Jacksonville Bold for 10.7.26: Wyman at work

Jacksonville politics, campaigns, City Hall and community news shaping Northeast Florida. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises The Republican Party of Florida has welcomed House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan to the Jacksonville Mayor's race with a $100,000 donation to his political committee. The Sept. 19 contribution to the recently rechristened "Better Jacksonville Committee" is something none of the other four Republicans in the crowded 2027 Election field has received. Wyman Duggan enters Jacksonville’s Mayor’s race with GOP money and momentum behind his campaign. The donation suggests that statewide GOP interests see Duggan as a better bet than political newcomers like Ron Armstrong, Keith Brown, Harry Long and Fitz Gerald Despres. Duggan just launched his campaign Friday, and his committee spent more than $31,000 during the week of Sept. 25, which is the last date for which fundraising reports are currently filed with the state of Florida. One name worth watching down the stretch: the "Very Conservative" political committee. Duggan's committee gave it $30,000. All told, Duggan's committee has nearly $1.4 million on hand. While that dwarfs the money available to all other challengers, it doesn't come close to the roughly $2.4 million the incumbent had on hand as of Sept. 25 between her campaign account and her political committee. Duggan launched his campaign Friday and outlined his campaign message after filing paperwork. He argued that “consolidated government is breaking down” under the incumbent. “Under this administration, we have had disputes involving JEA, the JTA (Jacksonville Transportation Authority), and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, and JAA has threatened to sue the city. We have a strong Mayor form of government. We are supposed to have a Mayor who rolls up their sleeves and solves problems. That includes bringing the independent authorities addressed in our city charter to the table and saying: We need to work together for all of Jacksonville — not inside your silo, and not for your parochial interests,” he said. Duggan also picked up a unanimous endorsement from the Jacksonville Young Republicans this week. “Affordability is the defining issue for young professionals,” said John Scott, President of the Jacksonville Young Republicans. “Whether buying a home, paying utility bills, starting a business, or raising a family, the cost of building a future matters. Wyman has made affordability a top priority and has a proven legislative record of delivering tax relief and fighting for responsible government.” Duggan, who said he was “honored to receive the endorsement,” understands the group’s concerns about costs. “Families and young professionals should be able to build their future right here in Jacksonville. As Mayor, I’ll work to make our city more affordable by keeping taxes, fees, and utility costs in check and ensuring taxpayers get the value they deserve from City Hall,” he said. He has also released an ad focusing on increased spending under the incumbent and how he would turn the tide. “(Jacksonville Mayor Donna) Deegan has city health spending at record levels. Property tax revenue has soared. Our garbage fees have doubled. And JEA just raised our rates again. That’s not putting Jacksonville families first. That’s making government bigger at your expense,” Duggan said. Polling is with the incumbent for now, at least when Duggan is tested head-to-head against her. Deegan led Duggan by 20 points in a recent St. Pete Polls survey of likely voters, drawing 53% support in a hypothetical head-to-head contest. But the First Election in March won’t present a binary choice. All Duggan needs to do is keep Deegan from winning a majority, which would let her be re-elected without a May runoff in the General Election.

In transit   In the wake of staff and service reductions at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority driven by a deficit and persistent rate hikes at JEA, Deegan thinks appointees to the Boards of JTA, JEA, and other independent agencies should learn something about municipal finance. Based on her comments Tuesday, they don't quite know enough for the job in some cases. "Our Board members are citizen volunteers who give their time to serve this city, and they deserve every tool we can provide them to do that job well,” said Deegan. “Taxpayers deserve confidence that the people overseeing their money understand the budgets, audits, and ethics rules in front of them. This order puts that training within reach today. Working with the City Council, we’ll make these standards permanent through legislation.” Donna Deegan pushes stronger financial training for appointees overseeing Jacksonville’s independent agencies. Until a bill codifies the standards, the Mayor can only suggest process improvements. These include governance and audit training on fiduciary duties, internal and external audits, internal controls and fraud awareness, Florida’s Sunshine Law, public records laws, and state and City ethics rules. Chief Financial Officer Anna Brosche's office will be responsible for training Board members of agencies that want help, after a 90-day ramp-up period. Starting next year, Board members will learn how to read financial statements. The training will also cover credit ratings, pension risks, and bond covenants. The CFO's office will also offer "entity-specific briefings" to Board chairs upon request. Deegan also seeks "chief executive certification of financial submissions from independent agencies to the City, so the Mayor, City Council, and Council Auditor can rely on the numbers and spot risks early." In related news, Deegan says she will comply with Attorney General James Uthmeier’s subpoena of records of a meeting she had last year with former Jacksonville Transportation Authority Board member Megan Hayward. And she will make them public thereafter. “We were asked for those notes, and the general counsel said they’re not public record because they are personal notes that were not shared,” Deegan said on Tuesday’s “First Coast Connect.” “And so we don’t want to set that precedent. But we will, of course, turn whatever we have over to the Attorney General, and then we’ll make those things public because that will be the proper process. We didn’t want to set a bad precedent for future Mayors and others when things aren’t public record. Bottom line is, we’re always happy to cooperate.” The pledge to release the records comes less than 24 hours after one of her declared opponents in next year’s municipal election, House Speaker Pro Tempore Duggan, called on Deegan to do so.

Another campaign   Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters has officially filed for another term. "Four years ago, I asked Jacksonville to trust me to keep our city safe, and we've delivered. We've achieved historic reductions in murders and gang-related violence, and crime is at record lows. We've invested in our agency, boosted officer morale and put transparency and community engagement at the forefront," Waters said. TK Waters makes it official, filing for another term as Jacksonville Sheriff. "I love this city, serving it alongside the men and women of JSO is the honor of my life — and I'm not done. I'm proud to officially file for re-election because we've built something that works, and it's time to finish the job," he added. Waters, who retired from active duty as chief of investigations, is the third straight elected Republican Sheriff and the second Black Sheriff in Jacksonville history. He first won election in a Special Election in 2022, defeating a Democratic opponent by more than 10 points. The Special Election was called after former Sheriff Mike Williams resigned amid a residency controversy. Gov. Ron DeSantis backed Waters even before the race started. Waters faced no opposition in 2023's General Election. This time around, his only filed opponent is no-party candidate Donzalo Solomon.

Water works   Moving from Sheriff Waters to water quality … Gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds was in Ponte Vedra this week pushing his plans to protect the finite resource via “a new statewide restoration grant program to bring the proven Everglades model to Florida’s other iconic waters.” “On the east coast, we’re tackling nutrient pollution to restore the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River. In the heartland of Florida, we will protect the natural flow, clarity, and health of our world-famous freshwater springs. Along the Gulf, from the panhandle down to southwest Florida, we are restoring vital seagrass beds and shielding fragile coastlines,” he said. Byron Donalds discusses water policy with Debbie Mayfield, Sam Greco and Kim Kendall in Ponte Vedra. He also promised to do more about “wastewater infrastructure.” “Clean water starts with modern pipes and modern plants. Leaking, aging septic systems and recurring sewer overflows after heavy rains threaten our health and pollute our bays,” he said. “Florida must become a leader in wastewater innovation. We are prioritizing funding to move vulnerable properties off of failing septic tanks and onto central sewer lines. We are helping local communities eliminate sewer overflows for good. We are investing in next-generation treatment technologies that capture and recycle nutrients before they ever reach our waterways. Some people might say that we have to choose between the environment and our economy. But here in Florida, we know better.” Donalds has not emphasized environmental issues much in this campaign and has been attacked by opponents in both the Primary and the General Election for advocating for data centers. With this initiative, he is taking a page out of Gov. DeSantis’ 2018 playbook, in which DeSantis focused on water quality and pledged to protect the environment with a plan that may appeal to swing voters who haven’t decided between him and Democrat David Jolly.

Union label   The Fraternal Order of Police is backing Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland in next year’s election. “Nick Howland has championed public safety and fully funded JSO since his very first days on City Council. And, as the Council’s liaison to JSO for more than three years, he has been a trusted partner committed to safe neighborhoods and safer streets. Nick has had our backs, and FOP 5-30 is proud to back him for his re-election,” said union head Randy Reaves. Nick Howland adds the Fraternal Order of Police to his re-election corner. Howland is “honored” by the endorsement and “grateful to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep Jacksonville safe.” He says he will “always stand with our law enforcement officers and make public safety a top priority.” Howland is running unopposed in At Large Group 3.

Landing land   The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) and the City of Fernandina Beach have acquired nearly 10 acres of property, adding conservation land to the Ron Sapp Egans Creek Greenway. Sherry Quattlebaum donated one property of nearly nine acres, and the city bought the second, about one acre, from Pineland Holding Co. The city now owns and manages both conservation and recreation land. The Greenway is a protected area of more than 300 acres along Egans Creek, open to the public as an undeveloped park for passive recreation. The new properties help connect additional conservation lands to the Greenway. Egans Creek Greenway grows greener with nearly 10 more acres protected for conservation. NFLT and the city recently renewed a memorandum of understanding under which both identify properties for conservation, and each contributes funding. NFLT's share comes from its Amelia Forever Fund, created in 2019 to protect remaining natural spaces on Amelia Island. "It was great that we could hit the ground running after restarting our partnership with the City of Fernandina Beach to find and protect property for future generations," said Allison DeFoor, NFLT President and CEO. "Egans Creek Greenway is an amazing community asset, and adding land will increase the ecosystem benefits, including providing a wildlife corridor that is uninhibited by development. Now these properties will remain in their natural state forever." Quattlebaum, a former schoolteacher and real estate professional, bought the property in the early 2000s and donated it as part of her estate planning. The land is almost entirely wetlands buffering Egans Creek. She donated it to the city through NFLT. "Over the years, I have seen articles about the land trust's work and felt that it was advantageous to work with them to donate the land to the city," Quattlebaum said in a news release.

UNF presidential approval   The Florida Board of Governors has unanimously approved Michael P. Shannon as the University of North Florida's eighth President. Shannon won't officially take office until Jan. 4. "I am deeply grateful for the confidence of the UNF Board of Trustees and Florida Board of Governors and for the opportunity to serve this great University," Shannon said. "UNF is at an inflection point and has tremendous momentum. Now we have an opportunity to build on that thoughtfully and boldly, strengthening the student experience, investing in our people and growing our impact without losing what makes UNF special." Michael P. Shannon gets the green light to become the University of North Florida’s eighth President. The UNF Board of Trustees approved Shannon earlier this month. The move followed a Presidential Search Committee naming him the sole candidate. He'll be succeeding Moez Limayem, who resigned to become President at the University of South Florida. Angela Garcia Falconetti has served as UNF's interim President. The single-candidate selection process drew criticism from Florida House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison. He and other lawmakers have argued universities have leaned too heavily on naming only one finalist for presidential searches — a critique also raised during USF's selection of Limayem. Shannon currently serves as President of the University of North Georgia, a post he's held since 2023. That school enrolls about 20,000 students, comparable to UNF's roughly 19,000, a figure that set a Fall enrollment record at the Jacksonville campus. UNF Board of Trustees Chair Steve Moore said Shannon's background makes him well-suited for the role. "Mike is a natural leader who understands the power of public higher education to transform lives, just as it transformed his own, and the importance of strong community partnerships," Moore said. "He will bring a student-first mindset, a commitment to academic excellence and the experience and vision to help UNF reach even greater heights."

Healthy nature   Project One Health JAX is throwing more support for nature and health initiatives at the University of North Florida (UNF). Project One Health JAX, an initiative of the Winston Family Foundation, is investing $620,000 in the Institute of Environmental Research and Education (IERE) at UNF. The funding will support the university on Jacksonville’s Southside, grow its Nature and Health Center, and expand initiatives that promote health through increased connections with nature. The Center is Florida's chapter of the national Nature and Health Alliance, and UNF calls it Florida's first and only. Michael P. Shannon gets the green light to become the University of North Florida’s eighth President. The UNF Center was founded in 2025 and focuses its research and community involvement on the relationship between nature and humans. IERE Director and Professor Erin Largo-Wight has overseen much of the research in the nature and health field at UNF and said the Project One Health JAX gift is substantial. "As Project One Health JAX developed its vision for helping children and families spend more time outdoors, there was a natural alignment with the work already underway at UNF," said Largo-Wight. "This investment allows us to build upon years of research and community partnerships while creating more opportunities for students, educators, healthcare professionals and families to experience the health benefits of nature." Project One Health JAX is also sponsoring the Florida Nature and Health Symposium scheduled for Nov. 20 at UNF.

Champion spirit   Marty Fiorentino, founder of The Florida Group, took the mic as keynote speaker at the National MS Society’s recent Dinner of Champions, which spotlighted Teresa Eichner. Marty Fiorentino takes the mic at the National MS Society’s Dinner of Champions. The City of Jacksonville PIO, National MS Society Florida Board Trustee and Jax Bourbon Social founder was honored for her leadership, service and commitment to the MS community. A strong Jacksonville showing for a worthy cause.

Spread love   Local leaders want your peanut butter again this year — but it’s for a good cause. All month long, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Duval County will participate in the Peanut Butter Challenge to boost food pantry stock. Jacksonville’s Peanut Butter Challenge spreads a little generosity — one jar at a time. Drop off your donations at the UF/IFAS Extension Duval County office (1010 N. McDuff Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32254), City Hall (117 W. Duval St., Employee Services Mezzanine Floor), Jacksonville public libraries, the Ed Ball Building (214 N. Hogan St., Rose Nettles Public Works, 10th Floor), or Standard Feed and Seed (1236 Kings Road). “The work that goes into planning a successful donation drive is about more than collecting peanut butter. It’s about building relationships with new partners, creating opportunities for people and organizations to get involved, and raising awareness about the needs within our community. Each new partnership helps us reach more people and, together, make a greater impact for local families,” said Tracy Akers Williams, Extension Marketing Manager.

Beach party   The Jacksonville Jaguars may be out of town next year, but as a consolation prize, Jacksonville Beach is making it easier to drink to forget they’re gone. Action News Jax reports approval of a two-year pilot program at beach bars that allows more outdoor drinking. Jacksonville Beach gives outdoor drinking more room under a new two-year pilot program. For now, local bar owners say it’s a soft launch because people can still get to see the games in person. “I think people are trying to stay, get to the stadium while they can before it’s closed down and before the Jags are going to be away next year,” said Heather Rooney of Lynch’s.

House proud   Hubbard House has won The Florida Group’s annual 904 Day Charity Giveaway, earning recognition during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month for five decades of service to Northeast Florida. The organization provides emergency shelter and other assistance to survivors of domestic violence and their children in both Duval and Baker counties. As a full-service certified domestic violence center, Hubbard House offers an Outreach Center, a round-the-clock Domestic Violence Hotline and programs designed to help families find safety and support. These services extend the organization’s reach beyond emergency shelter, providing survivors with additional resources during a crisis and support as they move forward. Joe Mobley and Joe Kovacocy celebrate Hubbard House winning The Florida Group’s 904 Day Charity Giveaway. Over its 50-year history, Hubbard House has answered more than 147,000 hotline calls and served more than 168,000 survivors and their children, according to the announcement. The figures underscore the scale of the organization’s work across the two counties over half a century of serving local families. The Florida Group announced the selection with a message celebrating Hubbard House’s long-standing role in the community. The recognition comes in October, when National Domestic Violence Awareness Month draws attention to survivors and the services available to them. The group highlighted the center’s continuing work supporting survivors throughout Northeast Florida.

Jaguars trending positively   The Jaguars are for real. While Sunday’s 22-17 win in Cincinnati wasn't the prettiest, it was a road win against a team expected to contend for the playoffs this season. It was also the first time that Trevor Lawrence had beaten the Bengals. He now has wins over every other team in the NFL. What matters most is how the win positions the Jaguars roughly a quarter of the way through the season as they prepare for back-to-back games in London. At 3-1, the Jaguars trail only the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC standings. Four other teams are also 3-1 (Buffalo, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Las Vegas). In the AFC South, the Jaguars lead Indianapolis by one game, while Tennessee and Houston still look for their first win of the season. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars head across the pond with a 3-1 record and postseason ambitions. Since the NFL went to a 14-team playoff format, with seven teams in each conference qualifying for the postseason, teams starting 3-1 have made the playoffs 75% of the time. It’s not a lock, but the Jaguars are positioned well to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999. As for the division race, the Jaguars are the only team to have outscored the opposition this season. The Colts have been outscored 104-102 but have managed two wins. The Jaguars have outscored the opposition by 51 points, the best margin in the AFC and second only to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. The Jaguars’ defense has limited the opposition to 53 points. Only the undefeated Minnesota Vikings have allowed fewer points. And most optimistically for the Jaguars, they can play better. On Sunday, the team committed an uncharacteristically high 13 penalties. Trevor Lawrence missed a wide-open Brenton Strange on what would have been a game-clinching completion. The defense totaled only two sacks on 41 dropbacks by Joe Burrow (39 throws and two scrambles). Similarly, the Jaguars’ offensive line allowed too much pressure on Lawrence, who was sacked four times and under duress on several other pass plays. Now, the team prepares for a two-game stretch in London. On Sunday morning, the Jaguars will kick off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network). Philadelphia opened the season with wins over the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans before losing to the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. After the Eagles, the Jaguars face the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium. If the Jags return to Jacksonville with two wins, they’ll be in prime position to make consecutive postseason runs for the first time in more than a quarter-century. ___ Stay Bold. Stay informed. Sign up for Jacksonville Bold here.

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Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 10.8.26 — Burnin’ today: Isaias, Hope Florida, DeSantis, Donalds & Jolly, Uthmeier, FEMA, AI & Pitbull

Your first read of Florida Politics, without the spin — Sunburn ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Good Thursday morning. “Jim Cantore arrives in Pensacola as Isaias approaches Florida” via Kevin Robinson of the Pensacola News Journal — One of hurricane season’s most familiar faces has landed in Northwest Florida: Cantore is in Pensacola. The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday that the longtime Weather Channel meteorologist is in town as forecasters track Tropical Storm Isaias and its potential effects on Florida. Cantore has become synonymous with major tropical weather, making his deployments newsworthy even before conditions deteriorate. His arrival puts Pensacola in the national weather spotlight as forecasters continue watching Isaias’ path and intensity. But Cantore’s presence isn’t a forecast — or a guarantee Pensacola will take the brunt of the storm. For weather watchers, it’s simply another signal that Isaias is worth watching closely. Jim Cantore brings familiar storm coverage to Pensacola while residents keep their eyes on Isaias. ___ Former Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book is releasing a new ad in her Senate District 30 campaign. In the spot, titled "Survivor," Book discusses being sexually abused as a child. It will air in 30-second and 60-second versions. "I was sexually abused from the time that I was about 11 until I was 16," Book says in the ad. "I made it my mission to protect children and help adults understand how to prevent abuse before it happens … Going to Tallahassee and fighting for people gives something to that little girl and so many others that I've met along the way." Book founded Lauren's Kids, a nonprofit whose prevention education has reached millions of children and families. She leads its annual 1,500-mile Walk in My Shoes across the state. In the Senate, where she served from 2016 to 2024, Book passed laws protecting children and survivors and cracking down on sexual predators, human trafficking, and sexual cyberharassment. She also eliminated the sales tax on baby diapers and adult incontinence products, twice expanded Medicaid coverage for new mothers and babies, and worked with Parkland families to pass bipartisan gun safety legislation. "We have to remember why we're going to Tallahassee," Book says. "We have to go and fight for families. That's my mission." SD 30 includes many of the communities Book previously represented in Broward and Palm Beach counties. To watch the ad, please click the image below: Lauren Book shares her survivor story and her commitment to protecting children in a new campaign ad.  ___ LSN Law has hired Lluvia Resendiz, who led Miami-Dade County's Zoning Information Section, as Planner and Land Use Adviser and added Olivia Polimeni as Associate Attorney, the Miami firm announced Wednesday. Both join the firm's Land Use and Zoning practice, led by Partner Tracy Slavens. Lluvia Resendiz and Olivia Polimeni join LSN Law, adding fresh expertise to the land use lineup. Resendiz most recently served as Planning Development Manager for Miami-Dade County, where she oversaw zoning applications and development-related matters. She has more than 20 years in land use, zoning, development, and local government, including planning and development roles with the University of Miami and the cities of Homestead, Doral, and South Miami. She is AICP certified and holds a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University. Polimeni works on land use, zoning, planning, and real estate development matters, including development approvals, entitlements, permitting, and regulatory work. She practiced litigation and real estate at GrayRobinson's Boca Raton office before joining LSN Law. She earned her J.D. and an LL.M. in Real Property Development from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.S., cum laude, from the University of Central Florida. "Lluvia and Olivia bring valuable planning and legal expertise to our Land Use and Zoning team," Slavens said. "Their experience will further strengthen our ability to help clients navigate complex development and governmental processes."

Situational awareness   —@RealDonaldTrump: Chris LaCivita and James Blair are outside consultants. They do not work for me, other than as outside consultants. They most likely have numerous clients, but for that, you would have to ask them. They are allowed to do work for others, just like all consultants in Washington, D.C. I do not have any idea who else they work for but will, on reflection, ask them and, if there’s a conflict, I will terminate them, immediately! Thank you for your attention to this matter. —@SenRickScott: Isaias has the potential to be a very serious storm. I’ll be in Pensacola tomorrow working with local leaders and emergency management officials to make sure families are prepared. Everyone should take this seriously — make a plan NOW! Tweet, tweet: —@ChrisDorworth: I am rooting for Charlie (Crist), but my spidey senses say (Ken) Welch wins. Tweet, tweet:

Days until   ‘The Social Reckoning,' with Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Allen White and Mikey Madison, premieres — 1; Associated Industries of Florida one-on-one conversations with five top-of-ticket Republicans — 4; 'VisionQuest' premieres — 6; 'The Diplomat' season 4 premieres — 7; Optional General early voting begins — 11; 'Six Kings Slam' on Netflix — 13; Florida TaxWatch Fiscal Accountability Leadership Summit begins — 13; General Election ballot request deadline — 14; Mandatory General early voting begins — 16; General Election — 26; ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ premieres — 29; ‘Wild Horse Nine’ premieres — 29; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 34; 'Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol' starring Johnny Depp premieres — 36; 'Paper Tiger' starring Adam Driver premieres — 36; Joe Biden’s memoir, ‘Promise Me, America’ is released — 40; New legislator training sessions — 40; Senate convenes for general organization and selection of officers — 40; ‘Madden’ premieres — 41; ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ premieres — 43; ‘The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ with Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and written by Quentin Tarantino, premieres in IMAX — 48; Committee Week #1 — 53; ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres — 71; ‘Dune: Part 3,’ directed by Denis Villeneuve, premieres — 71; Committee Week #2 — 88; Committee Week #3 — 95; 'Ahsoka' season 2 premieres — 104; College Football Playoff national championship game in Las Vegas — 109; Committee Week #4 — 116; 'Remain,' directed by M. Night Shyamalan, premieres — 120; Grammys — 122; Committee Week #5 — 123; Super Bowl LXI — 129; Committee Week #6 — 130; Opening day of the 2027 Regular Legislative Session — 145; Tampa Mayoral Election — 145; ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan premieres — 148; Jacksonville First Election — 152; Oscars — 157; Miami Marlins Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. New York Mets — 168; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. Baltimore Orioles — 168; Democratic Mayors Association 2027 annual summit in Miami begins — 188; Jacksonville General Election — 222; 'Star Wars: Starfighter' premieres — 232; ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 253; Citrus Series — Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins — 281; 'The Bluey Movie' premieres — 302; Citrus Series — Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays — 337; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 435; 2028 South Carolina Democratic Presidential Primary — 471; College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans — 473; 2028 Nevada Presidential Primary — 481; 2028 New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary — 488; 2028 New Mexico Democratic Presidential Primary — 495; ‘The Batman Part II’ premieres — 498; 2028 Michigan Democratic Presidential Primary — 502; 2028 Virginia Democratic Presidential Primary — 509; Oscars — 514; 'X-Men' premieres — 575; ‘Miami Vice '85’ reboot premieres — 589; ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ premieres — 596; 'Days of Thunder' sequel with Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway premieres — 603; ‘Incredibles 3’ premieres — 617; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 645; 'Ghost Rider' premieres — 659; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 761; ‘Black Panther 3’ directed by Ryan Coogler premieres — 799; College Football Playoff national championship game in Tampa — 837; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 1,170; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 1,898.

Top story   “Appeals court wipes out Hope Florida grand jury presentment” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — A state appeals court has wiped out the confidential Hope Florida grand jury presentment that accused Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration of participating in a “sophisticated scheme” involving $10 million in taxpayer money from a Medicaid settlement. The First District Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that the Leon County grand jury convened by State Attorney Jack Campbell exceeded its authority. The court also found state law was violated when the confidential presentment was disclosed before those criticized could challenge its release. Ron DeSantis gets a court victory in the Hope Florida presentment dispute; the broader controversy continues. The grand jury criticized members of the DeSantis administration by name while declining to indict anyone. Jurors alleged settlement money was diverted to help finance a political campaign opposing a statewide constitutional amendment that would have legalized recreational marijuana. Appellate Judge Lance E. Neff wrote that a grand jury may investigate and report wrongdoing but cannot declare conduct unlawful, condemn individuals by name and then decline to charge them. The opinion noted jurors effectively acknowledged insufficient evidence existed to support criminal charges. The appellate court also concluded the presentment was improperly distributed beyond those legally entitled to receive it. The document surfaced publicly after being leaked to CBS News Miami, though the identity of the person responsible for releasing it remains unknown. Wednesday’s decision reverses a July ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh, who had denied full expungement. The decision eliminates a damaging grand jury document targeting the DeSantis administration even as scrutiny surrounding Hope Florida and the disputed Medicaid settlement remains a major political controversy.

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