Good Tuesday morning.
First on #FlaPol — Drew Meiner, a longtime staffer to Gov. Ron DeSantis, is joining the team at Capital City Consulting.
"Drew has been a great, long-standing member of our team and we wish him the best in his next chapter. As an avid golfer, I wish him well, hope he stays out of the rough and hits only fairways and greens in his future rounds," DeSantis told Florida Politics.
Meiner currently serves as a senior adviser to DeSantis but has been working with the Governor since his time in Congress. He also served as a high-level staffer in the Governor's successful statewide campaigns.
Ron LaFace and Nick Iarossi made another gold star hire at Capital City Consulting.
"Working for Governor DeSantis these past eight years has been the honor of a lifetime. Whether it was late nights on the campaign trail or early mornings in the Governor's office, I'll always be thankful for the trust he and the First Lady placed in me. I'm proud to consider them friends and will always be Team DeSantis," he said.
"I'm excited and thankful for the opportunity to join the team at Capital City Consulting. Nick Iarossi and Ron LaFace have established themselves as the preeminent firm in Tallahassee where their expertise and relationships have paid dividends for clients both in Florida and nationally. I look forward to bringing my years of experience in the Governor's Office to the firm and building on that success."
Meiner bolsters the roster of one of the most successful lobbying firms in the state. CCC, led by co-founders Iarossi and LaFace, consistently ranks among the top five firms in the state by quarterly revenues.
"As Gov. DeSantis' longest-standing staff member, Drew has incredible insight into how the Governor and his administration approach governance. His credibility and likability within state government is unmatched and we are excited to bring his talents to serve CCC's clients," Iarossi said.
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First on #FlaPol — Agriculture Commissioner-elect Wilton Simpson has hired Aaron Keller as the Communications Director at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Keller is a familiar face at FDACS, having served as Press Secretary under former Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam for three of the Bartow Republican's eight years in the Cabinet Post.
He most recently served as Communications Director for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Congrats to Aaron Keller for his new gig at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
He previously held positions at a handful of other state agencies, including a stint as the Communications and Outreach Manager at the Department of Economic Opportunity and as a Media Relations Specialist at the Florida Department of Health.
Before entering the public sector, Keller worked as a public relations assistant for Tallahassee-based CoreMessage, a full-service communications firm led by Cory Tilley. He is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in public relations.
Expect more hiring announcements in the lead-up to Simpson's inauguration Jan. 3.
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Here are some other items on my radar:
— Deadly politics: Turns out, politics can kill you. Or, at least, its toxicity is fueling mortality rates among working-age Americans, according to a Washington Post report. In one reported study, researchers found people living in conservative areas disproportionately faced death and illness from COVID-19. Another found that the more conservative a state's policies, the shorter the lives of its working-age population. There are other trends, too, including the likelihood of states expanding social safety nets, increasing the minimum wage or using taxes to discourage harmful behaviors, such as smoking.
— Biden trumps Trump: The expectation was simple and rooted in history: The party in power in Washington would suffer losses in the Midterm, especially with a President facing a serious popularity deficit and an economy suffering under the weight of high inflation. But in 2022, President Joe Biden and Democrats defied those odds, maintaining (and growing) their majority in the Senate and losing far fewer seats in the U.S. House than anticipated. Biden was the clear Midterm winner over former President Donald Trump, Washington Post Chief Correspondent Dan Balz wrote in a weekend analysis. But while Biden is the clear winner, he argues, Trump was the clearer loser. It was less about what Biden did right than what Trump did wrong, and that trend continues as the 2024 presidential cycle draws nearer, setting up a potential rematch between the two. Read more here.
1⃣ — Poll shows most Americans are good with Iowa and New Hampshire first in nation: As calls grow louder to diversify the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary lineup, a new LX News/Morning Consult poll shows a majority of Americans are good to let Iowa and New Hampshire keep their spot at the top of the order, with 65% saying they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the existing lineup. That's six points higher than a similar poll taken nearly three years ago, according to NBC.
— The end of the Cold War's chilling effect on religion: Around the early 1990s, young Americans began falling away from organized religion, a trend that largely coincides with the end of the Cold War. Author David French in The Dispatch correlates the two, based largely on British Sociologist Stephen Bullivant's book "Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America." While the Cold War is falling deeper into the realm of the forgotten and more and more American adults came of age in the post-Cold War era, the effects appear to be timeless. French posits that the nation's struggle against atheistic Soviet Communism led to "an existential struggle that was also inescapably religious." With no Soviet threat to fuel the continued Christian surge, religious sentiment gave way to the avoidance of extremism, including in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on American soil. All in all, a very interesting read.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@RepBrianMast: In 2 days, Title 42 ends and Border Patrol lose the one tool they have to try and secure the southern border. The Biden administration still has no plan.
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
—@apantazi: It's hard to capture in a pithy quote how much (Judge Marcia Morales) Howard goes out of her way to destroy the Jacksonville City Council's supposed rationale for its redistricting plan. The Council should be able to recognize thoroughly how low of a regard she has for them.
—@ArekSarkissian: Florida's Surgeon General makes a thread to hurl a few barbs at federal regulators and COVID mRNA manufacturer Pfizer. He even brings up 8 mice in Pfizer testing, implying the testing was not very broad. Or it's a nursery rhyme.
Tweet, tweet:
—@MarissaKabas: if you log off for a few hours, you'll miss an entire Twitter policy cycle
—@paleofuture: A billionaire losing a "do you like me" poll on a service he paid $44 billion for is just an objectively funny way for this whole thing to end
— DAYS UNTIL —
Military Bowl with UCF Knights against Duke — 8; Cheez-It Bowl with FSU against Oklahoma — 9; final Broadway performance of 'The Music Man' with Hugh Jackman — 12; last day to ride Splash Mountain before remodeling — 33; The James Madison Institute's Annual Dinner — 36; 2023 FAC Access 67 Broadband Summit — Florida Association of Counties begins — 37; State Senators have a 5 p.m. deadline for submitting requests for drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including requests for companion bills — 38; Bruce Springsteen launches 2023 tour in Tampa — 43; 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' premieres — 59; final performance of 'Phantom of the Opera' on Broadway — 60; city of Tampa Municipal Election early voting begins — 69; DeSantis' 'The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival' released — 70; 'The Mandalorian' returns — 71; Tampa Municipal Election — 77; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 77; World Baseball Classic finals begin in Miami — 81; 'John Wick: Chapter 4' premieres — 94; Taylor Swift 'Eras' Tour in Tampa — 114; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies '23 conference begins — 129; 2023 Session Sine Die — 136; 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' premieres — 136; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' premieres — 164; Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' premieres — 213; ''Captain Marvel 2' premieres — 220; Dune: Part Two' premieres — 318; 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Part 2 premieres — 465; 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' premieres — 521; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 584; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 584; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 626; 'Deadpool 3' premieres — 689; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 767; 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' premieres — 864. 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 1,053.
— TOP STORY —
"Florida finally adopts new rules for awarding medical marijuana licenses" via Kirby Wilson and Romy Ellenbogen of the Miami Herald — The Department of Health released two emergency rules Monday that indicate, in broad strokes, the application process for companies seeking a medical marijuana treatment center license, which permits them to cultivate, process and dispense medical marijuana.
One of the rules released says the state will hand out the licenses by "batching" them — meaning not all the new licenses will be available at once. But the new rule did not specify when the application window will open or exactly how many licenses will be up for grabs with each batch.
Florida gets up to speed in awarding licenses to cannabis growers.
It's also not clear how far apart the batches will open. In an email, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said the new rules also incorporate the "citrus preference," which gives preference to applicants who own at least one facility used to process citrus and who will use that facility to process marijuana.
Because of protracted litigation and regulatory inaction on the part of the state, just 22 companies are currently licensed to operate in Florida's medical marijuana industry. Just 19 medical marijuana providers have set up a store.
State law requires regulators to create four new treatment center licenses for every 100,000 new patients that enter the market. But the state has awarded just one new license through the application process since 2015.
With the state reporting more than 776,000 patients as of last week, the state is required to bring 22 additional operators online.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who has long advocated for a more open marijuana market, said she expects the state's new rules to further hinder businesses from entering the market.
— DESANTISY LAND —
"Ron DeSantis vows to 'flip' more school boards in 2024" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The political world is talking about whether DeSantis has what it takes to run for President, but remarks Monday suggest DeSantis is currently more focused, at least for now, on smaller stakes, namely school boards and replicating the formula that led to a successful 2022 cycle. A majority of his endorsed candidates for school boards won, his latest in a series of existential challenges to the education establishment. "The school board races in 2024 I think give us an opportunity to flip some more of these boards throughout the state of Florida," DeSantis said to applause at an Orlando "The Freedom Blueprint" event Monday afternoon.
Ron DeSantis doubles down on the ideological shift in School Boards.
"Education issue gives DeSantis leg up on Donald Trump with two key voting blocs" via Christian Datoc of The Washington Examiner — Though DeSantis has yet to launch a 2024 White House run, Florida Republican operatives believe he holds strong advantages over Trump with two key demographics: independents and young voters. Exit polling from Florida's 2022 Midterm and 2020 General Elections would seem to back up those claims. Though Trump won Florida in 2020, he only earned roughly 43% of the independent vote, and Biden hammered him with young voters. Trump only won 42% and 35% of voters 18-24 and 25-29, respectively. DeSantis steadily improved on those numbers in 2022, earning 44% of voters 18-24 and 41% of the 25-29 demographic.
—"Steve Bannon touts DeSantis after expressing frustration with Trump" via Andrew Stanton of Newsweek
"Long before DeSantis, abolitionists had a similar 'Free Florida' vision, fueled by 'wokeism'" via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — A group of Republican activists intent on battling the idea of "systemic racism" and creating a "Free Florida" plotted to control state government and steer policies to benefit development and business while aggressively marketing the state of Florida to the rest of the country. The year was 1866. And how John Foster tells the story, the conspirators were abolitionists who looked to Florida to make a genuine effort to dismantle racist policies and make democracy real for African Americans, forbearers of today's social justice activists. In that context, "They were woke," said Foster about the abolitionists. "They were woke and their wokeness in Florida was nearly erased from history by Jim Crow."
— STATEWIDE —
"Vaccines saved lives. DeSantis threatens that progress." via The Washington Post editorial board — Vaccines saved millions of lives in the pandemic, and the mRNA technology was rolled out in record time. It counts as a massive success and might help fight other diseases, too. Nonetheless, DeSantis last week demanded a grand jury investigate "criminal or wrongful activity in Florida" involving the "development, promotion and distribution" of coronavirus vaccines. As public opinion shows vaccine hesitancy is growing, DeSantis's move is not only absurd but also dangerous. The vaccine hesitancy that has spread during the pandemic carries a real-world impact. A scientific achievement so overwhelmingly beneficial to humanity ought not be forsaken in the interest of scoring political points. The truth is as simple as this: Vaccines save lives.
Vaccines save lives, no matter what Ron DeSantis says. Image via AP.
"Report: It's insurers, not injured workers, driving workers' compensation legal fees" via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Statewide business associations would like lawmakers to limit what injured workers can pay their attorneys, but a new state report shows it's not injured workers driving legal costs in the system. The amount of money injured workers spent on plaintiffs' attorneys during fiscal year 2021-2022 decreased by nearly 1.9% over the prior year, while insurance company defense fees increased by nearly 5.6%, according to the report released by the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims. In all, $504,243,763 was paid in legal fees in a system that is supposed to be self-executing. That's a 2% increase over the $494,505,716 spent on plaintiffs' attorneys and defense attorneys in fiscal year 2020-21.
"Florida's mental health care system is a 'mess.' Group will pitch reforms." via Sam Ogozalek of the Tampa Bay Times — Soon, a state Commission created last year will publish interim recommendations on how to reform Florida's confusing and underfunded system. The Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse's initial findings must be sent to DeSantis and legislative leaders by Jan. 1. A final report is due next September. The Miami-Dade County jail is the largest psychiatric institution in Florida, the 11th Judicial Circuit reported last year. About a fifth of annual bookings involve people with mental illnesses who need intensive treatment. On any given day, the jail houses about 2,400 individuals receiving psychotherapeutic medications, costing taxpayers roughly $232 million per year, the court system said.
"Former head of public defender group, top state government staffer Kristina Wiggins dies in crash" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Wiggins the former executive director of the Florida Public Defender Association and a former top staffer at numerous state agencies over the last 20 years, died Sunday evening in a one-vehicle crash in Tallahassee. An incident report from the Florida Highway Patrol shows a 48-year-old woman died following a crash on Bannerman Road. At 8:27 p.m. the vehicle veered off the road "for unknown reasons" and hit a culvert and some trees before coming to a rest in a ditch on the shoulder of the road, the report states. The report doesn't identify the driver, but an FHP spokesperson forwarded the incident report upon request from Florida Politics for information on the crash involving Wiggins on Bannerman Road. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
— D.C. MATTERS —
"Supreme Court temporarily blocks Joe Biden from ending Trump-era border policy" via Michelle Hackman of The Wall Street Journal — Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily extended a Trump-era policy that bars asylum applicants from entering the U.S. to protect the American population from COVID-19, issuing a brief order that maintains the status quo while the Supreme Court considers an emergency request from Republican-led states to keep the exclusions in place. Though officials are still completing specific policy elements, the overall plan they are moving toward would enact a new series of carrots and sticks to deter would-be asylum-seekers from attempting to cross the border illegally and let them apply for admission into the U.S. instead. Parts of the plan could be announced as soon as Monday, officials said. The Biden administration is expected to respond to SCOTUS Tuesday.
SCOTUS puts off a decision on Joe Biden's immigration plans, to maintain the status quo.
"Mitch McConnell: Omnibus boosts defense spending, cuts nondefense spending" via Alexander Bolton of The Hill — Senate Minority Leader McConnell touted the year-end deal on an omnibus spending package as a victory for Republicans because it will boost defense spending above the rate of inflation and increase nondefense spending at a lower rate than inflation, effectively resulting in a cut. McConnell cast the result as the mirror image of what Biden requested when he sent his budget request to Congress. Republican sources say the boost in defense-related spending compared to what they're calling the "real-dollar cut" to nondefense spending is more dramatic when the generous increase in spending on military veterans, which is classified on the nondefense side of the spending ledger, is factored in.
"Medical cannabis leaders frustrated as SAFE Banking Act dies in Congress" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Legislation that would legitimize finances for the medical marijuana industry will not be heard in the lame-duck Session. Senate leadership would not include the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (HR 1996) in a defense budget bill passed last week. The measure also failed to make its way into a continuing resolution ensuring the federal government stays funded into the new year. Medical cannabis leaders in Florida say that's a missed opportunity for a growing industry. "We are deeply disappointed in leadership on both sides of the aisle and the lack of action on SAFE Banking over the past two years," said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve.
"Gen Z problems: Maxwell Frost is struggling to rent an apartment" via Stephanie Lai and Anna Kodé of The New York Times — At 25, Rep.-elect Frost will be the youngest member of Congress. He's also in debt, after maxing out credit cards to win Florida's 10th Congressional District seat. He said he was upfront about his bad credit when he applied for a one-bedroom apartment in Washington, D.C., where he now has to live part-time for at least the next two years. A broker, he said, told him that was fine. He paid a $50 application fee and then was denied the apartment because of his poor credit history. Frost's housing woes have generated a wide range of commiserating among Gen Z Twitter users who have short credit histories and less capital to afford expensive deposits and application fees.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
"Stephanie Murphy helps lay out Jan. 6 panel's case against Trump" via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — U.S. Rep. Murphy capped off her congressional career by voting with her fellow Jan. 6 Committee members to recommend the prosecution of Trump. "Trump turned to his supporters, those who believed his lies about a stolen election‚" Murphy said Monday during the committee's final hearing. "He summoned a crowd to the nation's Capitol on Jan. 6, hoping that they would pressure Congress to do what he could not do on his own." Murphy's comments involved the fourth and final of the committee's findings of potential criminal charges, that Trump violated a federal statute against inciting, assisting, or engaging in insurrection or giving aid or comfort to an insurrection.
"House Jan. 6 panel ends probe with referrals on crimes, ethics" via Michael Macagnone of Roll Call — The House select committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol unanimously voted Monday to refer Trump to federal prosecutors for his role in the assault and the broader effort to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. The committee also voted on referrals to the House Ethics Committee for four sitting House members and approved the release of its final report. The committee referred House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy as well as Reps. Andy Biggs, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania to the House Ethics Committee for defying a committee subpoena for their testimony. A fifth member who defied a subpoena, Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, is retiring.
The Jan. 6 committee laid down the law, with Donald Trump on the losing end.
"It's unclear whether the Justice Dept. will take up the Jan. 6 panel's charges" via Alan Feuer of The New York Times — It is still unclear just how closely the Special Counsel's office in charge of the Justice Department's own investigation will follow the path mapped out by the committee — or whether Trump and others will face any criminal charges at all. Not much is publicly known about any specific charges that the special counsel, Jack Smith, might consider in any prosecution, and the Justice Department is under no obligation to adopt the committee's conclusions or recommendations. One charge that both the panel and prosecutors have placed at the center of their investigations is the obstruction of an official proceeding before Congress. DOJ mentioned that count in a warrant to seize the cellphone of Jeffrey Clark, a former department official who the committee referred for criminal charges.
—"Five takeaways as Jan. 6 panel criminally refers Trump" via Niall Stanage of The Hill
"Young conservatives send mixed messages on Trump at MAGA gathering" via Natalie Allison of POLITICO — Trump has the respect of the newest generation of conservatives. But at the nation's largest annual gathering of MAGA Millennials and Gen Z-ers, talk of the former President has centered on his legacy, rather than anticipation about his political future. The young voters who were drawn to a Republican Party led by Trump are already open to another leader becoming the face of the GOP. That, of course, is DeSantis, Trump's top potential rival in a 2024 Primary. At times from the stage here, Trump and his policies were praised. So were DeSantis.' But aside from unsuccessful Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, speakers largely shied away from the nascent 2024 campaign, with most declining to pledge loyalty to Trump in his comeback presidential bid.
In a meeting of young conservatives, Kari Lake is the only one to talk about Trump 2024.
"Will Congress finally release Trump's tax returns to the public?" via Steve Benen of MSNBC — In the midst of a series of unrelated missives about climate change, The Washington Post, TikTok, and immigration, Trump mentioned his hidden tax records by way of his social media platform last night. "You can't learn much from tax returns," he wrote, "but it is illegal to release them if they are not yours!" To be sure, much of the focus on Capitol Hill right now is on the Jan. 6 committee. But for the former President, this isn't the only area of concern related to the outgoing Democratic majority in the House. On the contrary, Trump has spent the better part of seven years trying to hide his tax materials, and Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee may soon undermine his attempts at secrecy.
"How Trump jettisoned restraints at Mar-a-Lago and prompted legal peril" via Rosalind S. Helderman, Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker and Jacqueline Alemany of The Washington Post — When Trump invited the rapper formerly known as Kanye West and White supremacist Nick Fuentes to join him for dinner on the patio of his Florida club last month, Trump had no chief of staff or senior aide at his side. There was no scheduler, either, or a press aide. Only one person staffed Trump at the gathering with antisemites that drew days of denunciations: Walt Nauta, a cook and military valet. In the two years since he left office, Trump has re-created the conditions of his own freewheeling White House, with all its chaos, norm flouting, and catering to his ego, with little regard for the law.
— LOCAL —
"Federal judge rejects Jacksonville's second map in a redistricting win for NAACP" via Hanna Holthaus and David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — A federal judge rejected the Jacksonville City Council's second attempt to draw boundaries for Council districts and instead chose a map submitted by a group of civil rights groups for the spring 2023 elections. U.S. District Judge Howard said that after she struck down a map the City Council approved in March, she gave the city a second chance to "draw a constitutionally appropriate map." "But the city's effort to do so was hamstrung by its failure to address Jacksonville's thirty-year history of racial gerrymandering, the effects of which remain firmly embedded" in the map that City Council approved last month as its proposed "remedial map," Howard wrote.
"Mayport littoral combat ships slated for decommissioning after Senate vote on Navy budget" via Steve Patterson of The Florida Times-Union — Dealing a blow to Naval Station Mayport's vitality, the U.S. Senate approved a 2023 defense budget that includes provisions to retire four littoral combat ships commissioned during the past decade. The Thursday night vote on the $858 billion National Defense Authorization Act effectively granted half the decommissioning proposals the Navy recommended in March when budget officials said eight Freedom-variant LCS based at Mayport and a ninth in San Diego, California, should be taken out of service to free up funds for Navy priorities including responses to Chinese naval advances in the Pacific.
Will Mayport be mothballing LCS?
"'Out of control and an embarrassment': Holley-Navarre Water System mired in controversy" via Tom McLaughlin of the Pensacola News Journal — A lot of people associated with the Holley-Navarre Water System disagree with board member James Dabney over many things. But without fail, those who have spoken about the state of affairs within the utility itself said Dabney's November comment that "the whole place is a (expletive) show" was dead on. The utility's board of directors is an obviously divided body, for which animosity among members is more the rule than an exception. Ty Campbell served a year and a week as the HNWS finance director before resigning in disgust. "Given the current circumstances, I am tendering my notice of resignation," he said in the first paragraph of a long letter outlining his reasons for leaving.
"Escambia County receives $10.9 million for living shoreline project at NAS Pensacola" via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Escambia County has won another grant to advance the living shoreline project at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Escambia County announced this week that it had won a $10.93 million grant award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's National Coast Resiliency Fund for the Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline Project. The grant will go toward constructing 33 acres of marsh, 5 acres of oyster reef breakwater, and improving conditions for 25 acres of submerged aquatic vegetation along Magazine Point on NAS Pensacola.
"A short-handed School Board awaits Rod Velez's fate" via Steve Bousquet of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The Broward School Board is a Gang of Eight, one member short. The reason is a long story that keeps getting longer. Nearly six weeks after the election, much of South Broward has no voice on the board. The people chose Velez, who won with 52% of the vote, but his eligibility to serve is still in dispute with a lawsuit pending in the Fort Lauderdale courthouse and an investigation in Tallahassee. If only the leaky roof at Northeast High School got so much attention. By now, Velez should be busy talking to parents and school experts about student achievement. Instead, he's talking to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Rod Velez's electoral win sits in legal limbo.
"Poll: Majority of GOP voters in Miami-Dade oppose carrying concealed weapons without a permit" via Mitch Perry of Florida Phoenix — DeSantis said he expects the GOP-led Legislature to pass a bill next year that would allow people to carry guns without a concealed-weapons permit, but a new poll of voters taken in Miami-Dade County shows that the public, particularly Hispanic voters, strongly oppose that measure. The proposal is known by gun-safety advocates as "permitless carry" and by its Second Amendment supporters as "constitutional carry." DeSantis became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate in 20 years to win Miami-Dade in this year's election, and much has been written about how Hispanic voters have been drawn to the GOP in recent election cycles.
"Shock to the system: Why pesky critters are causing so many power outages in Lake Worth Beach" via James Coleman of the Palm Beach Post — In Lake Worth Beach, the only Palm Beach County municipality with its own electric utility, curious creatures are often the root of major power outages. And lately, they've been more of a plague than a pest. Iguanas and other lizards are the top animal causes of outages in Lake Worth Beach. Squirrels, birds and raccoons are a close second. In 2022, there have been 30 sustained power outages (defined as an outage of more than one minute) from animal contacts caused by iguanas and other lizards (19), birds (nine), raccoons (two) and a snake (one).
"Stone crabs, gator heads and tourism: Rustic fishing towns bounce back after Ian" via Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Chokoloskee and Everglades City, two fishing villages-turned-travel-destinations that sit next to each other on the cusp of Everglades National Park and the Gulf of Mexico, have seen more than their share of hurricane destruction. Irma bludgeoned the towns with 110 mph winds and 5 feet of storm surge. The storm also picked up mud out of thousands of mangrove creeks in the Everglades and deposited up to 20 inches of it in town, covering streets, playing fields and the interior of homes and hotel rooms. If you rode a bike through the two rustic towns today, two months later, it might seem like the storm never even showed up. "It's wide-open," said Everglades City Mayor Howie Grimm, bragging that nearly all the businesses are up and running.
"A former Florida Elections Commission lawyer's child porn cost him freedom and license" via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald — Before investigators found Eric Lipman's child pornography collection, Lipman lived in Tallahassee and was general counsel for the Florida Elections Commission. Now Lipman lives in Sumterville at FCI Coleman Low, a low-security federal prison, Inmate No. 55255-509. And, as of last month, he's no longer a member of the Florida Bar. As Lipman began serving his six-year sentence for one count of conspiracy to distribute, receive and possess child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography, he applied for disciplinary revocation. Disciplinary revocation makes the Florida Bar's discipline case against Lipman go away. In return, Lipman accepts what is, the state Supreme Court says, "tantamount to disbarment."
"A look at which Leon County schools lead the district in expulsions, suspensions this year" via Ana Goñi-Lessan of the Tallahassee Democrat — Rickards High School leads Leon County Schools in the number of expulsions this fall. Rickards students make up seven out of the 18 total expulsions from the Leon County school district since the beginning of the school year through the month of November. Leon High School comes in second with three expulsions, and Godby High School comes in third with two. When a student is expelled from a school, their family agrees to stipulations that allow the student to continue their education at an alternative school, like Success Academy at Ghazvini Learning Center, or through the home-school office.
"Gainesville Commission loses three decades of experience with departure of Lauren Poe, David Arreola, Adrian Hayes-Santos" via Andrew Caplan of The Gainesville Sun — Spread across two foldout tables at City Hall Thursday evening were dozens of letters expressing gratitude to Poe for the many times he spoke publicly and privately with people throughout Gainesville and beyond. Children drew him pictures and told him they, too, wanted to be mayor someday. During the most recent City Commission meeting, Gainesville officials and members of the public bid farewell to Poe and Commissioners Hayes-Santos and Arreola, all of whom are term-limited and officially leave office on Jan. 5, as their replacements will be sworn in.
"Fernandina Port leadership debated as Danny Fullwood leads for another term" via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Fullwood will remain as Chair of the Port of Fernandina's Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA), but this will be his last stint in the seat, he said at OHPA's last meeting of the year. Commissioner Mike Cole nominated Fullwood. "I'd just like to say he's done a great job," Cole said. "He's got a lot of things he's working on still, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it." OHPA tends to operate in a loose fashion, there's no set succession plan for the Board, which Commissioner Miriam Hill suggested may be a good idea to implement to establish continuity and decision-making.
Danny Fulwood gets another shot at leading the Port of Fernandina's Ocean Highway and Port Authority.
"Fight brewing between Nassau County, Fernandina Port over meeting room" via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — It's not quite "no room at the inn" for the Port of Fernandina's Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) this holiday season, though some Commissioners are wondering whether Nassau County is being a Scrooge about its meeting space. OHPA, which doesn't have a permanent meeting spot, had to leave the County Commission chambers and reserve a room at the Yulee campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville during the past several months because of the county's election planning needs. "We received an interlocal agreement from the county — we've been trying to get this for over a month, and they finally got something to us," OHPA Chair Fullwood said at the Board's last meeting of the year.
"Charlotte taps nonprofit for super search" via Sue Erwin of the Port Charlotte Sun — In its quest to hire a new superintendent, Charlotte County Public Schools will get help from a nonprofit organization in Tallahassee. During a special meeting Monday, the School Board unanimously approved a professional services agreement with the Florida School Boards Association to help find a new superintendent. The agreement includes a fixed fee of $30,000. Chair Cara Reynolds moved to approve the agreement at Monday's meeting. Vice Chair Wendy Atkinson seconded the motion. The School Board heard a presentation from Florida School Boards Association Executive Director Andrea Messina during its workshop Wednesday.
"Hillsborough puts off decision on whether to extend the widening of I-275" via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — The orange barrels and concrete barricades along Interstate 275 in Tampa won't be going away anytime soon, an ongoing $85 million expansion of the highway won't be completed until 2026. But a question for transportation planners is whether those road construction accouterments will extend nearly 8 miles northward in the future to add interstate highway lanes all the way to Bearss Avenue. Adding two lanes along I-275 between Hillsborough and Bearss avenues, taking it from six to eight traffic lanes plus hardened shoulders for mass transit, carries an estimated $223 million price tag. There is no funding available.
"Tampa Bay inflation falls to single digits for the first time since January" via Devonta Davis of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — Tampa Bay has had one of the highest inflation rates this year, with numbers far above the national average, but the latest report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows this could be changing soon. Tampa Bay saw growth in consumer prices to 9.6% last month from a year earlier, the first time since January that the rate was in single digits. After peaking in June, the national inflation rate dropped to 7.1% last month. The federal government tracks prices in 23 metro areas, with Los Angeles, New York and Chicago reporting every month and the other cities alternating every other month.
"We flew above the Red Tide blooms offshore of Tampa Bay. Here's how it looks." via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times — Flying 1,000 feet above Treasure Island, "We're coming up on a bloom right now. "This patch of algae was one of several that could be seen above Pinellas County waters this weekend as the latest Red Tide event unfolds in the Tampa Bay area. Over the past week, state water testers have detected high concentrations of the organism that causes Red Tide, Karenia brevis, in 18 samples in and offshore of Pinellas County. At those elevated levels, more than 100,000 Karenia brevis cells per liter of water, Red Tide can cause respiratory irritation for humans and ignite fish kills that litter some of Florida's most sought-after beaches.
"Downtown Tampa, anchored by its office market, loses a big tenant to Midtown Tampa with TECO move" via Ashley Gurbal Kritzer of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — When Tampa Electric Co. and Peoples Gas move to Midtown Tampa in 2025, the central business district will lose a major office tenant that's been a downtown mainstay for more than 40 years. More than 900 employees will relocate from downtown Tampa to Midtown, where the utilities will own 11 stories in Midtown East. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted office-based employees to remote and hybrid work models, office workers are the most reliable stream of foot traffic for downtown restaurants and retailers.
TECO's move to Midtown Tampa leaves a big hole in Downtown.
"$8 million lighting project still on the blink for Expressway Authority" via Jeff Patterson of WFLA — The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority hoped to light the elevated, reversible lanes of the roadway with decorative lighting. In 2020 a contract was given, awarding $8 million to illuminate the piers of the elevated expressway. The contract called for the lights to work without problems for 45 contentious days. Many of the lights have been removed and the vendor is working to repair and replace them.
"West Tampa Tobacco Company cigar lines tell Tampa, family stories" via Paul Guzzo of the Tampa Bay Times — As a bigwig for one of the world's largest tobacco companies, Rick Rodriguez traveled the globe in support of CAO Cigars. When Rodriguez told a cigar aficionado that he was born and raised in Tampa, the reply was typically the same. "Whether I was in China or Europe, even if they couldn't point out Tampa on a map, they replied, 'Cigar capital of the world,'" the 63-year-old said. "We haven't really been cigar capital in more than 50 years, but people know that history." Rodriguez retired from CAO in April after 24 years with the company, most recently as their top blender, or cigar chef, as he called it.
"Orlando adds sprawling boardwalk over 'jewel' Wetlands Park" via Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — Far from city hall, a new boardwalk juts out from a berm toward a cypress dome, home to thousands of native birds in the springtime, spanning over acres of shallow, filtered water at Orlando Wetlands Park. The wetland near Fort Christmas in east Orange County is owned by Orlando, though it sits closer to Titusville than Lake Eola. It covers 1,650 acres of natural landscape and filters reclaimed water before it flows into the St. John's River. The 2,200-foot boardwalk brings hikers, bird-watchers and other visitors out over the water and closer to the adored coots, egrets, herons and wood storks who nest near the cypress dome. Come back in a few months and thousands will be nested, volunteers say.
"Brevard residents can seek FEMA aid for Hurricane Nicole damage" via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Homeowners and renters in Brevard County who were affected by Hurricane Nicole are now eligible to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency individual disaster assistance. FEMA this week also opened a "disaster recovery center" in Cocoa to help residents apply for that aid. The center is at the University of Florida/Brevard County Extension Center. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily but will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The FEMA individual aid became available after Biden approved Florida's request for a Hurricane Nicole major disaster declaration for Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
"Central Florida's L3Harris to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne" via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — One of Central Florida's biggest aerospace companies is taking on a lot more rocket power as L3Harris Technologies announced it was acquiring Aerojet Rocketdyne. The Melbourne-based defense contractor L3Harris said Sunday it would pay $58 a share for a total cash acquisition of $4.7 billion, which includes net debt. The deal is expected to close in 2023, the release said, using existing cash and taking on new debt.
"'Straight out of a Cheez-It box.' The story behind the Orlando bowl hotel rooms" via Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times — If you're among the college football fans who get salty about what name, image and likeness deals have done to the sport, allow us to present an irrefutable counterargument. The Cheez-It hotel room. Four players, including one from No. 13 Florida State, will be staying in one in Orlando before the Dec. 29 Cheez-It Bowl and the Jan. 2 Citrus Bowl (also sponsored by Cheez-It). Virtually every inch is dedicated to Kellogg's snack food, from floor-to-ceiling wallpaper to dressers, shower curtains and "motivational Cheez-It-inspired artwork."
— TOP OPINION —
"Conservatives, stop giving money to people who hate you" via Matthew Peterson of the Miami Herald — Elon Musk's reform of Twitter has brought about both jaw-dropping revelations and much rejoicing, as the tyrannical reign of some of the worst hall monitors on the internet seems to be coming to an end. The case of Yoel Roth has garnered particular attention. It turns out the company's former censor-in-chief wrote his doctoral dissertation "in favor of children being able to access adult internet services," as Musk put it, including the gay hookup app Grindr. Right-leaning commentators and everyday Americans alike need to stop pretending to be shocked by these stories. There's a deeper lesson here if we are willing to heed it. Roth and myriad others throughout America's elite professional class are typical representatives of an irredeemably corrupted credentialing system.
— OPINIONS —
"Democrats no longer have reason to release Trump's tax returns" via Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post — After House Democrats won the majority in 2018, Ways and Means Chair Richard E. Neal demanded Trump's tax returns. Unlike other recent presidential candidates, Trump had never released them. After a protracted court battle, Neal obtained the returns and now, two years after Trump lost the White House, contemplates releasing them to the public on Tuesday. This is a bad idea. Releasing Trump's tax returns now has all the appearance of petty payback. I'm hard-pressed to think of any legislative proposal that might come from the returns, let alone from their public release.
"DeSantis vaccine complaint exploits public health gaffes" via Faye Flam of Bloomberg — Earlier this week, medical website STATnews reported on data that showed COVID-19 vaccines have saved 3 million lives in the U.S.. That's about three times as many Americans as those who died from the virus. Even if you quibble with the exact figure, these vaccines have been a momentous achievement. But the same day, DeSantis petitioned the state Supreme Court to start a grand jury investigation into the safety and efficacy claims behind mRNA vaccines, the dominant kind used in this country.
"The only doctors Florida needs are Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Dr. Laura, and Dr. Feelgood" via Diane Roberts of Florida Phoenix — Doctors! Those guys are a menace to decent Americans. They make us pee in paper cups. They tell us to stop eating Mickey D's supersized fries for breakfast. They want us to exercise. Worst of all, they shove needles in us and have the brass-faced, copper-bottomed gall to claim it's for our own good. Our Governor is fixing to fix this medical mess. He's going to get a grand jury to investigate what he so rightly calls "crimes and wrongdoing" in the vaccine industrial complex. No longer will a bunch of geeks with fancy degrees be in charge of our well-being. Floridians will be liberated from busybody science and allowed to believe whatever we want, never mind "facts," never mind loser "physicians" who get their jollies poking things into your flesh and looking at your naked X-rays.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— HOLIDAYS —
"Antisemitism casts darkness amid Hanukkah lights" via Laura Meckler, Michael Brice-Saddler and Allison Klein of The Washington Post — As the first night of Hanukkah, known as the Festival of Lights, arrived Sunday, Jews across the region were also contending with darkness, a surge of antisemitic incidents that have left many feeling vulnerable and even frightened. In recent days, the words "Jews Not Welcome" defaced an entrance sign at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, teachers reported receiving antisemitic emails, and a swastika was painted at a bus-stop bench at Montgomery Mall, 4 miles from the school. The arrival of Hanukkah also brought joy, with its mix of fried foods, potato latkes and doughnuts, plus candles, gifts and the spinning-top game dreidel.
"Hanukkah decorations multiply, with varying success: 'Is that a Santa in blue?'" via Clare Ansberry and Zlati Meyer of The Wall Street Journal — Decorations, long the domain of Christmas, have seeped into Hanukkah. Instead of the Elf on the Shelf, there is the Mensch on the Bench, and blue and white tinsel garlands with tiny menorahs, as well as Hanukkah-specific items such as "Live, love, latke" signs. For lizard owners, there's a Reptile Hanukkah Ugly Sweater, with dreidels and the words "Just Keep Spinning," part of PetSmart's Merry & Bright line that also includes reptile wear featuring elves, reindeer and polar bears. Rabbi Yael Buechler welcomes Hanukkah merchandise as long as it is authentic, which much of it isn't, she says.
Hanukkah gets the Christmas inflatable treatment.
"Christmas tree demand remains high despite inflation" via The Associated Press — For all the worries about inflation and the economy, Americans aren't scrimping on a centerpiece of many celebrations this holiday season: the Christmas tree. Retailers from Home Depot and Lowes to mom-and-pop operations raised prices on trees, but people are still buying them. Some Christmas tree growers fretted over external factors, high fuel, fertilizer and labor costs, only to rediscover that holiday greenery is largely inflation-proof, even as Americans cut back on retail spending last month. The cost of an average-size tree from the local Rotary Club's Christmas trees in South Portland, Maine, is $70, $5 more than last year.
"Florida airports expected to set records during holidays" via The Associated Press — The holiday travel season this year is expected to rival the busiest seasons before the pandemic at Florida's two most bustling airports, which will see millions of travelers passing through them, officials said. Orlando International Airport expects to host 2.9 million passengers during a period that started in mid-December and extends through the first few days of the new year. That would mark a 17% increase over the same period last year when 2.5 million travelers passed through the airport. Miami International Airport is expected to host 2.5 million passengers. That would mark a 1.5% increase over the record-breaking holiday travel season last year.
"Hanukkah festival lights up downtown Tampa" via Angelica Edwards of the Tampa Bay Times — Tampa's largest Hanukkah festival was held on Sunday at the City Hall Plaza in Tampa. The City of Tampa, Chabad CHAI South Tampa and Chabad of Tampa Bay welcomed the start of Hanukkah, which runs Dec. 18-26 this year. The festival included an assortment of food and activities such as raffle prizes, a rock wall, an obstacle course, face painting and human whack-a-mole. Visitors also watched Tampa City Council Chair Joseph Citro light the menorah on behalf of the City of Tampa.
Tampa gets into the Hanukkah spirit by lighting the menorah. Image via @CityofTampa/Twitter.
"Meet the St. Petersburg Uber driver making each trip a Christmas adventure" via Gabrielle Calise of the Tampa Bay Times — Each customer that slides into the backseat of Frantz Laroche's vehicle is asked the same question. "Are you ready for the best Uber ride of your life?" As the journey begins, Laroche blasts holiday music punctuated with his own hearty "ho ho ho"s. Here, our Santa is a ride-share driver who looks like Stanley Tucci, with a shaved head and black-framed glasses. He wears a festive headband and a glowing string of Christmas lights around his neck. His sleigh is a black Honda Odyssey complete with glossy leather seats. Each person who enters it during the holiday season will be quizzed on classic Christmas music as they zip through the streets of St. Pete.
"Buy now, regret later?" via Peter Coy of The New York Times — Companies in the "buy now, pay later" business have one message for consumers and a very different one for Wall Street and retailers. They tell consumers that B.N.P.L. is a safe, responsible way to shop. Meanwhile, they tell investors and retailers that B.N.P.L. is a good way to get people to spend more. Can both things be true? I'm not sure. "Buy now, pay later" is making an impact this holiday shopping season. B.N.P.L. is geared toward getting people to spend more. "The risk is that society overburdens people with credit," says Michael Hershfield, the founder and chief executive of Accrue Savings.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to Rep. Kelly Skidmore, our dear friend, Gregory Holden, as well as our tech geek, Daniel Dean, University of Miami President Julio Frenk, and Jerry McDaniel of The Southern Group.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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