Between #JusticeLeague, #MarchMadness, and the Frank Artiles scandal, our eyes are spinning. Yet, we need to start this morning with a must-read:

 — Gov. DeSantis is very pleased with himself: POLITICO begins its harsh, yet also flattering, profile of Ron DeSantis‘ COVID-19 victory lap with exactly what the Governor wants to hear more of: “He was right.” The piece lists the myriad ways DeSantis shouldered criticism and the mean-spirited nicknames that came with it, only to make the point that Florida fell short, or even avoided altogether, the ominous predictions from months ago. Read more about it here.

Ron DeSantis is certainly pleased with himself. Image via AP.

⛹🏽‍♂‍ — March Madness underdogs to bet on: John Ezekowitz is what The Wall Street Journal calls an “upsetologist,’ and he provides some clarity for the chaos that is March Madness Round 1. He created a statistical analysis, tweaked over the last decade to make it more reliable, looking at the vulnerable but still competitive No. 3, 4, 5 and 6 seeds and evaluates which ones are most likely to produce an upset. His model has predicted 32 upsets since 2004. So, before you start placing bets, give this a read first.

 — Republican or Democrat, you’re probably both doing it wrong: A Franklin Templeton-Gallup poll of 35,000 Americans, broken down here, shows that Republicans tend to underestimate the severity of COVID-19 while Democrats tend to exaggerate risks. The survey found that about a third of Republican respondents said asymptomatic carriers couldn’t spread the virus (they can, and do) and that COVID-19 kills the same amount of people as the flu or automobile accidents (also wrong, to the tune of about 15x). But Democrats have their own misinformation. More than two-thirds said at least 20% of COVID-19 patients require hospitalization when the accurate number is closer to just 1%. They also tended to overestimate the death toll among young people, believing that youth deaths were a significant portion of the pandemic’s death toll. But, just .04% of deaths have occurred in people younger than 18. The bottom line: maybe just listen to the experts, m’kay.

 — Trump supporter settles election bet, but still thinks his guy won: Two men who bet on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election have settled the $100 wager after the Trump backer initially refused to pay up. But there’s a catch. St. Petersburg resident Sean Hynes, a Donald Trump supporter, sent a message to his Joe Biden-supporting friend, Jeffrey Costa, also of St. Petersburg, suggesting a friendly $100 wager on the presidential election outcome. Costa accepted the bet. But after Biden was declared the winner late that week, Hynes refused to pay up, arguing the election results would be challenged and overturned in court. Now, Hynes is ponying up the dough, plus $215 in court costs, but he’s still not letting go of the notion of the outcome of the election, which resulted in Biden’s swearing-in on Jan. 20, could still be overturned. The two agreed to a settlement during a Mar. 10 mediation. It stipulates that if the results are overturned by Sept. 10, Costa will return $207.50 to Hynes by Oct. 9.

 — Stop sharing pictures of your vaccine card: We get it; you’re super excited you got a vaccine. But don’t let that excitement translate to fraud by sharing a photo of your vaccine card, which contains personal information that scammers could use against you. As CNN notes, even seemingly innocuous details like the brand of vaccine and administering location can work like puzzle pieces for fraudsters. Instead, officials recommend sharing celebratory jab selfies.

 — Teenage parents can relate: An analysis from ProPublica looks at what a year of restrictions, missed school, and canceled extracurriculars has done to America’s teens. The compelling piece compares kids in two towns, just a stone’s throw apart but across state lines in New Mexico and Texas, where COVID-19 restrictions were markedly different.

Tweet, tweet:

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“Artiles bonds out” via WVSN — News cameras captured Artiles as he walked out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade, Thursday night. “No comment about this case. The courts, it will be decided in the courts,” he said. “There is no indication that Senator Ileana Garcia was involved in Artiles’ plotting,” said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “Let there be no mistake about it: these charges today say the law applies to everyone.”

Frank Artiles bonds out of a Miami-Dade jail. Image via CBS Miami.

After a decade of false starts, a gambling bill may be close at hand, says Ron DeSantis.

Assignment editors — DeSantis and Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz will hold a news conference, 9 a.m., Cabinet Meeting Room, The Capitol. Media RSVP at Cody.McCloud@eog.myflorida.com.

“Deal reached on COVID-19 liability protections” via Christine Sexton of News Service of Florida — Legislative leaders announced Thursday they have an agreement on COVID-19 liability protections for businesses, nursing homes and other health care providers and that a bill should be headed to DeSantis’ desk late next week. Simpson and Sprowls said the House would accept a proposal (SB 72) that the Senate amended and passed Thursday in a 24-15 vote along almost straight party lines. Sprowls said the House had worked closely with the Senate and that the measure that passed the Senate was a “great product.” … “We anticipate picking up that bill, passing it and getting it to the Governor’s desk as soon as possible,” he said.

“Senate Appropriations signs off on toll roads repeal” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation (SB 100) repealing the M-CORES plan. The move comes just two years after the plan was approved as a top legislative priority for then-Senate President Bill Galvano. Sen. Gayle Harrell, Stuart Republican and the bill’s sponsor, said the COVID-19 pandemic delivered an extraordinary impact on portions of Florida’s budget. “It has caused us to evaluate some of the things we considered to be very bold initiatives previously, including transportation,” she said. Environmental groups, long opposed to the toll roads plan, showed up in support of Harrell’s legislation. Harrell’s bill shifts the focus from the M-CORES roads to improvements on existing roadways to address congestion on Interstate-75.

“Florida property insurance overhaul bill stalls in Senate panel” via John Haughey for KPVI — A proposed overhaul of Florida’s property insurance laws designed to dissuade litigation has stalled one step from the Senate floor. The Senate Rules Committee opted not to vote on Senate Bill 76, filed by Sen. Jim Boyd, and set it aside for further debate after a lengthy discussion Thursday indicated concerns raised by attorneys and consumer advocates need further vetting. SB 76 would force claimants, attorneys, and insurers to seek resolutions without going to court by removing “incentives” for legal action in resolving disputes over claims, especially for roof repairs.

“Ray Rodrigues’ intellectual diversity bill ready for the Senate floor” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Sen. Rodrigues for years in the House championed a plan to survey political values within Florida colleges and universities. After winning a favorable report from the Senate Appropriations Committee, it’s now, for the first time, headed to the Senate floor. The Estero Republican said his legislation (SB 264) will guarantee academic freedom thrives and a diversity of views exist on Florida campuses. Rodrigues has pointed to similar surveys in other states that resulted in conservative visiting professorships. That’s helped combat a “cancel culture” on colleges that leaves many conservatives afraid to speak up.

“Senate prepped to quash Constitution Revision Commission” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The Senate is set to vote on a proposal asking voters whether to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission. Senators gave their initial approval ahead of a full vote expected on the measure (SJR 204), by Sen. Jeff Brandes, to repeal one of five methods to amend the Florida Constitution. If the Legislature approves the resolution, the question would appear before voters on the 2022 ballot. The public would need to approve it by a 60% vote. The CRC, created in 1968, meets every 20 years to make changes to the Florida Constitution. The commission met for the first time from 1977 to 1978. It met most recently from 2017 to 2018.

Jeff Brandes may be dealing a death blow to the CRC. Image via Colin Hackley.

“‘Right to Farm’ expansion clears Senate” via News Service of Florida — A proposal to help shield farmers from “nuisance” lawsuits was approved Thursday by the Senate. A priority of Simpson, the measure (SB 88) was approved in a 37-1 vote. It would expand Florida’s “Right to Farm” law, which was first approved in 1979 and helps protect farmers from what are known as nuisance lawsuits. “Farmers work hard every day so the grocery store shelves are full for everyone else,” said Simpson, whose business interests include egg farming. “They don’t have the time or the money to spend months tied up in court because the new subdivision down the road doesn’t like the farming operations that have been in place on that land for generations.”

—“New civics course for high schoolers moves one chamber closer to reality” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics

Aaron Bean’s unemployment reform could have unintended consequences. Image via Colin Hackley.

—“Legislation to expand law enforcement drone use passes Senate” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics

“House’s proposed elections bill maintains drop boxes while improving ‘transparency’” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The House has unveiled its proposal to build on Florida’s election laws after what Republicans called a successful 2020 cycle. The proposed committee bill touches on ballot security, maintain accessibility for voters and voting process transparency. That comes despite Republicans, including DeSantis, touting Florida’s 2020 election cycle as one of the smoothest and most secure in recent history. Unlike the Senate version (SB 90), carried by Ocala Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley, the PCB would keep the existing ballot drop box legislation while adding monitoring requirements. Voting sites could only keep boxes available to the public during voting hours, and boxes must always be monitored, whether by Supervisor of Elections personnel, a law enforcement officer or a security camera.

“House set to take up protest bill” via News Service of Florida — The House is slated next week to consider a controversial bill that would crackdown on violent protests and take a series of other law-and-order steps, as Democrats argue the measure would violate First Amendment rights and have a chilling effect on peaceful protests. The bill (HB 1) is scheduled to be heard on March 25 on the House floor, according to a calendar approved Thursday. DeSantis began pushing for such legislation last year after widespread protests throughout the country over racial inequities in policing and other aspects of American life. Florida largely escaped the scenes of looting and torched buildings, but DeSantis contends that Florida should enact tough penalties for violent protests to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists.

“Protesters gather as ‘anti-riot’ bill readies for final House vote” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — With controversial House legislation ready for the floor, protesters gathered outside the Capitol building Thursday. Despite rain, clergy, nurses, first responders and students huddled under the House portico to protest the ‘anti-riot’ bill. The group, called Faith in Florida, held signs showing victims of police brutality. The legislation (HB 1) is on its second reading in the House. The bill has strong backing from DeSantis. Committee meetings that considered the legislation drew scores of speakers with no members breaking from party lines. Two Democratic lawmakers spoke at the news conference.

House unveils ethics package — The House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee debuted a proposed committee bill with a slew of reforms to elected officials and state employee interactions with lobbyists. As reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, the bill would block state employees from asking for a job from an entity they regulate; require public officials to report job offers from such entities, and would prohibit lawmakers and statewide elected officials from taking investment advice from lobbyists. The House has proposed similar reforms in past Legislative Sessions, but they failed to gain traction in the Senate. It’s so far unclear if that will be the case again this year.

“House unanimously passes bill renaming conservation area after Kristin Jacobs” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The House unanimously passed a measure Thursday renaming the Southeast Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area after the late Rep. Jacobs. That bill succeeded on a 119-0 vote. Sprowls then offered members a chance to vote on whether to serve as co-sponsors for the measure. All 119 House members agreed to do so. Democratic Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, Jacobs’ successor in House District 96, is backing the bill (HB 217). Sen. Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat, is behind the Senate companion measure (SB 588).

To watch the tribute to Jacobs, click on the image below:

“Moment of silence bill passes House for second year in a row” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — Rep. Randy Fine’s bill requiring a moment of silence in public schools passed the House floor on a mostly party-line vote of 94-24. It’s not the first time. The bill is similar to legislation passed on the House floor in a prior Session that died in the Senate. That time it was sponsored by Rep. Kim Daniels. This year’s effort (HB 529) would require a one- to two-minute moment of silence at the start of the school day in K-12 classrooms in public schools. “Every child can benefit from a time, whether you’re Jewish or Christian or you don’t believe in God at all, every child will benefit from this time to be centered before the beginning of the day,” Fine told the House Education and Employment Committee Wednesday.

“Senate passes bill stressing permanent homes for children in foster care” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The Senate has passed a bill giving a “massive overhaul” to how and where the state places children within the child welfare system. By a unanimous vote, Senators passed Sen. Jason Brodeur‘s proposal (SB 80) that would prioritize finding children a permanent place to call home. In December, Florida had 22,000 kids in out-of-home care, removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Some kids remain in foster care until they turn 18, meaning they enter adulthood without a permanent family. Finding a family for those children is a priority for Brodeur and Simpson, who were both adopted as kids.

—“Fourth time’s the charm? Senate passes bill to require 6-year-olds to use booster seats” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics

“House passes ‘baby box’ proposal” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — The House passed a bill on Thursday that would authorize some hospitals, police departments and fire stations to install and use “baby boxes” as a drop-off for abandoned infants. The chamber OK’d the legislation (HB 133) with a 108-11 vote. Republican Reps. Mike Beltran and Joe Harding are the bill sponsors. The legislation would allow sites like hospitals, police departments and fire departments to install outfitted drop boxes for babies. According to a staff analysis, the boxes cost roughly $15,000. Municipalities that choose to utilize the boxes would pick up the tab, Harding explained. The bill would also quadruple the maximum age of a child that can be surrendered to 30 days.

“Behavioral health care access bill wins House panel blessing” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — People feeling stymied trying to access insured mental health care could get some helpful direction under a bill a House panel unanimously approved Thursday. Rep. Cyndi Stevenson‘s bill (HB 701) won swift approval from the House Health and Human Services Committee after the St. Johns Republican gave an emotional description of the frustrations many of her constituents said they’ve had to try to arrange mental health care services their insurance companies were supposed to cover. “I’ve received numerous complaints about access to behavioral health services,” Stevenson said.

Cyndi Stevenson seeks better access to mental health services. Image via Colin Hackley.

“Second House committee clears free-standing emergency room proposal” via Haley Brown of Florida Politics — The House Healthcare Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously advanced legislation from Rep. Traci Koster to stop consumers from getting surprised with huge medical bills after receiving care in a free-standing hospital emergency room. Because hospitals are allowed to operate a free-standing emergency department at a separate location from the main hospital, patients mistake free-standing emergency departments for urgent care centers — a mistake that can be pricey. The average cost for primary care at an urgent care center is $193. A visit to the emergency room averages upward of $2,000. The bill received no pushback in its second committee stop. It now moves to its last House committee, Health and Human Services Committee.

“Senate approves bill to ease burdens on craft distilleries” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The Senate has passed a bill to reduce restrictions on craft distilleries, which lawmakers say will place it on a level playing field with other states. Sen. Travis Hutson‘s bill (SB 46) would eliminate production caps and open the door for distilleries to sell their drinks in more ways. Other states are raising their caps on craft distilleries and providing them with more flexibility, the St. Augustine Republican told Senators earlier this year. The Senate passed the proposal unanimously. To achieve its goals, the proposal would raise the annual production limit at craft distilleries from 75,000 to 250,000 gallons.

Jimmy Patronis cheers the deal for shielding businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits.

Florida Chamber praises passage of liability protections — Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson praised the Senate after it voted to pass a bill (SB 72) that would shield businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits. “Today’s passage by the Senate of the combined business and health care COVID-19 liability protections legislation is another supportive step in the continued relaunching of Florida’s economy,” he said. “The bill provides much-needed certainty to job creators that if they are doing their part to keep employees, customers and patients safe, they will not be party to frivolous litigation. The Florida Chamber of Commerce appreciates the legislature’s appropriate response to this once-in-a-century pandemic and looks forward to these common-sense protections becoming law.”

APCIA lauds Senate for supporting COVID-19 liability protections — The American Property Casualty Insurance Association cheered after the Senate passed a bill (SB 72) shielding businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits. “The Florida Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 72 brings Florida one step closer to joining many other states across the country that have passed legislation to provide critical COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that are operating in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidance and protocols,” These important protections will help prevent an onslaught of frivolous litigation that could hinder our state’s economic recovery,” said Logan McFaddin, AVP of state government relations at APCIA. “As the bill crosses over, APCIA looks forward to working with lawmakers in the Florida House to ensure swift passage of COVID-19 liability protections.”

“Doctors push back on pot potency arguments” via Dara Kam of News Service of Florida — Florida doctors on Thursday pushed back against allegations that the state’s medical-marijuana program is being used by people seeking to get high for fun. “He’s uninformed,” Apollo Beach physician Sasha Noe said of HB 1455 sponsor Spencer Roach. “There are no signs of that. Where is the data? I think he’s just using these inflammatory statements to make a point.” Doctors, who have to undergo training before they can be authorized by the Florida Department of Health to order marijuana for patients, can spot drug-seeking patients who don’t qualify for cannabis treatment, West Palm Beach physician Melanie Bone added. The comments came after the bill, which would impose a 10% THC cap on smokable marijuana, cleared another House committee.

Spencer Roach is ‘uninformed’ about medical pot potency, doctors say.

Progressive Jewish group urges Legislature to reject anti-riot bill — Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Florida sent a petition to the state House urging members to vote against a bill that would enhance penalties for certain crimes if committed during a riot or protest. The petition, a joint effort by the South Florida and Jacksonville chapters of Bend the Arc, has gathered more than 400 signatures. Bend the Arc previously sent a public statement opposing the anti-protest bills to members of the Legislature. “As a multiracial Jewish community, we know it is not only our right, but our duty to protest injustice. The Talmud Bavli teaches that anyone who can effectively protest against injustice is responsible for doing so,” said Stefanie Levine of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Jacksonville.

Capitol Reax: FBHA welcomes liability protections — The liability shield for COVID-19 lawsuits earned quick praise from Florida Behavioral Health Association President and CEO Melanie Brown-Woofter. “The Florida Behavioral Health Association applauds both Senate leadership and House leadership for supporting the COVID-19 liability protection bill and including mental health and substance abuse treatment providers among those covered,” she said. “While the pandemic has exacerbated mental health and substance abuse challenges for Floridians, it is reassuring that our mental health and substance use providers can continue to serve people without facing the risk of litigation related to the coronavirus.”

Capitol Reax: Liability shield gets FHCA lauds — The Florida Health Care Association was also among the many organizations to praise the Senate for passing the liability protections bill, with CEO and executive director Emmett Reed issuing a pratique Thursday evening. “Our health care heroes on the front lines showed up every day, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect their residents. We thank President Simpson and applaud Sen. Brandes and his colleagues in the Senate for recognizing the need for liability protections for our long-term care centers,” he said. “Our heroic caregivers should be able to do their jobs without the fear of being sued for doing the best they can under challenging circumstances.”

Keaton Alexander, Silver Palm Consulting: Propel Florida

Dean Cannon, GrayRobinson: Seavin

Jim Daughton, Metz Husband & Daughton: AT&T

Mark Kruse, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney: WIN Learning

TJ Long, Joshua Sanchez: Keiser University, Southeastern College

Richard Mahler: JPMorgan Chase Holdings

Ethan Merchant, Liberty Partners of Tallahassee: Advanced Energy Economy

Andrew Rutledge, Gary Rutledge, Richard Lindstrom, Rutledge Ecenia: Fronton Holdings

Happening today — The Revenue Estimating Conference meets for an “impact” conference, which looks at legislation costs, 9 a.m., Room 117, Knott Building.

Happening today — The Revenue Estimating Conference meets to examine highway-safety system issues, 2 p.m., Room 117, Knott Building.

Happening today — Candidates for an open spot on the Public Service Commission will have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit applications to the Florida PSC Nominating Council.

For this year’s competition, only in-house lobbyists are in the field, so the championship is really up for grabs.

The first round features 64 lobbyists, but only 32 will make it to Round 2. You can help decide who moves forward by filling out your bracket before Sunday night.

TallyMadness is underway!

Here’s a rundown of some of the marquee matchups in Round 1:

— The sixth man is a powerful weapon in basketball. The TallyMadness equivalent? The second man … first man? Whatever you want to call it, Beth Sweeney’s husband, Kevin, is walking door-to-door to drum up early support in her battle against Equality Florida lobbyist John Harris Maurer, but he’s still got time to find his own secret weapon.

— Florida School Boards Association lobbyist BillieAnn Gay is up against Anheuser-Busch lobbyist Jonathan Rees. Gay is looking for a repeat of last year when she made it to the Final Four before narrowly missing out on a championship game appearance. Still, it could be a close one if she’s rusty.

— Florida Chamber of Commerce lobbyist Carolyn Johnson is going toe-to-toe with powerhouse Marion Hammer, who reps the Unified Sportsmen of Florida. One would be a fool to challenge Hammer’s shooting percentage at the range, but on the court, Johnson could give her a run for her money.

— The head-to-head between Danielle Scroggins and AFP state director Skylar Zander is sure to go down to the wire. We’d be happy to see either one advance, and it’s unfortunate “both” isn’t an option. Our advice: Close your eyes, spin three times and click.

Ron DeSantis vows that vaccines will be open to all by April.

“Troubled Orange school gets millions in vouchers. State investigates after a teacher’s arrest and does nothing. Again.” via Leslie Postal and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — The job applicant hoped to teach fourth grade at Winners Primary School, a small private school in west Orange County. She didn’t have a college degree and her last job was at a child care center, which fired her. “Terminated would not rehire,” read the reference check form from the day care. Winners Primary hired her as a teacher anyway in early 2020, and she remains on staff. Since 2015, Winners, a for-profit school run by a married couple with a history of financial problems, has received more than $5.1 million in state scholarship money. The school has no website and provides no public information about its academic offerings.

“Foster kids starved, beaten and molested, reports show. Few caregivers are punished.” via Suzanne Hirt, Michael Braga and Pat Beall of USA TODAY — A cache of documents reveals allegations of foster care abuse are more widespread than previously reported. The nearly 5,000 records detail calls to the Florida Department of Children and Families abuse hotline from teachers, health care professionals, day care workers, neighbors and others about the treatment of foster kids. The records include calls that accused foster parents and group home workers of hitting children with hands, belts and household objects; denying them medical care and sending them to school dirty, hungry and dressed in ill-fitting clothes. Given two weeks to answer detailed written questions about the allegations, including how many were confirmed and whether DCF had taken action not reflected in documents, the agency did not respond.

“VISIT FLORIDA, Airbnb tourism campaign wants residents to ‘Rediscover Florida’” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — VISIT FLORIDA is joining Airbnb, the state’s largest vacation-rental marketing company, on a new campaign to put backwater escapes and mainline attractions into the minds of Floridians and others needing a holiday. The pair are launching Rediscover Florida, a new web-based marketing campaign, which provides links to dozens of small attractions, write-ups on driving trips, and many of Airbnb’s Florida hosts’ properties. Suggestions range from treehouse lodging in Kissimmee to staying in large homes on Marco Island. The campaign is VISIT FLORIDA’s latest effort to help Florida’s tourism and hospitality businesses out of the travel industry’s deep funk of the coronavirus crisis. In 2020, Florida’s number of visitors dropped to 86.7 million, from a record 131.4 million visitors in 2019.

“CDC: Only 3% of Floridians miss second dose of COVID-19 vaccine” via Abe Aboraya of Health News Florida — Only about 3% of Floridians have missed the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, according to a CDC report released Monday. That translates to about 33,000 Floridians. However, recent studies show that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine provide significant protection with just one dose. The CDC analyzed data from December to February, looking at whether people got their second dose within the recommended time frame. It found 95 percent of people who got their second dose got it on time. In Florida, it was more than 96%.

A small number of Floridians missed their second vaccine, according to the CDC. Image via Bloomberg.

“Federal projections show flat COVID-19 vaccine supply in Florida for the rest of March” via Ben Conarck and Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald — Expectations of a surge in COVID-19 vaccine supply have yet to materialize in Florida, and federal projections are signaling officials to expect similar supply levels — nearly 500,000 first doses per week — in the second half of March. After an initial shipment of 175,100 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the start of the month, the state has seen its shipments dwindle to weekly installments of 24,100 over the last two weeks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention database. On Wednesday, DeSantis said the state was not expecting more shipments of the one-dose vaccine “for the next two or three weeks.”

“How does Florida compare in getting vaccines quickly to residents? Below average to good” via Diane Rado of the Florida Phoenix — Florida has given 7,197,889 doses of vaccines to residents so far, which looks like a big number. It means 73.27% of total vaccine doses delivered to Florida got into the arms of Floridians, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But based on all 50 states, Florida is below average in those efforts, according to CDC data analyzed by the Phoenix. The average across the country is 77.46%. In fact, Florida ranks 40 out of the 50 states in the number of vaccine doses delivered to the state compared to shots administered.

“DeSantis defends omission of inmates in vaccine rollout” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics — DeSantis defended his decision to omit prisoners from Florida’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and criticized states who prioritized inmates ahead of others. Speaking to reporters after a public health roundtable at the Capitol, DeSantis suggested state inmates may begin receiving vaccinations once public access and vaccine supply broadens. Currently, inmates are not included in the state’s rollout regardless of age or health complications. “We are focusing obviously on our law-abiding population first,” the Republican Governor said. Flanked by health experts, DeSantis also blasted states who vaccinated prison populations ahead of the elderly.

“Hand-picked experts assure DeSantis his COVID-19 critics are wrong” via David Fleshler of the Orlando Sentinel — DeSantis assembled a group of scientists who backed his COVID-19 policies at a Thursday roundtable, where they assured him he was taking the right steps on the disease. The group included Dr. Scott Atlas, the Stanford radiologist whose skepticism on the value of masks and optimistic forecasts on the pandemic won him a job as COVID-19 adviser to Trump. His views alarmed mainstream scientists, however, and the Stanford Faculty Senate adopted a resolution to “strongly condemn” him for promoting a view on COVID-19 that “contradicts medical science.”

—”DeSantis takes virus victory lap, says national media is starting to ‘admit’ he’s right” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

“Despite COVID-19, Education Commissioner hopes schools can be ‘back to normal’ in the fall” via Danielle J. Brown of the Florida Phoenix — Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said Wednesday that he hopes for a return to normalcy for schools in the fall. Does that mean all kids will be in traditional schools in 2021-22? There wasn’t an answer at the mid-March meeting of Florida’s Board of Education. Corcoran and board members tried to project what the school year will look like in 2021-22, with many unknown variables still at play. As of now, the COVID-19 pandemic continues, while thousands of residents are getting vaccines to ward off the virus. Some families are still not sending their students to brick-and-mortar schools, instead doing online learning at home. Parents still have a choice to continue remote learning for now.

“‘We’re are not doing it’: Florida won’t require vaccine passports, DeSantis says” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Gov. DeSantis said Florida will not require travelers to and from the state to have a vaccine passport, a document that shows proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The Governor said some states are requiring vaccine passports to attend sporting events or other activities. He opposes that requirement. “I want to make it clear in Florida — we are not doing it,” DeSantis said at a Thursday news conference in Bay County. “Under no circumstances will the state ask you to show proof of vaccination. People are able to make decisions for themselves.” Even as the Governor has been crisscrossing the state to announce new vaccination sites, he repeatedly has said shots are voluntary.

Vaccine passports showing you’re inoculated will not be necessary in Florida.

“Orlando Sentinel sues Florida Department of Health to force release of COVID-19 variant data” via Kate Santich of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orlando Sentinel filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Florida Department of Health for allegedly violating the state’s public records law by refusing to release detailed information on the location of mutated strains of COVID-19, even as such cases rapidly multiplied. The lawsuit, filed 57 days after the Sentinel first contacted the department for the information, claims there is a “strong, immediate need … to understand how the virus continues to spread and affect Floridians.” It claims the health department’s actions violate the Florida Constitution and asks a Leon County Circuit Court to order the release of the variant information and the release of future data “in a reasonable and timely fashion.”

“Publix reaches 1 million vaccine doses delivered” via The News Service of Florida — Publix pharmacies have administered 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to people across the state, the grocery chain announced Thursday. “I’m extremely proud of our pharmacy, store and support teams for their hard work over the past 10 weeks. Their dedication and commitment to service have played a large part in the success of our efforts,” Publix CEO Todd Jones said. The latest state vaccination report showed that 6,839,725 vaccinations had been administered in the state to 4,464,035 people as of Tuesday. Of the people vaccinated, 2,375,690 people had received both required doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Another 120,745 people had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires just one dose.

— Miami-Dade County: 269,763

— Palm Beach County: 235,555

— Broward County: 213,496

— Hillsborough County: 119,853

— Pinellas County: 117,596

— Orange County: 112,568

— Duval County: 107,434

— Lee County: 95,911

— Brevard County: 68,683

— Volusia County: 67,697

FEMA vaccination sites will discontinue first shots. Image via AP.

“Miami-Dade resumes citations for COVID-19 violations after confusion from Governor’s order” via Ana Claudia Chacin of the Miami Herald — Following days of confusion over an emergency order by DeSantis, Miami-Dade police announced Thursday they would resume fining people who don’t wear masks and violate curfew. Miami-Dade’s decision comes just three days after Detective Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesman for Miami-Dade police, said that officers were no longer fining people who violated county emergency orders “because the Governor pardoned everything.” On March 10, DeSantis signed an executive order declaring that all fines for violating local COVID-19 orders were canceled.

“More pop-up vaccine sites are opening across Broward County” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — More of Broward’s cities are getting access to COVID-19 vaccines so residents can get their shots closer to home. Tamarac and Sunrise each expect to open vaccine sites exclusively for its residents, starting Monday. Hollywood’s site will open on March 29. And Lighthouse Point gets vaccines on April 5. The cities’ vaccine supply comes from the state health department in Broward County. The cities handle patients, the venue and staffing, said Nina Levine, Department of Health spokeswoman. Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said the details are still being finalized, but he expects it to be at multiple locations, and it will be for any Florida resident.

“COVID-19 vaccine shortages at Publix in Southwest Florida elicit complaints; store says state and feds are calling the shots” via Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News — Numerous residents 65 and older in the region have contacted the media, written letters to the editor or called local elected officials with frustrations about not being able to get the vaccine in Southwest Florida. The state health department in Collier also gets calls from residents who are frustrated with the lack of appointments on the Publix website. Some say the state should revise its distribution system to make more vaccine available in the region, especially now with the age eligibility dropping, which creates new competition for the more vulnerable and high-risk elders.

“People 40 and older can be vaccinated at Orange Convention Center, Mayor Jerry Demings announces” via Ryan Gillespie and Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — People 40 years and older can be vaccinated at the Orange County Convention Center starting Monday, Orange County Mayor Demings said, his latest move in extending the shot to people ahead of state regulations. Demings said the move came amid “depressed demand to be vaccinated” at the site, which doesn’t regularly hit its capacity of 3,000 shots in a day. It also marks at least the third time Demings has gone further than state officials in opening up the vaccine to people. “The Orange County Convention Center remains a busy place,” Demings said. “But we’re not seeing the capacity that we’d like to see there.”

“Janet Sawyer, a former Orlando TV health reporter, dies from COVID-19” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — As Sawyer lay in a hospital bed, a machine helping her breathe, her cousin Michael Wanzie sang show tunes at her bedside. He hoped for a miracle, wanting her to shake free of COVID-19, wake up, and sing and laugh with him again. Dressed like an astronaut head-to-toe in protective coverings, Wanzie held her hand in his sterile-gloved one and sang “Matchmaker” and “Sunrise, Sunset,” songs from Fiddler on the Roof, hoping that her subconscious would be comforted by his raspy renditions of favorites she knew from her role as Tzeitel in the musical in city theater. Nurses told him that patients often remember things said to them in a coma. But Sawyer, 61, known for her health reporting at WFTV-Channel 9, WKMG-Channel 6 and the short-lived America’s Health Network, never woke up.

”Hillsborough Co. positivity rate retreats back to 5% after brief spike” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Hillsborough County brought its positivity rate down to 5.93% on Wednesday. This decline follows the county’s highest single-day positivity rate since early February, which was reported on Monday. The county’s positivity rate on Monday hit 9.25%, notably higher than it has been in the past two weeks, and was the closest it has been to 10% in more than a month. On Tuesday, the county reported a rate of 8.04%. Now, it seems to gradually be coming back down. The county also confirmed 347 new cases on Wednesday, bringing its total caseload to 117,040 since the start of the pandemic.

“After the pandemic shut down Spring Break 2020, vacationers return to Tampa Bay” via Natalie Weber of the Tampa Bay Times — While the pandemic may have cut short last year’s Spring Break festivities, Florida has seen a rebound in tourism this year. Young, maskless visitors filling bars and beaches in South Florida have raised concerns about virus spread. Locally, officials have also reported an upswing in visitors and Clearwater Police recently detained an 18-year-old man after a fight broke out on Clearwater Beach, surrounded by a large crowd. Airports and tourism leaders are also noticing an increase in visitors. Tampa International Airport spokesperson Emily Nipps said the airport saw almost 59,000 passengers Saturday and nearly 58,000 travelers Sunday. In 2019, and before lockdowns began in 2020, the airport averaged about 75,000 to 80,000 passengers a day during the Spring Break period.

Spring Breakers are making up for lost time. Image via Reuters.

“Despite improvements, Sarasota-Manatee Black residents lag far behind in vaccinations” via Louis Llovio of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Community leaders say the number of Black people getting vaccinated for the coronavirus is growing, but state data shows there is a long way to go before there is equity. Vaccination figures released by the state on Tuesday show that just 3,191 of the 220,041 people in Sarasota and Manatee counties who have been vaccinated are Black. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 4.7% of Sarasota residents are Black, but they only account for 1% of the vaccinations performed so far. In Manatee, Black residents make up 9.3% of the population and 2% of the vaccinations.

“Joe Biden set to hit goal of 100 million COVID-19 vaccine shots in first 100 days over a month ahead of schedule” via John Haltiwanger of Business Insider — President Biden is poised to hit a top goal he set for his first 100 days in the White House as early as Thursday, NBC News White House correspondent Geoff Bennett reported. Before he was inaugurated, Biden underscored the importance of ramping up the pace of vaccination in the US. In early December, he unveiled a three-part plan to crush COVID-19 in his first 100 days, including complete 100 million vaccine shots. Biden’s 100th day in office will be April 30, which means he’s set to hit this goal over a month ahead of schedule.

Joe Biden hits the mark for shots in arms. Image via AP.

“Biden administration eyes mid-May to begin relaxing COVID-19 travel restrictions, sources say” via Kayla Tausche of CNBC — The Biden administration is looking toward the middle of May to relax restrictions on travel across the borders with Mexico and Canada and on inbound international travel from the U.K., Europe and Brazil, according to two sources familiar with the matter. While there has not been a policy memo or formal codification of that time frame, the discussion has focused on trying to limit the spread of variants domestically as localities make their own decisions on how quickly to reopen. In the meantime, officials have suggested Biden and his COVID-19 task force need more time to feel comfortable with reopening borders and increasing the level of air traffic from overseas.

“White House to spend billions to increase virus testing and ease reopening” via Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times — The Biden administration, moving to address a lag in coronavirus testing that is hindering the reopening of schools and the economy, said Wednesday that it would invest $10 billion to ramp up screening of students and educators with the goal of returning to in-person learning by the end of the school year. Congress approved the $10 billion expenditure when it passed Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which he signed into law last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will distribute the money to states in early April and will spend an additional $2.25 billion to expand testing in underserved communities beyond the schools, officials said.

“Biden will send Mexico surplus vaccine, as U.S. seeks help on immigration enforcement” via Nick Miroff, Karen DeYoung and Kevin Sieff of The Washington Post — The Biden administration has agreed to supply Mexico with excess doses of coronavirus vaccine, and Mexico is moving to help the United States contain a migration surge along its southern border, according to senior officials from both countries involved in the conversations. The decision to send AstraZeneca vaccine to Mexico and to Canada is expected to be announced Friday. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had asked Biden to help them fill vaccine shortfalls in recent talks.

Extra AstraZeneca vaccines are going to Canada and Mexico.

“A U.S. agency pledges to reimburse families for COVID-19 funeral costs.” via Jenny Gross of The New York Times — The U.S. government says it will reimburse families of COVID-19 victims for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020. Federal Emergency Management Agency, best known for responding to hurricanes, floods and wildfires, said that it aimed to ease some of the financial stress caused by the coronavirus and that it would start reimbursing people next month. “We are working with stakeholder groups to get their input on ways we can best provide this assistance, and to enlist their help with outreach to families and communities,” FEMA said in a statement. More than 537,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States.

“House members could get a coronavirus vaccine. But a quarter of them have not.” via Marianna Sotomayor and Paul Kane of The Washington Post — Three months after vaccinations were made available to all members of Congress, about 1 in 4 members of the House have not received the shots to inoculate themselves against the deadly coronavirus, disregarding the advice of their own physician and missing an opportunity to promote public acceptance of the drugs. Democrats have rejected the notion from Republicans that a 75 percent vaccination rate is a sufficient level to reopen the House of Representatives, which has operated since last March under more restrictive rules and urged GOP leaders to better encourage their rank and file to get the shots.

Cities like New Orleans will use COVID-19 relief funds to ward off budget cuts. Image via Bloomberg.

“Biden’s aid package funnels millions to victims of domestic abuse” via Melena Ryzik and Katie Benner of The New York Times — Tucked into Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package are tens of millions of dollars for organizations dedicated to curtailing domestic abuse, which skyrocketed during the pandemic, as well as vouchers for people fleeing violence at home, to help them find safe shelter and rebuild their lives. These measures are the most concrete signals to date that Biden’s domestic policy agenda will aim to combat domestic abuse, an issue that has long animated his four-decade career in politics. As a Senator, Biden sponsored the bill that became the Violence Against Women Act, the first federal legislation intended to end domestic violence.

“U.S. jobless claims rise to 770,000 with layoffs still high” via Paul Wiseman of The Associated Press — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to 770,000, a sign that layoffs remain high even as much of the U.S. economy is steadily recovering from the coronavirus recession. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims climbed from 725,000 the week before. The numbers had dropped sharply since the depths of the recession last spring but still show that employers in some industries continue to lay off workers. Before the pandemic struck, applications for unemployment aid had never topped 700,000 in any one week. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly variations, dropped to 746,000, the lowest since late November.

“Florida’s jobless rate is now lowest among large states. But its economy may be forever changed” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — Florida’s unemployment rate is now the lowest among any large state in the nation. But the figure, now below 5% for the first time since last March, only tells part of the state’s recovery story. On Monday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said the state jobless rate fell from 5.1% in December to 4.8% in January. That is now the 18th-lowest rate among all U.S. states — and lower than Texas’s 6.8%, Illinois’ 7.7%, New York’s 8.8%, and California’s 9% rates. It is also below the national rate for January of 6.3% and 6.2% for February.

“Nearly half of all California workers have received jobless pay during the pandemic.” via Ben Casselman of The New York Times — Close to half of all California workers — 47% of the labor force before the pandemic — have claimed unemployment benefits at some point in the pandemic, according to a report released Thursday by the California Policy Lab, a research organization affiliated with the University of California. The report reveals stark inequities: Nearly 90% of Black workers have claimed benefits, compared with about 40% of whites. Younger and less-educated workers have been hit especially hard. The total includes filings under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which has been plagued by fraudulent claims. But even a look at the state’s regular program, which hasn’t faced the same fraud issues, reveals remarkable numbers.

Unemployment hits California hard. Image via AP.

“Gasoline demand has peaked, global forecaster says” via David Hodari and William Boston of The Wall Street Journal — The world’s thirst for gasoline isn’t likely to return to pre-pandemic levels, the International Energy Agency forecast, calling a peak for the fuel that has powered personal transportation for more than a century. The Paris-based energy watchdog said an accelerating global shift toward electric vehicles would more than outweigh demand growth from developing countries. The forecast comes as automakers have pivoted recently to boost their EV fleets, after years of industry skepticism about whether car buyers would ever embrace fully electric models. General Motors said it would stop selling gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Volvo Cars of Sweden has said it would be all-electric by 2030.

“Navy veteran launches honey infused CBD business to support his family” via Michael Paluska of WFTS — When the pandemic hit, Drew Reinhart had to make some tough decisions, stay on his current path or risk everything on his dream. Meeting Reinhart for the first time, you immediately feel his passion for honey and CBD, along with something else, his sense of humor and positive spirit. In 2018, Trump signed the Farm Bill into law legalizing hemp. It paved the path for Reinhart to get into the CBD business. But it wasn’t easy and still isn’t. But, Reinhart was able to launch his company D’z B’z Inc. late last year. His honey comes from Lakeland and the CBD comes from a hemp farm outside Jacksonville. Each batch comes with a certificate of analysis.

COVID-19 safety has a wide generation gap.

“Vaccine restrictions vanish in pockets of the U.S., offering a glimpse of the future” via Isaac Stanley-Becker and Lena H. Sun of The Washington Post — Alaska’s top doctor awoke last Tuesday not knowing her state would throw open access to coronavirus vaccines that afternoon, making everyone 16 and older eligible for immunization. Two messages that morning made clear to the chief medical officer, Anne Zink, that it was time to act. The first was a warning from a nurse on a statewide call that appointments for a large weekend clinic were going unclaimed. The second was a question from the Governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy, who had seen the latest immunization data and phoned Zink to ask, “Why are we slowing down?”

“These children had COVID-19. Now, they have long-haul symptoms.” via Ariana Eunjung Cha of The Washington Post — Cases of children with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 are rare but growing, doctors say, unnerving parents and physicians who are tracking the often strange and fluctuating constellation of symptoms. On Facebook support groups and other social media, families describe their struggles to be taken seriously and express frustration that basic scientific knowledge is lacking about what is going on. Many of the children who suffer from enduring effects report they continue to feel lousy, even though they have cleared the virus, are not suffering from obvious organ damage, and their scans, blood work and other tests come back clean.

“How the WHO’s hunt for COVID-19’s origins stumbled in China” via Jeremy Page, Betsy McKay and Drew Hinshaw of The Wall Street Journal — More than a dozen foreign scientists led by the WHO gathered with Chinese counterparts last month to vote on the question: How did the COVID-19 pandemic start? The show of hands came after a four-week joint study in the city where the first cases were identified, a mission many hoped would provide some clarity to a world craving answers. A month on, however, as the WHO-led team finalizes its full report on the Wuhan mission, a Wall Street Journal investigation has uncovered fresh details about the team’s formation and constraints that reveal how little power it had to conduct a thorough, impartial examination — and call into question the clarity its findings appeared to provide.

“AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine cleared by EU after blood-clot concerns” via Daniel Michaels of The Wall Street Journal — The EU’s health agency said the COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca PLC was “safe and effective” and didn’t increase the risk of blood clots, a decision that prompted four major bloc members to say they would resume inoculation campaigns. France, Italy, Spain and Portugal said they would start vaccinating residents again after the European Medicines Agency said new expert analysis concluded that the benefits of using a COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca outweigh its potential risks. EU authorities are hoping the EMA’s statement could put a problem-plagued vaccination campaign back on track.

“Paris region to enter monthlong coronavirus lockdown” via Jacob Knutson of Axios — Paris and other regions within France will enter a monthlong lockdown starting Friday as coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the country spike, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday. The lockdown, the third for France’s capital city since the start of the pandemic, will include the closure of nonessential businesses, a curfew and restrictions on outdoor trips. Since the start of the pandemic, France has seen 4.2 million cases of COVID-19. Over the last 24 hours, France has reported 34,998 new cases and 273 deaths.

Paris is bracing for a shutdown.

“Coronavirus reinfections are rare, Danish researchers report” via Apoorva Mandavilli of The New York Times — The vast majority of people who recover from COVID-19 remain shielded from the virus for at least six months, researchers reported on Wednesday in a large study from Denmark. Prior infection with the coronavirus reduced the chances of a second bout by about 80% in people under 65, but only by about half in those older than 65. But those results, published in the journal Lancet, were tempered by many caveats. The number of infected older people in the study was small. The researchers did not have any information beyond the test results, so it’s possible that only people who were mildly ill the first time became infected again and that the second infections were largely symptom-free.

“You’re not fully vaccinated the day of your last dose” via Katherine J. Wu of The Atlantic — For much of 2020, the world pinned its collective post-pandemic plans on a single, glimmering endpoint: the arrival of an effective COVID-19 vaccine. The resounding refrain of “when I’m vaccinated” has long conjured images of people shedding their masks, hugging their friends, and returning to a semblance of normalcy. In recent weeks, I’ve heard dozens of stories from friends, family members, and co-workers about vaccinees who are immediately dropping their guards after their shots. But immunity to the coronavirus doesn’t just magically manifest the day someone gets a shot. The CDC does not grant membership to the “fully vaccinated” club until at least two weeks after the final dose in a vaccine regimen.

“Tom Hanks on the pandemic year: Never play solitaire again” via Tom Hanks for The Wall Street Journal — During a time of lockdowns, quarantines and social distancing, solitaire seemed like a harmless enterprise, a salve for the mind and the hands, a safety valve that meant having something to do. What else was there to do? Actually, there was plenty to do! Damn! There was a sink to clean out and a dishwasher to empty. Laundry to sort. Rice to put in the cooker with the timer set for breakfast. Letters I could have written and the typewriter and stationery to do it.

Is Joe Biden this generation’s Lyndon Johnson? Image via AP.

“Biden expected to nominate former Senator Bill Nelson to be NASA administrator” via Christian Davenport of The Washington Post — Biden is expected to nominate Nelson to be the next administrator of NASA, according to multiple people with knowledge of the matter. If approved by the Senate, Nelson would be the second consecutive NASA chief to come from Congress and would give NASA a leader with close ties to the Oval Office. Nelson was a key Biden supporter during the presidential campaign and had a long personal relationship with the President. The White House is strongly considering Pamela Melroy, a former NASA astronaut and a retired Air Force colonel, as deputy administrator, but that decision is not yet final, officials said.

“Senate confirms Xavier Becerra as first Latino Secretary of Health and Human Services” via Savannah Behrmann of USA Today — The Senate narrowly confirmed Becerra to be Health and Human Services secretary on a 50-49 vote Thursday. Becerra, California’s Attorney General, will be the first Latino to hold the Cabinet position. As HHS secretary, he will play a crucial role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. neared 540,000 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was the sole Republican to cross party lines and vote in favor of Becerra.

Donald Trump’s legal woes are far-reaching. Image via Reuters.

“Trump’s taxes in hand, Manhattan DA’s probe heats up” via Jim Mustian and Michael R. Sisak of The Associated Press — With former Trump’s tax returns finally in hand, a team of New York prosecutors led by a newly hired former mob-buster is sending out fresh subpoenas and meeting face-to-face with key witnesses, scrutinizing Trump’s business practices in granular detail. Amid the swirl of activity, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is scheduled Friday to meet again with Trump’s longtime former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, according to a person familiar with the investigation. It would be the eighth time he has spoken with investigators working for District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., dating to Cohen’s time in federal prison for tax evasion and campaign finance violations.

“Trump set to do at least 12 book interviews in the coming weeks” via Meridith McGraw and Gabby Orr of POLITICO — Get ready for the Trump book barrage. The former President is scheduled to sit for a dozen interviews in the coming weeks with authors examining his presidency, some of whom are penning sequels to books they published during Trump’s time in office, according to four people familiar with his plans. The sheer number of book interviews is so massive that some in his orbit worry he may be doing too many and hurting his ability to monetize his own recollections for a book of his own, should he choose to write one.

“Army denies medals, Special Forces insignia to soldier Trump pardoned for alleged murder” via Tom Vanden Brook of USA TODAY — The Army has rejected an appeal to return medals for valor to retired Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, a Special Forces soldier Trump pardoned for alleged murder in Afghanistan. The decision regarding Golsteyn was reached last June and revealed in documents recently released to USA TODAY. The Army also denied Golsteyn’s request to restore his Special Forces tab, marking his service as a member of an elite unit, and the removal of a letter of reprimand placed in his personnel file. A Green Beret, Golsteyn was charged with killing a suspected bomb-maker who had been ordered released after questioning in Afghanistan in 2010. Golsteyn admitted during an interview to join the CIA that he had killed the man.

No, Democrats did not steal the election, says George W. Bush. Image via AP.

“12 Republicans opposed Congressional Gold Medals for police who protected them on Jan. 6” via Colby Itkowitz and Meagan Flynn of The Washington Post — A dozen House Republicans voted against a resolution to award three Congressional Gold Medals to the Capitol Police, the D.C. police and the Smithsonian Institution in recognition of those who protected the U.S. Capitol when it was attacked by a pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6. The GOP lawmakers, who said they objected to the use of the term “insurrectionists” in the resolution, are Andy Biggs of Arizona, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Andy Harris of Maryland, Lance Gooden of Texas, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Michael Cloud of Texas, Andrew S. Clyde of Georgia, Greg Steube of Florida, Bob Good of Virginia and John Rose of Tennessee.

“Man ID’d as former Special Forces soldier is charged with assaulting police during Capitol riot” via Kyle Cheney of POLITICO — A man identified by witnesses as a longtime Army Special Forces soldier and current military contractor has been charged with assaulting four police officers at The Capitol on Jan. 6, including by spearing one in the face with a flagpole. Jeffrey McKellop was identified by two witnesses, according to an FBI affidavit describing his case, including one who claimed to have served with McKellop from 2001 to 2016. Both witnesses indicated that McKellop has since become a contractor and at times works overseas. One of the witnesses also identified the helmet and ballistic vest McKellop was wearing as the same gear he wore overseas.

“Postal Service finds no evidence of mail ballot fraud in Pennsylvania case cited by top Republicans” via Jacob Bogage and Shawn Boburg of The Washington Post — U.S. Postal Service investigators found no evidence to support a Pennsylvania postal worker’s claim that his supervisors had tampered with mail-in ballots, according to an inspector general’s report — allegations cited by top Republicans to press baseless claims of fraud in the presidential election. Richard Hopkins, a mail carrier in Erie, alleged in November that he overheard the local postmaster discussing plans to backdate ballots received after the Nov. 3 vote and pass them off to election officials as legitimate. Working with Project Veritas, a nonprofit entity that seeks to expose what it says is bias in the mainstream news media, Hopkins publicly released a sworn affidavit recounting those allegations.

“Showtime series on January 6 U.S. Capitol assault set with ‘The Comey Rule’ duo Billy Ray & Shane Salerno” via Mike Fleming Jr. — Showtime is set to develop an untitled limited series from Ray and Salerno that will trace the events that led to the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Whipped into a frenzy by a speech by Trump pressing unfounded claims of a stolen election, the Trump supporters forced their way into the building and wandered through its corridors, in search of legislators who were at that moment certifying the election results that made Biden Trump’s successor. Five died and more than 140 were injured in what incoming President Biden called an insurrection.

Rick Scott will not stop pushing Ron DeSantis on COVID-19 relief funds. Image via AP.

“N.H. Gov. Chris Sununu slams as ‘foolish’ Scott’s call for Governors to reject COVID-19 funds” via John DiStaso of WMUR — Even as U.S. Sen. Scott tries to recruit Sununu to run for the U.S. Senate next year, the Governor has a blunt assessment of Scott’s recent call for Governors to reject the federal funding contained in Biden’s “American Rescue Plan.” Sununu would have voted against the plan, and in a related New Hampshire Primary Source report here, we lay out his stated reasons and report what the Governor’s Office says Sununu told First Lady Jill Biden about the plan on the tarmac at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport on Wednesday.

“House passes bill providing pathway to citizenship for Dreamers” via Oriana Gonzalez of Axios — The House on Thursday voted 228-197 to pass the American Dream and Promise Act as part of Democrats’ first effort at immigration reform under the Biden administration. The bill creates a pathway to citizenship for about 2.5 million immigrants living in the U.S. The pathway would be available to those who were brought into the country illegally as children and those who have come for humanitarian reasons. Under this bill, the Homeland Security Department and the Justice Department would provide permanent resident status to people who meet specific qualifications.

“The Capitol’s new COVID-19 divide: Getting back to normal” via Sarah Ferris and Melanie Zanona of POLITICO — House GOP leaders are running trips to the border. Regular fundraising dinners are back at the Capitol Hill Club and the Capital Grille. And the House GOP Conference is hosting its annual retreat in Florida next month. After 12 long months in a mostly deserted Capitol, a sense of normalcy is returning much more quickly in GOP offices than Democratic ones as lawmakers and staffers embrace the post-COVID-19 vaccine life, or choose to flout health guidance altogether. All the while, the coronavirus remains active and less than 15 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated against it.

Lenny Curry is looking at a gas tax to pay for jobs. Image via Jacksonville Daily Record.

What Jane Castor is reading — “This Florida city is among the 10 best for post-pandemic life. It’s not Miami” via Sonia Osorio of the Miami Herald — With more Americans leaning on remote working in pursuit of quality of life, Florida is squarely on the radar. But Miami isn’t the center of the target. A new ranking puts Tampa on a list of the Top 10 most desirable cities post-pandemic. The list was created by New York Realtor Stefani Berkin for Today.com, the website for NBC’s “Today Show.” “Homebuyers think less and less about proximity to their workplace when looking for a home,” real estate expert Berkin, president of R New York, told the publication. Critical factors include affordability, population density, diversity, local schools, health care, the environment and recreational activities, she said.

This is wild — “Next chapter in a ‘he said/she said/they said’ nude photo drama of a judge” via Noreen Marcus of the Florida Bulldog — It could be a telenovela plotline, except it’s straight out of new court documents in a high-stakes contest over an upcoming Palm Beach County trial: A state court judge tries to destroy the woman she blames for her failed marriage. The other woman is a powerful lawyer/lobbyist who advises a county commission. The judge harasses the lawyer and her boyfriend, the judge’s ex-husband, with angry emails and texts until the lawyer files a police report. The judge sends a nude photo of herself, displaying her pregnancy, to a friend who happens to be the lawyer’s ex-husband. The judge tries to subpoena the lawyer to provide evidence against her boyfriend, the judge’s ex, in a post-divorce action.

“Former Lynn Haven Mayor faces new charges, local developer James Finch federally indicted” via Jacqueline Bostick of the Panama City News Herald — A federal grand jury indicted Finch, 70, owner of Phoenix Construction and Antonius Genzarra Barnes, 55, a former Lynn Haven City Commissioner, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, and substantive counts of wire fraud and honest services fraud. Finch is also charged with making false statements to the FBI. The 44-count indictment alleges Finch and Barnes conspired with former Lynn Haven Mayor Margo Anderson and former city attorney Joseph Albritton “to ensure contracts for numerous multimillion-dollar infrastructure and construction projects and post-Hurricane Michael debris cleanup activities were awarded to Finch.” The indictment states Finch allegedly gave money and gifts to Anderson and Barnes, and kickbacks to Albritton from a debris cleanup company.

“Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood injured after being hit by car in Port Orange, agency says” via David Harris and Katie Rice of The Orlando Sentinel — Sheriff Chitwood was injured after he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run while riding his bicycle Thursday afternoon in Port Orange, the sheriff’s office said. It happened around 4:30 p.m. at Town West Boulevard and Daylily Street, the agency said on Twitter. “He is being transported with minor injuries but he’s in good spirits,” the tweet said. In a video posted to his Twitter account Thursday, Chitwood said officials are working to identify the driver. He said was heading on a 20-mile ride outside his neighborhood after work when a car hit the back of his bike “hard.”

“‘I’m ready for normal’: Homecoming queen election fraud shocks Tate High students” via Madison Arnold of the Pensacola News Journal — When Jihra Smith was called onto the football field as part of Tate High School’s homecoming court during a fall football game last year, it was hard to hold back her emotions. But that normally special moment for the homecoming court turned out to be the center of national headlines this week. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Monday arrested the homecoming queen, Emily Grover, 17, and her mother, Bellview Elementary School Assistant Principal Laura Rose Carroll, 50, after they allegedly used Carroll’s special access to the district’s student data system to cast fake votes in the homecoming queen election that ultimately secured the crown for Grover. Now, fellow members of the homecoming court are speaking out.

“Goldman Sachs seeks volunteers for move to West Palm Beach digs” via Sridhar Natarajan and Natalie Wong of Bloomberg — Goldman Sachs’s plan to move part of its asset-management unit to Florida is gaining momentum, as the Wall Street bank discreetly seeks volunteers for the first wave and prepares office space. In recent weeks, executives overseeing Goldman Sachs Asset Management and its merchant banking operations have asked managers to identify people willing to be relocated to West Palm Beach, according to people familiar with the matter. The initial group could comprise a couple hundred people, including investment professionals. Meanwhile, the firm has been in talks with developer Related Cos. to arrange offices and explore the possibility of eventually expanding further in Florida, the people said, asking not to be identified because the talks are confidential.

Goldman Sachs is quietly looking for employees to willingly move to West Palm Beach.

“UWF board narrowly votes to change Wentworth museum name in light of KKK ties” via Emma Kennedy of the Pensacola News Journal — In a narrow vote, the University of West Florida Board of Trustees voted to move forward with changing the name of the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum after its namesake’s Ku Klux Klan ties were brought to light last year. The measure moved forward on a 5-4 vote after surviving a last-minute attempt by one trustee to delay the vote to study whether Wentworth’s role as a local KKK leader was “one big old ‘oh shoot'” that could be outweighed by enough positive “attaboys.” The Thursday vote was the second of three needed by different boards to approve changing the name of the downtown building to the Pensacola Museum of History at the University of West Florida.

“Federal judge wants Skanska to resolve lawsuits ‘as quickly as it can’” via Annie Blanks of the Pensacola News Journal — A federal judge on Thursday stressed that he wants a resolution as quickly as possible in the dozens of lawsuits Pensacola and Gulf Breeze businesses filed against Skanska over its runaway barges during Hurricane Sally last year. U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson also wants to potentially hold a bench trial as soon as June 21 to determine if maritime law applies in the lawsuits against Skanska, which would determine if the company can avoid or limit its liability. Thursday marked the first in-person court meeting before a judge between lawyers representing Skanska and those representing local businesses, individuals, entities and firms that have been directly impacted by the bridge closure.

“Former Orange Park minister, congressional candidate convicted of child sexual battery” via Dan Scanlan of The Florida Times-Union — A former Clay County minister and candidate for U.S. Congress pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexual battery by a custodian on a minor over the age of 12, according to the Clay County clerk of courts. William Henry Randall now faces sentencing on April 14, court records show. The former minister at an Orange Park church was arrested on May 3, 2018, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The arrest warrant states a victim told Orange Park Police Department investigators that Randall had been raping and molesting her since 2007. That was when she began attending St. Simon Baptist Church at age 12.

“Florida pays laid-off workers a pittance, but bills to change that are being ignored” via the Miami Herald editorial board — We can’t say lawmakers are doing nothing to fix Florida’s inefficient-by-design, anti-worker unemployment system. The delays, system crashes and the desperation of laid-off workers who couldn’t get their applications through last year were too egregious to ignore. The proposals gaining traction in the Legislature are what Tallahassee likes to call a “step in the right direction.” It’s what allows lawmakers to say they fixed the issue — until the next crisis occurs. Luckily, they have time to do more substantive before the legislative session concludes at the end of April.

“Amy Zubaly: Broadband bills will not increase access to underserved areas” via Florida Politics — Broadband is almost exclusively provided by private, for-profit cable and telephone companies. Those companies have chosen to provide their services in areas where they can make the most money. Their failure to venture out to Florida’s sparsely populated rural areas is a decision based on profitability. Florida municipal utilities are the targets of anticompetitive behavior in the form of HB 1239 and SB 1592. This legislation would require municipal electric utility customers to subsidize out-of-state, for-profit companies with no promises to deliver broadband to rural, underserved areas. Underserved communities are not lacking broadband because attachment rates are high. These areas lack connectivity because there aren’t enough potential customers for these private companies to make a profit.

“Kimberlie Prior: Senate Bill 84 is fearmongering” via Florida Politics — In his op-ed on Senate Bill 84, Adrian Moore claims the Florida Retirement System (FRS) has an unfunded liability of $36 billion. His misunderstanding of pension funding is nothing short of staggering. An unfunded liability is not the same as an underfunded plan. An unfunded liability represents the portion of money that will be needed to pay retirement benefits to every employee. Unless every worker in Florida retires at the same time, the unfunded liability represents only the money that will need to be earned or collected by the time they do. An underfunded plan has not met or made its annual required contribution (ARC), creating instability in the fund’s ability to earn money required to pay those benefits.

“Botched superintendent search leaves a stain on Seminole’s outstanding school system” via the Orlando Sentinel editorial board — Once viewed as a model of efficiency and orderly management, the Seminole County School Board turned the selection of a new superintendent into something very different. We’ll shorten the more common usage and simply call it a cluster, an administrative embarrassment that the school district needs to explain and remedy if it hopes to avoid such debacles in the future. No single decision by any Florida school board is more important than the selection of a superintendent. It’s not even close. The superintendent is placed in charge of a vast organization that oversees a vast amount of taxpayer money.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— DeSantis presides over a roundtable discussion on COVID-19 with doctors who share his view that lockdowns are dangerous. And they all think the media screwed the pooch.

— The Department of Health reports 99 new fatalities and more than 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday.

— The Governor also meets with officials from the pari-mutuel industry to talk about a new gambling bill. Simpson says they may or may not be drafting a bill this weekend.

— Senators vote to close a loophole in state law that allowed a child molester to keep his name off the sex offender list by simply refusing to pay court-ordered fines after doing time.

— A bill to limit the strength of medical marijuana sold in Florida passes a second committee in the House.

— And finally, a Florida Man who once served in the Legislature is accused of hiring a straw man candidate to rig a South Florida election.

To listen, click on the image below:

podcastED: Stand Up for Students President Doug Tuthill talks with Joe Connor, the co-owner of SchoolHouse, an organization serving several hundred students in eight states by creating flexible learning communities known as micro-pods for four to eight students. Tuthill and Connor discuss how SchoolHouse connects members of the community with a shared interest in a smaller learning environment to each other, allowing families to customize their learning pod from the ground up.

Tallahassee Business Podcast from the Tallahassee Chamber presented by 223 Agency: CareerSource Capital Region CEO Jim McShane joins Sue Dick to talk about the numerous services that go beyond just job seeking, at little to no cost. Most recently, CareerSource partnered with Leon County Sheriff’s Office on their 1,000 Jobs for 1,000 Youth initiative.

The New Abnormal from host Rick Wilson and Molly Jong-Fast: It’s bad enough Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona Democrat, turned down the minimum wage hike with that oh-so-cute thumbs-down. Now she’s threatening to derail the whole Democratic agenda, insisting on archaic Senate rules that give Mitch McConnell and the Republicans outsized power. “I think is a lot of people feel that this groovy, bisexual Senator should be voting in a groovy way and not like a terrifying conservative,” Jong-Fast says on the latest episode of The New Abnormal. “Do you see a world in which Democrats can get her on board for filibuster reform?” she asks Senate veteran Adam Jentleson.

The Yard Sign with Jonathan Torres: The show welcomes guest Rep. Gus Bilirakis; topics include DeSantis’ executive orders, the “siege” on Portland, and the border crisis.

Florida This Week on Tampa Bay’s WEDU: Moderator Rob Lorei hosts a roundtable featuring South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Page Editor Rosemary Goudreau O’Hara; Eduardo Gamarra Ph.D., professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University and USF-Tampa Honors College professor Dan Ruth.

In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9: A discussion on female trailblazers in politics and in leadership roles for Women’s History Month. Joining Walker to discuss are U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy and Kathy Castor.

Political Connections Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: Rep. Ben Diamond will discuss working across the aisle during the Legislative Session; the latest on COVID-19 relief money coming to Florida; and a one-on-one interview with Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez on her role as a woman in politics.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Simpson will discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Florida and what’s happening in the 2021 Legislative Session, including election reform and the budget process; and one-on-one with first-year Sen. Jason Brodeur on his agenda for the 2021 Legislative Session and COVID-19 recovery.

The Usual Suspects on WCTV-Tallahassee/Thomasville (CBS) and WJHG-Panama City (NBC): Host Gary Yordon talks with Sen. Tina Polsky and pollster Steve Vancore.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: Sen. Scott, Sen. Hutson, Rep, Angie Nixon and Dr. Nancy Staats.

This Week in South Florida on WPLG-Local10 News (ABC): Rep. Carlos Giménez, incoming Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo and Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements.

“Prominent NCAA tournament players launch ‘#NotNCAAProperty’ protest as March Madness begins” via Cindy Boren of The Washington Post — Several college basketball players participating in the men’s NCAA tournament joined a protest on social media against the NCAA as its signature event was set to begin, criticizing college sports’ governing body for not allowing athletes to be compensated for the use of their names, images and likenesses. “The NCAA OWNS my name image and likeness,” Rutgers guard Geo Baker said Wednesday night on Twitter. “Someone on [a] music scholarship can profit from an album. Someone on an [academic] scholarship can have a [tutoring] service. For [people] who say ‘an athletic scholarship is enough,’ anything less than equal rights is never enough.”

NCAA players are behind a social media protest ahead of the Big Dance. Image via AP.

“Eight minutes of fire: NASA’s second test of giant new moon rocket is a success” via David W. Brown and Kenneth Chang of The New York Times — On Thursday, NASA’s new big rocket, the Space Launch System, ignited four mighty engines for about eight minutes and went nowhere. That was good news for the American goal of sending astronauts to the moon in the coming years. Despite a budget that has grown by billions of dollars and a schedule that is years late, NASA can now move the vehicle to Kennedy Space Center in Florida and prepare it for an actual launch, with no astronauts aboard, around the moon. Each launch of the Space Launch System will cost up to $2 billion, and the rocket can be used only once. Still, Congress has provided steadfast financial support for it so far.

“Cape Coral couple offers free beer to meet the neighbors. It worked.” via The Associated Press — Amanda and Thomas Evans decided to move from Fort Myers to nearby Cape Coral just before the pandemic started last year. “It was a different experience, I think, than most first-time homebuyers,” Amanda Evans told ABC7 television station. They were not sure when they would get to meet their new neighbors. So, they created a flyer: “Hi, we’re new to the neighborhood and would like to meet our lovely neighbors. We will be in our driveway with drinks, ready to meet any neighbors who would like to stop by. We can’t wait to meet you.” Her husband wasn’t sure anyone would show up. But once the “Free Beer” sign was placed outside, the neighbors started venturing over.

“Up to my eyeballs in art at Superblue” via Arthur Lubow of The New York Times — Feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland as gigantic digital images of red, white and cream-colored dahlias budded, bloomed and shattered on the wall in front of me, I dithered over what I was witnessing. Is this a forward step in the march of modernism or a debasement of art into theme-park entertainment? The dazzling floral extravaganza by teamLab, a digital art collective based in Tokyo, is the dynamic centerpiece of an inaugural exhibition at Superblue, a Miami “experiential art center” that begins invitational previews next week before opening to the public April 22. Backed by the juggernaut Pace Gallery and Laurene Powell Jobs’s Emerson Collective, Superblue is the blue-chip contestant in the rapidly growing field of immersive art.