Sunburn The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics 7.9.21 – Florida Politics

Good Friday morning.

Thank you for the incredible outpouring of support you have showered upon us in the last 48 hours. Your prayers certainly worked as Michelle, while still recovering in the hospital and dealing with a good deal of pain, is on the mend.

Thank you to my #FlaPol colleagues for stepping up and assembling another solid edition of Sunburn PS.

___

They said, I do Congratulations to Pinellas County Commissioner and former Rep. Kathleen Peters and her fiancee Jack Kuntz, who tied the knot Thursday in Hawaii at Shipwreck Beach, Kauai. Mazel Tov and best wishes to the happy couple!

___

The Florida Police Chiefs Association welcomed the states elected leaders at the FPCA 69th Annual Summer Conference at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, where it inducted its 2021-2022 leadership team andnamed the 2021 Legislators of the Year.

FPCA was honored to welcome and hear from U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody,and Agriculture & Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried, as we honored the service and sacrifices of the law enforcement profession, said newly installed FPCA President Stephan Dembinsky, who serves as director of the Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department. FPCA also stood withChief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who could not join us as he led the State Fire Marshal Offices response at the Surfside building collapse.

Joining Dembinksy on the new executive committee is Chief Michael Kessie, New College of Florida PD, first vice president; Chief Keith Touchberry, Fellsmere PD, second vice president; Chief Charles Chuck Broadway, ClermontPD, third vice president; and Chief Melanie Bevan, Bradenton PD, as secretary-treasurer.

FPCA agave special recognition to DeSantis, Moody, and Patronis for their consistent actions in support of law enforcement.

Whether working to protect officers against those who would disrupt the rule of law, honoring the heroism and nobility of the law enforcement profession, or helping first responders meet the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder, their actions have helped protect and save lives, and the FPCA appreciates each of them coming and sharing their commitment to public safety in Florida, Dembinsky said.

The FPCA also named Legislators of the Year: Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, Sen. Danny Burgess and Rep. Juan AlphonsoFernandez-Barquin for sponsoring HB 1; Rep. Cord Byrd for HB 7051 and as chair of the House Criminal Justice & Public Safety Subcommittee; Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Chuck Brannan for sponsoring HB 371.

Every year, the Florida Police Chiefs Association honors those legislators who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to the betterment of law enforcement and public safety in Florida, Dembinksy said. FPCAs recipients represent a true cross-section of Florida, from the most rural of jurisdictions to the largest metropolitan areas. We applaud each of these Senators and Representatives.

___

Sachs Media announced Friday that experienced marketing professional Lori Modafferi and longtime public affairs manager Sue Mullins are joining its account management team.

Modafferi will join the agency as an Account Manager specifically focusing on health care marketing services for clients, while Mullins will serve as Account Manager for several public relations clients.

They join the already impressive lineup of top communications professionals who offer a full suite of capabilities, including strategy, public relations, public affairs, crisis communications, research, digital and social media, creative, marketing, and video production.

Lori and Sue are exceptionally talented and experienced professionals, and were extremely pleased to add their expertise to our firm, said founder and CEO Ron Sachs. With the addition of Lori and Sue, we believe the best team in the business just got even better, and we look forward to sharing and applying their talents with our growing roster of clients and special projects.

Modafferi previously led the strategic marketing and communication efforts for HCA Healthcares North Florida Division. Before that, she served HCA Healthcare as a Marketing and Public Relations Director, where she directed media relations, branding, advertising, and website development.

She earned a masters degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida.

Mullins came to Sachs Media from the Florida policy arena, where she has served for years as a registered lobbyist and policy adviser. Working in the nonprofit, corporate, and public sectors, Mullins has crafted major legislative initiatives, including the successful Florida Forever land conservation program.

Her work has taken her from The Nature Conservancy and the Florida Senate to Ramba Law Group and Duke Energy. For her work on the Sarasota County land preservation referendum, Mullins won a POLLIE award, the most sought-after prize awarded by the American Association of Political Consultants.

She earned her masters degree in anthropology from Florida State University and her bachelors degree in sociology from Saint Leo College.

Were delighted to have Lori and Sue as part of the Sachs Media family, where I know they will embrace our commitment to achieving breakthrough successes for our clients, said Sachs Media President and Partner Michelle Ubben. Their skills and expertise will add to our already strong capabilities, which we devote to every client to help them achieve success.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

@POTUS: We will never forget those who gave the last full measure of devotion for our country in Afghanistan nor those whose lives have been immeasurably altered by wounds sustained in service. We are ending Americas longest war, but we will always honor those who served in it.

@atrupar: President [Joe] Biden: I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation to achieve a different outcome. The United States cannot afford to remain tethered to policies created in response to a world as it was 20 years ago.

@laraseligman: [Jen] Psaki stresses that we are not going to have a mission accomplished moment on Afghanistan. Its a 20-year war that has not been won militarily. Adds that the Biden admin is proud and grateful of the service members who fought.

Tweet, tweet:

@MitchPerry18: Hours after its revealed that @marcorubio has raised $4 million over past 3 months in his bid for reelection for U.S. Senate, Dem. opponent @RepValDemings announces shes raised $4.6 million since announcing her candidacy less than a month ago.

@TroyKinsey: Members of the @FLSenateDems today are writing @GovRonDeSantis to express concern about the #DeltaVariant & vaccine hesitancy among Rs: Join with your fellow Republican Governors who are tapping the power of their office to strongly urge reluctant residents to get vaccinated.

@DeFede: In an interview w/@CBSMiami, Haitis U.S. Ambassador, Bocchit Edmond, rejected calls by some in Congress to delay elections in Haiti, saying: I believe the United States Congress supported elections in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the security situation is even worse than Haiti.

@FoxReports: Speakers office refers to Donald Trump as twice-impeached Florida retiree

@ryanstruyk: The United States is now averaging 15,068 new coronavirus cases per day, according to data from @CNN and Johns Hopkins University, up nearly 50% from Walenskys estimate of 10,350 just over two weeks ago.

@cwarzel: what living in this moment does for me, as a journalist, is make me feel constantly caught between the worry that Im being overly alarmist and the fear that I am stating the obvious. Its very disorienting.

Tweet, tweet:

@AngieNixon: Make no mistake about it. There are certain groups of folks wools that dont want working-class families educated because its more profitable to make money off people if theyre in prison. Limit their access to resources and opportunities and lead them on a path to jail.

@ChrisLatvala: Can we get @TomBrady to toss the Stanley Cup from a boat? Without him getting hurt, of course.

DAYS UNTIL

MLB All-Star Game 4;Jeff Bezostravels into space on Blue Origins first passenger flight 11; new start date for 2021 Olympics 14; second season of Ted Lasso premieres on Apple+ 14; the NBA Draft 19; Jungle Cruise premieres 21; The Suicide Squad premieres 28; Marvels What If ? premieres on Disney+ 33; Florida Behavioral Health Associations Annual Conference (BHCon) begins 40; St. Petersburg Primary Election 46; Disneys Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings premieres 56; NFL regular season begins 62; Broadways full-capacity reopening 67; 2022 Legislative Session interim committee meetings begin 73; The Many Saints of Newark premieres (rescheduled) 77; Dune premieres 84; Walt Disney Worlds 50th anniversary party starts 84; MLB regular season ends 86; No Time to Die premieres (rescheduled) 91; World Series Game 1 110; Florida TaxWatchs Annual Meeting begins 110; St. Petersburg Municipal Elections 116; Floridas 20th Congressional District primary 116; Disneys Eternals premieres 120; Top Gun: Maverick rescheduled premiere 133; San Diego Comic-Con begins 140;Steven Spielbergs West Side Story premieres 154; Spider-Man Far From Home sequel premieres 161; NFL season ends 184; 2022 Legislative Session starts 186; Floridas 20th Congressional District election 186; NFL playoffs begin 190; Super Bowl LVI 219; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres 259; Thor: Love and Thunder premieres 301; Platinum Jubilee forQueen Elizabeth II 328; Black Panther 2 premieres 364; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel premieres 455; Captain Marvel 2 premieres 490.

LATEST ON SURFSIDE

Tears, prayer mark end to search for Surfside condo survivors via The Associated Press A somber moment of silence marked the end of the two-week search for survivors of a Florida condominium collapse, as rescue workers stood at solemn attention and clergy members hugged a line of local officials while many of them sobbed. The painstaking search for survivors shifted to a recovery effort at midnight Wednesday after authorities said they had come to the agonizing conclusion that there was no chance of life in the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside. We have all asked God for a miracle, so the decision to transition from rescue to recovery is an extremely difficult one, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. The death toll stood at 54 late Wednesday. Officials said 86 people were unaccounted for.

Im still in search mode. Families, friends of Surfside victims react to news of recovery via Marie-Rose Sheinerman, Martin Vassolo and Bianca Padr Ocasio of the Miami Herald On the first official day of search and recovery at the site of the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South, family and friends of missing persons reacted with a mix of resignation and stubborn hope for the lives of their loved ones. Miami-Dade Mayor Levine Cava assured families during a press briefing on Thursday morning that first responders would not stop searching for residents in the rubble until every person was found. As of Thursday morning, 60 people had been found dead and 80 others were still missing. On Wednesday night, rescuers held a vigil to honor the lives lost during the tragedy before they continued the painstaking search for bodies.

Pastor reflects on funeral for Guara family, parents and 2 kids, who died in condo collapse via Mark Woods of the Palm Beach Post Father Juan Sosa, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, located just two blocks inland from the condo collapse, performed two funeral services Tuesday. On Wednesday, he reflected on the service and the tragedy that has claimed 60 lives with many more still missing. Tuesdays service was for Marcus Guara, Anaely Rodriguez and their daughters at St. Joseph. Lucia, 10, and Emma, 4, shared a small white casket with two ribbons, one pink and one purple the girls favorite colors. The bodies of the Guara family were among the earliest recovered from the Champlain Towers South rubble and identified.

3 generations of Cattarossi family die in condo collapse via Cassidy Alexander of the Palm Beach Post Four family members spanning three generations are among the victims identified in the Surfside condo collapse. Graciela Maria Cattarossi, 48, and her 7-year-old daughter Stella were identified last week. Gracielas parents, Graciela and Gino Cattarossi, 86 and 89 years old, respectively, were identified Thursday. The family lived in Apartment 501 at Champlain Towers South. Betty Matz Gelsky knew Graciela Maria Cattarossi for close to 18 years. She knew her as someone who would do anything for her daughter, be it making sure she got into a good private school or buying all organic food. She wants the best for her daughter, even if maybe she couldnt afford it, she said.

For Dr. Gary Cohen, it was all about his patients via Michael Braun of the Palm Beach Post Dr. Cohen wasnt a doctor who looked at his profession as just a job, those who knew him say. He truly cared about people. Cohen and his orthopedic surgeon brother, Brad, were among those who lost their lives June 24 in the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida. Gary Cohen was a physiatrist, practicing at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Administration Medical Center as well as other medical venues in Birmingham, Alabama, and living in nearby Mountain Brook, Alabama. Missing since the collapse of the towers, his body was found on Wednesday.

I want to truly say thank you: Surfside community reflects as rescue mission ends via Martin Vassolo and Samantha J. Gross of the Miami Herald The mood in Surfside was somber Wednesday night, shortly after officials broke the news to family members and loved ones that the 14-day rescue mission to find living victims of the Champlain Towers South collapse would transition into a recovery effort, with no expectation of finding survivors. Rescuers, standing before a mountain of rubble from the controlled demolition of the upright portion of the 12-story building, said prayers as a ceremonial melody played softly behind them. A few steps away, at the memorial set up to honor the victims of the collapse, Miami-Dade firefighters set up a banner that read Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Mourns With You.

Gov. Ron DeSantis promises property tax aid after collapse via Jim Turner of News Service of Florida With rescue efforts for survivors ending at the site of the former 12-story building, DeSantis didnt elaborate on his plan for tax assistance but said he would provide as much relief to the families from the state perspective as we can. Ive ordered all our folks to suspend any type of property-tax enforcement, DeSantis said at a news conference in Surfside. My goal is to suspend, waive any law I can under the state of emergency to forestall that. And then we probably will just ask the Legislature to remit any of the property tax liability from Champlain Towers South. The Governors office didnt immediately reply to requests for clarification of DeSantis tax proposal.

Video shows cracks, puddles in condo garage a year before it collapsed but no red flag via Sarah Blaskey and Ben Conarck of The Bradenton Herald On July 17 last year, Fiorella Terenzi, an astrophysicist who has a condo in Champlain Towers East, went to the sister building Champlain Towers South to check out an apartment on the sixth floor, with an eye toward buying the unit. She had wanted to live in the South building and waited eagerly for a unit to come available. Then she saw the parking garage. There in the garage, Terenzi noticed corrosion and paint peeling on the ceiling, along with several puddles of standing water. Reviewing the video, there are very obvious signs of above-average deterioration of the structure, said Greg Batista, a South Florida engineer who works on old buildings.

Boca Raton rethinking building inspection requirements via Victoria Villanueva-Martinez of the Palm Beach Post The tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo complex in Surfside has pushed Boca Raton to weigh whether its older condo complexes should be inspected in fewer than 40 years. Broward and Miami-Dade counties both have 40-year recertification requirements, but there is no such requirement in Palm Beach County. As the first in the county to move in that direction, Boca Raton will depart somewhat from the norm and contemplate a shorter recertification timeline. We saw that it wasnt exactly the best timeline in the case of Surfside, Councilman Andy Thomson said.

Florida condo laws under scrutiny by Florida Bar task force after Surfside collapse via Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald The Florida Bar has assembled a collection of experts to conduct a thorough review of the states condominium laws and make policy recommendations to state lawmakers and Gov. DeSantis that could prevent future tragedies like the collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside. The task force, which is scheduled to meet for the first time Friday, will be reviewing state laws and regulations that govern, among many things, how condominium boards operate and manage reserves for maintenance and repair costs, as well as how often condominium buildings need to undergo inspections.

Florida engineers form group for safety ideas after Surfside via Lawrence Mower of The Tampa Bay Times Members of four major engineering associations in Florida have convened to come up with potential post-Surfside recommendations for the Legislature, including whether the state should require mandatory reinspections of tall buildings. Engineers are also considering who would be allowed to carry out those reinspections, and how they could be done without being prohibitively expensive for condominium associations.

Undermining Floridas condo laws: Politics, turf wars and human nature via Kim Bellware of The Washington Post Floridas condominium laws will undergo a top-to-bottom review by a task force established by the Florida Bar Association after the deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside. Members of the task force who confirmed its existence said their goal is to review state laws and regulations that govern condo developments, board operations and maintenance rules, and recommend potential changes to the Governor and the state legislature. Condo regulations in Florida have come under scrutiny since the tragedy in Surfside on June 24, with at least 46 people confirmed dead and 94 still unaccounted for as of midday Wednesday.

No Florida agency for condo residents to file their complaints via Jeffrey Schweers of the Tallahassee Democrat DBPRs Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes only oversight now is over election and recall disputes and ensuring owners have access to the associations financial records. The agency used to have more oversight authority than that, but the Legislature stripped the DBPR of its fiduciary and maintenance oversight of condo boards and mobile homeowners associations in 2008. That leaves residents with little option but to hire a lawyer and file their complaints in court, as several residents of Champlain Towers South have done following that buildings lethal collapse. During the 2019-20 fiscal year, the DBPR collected $13.7 million in fees from condos, timeshares and mobile homes, division budget records show. About $6.7 million was collected from condo owners.

Dwyane Wade visits Surfside, meets with search team via David Selig of WPLG Wade is the latest Miami sports star to pay a visit to the site of the tragic Surfside condo collapse. The Heat legend spent time at the memorial fence Thursday morning across from the Champlain Towers South site. He also thanked first responders and addressed a team from the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue before they began their shift. Wade did not speak to reporters during his visit. He wrote on his Instagram page: Today was about Uplifting, Praising and Showing up! Our first responders are the real MVPs. Current Heat star Bam Adebayo made an emotional visit to the memorial on Friday afternoon.

2022

Theres going to be a blowup: Donald Trump and DeSantis are on a collision course via Gabriel Sherman of Vanity Fair

Ashley Moody in crosshairs of watchdog ad campaign via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics Moody ranks among the top targets of a digital campaign launched Tuesday by a government watchdog group. The campaign, Enemies of Progress, will highlight the transgressions of more than a dozen top law enforcement officials working to obstruct Bidens administration and prevent progress on issues impacting Americans. The group, Accountable.US, is a self-described nonpartisan watchdog group. Instead of fighting for their best interests, Attorney General Moody is spending Floridians taxpayer dollars on frivolous lawsuits against the Biden administration on behalf of (her) special interest donors, said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US.

Val Demings raises $4.6 million for first fundraising report via Scott Powers of Florida Politics Demings raised $4.6 million in her first quarter of fundraising for a U.S. Senate bid, her campaign announced. That comes on the heels of reports that her likely 2022 General Election opponent, Rubio, raised about $4 million during the same three-month period of April, May, and June. Demings, the Orlando-based Democratic representative for Floridas 10th Congressional District, did not formally enter the race until June 9. However, she had been signaling her intention to run for months, while officially fundraising for reelection to her House seat, until June. Demings campaign committee reported $1 million raised on the first day of her Senate campaign. The campaign raised more than $2.9 million in the 21 days of her Senate campaign, from more than 113,000 individual donors.

Ben Diamond raises $380K in first 8 weeks of CD 13 campaign via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics Diamond has raised over $380,000 in the eight weeks since launching his run for Floridas 13th Congressional District in hopes of succeeding U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist. His second-quarter haul is slightly higher than that of primary opponent Eric Lynn, who reported raising more than $368,000 for the same period. However, Lynn holds north of $500,000 cash-on-hand from earlier fundraising. The St. Petersburg Democrat reports that most donors this period came from grassroots contributors, individuals who donated $100 or less. Diamonds campaign provided the latest finance update. More information on expenditures and donors will be available when he releases his required campaign finance disclosure to the Federal Elections Commission.

Martin Hyde loans campaign $30K as Vern Buchanan raises $600K via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics Sarasota activistHydelent $30,000 to his own campaign for Congress, according to his first federal finance reports. But fresh off the news incumbent Rep.Buchananraised nearly $600,000in the second quarter of 2021, its clear who holds the financial edge in this GOP race. Thats no surprise to Hyde, he says. This is not a shock, Hyde said. Especially knowing Minority LeaderKevin McCarthyheadlined afundraiserat Buchanans home, a successful quarter for the incumbent was a given. It would almost be weird if someone gave me that much money, Hyde said. That has Buchanan-world dismissing Hyde as hype.

Robert Blackmon launches his first TV ad for St. Pete Mayors race via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics Blackmon is launching his first television ad promoting his bid for Mayor. The ad, entitled Fighting for You, focuses on Blackmons work rehabilitating homes for affordable housing as a small-business owner, his efforts on City Council and touts the candidate as an outside option. Im not a career politician looking for a job. Im an outsider with fresh ideas, ideas that come from you, the people, Blackmon opens in the ad, which he narrates. The ad then pivots to footage of a City Council meeting in which he promises that he will never apologize for fighting for the people of this city and whats right. Blackmon was first elected to the Council in 2019.

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

Penny Taylor announces reelection campaign for Collier County Commission in 2022 via Jake Allen of the Naples Daily News Collier County Commissioner Taylor announced she is running for reelection for the District 4 seat. I have a track record that shows I care about this community, Taylor said. I have leadership that shows Im not afraid to stand alone on my beliefs and the importance of caring for this community. I promise to work and continue to work for this community. The district encompasses the area west of Interstate 75 from Pine Ridge Road to south of the city of Naples. Taylor, the current chairwoman of the board and a Republican, will face at least two other candidates in the Primary Election in August of next year. The General Election will be held in Nov. 2022.

DATELINE TALLY

Civics literacy bill sponsors still questioning DeSantis veto of their legislation via Mitch Perry of Bay News 9 Two St. Petersburg based state lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle are still unhappy and confused that DeSantis vetoed a bill last week that called for a civic literacy program that would be included in high school government classes. Every member of the Legislature voted for this, noted Diamond, the Pinellas County-based state Representative who sponsored the bill in the Florida House. But social conservatives called on DeSantis to veto the legislation, none more prominently than National Review columnist Stanley Kurtz. In his letter announcing his veto of SB 146, DeSantis wrote that the bill seeks to further so-called action civics but does so in a way that risks promoting the preferred orthodoxy of two particular institutions.

State withholds spending records of Matt Gaetz associate Halsey Beshears via Mike DeForest of Click Orlando Floridas business licensing agency has failed to produce financial documents related to its former secretary, Beshears, following a public records request submitted by News 6 nearly three months ago. Floridas Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or DBPR, has not explained why spending records have not yet been released. The agency previously indicated the request was undergoing a legal review, but it is unclear why it is necessary and whether it is complete. DeSantis appointed Beshears as DBPR secretary in January 2019, calling him a champion for deregulation. Beshears unexpectedly resigned from his position in January 2021, citing health issues.

Why is FL DOE behind on getting billions of federal dollars to schools recovering from COVID-19 pandemic? via Danielle J. Brown of Florida Phoenix Florida education officials are at least a month behind in getting a state plan, worth billions, to the U.S. Department of Education to help Florida schools recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Already, 40 states have submitted their plans, and Florida is still not one of them. And more federal funding for Florida is now on hold because the state has not yet sent in the state plan for approval. The plans were intended to show how states would use billions of dollars offered by the American Rescue Plan to help schools recover from COVID-19. They were due by June 7, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The ARP funds allocated for K-12 recovery are called the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

Duke gets OK to recoup storm costs via News Service of Florida The Public Service Commission on Thursday approved Duke Energy Floridas request to recoup $16.7 million from customers stemming from the utilitys costs in responding to two tropical storms last year. Duke residential customers who use 1,000-kilowatt-hours of electricity a month will pay an additional 55 cents a month starting in August. The charge will remain in place for a year. Duke filed the request in May because of costs related to Tropical Storm Eta in November and Tropical Storm Isaias in late July. Duke, in its filings, noted that the costs to the utility reached $20.1 million, but the total was reduced by $3.4 million to offset over-recovery of costs from 2019s Hurricane Dorian and Tropical Storm Nestor.

STATEWIDE

Florida, Moody sue Google over antitrust laws again via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics For the third time in less than a year, Moody is suing Google over antitrust laws, joining 36 other attorneys general in the suit. Filed Wednesday in a federal court based in San Francisco, the complaint accuses Google Play of being a monopoly as Android phones only app store. That manipulates the prices of apps, they argue, including through a 30% commission charge on in-app payments. Moody, a Republican, joins a bipartisan coalition led by Utahs Attorney Generals Office. Other attorneys general in the lawsuit include the states of New York, Tennessee, California and the District of Columbia.

Two South Florida men were involved in President Jovenel Moses assassination, investigators say via Jacqueline Charles and Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald Two South Florida men have been arrested in connection with the assassination of Haiti President Mose, the Miami Herald has learned. James Solages, of Fort Lauderdale, was identified as one of the assailants by Mathias Pierre, a minister in charge of Haitian elections. Pierre did not say if Solages is a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident. In an undated video interview in Creole, Solages, who lived in Fort Lauderdale and is from Jacmel in southeast Haiti, called himself a philanthropist and child advocate who was involved in helping school children from the area where he grew up. A second man arrested in the assassination has been identified as Joseph Vincent, from the Miami area.

Feds go after We Build the Wall founder again with tax charge via Scott Powers of Florida Politics A federal grand jury has indicted Steve Bannons west Florida partner Brian Kolfage on a new charge involving federal taxes related to the We Build the Wall organization that got them both charged with fraud last year. Bannon, a former campaign and White House adviser to Trump, was pardoned by Trump just before the 45th President left office in January. Kolfage, of Miramar Beach, was not pardoned. Now, Kolfage has a new charge involving his activities since the first indictments were revealed, the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Jason Coody of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida announced Thursday. The latest indictment, involving taxes, supersedes a previous tax law indictment brought against Kolfage in May.

Death sentence upheld in Clay County murder via News Service of Florida The Florida Supreme Court unanimously upheld the murder conviction and death sentence of a man who killed a Clay County woman in 2014 and sexually abused her 10-year-old daughter. Justices rejected arguments raised by attorneys for Donald Davidson Jr., who was convicted in the murder of Roseann Welsh, a friend who had invited Davidson into her home. Davidsons attorneys raised a series of issues in the appeal, including that a circuit judge had not properly considered what is known as mitigating circumstances, including circumstances involving Davidsons childhood, before imposing the death sentence. But the Supreme Court rejected the arguments.

Naval Air Station Jacksonville sailor dies when tree falls on car during Tropical Storm Elsa via Kailey Tracy of First Coast News A spokesperson for the Naval Air Force Atlantic Office confirmed Thursday a Navy sailor died after a tree fell on his car in Jacksonville Wednesday during Tropical Storm Elsa. According to a Naval Air Station Jacksonville spokesperson, the man was an airman who was stationed at NAS Jax. The Naval Air Force Atlantic Office said it couldnt yet provide the airmans name. The service member was assigned to the War Eagles of VP-16 at NAS Jacksonville. VP-16 flies and maintains the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, and its mission is to provide maritime patrol services to the fleet in support of national interests, according to the commander.

Tornado spawned from Tropical Storm Elsa rips through Jacksonville, toppling trees and ripping off roofs via Dan Scanlan of The Florida Times-Union Trees were toppled across a block-long stretch of Powers as the tornado passed over and buckled light poles and damaged dugouts and a batting cage at Baker Skinner Park. The storm went across part of Philips Highway near Bowdendale Avenue southeast of University Boulevard, downing trees, and power lines as it ripped roofs off businesses, depositing debris on the road before moving northward into Georgia. Meeting with reporters near that debris field on Philips, Mayor Lenny Curry said city leaders had planned for possible tornadoes in the wake of Elsa. Curry said now is the time to remember that weather is unpredictable. It looked calm this morning. It looked calm this afternoon, Curry said.

Move over, Florida panthers! Refuge wants to let in more people via Craig Pittman of Florida Phoenix Sometimes, I think Florida should hold a regular competition for The Most Laughably Bad Idea of the Year. This year, so far, I think the leading entry comes from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is pushing a new Visitor Use Plan for the 26,000-acre Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, which lies about 20 miles east of Naples. Its not as bad as building golf courses in state parks, but its close. Panthers, our official state animal, are notoriously shy. Wherever people are, thats where panthers do not want to be. The federal wildlife agency has come up with a plan to open the refuge to allow off-road vehicles, mountain bikes, camping, fishing, and, for three weekends a year, turkey hunting.

CORONA FLORIDA

As delta variant spreads, Florida Democrats urge DeSantis to promote vaccines via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics As the highly transmissible delta variant spreads across the United States, now accounting for more than half of new domestic COVID-19 cases, Democratic Senators in Florida are calling on DeSantis to urge reluctant state residents to get vaccinated. In a joint letter today, 14 Democrats from the Florida Senate exhorted DeSantis to put aside rhetoric that since March 2020 has turned a health issue into a political one and join his fellow Republican Governors who are tapping the power of their office to revitalize vaccination efforts. The delta variant of COVID-19 spreads roughly 225% faster than the original version of the virus, and as of this week, it comprised nearly 52% of new U.S. cases.

CDC asks appeals court to put cruise ruling on hold via Jim Saunders of The News Service of Florida In a flurry of legal activity, attorneys for the CDC have asked a federal appeals court to put on hold a U.S. district judges ruling that backed Florida in a fight about the cruise-ship industry. The request Wednesday for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to issue a stay came after U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday refused to hold his June 18 ruling that the CDC had overstepped its legal authority in placing restrictions on the cruise industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal-government attorneys on Tuesday appealed Merrydays June 18 ruling to the Atlanta-based appeals court.

As COVID-19 raged last year, crimes dropped in Bay County. Now, theyre rising again via Tony Mixon of the Panama City News Herald Even Bay County criminals were apparently no match for the COVID-19 pandemic last year. According to the latest statistics, Bay County had a total 19.8% drop in crime. Some agencies saw the crime rate drop as much as 44% last year, but all agencies saw double-digit percentage drops in their crime rates. Law enforcement agencies noted that crimes like robbery, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft all dropped last year compared to 2019. There wasnt a definitive reason why such violent crimes as murder and aggravated assault were up last year compared to 2019.

Lakeland GOPs James Ring contracts COVID-19, encourages people to wear a mask and get vaccinated via Kimberly C. Moore of The Lakeland Ledger Ring, president of the Republican Party of Lakeland, says he is blessed to be alive after being certain I was dying of COVID-19, saying he contracted it at a national volleyball tournament in which his twin daughters played nearly three weeks ago in Orlando. Ring is a former Lakeland Police sergeant and a U.S. Army Reserves Chief Warrant Officer who has guarded senior military officials during tours in Washington, D.C., and trips to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is known locally for his leadership skills, thoughtfulness, kind demeanor, and ability to bring people together.

Gulf gets approval on COVID-19 costs via News Service of Florida The Public Service Commission approved a settlement Thursday that will allow Gulf Power to recoup up to $13.2 million in costs tied to the coronavirus pandemic. The settlement covers safety-related measures undertaken through last month and bad debt expenses incurred between March 17, 2020, and mid-November, when the company did not disconnect customers who could not pay bills. Among the terms of the settlement, Gulf will be allowed to spread the recovery costs over three years, starting with Jan. 1, 2022, as part of its fuel costs set for the 2022 calendar year. Gulf initially sought more than $20 million, but the Office of Public Counsel, representing consumers, protested.

CORONA NATION

Delta variant said to be far more widespread than federal estimates via Erin Bianco, Dan Goldberg, and David Lim of POLITICO The more-transmissible Delta coronavirus variant is believed to be significantly more widespread than the current federal projections, according to two senior Biden administration health officials with knowledge of the situation. CDC data released late Tuesday shows the Delta strain accounted for more than 51% of new COVID-19 cases from June 20 to July 3. But the reality on the ground is likely much higher because states and private labs are taking weeks to report testing results to the CDC, the officials said. It is everywhere now, one of the officials said, adding that recent data shows the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine works well against the Delta variant. COVID-19 hospitalizations are up more than 40% over the last two weeks in Arkansas, Iowa and Nevada.

Yes, the delta variant is taking over. But the vaccines still work. via Monica Gandhi of The Washington Post As something resembling normal life resumes in the United States, many Americans are wondering how concerned they should be about the delta variant of the coronavirus. The reason it has so quickly dominated is that it is more fit than other variants outcompeting them when it comes to reaching and infecting unvaccinated people. Although delta is more easily transmitted than the other variants, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness. How do we know that delta is not vaccine-resistant? All three vaccines authorized in the United States have been shown in clinical studies to produce strong neutralizing antibody responses against the variants.

Pfizer plans to request FDA nod for COVID-19 booster in August via Robert Langreth of Bloomberg Pfizer plans to request U.S. emergency authorization in August for a third booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, based on early data showing that it can sharply increase immune protection against the coronavirus. The company has received initial data from an early human study showing that a third dose of its existing coronavirus vaccine is safe and can raise neutralizing antibody levels by 5 to 10 fold compared with the original vaccine, Pfizer research head Mikael Dolsten said in an interview. Once more data is in hand, Pfizer plans to ask the FDA to authorize a booster shot that could be given six to eight months after the original two doses, Dolsten said.

Whether Republicans get vaccinated has a lot to do with if they watch Fox News or OANN via Natalie Jackson of FiveThirtyEight Its no secret that Republicans really distrust the media. In fact, that distrust is increasingly an important part of their political identity. For a long time, understanding where Republicans primarily got their news was pretty straightforward, too. Unlike Democrats, Republicans, by and large, turn to just one source for all their news: Fox News. But with the advent of news networks even further to the right than Fox News, One America News Network and Newsmax, thats changing. Republicans who got their news from OANN or Newsmax were generally more extreme in their beliefs around QAnon and their refusal to get vaccinated than those who got their news from Fox News.

Free samples are back, but with safety in mind via Anne DInnocenzio of The Associated Press When the pandemic was declared in March 2020, retailers worried about the potential spread of the coronavirus so they cut off free sampling of everything from food to makeup to toys. But now, with vaccinations rolling out and the threat of COVID-19 easing in the U.S., stores like Costco are feeling confident enough to revive the long-standing tradition. But while sampling is back, its not clear if everyone is ready to bite. With that in mind, some retailers are putting various safety protocols to ease any safety concerns. At Costco, masked workers prepare the hot and cold samples behind plexiglass counters and distribute them to its members one at a time. Stew Leonards also brought back hot samples with similar safety measures.

CORONA ECONOMICS

U.S. jobless claims tick up to 373,000 from a pandemic low via The Associated Press The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week even while the economy and the job market appear to be rebounding from the coronavirus recession with sustained energy. Thursdays report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims increased by 2,000 from the previous week to 373,000. Weekly applications, which generally track the pace of layoffs, have fallen steadily this year from more than 900,000 at the start of the year. The four-week average of applications, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, is 394,500, the lowest such level since the pandemic erupted in March of last year.

Unemployment claims continue to drop via The News Service of Florida Newly filed unemployment claims continue to slow in Florida, with the state recording its lowest weekly total since the COVID-19 pandemic crashed into the economy in March 2020. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,946 new claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended July 3, down from a revised count of 6,917 during the week that ended June 26. The department last week said the national unemployment rate in June was 5.9%, up from 5.8% in May. The states unemployment rate stood at 4.9% in May, reflecting 503,000 people qualifying as out of work from a workforce of 10.24 million. A June unemployment report will be issued on July 16.

The bond market is telling us to worry about growth, not inflation via Neil Irwin of The New York Times For months, the United States has been experiencing the growing pains of an economy rebooting itself surging economic activity, yes, but also shortages, gummed-up supply networks and higher prices. Now, shifts in financial markets point to a reversal of that economic narrative. Specifically, the bond market has swung in ways that suggest that a period of slower growth and more subdued inflation could lie ahead. They are not the kind of jaw-dropping swings that markets show in moments of extreme turbulence. But the price swings show an economy in flux, and they undermine arguments that the United States is settling into a new, high-inflation reality for the indefinite future.

At many companies, changes from COVID-19 are now permanent via Joyce M. Rosenberg of The Associated Press Many business owners have made individual adaptations that not only make sense but may have permanently altered the way they do business and make money. Some owners who have made dramatic changes find theyre much happier running their companies now. Before COVID-19, psychotherapist and business coach Jonathan Alpert did almost all his work in his Manhattan office. The pandemic restricted him to the phone and video. But despite the fact therapy has traditionally been done in person, many clients arent interested in returning to his office for in-person sessions. What started out as a real necessity is now a highly desirable option for people, Alpert says. Its convenient; they dont have to commute 10, 20, 30 minutes each way.

Read the original post:

Sunburn The morning read of what's hot in Florida politics 7.9.21 - Florida Politics