Sunburn The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics 10.1.21 – Florida Politics

Good Friday morning.

First in Sunburnand just off embargo Trulieves $2.1 billion deal to acquire another cannabis MSO, Harvest Health & Recreation, is now complete with Trulieve having acquired all of the issued and outstanding voting shares of stock. With the completion of this transaction, this creates the largest U.S. cannabis operator across a combined retail and cultivation footprint basis.The closing of this transaction marks a transformational milestone in our companys history and positions Trulieve as the leading medical and adult-use cannabis operator in the U.S., stated Kim Rivers, Chief Executive Officer at Trulieve, who will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:00 a.m. Look for a full write-up about the deal on Florida Politics later this morning.

The stars had seemingly aligned for former Rep. Lake Rays campaign to return to the Legislature.

House District 12 is open now that Rep.Clay Yarborough is running for Senate with leadership support. And the Duval-based seat has a sizable GOP advantage. Add in a volley of high-profile endorsements from the Jacksonville legislative delegation, and it seemed pretty close to a sure thing.

Well, Jessica Baker has something to say about that.

The Assistant State Attorney entered the field on Friday, setting up what could easily become a barnburner of a Republican Primary.

She spared the pleasantries in her campaign announcement: Each day it seems another career politician finds a new way to rant about how divided we are as a nation, determined to drive a wedge between all of us and common-sense solutions.

Im running for Florida House District 12 because, like so many of you, Im ready to tune out the politically driven outrage and focus on Florida-based outcomes for our families, our businesses and our communities that preserve our God-given freedoms and defend your right to pursue the American dream.

Before becoming a prosecutor, Baker worked at high-powered lobbying firms Ballard Partners and Sachs Sax Caplan as well as in various capacities for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and former Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

While the Florida State University law school grad is accomplished in her own right, she has an ace up her sleeve her husband is political consultant Tim Baker, who was instrumental in Currys election as Mayor.

Ray is not without firepower. He has veteran campaign consultant Bert Ralston in his corner. He also has a head start in the money race, with about $150,000 on hand between his campaign account and political committee.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

@Timodc: Low vaxxed upper Midwest states about to get their Florida surge, and nobody seems to have learned anything. PS. Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana have all passed NY in deaths per capita thanks to their post-vax spike. Insane.

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@JeffreyBrandes: Question Why does the Florida lottery use a flamingo in its advertisements and not the current State bird the mockingbird? Maybe because no one associates the northern mockingbird with the southernmost state.

@JKennedyReport: While its @WaltDisneyWorlds 50th anniversary Friday, it almost didnt go to the Orlando area. When (Walt) Disney met with St. Joe Paper boss Ed Ball about land in NW Fla, he was told, Mr. Disney, Im not going to see you today or any day. I dont do business with carnival people.

@pixelatedboat: If they made The Sopranos in todays woke society, it would be about Tony Soprano going to therapy

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DAYS UNTIL

MLB regular season ends 2; No Time to Die premieres 7; Succession returns 16; Dune premieres 21; Curb Your Enthusiasm returns 23; World Series Game 1 25; Florida Chamber Future of Florida Forum begins 26; Florida TaxWatchs annual meeting begins 26; Georgia at UF 29; St. Petersburg Municipal Elections 32; Floridas 20th Congressional District Primary 32; The Blue Angels 75th anniversary show 35; Disneys Eternals premieres 35; Yellowstone Season 4 begins 37; Disney Very Merriest After Hours will debut 38; Miami at FSU 43; Hawkeye premieres 44; ExcelinEd National Summit on Education begins 48; FSU vs. UF 57; Florida Chamber 2021 Annual Insurance Summit begins 61; Jacksonville special election to fill seat vacated by Tommy Hazouris death 67; Steven Spielbergs West Side Story premieres 70; Spider-Man: No Way Home premieres 77; The Matrix: Resurrections released 82; The Book of Boba Fett premieres on Disney+ 89; CES 2022 begins 96; NFL season ends 100; 2022 Legislative Session starts 102; Floridas 20th Congressional District election 102; Joel Coens The Tragedy of Macbeth on Apple TV+ 105; NFL playoffs begin 106; Super Bowl LVI 135; Daytona 500 142; St. Pete Grand Prix 149; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres 175; Thor: Love and Thunder premieres 219; Top Gun: Maverick premieres 238; Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II 244; Black Panther 2 premieres 280; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 292; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel premieres 371; Captain Marvel 2 premieres 406.

TOP STORY

Disney World moves into full 50th-anniversary mode via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel Although only a reported 10,400 eager people visited on Oct. 1, 1971, the foundation was laid to become the worlds most visited theme park. Expect Main Street U.S.A. to be more crowded 50 years later. Visitors will see a park in full celebration mode, from the tip of the bejeweled Cinderella Castle down to the shiny new name tags for Disney World employees. The resort also is introducing attractions that will affect the theme parks for months and years to come. We have some surprises in store for our guests. I think that I think itll be a day for the memory books, Melissa Valiquette, vice president for Magic Kingdom, said Thursday.

New attractions, makeovers and more: 10 things to know as Disney World hits 5-0 via Britt Kennerly of Florida Today

These Disney World attractions may be gone, but their memories are still holding strong via USA Today

Disney Worlds First Family remembers excitement of opening day via Rebecca Turco of Spectrum News The 50th anniversary brings back cherished memories for the Windsor family, the very first family to visit on opening day. For Marty Windsor Ritter, Bill Windsor and their two toddlers, getting that special honor involved a little luck and a lot of planning. We parked behind a gas station that was here all night long, she said. And then we had a police officer come by and say, What are you doing? And I said, We want to be the first family to get into Walt Disney World. He said, OK, Ill watch you all night long. Her son Jay Windsor, who was only 3 years old at the time, still remembers bits and pieces. Meeting all the characters was the exciting thing back then, he said.

Disney World faces several new challenges over the next 50 years via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel Nearly 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic have proved the future can be unpredictable, but theme park experts say they believe Disney Worlds leaders can navigate the next 50 years to maintain the resort as a world leader in entertainment. Even so, the theme park likely faces challenges as virtual reality options grow, climate change makes the summers even hotter, and families have fewer children. Many predict that Disneys focus on storytelling will continue to take center stage in the next five decades. The pandemic has helped Disney World, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, realize it can successfully adopt the model of fewer people, richer experience, said Bill Coan, President and CEO of a theme park company called ITEC Entertainment.

DATELINE TALLY

Ron DeSantis pulls one road from the Everglades, but OKs putting in another via Craig Pittman of Florida Phoenix Man, I always loved that old TV show The Twilight Zone. In a news release, DeSantis says, Since day one, my administration has been focused on expediting key Everglades restoration and water quality projects to protect Floridas natural resources for future generations, and Im proud of our record-setting progress. The Governor who had just bragged about yanking an environmentally destructive road out of the Everglades turned around and voted to put another one into the Everglades. The Kendall Parkway has been touted as a way to relieve the constant State Route 836 traffic jams in the Kendall area. The cost: a mere $1 billion. A billion dollars to cut travel time by six minutes!

Republican lawmakers file bill to protect religious freedoms during emergency lockdowns via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics Two lawmakers are proposing legislation in the upcoming Session to ensure a department store is never more essential than a church. The legislation is a product of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the measures, an emergency lockdown or shutdown order must apply equally across businesses and religious institutions in Florida. Sen. Jason Brodeur and Rep. Nick DiCeglie are the bill sponsors. If were going to close down and restrict religious institutions from being open, then we have to apply that same restriction to everybody, DiCeglie explained. DiCeglie pointed to New York and California amid the pandemic, two places where government closed church doors while allowing some businesses to remain operational.

Docs who help transgender youth could face prison time under Anthony Sabatini bill via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics Florida could go after doctors and health care providers that offer treatment to transgender teenagers under a bill filed this week by Rep. Sabatini. Sabatinis bill (HB 211) mirrors those introduced in dozens of other states aimed at health care providers who treat transgender minors. The legislation says that health care providers could face a year in prison or be fined $1,000 if they prescribe or supply puberty-blocking medication or provide large doses of testosterone to females or estrogen to males. The bill would create a new section of general health care law dubbed the Vulnerable Child Protection Act that would apply to nearly every licensed health care professional in the state.

Marie Woodson seeks to fast track veterans into health care amid staff shortages via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics Rep. Woodson is proposing legislation that would streamline outgoing service members into the ranks of Floridas medical field, a move she contends would remedy the states ongoing shortage of health care workers. Under the proposal (HB 131), a medically trained military veteran may work under the supervision of a licensed health care provider without subscribing to the states time-consuming certification process. The benefits, she contends, are twofold: Veterans transfer immediately into gainful employment, and providers are afforded a deeper pool of experienced applicants. This is a population that is very dear to my heart I was trying to find a way to address those shortages, but also looking for ways to help our veterans, the Hollywood lawmaker said.

Out of the nest: Lawmaker wants mockingbird ousted as state bird of Florida via James Call of USA Today Network State Sen. Jeff Brandes has had it with the northern mockingbird as the official state bird of Florida. He has filed a bill for the 2022 legislative session and taken to social media to build a flock of supporters. He wants to persuade fellow lawmakers to rescind the mockingbirds designation as the avian representative of the Sunshine State. The Department of State defends the mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) as helpful because it eats insects and weed seeds. But detractors point out its annoying habit of singing all night long under a full moon. Brandes is not impressed by mockingbird supporters who claim it is a year-round resident. He wants a bird that immediately says Florida, like orange juice does as the state drink, and the alligator and manatee as state reptile and mammal.

Proposed law to care for retired police dogs huge, Volusia K-9 handlers say via Patricio G. Balona of The Daytona Beach News-Journal In the course of their careers, police dogs often suffer wear and tear from constant training, chasing suspects, and sometimes even taking a bullet in the line of duty. When K-9s retire, sometimes expensive care for the animals falls to the officers who adopt the dogs as their own. But a bill put forward by Rep. Sam Killebrew could ease that financial burden and offer quality care for the retired dogs. Killebrews bill, HB 25, would disburse funds to cover veterinary visits and more for the K-9s. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the bill is important. Two dogs from the Sheriffs Office were recently shot and wounded by an armed carjacking suspect.

A judge blocked Floridas ban on sanctuary cities. What it means for the undocumented via Kalia Richardson of the Miami Herald A Florida judge struck down key portions of the sanctuary city ban this month. U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami said a part of the ban was enacted based on biased and unreliable data generated by anti-immigrant hate groups despite having a chilling and disparate impact on immigration communities. Neza Xiuhtecutli, the general coordinator of The Farmworker Association of Florida, felt the impacts of the ban firsthand. Although associations like this can breathe a little easier after the judges ruling, there is still confusion as to what a sanctuary city is and the implications it has on undocumented communities.

New and renewed lobbying registrations:

Ellen Anderson: Moffitt Cancer Center

Emily Buckley, Dean Mead: American Health Associates, American Sportfishing Association, Florida Outdoor Advertising Association, Florida Recreational Vehicle Trade Association, Step Up for Students, Tampa Bay Water, The Williams Companies

Shan Goff: Foundation for Floridas Future

Robert Holroyd, Tripp Scott: Florida Mental Health Advocacy Coalition

Will McKinley, Angela Dempsey, Erik Kirk, PooleMcKinley: Cerner Corporation

CORONA FLORIDA

Florida COVID-19 update: 938 deaths added to tally. State saw lowest 7-day death average in weeks. via Devoun Cetoute of the Miami Herald Florida on Thursday reported 938 more deaths and 4,781 additional COVID-19 cases to the CDC, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. All but 78 of the newly reported deaths, about 92%, occurred since Sept. 2. About 55% of the newly reported died in the past two weeks, the analysis showed. In all, Florida has recorded at least 3,570,752 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 55,009 deaths. In this most recent phase of the pandemic, Florida through the CDC has reported deaths in Monday and Thursday clumps. In the past seven days, on average, the state has added 272 deaths and 5,612 cases to the daily cumulative total.

YouTube misinformation policy update: DeSantis office promises to fight censorship via Sam Sachs of WFLA YouTube announced an expansion to their community guidelines, focused on what the company called harmful misinformation relating to vaccines and other health-related topics. In response to YouTubes updated content policies, DeSantis office promised to oppose censorship and continue fighting in defense of a recent law aimed at preventing de-platforming on social media sites. The new YouTube guidelines include a three-strike content and account takedown policy with a 90-day timeline. An instant ban is also a possibility for accounts that promote content directly in opposition to the new guidelines.

Florida probes 43 entities under COVID-19 vaccine passport law, but no fines issued yet via Austin Fuller of the Orlando Sentinel Florida is investigating 43 businesses or governments for possibly violating the states 2-week-old COVID-19 vaccine passport law, but no one has yet been issued a $5,000 fine, health officials said Thursday. Applicable entities that are found to be in violation will be fined, said Department of Health communications director Weesam Khoury. Khoury did not provide specifics on who was being investigated. State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith said that the DeSantis administration has not fined anyone is telling. He said the law was politically motivated. Guillermo Smith added he knows of businesses that are requiring vaccinations for customers but did not want to name them.

Fight over COVID-19 vaccines may keep some kids from traditional back-to-school shots via John Kennedy of USA Today Network With COVID-19 vaccinations a political battleground, fallout from the fight could be filtering down to Florida schools: In some counties, not enough kids are getting their routine back-to-school shots. And public health officials worry when even a small amount of school children arent immunized for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and more. They fear the combative divide over COVID-19 vaccinations, driven by so much misinformation, is creating a new threat in Florida classrooms. This is another public health crisis on top of a public health crisis, said Dr. Patricia Emmanuel, chair of the College of Medicine Pediatrics at USF Health, part of the University of South Florida.

Families scramble for at-home COVID-19 tests. Heres how theyre doing it. via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Where South Floridians once frantically sought Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer, now they are after a new hot commodity: at-home COVID-19 tests. Online and in stores, many major retailers like CVS and Walgreens are sold out of the popular at-home rapid tests. Medical supply vendors will fill only large quantities, and the wait is six to eight weeks. Workers in need of regular screening for employment and parents desperate to show a school a negative result are scrambling to find the tests, which return results in minutes.

CORONA LOCAL

Jerry Demings pushes back against DeSantis usurpation of epic proportion for proposing to fine Orange County via Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel Orange County will fight any efforts by state officials to impose potentially millions of dollars in fines on the county for Demings mandate requiring employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or face discipline. Demings letter was sent to Doug Woodlief, a division manager at the state Health Department, who called the Mayors vaccination mandate a discriminatory policy and a violation of a law, making the county potentially liable for a fine of $5,000 per individual violation.

Orlando pediatricians urge COVID-19 vaccinations via Scott Powers of Florida Politics With federal approval for COVID-19 vaccinations for younger school-age children imminent, two Orlando pediatricians urged parents to vaccinate their children when federal approval comes and to vaccinate themselves. Thats how you express to your children the fact that you care about them, the fact that you love them. This is what responsible parenting and membership in a community is all about, said Dr. Kenneth Alexander, the pediatrics infectious disease resident at Nemours Childrens Health in Orlando. Alexander and Dr. Adriana Cadilla, a pediatric infectious disease consultant at Nemours, spoke at Demings biweekly COVID-19 update briefing. They made it clear they harbor no doubts that vaccinating children would be the right thing to do if and when federal approval comes, which they expect.

Duval School Board votes to explore challenging state order on COVID-19 safety via Emily Bloch of The Florida Times-Union The Duval County School Board is fighting back against a state executive order that jeopardizes how the district handles its mask mandate and, potentially, quarantine policies. Tuesday, the Board voted 4-3 to allow its general counsel the ability to explore or move forward with litigation challenging a rule issued last week by Floridas new Surgeon General. Board members Charlotte Joyce, Lori Hershey and Cindy Pearson voted against the motion. School Board members say the move is about more than just its existing mask mandate, but a statement in favor of home rule. The decision followed an hourslong emergency board meeting featuring dozens of public comments from people against the districts existing universal mask mandate.

Powerful reporting She has Down syndrome, then got COVID-19. Could Amanda Hall learn to walk again? via Christopher ODonnell of the Tampa Bay Times Hall was born with Down syndrome, which left her at high risk of severe illness if she contracted COVID-19. She tested positive on Dec. 3. Two days later, she was on a ventilator in intensive care. So much time spent in a hospital bed had atrophied her muscles, and she could no longer walk or feed herself. Doctors said she needed extensive physiotherapy. After her discharge, home rehab therapy was set up for Amanda, but it was just twice a week. After several days of calling rehab centers, they were frantic. It was hard not to dwell on the home therapists warning: Amanda would likely never walk again without intensive daily therapy. A turning point in Amandas two-month rehabilitation came the day she was strong enough to walk in the hallway.

2022

Democrats worry a loss in Virginia could set off a cascade of election troubles via Michael Scherer and Sean Sullivan of The Washington Post Joe Bidens slumping approval ratings and gridlock on Capitol Hill have raised the risk that Democrats could lose the Virginia governors race, according to party insiders who fear a defeat could spark broader legislative and electoral problems in the coming year. I think Bidens poll numbers are dragging (Terry) McAuliffe down, said John Morgan, who gave $100,000 to McAuliffes campaign and was a major Biden donor. I think when voters see dysfunction, they tend to look at parties and go, The Democratic Party is dysfunctional. You know, why not give somebody else another chance? And so, I worry for Terry. Moreover, Washington Democrats are locked in a complex stalemate that has imperiled the infrastructure bill and a plan to expand social programs.

DeSantis says hes running for reelection, but hes not ready to disclose the details via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald DeSantis made it official on Sean Hannitys Fox News show. He used the moment to deflect from talk that he is on course to run for President in 2024 and announced he is indeed running for reelection. Im not considering anything beyond doing my job, DeSantis said in response to the question if he is considering a run for the presidency in 2024. Weve got a lot of stuff going on in Florida, Im going to be running for reelection next year. To run for President, DeSantis must first get reelected Governor in 2022, but theres still no official sign that DeSantis is prepared to file the paperwork required to be an official candidate.

DeSantis puts $2M into GOP voter registration efforts DeSantis has been raising money hand over fist through his political committee, which had $53M banked heading into September. As reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, hes been putting that money to work by underwriting the Republican Party of Floridas voter registration efforts to the tune of nearly $2 million. The push has seen the GOP nearly eliminate Democrats advantage in voter registration, which now stands at 23,500. This did not happen overnight, RPOF Executive Director Helen Aguirre Ferr said. In the 2018 midterms, Florida Democrats had an advantage of 265,251 and since his inauguration in 2019, Gov. DeSantis has been laser-focused on overtaking Democrats in voter registration.

Anti-DeSantis PACs new ad mocked as unintentionally helpful via David Rutz of Fox News A left-wing PACs new ad attacking DeSantis over his coronavirus leadership was roasted Thursday as an unintentional ad for moving to his state. The ad from Remove Ron features a plane entering Floridas airspace as passengers are required to listen to DeSantis discuss COVID-19 policy, such as his opposition to vaccine passports, and how he wont force Floridians into lockdowns, mandates, and COVID-19 restrictions. Comparing the scene in Florida to the dystopia of The Purge movie franchise, the ads narrator notes visitors dont have to get a vaccine or wear masks, and features fake headlines from made-up newspapers like The Tampa Bay Terror Times.

Facing a historic challenge, Florida Democrats stumble against DeSantis via Tim Craig of The Washington Post Yet as they seek to defeat [Gov. Ron] DeSantiss brash style of conservatism, Florida Democrats have been battered by internal divisions over strategy and messaging, lackluster fundraising and a flailing voter registration effort, even as the states population gets more diverse. For the first time in history, there are nearly as many Republicans registered in Florida as there are Democrats. The state continues to drift to the right even as new census data shows White residents have slipped to 51 percent of the states population. We have failed to counter Republican propaganda, which has been especially aimed at Independent and no-party affiliated voters, said Steve Simeonidis, a former chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party.

Personnel note: Charlie Crist campaign adds Lourdes Diaz as Hispanic media adviser Veteran Hispanic market and media strategist Diaz has joined the Crist campaign as Senior Adviser for Hispanic Outreach and Media. Diaz has decades of experience in communications, media sales, public relations, political consulting, and advertising. Her resume includes the strategic development of bilingual, Spanish-dominant, and crossover programs Bidens 2020 run and Obamas 2008 and 2012 campaigns. Diaz is currently the President of the Pembroke Pines Democratic Club and is Precinct Committeewoman in Pembroke Pines. Continuing to be an ally to Hispanic Floridians, fighting disinformation and fearmongering head-on, and pushing forward on issues of importance to our Hispanic neighbors, like immigration reform, health care, and economic opportunity, is a top priority in our campaign to take back the Governors mansion in 2022, Crist said.

Midnight deadline looms for Ken Russell $5,000 Democratic voter registration challenge via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics With the gap between Democratic and Republican voters in Florida shrinking, Russell is calling on his fellow party members to chip in funds to help Democrats regain lost ground. On Tuesday, National Voter Registration Day, Russell challenged Nikki Fried, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and current U.S. Reps. Crist and Val Demings to join him in donating $5,000 to the Florida Democratic Party for a statewide voter registration push. He later put them on blast on Twitter, where he challenged all statewide candidates to do the same. Two days later, with the midnight Sept. 30 deadline to report campaign spending looming, none of them has answered the call, he said.

CD 20 debate highlights broad agreement on the issues, contrasting experience via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics With few divisions between them on issues such as affordable housing, gun control and expanding Medicaid to more people, Wednesdays debate among candidates to represent Congressional District 20 became a contest of experience on each topic. Trinity Health Care Services CEO Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Reps. Bobby DuBose and Omari Hardy, Broward County Commissioners Dale Holness and Barbara Sharief and Sen. Perry Thurston debated for the right to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings. The candidates were asked whether they would support a federal move to expand Floridas Medicaid through budget reconciliation. All the candidates agreed it should happen and some took it as an opportunity to highlight their own actions to make health care more affordable.

What James Blair is reading GOP infighting spoils chance to retake Crists Florida seat via Gary Fineout of POLITICO (Anna Paulina)Luna made headlines this summer when she alleged that her potential Republican rivals were plotting to kill her. And at one point, she suggested Makki was also involved in the scheme leading Makki to call Luna unstable and pledge that she will spend the primary exposing Luna as a phony for once supporting Barack Obama.Amid this increasingly bitter backdrop, Luna gained an important ally when Trump earlier this month endorsed her following a 45-minute sit-down between the two at Trumps resort in Bedminster.But Trumps blessing did little to scare off other Republicans. Instead, it led to recriminations and finger pointing, including from long-time Trump ally Roger Stone, who predicted that Trump would rescind his endorsement once he learned more about Luna.

Jim Davis, Alex Sink announce support for Ben Diamond in CD 13 via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics Rep. Diamond has announced a handful of new endorsements from state Democratic leaders supporting his run for Floridas 13th Congressional District. New endorsers include former U.S. Rep.Davis, former Florida Chief Financial Officer Sink, and former state Rep. Sean Shaw. Davis, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2007, said Diamond will be a highly effective member of Congress. Sink became the first Democrat elected to the state Cabinet since 1998 when she took the office of Chief Financial Officer in 2006. She credits her endorsement to her experience working with Diamond while in office.

Spotted at the Senate Democrats fundraising trip to Napa Valley, which included stops at the Bryant, Ghost Block, Opus One, Paul Hobbs, and Spottswoode vineyards: Sens. Lauren Book, Janet Cruz, and Shevrin Jones, Senate candidate Janelle Perez, as well asMatt Blair, Amy Bisceglia, Ron Book, Jacqui Carmona, Edgar Castro, Candice Ericks, Diana Ferguson, Jeff Johnston, Natalie Kato, Corinne Mixon, Sean Pittman, Stephanie Smith, Amanda Stewart, Christian Ulvert, and Katie Webb.

Save the date:

Lake Ray lands legislative endorsements for House comeback Former Rep. Ray on Thursday announced five endorsements from sitting lawmakers and a handful more from former ones as he seeks to return to the House in District 12. The nods came from Sen. Aaron Bean and Reps. Chuck Brannan, Cord Byrd, Chris Latvala, and Yarborough, the latter of whom currently represents the Duval County district. Ray, a Republican, also touted support from former Senator and Education Secretary Jim Horne, former Sen. Ronald Doc Renuart, and former Reps. Jay Fant and Jim Fuller. This powerhouse group of conservative leaders have helped to make Florida a great place to live, work and raise our families. I am honored to have their support, Ray said.

CORONA NATION

New COVID-19 cases fall by 25% via Sam Baker of Axios New coronavirus infections in the U.S. fell by 25% over the past two weeks another hopeful sign that the worst of the delta wave may be behind us. The U.S. is now averaging roughly 114,000 new cases per day. Thats still a lot, but its a significant improvement from this summer when the delta variant unleashed a new wave of infections, hospitalizations and death. Deaths are still on the rise nationwide, because of that summer surge. Theyre up 4% over the past two weeks, to an average of 2,000 per day. If the decline in cases keeps going, deaths should begin to come down relatively soon. Deaths are the last number to increase when a new wave hits, and the last number to decrease when it subsides.

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AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shows 74% efficacy in large U.S. trial via Julie Steenhuysen of Reuters AstraZeneca PLCs COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated 74% efficacy at preventing symptomatic disease, a figure that increased to 83.5% in people aged 65 and older. Overall efficacy of 74% was lower than the interim 79% figure reported by the British drugmaker in March, a result AstraZeneca revised days later to 76% after a rare public rebuke from health officials that the figure was based on outdated information. read more. The data looked at more than 26,000 volunteers in the United States, Chile and Peru, who received two doses of the vaccine spaced about a month apart.

Joe Biden vaccine mandate splits U.S. on Party lines via Carla K. Johnson and Hannah Fingerhut of The Associated Press A survey of Americans on Bidens plan to require most workers to get either vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 finds a deep and familiar divide: Democrats are overwhelmingly for it, while most Republicans are against it. With the highly contagious delta variant driving deaths up to around 2,000 per day, the poll showed that overall, 51% say they approve of the Biden requirement, 34% disapprove, and 14% hold neither opinion. About three-quarters of Democrats, but only about a quarter of Republicans, approve. Roughly 6 in 10 Republicans say they disapprove.

Biden teams booster divide deepens as risk of winter virus surge looms via Erin Banco of POLITICO Bidens top health advisers are split over the role booster shots should play in the next phase of the pandemic, setting up key fault lines to close in the coming weeks as they try to ward off further surges this fall and winter. Their disagreement centers on whether the U.S. should eventually offer an additional shot to every vaccinated adult in hopes of preventing even mild and moderate symptomatic breakthrough infections. The growing tension among the Presidents top COVID-19 advisers raises questions about whether the goals of the nations vaccination campaign are changing and the degree to which breakthrough infections may be inevitable.

The CDC escalates its pleas for pregnant and breastfeeding Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 via Roni Caryn Rabin of The New York Times In an urgent plea, federal health officials are asking that any American who is pregnant, planning to become pregnant or currently breastfeeding get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as possible. COVID-19 poses a severe risk during pregnancy, when a persons immune system is tamped down, and raises the risk of stillbirth or another poor outcome, according to the CDC. Twenty-two pregnant people in the United States died of COVID-19 in August. About 125,000 pregnant people have tested positive for the virus; 22,000 have been hospitalized, and 161 have died. Hospital data indicates that 97% of those who were infected with the virus when they were hospitalized were not vaccinated.

The U.S. says Texas ban on school mask mandates may violate disabled childrens rights. via Amanda Morris of The New York Times The Justice Department signaled its support for the families of children with disabilities in Texas who are suing to overturn Gov. Greg Abbotts ban on mask mandates in the states schools. The department filed a formal statement on Wednesday with the federal district court in Austin that is hearing one of the lawsuits, saying that the ban violates the rights of students with disabilities if it prevents the students from safely attending public schools in person, even if their local school districts offered them the option of virtual learning. The move signals a willingness by the federal government to intervene in states where governors and other policymakers have opposed mask mandates.

Turns out a lot of those never-vaxxers were really Ill get it if required via Philip Bump of The Washington Post Various employers, including the federal government, implemented vaccine requirements or new vaccine standards in recent months, setting deadlines that have started to arrive. What weve seen is that relatively few employees flat out resist vaccination. Given that 12% of respondents in the poll said they would never get vaccinated (compared with only 4% who said theyd do so if required), it certainly seems as if some of the resistance to vaccination expressed to the pollsters eroded when a requirement was actually put in place. Those who may have been obstinate about the vaccines when called by a pollster seem to have been a bit more flexible when called by their bosses.

Messy, incomplete U.S. data hobbles pandemic response via Joel Achenbach and Yasmeen Abutaleb of The Washington Post Critically important data on vaccinations, infections, hospitalizations and deaths are scattered among local health departments, often out of date and hard to aggregate at the national level, and it is simply inadequate for the job of battling a highly transmissible and stealthy pathogen. The dearth of timely, comprehensive data impaired the ability of the nations top public health officials and infectious disease experts to reach a consensus on the need for booster shots. The lack of testing and standardized reporting of cases and deaths left U.S. officials slow to grasp the scale of the crisis when the virus began to spread. Insufficient data also meant supplies to fight the pandemic arrived too late in hard-hit cities.

In well-vaccinated Maine, COVID-19 still fills hospitals with the unvaccinated via Jon Kamp and Brianna Abbott of The Wall Street Journal The delta variant is finding clusters of unvaccinated people even in some of the best-vaccinated parts of the country, such as Maine. A COVID-19 surge in the New England state has filled hospitals and put dozens of mostly unvaccinated people on ventilators, setting records for the state. The problem, public-health experts say, is the variants high transmissibility combined with the relaxation of precautions such as wearing masks. COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations have also flared among mostly unvaccinated people in Vermont and western Massachusetts, highlighting the risk Delta poses even in states with the best track records for getting shots in arms.

Montana hospital ICU reaches 150% capacity amid surge of COVID-19 cases via Meg Oliver of CBS News At Billings Clinic, the largest hospital in the state, the ICU is running at 150% capacity with younger and sicker patients admitted daily. The National Guard is on hand to help care for and screen new patients while hallways house the overflow. In the past week, Montana averaged about 108 COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs breaking the record seen during the winter of 2020. Thirty-five people have died in the state since the start of the month. So we are were getting short on beds, emergency room doctor Jamiee Belsky said. People need to get vaccinated because right now were hurting.

CORONA ECONOMICS

U.S. unemployment claims rise third straight week to 362,000 via The Associated Press The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose for the third straight week, a sign that the highly contagious delta variant may be slowing recovery in the job market. Claims rose unexpectedly by 11,000 last week to 362,000, the Labor Department said Thursday, though economists had been expecting claims to go in the opposite direction. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs, rose for the first time in seven weeks to 340,000. Since topping 900,000 in early January, applications had fallen fairly steadily as the economy bounced back from last years shutdowns. But theyve been rising along with coronavirus infections.

Florida, Texas report surge in COVID-19 comp claims via Louise Esola of Business Insurance The summer surge in COVID-19 cases in Florida began in July, as 4,221 COVID-19 workers compensation indemnity claims were filed and August tallies show a slight drop. The monthly report, which tracks overall indemnity, or income replacement, claims, including data on costs and industry breakdowns, showed that the 4,221 claims reported in July and the 3,287 reported in August remain a steep drop from the peak of 8,406 claims in July 2020. Since March 2020, the lowest number of claims were reported in June 2021: 664. insurers in the state have paid $1.5 million in total benefits, indemnity plus medical, for COVID-19 claims.

Morning must-read Inside Americas broken supply chain via David J. Lynch of The Washington Post The commercial pipeline that each year brings $1 trillion worth of toys, clothing, electronics and furniture from Asia to the United States is clogged, and no one knows how to unclog it. Dozens of cargo vessels stuck at anchor off the California coast illustrate the delivery disruptions. Americans trapped at home slashed spending at restaurants, movie theaters, and sporting events and splurged on goods such as laptops and bicycles, triggering an import avalanche that has overwhelmed freight channels. But the pandemic also exposed weaknesses in the nations transport plumbing: investment shortfalls at key ports, controversial railroad industry labor cuts, and a chronic failure by key players to collaborate.

MORE CORONA

Woman who survived 1918 flu, world war succumbs to COVID-19 via Todd Richmond of The Associated Press She lived a life of adventure that spanned two continents. She fell in love with a World War II fighter pilot, barely escaped Europe ahead of Benito Mussolinis fascists, ground steel for the U.S. war effort, and advocated for her disabled daughter in a far less enlightened time. She was, her daughter said, someone who didnt make a habit of giving up. And then this month, at age 105, Primetta Giacopinis life ended the way it began in a pandemic. I think my mother would have been around quite a bit longer if she hadnt contracted COVID, her 61-year-old daughter, Dorene Giacopini, said. She was a fighter. She had a hard life, and her attitude always was basically, all Americans who were not around for World War II were basically spoiled brats.

Proposed bill would require COVID-19 vaccine, negative test for domestic air travel ahead of holidays via Melanie Woodrow of ABC 6 With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner and one of the busiest times to fly, California U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein tweeted, We cant allow upcoming holiday air travel to contribute to another surge in COVID cases. Today, I introduced legislation requiring passengers on domestic flights to be vaccinated, test negative or be fully recovered from a previous COVID illness. Willis Orlando, a Flight Expert at Scotts Cheap Flights, said if the bill became law, it really would just be kind of adding restrictions in the U.S. that already exist elsewhere in the world and that have been working pretty well to contain COVID.

Why are people nostalgic for early-pandemic life? via Morgan Ome and Christian Paz of The Atlantic Its easy to forget about the toilet-paper shortages, the empty streets, and the disinfected groceries. The first days, weeks even, of the pandemic felt like a twisted novelty. You didnt know what a variant was. And you thought you would probably return to school or your office in a couple of weeks. This was March 2020. Deep in the throes of the late-stage pandemic, millions of young people have grown to miss this time early last year. Their longing is captured in TikToks and YouTube videos that romanticize the trends, obsessions, and sounds of 18 months ago. These early-pandemic aesthetic creators had built an online community tied together by a yearning for a time when the world seemed united in facing an uncertain future.

PRESIDENTIAL

Biden signs bill to avert partial government shutdown via The Associated Press With only hours to spare, Biden signed legislation that would avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday. The back-to-back votes by the Senate and then the House averted one crisis, but delays on another continue as the political parties dig in on a dispute over how to raise the governments borrowing cap before the United States risks a potentially catastrophic default. The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote not long after Senate passage in a 65-35 vote. A large majority of Republicans in both chambers voted against it. The legislation was needed to keep the government running once the current budget year ended at midnight Thursday.

Bidens approval rating recovers some from last months low, an NPR poll finds via Domenico Montanaro of NPR Last month, just 43% of survey respondents approved of how he was doing his job and a majority, 51%, disapproved. Since then, Biden has gained back some of that, drawing to about even, with 45% approving and 46% disapproving. The survey of 1,220 adults was conducted from Sept. 20 through Sunday and had a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points, meaning Bidens approval rating could be about 3 points higher or lower. The 7-point net change in his approval rating from one month to the next is slightly outside the margin of error. Bidens somewhat-recovered numbers come from registered Democrats and independents.

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Sunburn The morning read of what's hot in Florida politics 10.1.21 - Florida Politics