Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 5.16.24
Good Thursday morning. Breaking overnight — "Top FAMU official resigns amid $237M donation calamity" via Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO — The resignation of Shawnta Friday-Stroud, a vice president at the historically Black university in northern F…
Breaking overnight — "Top FAMU official resigns amid $237M donation calamity" via Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO — The resignation of Shawnta Friday-Stroud, a vice president at the historically Black university in northern Florida, was announced at an emergency Board meeting, as school trustees launched an investigation into how the dubious gift from a Texas hemp farming executive was accepted without their knowledge. Several trustees blamed President Larry Robinson for the ordeal, who took "full responsibility" for accepting a donation that raised almost immediate red flags once it was announced. FAMU earlier this month received what was announced as a record-high donation from Batterson Farms Corporation's Gregory Gerami and the Isaac Batterson Family 7th Trust. The purported $237 million gift was presented as a boon for the school that would almost triple its endowment, benefiting students and faculty for generations. The announcement quickly encountered skepticism and dampened the celebration.
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The Florida Chamber of Commerce is releasing its report grading lawmakers based on their votes on bills impacting Florida businesses during the 2024 Legislative Session.
"Florida currently has a $1.62 trillion economy and is continuing to grow and diversify," said Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson. "I want to thank Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Speaker Paul Renner and the pro-jobs legislators who continued to put Florida's business climate first by prioritizing the growth of private sector jobs and diversifying our economy."
Ron DeSantis, Kathleen Passidomo and Paul Renner are celebrated for putting Florida business first.
The Chamber's 2024 Legislative Report Card considers more than 5,700 votes cast during Session, with the average lawmaker receiving an 87% — good enough for a high "B" in classroom terms. Senators were slightly more aligned with the Chamber, scoring an 89% average compared to the House at 86%.
The Florida Chamber informed lawmakers which issues it would be paying attention to ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session in its annual "Where We Stand" and "Florida Business Agenda" publications, which were delivered to lawmakers before any tracked votes were taken.
Alongside the 2024 Legislative Report Card, which showcases grades earned by all 160 legislators in the state House and Senate, the Florida Chamber announced that 15 lawmakers are receiving its "Distinguished Advocate Award."
This year's winners include Renner and Reps. Jennifer Canady, Tiffany Esposito, Sam Garrison, Mike Giallombardo, Jason Shoaf, John Temple, Dana Trabulsy as well as Passidomo and Sens. Jim Boyd, Colleen Burton, Nick DiCeglie, Erin Grall, Jay Trumbull and Clay Yarborough.
The Chamber said it will soon release its other annual post-Session report, "How They Voted," which, in addition to legislator grades and awards, will include a full recap of what Chamber priorities, what was defeated, and what remains unfinished business following the 2024 Legislative Session.
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Four months afterreopening its Tallahassee office, Jones Walker is expanding.
The firm announced this week that House Speaker Renner's Communications Director, Andres Malavé, is joining its Government Relations team.
Malavé, the first Hispanic Communication Director in the Speaker's Office, previously worked as Communications Director of the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee when the GOP took a supermajority in the House.
Paul Renner's Communications Director, Andres Malavé, is joining the Jones Walker Government Relations team.
"Andres is a top-notch political professional. Not only did he craft a winning communications plan to deliver the largest Republican majority in state history, as Communications Director of the Florida House, he helped us to effectively deliver results on priority legislation and show the rest of the country, and the world, how to do things the Florida Way. Jones Walker is lucky to gain a creative, well-connected, and principled leader on their team," Renner said.
Before the House, Malavé worked at Americans for Prosperity and Stand Together in Florida and at their Virginia headquarters in various roles, including leading the Regional Communications team where he helped leaders across the country advocate for better health care, fiscal, and educational outcomes.
"Andres' experience in the Speaker's Office and working across the policy spectrum around the country will make him a valuable part of our team. His knowledge of the process and his relationships with legislative and industry leaders across the state will be key in his ability to advise our clients," said Marc Dunbar, Partner at Jones Walker's Tallahassee office.
— DAYS UNTIL —
'The Blue Angels,' a feature documentary from J.J. Abrams opens in IMAX theaters — 2; 'Bridgerton' new season (part one) premieres on Netflix — 3; French Open begins — 5; Special Election to replace Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill — 5; Dave Matthews Band 2024 Summer Tour begins in Tampa — 7; 72nd annual three-day Florida Folk Festival begins — 8; Monaco Grand Prix — 11; Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins — 17; the 2024 World Cup begins — 27; DreamWorks Land officially opens at Universal Orlando — 30; season two of 'House of the Dragon' returns to Max — 32; CNN Presidential Debate — 42; Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens at Disney World — 43; 'A Quiet Place: Day One' premieres — 44; Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday begins — 47; Universal Mega Movie Parade debuts — 48; Republican National Convention begins — 59; the 2024 World Cup ends — 63; 2024 MLS All-Star Game — 68; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games on NBC/Peacock — 71; 'Deadpool & Wolverine' premieres — 72; Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins — 75; 'Alien: Romulus' premieres — 93; Florida Primary Election — 97; Democratic National Convention begins — 97; second Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins — 101; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin — 101; Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday begins — 109; 2024 NFL season kicks off — 114; Packers will face Eagles in Brazil — 114; first of three Presidential Debates — 124; Vice Presidential Debate — 133; second Presidential Debate — 139; third Presidential Debate — 147; Taylor Swift's Eras Tour stops in Miami — 156; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 160; Florida TaxWatch's 45th Annual Meeting — 169; 2024 Presidential Election — 173; Legislature's 2025 Organizational Session — 187; Las Vegas Grand Prix — 187; 'Mufasa: The Lion King' premieres — 201; MLS Cup 2024 — 202; 'Captain America: Brave New World' premieres — 272; the 2025 Oscars — 291; Florida's 2025 Legislative Session begins — 293; 2025 Session ends — 353; 'Moana' premieres — 403; 'Thunderbolts' premieres — 434; 'Fantastic Four' reboot premieres — 434; 'Blade' reboot premieres — 541; 'Avatar 3' premieres — 583; 'Avengers 5' premieres — 719; Untitled 'Star Wars' movie premieres — 736; Another untitled 'Star Wars' movie premieres — 947; 'Avengers: Secret Wars' premieres — 1,087; 'Avatar 4' premieres — 2,046; 'Avatar 5' premieres — 2,768.
— TOP STORY —
"Turkey list: Florida TaxWatch finds $855M in budget 'turkeys'" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — This year, Florida TaxWatch, a taxpayer watchdog group, found 450 budget projects totaling $854.6 million they deem to be "turkeys" — more commonly known as pork barrel spending or member projects. That's a 43% increase over last year when the group found $598.7 million in turkeys.
The overall budget this year is $117.5 billion. Lawmakers have yet to formally send the budget (HB 5001) to DeSantis.
No, not this kind of turkey.
TaxWatch defines a project as a "turkey" if it avoids the regular budget process for member projects; is funded ahead of other projects with greater need; is inserted into the budget during negotiations with the House and Senate, and wasn't included in the budget of either chamber initially; the item was zeroed out in the negotiations but later reinserted, usually in the "sprinkle list"; or if it is funded from an improper trust fund, is duplicative or based on legislation that didn't pass.
TaxWatch stresses that its turkey list isn't a judgment on the worthiness of each project but is meant to bring transparency and oversight to the state budget process. However, the report also criticizes the "explosion" in member projects despite attempts in 2017 under then-House Speaker Richard Corcoran to bring more transparency to the process surrounding them.
"Member projects have always been important to legislators, but their proliferation has changed attitudes toward them," the report states. "Any sheepishness about attempting to 'bring home the bacon' seems to have disappeared. The formal processes for requesting member projects that the Legislature created may have contributed to that, even if they have improved transparency."
— STATEWIDE —
"Gov. Ron DeSantis signs legislation to crack down on China, forced labor, wind turbines" via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — DeSantis signed three measures that will push the state to divest from Chinese companies, bar contracts with companies engaging forced labor and overhaul the state's energy policies. "The legislation I signed today — HB 1645, HB 7071 and HB 1331 — will keep windmills off our beaches, gas in our tanks, and China out of our state," DeSantis posted on X. "We're restoring sanity in our approach to energy and rejecting the agenda of the radical green zealots. Furthermore, we're going to ensure foreign adversaries like China have no foothold in our state." The most contested bill in the trio was HB 1645, which includes a ban on windmills, both within the state and offshore and removes an incentive for state and local governments to purchase electric vehicles by eliminating a requirement that the most fuel-efficient vehicles be selected.
Ron DeSantis signs a bill that bans windmills at the beach.
Happening today — Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis will host a news conference to announce new measures to protect firefighters from battery fires: 10 a.m., Fire Station 1, 78 West Central Blvd., Orlando.
"Federal courts decline to dismiss challenge to Florida Senate map" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — A federal court has declined to dismiss a racial gerrymandering lawsuit challenging Florida's Senate map. A three-judge panel unanimously ruled against a motion to dismiss from Secretary of State Cord Byrd's office. A court order said after civil rights groups filed suit, attorneys for the state didn't bother to respond to the central argument in the case. "Defendants move to dismiss the Complaint, arguing that Plaintiffs have failed to state a plausible vote-dilution claim," the order reads. "But Plaintiffs don't bring a vote-dilution claim; they bring a racial-gerrymandering claim."
"Turkey list: TaxWatch flags more than $410M in water projects" via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The organization labeled 281 water projects as turkeys, totaling more than $410 million — nearly half the total for all budget turkeys. The organization also identified two additional projects focused on agricultural promotion and education facilities, each for $1 million. "The Legislature has created numerous grant and other financial assistance programs to help local governments secure funding for water protection and restoration projects. The programs are administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and projects are evaluated by the agency using established criteria and priorities (usually in statute)," reads the report. But TaxWatch noted that the 281 member-requested water projects flagged "did not go through any of these assistance programs." That was enough to land them on the list.
"Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando Science Center among Orange County projects called 'turkeys'" via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Several Orange County Black history initiatives and two popular entertainment venues were called out in the report. Appearing on the list was the $500,000 for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts expansion to build a Music & Listening Outdoor Venue. "The Music & Listening Outdoor Venue will be a unique space where guests with or without a ticket will be able to listen to world-renowned artists within Steinmetz Hall and Judson's in an exterior green space," according to the local funding initiative request from Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur. "This new venue is the groundbreaking for a larger 9-acre Master Development that will be the most unique and active performing arts center in the state and possibly globally."
"TaxWatch raises concern over $5M in Orlando Holocaust museum funding" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The fiscal watchdog is raising questions over $5 million in state funding dedicated to a Holocaust museum planned in downtown Orlando. Florida TaxWatch included funding for the Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in its annual "budget turkey" list. The turkey report flagged the Orlando Museum on a list of cultural facilities that shouldn't receive the money budgeted by state lawmakers. It notably was one of five Holocaust education-related items deemed a turkey by the organization's analysts. The $5 million budgeted for the Holocaust museum actually represents a fraction of what Central Florida lawmakers wanted.
"Proposed Operation Pedro Pan museum in Miami marked 'Budget Turkey'" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Calatayud and Alvarez both sought $5 million for the project helmed by Operation Pedro Pan Group Inc., which plans to acquire an existing building to house historical art, exhibits, archival storage, and meeting and office space. They ultimately secured half that sum by the end of Session in March. For many South Florida residents, particularly in Miami-Dade County, Operation Pedro Pan was a transformative moment in their familial histories. From 1960 to 1962, more than 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children left their homeland in the early years of the Cuban Communist Revolution with the help of the Catholic Welfare Bureau in Miami.
"Turkey list: Flagler emergency shelter project slapped with Florida TaxWatch 'Budget Turkey' label" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A $10 million earmark for the development of an up-to-current-standards shelter in Flagler County should be deleted from Florida's proposed budget, Florida TaxWatch says. The Flagler shelter project is the priciest of 13 housing and community development proposals Florida TaxWatch identified as better financed through competitive state or federal grants, not Florida's general fund. But Flagler's Director of Emergency Management, Jonathan Lord, said the county needs the shelter as soon as possible to protect residents sufficiently. He also noted the shelter would be on state property and, as such, would appropriately be funded with state dollars.
"Turkey list: Cape Coral EOC expansion among sprinkle list items flagged" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Lawmakers budgeted $9 million to expand the Emergency Operations Center in Cape Coral two years after Hurricane Ian struck. But Florida TaxWatch just labeled the member project as a "budget turkey." The fiscal watchdog took issue primarily with the fact that lawmakers included the massive spend in the Legislature's "sprinkle list," discretionary funding that each chamber of the Legislature budgets in supplemental funding. The House ultimately dedicated $5.5 million from its funds. The Senate chipped in another $3.5 million from its own similar funding pot for the project. But Florida TaxWatch has called that entire budget process flawed and recommended that the "sprinkle list" be discontinued entirely.
"Turkey list: Florida TaxWatch spotlights $17.4M in Hillsborough-Pasco-Pinellas budget turkeys" via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Florida TaxWatch has flagged nearly $17.4 million in budget turkeys benefiting the Tampa Bay region, specifically in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. The items were highlighted because they bypassed the normal appropriations process and represent local projects ranging from educational institution enhancements to various infrastructure and expansion projects. The largest appropriation flagged is in Pinellas County, $2.5 million for renovations to the Pinellas Science Center. The items are typically local. Florida TaxWatch notes that inclusion in its budget turkey list is not a referendum on the project's merit, value or need — rather an indication that transparency and/or vetting were lacking.
Pinellas Science Center gets branded as a 'budget turkey.'
"Sixty days in jail and forced psychiatric treatment: What Florida could do next to homeless people" via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — Emails obtained by the Orlando Sentinel through a public-records request show that a lobbyist for the Texas-based "Cicero Institute" sent a package of homelessness-related legislation last Fall to the office of House Speaker Renner. Key elements of Cicero's plan were then incorporated into HB 1365, a new law requiring cities and counties across the state to stop people from sleeping or camping in parks, under highway overpasses, or on any other public property — unless they are inside a secured camp that has been approved by the state. The bill passed Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature on largely party-line votes and was quickly signed into law by DeSantis, who has also worked with Cicero and its lobbyists in the past.
"Does Florida law ban the state from taking action against a dentist for antisemitic remarks?" via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Florida legislators are calling for regulators to suspend the license of a dentist who has made antisemitic statements, but the question is whether a new law championed by Republicans in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic will make that goal more difficult. Rep. Randy Fine was among those who championed the 2023 law, aimed at protecting the free speech rights of health care providers. It came amid concerns that doctors could lose their licenses for speaking out about COVID-19 vaccines and other treatments. This past week, Fine — a Brevard County Republican and the only Jewish Republican in the Legislature — wrote a letter to the Florida Board of Dentistry, asking members to suspend the license of Fadi Kablawi. Fine cited several instances of Kablawi making antisemitic statements in his preachings, all of which came after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel.
— 2024 — FLORIDA —
"Are registered Democrats being "purged" in Florida?" via Dave Trotter of Voting Trends — Over the last couple of months, Florida Democrats have claimed that they are victim to Republican purging of voters due to the enactment of Senate Bill 7050. However, the numbers don't seem to support their skepticism. In 2020, nearly 1.3 million Democrats did not vote in the General Election, with nearly 2.4 million not voting in 2022. While it is true that voters who didn't vote in 2020 could have voted in 2022, it's likely that many voters didn't vote in either. Still, between the 2020 General Election book closing and December of 2023, Democrats lost 609,297 voters. If we look at the fact that this number is significantly less than the 1.3 million who didn't vote in 2020, this easily falls within the reasonable expectations of voters being removed. Furthermore, since new voters are less likely to register as Democrats, this deficit seems to make sense. Had Democrats actually turned out their voters, they would have more voters. It's not rocket surgery.
Are registered Democrats getting 'purged'? The numbers say no.
"Florida Dems warn voters to check status after U.S. House candidate deactivated from voter rolls" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) is urging members to confirm they are still election-ready after a U.S. House candidate revealed he was recently deactivated from the state's voter rolls. Former Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey, a Democrat running for Florida's 27th Congressional District in Miami-Dade, shared this past weekend that the state had removed him in October from its list of active voters. The removal came, he said, despite his long tenancy in an apartment building where his father, a Republican, also has a unit but did not see any registration change. "In January, I saw a story … about people being purged from the rolls. … We've seen what Republicans have done in Tallahassee to make it more difficult to register, to make it more difficult to vote, (and) I'd heard something about … more Democrats being removed than Republicans, so I thought, 'Let me just look into this,'" he told Jim DeFede of CBS News Miami.
— 2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —
"Joe Biden and Donald Trump agree to debates. And then debate about more debates." via Steven Shepart, Sam Stein, Jonathan Lemire and Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO — Having spent months avoiding direct engagement on when and where to debate, both Trump and Biden seemed to agree on a time and place in a matter of minutes on Wednesday, setting up high-stakes showdowns in late June and mid-September. Trump's campaign announced that it accepted an invitation to debate the current President on CNN on June 27 and on ABC on Sept. 10. Biden, having previously said that he had "received and accepted an invitation" from CNN then agreed to participate in ABC News' forum, too.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden agree to debate, and then debate about that.
"17% of voters blame Biden for the end of Roe" via Claire Cain Miller, Ruth Igielnik, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times — Nearly one in five voters in battleground states says that Biden is responsible for ending the constitutional right to abortion, a new poll found, despite the fact that he supports abortion rights and that his opponent Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices who made it possible to overturn Roe v. Wade. Trump supporters and voters with less education were most likely to attribute responsibility for abortion bans to Biden, but the misperception existed across demographic groups. Twelve percent of Democrats hold Biden responsible, according to polls in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin and a Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena poll in Pennsylvania.
— DOWN-BALLOT —
"Gulf Breeze News publisher files to challenge Don Gaetz in SD 1" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Newspaper publisher Lisa Newell has filed to challenge former Florida Senate President Gaetz's bid to return to the Capitol. Newell filed this week as a Democrat in Senate District 1. The Gulf Breeze News publisher announced her candidacy in an op-ed. in the South Santa Rosa News, a paper unaffiliated with her company. She acknowledged the long odds of running as a Democrat in one of Florida's most conservative state Senate districts. But she said voters in the Panhandle deserve to have choices on the ballot. She told Florida Politics that she spoke to party leaders about finding another candidate in the race before ultimately deciding to run herself. "I just kept seeing there was no opposition," she said. "We can't just not have a candidate. We have to run someone. I think our area is so reliably red that most say it's not worth the effort. But I thought we needed to have a choice on the menu."
Lisa Newell saw no one challenging Don Gaetz, so she stepped up.
Rich Blonna endorses Greg Folley for HD 81 — Marco Island City Council member Blonna is backing Folley in the Republican primary for House District 81. "After serving with Greg on the Marco Island City Council for the past two terms, I have come to respect him greatly and have found him to be a valued colleague. While we have disagreed over the years on many issues, our disagreements have always been civil and respectful. This is exactly the kind of demeanor we need at the higher levels of government, and I'm sure Greg will represent Marco Island with grace and dignity in Tallahassee," Blonna said in a news release. Folley is competing against Moms For Liberty activist Yvette Benarroch for the Republican nomination in the seat currently held by Rep. Bob Rommel, who is term-limited.
Happening tonight:
— LOCAL: S. FL —
"Parkland massacre deputy, found not guilty of criminal wrongdoing, demands BSO pay his legal fees" via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Former Broward Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, the school resource officer on duty during the massacre of 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was in court asking a Broward Judge to force the Broward Sheriff's Office to pay the legal fees connected to his 2023 negligence trial. Peterson stood in front of Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein, the same Judge who oversaw his trial, and vowed to prove that his conduct on Feb. 14, 2018, when a gunman shot his way through the Parkland school's freshman building, was consistent with Sheriff's Office policy based on what he knew at the time the shooting was taking place.
Now that he has been found not guilty, Scot Peterson hopes the Broward Sheriff's Office to pick up his legal tab.
"Insurer says it has no duty to pay millions in Joe Carollo legal fees under city's policies" via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — An insurance company for the city of Miami says it cannot be held responsible for over $10 million in legal fees for the defense of Commissioner Carollo in various lawsuits dating back to 2018, citing allegations that Carollo engaged in "deliberate, willful conduct that was intended to deprive plaintiffs of their property and harm plaintiffs' reputations to punish and retaliate." In a lawsuit filed in federal court this week, the city insurer, QBE Specialty Insurance Company, seeks to recoup $5 million, most of which it paid to the city earlier this year, saying it is not liable for legal expenses incurred in five lawsuits filed against Carollo by Little Havana business owners Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla.
"Did lawmakers clean up a condo-hotel mess, or create 'dictatorships' for developers?" via Alexandra Glorioso of the Miami Herald — A courtroom fight over a luxury Miami Beach condo and hotel complex spilled into Florida's Capitol this year, where lawmakers gave hoteliers and developers the upper hand in disputes with residents over common areas in so-called hotel-condos — and potentially undercut a key reform put in place after the collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside. Due to a late amendment, a sprawling, 154-page condo-law bill that unanimously passed the House and Senate states that condominium residents in mixed-use buildings only own what has been given to them upfront in contracts drafted by developers. The bill, sponsored by Miami state Rep. Vicki Lopez, "deprives unit owners of their democratic mini-societies and puts them at the mercy of dictatorships run by hotels and developers," Stevan Pardo, an attorney for condo associations at Miami Beach's Carillon complex, wrote in April to the Governor.
"Are some people paid to speak at Miami-Dade meetings? That's (usually) hard to prove" via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Danielle Siegel rode the bus and Metrorail to a Miami-Dade County Commission meeting recently to wait her turn before the microphone to endorse a land deal for a Costco about 20 miles south of her Flagami home. "I'm here to support the Costco," Siegel, 60, told Commissioners at the May 7 meeting. "I buy a lot of bulk food." She later told a reporter she was offered $50 to be there that day — a significant sum, Siegel said, as she struggles to pay rent while living off benefits income of less than $700 a month. "It means groceries to me," she said.
"Coral Gables group submits petitions to curb self-given City Hall pay raises" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A political action committee focused on getting three charter amendments on the Coral Gables ballot just turned in its first batch of petition signatures from voters who want a say in whether elected city officials get raises. Accountable Coral Gables, a self-described citizens' advocacy group, announced its submission of about 2,000 signatures supporting a proposed city charter amendment requiring voter approval for all future Mayor, Vice Mayor or Commission salary increases. State law provides that petition gatherers must collect 10% of the number of registered voters in a municipality per proposed charter amendment for a question to make the next election ballot.
"Former Doral officials sue city for revoking their lifetime pensions. The Mayor responds" via Verónica Egui Brito of the Miami Herald — Four former Doral city officials filed a lawsuit in response to the City Council's revocation of a pension plan that gave the city's elected officials lifetime pension, health and life insurance. The Elected Officials Pension Plan was approved in January 2021 and revoked in June 2023. It benefited elected officials who served at least eight years or two full terms, no longer held office, and had reached age 60. The Council repealed the pension plan with support from Council members Maureen Porras and Rafael Pineyro. Council members Oscar Puig-Corve and Digna Cabral, who were part of the previous government and had voted in favor of the pension plan, voted against revoking it. The lawsuit was filed nine days later.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
"Pickup driver pleads not guilty to charges from Central Florida bus crash that killed eight Mexican farmworkers" via Mike Schneider and Terry Spencer of The Associated Press — A man with a long record of dangerous driving pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence-manslaughter in the deaths of eight Mexican farmworkers whose bus was sideswiped by his pickup truck in Central Florida. Dozens more were injured. Bryan Maclean Howard, 41, remains jailed without bond for Tuesday's crash where the Florida Highway Patrol says he drove his 2001 Ford pickup into the centerline on a two-lane road and sideswiped a farmworker bus, causing it to veer off the road, strike a tree and flip over. Court documents giving details of what substance Howard allegedly took remained sealed Wednesday afternoon.
Bryan Maclean Howard pleads not guilty to a crash that killed eight migrant farmworkers.
"'False narrative': Brevard Schools' disputes teacher salary report, union offered 1% raise" via Finch Walker of Florida Today — Less than a week after the School District offered teachers only a 1% salary increase at the first bargaining session with the local teacher union, Brevard Public Schools (BPS) touted their average teacher salary as no. 5 in Florida and called the average salary as reported by the state Department of Education a "false narrative." "Using the information that's being provided by the different leaders in the state, we'll fact check their data," said Ryan Dufrain, assistant superintendent of human resources at BPS, during a Board meeting. He showed a presentation that was not on the agenda that included at least one slide lifted from a presentation by Brevard Federation of Teachers President Anthony Colucci.
Orange County candidate announces endorsements — Joel Montilla, a candidate for District 5 for the Orange County Board of Commissioners, announced he won endorsements from former U.S. Mel Martínez, state Rep. Susan Plasencia and former Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty. The endorsements also included Vice Chair of Orange County School Board Angie Gallo and Central Florida President of Clear Channel Outdoor Craig Swygert. "I am deeply grateful to have earned the endorsements of influential community leaders from both the public and private sectors," Montilla said in a news release. He is running for the open County Board seat along with former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary, environmental activist Kelly Semrad and former state Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil.
"Clermont voters elect Tod Howard to fill vacancy on City Council" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Clermont voters have elected Howard to complete the term of late City Council member Jim Purvis. Howard, Carefree Boats of Central Florida owner, faced Give A Day Foundation founder Otis Taylor in a Special Election. According to unofficial election results from the Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Howard won 55.62% of the vote, or 1,806 votes to Taylor's 1,441. Both candidates cited past community involvement providing them with a background to fill the Seat 2 vacancy on the Council. Howard ran on a platform that included low taxes, waterways protection, and small business support. He has owned Carefree Boats of Central Florida since 2017, according to his LinkedIn.
"An $11M dilemma: City of Daytona has to quickly spend millions or lose the money" via Eileen Zaffiro-Kean of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — The city of Daytona Beach has been under state audit since 2021 because its permits and license fund level has climbed too high, and the city could be forced to forfeit some of those funds to the state government if they're not used soon, The News-Journal has learned. State law says governments in Florida can't let too much of their permits and license revenues go unspent year after year, and the city has found itself in that situation. The fund currently has a balance of about $22 million. Top city staffers have come up with an $11 million plan to draw down the revenue.
"Cocoa City Council votes to seek $49M federal grant for Brightline station" via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Brightline's future in Brevard County made another small step forward after Cocoa's City Council voted unanimously to apply for a federal grant that would make up the bulk of the funding for a new station in the city. In a 5-0 vote, the city approved applying for a grant that could bring $49 million in federal funding for a future Brightline station at what's called the Cocoa curve, a location where the passenger train must slow down to transition from an east-west pathway to a north-south one. The station is planned for a 90-acre-plus site near Clearlake Road/U.S. 1 and State Road 528. Some of that land is owned by Brightline and some is owned by Cocoa.
"Bob Iger reflects on Disney's streaming launch: 'We invested too much'" via Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter — "As we got into the streaming business in a very, very aggressive way, we tried to tell too many stories. Basically, we invested too much, way ahead of possible returns. It's what led to streaming ending up as a $4 billion loss," Iger told the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference during a session that was webcast. Iger addressed a falling out with his hand-picked successor, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, whose tenure he called out for lavish and misplaced content spending. "It was clear to me that our structure was not working, because we were removing accountability from those that were basically investing the most capital was a mistake," he argued.
Bob Iger says too much Disney money was invested in streaming.
"Iger says Disney shouldn't be stressed out by Universal's Epic Universe" via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Walt Disney Co. CEO Iger isn't losing sleep at night with its biggest competitor building a multibillion-dollar resort down the road in Orlando. Iger was asked about Universal Orlando's Epic Universe and what it means for Disney during an investor conference. "We've had competition from them for a long time. I'm mindful of what they're doing, but I'm confident. I like our hand. I'm confident in what we built and I'm confident we will continue to build," Iger said. "It's not something that should be distracting to us or anxiety-provoking." Iger spoke about Universal, Disney+, the company's reorganization and other topics during a candid discussion at MoffettNathanson Media and Communications Summit. On Tuesday, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts was interviewed at the same conference and vowed Epic Universe will "redefine the park experience" when it opens in 2025.
"Disney Cruise Line sued by family following man's stroke at sea" via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A new federal lawsuit accuses Disney and a health services group of not doing enough to save a 76-year-old man who was having a stroke on board the Disney Dream cruise last year. The man, a beloved family man and watchmaker from Pennsylvania died two months after his vacation. Nghi Nguyen's daughter, Nga, filed the lawsuit against Disney Cruise Line and Virginia-based Vanter Cruise Health Services in the U.S. District's Orlando division. Nguyen died June 8, 2023, at a hospital in his home state of Pennsylvania. The lawsuit said he boarded the Disney Dream on April 10, 2023. The ship was embarking to Castaway Cay and the Bahamas from Miami. Four days into the trip, at 10 p.m. while the cruise was at sea, Nguyen showed symptoms of a stroke. The lawsuit accused the Dream's physicians of failing to reach out to a neurologist or specialist on land for help. No one sought an emergency medical evacuation or rushed him to land for his medical emergency, the lawsuit said.
— LOCAL: TB —
"Suzy Lopez to seek death penalty against suspect in slaying of mother, daughter" via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — State Attorney Lopez, who heads the 13th Judicial Circuit, will seek the death penalty against Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc. Cuz Choc is accused of brutally murdering his girlfriend, Amalia Coc Choc De Pec, and her 4-year-old daughter at her Dover home. Cuz Choc reportedly entered the country without proper authorization or documentation and is wanted for two additional murders in his home country of Guatemala. He's charged with two counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse. Cuz Choc is accused of attacking his girlfriend with a shovel and knife, stabbing and striking her repeatedly. He told investigators he was angry when she arrived home late from an outing with friends. The adult victim's body was found April 25 in a makeshift shed on the exterior of the trailer the couple shared. Choc De Pec's daughter was found stabbed to death in the bathtub.
Suzy Lopez is seeking the death penalty for alleged murderer Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc.
"With big spending on horizon, Pinellas lands record tourist-tax haul" via Jack Evans of the Tampa Bay Times — Pinellas County collected more than $14.6 million in tourist taxes in March — its most ever in a single month, tourism officials said Wednesday. The haul, collected from taxes on overnight stays at hotels and short-term rentals, bested the county's previous high, from March 2023, by more than $1 million, according to county tourism bureau Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. The record month is a boon at an important time: After accruing tourist tax reserves totaling more than $200 million in recent years, the county could soon start to spend that money on costly projects, including beach renourishment efforts and a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark in downtown St. Petersburg.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
"Leon County Commission OKs $1 million emergency grant program for storm recovery" via Arianna Otero of the Tallahassee Democrat — Residents and business owners in the unincorporated parts of Leon County will soon be able to apply for up to $10,000 in emergency storm relief grant money. The County Commission, at the behest of Commissioner Christian Caban, voted 6-1 to take $1 million from the county's Catastrophe Fund to establish the grant program, to which both individuals and business owners can apply. Commissioner David O'Keefe was the lone 'no' vote against establishing the program proposed by Caban, who shared a letter with the idea a few hours before Tuesday's board meeting. Seeing residents "come through the water and food distributions, people's lives were truly impacted. Seeing people come day after day, the same people, with tears in their eyes … There are a handful who lost everything," Caban said. "This is a time for us to come together and act swiftly in order to help folks in our rural communities."
Christian Caban is behind the push to move $1 million to storm recovery.
"'She loved serving': Family mourns mom killed during Tallahassee tornado outbreak" via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Carolyn Benton and her fiance, Ed Sutton, were just getting up Friday morning when the wind started to howl and the rain began to beat against their mobile home off Aenon Church Road. Ed, a landscape foreman, stepped out of the bedroom to get a better look at the weather outside as Carolyn, a restaurant manager and mother of three grown children, lay in bed. Neither of them knew that a big storm was coming — or that tornadoes, relatively rare for Tallahassee — were even a possibility. They had no inkling that their time together was about to come to a sudden and horrific end. The lights flickered off before Carolyn, 46, uttered the last words Ed would ever hear her say. Carolyn Benton, a mother of three and assistant manager at a local Zaxby's, was killed when a large oak tree crashed into her bedroom off Aenon Church Road on Friday, May 10, 2024, during severe storms that saw three tornadoes and 100-mph straight-line winds hit Leon County. "There goes the power," she said.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
"SRQ airport pushes back against FAA, says land sale to New College of Florida is justified" via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is pushing back against a decision by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that nixed the sale of airport property to New College of Florida. Airport officials claim the FAA erred last month when the administration rejected a $11.5 million sale of 30.94 acres of land to New College with claims that the authority was unaware that airport land was leased by the college, that the land could be necessary for future airport use, that the land valuation was subpar, that zoning for the property does not allow for college dormitories, and that the college's current lease does not meet FAA requirements.
SRQ is doubling down on its proposed land sale to the New College of Florida.
"FPL announces planned local upgrades" via Daniel Finton of the North Port Sun — Florida Power & Light (FPL) recently announced it is continuing to work on upgrades in North Port, Venice and Punta Gorda. Officials said they are doing so to get ahead of an "unpredictable" hurricane season. Bolstering current energy sources and managing vegetation are two of the main goals of FPL ahead of the storms, it stated in a news release. In North Port, the news release stated that FPL is making improvements by completing more than 50 "storm secure underground" projects, strengthening 24 "main" power lines, and installing smart grid technology with advanced sensors used to track outages. It also inspected nearly 10,500 power poles and upgraded those to FPL standards, as well as inspecting more than 77,500 for strength.
Personnel note: Bill Clague joins Grimes Galvano — Clague, the former county attorney and general counsel for Manatee, has joined the team at Grimes Galvano, where he will focus his practice on transactional, land use and administrative law. "Bill has dedicated most of his career to serving our community, and he has done so thoughtfully and with the utmost professionalism," said Caleb Grimes, Esq., partner at Grimes Galvano. "We're thrilled to welcome him to our firm and appreciate the unique experience and insights he brings. Having Bill join our team bolsters our continued growth as we provide unmatched service to our clients in Manatee County and beyond."
That's why I'm proud to endorse Sen. Scott for re-election. Scott has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to supporting law enforcement and keeping our communities safe. He understands the challenges we face on the ground and has been a staunch advocate for providing law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to combat crime effectively.
Whether it's securing funding for critical law enforcement programs or championing policies that enhance public safety, Sen. Scott has been a reliable ally for law enforcement officers across Florida. Marion County families can rest assured that Scott will work hard to keep your family and our community safe. He cares and shows it by being there any time we need him.
— OPINIONS —
"Arguments to keep marijuana illegal don't hold up against reality" via Andrew Sturner of the Miami Herald — Cannabis prohibition has done nothing but waste billions of taxpayer dollars, produce discriminatory policies and destroy communities. Thankfully, recent momentum is promising. The Florida Supreme Court has approved the ballot language of Amendment 3 that seeks to legalize adult-use cannabis in the November elections. The DEA proposed reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III substance instead of Schedule I along with drugs like heroin. Former DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young called the plant "the safest therapeutically active substance" as far back as 1988. Despite progress made over the last 26 years, many public officials amplify their disdain for reform with cherry-picked data and biased analysis. As Election Day nears, prohibitionists must retire their contrarian arguments. Balanced data and analyses illustrate that we must legalize cannabis and implement effective policies that ensure a secure market.
"Why the debates are coming earlier" via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — Wednesday morning was a little chaotic as news broke that Biden had rejected the plan of the Commission on Presidential Debates and challenged Trump to two debates. By the end of the morning, Trump had accepted, and the plan, approved by both candidates, was for a first debate on CNN in Atlanta on June 27 and a second debate on ABC News on Sept. 10. Why did it happen? Certainly, both campaigns recognized, as the Commission on Presidential Debates did not, that millions of people are going to vote well before Nov. 5, Election Day. But Biden has something special to worry about. It's a two-part problem for the President: 1) He is trailing in a lot of polls, especially in key states, and 2) a lot of voters have already made up their minds.
"Netflix gets NFL Christmas Day games in major sports expansion" via Alex Weprin of The Hollywood Reporter — Netflix will stream live NFL games, beginning this season. In a deal that changes the sports media landscape, the streaming giant has inked a deal to stream the NFL's two new Christmas Day games, which it decided to carve out from its schedule earlier this year. Netflix will stream the games this year, instantly giving it access to the biggest live sports rights in the U.S. The two games on tap will be the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans.
Netflix is giving sports fans a Christmas present.
"Florida Man Games seeks contestants for second year" via Patrick Connolly of the Orlando Sentinel — Whether it's riding a human-sized hamster wheel across the Atlantic Ocean or wielding a machete in a road rage incident, the notorious Florida Man always seems to be making headlines for another "truth is stranger than fiction" kind of story. These kinds of headlines are what spurred St. Augustine native Pete Melfi, who owns the 904 Now, to create the Florida Man Games, which debuted this past February with sumo-styling wrestling, evading the police, weaponized pool noodle mud duel and other events straight out of a Floridian fever dream. Following the success of the first Olympic-style games, which drew more than 5,000 spectators, Melfi and his team plan to bring back the games at a new venue on March 1, 2025.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are state Sen. Tom Wright, Rep. Bobby Payne, Kate Bradshaw, Matthew Ubben, and Rick Watson.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
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