Heads up, Tropical Storm Isaias is barreling toward Florida.

“Gov. Ron DeSantis warns of impacts from Isaias” via News Service of Florida — With Tropical Storm Isaias expected to reach hurricane strength, DeSantis warned of impacts to Florida this weekend even if the growing system remains offshore. A tropical storm watch was issued along Florida’s East Coast between Ocean Reef and the Sebastian Inlet. The system was bringing heavy rains and maximum sustained winds near 60 mph to Hispaniola Thursday. Isaias is the earliest storm to begin with an “I” on record, besting Hurricane Irene, which formed August 7, 2005. The 2005 season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.

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There’s a new way to get your Florida Politics fix: The Spectrum News App.

Spectrum Networks’ new app allows viewers to check weather forecasts, browse local news and tune into livestreams of its networks across the country. It also puts the best of the best in print news — from entertainment to business — at users’ fingertips.

“Internet and mobile customers are the fastest-growing segments of Spectrum’s customer base, and our viewers are consuming news online more now than ever before,” said Spectrum Networks Executive Vice President Mike Bair. “The Spectrum News App is the first content product available to all 28 million residential Spectrum customers, adding significant value to our existing local services, but particularly our internet-only customers who could not previously access our news reporting.”

Spectrum Networks has partnered with news outlets small and large, mainstream and niche to ensure users get comprehensive coverage from a diverse mix of voices.

For statewide political news, Spectrum is turning to Florida Politics.

When Spectrum Networks needed Florida state political and policy reporting for their newly launched news app, they turned to Florida Politics.

“We know that local journalism is vital to the communities we serve. From political coverage of press briefings, local debates and elections, to public affairs programming and community news that is relevant to local residents, our networks serve as a valuable resource, especially during times of crisis,” Bair continued.

The Spectrum News App is available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Access is free for everyone for the first 30 days, and after the trial period, will be available to all authenticated Spectrum residential video, internet and mobile customers at no additional charge.

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Another poll, another sign of flagging support for DeSantis.

According to a Mason-Dixon Polling survey released Friday, the Governor’s overall job approval rating has slipped into the negative.

The poll, conducted July 20-23, found Florida voters disapprove of the job DeSantis is doing by a 49-44% margin.

The minus-5 approval rating represents a monumental shift since March, when three-fifths of voters approved of his job performance and less than a quarter were unsatisfied.

The poll shows an across the board drop for DeSantis.

Over the past four months, he’s lost the support of about 11% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 24% of Democrats. Men, women, Black and Hispanic voters also fled by double digits.

In no corner of the state did his numbers avoid a slashing — he’s down 18 points in Central Florida, 19 points in Tampa Bay and a whopping 23 points in South Florida.

There are no bright spots in the crosstabs, just some slightly less gloomy ones.

A majority of voters in North and Southwest Florida — both Republican strongholds — are still keen on him, though he’s lost 9 points in the former and 12 in the latter.

DeSantis is still in positive territory among White voters though he is now supported by a slim plurality rather than a firm majority.

The over 50 crowd are the only demographic bloc where he still enjoys majority support, 51-45%. He’s at minus-17 among younger voters, however.

The Mason-Dixon Poll surveyed 625 Florida voters by telephone. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

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A new poll conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs found Floridians are souring on DeSantis, with 53% of voters disapproving of how he’s handled the pandemic-induced unemployment crisis while just 41% approve.

His stature was lowest among Democrats, four-fifths of whom say DeSantis has fallen short. A majority of independents (53%) agree. Only Republicans are in the GOP Governor’s corner, though by a lower-than-usual 69-24% margin.

“The coronavirus crisis has crippled Florida’s tourism and service-based economy, forcing a staggering number of people to file for unemployment. Floridians are finding out firsthand that when it matters most Florida’s leaders are failing them,” Progress Florida executive director Mark Ferrulo said in a release highlighting the poll.

The poll also found Floridians support extending supplementary federal unemployment benefits by a 53-41% margin. Additionally, three-fifths of respondents believe containing the virus is more important than reopening the economy. About a third say the inverse.

Clarity Campaign Labs polled 2,039 likely voters online from July 6-13. Results were weighted to reflect a demographically and geographically representative statewide 2020 electorate.

—@NoahPransky: The real goal of this tweet? To get national media talking about this nonsensical debate instead of the new report of a 33% crash in our nation’s GDP in the 2Q.

—@BarackObama: John believed that in all of us, there exists the capacity for great courage and a longing to do what’s right. We are so lucky to have had him show us the way. I offered some thoughts today on his life and how, like him, we can give it all we have.

Tweet, tweet:

—@Kriseman: The most densely populated county in Florida, Pinellas, has one of the lowest COVID-19 positive rates over the past week (6.8%). Only Alachua, Brevard, Calhoun & Franklin are lower. This isn’t a time to celebrate or relax. It means what we’re doing, what you’re doing, is working

—@GGreenwald: I’ve been hearing this for 15 years ever since bloggers built a large enough audience to force journalists, for the first time, to hear public critiques. Professions are strengthened, not weakened, when they hear public criticisms. You just have to see the public as not-trash.

—@Sache: Saw that Tim Allen was trending this morning. Clicked on topic to find out why only to discover a bunch of tweets asking why Tim Allen was trending. So, Twitter is finally eating itself, apparently.

Florida breaks another record for the most COVID-19 deaths in a single day — more than 250. Image via Getty.

“At least 54 hospitals have reached ICU capacity in Florida” via CNN — At least 54 hospitals have reached capacity in their intensive care units and show zero ICU beds available, according to data released by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Ten of the hospitals at capacity are in Miami-Dade County, and eight of them are in Broward County, AHCA data shows. Another 44 hospitals have 10% or less ICU capacity available, according to AHCA. AHCA reports about 16% ICU beds are available across the State of Florida.

“COVID-19 cases, deaths continue to climb in prisons” via News Service of Florida — Three more Florida inmates have died from complications of COVID-19, bringing the total number of prisoner deaths to 49, according to data released by the state Department of Corrections. The inmate death toll has doubled since June 30, when 24 inmate deaths were recorded. July has proved to be the deadliest month in Florida’s prison system since the start of the pandemic, with 25 inmates dying since July 1. By comparison, nine inmates died in June. As of mid-Thursday, 9,501 inmates and corrections workers had tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. As of Thursday, corrections and health officials have conducted 45,781 tests on inmates, including 7,875 prisoners who have tested positive.

“Youth infections in juvenile system top 300” via News Service of Florida — More than 300 youths in juvenile-justice facilities have tested positive for COVID-19, as the number of cases in the state system continues to steadily increase. As of Thursday afternoon, 306 youths had tested positive, up from 290 on Tuesday, according to information from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Also, 235 workers at juvenile-justice facilities had tested positive, up from 221 on Tuesday. Overall, 101 of the 235 workers who had tested positive have been medically cleared to return to their jobs. The department has taken a series of steps, including suspending visitation at the facilities, to try to prevent the spread of the disease.

“Record-high numbers of COVID-19 deaths won’t end soon, experts say” via Naseem S. Miller of the Orlando Sentinel — For the third straight day, a record number of COVID-19 deaths were reported Thursday in Florida, and public health officials say they don’t expect that to change any time soon. The seven-day average number of deaths continues its upward trend and will continue to do so in the coming weeks, say experts who have long cautioned that deaths would lag behind the spike in cases. “The new deaths today would not trigger me to say that there’s an emergency today that wasn’t there before. I do think this is a snapshot of what happened a month ago,” said Dr. Robert Cook, professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida.

“FEMA: Florida veterans hospitals can admit nonveterans during pandemic” via Ileana Najarro of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida veterans hospitals are able to admit non-veteran patients if requested by the Florida Department of Health to assist community hospitals in treating patients with or without the coronavirus, according to Mary Kay Rutan, a spokeswoman for the Veterans Affairs network that oversees medical facilities in Florida. As of Thursday, there have been no requests for this assistance, Rutan added. It’s the second mission assignment for Florida veterans hospitals from the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the pandemic.

“Open schools are the exception, not the rule, around the world” via Ryan Heath of POLITICO — President Donald Trump often cites examples from Europe as evidence American schools can reopen in-person this fall despite COVID-19, but he fails to mention one thing: They are the exception, not the rule. Only a few countries have opened schools nationwide in the manner the Trump administration is pushing. They include Norway, France and New Zealand, as well as Nicaragua, Taiwan and Vietnam. On the other hand, 143 countries have instituted country-wide closures. Countries with open schools tend to fall into two categories. Some took swift action against the pandemic in January to minimize disruption. Others were less proactive in the fight against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but they prioritized education in their recovery plan, coordinated by the top levels of government. The United States did neither.

Students wearing masks attend a class in Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam. In Vietnam, schools closed in late January and remained closed until May. Image via AP.

“How to stop magical thinking in school reopening plans” via Valerie Strauss of The Washington Post — The 2020-2021 school year is almost upon us, yet many districts around the country still don’t know when or how they plan to do it. And even some of those that do know when they are opening haven’t completed plans to improve remote learning (some have barely started) so that students will have a better experience than they did in the spring, when schools everywhere shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the author of this post writes, there are magical things in some of the plans being offered, recommendations by “experts” for measures that he says aren’t really possible. Can classes really be held outdoors or in empty spaces repurposed for school? Can students really stay six feet away from one another? Are teachers being asked to do and risk too much?

“As pandemic continues, Richard Corcoran will send his kids to brick-and-mortar schools” via Danielle Brown of the Florida Phoenix — Corcoran revealed that his six children would be going back to school in the upcoming academic year, opting for traditional classroom experience and in-person instruction rather than an online learning program. Corcoran’s words are significant as hundreds of thousands of families make one of the most important decisions of their lives as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the new school year looms. “Every parent wrestles with ‘what are the risk of not sending my kids to school?’ versus ‘what are the risk of sending my kids?’” Corcoran said in a roundtable discussion on education.

“Broward County Schools planning to start classes fully online” via Colleen Wright of the Miami Herald — Even with half the number of cases as Miami-Dade, Broward County Public Schools has already called it. The second-largest school district in the state will start the school year Aug. 19 fully online. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done at a community level for us to safely return,” said Superintendent Robert Runcie, who said data showed how unlikely infection rates would drop below 5% by the start of school. “Our teachers need to prepare and our parents need to plan. The sooner we can do that the better.” Runcie said the school district spent the entire summer getting ready for this worst-case scenario.

“Orange County School Board can decide when to reopen local campuses, state says” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orange County School Board can decide when to reopen public schools and does not need a waiver from the state to do that, an attorney for the Florida Department of Education said in a letter Thursday that seemed to contradict the state’s school reopening order. “The decision to open or close a traditional public school in Orange County rests with the School Board of Orange County. As a result, the waiver you have requested is unnecessary,” read the letter from attorney David Wells. The Orange School Board and Superintendent Barbara Jenkins, like their counterparts across the state, had interpreted Florida’s order as one that left them little room to make local decisions.

Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins: A court ruled that the district can determine whether schools will reopen. Image via I4 Business Magazine.

“Orange County teachers sue over school reopening plan” via Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida — The lawsuit was filed by the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, which represents 14,000 educators in Florida’s fourth-largest school district. It asks for a delay in opening and demands that school officials turn over critical information about summer COVID-19 outbreaks. The legal action comes as national union leaders warn of possible teacher strikes and on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Florida’s largest teachers union against the state. And it was filed as the coronavirus death toll mounts. “Since the district leadership has shown they will not stand up for the health and safety of our community, we have no choice but to challenge their illegal actions in court,” Orange County union President Wendy Doromal told reporters.

“Heading back to Catholic school? Sign a waiver, St. Petersburg diocese says.” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — As students prepare to return to classes, the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg stands ready to greet them at its schoolhouse doors. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep the children safe when they come to school,” said Chris Pastura, superintendent of schools for the diocese. But the system cannot make blanket guarantees that everyone will be protected from the effects of COVID-19, Pastura acknowledged. So on Monday, it sent a letter to the parents of its nearly 13,000 students asking, among other things, that they sign a waiver of liability for the diocese if their children become ill because of the virus. At least one mom was outraged by what she called the “death release.”

The South Florida Reception Center is emerging as the deadliest COVID-19 facility in the state prison system.

“Coronavirus did not kill Wellington-area nurse who worked on pandemic’s front lines, autopsy report says” via Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post — When Wellington-area nurse Danielle DiCenso passed away in April after working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, her grieving family was convinced she was another casualty of COVID-19. But DiCenso, who at the time appeared to be the youngest early coronavirus victim in Palm Beach County, did not die from the deadly respiratory disease, an autopsy released Tuesday by the Palm Beach County medical examiner said. The 33-year-old mother died April 9 from “complications of acute pyelonephritis,” a bacterial infection in the kidney, according to autopsy records. The findings came as a surprise to her ex-husband, David DiCenso, who said Danielle was convinced that she’d contracted COVID-19 while working in the intensive care unit at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah.

More Florida State Hospital patients are dying of COVID-19. Image via Tallahassee Daily Photo.

“Escambia County records 18 COVID-19 deaths in last five days” via the Pensacola News Journal — The deaths of four more Escambia County residents were reported Thursday, pushing the total since the pandemic began to 98. The county has recorded a staggering 18 deaths in the last five days, which correlates with the rising number of deaths in the state of Florida. Florida has set a record each of the last three days for the number of COVID-19-related deaths, recording 259 deaths Thursday. The Escambia County deaths included a 60-year-old man, an 81-year-old man, a 61-year-old woman and an 84-year-old woman. Santa Rosa County recorded three deaths this week and no new deaths Thursday. To date, 22 people have died in Santa Rosa County.

—”6 Niceville firefighters test positive for COVID-19” via Erin Franczak of the NWF Daily News

“Sarasota Memorial Hospital expands COVID-19 antibody trial” via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Sarasota Memorial Hospital is expanding community access to a multinational clinical trial that is testing a new dual-action antibody cocktail to treat COVID-19. Two weeks ago, SMH became the first hospital in Florida to enroll hospitalized patients in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ experimental treatment (REGN-COV2) for COVID-19. This week, SMH opened the trial to people who have been infected with the novel coronavirus but aren’t sick enough to be hospitalized, the hospital said in a news release. In the past two weeks, SMH has enrolled 19 hospitalized patients, and enrolled its first outpatient on Monday.

“Tropical Storm Isaias is shifting east. COVID-19 testing may remain open in Manatee” via Ryan Callihan of the Bradenton Herald — Florida officials are reconsidering their decision to close local COVID-19 testing sites in Manatee County after a favorable shift to the east for Tropical Storm Isaias’ forecast track. After strengthening overnight, forecasts show the storm traveling through the Hispaniola region before heading to Florida’s East Coast, instead of the Gulf of Mexico as originally expected. The state expects to decide on coronavirus testing around 5 p.m. Thursday. In a presentation to the Manatee Board of County Commissioners Thursday afternoon, Public Safety Director Jake Saur said his department is also declining to request a local state of emergency because of the storm.

“FSU sends letter preparing boosters for reduced stadium capacity for 2020 football season” via Wayne McGahee III of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida State sent a letter to boosters and season ticket holders with details pertaining to the 2020 college football season. FSU stated that attendance for the home games this season will likely be limited and could be as low as 25% of the stadium’s overall capacity. Season ticket holders may also not have their normal seats due to social distancing practices that will be implemented in the stadium. Doak Campbell Stadium’s capacity is listed at 79,560. A reduced capacity to 25% would be 19,890. FSU has currently sold just over 20,000 season tickets. FSU also stated that ticket and parking assignments for 2020 will roll over to 2021 regardless of how the ticketing changes this year.

“Florida-FSU series shelved as SEC football adopts conference-only, 10-game schedule” via Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times — When the ACC announced its updated football schedule, it included one nonconference game to preserve in-state, nonconference rivalries like Florida-Florida State. That protection lasted all of 24 hours. The SEC shelved the series when it announced it was abandoning its entire nonconference schedule, instead opting for 10 league-only games because of the coronavirus pandemic. Most importantly for now in the Sunshine State, it ices the fierce rivalry between the Seminoles and Gators — a series that needed help from the state government to launch but has been played annually since 1958.

“UCF football may get schedule boost following SEC decision” via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel — UCF’s football scheduling challenges may ease a bit after the SEC announced it is moving forward with a conference-only schedule this fall. The decision wipes away a handful of rivalry games between SEC and ACC teams, including Florida versus Florida State, Georgia versus Georgia Tech, Clemson versus South Carolina and Louisville versus Kentucky. The SEC decision opens the door for UCF as an attractive option for both North Carolina and Georgia Tech. The American Athletic Conference isn’t expected to make a decision on the fall until next week.

“Volusia residents masking up, avoiding fines” via Eileen Zaffiro-Kean of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — Whatever the motivation for wearing face masks, the majority of people in at least a few Volusia County cities are complying with indoor face-covering mandates, area officials say. Not a single face mask fine has been imposed yet in Daytona Beach, DeLand or Orange City, the only local municipalities that have adopted measures empowering police and code enforcement officers to impose financial penalties for mask violators. “We’re getting total compliance. It’s amazing,” said Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri. “I think people are really taking this serious.” In Ponce Inlet last week, there was a mask-related uproar over a fundraiser for the town’s community center that centered on T-shirt sales. The T-shirts said “Your Choice Mask It or Casket,” and the point was reinforced with the images of a black mask and a black casket.

“Hillsborough could consider tougher mask rule” via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — Hillsborough Commissioner Kimberly Overman wants the county to consider toughening its face mask rules to include wearing the coverings outdoors. Overman made her suggestion at the conclusion of the Emergency Policy Group meeting Thursday afternoon, saying the county’s emergency order should align with the recommendation from Dr. Scott Rivkees, Florida’s Surgeon General. Rivkees issued an updated recommendation July 20, calling for masks to be worn both indoors and outdoors when social distancing isn’t possible and to limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people. The previous recommendation called for limiting group gatherings to 50 people and for masks to be worn “in any setting,” but did not specify outdoors specifically.

Hillsborough Commissioner Kimberly Overman is urging the county to consider stricter mask rules.

“Tampa Bay power companies among first to resume shut-offs” via Malena Carollo of the Tampa Bay Times — The clock is ticking for Tampa Bay utility customers who haven’t paid their power bills during the pandemic. Beginning in September, both of Tampa Bay’s major power companies will resume shut-offs for those who haven’t paid their bills or made payment arrangements. Their Florida peers haven’t put a date on when they will resume disconnections. And other areas of the country are putting even wider moratoriums on power shut-offs. “Like many businesses, we must now take steps toward resuming our standard billing practices,” Tampa Electric said in a letter to customers. Tampa Electric Co. and Duke Energy Florida are the area’s two primary power companies. Each will resume shut-offs as early as Sept. 1.

“BayCare to close drive-thru coronavirus test sites at the Trop, Gulf High School” via Caitlin Johnston of the Tampa Bay Times — Friday is the last day to get tested for COVID-19 at Tropicana Field and Gulf High School in Port Richey. BayCare Health Systems, which has operated different drive-thru sites for COVID-19 testing since March, announced it would close the two sites “to align resources with community need and further collaborate with government partners,” according to a statement. BayCare officials said neither the Mahaffey nor the Trop site have experienced full capacity since both have been operating the past three weeks. They plan to open an additional drive-thru site with closer access for central and north Pinellas residents, but did not share additional details in Thursday’s statement.

Healthcare worker Dante Hills passes paperwork to a woman in a vehicle at a COVID-19 testing site outside of Marlins Park in Miami. Image via AP.

“At the heart of dismal U.S. coronavirus response, a fraught relationship with masks” via Griff Witte, Ariana Eunjung Cha and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — The country hit a tipping point on widespread mask use only this month, with a majority of states and the nation’s largest retailers all mandating them. But the science has long been pointing toward the efficacy of masks even if the guidance from health authorities wasn’t. Health officials had made their recommendations based on the flawed assumption that the bulk of transmission was taking place from people with obvious signs of illness. The thinking was that if people with fevers, coughs and other symptoms were to isolate, case counts would remain under control. But it wasn’t long before CDC contact tracers began to find evidence of “silent” spreaders. Many experts backed the anti-mask guidance, arguing they weren’t sure face coverings would make a significant difference. They were worried masks could make people less disciplined about social distancing.

“Young people are infecting older family members in shared homes” via Lenny Bernstein of The Washington Post — As the death toll escalates in coronavirus hot spots, the evidence is growing that young people who work outside the home, or who surged into bars and restaurants when states relaxed shutdowns, are infecting their more vulnerable elders, especially family members. Front-line caregivers, elected officials, and experts in Houston, South Florida and elsewhere say they are seeing patterns of hospitalization and death that confirm fears this would happen, which were first raised in May and June. That was when Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and other states reopened in efforts to revive their flagging economies. The emerging trend highlights the difficulty of relying on the Trump administration’s strategy of sheltering the most vulnerable while the young and healthy return to work and school.

“Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine protects monkeys, study finds” via Carl Zimmer of The New York Times — An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson protected monkeys from infection in a new study. It is the second vaccine candidate to show promising results in monkeys this week. The company recently began a clinical trial in Europe and the United States to test its vaccine in people. It is one of more than 30 human trials for coronavirus vaccines underway across the world. But until these trials are complete, which will probably take several months, the monkey data offers the best clues to whether the vaccines will work. “This week has been good — now we have two vaccines that work in monkeys,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University who was not involved in the studies. “It’s nice to be upbeat for a change.”

“Drugmakers race to build COVID-19 vaccine supply chains” via Elaine Chen of The Wall Street Journal — Pharmaceutical companies that are racing to develop vaccines for the coronavirus are already working behind the scenes to build the supply chains needed to deliver their drugs to billions of people as rapidly as possible. To serve global demand once a vaccine is approved, a complicated and high-stakes supply chain would kick into gear on a scale that the drug industry has rarely seen. The preparations involve lining up raw materials and factory capacity to manufacture a vaccine in large volumes, and the equipment needed to transport many millions of doses at once through distribution channels that will be subject to tight security and temperature controls.

“Most voters say they’d rather wait for an effective coronavirus vaccine” via Zachary Brennan of POLITICO — More than 60% of voters think the U.S. should fully test any coronavirus vaccine — even if that delays rolling it out and allows the virus to keep spreading in the meantime. Just 22% of respondents said the government should make a vaccine available as soon as possible, even if it had not been fully tested. Republicans (26%) were slightly more likely than Democrats (21%) to favor getting a vaccine out as quickly as possible. Trump has repeatedly promised that a vaccine will be available by year’s end, raising fears among researchers and public health experts that his administration will rush to approve a shot without clear evidence that it is safe and effective.

A patient receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19 at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Image via AP.

As coronavirus ravages the United States, the nation suffers its worst quarterly contraction on record. Image via AP.

“1.43 million filed new state unemployment claims last week.” via Nelson D. Schwartz of The Tampa Bay Times — The number of Americans filing new claims for state unemployment benefits totaled 1.43 million last week, the Labor Department reported. It was the 19th straight week that the tally exceeded 1 million, an unheard-of figure before the coronavirus pandemic. And it was the second weekly increase in a row after nearly four months of declines, a sign of how the rebound in cases has undercut the economy’s nascent recovery. Claims for the previous week totaled 1.42 million. New claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the government’s program aimed at covering freelancers, the self-employed and other workers not covered by traditional unemployment benefits, totaled 830,000, down from 975,000 the week before.

“New filings for unemployment fall in Florida again — but continue to climb in the rest of the U.S.” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — The number of Floridians filing for unemployment benefits for the first time fell for the second-straight week. But the figure climbed in the rest of the U.S., suggesting the national economic picture remains grim. For the week ending July 25, Florida workers filed 87,062 new claims for unemployment, down from 108,976 the week prior. Nationally, new claims climbed by 12,000 to 1,434,000. And the insured unemployment rate, or the percentage of workers on unemployment for two-consecutive weeks, hit 11.6%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points the previous week’s rate.

“Almost 30 million in U.S. didn’t have enough to eat last week” via Maeve Sheehey of Bloomberg — Food insecurity for U.S. households last week reached its highest reported level since the Census Bureau started tracking the data in May, with almost 30 million Americans reporting that they’d not had enough to eat at some point in the seven days through July 21. In the bureau’s weekly Household Pulse Survey, roughly 23.9 million of 249 million respondents indicated they had “sometimes not enough to eat” for the week ended July 21, while about 5.42 million indicated they had “often not enough to eat.” The survey, which began with the week ended May 5, was published Wednesday. The number of respondents who sometimes had insufficient food was at its highest point in the survey’s 12 weeks. The number who often experienced food insufficiency was at its highest since the week ended May 26.

“Universal theme park revenue plummets 94% during height of coronavirus shutdowns” via Gabrielle Russon of the Orlando Sentinel — Plummeting faster than a roller coaster, revenue at Universal theme parks fell 94% to $87 million during the second quarter when most of its parks were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the parent company of the attractions said Thursday. With Orlando’s and Japan’s theme parks reopening in June in the final weeks of the quarter, executives acknowledged it is a better option financially to operate with drastically reduced crowds than to be closed completely. NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said for theme parks, the pandemic’s “financial impact has been most significant and immediate and the operational challenge the most daunting” for the company.

Universal’s theme park revenue takes a huge dive, thanks to coronavirus.

People line up for free COVID-19 testing in a parking lot in central California. Image via USA Today.

“Norwegian Cruise Line cancels cruises until November, one month past CDC ban” via Taylor Dolven of the Miami Herald — The Miami-based company announced it is canceling cruises worldwide through Oct. 31, a full month after the ban on cruises put in place by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expires. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is the world’s third-largest cruise company and owner of three cruise lines: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The announcement comes as Florida is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths. The company and its largest competitors, Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises, continued to sell cruises for the summer.

AG William Barr testifies that the Portland, Oregon protests were an ‘assault on the government.’

“Politics at the point of a gun” via Joshua Partlow of The Washington Post — America’s summer of anxiety and rage has energized some conservatives who are deploying to the front lines of the culture war. Across the country, conservative armed civilians have surged into public view, marching on statehouses, challenging Black Lives Matter protests, chasing internet rumors, and bringing the threat of lethal force to local politics. Their emergence has prompted congressional hearings on the surge in anti-government militias and domestic extremism and has alarmed researchers who track hate groups. Unlike the old image of militiamen as fringe elements motivated by a desire to overthrow the federal government, these groups often rally in defense of the President and see themselves as pro-government allies of local law enforcement.

“Heat releases Black Lives Matter Collection of shirts. Erik Spoelstra wore one and spoke about it” via Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald — As Miami Heat coach Spoelstra sat down for his post-practice media session, he stuck out his chest to emphasize the message on his shirt. “Silence is Compliance,” it read. Spoelstra’s shirt is part of the new Black Lives Matter Collection of Court Culture Apparel that the Heat released Thursday, with all of the profits from the sales of the collection going to three organizations — Black Girls CODE, Health in the Hood and Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. “We want to be, as an organization, part of the solution,” Spoelstra said. “Right now, it’s important to really weigh in on this discussion.”

“Pinellas sheriff to Rays: Breonna Taylor tweet was ‘just wrong’ and ‘reckless’” via Kathryn Varn of the Tampa Bay Times — Pinellas County’s top cop condemned the Tampa Bay Rays for posting a tweet calling for the arrests of the Louisville, Kentucky, police officers who killed Breonna Taylor. The official team Twitter account, @RaysBaseball, sent the tweet the morning of opening day, July 24: “Today is Opening Day,” it read, “which means it’s a great day to arrest the killers of Breonna Taylor.” Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri confirmed he called Rays President Matt Silverman on Sunday to express his displeasure. “To turn a baseball event into a political event is uncalled for,” Gualtieri said. “It’s just wrong, and it’s improper. It’s just reckless. It’s throwing gasoline on the fire, and it didn’t need to happen.”

“St. Augustine Mayor: Confederate monument on track to be moved; mask mandate working” via Bill Bortzfield of WJCT News — Although the Confederate monument in the heart of St. Augustine still stands, the city’s mayor stressed on Wednesday that plans to move it are proceeding. “It’s not something you just bring in a flatbed truck and a crane and cart it off, and so the city is dedicated to removing it carefully and to finding an appropriate spot where it will then have a new site,” Mayor Tracy Upchurch said. City commissioners voted last month 3 to 2 to move the monument in the Plaza de la Constitution that was erected around 1872.

Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was virtually in public, as was the staffer who carries the nuclear football.

“Kathy Castor seeks help to process tests” via the News Service of Florida — U.S. Rep. Castor has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asking the government to work with manufacturers to increase the production of substances known as “reagents” needed to process COVID-19 test results. “With the sustained high numbers of Floridians testing positive for COVID-19, we need to ensure timely test results to allow contact tracers to do their jobs and help stop the spread of this virus,” Castor wrote in a letter to Assistant Secretary of Health Brett Giroir. “Unfortunately, I am hearing from health providers across the state that they are in dire need of reagents to process tests.”

“Dollar remittances to Cuba are in limbo after French bank drops Cuban accounts” via Nora Gamez Torres and Mario J. Penton of the Miami Herald — The Cuban government’s plan to cash in on the reopening of dollar stores seems to have overlooked one detail: the Trump administration’s express goal to prevent money sent by Cuban exiles from going to companies controlled by the military. Three sources in the remittance business told el Nuevo Herald that due to pressure from the administration and fear of U.S. sanctions, the French bank Crédit Mutuel halted services to Fincimex, a Cuban company that controls remittances and is linked to the military. As a result, money transfers in dollars from the United States, which had recently started through the agencies Cubamax and VaCuba, are suspended.

“Court deals blow to R.J. Reynolds in tobacco payments fight” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida — A state appeals court said R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is responsible for paying more than $100 million in a dispute rooted in a landmark legal settlement between Florida and cigarette makers more than two decades ago. The unanimous ruling by a panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal came after arguments by R.J. Reynolds that it should not have to make payments to the state related to four brands of cigarettes — Salem, Winston, Kool and Maverick — that it sold to another company. But the appeals court upheld a decision by a Palm Beach County circuit judge, who said R.J. Reynolds remained on the hook for the payments under a 1997 settlement.

“Judge agrees to keep police officers’ identities on hold” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — A Leon County circuit judge agreed to at least temporarily keep secret the identities of two Tallahassee police officers involved in use-of-force incidents. Judge Charles Dodson decided that the amendment known as “Marsy’s Law,” approved by Florida voters in 2018, doesn’t apply to law enforcement officers and that their names should be released. The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents the officers, immediately appealed Dodson’s ruling and asked that it be put on hold while an appeal moves forward. Dodson agreed during a brief hearing, saying the officers should be granted an automatic stay because they were acting in their official capacities during the use-of-force incidents.

“Anthony Sabatini faces ethics complaint in connection to mask lawsuits” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Sabatini is facing an ethics complaint in connection to a Broward County lawsuit he filed challenging the county’s mask mandate, one of several he’s filed statewide. The complaint alleges Sabatini is inappropriately using his official House email to respond to press inquiries regarding the lawsuit, filed in his capacity as a private attorney, not an elected official. The complainant? Me. I just overnighted the complaint to the Commission on Ethics. As an attorney, I’d have thought Sabatini, who I’m not usually inclined to give the benefit of the doubt, would have known better. Apparently not.

One would think Anthony Sabatini would know better than using his official House email in the course of business as a private attorney. One would be wrong.

“St. Petersburg leaders tee up August debate on development in areas at risk to storm surge” via Zachary T. Sampson and Josh Solomon of the Tampa Bay Times — Despite lingering uncertainties, City Council members have given new life to a plan that could bring more housing to parts of the city most at risk of flooding from storm surge, saying they want to hear from the public. In a meeting that stretched for almost two hours, they rehashed three years of debate, grappling with whether to loosen a prohibition on adding development in vulnerable areas. If passed by the City Council this fall, the proposal would allow developers to request a change in zoning for higher density in what’s known as the Coastal High Hazard Area. Members voted 7 to 1 to advance the proposal to a full City Council meeting next month.

“Former city administrator Sam Mousa will voluntarily speak to City Council investigative committee on JEA” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — Former City of Jacksonville Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa will voluntarily appear for an interview with the Jacksonville City Council investigative committee that is examining last year’s attempt to sell JEA, his attorney told the committee Thursday. The investigative committee voted Monday to seek depositions from Mousa, who was a consultant for NextEra Energy when the company bid for JEA, and four other people as the committee wraps up its probe of what happened during the sales process. The City Council’s Rules Committee could vote on issuing subpoenas as early as next Tuesday to compel testimony from any of the five people who does not agree to voluntarily answer questions.

“‘It wasn’t fair’: Tallahassee bar owner throws in the towel after state-mandated shutdowns” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A Tallahassee bar owner handed his keys off to new ownership Thursday after the weight of the state-mandated shutdowns became too much to bear. Dave Ericks poured 34 years of his life into Clyde’s and Costello’s and intended to do so for the foreseeable future. But as state leaders scrambled to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Ericks soon realized his businesses would likely become a victim of the state’s crossfire. Located steps away from the Florida Capitol and Florida State University, the local watering hole thrived as a favorite among the young and old alike.

Mandatory shutdowns were just too much for the owner of Clyde’s and Costello’s in Tallahassee.

“Natural gas smell across Tallahassee linked to removal of old tank; no leaks detected” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — The cause behind what seemed like a Tallahassee-wide reek of natural gas could be measured in ounces. It only takes a few drops of the chemical mercaptan to set off noses, but when ounces of it escaped in an old tank being removed from the Arvah B. Hopkins Power Generating Station on Geddie Road, it sent city officials into a scramble to find its source. Natural gas is odorless; utilities add mercaptan to give it that familiar rotten egg smell. The chemical, which is federally required so people can smell leaks, drifted on the wind, effectively blanketing the city and prompting an overwhelming number of calls from concerned residents.

“Pasco-Hernando college faculty at impasse in first-ever contract talks” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — After unionizing in 2018, Pasco-Hernando State College faculty members hoped to complete their first contract ever this year. Talks‚ which began in February 2019 — went “really well,” union President Caitlin Gille said, “except for these two issues of discipline and evaluations.” This week, the bargaining team declared negotiations at an impasse. The sticking point has been over what types of rules will be incorporated into the contract for when a faculty member is accused of misconduct. The union wants “basic” language similar to what other colleges includes, Gille said. The administration disagreed. “PHSC’s proposals reflected its firm belief that the evaluation and discipline of faculty members is properly vested in the college itself,” said Brian Koji, PHSC’s labor lawyer.

“Poll: Floridians appreciate truckers more than ever” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — According to a new Mason-Dixon poll, conducted July 20-23, found widespread approval for both truck drivers and the rigs they pilot. Truckers fared particularly well, with 58% holding a “very positive” attitude toward truckers and 26% saying they saw them in a “somewhat positive” light. Only 6% said harbored a negative sentiment while 10% had no opinion. The approval numbers are a marked jump from pre-pandemic levels, especially in South and Central Florida, where opinions have shifted upward by 30 percentage points. Trucks were also above water, with 57% saying they were die-hard or moderate fans. Negatives combined to 16% while a little over a quarter of those polled fell in the “no opinion” column.

Lisa Ard, Cornerstone Procurement Strategies: Polymorphous Sales Solutions

Gregory Black, Waypoint Strategies: M-3 Information

Jim Boxold, Megan Fay, Capital City Consulting: Florida Transportation Builders Association, Integrated Home Care Services

Ronald Brise, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart: Mattamy Homes, SROA Capital

Wallace McGee, GMA: Citrus County Board of County Commissioners

Despite Donald Trump’s concerns, Ron DeSantis insists Florida is ready for the November election. Image via AP.

“Trump cuts Florida fundraising trip in half due to Tropical Storm Isaias” via David Smiley and Francesca Chambers of the Tampa Bay Times — Trump has postponed a weekend fundraiser at his own golf resort in Doral as a tropical storm bears down on Florida. Trump, who is still expected to land in Tampa Friday night for a fundraiser, had planned to travel to South Florida for a Saturday event at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort. But according to a Republican National Committee spokesman, the event was canceled this weekend because Tropical Storm Isaias is approaching Southeast Florida and the GOP did not want to take resources away from the area.

“DeSantis raises funds for Trump in advance of Florida events” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO Florida — The money effort is a show of loyalty by the Governor, who has clashed with Trump over a campaign hire and is coping with a surge of coronavirus infections that have made Florida the worst-hit state in the country. DeSantis shut down his own fundraising efforts, in one case even returning a $25,000 check his political committee received. Donors who have asked about giving financial support to the Governor have been told to wait. But the Governor has been calling to ask them to donate to the President’s reelection campaign, Trump is scheduled to hold fundraisers at a Tampa golf club on Friday and at his own Trump National Doral Miami golf resort on Saturday.

“Barack Obama unleashes on Trump privately as he raises $24 million for Joe Biden” via Shane Goldmacher and Glenn Thrush of The New York Times — At fundraising events where he has pulled in more than $24 million for Biden’s campaign in the past two months, Obama has privately unleashed on Trump to party donors, bringing up past accusations of Trump’s “assaulting women” and warning of his efforts to push “nativist, racist, sexist” fears and resentments. With less than 100 days until the presidential election, Obama has laid out the stakes of 2020 in forceful fashion.

During several fundraisers for Joe Biden, Barack Obama unleashes on Donald Trump to top donors.

“Mike Pence to campaign in Clearwater” via the News Service of Florida — Pence will return to Florida next week to campaign in the Tampa Bay area as part of Trump’s reelection bid. Pence will appear Wednesday at a “Faith in America” campaign event at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa. “The Vice President will highlight the Trump administration’s strong actions to protect the sanctity of life, religious freedom and the American family,” the announcement said. Pence has made frequent trips to the state, including appearing Monday with DeSantis at the University of Miami.

“Michigan threatens to slip from Trump as he goes quiet on airwaves” via Shane Goldmacher and Kathleen Gray of The New York Times — Trump’s campaign has quietly receded from the television airwaves in Michigan in recent weeks, shifting money elsewhere as one of the key Midwestern states that powered his surprise victory in 2016 threatens to move more firmly back into the Democratic column in 2020. Michigan began the year with expectations that it would be one of the most intense battlegrounds in the country, but its share of Trump television advertising dollars dwindled this summer as Biden built a steady advantage in the polls. Since the end of June, Trump has spent more money on ads in 10 other states and in recent days, Trump’s campaign stopped buying ads in Michigan entirely.

“Local League of Women Voters launches ’100 Days to The Vote’ campaign” via Patrick Connolly of the Orlando Sentinel — The League of Women Voters of Orange County has launched a “100 Days to The Vote” campaign with a message for Floridians: register to vote online, vote by mail and vote early. The nonpartisan organization aims to provide Central Florida voters with the resources they need to participate safely in this election amid a pandemic. They’ll do this through social media posts and public actions while also highlighting women’s suffrage history during the centennial of women’s voting rights across the United States. This campaign will also remember the centennial of the Ocoee Massacre, the largest incident of voting-day violence in U.S. history, when a white mob on Election Day lynched a Black man dedicated to expanding voting access.

—“Audrey Moran backs Donna Deegan for Congress” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—“Personhood Florida endorses Dane Eagle” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

Happening Saturday — U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast are scheduled to speak at the Republican Party of Palm Beach County’s annual “Lobsterfeast” fundraiser, 6:30 p.m., Trump National Golf Club Jupiter, 115 Eagle Terrace, Jupiter.

Happening Saturday — Sen. Randolph Bracy kicks off his campaign with a voter-registration event, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Experience Christian Center, 5230 Indian Hill Road, Orlando.

“Latest poll: Ray Rodrigues crushing Heather Fitzenhagen in SD 27 GOP primary” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The poll, from St. Pete Polls and commissioned by Florida Politics, shows 59% of likely Republican voters in SD 27 would vote for Rodrigues if the primary were held today. Less than 18% would choose Fitzenhagen. With just 23% of voters still undecided, the results show no real path to victory for the Fort Myers Republican without clawing away a substantial amount of his support. Rodrigues holds massive edges across all demographics. More than 62% of male voters favor him, as do nearly 57% of women; just over 17% of male or female voters pick Fitzenhagen. He wins 40% of the Hispanic vote to her 20%. Nearly 60% of white voters plan to vote for Rodrigues, but only 17% would vote Fitzenhagen.

In new polling, Heather Fitzenhagen falls far behind Ray Rodrigues.

“New ads paint Rodrigues as sugar stooge, Fitzenhagen as conservative champion” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Guns. Sugar. Corruption. A political committee bought a half-million-dollars’ worth of ad time to promote Fitzenhagen and bash Rodrigues. The ad buy is a major attempt to shift the narrative in Senate District 27. “If you see Ray Rodrigues, tell him to stop lying about me and my record,” Fitzenhagen says to viewers in one spot. “I’m pro-life, pro-gun and pro-Trump.” In Florida We Trust reported a media buy of $498,471 to put the three commercials in broadcast and cable in Southwest Florida. The ads strike a strident tone in a race where Fitzenhagen has found herself on the defensive. The aggressive posture comes after polling showing her significantly behind Rodrigues weeks from the primary.

“’Dark money’ casts shadow in primaries” via Ana Ceballos of the News Service of Florida — Direct-mail pieces thrashing state Sen. Perry Thurston are linked to a web of political organizations with ties to a prominent Republican consultant. The mail accuses Thurston, a likely future Senate Democratic leader, of being a closeted Republican and not a progressive — two claims Thurston said are insulting. But such attacks could prove damaging in the heavily Democratic Senate District 33 in Broward County, particularly when the knock is peddled by a political committee named Progressives, a title that is generally associated with Democrats.

—“Cris Dosev self-funds past Alex Andrade in latest finance report for HD 2” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics

Happening Saturday — Rep. Elizabeth Fetterhoff hosts an open house at her campaign headquarters in her bid for House District 26, noon to 4 p.m., 220 North Woodland Blvd., DeLand.

—“Meet Ryan Morales, a Democrat running for House District 32” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics

“Democratic primary for House District 81 testy with claim of tactics ‘out of Trump’s playbook’” via Wendy Rhodes — In an already contentious Democratic primary, Kelly Skidmore and Michael Weinstein will face off Aug. 18 for the chance to represent Florida House District 81. The coveted seat is being vacated by Democratic state Rep. Tina Polsky, who has served the area since 2019 and is now running for State Senate in District 29. Because Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district, there is a good chance the Democratic nominee will become the next legislator, making the primary all the more high-stakes. Still, two Republicans, Silmo Moura and Saulis Banionis, are competing for the GOP nomination. In an early and hard-hitting direct mail campaign, Skidmore called out Weinstein, a criminal defense attorney, for representing men accused of domestic violence, insinuating Weinstein would not be the best advocate for women.

Michael Weinstein and Kelly Skidmore face-off in a contentious Democratic primary Aug. 18.

—“Meet Scott Hottenstein, a Democrat running for House District 57” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics

—“Meet Andrew Learned, a Democrat running for House District 59” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics

—“Florida Doctors say Lauren Melo checks out” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

“In CARES Act fight, candidates for Miami-Dade Mayor side with cities over Carlos Giménez” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Candidates running to succeed Miami-Dade Mayor Giménez are united in criticizing him for ongoing friction with city Mayors during the coronavirus crisis, including the latest flare-up over municipal help from federal CARES Act money. Gimenez this week cut about $100 million from a planned $135 million allocation to cities out of the $474 million that Miami-Dade received in federal COVID relief, prompting municipal mayors to threaten legal action in pursuit of more money. Candidates running to succeed Gimenez insist they could manage the crisis with cities by their side if they take charge in November, and say they want the county to turn over more CARES money to city governments.

Candidates for Miami-Dade Mayor are piling on Carlos Giménez for ongoing friction among area Mayors during the coronavirus crisis.

—“Emgage Action PAC backs Daniella Levine Cava in Miami-Dade mayoral race” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics

—“Alex Penelas nets wave of endorsements in Miami-Dade mayoral race” via Spencer Fordin of Florida Politics

“Three Republicans vie for Duval County Clerk nomination” via Andrew Pantazi of The Florida Times-Union — A former City Council president, civil-rights activist, a longtime clerk’s office employee and the current clerk’s right-hand man are all vying for the normally sleepy role as county clerk of the court. Three of the four candidates, Councilman Scott Wilson, clerk’s employee Leon Jackson and Clerk’s Office Chief Operating Officer Jody Phillips, will first face off in an Aug. 18 Republican primary. Early voting begins Aug. 8. The race will determine who faces off against Democratic nominee Jimmy Midyette, a civil-rights attorney looking to become Duval’s only countywide Democratic executive. Other constitutional offices like the county tax collector, elections supervisor, the property appraiser or sheriff run with the city elections a year and a half before presidential elections each cycle.

“Disciplinary record haunts Justin Koren in Miami-Dade School Board race” via Florida Politics staff reports — Koren is under fire for his checkered disciplinary history as a classroom teacher. Koren, an assistant principal at Miami Killian High School, was removed from the classroom as a teacher after administrators discovered that he had shared his username and password with other staffers, allowing them to alter the grades of his students. Court documents also show that Koren was charged separately with job abandonment and was physically removed from the classroom. Koren fought these charges and sued the School Board for unfair labor practices, while Koren lost his challenge in the lower courts he did prevail on appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. Now, as Koren seeks to replace Dr. Larry Feldman on the Miami-Dade County School Board, these charges are reemerging.

“Trump might try to postpone the election. That’s unconstitutional.” via Steven G. Calabresi of The New York Times — I have voted Republican in every Presidential election since 1980, including voting for Trump in 2016. I am frankly appalled by the President’s recent tweet seeking to postpone the November election. Until recently, I had taken as political hyperbole the Democrats’ assertion that Trump is a fascist. But this latest tweet is fascistic and is itself grounds for the President’s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office

“Biden’s election will end national nightmare 2.0” via George F. Will of The Washington Post — Moments after becoming President on Aug. 9, 1974, Gerald Ford said, “Our long national nightmare is over.” Biden’s election will end national nightmare 2.0, the nation’s second domestic debacle in two generations. One of Biden’s closest confidants, who has an agreeable preference for anonymity, says that Biden was initially ambivalent about seeking the 2020 nomination but “Charlottesville put him over the edge. The confidant calls Biden “a relief pitcher — he’s warming up in the bullpen right now,” preparing an administration with “a broad array of people.” Trump apologists say that before COVID-19, all was well. “All” means only economic metrics. Such apologists insist that Democratic administrations jeopardize prosperity.

“If Biden wants to double down on a ‘third Barack Obama term,’ he should pick Susan Rice” via David Byler of The Washington Post — When Biden won enough delegates for the Presidential nomination, many expected him to pick a running mate with a traditional résumé: maybe California Sen. Kamala Harris, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar or New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. While some of those candidates are reportedly still in the mix, a highly unconventional choice has entered the top tier. Rice, who served as Obama’s national security adviser and his ambassador to the United Nations, has confirmed that Biden is considering her for the vice-Presidential slot. Rice’s biggest advantage in the veepstakes is her long relationship with Biden. Biden has emphasized that he needs to have a good working relationship with his Vice President. He wants to delegate major policy problems to her, trusting that she’ll run with the ball and craft her own initiatives.

“Information contagion” via David Leonhardt of The New York Times — Sinclair Broadcast Group recently published an online interview with a conspiracy theorist who claimed that Dr. Anthony Fauci created the coronavirus using monkey cells. Fox News has repeatedly run segments promoting ideas that scientists consider false or that question the seriousness of the virus. Fox is particularly important because it has also influenced Trump’s response to the virus, which has been slower and less consistent than that of many other world leaders. Another factor creating confusion: The lack of an aggressive response to virus misinformation from Facebook and YouTube. Twitter took a slightly more aggressive step yesterday, putting temporary limits on the account of Donald Trump Jr. after he shared a false Breitbart video.

“Help us out, DeSantis. We’re dying here” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — DeSantis wore a face mask as he greeted Pence with a fist-bump at Miami’s airport Monday. He should back up the photo-op with a sensible and long-overdue statewide mask requirement. With each passing day, COVID-19 continues to careen out of control in Florida. A record of 216 deaths were reported Wednesday. That broke the previous record of 191 deaths, reported just Tuesday. “The numbers are not stabilizing,” Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry said. “I am getting so much pressure to shut everything down. … I’m trying so hard not to do that because so many people say if we do it again, their business will never reopen.”

“’Make no mistake’ — Michael Weinstein is a Democrat ‘Trump’ in persona, privilege” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — House District 81 candidate Weinstein began this election cycle as an unknown. Instead of the filing himself as Palm Beach’s champion against a Republican Party increasingly at odds with facts, he’s emulated the precise tactics Trump uses — justifying, gaslighting and admitting no wrong, even when repentance is due. Weinstein uses his experience as a former prosecutor to promise clients their best chance at beating charges of domestic violence. Here’s how it could matter in this case: If presented with a bill on domestic violence, would Weinstein vote in favor of stronger penalties for offenders (thus compromising his reputation in the eyes of prospective clients) or in favor of weaker penalties (thus compromising the ability for victims to protect themselves)?

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Florida Department of Health reported almost 10,000 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus Thursday, bringing the number to 461,379. Over the past week, we’ve averaged 10,216 new cases, 518 hospitalizations and 154 deaths every day. But the Governor says that’s no reason to close down again.

— But don’t be surprised if football fans go fetal when they hear the news the annual game between Florida and Florida State will not be happening this fall, thanks to COVID-19.

— Let’s not forget about Tropical Storm Isaias. It’s on the way.

— Can 2020 get any weirder? A Trump tweet suggested the November election should be delayed. It caught DeSantis by surprise.

— Trump asked whether the election should be delayed until people can properly, securely and safely vote. DeSantis says they already can — at least in Florida — and there’s no need for delay.

— Trump says he’s worried about massive fraud from mail-in ballots, but he didn’t offer any proof that it’s happening or explain how delaying the election would solve a problem that doesn’t appear to exist.

— And the story of an epic confrontation between Florida Man and Florida Woman. There are no winners; only a couple of losers.

To listen, click on the image below:

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at politics in South Florida, along with other issues affecting the region.

Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable featuring Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Peñalosa, Florida Federation of Republican Women President Deborah Tamargo, Pinellas County high school science teacher Christy Foust Ph.D. and Tampa Bay Times reporter Emily Mahoney.

In Focus with Allison Walker-Torres on Bay News 9: Remains on hiatus due to coronavirus.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando and Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: A closer look at the running mate for Biden, and a conversation with Mercedes Schlapp, senior adviser for Trump’s reelection campaign.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon talks with FEA President Fedrick Ingram and former Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: St. Johns County Sheriff candidates Rob Hardwick and Chris Strickland; The Collective Voice partner Pat Gillum Sams and Terri Stepter, of the Jacksonville chapter of the Lynx Incorporated.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Frederica Wilson and Broward County Sheriff candidate Al Pollock.

Inside Florida Politics from GateHouse Florida: August traditionally marks the start of school in Florida and DeSantis has been out promoting the need for classroom instruction despite concerns that it is too risky with the coronavirus raging. Reporters Zac Anderson and Antonio Fins discuss the growing debate over reopening Florida schools, a new Mason Dixon poll that has Biden leading in Florida, Trump’s call to the delay the November election and the possibility of a big financial crisis for many Floridians in August when federal unemployment assistance runs out.

podcastED: Stand Up for Students President Doug Tuthill speaks with the Rev. Hawthorne Konrad (H.K.) Matthews, who was active during the civil rights movement in the Pensacola area and was arrested 35 times for his political activities. Leader of both the local NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Matthews was savagely beaten along with Congressman John Lewis, who died last week at the age of 80, and hundreds of others on March 7, 1965, on the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma.

The New Abnormal from host Rick Wilson and Molly Jong-Fast: Julie Brown, the Miami Herald reporter who helped expose Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, talks about what’s next now that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s right hand, is behind bars. “There’s a lot of women right now that are coming forward a lot and they’re talking to prosecutors,” she says. “There’s pretty close to a hundred, from what I hear.” A year ago, she notes, when just some of those documents were unsealed, and a few big names were found to be in those papers, “Epstein was dead the next day.” Also, why Biden needs to be up 15 points in Florida before you can rest easy; how “Jared [Kushner] is slipperier than an eel in a barrel of KY”; why we’re now in the “most dangerous hundred days in American history”; what is “douchebag entropy”; and how, in Jong-Fast’s words, “hell hath no fury like a mediocre man trying to get his hands on my uterus.”

The Rotunda with Trimmel Gomes: U.S. Rep. Al Lawson reflects on his time in Congress. As he seeks reelection, he fights off accusations from opponents that he’s a special interest candidate. One of Lawson’s challengers, Democrat Albert Chester, tells Gomes that constituents in Florida’s 5th Congressional District need new energy and claims his experience as a pharmacist will help solve the country’s health care problems. Also, Florida House candidate Elijah Manley says he’s running to wake up Rep. Bobby DuBose, who won his last two terms unopposed.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from pad 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission will send a Mars rover to the Red Planet to search for signs of life, explore the planet’s geology and much more. Image via AP.

“In an upside-down summer, ‘Jaws,’ ‘E.T.’ are hits again” via Jake Coyle of The Associated Press — When historians look back on the top films at the box office in the summer of 2020, they may feel like they’ve slipped into a time warp, or maybe “Back to the Future.” Over the second weekend in July, “Empire Strikes Back” was again No. 1. “Ghostbusters” claimed the July Fourth weekend, 36 years after opening. Over the June 19-21 weekend and 27 years after it last led the box office, “Jurassic Park” again ruled theaters. In a pandemic that has resurrected all kinds of vintage pastimes, from puzzles to drive-ins, even the blockbusters are retro. That is much out of necessity. About 1,000 theaters in the U.S. are currently open, just about a sixth of the nation’s cinemas. That includes the approximately 300 drive-ins that have, since the multiplexes shuttered in March, hosted the majority of moviegoing.

“Reopened parks keep characters close — in new, socially distant ways” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Meeting Orlando’s theme-park characters isn’t like it used to be. In pre-pandemic times, kids lined up to give a high-five to Buzz Lightyear at the Magic Kingdom, pose for photos beside Spider-Man at Islands of Adventure or come eye-to-googly-eye with Cookie Monster at SeaWorld. But coronavirus and social distancing have forced attractions to rethink how visitors interact with characters. That meant shelving the standard meet-and-greet format where folks queue up for quality time and a quick pic. Also suspended were the parks’ parades featuring dozens of performers.