Would you mind if we begin with a personal appeal?

We weren’t going to sell Girl Scout Cookies this year. It just didn’t seem fair and the ability to do the things we loved most about Girl Scout Cookies was taken away by COVID. Yet, Ella continued to ask us about selling Girl Scout Cookies. In fact, she begged us to let her sell them.

The truth is she just wanted to hold on to something normal in this abnormal school year. Ella is full Schorsch and full of goals and determination. So here we are, selling Girl Scout Cookies again.

Unfortunately, we can’t deliver them in person, so all orders have to be placed for direct shipping. And we know we’re late to the cookie game. But can you help a girl reach her goals and buy a few boxes?

Michelle and I are as grateful as ever.

Click on this link to order.

It’s Girl Scout Cookie time! You know you want some. Thank you!

Tweet, tweet:

—@StephHayes: Remember a year ago when it would have been mildly alarming to see someone at the store with a skull gaiter pulled up to his eyeballs?

Assignment Editors — DeSantis will hold a news conference, 9 a.m., Mainlands Community Club House, 4320 Mainlands Boulevard, Pinellas Park. Interested media must RSVP at Christina.Schmitt@eog.myflorida.com.

Ron DeSantis is pushing back on accusations of vaccinations only going to wealthy communities tied to donors.

Republicans split on Big Tech war — A proposal to crack down on so-called censorship on social media platforms has exposed a rift among top Florida Republicans. As reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, DeSantis and House Speaker Chris Sprowls have enthusiastically pushed for the bill, but Senate President Wilton Simpson has been more reserved. Though he believes platforms such as Facebook and Twitter “target conservatives,” he is concerned that the state Legislature doesn’t have the ability to effectively crackdown on the industry. “What I want to make sure is that we have the authority to do what we pass and to make sure it’s constitutional,” Simpson said Tuesday. “Things can sometimes sound really good … I just want to make sure when we get through the committee process, we have some very good bills.”

“Florida Democrats file rash of unemployment legislation. GOP yawns.” via Wendy Rhodes of the Palm Beach Post — A flurry of unemployment-related legislation filed by Florida Democratic lawmakers seems to be falling on deaf ears among Republican legislative leaders. Nonetheless, five bills have been filed by Democrats in the GOP-controlled state Senate and House in the past month. The bills seek a range of actions, from more than doubling the maximum weekly amount paid to those who are jobless to waiving work search requirements during a state of emergency. But Democratic state legislators say they hold little hope their measures will get much attention after the 2021 Legislative Session convenes March 2. “None,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, of the number of GOP lawmakers she thinks will support her bill to raise unemployment benefits.

Senate Democrats sponsor Nikki Fried energy proposals — A pair of energy proposals pitched by Agriculture Commissioner Fried have landed sponsors in the Senate, Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO Florida reports. Democratic Sen. Janet Cruz filed a bill (SB 1360) to set up a $10 million pilot to study battery storage at emergency shelters, hospitals, wastewater treatment plants, and other “critical” facilities. Sen. Tina Polsky introduced a bill that aims to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 100% over the next 30 years. Neither bill is expected to pass through the Republican-controlled Legislature. Still, their likely failure could open up an avenue of attack if she runs against DeSantis next year.

Janet Cruz is picking up the baton on Nikki Fried’s energy proposals. Image via Colin Hackley.

“Republican lawmakers explore whether to impose caps on THC in cannabis products” via Dara Kam of The News Service of Florida — As the number of medical marijuana patients in Florida continues to skyrocket, Republican lawmakers are again exploring whether to impose caps on the level of euphoria-inducing THC in cannabis products. Chris Ferguson, director of the Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use, told a House panel on Tuesday that the number of qualified patients in the state has “dramatically increased” over the past two years. But the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee also heard a lengthy presentation from Harvard University biopsychology professor Bertha Madras, a marijuana critic who warned of the dangers of high-potency cannabis.

“Senate subcommittee advances school voucher reform” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — A Senate subcommittee advanced a sweeping proposal on Thursday that would dramatically transform Florida’s school voucher programs. The measure, SB 48, seeks to broaden school voucher eligibility and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts to cover private school tuition and other costs. Sponsored by Republican Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education advanced the proposal along a party-line vote. The 158-page bill proposes folding five voucher programs into two. The measure would transfer students receiving scholarships through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and the Hope Scholarship Program to the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

Randolph Bracy leads the movement to provide compensation for descendants of the Ocoee Election Day Massacre victims.

“College president search records exemption advances through second committee” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — A legislative proposal that would provide a public records exemption for information about applicants seeking a state university or college presidential position advanced through its second Senate committee Wednesday morning. Sen. Jeff Brandes sponsored the bill. He presented it to the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, where it passed in a 4-2 vote, splitting along party lines. The bill would create a public-records exemption for information about applicants to become university and college presidents, though information about finalists for the posts would be available.

—“House panel hears update on teacher professional development” via Florida Politics staff reports

“Senators back more money for Moffitt Cancer Center” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — A bill that would send millions of additional dollars each year to Moffitt Cancer Center glided through its first committee Wednesday morning. The proposal, SB 866, sponsored by Clearwater Republican Sen. Ed Hooper, passed unanimously in the Senate Health Policy Committee. The legislation would increase the Tampa center’s share of a state cigarette tax. Under the current system, Moffitt is estimated to receive $15.6 million a year. The bill would increase Moffitt’s share of the cigarette tax from 4.4% to 7% for the next three years, and 10% after that, Hooper said. The money would otherwise go to the state’s general revenue fund.

—”Janet Cruz one step closer to establishing a task force to study abandoned African American cemeteries” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics

—”Jason Shoaf bill aims to boost virtual school access” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics

“‘Purple Alert’ system to find missing disabled adults buzzes through first House committee” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — A House panel unanimously approved a measure Wednesday that would establish a “Purple Alert” system to help find missing adults with disabilities. The House Criminal Justice & Public Safety Subcommittee signed off on the bill with a 16-0 vote. Democratic Rep. Joe Casello is sponsoring the House measure. Rep. Matt Willhite, a Wellington Democrat, is the bill’s prime co-sponsor. “I filed this legislation in the hope of saving lives,” Casello told the panel Wednesday. Specifically, the Purple Alert system covers missing adults with “a mental or cognitive disability; an intellectual disability or a developmental disability …; a brain injury; [or] another physical, mental, or emotional disability that is not related to substance abuse.”

“Proposed vehicle sales tax reduction axed due to pandemic economy” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Lawmakers have scratched an effort to reduce vehicle sales taxes by $50 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Alex Andrade removed that portion of a larger transportation bill during a House Tourism, Infrastructure and Energy Subcommittee meeting Wednesday. The Pensacola Republican described that amendment as a fix to the bill’s “one oversight” he accidentally left in before filing the legislation. “Tax cuts of $50 per vehicle sale in a year like this are probably not recommended,” Andrade told committee members. State economists expect Florida to raise $2 billion less in general revenue over the course of the current fiscal year than the last pre-pandemic estimate.

Alex Andrade dropped a proposed vehicle tax cut, courtesy of the COVID-19 crisis. Image via Colin Hackley.

“Should Hernando elect its school superintendent? Lawmaker says yes.” via Jeffrey Solochek of The Tampa Bay Times — Hernando County voters soon could decide whether they want to elect their school superintendent rather than keep letting School Board members pick the district’s chief executive. During the county’s legislative delegation meeting Friday, Rep. Blaise Ingoglia proposed a local bill to convert the appointed position to an elected one. The delegation, which also includes Rep. Ralph Massullo and Sen. Simpson, supported the measure. Passage would mean the superintendent job would become a partisan, political post in 2026, for the first time since 1988.

“Lawmakers give backing to seat-less bikes” via News Service of Florida — Florida lawmakers moved ahead Wednesday with tweaking a law that can lead to people receiving citations for riding bicycles without seats. The House Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee unanimously approved a bill (HB 353) that sponsor Brett Hage, an Oxford Republican, said is needed because people in areas such as The Villages retirement community are getting ticketed for riding bikes that are designed without seats. The bill will allow riding bicycles without seats if designed by the manufacturer to be ridden that way. According to a House bill analysis, the citation for riding a bicycle without a seat carries a base fine of $15, though the total can increase to as much as $56.50 because of additional fees.

FHCA head Emmett Reed is urging lawmakers to pass some COVID-19 liability protections.

EMPOWER Patients asks Legislature to ‘stop shady PBMs’ — A coalition representing independent and neighborhood pharmacies urged the Legislature to take up pharmacy benefit manager reforms. The call for action came ahead of a Thursday morning AHCA presentation on PBMs in the House Finance and Facilities Subcommittee. “While the Florida legislature is wrestling with a massive budget shortfall, PBM reform could save the state more than $100 million. But we get it. Taking on PBMs is not an easy task. With deep pockets, these prescription drug middlemen flex their muscles to bury the fact that they are pocketing more than $113 million in taxpayer dollars, and their lack of regulatory oversight has allowed anti-competitive behavior to fester in Florida’s Medicaid system,” said Bill Mincy of EMPOWER Patients.

Ellyn Bogdanoff, Becker & Poliakoff: International Yacht Brokers Association

Matt Brockelman, The Southern Group: SouthEast Development Group

French Brown, Jennifer Ungru, Dean Mead: The Nemours Foundation

Doug Bruce, Doug Bruce and Associates: Association of Support Coordination Agencies

Rachel Cone, Christopher Dudley, Justin Hollis, Taylor Mejia, Sydney Ridley, David Shepp, Clark Smith, Sheela VanHoose, The Southern Group: Basik Trading, Bellini Better World Foundation, Bonnet Springs Park, Broward County, City of Palm Coast, Comtech Communications of Georgia, Edmentum, Jacksonville University, Shipwreck Park Pompano

Cesar Fernandez, Jonathan Kilman, Gerard O’Rourke, Converge Government Affairs of Florida: Aero Aggregates of North America, NetChoice

Samantha Ferrin, Greenberg Traurig: SAP Public Services

Warren Husband, Metz Husband & Daughton: Florida Harbor Pilots Association

Andrew Kalel: Criminal Conflict & Civil Regional Counsel — Region Five

Frank Ranelli: University of West Florida

Stephen Talpins: 11th Judicial Circuit State Attorney

The Senate Rules Committee meets to consider SB 78, from Sen. Ray Rodrigues, a controversial proposal that would address the process for deducting union dues from public employees’ paychecks, 9 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.

The House Finance and Facilities Subcommittee will receive an update from the Agency for Health Care Administration about pharmacy benefit-manager pricing in the Medicaid managed-care program, 10 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building.

The House Government Operations Subcommittee meets to consider HB 313, from Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera, to give added rights to firefighters facing inquiries into accused misconduct, 10 a.m., Room 404, House Office Building.

The House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee meets for a panel on Florida Education Finance Program, which funds public schools, 10 a.m., Room 212, Knott Building.

The House Regulatory Reform Subcommittee meets to consider HB 329, from Rep. Josie Tomkow, to allow restaurants to sell or deliver alcoholic beverages to go if accompanied by food, 10 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.

The Legislative Budget Commission meets to consider a request for an added $4.34 million for processing background checks, facing a surge concealed-weapons license request, 1 p.m., Room 212, Knott Building.

Ron DeSantis says $50 million for job growth programs is no budget buster. Image via Colin Hackley.

“CA$H COWS: Tavistock, Disney and others save millions through tax break meant to help Florida farmers” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — At the Drive Shack golfing center in Lake Nona, golf balls struck from the three-story driving range roll to a stop not far from a few small cows grazing on a patch of pastureland and palmetto scrub. The Drive Shack cows are just one tiny piece of a much larger strategy that saved Tavistock about $10 million in property taxes last year — thanks to an agricultural tax break created 60 years ago to save Florida farmers from urban sprawl. The Lake Nona developer has plenty of company. Entities connected to Mattamy Homes saved an estimated $7.1 million last year. Walt Disney World and various Disney subsidiaries saved approximately $5.8 million.

Jimmy Patronis shares Super Bowl winnings with Tallahassee firefighters — CFO Patronis delivered Kansas City’s famous Jack Stack Barbeque to Fire Station 1 in Tallahassee. This BBQ delivery comes after Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick made good on the Super Bowl wager he made with Patronis, who bet on the Buccaneers. “Since the pandemic began nearly a year ago, our first responders have been on the front lines fighting for Floridians and I wanted to take this opportunity to reward their heroic efforts and provide them with a delicious BBQ lunch from Kansas City,” said Patronis, who doubles as State Fire Marshal. “A huge congratulations and thank you to Tom Brady, Gronk and the entire Buccaneers team for winning Super Bowl LV. This is just another reason that Florida is for winners!”

To watch a video of the delivery, click on the image below:

Val Demings and Charlie Crist could be Democrats who help turn some statewide races blue.

First on #FlaPol — “Clint Pate enters race to succeed Brad Drake in HD 5” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Pate on Wednesday entered the race for House District 5, setting up a potential three-way Republican primary for the open seat. Pate, a Graceville Republican, is the third candidate to throw his hat in the ring to succeed Rep. Brad Drake, who is term-limited and cannot run for reelection in 2022. He joins Vance Coley of Marianna and Shane Abbott of DeFuniak Springs in the race for HD 5, which covers all of Holmes, Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties and part of Bay County.

“‘Worker bee’ Ryan Wiggins defends The Lincoln Project from ‘vendettas’” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Wiggins blasted critics of The Lincoln Project for pursuing petty vendettas that have nothing to do with the people she says are fueling the Never Trump organization and the movement she says is behind it. “You are reading about selfishness and deceit on a level that is both horrifying and heartbreaking to the team of worker bees who have done and continue to do the work behind the scenes,” Wiggins declared in a tweet. Wiggins is a Republican political strategist from Pensacola specializing in crisis communications through her Full Contact Strategies firm.

Florida sees 7K+ COVID-19 cases, a slight uptick.

“Coronavirus continues widespread transmission, says Florida health official” via C.T. Bowen of the Tampa Bay Times — While the number of COVID-19 cases continues its descent in Hillsborough County, the infection rate still indicates “active and widespread community transmission continuing,” said Dr. Douglas Holt, director of the state Health Department for Hillsborough County, during his biweekly briefing with commissioners on Wednesday. Holt’s comments came before the latest data release showed 517 new cases in Hillsborough County over the prior 24 hours, bringing the total caseload to 107,513. The county has an estimated 200,000 residents who are 65 and older. More than 110,000 residents have received vaccinations as of Feb. 12, about 30 percent of which were done by private providers. About half those residents have received both doses of the vaccine.

“DeSantis denounces new CDC school guidelines” via Jake Stofan of WFLA — The CDC has released new guidance for reopening schools amid the pandemic, but with its schools already open, Florida doesn’t intend to follow it. DeSantis called the new guidance a disgrace and said it is based on politics, not science. New CDC guidance establishes four designations for school reopening based on case rates over the past seven days. Of Florida’s 67 counties, all but Franklin County fall into the red category, which recommends fully virtual middle and high school learning. “That is a disgrace. That is not science,” said DeSantis. DeSantis denounced the CDC guidelines saying special interests are being put ahead of science.

“Manatee Commissioner Vanessa Baugh made VIP list for COVID-19 vaccines. She put herself on it” via Jessica de Leon and Ryan Callihan of The Bradenton Herald — While she organized an exclusive pop-up vaccination site in Lakewood Ranch, Baugh created a VIP list of residents she wanted vaccinated. The list included her former neighbors, the master-planned Lakewood Ranch community developer, the developer’s father, and herself. Emails show Baugh played an integral role in organizing the state-run COVID-19 vaccination site that will provide 3,000 shots for residents in two of Manatee County’s wealthiest ZIP codes as part of the three-day event that began Wednesday morning. Baugh instructed county staff to pull only residents who had listed the ZIP codes 34202 and 34211 on their registration.

Vanessa Baugh was charged with creating a VIP list of Manatee vaccinations. She added herself.

Is it a surprise? Hillsborough sees a spike in new COVID-19 cases, right after the Super Bowl. Image via WFTS.

“Miami’s Jackson on cusp of expanding COVID vaccine to include some of those 55 and up” via Ben Conarck of the Miami Herald — After more than a month of frenzied online lotteries and ad hoc partnerships with faith leaders, Miami’s public hospital has finally seen a slackening of demand among people 65 and older for the two federally-authorized COVID vaccines. That’s led to internal conversations at Jackson Health System about whether it’s time to shift the focus to those 55 and older who have underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19 — a bucket of people already eligible under DeSantis’ late December executive order on vaccines, but who have struggled to find appointment slots. Jackson Health has already been vaccinating that age bracket of existing patients but hasn’t yet opened the appointments up to the public.

COVID cases are dropping across the country. The reason is complex. Image via The Wall Street Journal.

“CDC advisers weigh second-shot delay to quicken vaccine uptake” via Anna Edney of Bloomberg — U.S. public health advisers are weighing recommendations for extending the interval between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a potential strategy for quickly getting protection to more people amid the spread of new variants. According to a person familiar with the discussions, a working group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has debated the idea. It hasn’t been decided if the full committee will take up the issue and provide official guidance, the person said. Jose Romero, chairman of the committee and Arkansas Health Secretary, declined to comment because the deliberations are confidential.

“A next-generation coronavirus vaccine is in the works, but initial funding was denied” via David Heath of USA Today — Drew Weissman realized a year ago that even if the COVID-19 vaccines then in progress were eventually approved, it might not be enough. When Weissman, discoverer of the mRNA science behind two of the current vaccines, and a team of fellow scientists took a proposal for a more versatile COVID-19 vaccine to the National Institutes of Health for funding last May, they left empty-handed. The group had proposed research on vaccines to protect against any variant of the virus, known as a universal or pan vaccine. Weissman says their hands were tied by negative scores from the independent scientists asked to review the grant proposal.

“The CDC pledges a nearly $200 million ‘down payment’ for tracking virus variants, as lawmakers push for billions.” via Noah Weiland and Carl Zimmer of The New York Times — As lawmakers push for billions of dollars to fund the nation’s efforts to track coronavirus variants, the Biden administration announced on Wednesday a new effort to ramp up this work, pledging nearly $200 million to better identify the emerging threats. Calling it a “down payment,” the White House said that the investment would result in a significant increase in the number of positive virus samples that labs could sequence. The program is the administration’s most significant effort to date to address the looming danger of more contagious variants of the virus. A concerning variant first identified in Britain has infected at least 1,277 people in 42 states, although scientists suspect the true number is vastly higher.

“U.S. govt seizes over 10M phony N95 masks in COVID-19 probe” via Colleen Long of The Associated Press — Federal agents have seized more than 10 million fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. The most recent seizures occurred Wednesday when Homeland Security agents intercepted hundreds of thousands of counterfeit 3M masks in an East Coast warehouse set to be distributed, officials said. Investigators also notified about 6,000 potential victims in at least 12 states, including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have unknowingly purchased knockoffs, urging them to stop using the medical-grade masks.

A wave of bogus N95 masks has hit the U.S. Image via AP.

“Thousands of service members saying no to COVID-19 vaccine” via The Associated Press — By the thousands, U.S. service members are refusing or putting off the COVID-19 vaccine as frustrated commanders scramble to knock down internet rumors and find the right pitch that will persuade troops to get the shot. Some Army units are seeing as few as one-third agree to the vaccine. Military leaders searching for answers believe they have identified one potential convincer: an imminent deployment. Navy sailors on ships heading out to sea last week, for example, were choosing to take the shot at rates exceeding 80% to 90%. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeff Taliaferro, vice director of operations for the Joint Staff, told Congress on Wednesday that “very early data” suggests that just up to two-thirds of the service members offered the vaccine have accepted.

“Andrew Cuomo’s nursing home problem is getting worse” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — There are three parts to the political crisis surrounding Gov. Cuomo. The most immediate was the report on Wednesday that he’d threatened a Democratic state assemblyman, Ron Kim of Queens. That the state withheld a full tally of the number of deaths from nursing home residents is the second component of the crisis surrounding Cuomo and, ultimately, perhaps the most important one. The third component of the crisis was a March advisory from the state mandating that nursing homes accept residents discharged from hospitals even if they had tested positive for the virus. Cuomo went so far as to compare his order about nursing home readmissions to what Florida was doing at the time.

—”Is Andrew Cuomo wounded enough to take down?” via Anna Gronewold of POLITICO

“From city halls, the plea for COVID-19 aid is bipartisan” via Bill Barrow of The Associated Press — The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has squeezed many city budgets and prompted mayors and local leaders to look to Washington for help. But Republicans in Washington have stood in the way of sending federal aid to cities, leaving local leaders and public employee unions worried they’ll get shortchanged as Congress negotiates the next COVID-19 response package. The GOP posture comes with political risks. In rejecting a bill with help for lower governments, Republican lawmakers may soon find themselves voting against high-profile allies.

“The perils of prolonged unemployment” via Erica Pandey of Axios — Nearly 4 million Americans have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer — trapped in a vicious cycle that makes it harder to get back to work. Long-term unemployment during a pandemic is a double whammy. Millions are experiencing food and housing insecurity and lack health care when they need it most. “The troubling amount of long-term unemployment and its continuing rise is dangerous for the U.S. labor market,” says Nick Bunker, an economist at the jobs site Indeed. “A fast labor market recovery will help alleviate these concerns, but that bounce back is still a ways away and dependent on controlling the coronavirus.”

Long-term unemployment has an effect on physical and mental health. Image via Bloomberg.

“Millions of jobs probably aren’t coming back, even after the pandemic ends” via Heather Long of The Washington Post — Millions of jobs that have been shortchanged or wiped out entirely by the coronavirus pandemic are unlikely to come back, economists warn, setting up a massive need for career changes and retraining in the United States. The coronavirus pandemic has triggered permanent shifts in how and where people work. Businesses are planning for a future where more people work from home, traveling less for business, or replacing workers with robots. All of these modifications mean many workers will not be able to do the same job they did before the pandemic, even after much of the U.S. population gets vaccinated against the deadly virus.

“Cities have permanently lost 400,000 jobs during COVID-19 pandemic as many shift to suburbs” via Paul Davidson of USA Today — It’s not just people who are fleeing cities for suburbs during the pandemic. So are jobs. The pandemic has wiped out about 400,000 jobs in large urban areas, with about 175,000 of the positions shifting to the suburbs and smaller cities, according to estimates by payroll processor Gusto based on an analysis of the 100,000 or so small businesses it serves. Many Americans have moved, temporarily or permanently, from big cities to less densely populated suburban and rural areas during the outbreak, largely to reduce the risk of contagion.

Anthony Fauci says COVID-19 will be a nagging problem for some time. Image via AP.

“COVID-19 could have a long-term impact on the brain. We need more research.” via Serena S. Spudich and David A. Hafler of The Washington Post — Understandably, the world has focused so much attention on the high mortality of COVID-19 in older populations. This has led to a more sanguine approach to precautions such as mask-wearing and social distancing among many who don’t consider themselves at high risk from the virus. Thankfully, most people who contract COVID-19 do survive the acute illness. But there might be consequences of infection that we did not originally predict. Many patients in our clinics complain months after recovering from the disease of difficulty with concentration, finding words and completing complicated tasks.

“Poll: Teachers who are back in the classroom are comfortable with it” via Marisa Fernandez of Axios — Most teachers and school staff who are back in the classroom feel comfortable with the return to in-person classes, according to recent polling from the American Federation of Teachers. Teachers who are still fully remote said they weren’t comfortable with the idea of a return to the classroom — but the teachers who have returned seem to think it’s gone just fine. The poll surveyed a representative sample of 800 AFT members, including 600 teachers and 200 other paraprofessionals and school-related personnel earlier this month. Few schools have returned to full-time in-person instruction.

Most teachers are comfortable going back to class.

“AAA survey finds COVID-19 still discouraging Floridians to travel” via Susan Giles Wantuck of WUSF — A survey said Floridians are still reluctant to travel, almost one year into the coronavirus pandemic. The top three reasons people gave for avoiding travel are fear of getting sick, fear of the coronavirus variants, and the number of COVID-19 cases. AAA says more than 68% of Floridians canceled travel plans in 2020. “Most people feel comfortable driving in their vehicle; like you said, about 70% are uncomfortable flying, and about half are leery about staying in a hotel. You know, more than half are uncomfortable traveling right now,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said.

Joe Biden will be taking a careful, calculated approach to China. Image via AP.

“Stay or go? Biden, long a critic of Afghan deployments, faces a deadline” via Helene Cooper, Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger of The New York Times — The previous two Presidents of the United States declared they wanted to pull all American troops out of Afghanistan, and they both decided in the end that they could not do it. Now Biden is facing the same issue, with a deadline less than three months away. The Pentagon, uncertain what the new commander in chief will do, is preparing variations on a plan to stay, a plan to leave, and a plan to withdraw very, very slowly. The current deadline is May 1, keeping with a much-violated peace agreement that calls for the complete withdrawal of the remaining 2,500 American forces.

“Biden to tap new labor board top cop, rescind Donald Trump apprenticeship program” via Rebecca Rainey of POLITICO — Biden will nominate Jennifer Abruzzo, an attorney with the Communications Workers of America, to become the federal labor board’s top cop, the White House said Wednesday. Abruzzo, a former deputy general counsel at the National Labor Relations Board, would replace Trump-appointed General Counsel Peter Robb, who was ousted by Biden last month in a rare executive power exercise over the labor board. But she will have to get through a Senate confirmation process that could be bruising. Ahead of a meeting with labor officials Wednesday afternoon, the White House said Biden would also revoke former President Trump’s executive order creating an industry-led apprenticeship program.

“Stumbles, clashes and egos: Behind the scenes with Trump’s legal team” via Maggie Haberman and Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times — Trump’s hastily assembled legal team, a mashup of political hands, a personal injury lawyer, a former prosecutor and a longtime defense lawyer, most of whom did not particularly like or trust one another, clashed, stumbled and regrouped throughout the impeachment proceeding under the watchful and sometimes wrathful eye of its client. The result was an airplane held together with duct tape as it tried to land. Several lawyers who had represented him in his past impeachment clarified they would not be involved this time. Other high-end white-collar defense lawyers were afraid to work for him because of the political backlash and fears that Trump would refuse to pay his legal bills.

Donald Trump’s latest legal team was hastily assembled and chaotic. Image via AP.

“Rudy Giuliani not currently representing Trump ‘in any legal matters,’ adviser says” via Jim Acosta and Paul LeBlanc of CNN — Trump’s longtime personal attorney, Giuliani, is “not currently representing President Trump in any legal matters,” senior Trump adviser Jason Miller told CNN on Tuesday. The former New York City Mayor was the face of Trump’s failed bid to overturn the presidential election results, but his legal work with the former President dates back years. In a tweet, Miller said that Giuliani remained an “ally and a friend” and is not representing Trump only because there are no pending cases in which he’s involved. Trump had signaled frustration with Giuliani last month after becoming the first President in U.S. history to be impeached twice. He told his staff to stop paying Giuliani’s legal fees.

“Promotions for female generals were delayed over fears of Trump’s reaction” via Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper of The New York Times — Last fall, the Pentagon’s most senior leaders agreed that two top generals should be promoted to elite four-star commands. For then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the tricky part was that both of the accomplished officers were women. Esper and General Milley worried that if they even raised their names, Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost of the Air Force and Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson of the Army, the Trump White House would replace them with their own candidates before leaving.

“Watching Trump go down” via Olivia Nuzzi of New York Magazine — Mayor Marty Small positioned himself before a local TV camera, the casino right over his shoulder. Growing up, he said, he’d attended WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V, events the Trump Plaza sponsored in 1988 and 1989, just before its financial decline. Small had been hyping the demolition for weeks, even distributing on social media a flyer that looked more like a movie poster than a news release, with the casino decorated by a flaming stick of dynamite and a ribbon of caution tape. The casino was still, and then it wasn’t. One side fell first, sending the rest into a slinky motion, until it was melted into pieces.

“Rush Limbaugh created the politics that Trump used to win the White House” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — Limbaugh was Trump before Trump. In fact, Limbaugh helped create Trump’s pathway to the presidency, whether the former President ever recognized it or not. Limbaugh’s show went national in 1988, back when Trump was just a real estate developer. His approach to politics was a now-familiar one, littered with sweeping disparagements of his political opponents, unfettered by any traditional sense of propriety. When Limbaugh had a television show in the early 1990s, his executive producer was a fellow named Roger Ailes. Ailes went on to be the founder of Fox News. But you don’t have to take our word for it. After Republicans won the House for the first time in decades in the 1994 midterms, Limbaugh’s influence was explicitly acknowledged.

Rush Limbaugh opened the door for President Donald Trump.

—“Limbaugh dies at 70; turned talk radio into a right-wing attack machine” via Robert D. McFadden and Michael M. Grynbaum of The New York Times

Markenzy Lapointe is Joe Biden’s leading candidate for the top federal prosecutor in South Florida. Image via Attorney at Law Magazine.

Self-described activist John Sullivan, who filmed the raid on The Capitol, is now in federal custody.

“‘My daughter’s legacy’: Fred Guttenberg promotes scholarship program to honor Jaime Guttenberg” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Guttenberg, who lost his daughter, Jaime, in the 2018 Parkland shooting, is urging high school students to apply to a scholarship program launched in Jaime’s honor. Guttenberg launched that effort last year through his 501(c)(3) organization, Orange Ribbons For Jaime. Applications will be open through March 15 for this year’s set of scholarships. “Her life was about helping other kids, especially those who had special needs or who were bullied, because she just thought it was wrong,” Guttenberg said of his daughter in a talk with Florida Politics. While Guttenberg has been a vocal activist pushing for increased gun regulations following the deadly 2018 shooting, he says promoting Jaime’s scholarship program is his long-term priority.

Fred Guttenberg is promoting a scholarship in memory of his daughter, Jamie.

“Court backs health department in attorney fees fight” via News Service of Florida — A divided appeals court said Wednesday the Florida Department of Health does not need to pay the legal fees of a company that successfully challenged the agency over a rule related to medical-marijuana licenses. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a 2019 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Garnett Chisenhall that said the department should pay $50,000 in attorney fees and $3,828 in costs to Louis Del Favero Orchids, Inc. Chisenhall’s ruling came after another administrative law judge, R. Bruce McKibben, said the department did not properly carry out a 2017 state law that gave preference to the citrus industry for as many as two medical-marijuana licenses.

“Brevard Commissioners mocked a journalist. Now, one official says they’re getting threats.” via Bianca Padro Ocasio of the Miami Herald — The Brevard County Commission has drawn national ire since drafting a resolution mocking an editorial page journalist that passed unanimously last week — an action a commissioner now claims has prompted threats from political fanatics. The document in question targeted Isadora Rangel, the former opinion writer at the Gannett-owned Florida Today newspaper who recently joined the Miami Herald’s editorial board. In an emailed statement to the Herald, Commissioner Bryan Lober said that what prompted the resolution was years of “highly partisan treatment” from Florida Today, including claims that the attacks against him from the newspaper were malicious. Lober did not respond when asked for evidence that showed a link between the threats and media attention from the resolution.

“‘Shockingly exorbitant’: Advisors to ex-Orange appraiser Rick Singh sued over severance deals” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Three former high-ranking advisers to Singh got “golden parachute” deals from the ousted Orange County property appraiser before he left office that could net them a combined $318,000 from taxpayers, according to a lawsuit filed by Singh’s successor, Amy Mercado. Singh signed the special agreements, which Mercado’s suit seeks to invalidate, on Sept. 30, about six weeks after Mercado trounced him in the Democratic primary. Mercado said she learned about the unusual severance arrangements after reorganizing the Property Appraiser’s Office and eliminating high-paying posts.

“Miami offers cash, guidance to help landlords protect affordable housing from climate change” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — In Miami-Dade County, the most expensive metro area in the nation, the people least equipped to handle the twin threats of strengthening hurricanes and rising sea levels are residents of the slim stock of affordable housing. A new program — Keep Safe Miami — is designed to offer a carrot to the people in power to actually do something about it: landlords. The program centers around an online tool that informs owners of multifamily buildings of the risks they face and possible solutions, as well as tips on where to find federal and state grants and loans to pay for it. That could include anything from elevating an air conditioner to installing impact windows to raising the entire building.

“Election 2021: What you need to know in Tequesta, Juno Beach” via Julius Whigham II of The Palm Beach Post — Two candidates seeking political office for the first time will face each other in the race to fill the Tequesta village council seat being vacated by retiring Mayor Abby Brennan. Harrison Vaughn, a risk management consultant, will face Molly Young, an owner representative for private clients in the commercial real estate development and construction industry, for Tequesta Council Seat 2 in the March 9 municipal election. The seat currently is held by Brennan, who announced that she would retire at the end of her term in April. It is the only race on the ballot for Tequesta as Vice Mayor Kyle Stone secured another term in Council Seat 4 when no candidates filed to run against him.

“Former Florida DBPR lawyer gets 7 1/2 years in prison for child porn” via Jeff Burlew of The Tallahassee Democrat — A former attorney for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on child pornography charges. David Wayne Aring was sentenced Tuesday at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee. He earlier pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography. Investigators found thousands of files of child pornography, some depicting the victimization of infants and toddlers. His desktop computer contained thousands of additional images, which he downloaded through peer-to-peer file sharing.

“Palm Bay is a new ‘superstar city’” via Jennifer A. Kingson of Axios — As the pandemic prompts people to move from pricey superstar cities to mid-tier ones where life is cheaper and easier, traditional powerhouses are being upstaged by smaller places on economic vitality. Palm City enters the Milken Institute’s annual ranking of big metropolitan areas with the best regional economies at No. 2, behind Provo, Utah. Large cities in the Intermountain West and South are outperforming many areas on the coasts, mainly due to higher levels of short-term job growth and more affordable housing, Milken said. This seismic shift can be a boon to the smaller cities that prosper — attracting more companies, capital and citizens — but can also have deleterious effects on the qualities people cherish about them, like affordability and middle-class values.

Palm Bay is tops for economic growth, putting it among those with the best regional economies.

What Anthony Pedicini is reading — “Knight Parade, another Gasparilla event, also canceling this year” via Sharon Kennedy Wynne of The Tampa Bay Times — The Gasparilla-season nighttime party that marches down the streets of Ybor City, known as the Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight Parade, announced on Wednesday that it is canceling its annual event because of coronavirus concerns. The announcement comes one day after the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates and the Children’s Parade scratched plans for April parades and said they would wait until next year. The Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago, named after Saint James, Spain’s patron saint, has been crowning a king and holding a parade in Ybor since 1972. It was started by some of the historic district’s leading business owners, including Cesar Gonzmart, the Columbia restaurant owner. It was founded to honor Ybor City’s Latin heritage and diverse culture.

“DeSantis’ unchecked hubris on display again” via Joe Henderson of Florida Politics — Seniors who live in Manatee County’s Lakewood Ranch community will receive 3,000 additional doses of the Moderna vaccine to protect against COVID-19. Good for them. Naturally, DeSantis went there Wednesday to announce the deal. But he should have had an answer ready because reporters were certain to ask why two wealthy ZIP codes got the vaccine before less-affluent parts of the county. If he did have that ready answer, I doubt he would have said, well, this. “If Manatee County doesn’t like us doing this, we are totally fine doing this in counties that want it,” DeSantis said.

“Jared Moskowitz reached across Florida’s deep political divide. That’s all too rare” via the Miami Herald editorial board — When Moskowitz steps down in April from his job as the head of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, the state will lose a political rarity. As the lone Democrat running a state agency, Moskowitz has demonstrated that it’s still possible to work across party lines. As the state’s COVID vaccine logistics chief, he has navigated the political landscape with a Republican Governor, a Republican-controlled Legislature and Trump hovering overhead. In these political times, that deserves a medal. His sense of bipartisanship also deserves to be emulated — starting in the Governor’s Mansion.

“Florida’s leaders must fight for the ‘For the People Act’” via Anna Eskamani for Florida Politics — Last fall, our state was a hotbed of fights over voter suppression and intimidation — from reports of threats and disinformation aimed at voters of color, to a lawsuit filed when our online registration system crashed and deadlines weren’t extended, to last-minute confusion sowed by state officials over ballot drop boxes. It is time to do something about it — for Florida and every state where people want to vote, and others with entrenched power are trying to stop them. And very soon, we will have a window of opportunity at the national level with the For the People Act.

“Jacksonville ignores its problems, but spends lavishly on political campaigns” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — Campaigns for Jacksonville mayor since 2015 have raised and spent more than $15 million, much of it from a relatively small and familiar group of wealthy powerbrokers, with the trend lines pointing toward even more expensive city races in the future. The $15 million is only a partial accounting of the tremendous sums spent on races for only a single City Hall office. It doesn’t include spending by the state and local political parties on behalf of candidates, which is considerable, nor does it account for more obscure political spending that routinely takes place but is harder to track.

“COVID-19 makes canceling Gasparilla a sensible move” via The Tampa Bay Times editorial board — Who could blame Ye Mystic Krewe for canceling the annual Gasparilla parade? The Krewe acknowledged that holding an event that can attract hundreds of thousands of people during a pandemic outweighed the benefits. We could all use a good party, the fun distraction provided by fake pirates, and a raucous parade. But COVID-19 remains an unwanted guest, and giving the virus a target-rich environment full of revelers jammed elbow-to-elbow wasn’t worth the risk. On Tuesday, they called off the event until next year. They couldn’t envision a way to control the usually huge crowd’s size or keep people safely distanced.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— DeSantis’ response drew a stern rebuke South Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz.

— Agriculture Commissioner Fried also piled on … calling the Governor’s actions troubling and potentially illegal.

— There’s a problem with Florida’s vaccine supply. DeSantis says we’re short because of the winter storm.

— A research professor at the University of Florida warns that we need to pay more attention to the U.K. variant of COVID 19 because there’s more in Florida than any other state … and it’s nastier than the original.

— A Senate committee approves a bill exempting presidential searches at public universities from the Sunshine Law. The bill’s sponsor says they might as well because universities have already found a way around it.

— There’s a ruckus over free speech on campus. Things got mighty tense in the House Post-Secondary Education and Lifelong Learning Subcommittee.

— And finally, two Florida Men tried to get out of wearing a mask by claiming to be federal agents. Then they got to meet a real one.

To listen, click on the image below:

Blast from the past: The Jaguars will be returning to their classic teal uniforms. Image via Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Retailers trade Fifth Ave. for Worth Ave. as Palm Beach scene thrives with Americans heading South” via Lauren Thomas of CNBC — Retailers, restaurants and other business owners want to be where the people are. And people are moving to South Florida in droves. Some are taking a temporary retreat during the COVID-19 pandemic, away from the cold weather up North. Others are making a longer-term change, and businesses are following by committing to decadeslong leases. At Rosemary Square, an outdoor shopping mall situated close to downtown West Palm Beach, a West Elm furniture store and Urban Outfitters are slated to open in the coming months. They’ll be joined by a slew of new eateries, including a recently opened, local fast-casual taco shop, health-driven chain True Food Kitchen and the hip plant-based restaurant Planta.