastic' about ousting Andrew Warren, deposition says" via Sue Carlton of the Tampa Bay Times — According to court records, the Governor was initially concerned and "not particularly enthusiastic" about removing Warren from office before any actual crime had been committed for Warren to consider prosecuting.
The Governor "expressed concern that suspension based on a pledge (not to prosecute) perhaps could be viewed as not a neglect of duty under the law," DeSantis' general counsel Ryan Newman recently testified in a video deposition. "A pledge before a crime was actually committed, he was concerned about."
Ron DeSantis was hesitant to fire Andrew Warren — at least initially.
Newman said he, too, was aware there could be "valid objections."
That's a key point Warren's lawyers are expected to argue in the upcoming federal trial to try to win his job back.
The issue centers on two documents Warren signed along with other elected officials pledging not to prosecute cases involving abortion or transgender health care. The Governor's executive order suspending him pointed to those pledges as evidence of Warren's neglect of duty.
Warren has said no such cases have ever come before him to decide on.
Newman said that in further discussion with the Governor, they agreed that a pledge to not prosecute a specific type of case — such as the murders of "certain classes of victim" — indeed warranted suspension.
At a December meeting on unrelated matters, the Governor asked unprompted whether any Florida state attorneys were not enforcing the law. His public safety czar, Larry Keefe, who took on the monthslong investigation, said in his deposition that "all roads led to Mr. Warren."
—"DeSantis says he cannot be witness in prosecutor's lawsuit over abortion cases" via Mike Scarcella of Reuters
—DESANTISY LAND —
"Minutes before Donald Trump announcement, DeSantis receives standing ovation at Republican confab" via Paul Steinhauser of Fox News — DeSantis received a hero's welcome as he addressed an audience of leading Republicans minutes before former President Trump announced he was launching a 2024 White House bid. DeSantis, who won a landslide re-election victory for a second term steering Florida, garnered a standing ovation from the audience as he delivered a keynote conversation at the Republican Governors Association's winter meeting in Orlando. According to one source, DeSantis spotlighted his "impressive re-election campaign" and how he won Miami-Dade County, connecting with Hispanic voters.
Ron DeSantis feels the love from conservatives. Image via Fox News.
"The DeSantis bandwagon gains momentum" via David Siders and Charlie Mahtesian of POLITICO — If the point of Trump's campaign announcement was to brush aside his Midterm Election losses and freeze the 2024 Primary field, it was clear within a matter of hours that it wasn't going to work. The DeSantis bandwagon is already rolling. A pro-DeSantis super PAC will begin airing TV ads in Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state. The ads, which began airing digitally, follow a week in which the Florida Governor's star has risen — and Trump, following a bruising Midterm, has lost his luster with many Republicans. In recent days, 86 elected officials in Utah released a letter encouraging DeSantis to run for President, while GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, one of the Trumpiest states in the country, called DeSantis — not Trump — the "leader of the Republican Party."
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
"Where Trump and DeSantis actually disagree" via Dylan Scott of Vox — As the Governor of one of the largest states who has spent years building up his conservative bona fides, DeSantis has long been eyed as a possible successor to Trump. But with Trump now in the running, the Governor will have to give voters a reason to vote for him instead of the former President. "As far as I can tell, there are no serious policy differences between Trump and DeSantis at the moment. The biggest divergence between the two is competence and execution," Matthew Continetti, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies the conservative movement, told me. "I wouldn't expect a Trump-DeSantis Presidential Primary to swing on policy. Such a contest, if it happens, will be a test of Republican Primary voters' willingness for new leadership and a chance at victory."
"Why DeSantis is a major threat to Trump's re-election" via Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight — What's going through the head of a typical Republican voter these days is hard to say. In the modern Primary era, no previous General Election loser has sought a party nomination. A party generally wants to move on from its losing candidates; it's not like there were a ton of Democrats clamoring for Hillary Clinton to run again in 2020, for instance. But of course, GOP voters may not think of Trump as a loser given that a majority of Republicans believe Trump's false claims that the 2020 Election was stolen. This all starts to get pretty weird: If you're a Republican who does think the election was stolen, you still have to wrestle with the fact that Joe Biden is President while DeSantis is beginning his second term in the Florida Governor's Mansion.
"In text messages, coordinators of DeSantis migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard reveled in plotting surprise political stunt" via Samantha J. Gross of The Boston Globe — While DeSantis immediately took credit for sending the migrants to the Vineyard on Sept. 14, the documents provide new, granular details about the involvement of other high-level officials and the time they spent in Texas before the September flights. Meanwhile, a separate series of texts revealed the administration of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was privy to the plan. James Uthmeier, Chief of Staff for DeSantis, and Luis Saenz, Chief of Staff for Abbott, exchanged messages sharing Keefe's contact information. The texts among Florida officials and their agents were mostly used to share mundane details like booking hotel rooms and rental cars. But they sometimes had an air of excitement, where DeSantis officials and others discussed updates on their travels to Texas and efforts to recruit migrants in August.
"DeSantis wants to 'chill out' 2024 speculation" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — On Wednesday in Matlacha, the Governor sidestepped a question about 2024, preferring instead to focus on the Georgia runoff and governing Florida after his "historic victory" over Charlie Crist last week. "We just finished this election. People just need to chill out a little bit on some of this stuff," DeSantis said. "We have this Georgia runoff that is coming, which is very important for Republicans to win that Georgia runoff. I mean, I know around the country Florida was kind of the biggest bright spot. It was not so bright in many other parts of the country. It was a substandard performance given the dynamics that are at play," DeSantis said.
"DeSantis doles out $7.7M for workforce training in Ian-ravaged SW Florida" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — An array of state colleges, technical colleges and workforce boards in Southwest Florida will receive $7.7 million to expand programs providing career training and education in specific fields, such as nursing, trucking and welding, DeSantis announced Wednesday. The money will help the economy of the region get back on its feet, DeSantis said. "This is an area that is primed for a great economic recovery coming out of this; I've got no doubt about that," DeSantis told reporters at Matlacha, a small community between Pine Island and Cape Coral.
— STATEWIDE —
"Floridians could pay billions to power companies to stormproof the grid" via Sam Sachs and Mahsa Saeidi of WFLA — The Florida Public Service Commission approved four plans submitted by power companies allowing roughly $22 billion for efforts to "harden" the state power grid over the next 10 years. On Thursday, Commissioners will vote on just how much Florida power bills will go up. Floridians will solely pay those billions. Even with some reductions by the Commission, the amount bills will go up wasn't substantively changed. Charles Rehwinkel of the Office of Public Counsel, the changes only "shaved one penny off" the monthly bills for FPL customers, and just three cents off each month for residents served by TECO.
Florida's power grid is due for a hardening — with customers footing the bill.
"Awash in policies, Citizens panel moves ahead on $50M boost to call centers" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — When the board of Citizens Property Insurance approved a $27.5 million, five-year contract for call center services in December 2020, it was based on projections of the company's policy count made in 2019. Since then, thanks to a beleaguered private market that has shed policies and sent homeowners into state-run Citizens, its policy count has spiked far beyond those projections, leading staffers to request an added $50.2 million to meet the demands of the contract. The Citizens Consumer Services Committee unanimously approved moving forward with the recommendation Wednesday. The full board will review the plan and vote on final approval at its next meeting next month.
"Florida LGBTQ+ people fear disclosing sexuality, lack info on HIV treatments, study finds" via Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel — In Orange County and across the state, a new study commissioned by the One Orlando Alliance found that people who identify as LGBTQ+ often hide their sexuality at work, church and in doctors' offices, with nearly 40% saying they guard that information out of fear. The study found that those whose gender identities don't match their gender assigned at birth are even more likely to hide their sexual orientation from health care providers, the study found. At the same time, while most said they are aware that lifesaving medical treatment exists for those who are exposed to or contract HIV, young people under 25 say they have not received education about the medications available, before or after exposure.
"Patricia Hawkins-William, Jason Pizzo to lead Broward legislative delegation" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Democratic Rep. Hawkins-Williams will serve her fourth term in the Legislature as Chair of the Broward County delegation and Democratic Sen. Pizzo, a newcomer to Broward County territory, will be the Vice Chair. The largest legislative delegation with a preponderance of Democrats met for an organizational meeting to choose its leadership. Members acknowledged they are facing the next two years more marginalized than ever. Republicans won a supermajority in both chambers of the Legislature with the upset of two incumbent Democratic Senators and two Democratic state Representatives while winning three open Senate seats and five open House seats.
"As medical marijuana industry grows, DeSantis changes leadership in state marijuana office" via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — As Florida's medical marijuana market grows and flourishes, the DeSantis administration has changed leadership in the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU). Christopher Phillip Kimball was named the director of the OMMU on Nov. 11, Communications Director Weesam Khoury told Florida Politics Wednesday afternoon. Kimball replaces Chris Ferguson, a longtime Department of Health (DOH) employee who headed the office for the last three years. Kimball's appointment to head the OMMU came one day before he was admitted to the Florida Bar, where he is a member of the Young Lawyers, Government Lawyers and Administrative Law divisions.
"911 dispatchers overlooked, miss out on $1K bonuses from Gov. DeSantis" via Fresh Take Florida — As Hurricane Ian swept across the beachfront towns of Southwest Florida, when panicked callers to 911 reported they were crouched in attics or standing in high water and fearful they would drown as floodwaters rose, Christine Hodges was a reassuring voice on the other end of the line. Hodges, who evacuated from her office on Sanibel Island 24 hours before the hurricane hit, said 15-hour workdays for her and three other dispatchers in the Lee County Emergency Dispatch Center blended together for weeks after the storm. But when Gov. DeSantis delivered $1,000 bonuses in September to first responders — nearly 100,000 of them statewide — Hodges and other 911 dispatchers didn't get any of the money or any recognition.
Ron DeSantis cuts more $1K checks, but not for everyone.
Nearly 5K Florida students involuntarily committed last year — Florida schools used the Baker Act to involuntarily commit 4,844 students in the 2021-22 school year, Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida reports. The total was disclosed in a new report presented to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. The Baker Act, instituted in 1971, allows law enforcement, judges and medical professionals to commit individuals displaying mental illness or posing a threat to themselves or others for an involuntary mental health examination. The report showed the Baker Act was invoked 5,077 times during the school year, meaning it was used to commit 233 Florida students more than once.
"Lobbying compensation: Rubin Turnbull & Associates again cracks $2M in quarterly earnings" via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The team at Rubin Turnbull & Associates is three for three on $2 million quarters this year, new compensation reports show. The firm led by Bill Rubin and Heather Turnbull filed reports showing it earned at least $1 million lobbying the Legislature and another $1 million lobbying the executive branch. That is the top bracket for firm-level ranges, meaning Rubin Turnbull & Associates could have earned more. "We are very pleased with the growth of our firm as we continue to build our legislative and executive branch business, as well as establishing a major local practice in Miami-Dade, Broward, and now Palm Beach and Tampa Bay," Turnbull said.
"Lobbying compensation: Corcoran Partners tops $1.5M in Q3" via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Corcoran Partners earned more than $1.5 million in lobbying fees last quarter, new compensation reports show. The firm led by Michael Corcoran represented more than 100 clients during the July-through-September reporting period, collecting $1.08 million lobbying lawmakers and another $568,000 lobbying the Governor, Cabinet and state agencies. The team's top contract was with Fontainebleau Development, a South Florida-based luxury real estate development company behind the eponymous Fontainebleau Miami Beach and several other well-known hotels and resorts.
— D.C. MATTERS —
"Republicans flip the House" via Ally Mutnick and Jessica Piper of POLITICO — Republicans are on track for the smallest of majorities despite pre-election predictions that a red wave was coming. And that majority could be difficult to manage for a Republican Speaker next year. The decisive call came in a California race, with Rep. Mike Garcia being declared the winner in his re-election bid. Redistricting, open-seat victories, and a surprisingly strong showing in New York State carried the GOP back to power. But Biden's middling approval ratings and a lackluster economy largely failed to propel Republican candidates over battle-tested Democratic members and a wider majority. In the end, only six Democratic incumbents fell.
"Joe Biden flexes his political muscle abroad while Trump's shadow re-emerges at home." via Jonathan Lemire of POLITICO — Biden this week took the measure of the man atop the globe's other superpower and rallied allies against Russia's escalating war, all while being bolstered by unexpected political success back home. In one of the most eventful stretches of his presidency, Biden concluded a trip in Asia with renewed political strength, having reinforced the leading role of the United States on the world stage at time of war. Biden will land in Washington better suited to face challenges, buoyed by his trip abroad and a sense that the Midterm Elections provided his administration with needed political stability.
Joe Biden shows strength overseas while facing challenges at home.
"Same-sex marriage rights bill clears a crucial Senate hurdle" via Annie Karni of The New York Times — The Senate on Wednesday took a crucial step toward passing landmark legislation to provide federal protections for same-sex marriages, as 12 Republicans joined Democrats to advance the Respect for Marriage Act, putting it on track to become law in the twilight of the Democratic-held Congress. The 62-to-37 vote, which came only days after the Midterm Elections in which Democrats kept control of the Senate but lost the House to Republicans, was a rare and notable last gasp of bipartisanship by a lame-duck Congress as lawmakers looked toward an era of political gridlock.
"Mitch McConnell holds back challenge in precarious moment for his leadership" via Liz Goodwin of The Washington Post — While McConnell's fate as leader was never really in doubt, the challenge from Scott ended a remarkable week of public infighting among Republicans that highlighted a delicate moment in McConnell's tenure. He still has overwhelming support in his conference but is losing some key allies to retirement as new members — at least one backed aggressively by Trump — arrive. McConnell, who was re-elected to the job in a 37-10 vote, has spent more than a decade keeping his conference largely in lockstep, but it's not clear yet how the changing makeup of the chamber will affect his ability to lead. "I don't own this job," McConnell said after winning the secret-ballot election … "And I'm pretty proud of 37 to 10."
"Senators float audit of Rick Scott's NRSC" via Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO — The GOP's post-election finger-pointing intensified Tuesday, with two senators calling for an audit of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. During a tense, three-hour-long meeting of the Senate GOP Conference, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Thom Tillis said there should be an independent review of how the party's campaign arm spent its resources before falling short of its goal of winning the majority. Scott responded, describing taking over the committee two years ago and "immediately" learning that previous staffers had been paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized and improper bonuses."
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
"Trump's drag on Republicans quantified: A five-point penalty" via Nate Cohn of The New York Times — Republicans were supposed to dominate the Midterm Elections but fell well short. Trump appears to be a significant reason for that showing, based on an analysis of the results by House district. Overall, his preferred primary candidates underperformed other GOP candidates by about five percentage points. A penalty of five points is a big number in today's polarized era. Five of the last six Presidential Elections have been decided by a margin less than that. As findings like these are revealed, they may add to the consternation of some Republicans who in recent days have blamed Trump for the party's poor performance.
We can now put a real number on Donald Trump's drag on the GOP.
"The Republican reaction to Trump: A few endorsements, and a lot of crickets." via Maggie Astor of The New York Times — There was, to be sure, a vocal contingent celebrating Trump's entry into the 2024 race. But these voices stood out precisely because so few of their colleagues echoed them. On social media, most congressional Republicans were talking about almost anything else: inflation, border policy, NASA's Artemis moon rocket launch, the military's coronavirus vaccine mandate, the 115th anniversary of Oklahoma's statehood, the need to recycle asphalt. Outright rejection of Trump was not widespread either, coming mostly from longtime critics of his such as U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — who voted to impeach him and serves on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack — and Govs. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Larry Hogan of Maryland, who have expressed interest in running for President themselves.
"Trump criminal probes will proceed — even as he's a candidate" via Eric Tucker of The Associated Press — Trump's early announcement of his third White House bid won't shield him from the criminal investigations already confronting him as an ordinary citizen. DOJ is pushing ahead with its probes. And with the Midterm Elections now mostly complete and the 2024 presidential campaign months away from beginning in earnest, federal prosecutors have plenty of time to continue their work even as Trump hits the campaign trail. "I don't think the department is going to hesitate as a result of Trump nominating himself and anointing himself as the first candidate in the 2024 election," said former DOJ prosecutor Michael Weinstein. "I just think they will see that as him trying to game the system as he's done very successfully in the courts," and they're prepared for his "blowback."
"Broadcast networks take a pass on Trump campaign announcement" via Jeremy Barr of The Washington Post — ABC, NBC and CBS all decided to stick with previously scheduled entertainment programming — reality show "Bachelor in Paradise" on ABC, science fiction drama "La Brea" on NBC and a fictionalized show about the FBI on CBS. On cable, Fox News Channel aired most of the speech live while CNN carried the first 25 minutes before switching back to a panel discussion after Trump formally announced his 2024 candidacy. MSNBC, however, chose not to air the speech, choosing instead to stick with Alex Wagner's 9 p.m. show. While ABC, NBC and CBS did not preempt prime-time programming to air the speech, the networks all had correspondents stationed at Mar-a-Lago who reported on the announcement earlier in the evening during the nightly newscasts.
"Trump's don't-blame-me calculus" via Jonathan Weisman of The Tampa Bay Times — Cascading Midterm losses rippled from east to west. Recriminations from fellow Republicans poured in. A rival's star continued to rise in Florida. Yet when Trump stepped onto the flag-bedecked stage at his gilded Palm Beach palace evening to declare that he would run for President again, it was as if none of it had happened. Trump cannot stop trying to make his own reality and cannot start accepting responsibility for his actions or acknowledging their consequences. In the heads-I-win-tails-you-lose world of Trump, all successes accrue to him, and any failings are someone else's fault, the 2018 Midterms, when Democrats took back the House; his own presidential loss in 2020; and now 2022, the worst showing of a party out of power in two decades.
"Ivanka Trump says she won't be part of her father's campaign" via Adela Suliman and Isaac Arnsdorf of The Washington Post — Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, said she would be stepping away from politics and sitting out her father's presidential campaign this time around after he declared his intention to seek another stint in the White House in 2024. Ivanka Trump was not present at the Tuesday night event at her father's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida where he threw his hat back into the ring. "I love my father very much," she wrote on Instagram. "This time around I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
"South Florida Democrats call for rethinking strategy" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — In South Florida, long considered a Democratic stronghold, the lopsided results for the other team come with a particular burn. Palm Beach County broke for DeSantis by nearly 3 percentage points, even though Palm Beach Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 106,000 registered voters in the county. In Broward County, almost 100,000 fewer Democrats voted than in the 2018 Midterms. "I don't know if people were just not engaged," said Stephen Gaskill, president of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus. "I don't know if people were just not excited with our candidates. I don't know if it was just a sense of being overwhelmed with the media on the other side that sort of suppressed our vote."
Florida Democrats wonder what happened in Palm Beach County. Image via FDP.
"Broward's 911 system still needs critical fixes, panel warns — nearly five years after Parkland shooting" via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Nearly five years after the Parkland school massacre, the county's 911 emergency system still faces some of the same problems that could cause delays in the police response, a state school safety panel warned Wednesday. That's unacceptable, says Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the chair of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, the panel created to investigate the school shooting. "At the end of the day, the situation is the same as it was five years ago," Gualtieri said. "And it hasn't changed. … What's it going to take to get this thing fixed?"
"Pressure from ex-Miami Beach Mayor a factor in sea-rise project's problems, report says" via Aaron Leibowitz and Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — In the fight against sea-level rise, Miami Beach has earned a reputation as an innovator — the first city in the United States to start dramatically raising roads in low-lying areas while pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into pumps and other infrastructure to combat flooding. The architect of this aggressive approach was former Mayor Philip Levine, who commissioned a panel in 2014 to advise the city and pushed for a road-raising pilot project in the Sunset Harbour neighborhood that was widely seen as a success. But while Levine garnered praise for his bold plan, his focus on speed contributed to the city's mismanagement of a major stormwater project on flood-prone Indian Creek Drive.
"Feds propose Biscayne Bay, parts of Keys as 'critical habitat' for threatened Nassau grouper" via Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The National Marine Fisheries Service recently proposed more than 900 square miles of regional waters be designated as "critical habitat" for the threatened Nassau grouper. The area would include water stretching from Key Biscayne, along the Keys to Tavernier, as well as sections near Marathon, Key West, the Marquesas and Dry Tortugas. Crucial Nassau grouper spawning sites in U.S. waters near Puerto Rico and Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, would also be designated as "critical habitat." The proposal is the result of a 2020 lawsuit filed by Miami Waterkeeper, the Center for Biological Diversity, and WildEarth Guardians against the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's National Fisheries Service, claiming the Service failed to follow timelines stipulated by the Endangered Species Act.
"Hard Rock Stadium could get Metrorail station first in Miami-Dade's new transit plan" via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Hard Rock Stadium could have a train station connected by elevated track to the Metrorail system under an expedited transit plan revealed Tuesday that would postpone construction of neighborhood stops until after the Miami Gardens route is finished. The new strategy by the administration of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava doesn't reveal a solution for the biggest hurdle ahead: raising the billions of dollars needed to build and operate the first expansion of Metrorail since the Miami International Airport station opened in 2012. But county leaders said they're switching strategies to make the long-stalled "North Corridor" rail expansion more competitive for federal funds they think could allow Miami-Dade to start construction next year.
"To buy a typical home, this is the salary you need now in South Florida" via Amber Bonefont of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — South Florida homebuyers need to make at least six figures annually to afford a home in the area, according to a new analysis. The salary needed to buy a home has increased over 55% in the past year as rising interest rates and record-high home prices have put more pressure on buyers' budgets, an analysis from Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, found. "If you had a $900,000 budget a few months ago, rising rates mean it's now around $700,000 — and sellers aren't dropping their prices enough to make up for the change," Redfin agent Chelsea Traylor said. In Fort Lauderdale, a buyer needs a salary of $105,751 to afford a home at the median price.
"'The things you would see floating by.' How Ian sent boats onto land and cars into water" via David Goodhue of the Miami Herald — The boats are everywhere. Carried onto lawns, spread across the street, framing the highway, piled up in marinas. They're blocking waterways, some still bobbing on the surface, others half-sunk. It's as if an angry child, upset at losing an old-fashioned board game, turned the whole thing upside down in a fury, pieces scattering everywhere. That's what Hurricane Ian did to boats — and cars and kitchen appliances and entire homes — in Southwest Florida and portions of the Florida Keys at the end of September. Boats landed on land. Cars washed into the water. Homes flooded or disappeared.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
"Ian's historic Orlando rain has experts seeking ways to hold back floods" via Trevor Fraser of the Orlando Sentinel — Lisa Roney was awake in the overnight hours watching the power of Tropical Storm Ian when the water started coming in the back door. Her husband grabbed a shop vac while Roney guided rivers of water out the front door with a mop. Two soaked rugs and some soggy drywall later, Roney said they prevented the worst. "We were desperate," the retired professor said. "We knew we did not have flood insurance, so we just worked our asses off to save our house." Roney admits her backyard gets "swampy" in summer storms, but her house isn't in a flood plain.
"'Sick with grief': Volusia seeks answers, help from state in Nicole recovery" via Sheldon Gardner of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — As residents try to sort out the mess and devastation caused by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, county officials are seeking extra help from the state to make the process easier. County officials have asked the Governor and other state officials for clarification on questions about sea walls and other aspects of rebuilding, and the county is seeking temporary solutions to shore up the coast as well as long-term beach renourishment projects. Tuesday's County Council meeting gave officials a chance to talk about the confusion and heartache coastal residents are facing after getting hit by two major storms a little over a month apart.
Volusia County is still reeling from Hurricane Nicole.
"Brevard County Commissioners OK adding flexibility to use of tourist tax revenue" via Dave Berman and Ralph Chapoco of Florida Today — Brevard County Commissioners have unanimously approved changes to how the county's 5% tourist development tax can be used, potentially expanding the opportunity to use revenue from the tax for everything from affordable housing initiatives to infrastructure projects to help the Indian River Lagoon. The tax is levied on the rental of hotel and motel rooms, as well as on other short-term rentals. Commissioners Tuesday night voted 4-0 in favor of a proposal by Chair Kristine Zonka to allow the tax to be used to "acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, maintain, operate or finance public facilities within the county if the public facilities are needed to increase tourist-related business activities in the county."
"Volusia School Board raises impact fees on new construction for first time since 2013" via Danielle Johnson of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — In a move considered long overdue by some Volusia County School Board members, the Board approved a significant increase to its impact fees, the amount developers pay the district per residential unit to offset the increase in students it will bring to the school system. A 4-1 majority supported upping the impact fee to more than $7,000 on single-family homes and $3,700 on multifamily units. The fees have been around $3,000 per dwelling unit, regardless of property type, since 2013. Although the Volusia Building Industry Association (VBIA) and school district staff were at odds on how much to increase the fee, the School Board opted for the relatively steep increase.
"After defeating suspended member, Allen Zeman has big plans for Broward School Board" via David Valz of City & State Florida — Now that Zeman has won a seat on the Broward County School Board, second best isn't good enough, he says. In fact, he's not settling for anything short of excellence. "We are the only district in South Florida that is not A-rated. We are B-rated. We have to be A-rated," Zeman told City & State this week, referring to the state's grading of school districts. "We need to make more use of best practices," he added. "We need to focus more on academic pursuits and more instructional time. We need to give staff additional resources. We are only one percentage point away from an A."
"Bruce Antone wants urban gun violence addressed as he returns to Legislature" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — For Rep. Antone, the description "new member" may be a little misleading. The Orlando Democrat will return to Tallahassee for a seventh nonconsecutive term in the House, now representing House District 41. "I have always worked well with all of my colleagues," Antone said, "and what I intend to do when I come back again is to focus on relationships." Antone in August defeated sitting Rep. Travaris McCurdy in a Democratic Primary. He formalized his plans for the next two years after defeating Green Party candidate Robin Denise Harris in the General Election, where the Democrat received 81.45% of the vote. This may start a third notable stint in the chamber.
"Blinding brightness: Artemis I fiery nighttime launch stuns spectators" via Rick Neale of Florida Today — In January 1967, Sheryl Chaffee was 8 years old when her father, NASA astronaut Roger Chaffee, died in the Apollo 1 launchpad fire alongside crewmates Gus Grissom and Ed White as the U.S. was racing the Soviet Union to reach the moon. Fifty-five years later, Chaffee watched the historic Artemis I mega-rocket illuminate the post-midnight darkness and roar skyward — belching a long trail of fire — from the front row of NASA's special-guest bleachers at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "I'm really excited. I'm excited that we're going back to the moon," said Chaffee, who chairs the Astronauts Memorial Foundation board of directors.
The first step back to the moon — and beyond.
—"See the first photos of Earth from NASA's moon-bound Orion spacecraft" via Jamie Groh of Florida Today
"Disney picks developer for affordable housing project near its theme parks" via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — Walt Disney World has chosen housing developer The Michaels Organization to build, own and operate its new affordable housing development near Flamingo Crossings Town Center. This announcement Wednesday comes over six months after Disney World committed to building more than 1,300 housing units across 80 acres of its land in southwest Orange County, close to its theme parks. Disney chose The Michaels Organization for its "long-standing track record in building and managing attainable housing communities" as the "largest privately held owner of affordable housing in the country," according to a release. The developer manages more than 60,000 housing units for about 175,000 residents in 35 states, plus Washington and the Virgin Islands.
"Emergency feeding of Florida manatees east of Orlando is set for restart" via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — Wildlife authorities fear another deadly winter for Florida's starving manatees near Orlando and have returned to closely watching for a plunge in temperatures as a signal to resume emergency and unproven feeding procedures. Last winter, the state and federal wildlife agencies fed 201,727 pounds of lettuce to manatees at the Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) electric plant south of Titusville on the shore of the Indian River Lagoon. For decades, manatees have gathered there by the hundreds to shelter in the warm waters discharged by FPL's power plant. Few of the marine mammals had arrived there by Tuesday. "There is a mild cold front coming up Thursday and Friday," said Ron Mezich of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
— LOCAL: TB —
"After election loss, Janet Cruz says she's running for Lynn Hurtak's Tampa City Council seat" via Ray Roa of Creative Loafing — Cruz announced plans to run for the Tampa City Council seat currently occupied by Council member Hurtak. Cruz planned to share her intention to challenge the popular first-term Council member in the latest edition of La Gaceta. A spokesperson for Cruz confirmed the news, adding that the outgoing Senator intends to file paperwork this afternoon. Tampa's upcoming Municipal Election, when voters will decide on City Council members and whether to keep Jane Castor in office, is set for March 7, 2023.
Determined to serve: Janet Cruz gets back on the horse.
Tampa police endorse Cruz for City Council — The Tampa Police Benevolent Association offered a day-one endorsement of Cruz's bid for Tampa City Council. The Democrat and former state Senator enthusiastically accepted the nod in a news release sent by her campaign. " … I spent over a decade in Tallahassee fighting for policies that would better the lives of those who protect and serve our community. It is my hope that as a City Councilwoman, I can continue to collaborate with Tampa's law enforcement officers to best meet their needs, as well as the needs for safety that members of our community face," she said. "As descendants of Officer James Ronco, one of the first Tampa police officers to fall in the line of duty, my family raised me to understand the sacrifices our police make to serve.
"New Pasco County jail leader faced criticism in past jobs" via Barbara Behrendt of the Tampa Bay Times — Pasco County Commissioners appointed John J. Murphy as assistant administrator for the newly formed Public Safety Branch, a job that will have him oversee the jail that the county took over from the sheriff October 1. County Administrator Mike Carballa said Murphy was the top pick from a large field of applicants generated through a national search. Murphy has both administrative experience and military background and "he shares our leadership philosophy," Carballa said during a Commission meeting on Tuesday. His annual salary will be $180,000. Murphy was fired from his last job amid accusations of workplace wrongdoing and has said he had been the target of a smear campaign.
"Hillsborough adds 487 acres to south county preserve for $11.4 million" via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — Hillsborough County plans to spend $11.4 million to turn a cattle ranch into part of an environmental corridor. Wednesday, Commissioners voted 6-0, with Commissioner Ken Hagan not voting, to acquire and restore the 487-acre ranch on Flowers Road in Wimauma. The land buy will be made through the county's Jan K. Platt Environmental Land Acquisition and Protection Program. The land will connect existing preserves, creating a two-county wildlife corridor along the Little Manatee River. "It's just so important that we continue to protect wildlife corridors along our rivers," said Commissioner Mariella Smith, who nominated the property for acquisition 12 years ago as a citizen member of the environmental land program's general committee.
"USF restarts provost search after 4 finalists don't make the cut" via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times — The University of South Florida's national search for a top academic officer is back to the drawing board after President Rhea Law announced that none of the finalists to be provost were still under consideration. The search, in its sixth month, will continue until USF finds "the best possible fit with the right vision and experience," Law said in a message to the university community Wednesday. Four finalists, including interim provost Eric Eisenberg, had been named last month and the high-profile group took part in interviews and campus visits.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
"Sarasota School Board majority convenes for final time before new members seated" via Steven Walker of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Sarasota County School Board met for the final time Tuesday with the Board members who have formed the core of a more liberal majority that has influenced policy for more than a decade. The Board will see a conservative swing when two new members are sworn in on Nov. 22. The meeting, which almost didn't achieve quorum because Board members Tom Edwards and Bridget Ziegler were out sick, saw the passing of $135 million in financing for new school construction and approval of two more days of school due this school year to make up for time lost to Hurricane Ian.
Tom Edwards and Bridget Ziegler took a sick day.
"Judge rules for Sarasota County in long-running indigent care lawsuit" via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — A judge has ruled for Sarasota County and the board that runs the Sarasota Memorial Health Care system in a decadelong lawsuit filed by three private hospitals that fought to force Sarasota County to reimburse them millions of dollars for indigent care. When the suit was filed in 2011, the hospitals were seeking roughly $100 million in fees — a sum that has since grown more than five times in value. The ruling was based in part on the fact that the private hospitals — two of which now do business as HCA Sarasota Doctors Hospital and HCA Englewood Hospital — as well as the now-defunct ShorePoint Health Venice, are bound by state and federal laws to provide care for the poor.
"Sarasota Memorial, 2 HCA hospitals earn 'A' grades" via Bob Mudge of the Venice Gondolier — With one exception, area hospitals either maintained or improved their hospital safety grades in the Fall 2022 Leapfrog Group ratings. Only now-closed ShorePoint Health Venice saw its grade go down to a "B" after four consecutive "A"'s. Sarasota Memorial Hospital, HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital and HCA Florida Englewood Hospital each received an "A." For the Sarasota facility, it was an improvement from a "B" in the spring report. HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital and ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte got a "B" grade, a one-letter grade gain for ShorePoint. ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda was rated a "C," the same as in the spring.
"Despite hefty 3Q loss, NeoGenomics CEO says company is 'pointed in the right direction'" via Laura Layden of the Fort Myers News-Press — Under new leadership, NeoGenomics continues to make strides in rebuilding itself. Revenues are growing — and the company's financial outlook is brightening. For the third quarter, the Fort Myers-based cancer-focused testing and research lab reported consolidated revenue of $129 million, an increase of 6% over the year. The company saw improvements in its turnaround time on tests — and in its gross margin. Gross profit increased by 4% over the year to $48.9 million. But there's still work to do — evidenced by the hefty losses that persisted in the third quarter. The company lost nearly $37 million (30 cents a share). That compared to losses of $20 million a year ago.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
"Alachua County Commission candidates sworn in Tuesday after landslide victories" via Javon L. Harris of The Gainesville Sun — Three newly re-elected candidates for County Commission were sworn in earlier this week surrounded by family, friends and supporters. With their right hands raised, Mary Alford, Marihelen Wheeler and Ken Cornell individually took their oaths of office for the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners before a moderate crowd Tuesday morning. Although all three candidates overwhelmingly defeated their opponents, none had as rough a journey as Alford. The former environmental engineer resigned from the Commission in May after The Gainesville Sun reported she lived outside her district due to personal reasons. Afterward, she managed to find a new home and qualified for her former seat in time for the election.
After the landslide wins, new Alachua County Commissioners take the oath.
"Jacksonville panel approves $6M in public service grants — which nonprofits made the cut?" via Beth Reese Cravey of the Florida Times-Union — The Public Service Grant Council unanimously approved $6 million in grants for 50 different programs run by Jacksonville-area nonprofits. The final 2022-23 vote came after the Council navigated a controversial procedural change in September that reopened the application period for a week in October. The Council, which is an advisory panel, received $9.1 million in applications by the July 1 deadline. But some nonprofits that previously received direct contracts, which were given in past budgets without competitive evaluations, did not apply to go through the scoring by the grant council. Reopening the application period gave nonprofits a second opportunity to enter that competition.
"Warrington Middle School clears last hurdle to become charter school" via Brittany Misencik of the Pensacola News Journal — The verdict is in: Warrington Middle School is slated to become a charter under the leadership of Charter Schools USA. The Escambia County School Board approved an educational review agreement with Charter Schools USA in a 4-1 vote Tuesday night to move forward with the organization. Charter Schools USA will now conduct a review of the school, making note of everything from teaching styles to test scores, and will be paid $15,000 a month. They will then move on to the next stage of the multiyear process: submitting an official charter application in January for the Board's approval in compliance with the state's deadline.
"Four Panhandle school districts first to enroll in DeSantis teacher leadership program" via Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Four Northwest Florida counties are among 10 statewide to be the first recognized for operating schools designated by DeSantis as Purple Star Campus Programs. DeSantis chose Fort Walton Beach High School to make the announcement Tuesday because the Okaloosa County School District, with 5,600 students hailing from military families, had the state's highest number of individual schools, 35, receive the Purple Star designation. All told, 114 schools in Florida have met the requirements to receive Purple Star status. Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton counties join Okaloosa as newly minted designees.
"'Super exciting': Panama City Beach OKs agreement for $1.3 million fire training tower" via Nathan Cobb of The News Herald — Local first responders soon will have a new, state-of-the-art training facility on Panama City Beach. City Council members last week approved a $1.276 million agreement with Highland Wake Construction, a general contractor based in Panama City Beach, to build a firefighter training tower. "The tower (will) allow our firefighters to train in an active scenario in a controlled environment," Council member Michael Jarman said. "It's important that they have the resources available to them to train because the more training that a department has, the better they can serve, protect and save the lives of those in the community."
— TOP OPINION —
"Lenny Curry: Honor the spirit of citizen leaders with stricter 'resign to run' law" via Florida Politics — Before running for office, I worked as an entrepreneur and a citizen volunteer in politics and public roles. These experiences instilled in me the belief that elected office at the local level is meant to be a pause in one's private life to offer a new perspective to the body politic and public service to my neighbors with a limited tenure in local government.
Too often though, we see some who move from one elected city office to the next with no return to private life. While there are good and honorable people who choose this path, I believe years and sometimes decades of concurrent service strung together by running for the next local office, while still serving in another, is contrary to the intent of term limits.
It can also provide strength of incumbency that creates an advantage of access to a select few and diminishes the ability of private citizens to achieve elected office.
To remedy this and give voters in the March Jacksonville municipal election a voice, I filed legislation yesterday that asks our City Council to approve a voter referendum on this issue.
My proposal would give voters a chance to express support for a stricter "resign to run" law so that those already serving in a local elected office leave that office immediately to qualify as a candidate to campaign for their next desired office.
We are a nation founded by citizen leaders. Private citizens at the local level quite literally became the foot soldiers who gave rise to the greatest democracy our world has ever known.
— OPINIONS —
"Artemis I paves the way back to the moon" via Bill Nelson for The Wall Street Journal — Humanity gazed upward again early Wednesday morning. Four months after the release of the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, NASA launched Artemis I, the most powerful rocket ever. Artemis I is the first uncrewed test flight in a series of increasingly complex missions, marking the dawn of a new era of human exploration of the moon. We'll use the moon — only four days away from Earth — to develop the technology and science needed to prepare humans for our next giant leap: a monthslong human journey to Mars to look for signs of life, past or present. Exploration is in our DNA — it's central to our human character.
"The menace in our midst, live from Mar-a-Lago" via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Trump remains a dire threat to democracy and a serious risk of inciting new violence. The more he loses, the more ruthless he becomes. To Trump, the prospect of DeSantis' rivalry must be the unkindest cut of all. One of the few truths Trump tells is that his tweeted endorsement was critical to DeSantis winning the GOP nomination for Governor in 2018. However, Trump's recent claim that he had to send in the FBI and Justice Department to secure the General Election for DeSantis has been repudiated by everyone who should know. If Trump can't bluff DeSantis out of the race, Florida will have a Presidential Primary in 2024 unmatched for its ferocity and its consequences.
"At long last, Trump gives his concession speech" via Charles Lane of The Washington Post — Trump's hourlong speech Tuesday night should be remembered not just for the things he said, including his announcement that he will seek another presidential term in 2024. What mattered most was what he did not say: that Biden and the Democrats thwarted his re-election in 2020 by fraud. Trump has been repeating that outlandish lie endlessly for the past two years, including as he barnstormed the country on behalf of Republican candidates in the Midterm Elections.
"Trump 2024 is a recycled, diminished version of the 2020 candidate voters rejected" via the Miami Herald editorial board — There was no gold escalator ride, no head-turning statement, perhaps only a sense of deja vu as Trump announced he's running for President for a third time. There were plenty of recycled lines and campaign promises, from draining the swamp to stopping illegal immigration. Those are sure to rally his loyal supporters. But other Republicans are beginning to question whether Trump's tired tropes will work in 2024. Trump's announcement, delivered from his gilt-trimmed Florida mansion, Mar-a-Lago, showed a diminished version of the man who has gripped the GOP with an iron fist.
"A few words on the silence of the election deniers" via Leonard Pitts, Jr. of the Tampa Bay Times — As you doubtless recall, many of us regarded last week's Midterm Election with existential dread. The path from there to the end of American democracy seemed all too easy to chart, what with election deniers campaigning for offices that would have put them in charge of voting and ballot counting in battleground states. If you give the fox control of the hen house, you ought not expect eggs for breakfast in the morning. Similarly, if you give Trump loyalists control of future elections, you ought not expect future elections. Not in any meaningful sense, at least. Yet there we were, last week, in danger of doing exactly that.
"Scott's Paul Ryanist fantasies are a big loser for the GOP" via Paul Waldman of The Washington Post — This sorry saga is about something more than Scott's professional failures. At bottom, Scott's challenge was driven by a persistent belief among a certain kind of conservatives that the public yearns for old-fashioned supply-side economics and will reward Republicans if they just advocate it more forthrightly. McConnell disagrees … because he appreciates the political limits of his party's appeal. While he is sometimes described as a man with no beliefs, only a desire for power, McConnell is better understood as a man with no illusions. The same cannot be said of Scott, though in his defense he's hardly alone. If Democrats are plagued by the often-unfounded fear that the public hates everything they stand for, many Republicans have the opposite problem.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
"Rising food costs take a bite out of Thanksgiving dinner" via Dee-Ann Durbin of The Associated Press — Americans are bracing for a costly Thanksgiving this year, with double-digit percentage increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin and other staples. The U.S. government estimates food prices will be up 9.5% to 10.5% this year; historically, they've risen only 2% annually. Lower production and higher costs for labor, transportation and items are part of the reason; disease, rough weather and the war in Ukraine are also contributors. "This really isn't a shortage thing. This is tighter supplies with some pretty good reasons for it," said David Anderson, a professor and agricultural economist at Texas A&M.
Thanksgiving gets pricier by the minute. With good reason. Image via AP.
"'It's a huge help': Thousands of turkeys given to families in need in Belle Glade" via Jossie Carbonare of WPBF — Inflation is keeping local nonprofit organizations in Palm Beach County busy, especially ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says turkeys this year are 23% more expensive compared to last year. The need was clear on Tuesday in Belle Glade for a turkey giveaway held outside of New Birth Deliverance Baptist Church. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Foundation, the people of U.S. Sugar, Florida Crystals, the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative, Guardians of the Glades, and the cities of Belle Glade, South Bay, and Pahokee all gathered to help with the drive.
"Orlando goes all-in on early Christmas decorating. And I'm here for it." via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Last week, a quintessential only-in-Florida story popped up after the strong winds from Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Nicole took out a giant Christmas tree in Altamonte Springs. Face it: There just aren't many places in the world where you're going to read "Hurricane topples Christmas tree" headlines. Over on Twitter, the reactions were not sympathetic: "Having a Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving, you get what you deserve!" Listen, I get that early decorating gets some folks' stockings in a knot. But to those people, I'd like to introduce Jason Cicchetti.
Orlando gets into the Christmas spirit. And we are all the better for it.
"Happy hygge! Scrabble dictionary adds hundreds of words" via Leanne Italie of The Associated Press — Here's the sitch, Scrabble stans. Your convos around the board are about to get more interesting with about 500 new words and variations added to the game's official dictionary: stan, sitch, convo, zedonk, dox and fauxhawk among them. Out this month, the add-ons in the seventh edition of "The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary" join more than 100,000 words of two to eight letters. The new words include some trademarks gone generic — dumpster for one — some shorthand joy like guac, and a delicious display of more verb variations: torrented, torrenting, adulted, adulting, atted, atting (as in don't at me, bro). Compound words are on the rise in the book with deadname, pageview, fintech, allyship, babymoon and subtweet. The new Scrabble book includes at least one old-fashioned word that simply fell under the radar for years: yeehaw.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are former AG Pam Bondi, Max Flugrath, Amy Mercado, and Bill Nelson, Jr.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
(@AnnaForFlorida) 
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