Assignment editors — DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez, Surgeon General Rivkees, Deputy Secretary for Health Dr. Shamarial Roberson and Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran will hold a news conference, Florida Department of Health Tampa Branch Laboratory, 3602 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa. Later, they will be holding a second news conference, 2 p.m., Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County, 1350 NW 14th Street, Miami.

___

At the global news level, there is increasing coronavirus pandemic.

At the national news level, there is the Democratic presidential primary.

And at the state level, there are the last two weeks of the 2020 Legislative Session.

But … do you mind if we begin today’s Sunburn with some a few pieces of uplifting news?

How about some ‘welcome to the world’ notes?

Welcome to the world:

Rocco Kolbe Joseph, son of Katie and Michael Williams, who is with the Florida Chamber Foundation. He was born on the 24th, coming in at 9 lbs. 2 oz. Dad says he is doing well, and his sisters were excited to meet him.

Nice to meet you, Rocco.

Another wonderful addition to the world is Eleanor Joyce Bowen, daughter of Amanda and Gordon Bowen. Amanda is the president of the Nancy Stephens & Associates and lobbies for the Manufacturers Association of Florida.

“I am beyond in love with this little girl,” says Mom.

As for our little girl, Ella Joyce competed in her first dance competition of the 2020 season and scored high gold in her solo performance. She also won an “emerging star” distinction, which the other dance parents tell me is a big deal. And her costume — inspired by Rapunzel — and put together by her mother won first place overall.

“I’ll add a few new paintings to my gallery …”

See, wasn’t that a better way to start the day? Now, on to Super Tuesday Corona Session …

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Florida primary isn’t until March 17, but early voting begins today in some counties, and by Saturday, they’ll all be open for early voting.

— In the aftermath of the South Carolina primary, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is endorsing Joe Biden in the Florida primary. Steve Schale — who runs a pro-Biden PAC — talks about what’s next for the Democrats as they try to figure out who is the best to be Donald Trump.

— Officials at the state health department say there are now three labs in the state that can test for the coronavirus; that means faster test results.

— Magdalen Bader, a 90-year-old survivor of the Nazi death camps at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, shares her story with state lawmakers as they took up a bill on Holocaust education in Florida schools.

— A couple of gems from Florida Men: One of them is looking for a new place to open a swinger’s club, police accusing another of sucking a man’s toes in the hospital.

To listen, click on the image below:

—@SamSanders: I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t have to wait for a global pandemic to wash your hands

—@Conarck: Me shopping for soaps and cleaning products last month: “Ah, this one uses less harmful chemicals.” Me now: “I’d like the soap that foams up and burns off the top layer of skin.”

—@realDonaldTrump: Pete Buttigieg is OUT. All of his SuperTuesday votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing. This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie [Sanders] out of play — NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@Fred_Guttenburg: Last night, I decided that the time has come for me to make a decision in the Presidential primary as my vote in Florida is only two weeks away. I have decided to endorse @JoeBiden for President. He again showed this country that he is a fighter for us.

Tweet, tweet:

—@SamStein: Joe Biden can now run as the youngest male candidate left in the field.

Tweet, tweet:

“Longtime Jimmy Patronis ally seeks top job at Florida Healthy Kids” via Christine Sexton of the News Service of Florida — Ryan West is one of three candidates being considered for the CEO position at the Florida Healthy Kids program, administered by the Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which is chaired by Stephanie Haridopolos. The corporation’s three-member executive committee interviewed the candidates in Tallahassee and subsequently ranked them in order of appeal. It appears that West’s background isn’t in health care. He has been a Florida House policy chief dealing with tourism and economic development, as well as a policy director and lead lobbyist for the Florida Chamber. He served as a top adviser to Patronis when Patronis was a member of the Florida Public Service Commission. He was chief of staff for Patronis from mid-2017 to the end of last year.

Ryan West, a former adviser for Jimmy Patronis, is looking for a top gig at Healthy Kids.

“Deadline looms: Florida lawmakers focus on budget, E-Verify” via Bobby Caina Calvan of The Associated Press — With time nearly out, the Senate Rules Committee is considering a buzzer-beating proposal that would not only force cities and counties across the state to use a federal database known as E-Verify, but it would also require private companies with at least 50 workers to use the service to check the legal status of an employee to work in the United States. The House is also rushing to finalize its own E-Verify bill. But unlike the version under consideration in the Senate, the House bill would exempt private employers. With just two weeks to go before the scheduled end of the 2020 legislative session on March 13, the prospects for any E-Verify bill remains uncertain.

House Appropriations Chair Travis Cummings noted that “we are very early in allocation discussions with our Senate partners.”

Travis Cummings is concerned that Session will not end as expected — on Friday the 13th.

Last year, he envisioned an extension … it ended up being just a day. But time is running short, and major issues remain unresolved.

That would include bones of contention like VISIT FLORIDA, which the House wants to cut entirely. And significant differences on the budget to acquire environmentally sensitive land (the House proposes $20 million, less than a six of the Senate’s $125 million). And affordable housing money also, where the Senate proposes $387 million and the House just $144 million.

“No agreements have occurred in those areas,” Cummings said.

“Without allocations,” he added, “we cannot begin budget conference. There is still time, but every day is crucial at this point.”

The takeaway?

“If we don’t have allocations done in the next few days, we would have to extend Session.”

Bill Galvano put an end to gun-control legislation for 2020.

“Senate moves to cap THC potency for medical marijuana” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald — After weeks of rumors that the Florida House was pushing an amendment that would put a cap on the amount of THC in all medical marijuana at 10% potency, the proposal was finally filed in the Senate. Sen. Gayle Harrell filed the amendment to a larger health care package. The Senate Rules Committee, the bill’s last stop, will take up the amendment. Current law places a limit on the amount of THC in edible products only, which may only contain 10 mg of THC per serving and 200 mg in total. The amendment caps THC at 10% potency for patients under 21 years old, with some exceptions.

“Legislation limiting restraint and forbidding seclusion in schools heads to final committee stop” via Sarah Mueller of Florida Politics — The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education approved the bill (SB 1644), sponsored by Sen. Lauren Book. It’s now in the Appropriations Committee. The Senate has historically been reluctant to remove this tool from teachers, some who say it helps keep them safe when children lash out and become violent. The House companion (HB 1231) is set for a House vote. The House advanced a similar bill last year that died in the Senate. But Book argued that in some cases, children could be physically restrained in painful or demeaning ways.

The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee meets the hold confirmation hearings for several appointees, including State Board of Education member Ryan Petty and South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Drew Bartlett, 11 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.

The Senate Rules Committee meets to consider several issues, including SB 1128 from Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., to preempt local governments from regulating vacation rental properties. Also on the agenda is SB 664 from Sen. Tom Lee, to require employers to use the E-Verify system to check the immigration status of new hires, noon, Room 110, Senate Office Building.

The House Health & Human Services Committee meets to consider HB 1143 from Rep. Tommy Gregory, which seeks to allow the state to participate in an interstate medical licensure “compact,” where physicians can qualify to practice across state lines, Morris Hall, House Office Building.

The House Select Committee on the Integrity of Research Institutions meets to hear presentations as it continues to scrutinize potential foreign interference in research in Florida. Speaker Oliva called for a select committee after the resignation of officials at Moffitt Cancer Center who were involving work in China, 4 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.

The House Rules Committee meets to set the special-order calendar, 5:30 p.m., room 404 House Office Building.

The Senate Special Order Calendar Group meets to set up the special-order calendar, 15 minutes after the Rules Committee meeting, Room 401, Senate Office Building.

Happening today — Opponents of legislative proposals that preempt local governments to regulate vacation rental properties will hold a rally, 10:30 a.m., steps of the Old Capitol.

Both Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar finished well behind Biden, but they are still planning to compete in Super Tuesday states. They could draw just enough of the vote to deny Biden the numbers he needs to make a case for a one-on-one competition with Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Joe Biden gets a much-needed lifeline in South Carolina.

And if they don’t, the larger question for Biden is how he fares against Mike Bloomberg, who has spent more than $500 million and will be on the ballot for the first time Tuesday.

Other takeaways from the South Carolina primary:

— Biden must broaden his appeal —

The win in South Carolina was the first primary victory for Biden in his three presidential campaigns. Super Tuesday will prove whether it signals a resurgence, where party leaders try to coalesce around him, or a mirage. Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe endorsed Biden after Saturday’s results. Biden demonstrated his oft-stated appeal to black voters, who historically play a decisive role in determining the Democratic nominee. Now he will have to show that he can broaden that appeal to college-educated suburban women who have been the fulcrum for Democrats in recent elections.

— Sanders hopes second is a blip —

For one brief moment after his commanding Nevada win, Sanders thought he could win South Carolina. Instead, he showed the limits of his progressive appeal in the South. But you can win the Democratic nomination without winning the South, and Sanders wants to show how on Super Tuesday. He has a commanding lead in polls for the biggest prize on the map, California, and is competitive in every state. Sanders’ schedule shows his confidence — he has campaigned in Massachusetts and will travel to Minnesota on Sunday and Monday, trying to win the home states of rivals Warren and Klobuchar.

— Check, please —

At some point in the nominating process, they stop handing out participation trophies. Klobuchar and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have yet to prove they can win with diverse coalitions of the Democratic Party. Now they will be under varying degrees of pressure to consider dropping out. Among the three, Warren has the most money and organization, but not necessarily the better rationale for staying in the race given the strength of Sanders, the leading progressive. None has shown any notable appeal to African American voters, and they do not have the time or the resources to focus their campaigns more narrowly with an eye on just winning some delegates to maintain leverage.

— Will Bloomberg’s money equal results? —

Bloomberg hasn’t been a factor yet in the early states — he sat them out in favor of an audacious strategy that he could fill the moderate lane if Biden faltered, by spending hundreds of millions on ads in Super Tuesday states. It’s a theory of the case that’s never happened at this level of presidential politics. And it is about to be tested. If Bloomberg doesn’t prevail and merely fragments the moderate vote, that will be to Sanders’ benefit.

— With one voice, for once —

For once, self-described moderate and conservative Democrats spoke with something resembling a unified voice. This group has consistently been the majority of voters in previous contests, only to dilute their vote by splitting it among candidates. But in South Carolina, preliminary results from AP VoteCast found a substantial share of moderate and conservative voters — more than half — went for Biden. No more than 1 in 10 backed Buttigieg or Klobuchar. Still, the survey also hints at the possibility of Sanders, who has dominated among liberals, having some crossover appeal. Among moderates and conservatives, 14% voted for the self-described socialist.

“What Cuba controversy? How Sanders’ Florida campaign is ignoring the ‘noise’” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — The controversy won’t disrupt a strategy that has been building since his failed 2016 presidential campaign. “Don’t listen to the polls. Don’t feed the trolls,” Sanders’ Florida field director, Sanjay Patel, tells the standing-room-only crowd. After helping Sanders in the first three primaries of the Democratic presidential race, the Florida volunteers have turned their focus on their home state, starting with the courtship of some 800,000 voters still sitting on their mail ballots. They are Sanders’ not-so-secret weapon, unleashed upon one of the biggest prizes in the presidential primary calendar with a buoyancy that defies their aggressive online “Bernie Bros” alter egos. And they are more abundant in number than in 2016 and better organized.

“Why Joe Biden is my choice for President’” via U.S. Debbie Wasserman Schultz for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — This choice was easy for me because I saw that knowledge and passion up close as a Member of Congress, through Vice President Biden’s devotion to making sure that the Obama Administration’s legacy would be achieving big things that made a difference in Americans’ quality-of-life. Joe not only has the fire inside to defeat a bully like Trump, he can best unite that diverse coalition of working families that we need at the polls to hold the U.S. House, and take a real shot at the Senate. Where Trump has alienated our global allies and weakened America on the international stage, Biden will restore this nation’s shredded reputation and reestablish our respect, dignity and trust.

Assignment editors — Wasserman Schultz will hold a Biden campaign organizing event, 10 a.m., Broward Teachers Union, 6000 N. University Drive Tamarac.

“Bloomberg St. Pete office defaced with signs calling him a ‘racist’ and ‘sexual predator’” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — The campaign snapped photos of the office Sunday morning showing two signs placed on the exterior windows of the office calling Bloomberg a racist and a sexual predator. “This is the latest in a string of attacks against Bloomberg 2020 offices around the country that need to end. While the goal may be to intimidate our volunteers and employees from supporting Mike and getting out the vote, it’s not working,” said Bloomberg campaign Florida State Director Scott Kosanovich. “Acts like this run opposite to our campaign. Mike Bloomberg is running for president to unite our country and party so that we can defeat Donald Trump. We will continue to carry Mike’s message and progressive vision for a better America to all of Florida.”

Mike Bloomberg’s St. Pete campaign office is defaced.

“Orlando lawmakers split on which Democrat is best to take on Donald Trump” via Ryan Gillespie and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — So far, I-4 corridor politicians have been lining up behind mostly moderate candidates like former Biden and Bloomberg. However, strong grassroots enthusiasm is still present for Sanders. Still, two of the biggest fish are still up for grabs and have yet to endorse a candidate: U.S. Rep Val Demings, whose nationwide profile skyrocketed after serving as an impeachment manager, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who have both said they plan to endorse before the March 17 primary. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings isn’t planning on endorsing yet.

“Getting the jump on super Tuesday: Floridians begin voting in-person Monday” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties are among the jurisdictions choosing to open early voting centers Monday, the earliest date the state allows on-location voting ahead of its March 17 primary. Broward and Palm Beach counties open their early voting centers on March 7. The last day of early voting across the state is March 15. Florida’s primary election is closed, meaning only Republicans and Democrats can vote for President.

Pete Buttigieg bids farewell to the campaign trail.

“Empty stadiums and no more selfie lines? Coronavirus becomes 2020 X-factor.” via David Siders of POLITICO — Fears of coronavirus are prompting soccer teams to play in empty stadiums in Italy. If the virus spreads, it’s not hard to imagine the presidential campaign looking much the same. Think sickly field organizers, restrictions on staff travel (candidates can charter their own planes), and rallies no one wants to attend. Not to mention the tens of thousands of people set to descend on Milwaukee, Wis. and Charlotte, N.C. this summer for the party conventions. “There’s been nothing like this,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic strategist based in New York.

“Eighteen days that resuscitated Joe Biden’s nearly five-decade career” via Matt Viser and Cleve Wootson of The Washington Post — Over the course of the Nevada caucuses and the South Carolina primary, Biden would streamline his campaign. He brought in reinforcements, and his campaign aides worked to calm skittish donors. But perhaps most important, those 18 days saw Biden find firmer footing as a candidate. He reveled in a state he had always considered like home. He received blunt advice from his friends and took it. He adopted a stiffer edge on two debate stages. Even rival campaigns noticed that he was more focused. A grace note came Wednesday when a nationally televised CNN town hall showcased to the state the empathy-on-his-sleeve candidate who forges emotional connections with voters better than any other in the race.

“Biden bundlers see surge of pledges from new big-money donors after he wins South Carolina” via Brian Schwartz of CNBC — Fundraisers looking to help Biden secure resources for Tuesday, when 14 states hold primaries, got what they were looking for in the buildup to South Carolina and throughout Saturday. Biden’s bundlers lured donors who had been backing Sen. Klobuchar and former South Bend Mayor Buttigieg. They also grabbed support from donors who had been uncommitted, these people added. “Money has been pouring in. And now it will really pour. Voters now understand that a vote for anyone other than Biden is a vote for Bernie Sanders,” Florida-based businessman John Morgan, a Biden bundler, told CNBC after his candidate’s big win. “I have been inundated with emails today.”

“Ad spending barrels past $1 billion mark as Bloomberg overwhelms airwaves” via Fredrecka Schouten of CNN — Bloomberg accounts for more than half of all the spending, as he has plowed more than $501 million into television, radio and digital advertising since entering the race four months ago, according to data from Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group. That eclipses the $306.6 million President Barack Obama spent on advertising during the full two-year cycle leading up to the 2012 election. “It’s just an astonishing number of ads,” said Erika Franklin Fowler, who codirects the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks political advertising. “We’ve never seen anything like this before — not just the scale but in such a short window.”

“Making pitch to voters, Bloomberg peddles his experience in a crisis” via Jeremy Peters and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times — With a sharpened speech on the campaign trail and a new three-minute television commercial set to air nationwide on Sunday night, Mr. Bloomberg is emphasizing what he sees as his biggest selling point — managing the unexpected, unwieldy problems that require a large-scale mobilization of resources and leadership that has been tested in moments of crisis. He attempts to assure Americans he has the gravitas and skill to lead while also taking a swipe at Trump.

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

“Sanders raises $46 million in February” via Sean Sullivan of The Washington Post — The cash infusion came from 2.2 million individual donations, including more than 350,000 people who gave to the Sanders campaign for the first time, officials said. The campaign said it raised $4.5 million on Saturday alone. When Obama was running for office in 2008, he raised $55 million over the same period. For Sanders, who has built the most imposing online fundraising operation in the Democratic field this cycle, the sum marks a significant increase from the $25 million it collected in January. Since the start of his second run for president last February, his campaign has raised more than $167 million, his campaign said.

—“CNN polls: Sanders holds big leads in California and Texas ahead of critical Super Tuesday vote” via Jennifer Agiesta of CNN

—“NBC News polls: Sanders has the edge in Texas, is tied with Biden in North Carolina” via Mark Murray of NBC News

“Miranda’s rebellion” via Stephanie McCrummen of The Washington Post — Miranda Murphey is 39, a high school English teacher with a Ph.D. and part of a voting demographic whose rebellion could upend the political map of the country: white suburban women in the South, whose loyalty Trump will need to remain in power. It is the kind of loyalty that has always been expected of white Southern women. In all the decades that followed, it has been the votes of white Southern women that have defined and shored up the modern Republican Party. Then came Trump, who Miranda found so morally repugnant that for the first time in her voting life, she wrote in the name of the Libertarian Party candidate.

But during the news conference — intended to bring transparency to the situation — Trump made no mention of the California case, saying instead that the virus might “soon be eradicated.”

Donald Trump did not name a coronavirus czar because he has trouble trusting outsiders.

“And again, when you have 15 people — and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero,” he said. “That’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”

The news conference illustrated the administration’s “often misleading” effort to control both the virus and political fallout of the potential pandemic, which caused financial market sellouts, disruption of global supply chains, and about 3,000 deaths — including one in California announced Saturday.

Several administration officials, former White House aides, lawmakers, and public health experts, told The Post that the White House was “scrambling to gain control of a rudderless response defined by bureaucratic infighting, confusion and misinformation.”

By the time Trump returned from an India trip, he was furious over what he considered the “alarmist response” from his administration and his unfair treatment by the media. The President was looking to control the narrative and quickly scheduled the White House news conference for Wednesday evening.

“I’m going to be announcing — exactly right now — that I’m going to be putting our Vice President, Mike Pence, in charge,” Trump said at the news event. “And Mike will be working with the professionals, doctors, and everybody else that’s working. The team is brilliant.”

What Trump didn’t do — unlike his predecessors — was to name a single point person, a “czar,” to deal with the health emergency. Trump was reluctant to bring in somebody from the outside, as some would think the administration itself failed to adequately address the crisis. He also wondered if such a person would be loyal to him.

“For American military, coronavirus is an enemy to be fought” via Dave Philipps of The New York Times — The coronavirus threat may still seem distant to much of civilian America, but it has been a clear and present danger for the military. The United States has more than 75,000 troops stationed in countries that are experiencing outbreaks, including South Korea, Japan, Italy and Bahrain. Several American bases sit next to cities where the virus is spreading, and they are intertwined with local communities, employing numerous civilian workers and housing many troops off base. A civilian worker at another Army post in South Korea tested positive. The nation’s first resort is often to call on the military’s capabilities and resources, as it did when infected Americans evacuated from a cruise ship in Japan were quarantined on two air bases.

“Lab for coronavirus test kits may have been contaminated” via Jonathan Swan and Caitlin Owens of Axios — A top federal scientist sounded the alarm about what he feared was contamination in an Atlanta lab where the government made test kits for the coronavirus, according to sources. The Trump administration has ordered an independent investigation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lab, and the manufacturing of the virus test kits have moved. At the time the administration is under scrutiny for its early preparations for the virus, the potential problems at the lab became a top internal priority for some officials. But the Trump administration did not talk publicly about the Food and Drug Administration’s specific concerns about the Atlanta lab. Senior officials are still not saying exactly what the FDA regulator found at the Atlanta lab.

Some coronavirus test kits shipped around the U.S. are flawed, CDC claims. Image via AP.

“Quarantines won’t save us from coronavirus” via Maggie Koerth of FiveThirtyEight.com — “There are reasons to be skeptical of the efficacy of quarantine, for respiratory diseases [like coronavirus] in particular,” said Wendy Parmet, director of the Center for Health Policy and Law at Northeastern University Law School. Quarantine is one of the oldest defenses societies have had against disease, but it’s not a surefire way to stop a disease from spreading and shouldn’t be any government’s knee-jerk response. In fact, in some circumstances, a quarantine could actually make things worse. When it comes to quarantines, there isn’t much to show that they’re a good idea. But we can look at history and see that quarantines have not been universally effective, Parmet said. “It’s very hard to make a quarantine that isn’t leaky,” she told me.

“Kept at the hospital on coronavirus fears, now facing large medical bills” via Sarah Kliff of The New York Times — Frank Wucinski and his 3-year-old daughter, Annabel, are among the dozens of Americans the government has flown back to the country from Wuhan, China, and put under quarantine to check for signs of coronavirus. Now they are hit with surprise medical bills related to government-mandated actions. The first stop for Wucinski and Annabel was a two-week quarantine at Marine Corps Station Miramar near San Diego. They had two mandatory stays in an isolation unit at a nearby children’s hospital, after an official heard Annabel coughing. “I assumed it was all being paid for,” Wucinski said. “We didn’t have a choice. When the bills showed up, it was just a pit in my stomach, like, ‘How do I pay for this?’”

“Bracing for coronavirus, cash-strapped rural hospitals buy masks from hardware stores” via Christopher Rowland of The Washington Post — Rural hospitals could bear the early brunt. They sit furthest from international airports and urban hubs where outbreaks are more likely, but they are at the tail end of supply chains for vital medical goods such as protective masks and gowns. In addition to preparing for victims and the demands of protecting health care workers from infection, fragile hospital networks also are readying for disruptions to the bottom line. If the spreading coronavirus puts a heavy demand on health systems, billable work that keeps revenue flowing weekly to hospitals small and large will be curtailed, executives said. Rural facilities, far from medical warehouses, are feeling the effects first as the health systems have begun rationing certain supplies.

“Clorox bleach beats 99% of germs — and stocks?” via Tara Lachapelle of Bloomberg — The chlorine-based liquid cleaner is getting a rare opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, it’s due to the coronavirus scare. Shares of Clorox Co., which is best known for its bleach and disinfectant products, climbed 2.5% to an all-time high this week — and that’s as most of the S&P 500 index fell. In fact, Clorox’s gains have topped all but two other members of the U.S. market benchmark: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Gilead Sciences Inc. The two drugmakers are working to develop treatments to combat the illness. Until they do, bleach, it seems, may be one of our best hopes.

“Hollywood studios assembling coronavirus strategy teams” via Brent Lang of Variety — Studios have already canceled plans for China premieres for films such as Disney’s “Mulan” and the James Bond adventure “No Time to Die” — moves that could cost those movies tens of millions in box office revenue. Sony’s “Bloodsport” was also expected to screen in China, but that release date remains up in the air. Most of these films hadn’t gotten the official word from Chinese authorities that they would be allowed to screen in the country, but there’s little chance that will come any time soon, as movie theaters in China remain closed.

“Coronavirus case confirmed in Dominican Republic, putting vulnerable Caribbean at risk” via Jim Wyss and Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald — Authorities in the Dominican Republic confirmed that an Italian national was checked into a Santo Domingo hospital over the weekend. A French tourist is also under observation. The arrival of the coronavirus in the Dominican Republic — a Caribbean nation of 11 million that shares a border with Haiti and has frequent sea and air connections to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Eastern Seaboard — opens up a new front in the fight to contain the virus. Haiti, trapped in a political vacuum and staggering under a broken health care system, is particularly susceptible to the spread of communicable diseases.

“Florida Hospital Association takes steps to reduce the spread of coronavirus” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — “Florida’s hospital’s plan, prepare and drill for epidemiologic situations as part of their mission to safeguard the health of the public. Infectious disease response is part of an all-hazards plan hospitals are required to maintain to address disease outbreaks like H1N1, Ebola, Zika and now, coronavirus,” the association wrote in a statement. Under its plans, Florida Hospital Association members will instruct patients when scheduling appointments to call ahead if they or persons accompanying them have symptoms of respiratory infection including a cough, runny nose, or fever and to take appropriate preventive actions to mitigate potential spread. Hospitals will also take proper steps to maintain respiratory hygiene by encouraging cough etiquette and hygiene and triage throughout a potentially infected patient’s visit.

”Local colleges suspend travel amid coronavirus worries” via Gary White of the Lakeland Ledger — Southeastern University in Lakeland canceled a study-abroad trip to China soon after news emerged about the infectious disease. About eight students had signed up for that trip, school spokeswoman Dana Davis said. Also, Southeastern called off a planned mission trip to Taiwan for eight students in the College of Education, Davis said. Southeastern students make dozens of trips a year to do humanitarian work in various countries, she said, and the university will find another mission trip for the students to join. Coronavirus, officially called COVID-19, first emerged in Wuhan City, China, in late December. It has since been reported in dozens of other countries, including the United States.

“Should you cancel that cruise you bought? Don’t panic. You don’t have many choices anyway.” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Don’t be too hard on yourself. When you decided a year ago to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a cruise, you had no way of knowing that coronavirus would become such a major health concern. And you certainly couldn’t have foreseen the horror story that unfolded aboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess ship. But you’ve got these tickets now, and you’re wondering whether you should go as planned. Most cruisers booked on voyages to Asian countries hit hard by the virus already have their answer — in February, their cruise lines canceled those trips and refunded their money. So far, the cruise lines aren’t canceling voyages to other destinations, including the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe.

“Mick Mulvaney alleges U.S. media is focusing on coronavirus to hurt Trump, advises turning off TV” via Reuters — “The reason you’re seeing so much attention to it today is that they think this is going to be what brings down the President. That’s what this is all about,” Mulvaney said at a meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference, where Republican Party superstars and right-wing media personalities gather each year. “I got a note today from a reporter saying: ‘What are you going to do today to calm the markets?’ I’m like, really, what I might do today to calm the markets is tell people to turn off their televisions for 24 hours,” he added.

Mick Mulvaney tells Americans to turn off the TV. Image via AP.

“Donna Shalala joins Republicans in walking out of coronavirus meeting amid Trump criticism” via Mark Bergin of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut started the briefing with her claims that the administration was disorganized and lacked urgency in combating the coronavirus, lawmakers said. Shalala told POLITICO the briefing was not the right setting for DeLauro’s criticism. “No one wanted to hear that, either the Democrats or Republicans,” Shalala said. “We just wanted to hear the substance.” Shalala told the Blaze that DeLauro’s comments “missed the purpose of the meeting.”

“Presidential aspirations? Matt Gaetz seems content as Northwest Florida’s Congressman” via Tom McLaughlin of the NWF Daily News — Gaetz isn’t planning a run for the presidency and doesn’t seem interested in replacing Pence as Vice President. “I am a huge fan of the Vice President and would never consider replacing him,” he responded when the question was posed. “Nobody is considering replacing him.” Truth be told, Matthew Louis Gaetz seems to like where he’s at, what he’s doing and the folks he represents in Florida’s First Congressional District. “I have the best bosses in the world,” he told a group in DeFuniak Springs on a recent Saturday at an “Open Gaetz” event. “I represent the 700,000 people in Northwest Florida. I wouldn’t trade all of you for anything.”

“Greg Steube says impeachment was bad for the country, but it may have been good for him” via Zac Anderson the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — On the day the U.S. House voted to impeach Trump, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube took to the floor to denounce the “impeachment charade.” Moments later, he went on Fox News to blast impeachment and then did the same on Fox Business. The media appearances were among roughly 69 national TV interviews that Steube has done over the last year, many of them touching on impeachment. Steube argues that impeachment has been terrible for the nation, but it may have been good for his political career. The freshman lawmaker and ardent Trump supporter is emerging from the impeachment drama as a polished public defender of the President.

Florida Republicans are finally embracing the idea of climate change. Image via AP.

Assignment editors — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will meet to get public feedback on a draft rule that would prohibit the importation or possession of deer carcasses or certain parts of deer from outside the state, 6 p.m., Embassy Suites, 4350 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens.

“Florida’s voucher programs: Evidence of academic success is limited” via Leslie Postal and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — The more than 167,000 Florida students now using state scholarships to pay private school tuition — at an annual total cost of more than $1 billion — do not take the same standardized tests as their public school counterparts. And the results of the tests they do take are not public, nor are their private schools’ graduation rates. That means there is little information available on scholarship students’ outcomes and few academic studies to mine for information on their progress. Still, many parents seem to be pleased with Florida’s school voucher programs, which provide scholarships to students from low-income families and those with disabilities.

“Florida’s Turnpike moving forward with $1 billion plan to widen to four lanes each way” via Joshua Solomon of TCPalm — The Florida Department of Transportation is looking for public input on its plans across about 36 miles, which can still vary, particularly around alterations to current interchanges and proposed interchanges at Crosstown Parkway, Midway Road and an Interstate 95 exchange near Bridge Road. The comment period runs through March 16. The Martin County Commission plans to hear a presentation at 10 a.m. Tuesday. A formal public meeting is scheduled 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center. “I feel confident we’re giving the public a lot of opportunity to give us feedback,” said Victoria Williams, FDOT liaison for the turnpike in South Florida.

“State takes hit on attorney fees in gambling case” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — An appeals court sided with pari-mutuel cardroom operators in a challenge over attorney fees, in a decision that could leave the state on the hook for more money in future consolidated legal cases. The 2nd District Court of Appeal’s ruling overturned a decision in a dispute stemming from a proposed state rule dealing with controversial “designated player” card games. Administrative Law Judge E. Gary Early in 2017 sided with pari-mutuels in various parts of the state in finding that Florida officials were wrong to do away with a rule governing designated player games without replacing the regulations.

“Meenan chalks up $725K in 2019 pay” via Florida Politics — The firm had a total of 69 clients last year. Out of those, 29 retained the firm for legislative lobbying services. Another 40 clients hired Meenan to lobby the Governor and Cabinet. Lobbying firms report their pay in ranges covering $10,000 increments. Florida Politics uses the middle number of each range to estimate total revenue. On the legislative side of the ledger, Meenan pulled in $340,000 for the year. Tower Hill Insurance Group topped Meenan’s client list by paying the firm $45,000 last year. Tower Hill is based in Gainesville and is one of Florida’s largest residential property insurance companies.

Ron DeSantis’ committee is raking in more reelection cash.

“Jeff Hinkle makes HD 4 ballot by petition” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The Okaloosa Republican Party Chair announced he’d collected enough petition signatures to be certified for the ballot by petition. Hinkle said his connections as county GOP chair helped his campaign build the grassroots support needed for a successful petition drive. The 1,186 verified signatures will spare the Hinkle campaign from cutting a check to make the ballot. “We are raising money and have the most on hand. Now we are hitting enough doors each week to hit every voter twice before Election Day. Qualifying for the ballot by meeting voters, not sending out slick mailers, is what will lay the groundwork to win this Election,” Hinkle said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office hired top-notch lobbyists to fight the compensation for Dontrell Stephens.

“Three contract awards failed to follow JEA code, review finds” via David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union — A JEA executive and an Office of General Counsel attorney approved no-bid contracts worth millions of dollars to outside consulting firms without going through the agency’s public procurement process. The approvals enabled the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman law firm, which was providing legal services to JEA, to hire the consulting firms under the umbrella of Pillsbury’s legal contract. A half-year later, a review by the city Office of General Counsel has determined that three of the firms hired through the Pillsbury contract should have gone through the competitive procurement process required by JEA’s code.

“Another football championship coming to Miami. County paying millions for college game” via Martin Vassolo and Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — And like the Super Bowl, it’s drawing interest from city governments willing to swap taxpayer money and waive rental fees for the promise of increased hotel room rates and media exposure. Miami-Dade County plans to contribute $4 million cash over the next two years for the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship game — the same payout it made for the Super Bowl this year, according to the county budget office. The Miami Beach City Commission is poised to approve a $1.6 million sponsorship deal to host events related to the game between top NCAA teams, which will be played at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 11. The Hard Rock last hosted a national championship college game in 2013.

“The cutthroat world of lawn care on Palm Beach” via Jane Musgrave of the Palm Beach Post — For more than 20 years, Luis Rojo was one of the top workers for a lawn service that has carved out a profitable niche in Palm Beach. Then, roughly six years ago, Rojo and company owner Scott Lewis had a falling out. What is indisputable is that Rojo has been punished severely in the legal battle that was spawned by the breakup. “We inherited Scott Lewis, but I kept him because of Luis,” said Eric Anken, facilities manager for Sean Healey’s Affiliated Managers Group. As a businessman, Anken said he understands the need for noncompete agreements that are common in the cutthroat world of lawn care in Palm Beach. “But anything beyond a year is ridiculous,” Anken said.

“Jack Payne: Preventing the next coronavirus in Florida” via Florida Politics — The search is on in Florida for the next zoonotic disease like coronavirus. There may be no place quite like Florida for the potential for disease to jump from animal to human. Public health risks must be addressed through publicly funded research. With so much at stake, we need public scientists as the early detection corps whose prevention work can stave off future quarantines, panic, public health threats, and economic losses. The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, where Jeong and Wisely work, is particularly well suited to collaborate on this as an agriculture and natural resources organization with a wildlife department. We could be saving lives. At the very least, we’re saving livelihoods.

“Christian Ulvert: Joe Biden has fought for change and delivered” via Florida Politics — It’s easy to call for change. Where the real change comes though, is when people like Biden are willing to step out and act. Biden did that in 2012 in what is now seen as a defining moment in the gay rights movement. He called for swift recognition of marriage equality with all the federal rights that come with it. It was an unforgettable moment because I knew then that with Biden stepping out boldly he would take the first wrecking ball to the walls of inequality and injustice. That was the beginning of a new journey for LGBT families for one simple reason — change was on the horizon.

“If Florida domestic-violence agency’s greed brings criminal charges, great!” via the Miami Herald editorial board — Far from being an alliance for combined action in the public interest, Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) has always been a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist by Tiffany Carr. As far back as 2005, DCF and its Domestic Violence Program office director, Trula Motta, were under Carr’s thumb. Honest public servants employed as DCF contract managers sounded the alarm, complaining about Carr’s cozy relationship with Motta. The DCF whistleblowers felt like they “work for Tiffany Carr and Ms. Motta serves at the pleasure of Ms. Carr.” The IG and law enforcement should follow this case where it leads and make every effort to hold accountable anyone who violated the public trust, including — and especially — Carr.