Jacksonville Bold for 8.26.26: Presidential pushback

Jacksonville politics, elections, schools and Jaguars shape Northeast Florida news. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison has some concerns about the presidential selection process at the University of North Florida. The university’s Search Committee recommended Michael Shannon, the current president of the University of North Georgia, this week. Shannon, a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, emerged from a pool of 152 applicants. While it’s not official yet — the Board of Trustees must sign off, as does the Board of Governors — he’s in decent shape from what we can see as of now. Michael Shannon rises from a crowded field to become UNF’s last candidate standing. But the process to this point has been shielded from public disclosure, and for the incoming leader of the House, that’s a problem. “Two things can simultaneously be true. First, UNF Board Chair Steve Moore and Search Committee Chair Jack Boyle did amazing work navigating the Presidential Search Process and deserve a huge thank you,” Garrison told Jacksonville Bold. For Garrison, Shannon’s emergence as the sole finalist suggests an unintended consequence in state law. “Second, the fact that UNF’s Board is committed to competition, yet still ended up with a sole finalist tells me the current system is broken,” he added. “I ran the legislation that created this public records exemption for presidential applicants in 2022. It sunsets next year and candidly, the law can’t go away fast enough for me.” The legislation has created several problems. The law was passed when the University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of North Florida, Florida International University and Florida Gulf Coast University were all searching for new presidents. It exempted applicants’ personal information for state university and college presidential positions from public records laws. A list of final candidates had to be released at least 21 days before the interview. When only one candidate makes the final round, as was the case with UNF’s search, visibility into the process is scotched. The issue has been most visible at the state’s flagship university, where the rule has clouded the process for years. The most notable hire under this law was UF’s Ben Sasse, who was billed as the school’s only presidential candidate. Shortly after Sasse resigned, the UF student newspaper broke the story about Sasse’s overspending. Sasse spent money on lavish parties, hired employees who lived out of state and gave consulting contracts to GOP allies. After Sasse resigned, University of Michigan President Santa Ono emerged as the sole finalist. A new set of problems emerged. While the university’s trustees were on board, the state university system’s Board of Governors balked at what was perceived as a left-leaning, DEI-dependent leadership philosophy. Beyond problematic outside hires, the law greased the skids for allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis to glide into positions without any competition. At the university level, this category includes Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (Florida International University), former Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. (University of West Florida), and Marva Johnson (Florida A&M University). Yet another former Education Commissioner — Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas — now leads Polk State College. Two other DeSantis allies, Adam Hasner of Florida Atlantic and Richard Corcoran of New College, were also hired since the law passed. Both had competition in the final round, however.

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Poll position   Jacksonville Republicans are still auditioning challengers for 2027. A new poll suggests it may not matter who gets the part. Mayor Donna Deegan takes 53% in head-to-head tests against both Rep. Wyman Duggan and former Mayor Lenny Curry in a new St. Pete Polls survey of the city’s likely voters conducted for Florida Politics. Deegan wins independents in both scenarios, taking 51% against Duggan and 47% against Curry, while neither Republican tops 27% with that bloc. She peels off 18% of Republicans against Duggan and 21% against Curry and holds 86% or more of Democrats in each matchup. Donna Deegan’s early polling numbers give potential challengers plenty to think about. Black voters, more than a quarter of the sample, break for the Mayor by more than 75 points in both tests. Duggan carries White voters 46% to 38%, the only major demographic where either Republican leads. The closest age bracket is voters 70 and older, who still favor Deegan by 6 points over Duggan and 8 over Curry. The race itself is still mostly hypothetical. Deegan, the former First Coast News anchor who in 2023 became the first woman elected Mayor of Jacksonville, filed for re-election in April. No major Republican has joined her on the ballot yet. The St. Pete Polls survey questioned 618 likely Jacksonville voters Aug. 19-20 through a combination of automated phone calls (56%) and text messages (44%), with results weighted by party, race, age and gender to match the city’s active voter population. It carries a margin of error of about 4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

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Pool party   Duval County Property Appraiser Joyce Morgan, a former television journalist who served two terms on the Jacksonville City Council before being elected to her current role three years ago, has a challenger. Scott Pool is running as a Republican. He is, among other things, a “retired U.S. Army aviator, mortgage broker, small business owner, and longtime resident of Jacksonville.” Joyce Morgan and Scott Pool turn the Property Appraiser race into a two-person pool party. Morgan hasn’t been an aggressive fundraiser yet, having put in $5,000 of her own money and received less than $7,000 in external contributions. But with a challenger having opened an account, she presumably will pick up the pace.

Speaking of loans …   It seems unlikely anyone wants to take on political perennial Jerry Holland, who is fully committed to running for another term as Duval County Supervisor of Elections. If someone does, Holland has bet on himself, seeding his campaign account with $250,000 of his own money. He has more than $260,000 on hand. Holland has been in office for decades, serving stints on the Jacksonville City Council (including as President), as Duval County Property Appraiser, and for three terms as Supervisor of Elections. He had considered running for Mayor but decided against it. Jerry Holland has plenty of campaign cash — and Jaxson de Ville has other plans.

School daze   Duval County has emerged as a major battleground in Florida’s partisan proxy wars over School Boards, and this cycle is shaping up to be no different. All three School Board contests on Tuesday went to runoff, with no candidate reaching the 50% needed to win outright. Each officially nonpartisan race has partisan undertones. Donovan Bradley came within striking distance of avoiding a School Board runoff. Those divides are clearest in District 2, which encompasses Jacksonville’s beaches. Moms for Liberty-backed School Board Member April Carney did not seek a second term, endorsing 26-year-old Donovan Bradley to succeed her. Bradley is a former House legislative aide who served as executive director of the Duval GOP. He received 49% of the vote Tuesday in a three-candidate race, just shy of what he needed to win outright. Donna Westrich, a public-school teacher and registered Democrat, took 38.6% of the vote and advanced to a runoff. She will now need to either boost turnout or win over virtually all those who voted for Terence Myers, a teacher who received 12.3% of the vote. District 6 attracted the most spending, with five candidates running to succeed term-limited School Board Member Charlotte Joyce. Joyce’s election to the Board in 2018 predates the founding of Moms for Liberty, the conservative parents’ group that has worked to reshape School Boards across Florida. But she kicked off a trend of more overtly conservative candidates seeking School Board seats. She was joined on the Board in 2022 by Carney and three other Moms for Liberty-backed candidates who won races in 2024. With Joyce not running this year, Realtor Lindsey Denmark and School Board police sergeant Clarence James lapped the rest of the field in fundraising. Denmark hauled in $89,000 and spent $79,000, while James collected $100,700 (including $62,000 in his own funds) and spent $70,700. Denmark secured Joyce’s endorsement and finished far ahead of her rivals with 33.5% of the vote Tuesday. Meanwhile, James took second with 20.6% but finished just 200 votes ahead of Tammyette Thomas, who spent just $3,000. Meanwhile, the three-candidate race for District 4 saw James “Coach” Jacobs finish first with 39.3%, followed by Rhodesia “Rho” Butler at 34.9%. Jacobs bested Butler despite being outspent $19,800 to $3,500. The ideological picture is more muddled in this race. Jacobs ran for City Council as a Democrat in 2017, but appears to have received multiple campaign contributions in the last several years from Reginald Blount, one of the Moms for Liberty-endorsed Board members elected in 2024. Butler has been a registered Democrat for decades, as has Alfreda Denson Butler, who finished third Tuesday with 25.8%. The District includes much of Jacksonville’s urban core and has a significant share of Black and Democratic voters. It is currently represented by term-limited incumbent Darryl Willie.

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Capitol Conversations   More than 300 business and community leaders gathered at the University of North Florida as the JAX Chamber brought Northeast Florida lawmakers together for its Capitol Conversations event. The panel featured Speaker-designate Sam Garrison, Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan, Sen. Clay Yarborough and Reps. Jessica Baker, Dean Black, Kim Kendall and Kiyan Michael, who offered their takeaways from the 2026 Legislative Session. Sam Garrison, Wyman Duggan, Clay Yarborough, Jessica Baker, Dean Black, Kim Kendall and Kiyan Michael talk Northeast Florida. The conversation also turned toward what comes next for Northeast Florida as election season approaches. Lawmakers discussed regional priorities, including the proposed property tax referendum and other issues expected to shape the political debate in the months ahead.

Ready for shreddy   The city of Jacksonville is keeping public records for too long, costing taxpayers a lot of money. That’s the finding of the local Inspector General's office, which says the city has "spent an estimated $873,982 to retain records that were already eligible for destruction." Jacksonville has a mountain of old records ready for a long-overdue date with the shredder. "Contributing factors include missing expiration dates, corrupted metadata, inconsistent departmental practices, and gaps stemming from historical transitions between records storage vendors. Interviews with personnel across multiple departments revealed additional deficiencies, including unclear protocols, limited training, and the assumption that commercial vendors were independently handling destruction," the OIG announced Tuesday. Secure shredding of the obsolete documents would cost a little more than $146,000 and would pay for itself in 30 months, the OIG says. More than 58,000 boxes are eligible for destruction, costing the city more than $56,000 per year. Part of the burden stems from data entry deficiencies. Some materials have incompatible start and end dates, while others have no expiration dates at all. The problems are most acute in the Tax Collector’s Office, the Supervisor of Elections, Kids Hope Alliance, Fleet Management, and the Office of General Counsel. In the SOE, a review found materials dating back to 1942, more than a quarter century before Consolidation. The city is also on the hook for storing obsolete materials from divisions of state government, including the 4th Circuit State Attorney and Public Defender.

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Housing sales slip   July brought a tough climate for those looking to sell homes across the First Coast. Single-family home sales dropped substantially last month, according to Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) figures. There were 1,841 closed home sales across the six-county region in July. That’s a 5.4% drop compared to July 2025. Compared to June, it’s a 15.8% decrease. Median home sale prices were mixed. The median price settled at $405,000 in July, a 2.5% uptick from July 2025. But that was a 3.5% drop compared to June’s median price. Northeast Florida home sellers discover that July brought more listings than closing celebrations. Duval County, the First Coast’s most populous county and home to Jacksonville, had 909 homes sold last month. That’s a substantial drop of 8.7% from July 2025 and a 12.7% decline from June. The median home sale price came in at $335,000, up 3.1% from last year but down 4% from June. St. Johns County also had mixed figures, with 524 closings in July. That’s a 4.8% increase from a year ago but a 16.6% fall from June. The median sales price was $589,030, a 0.8% drop from a year ago and a 1.8% uptick from June. Nassau County’s housing market was hit hard by the dog days of Summer, with only 86 sales in July. That's a bleak 27.7% downturn from a year ago and a 26.5% drop from June. The median sales price also took a hit, coming in at $451,540. It marked a 2.9% slide from July 2025 and an 11.5% drop from June. Clay County also saw sales slide to 259 closings last month, down 4.1% from a year ago and 20.8% from June. The median sales price was $360,000, a 2.7% drop from a year ago and a 1.4% slide from June.

Bogus voter busted   A 55-year-old Jacksonville man who is a Colombian national has pleaded guilty to federal charges of using someone else’s identification to get a U.S. passport and vote in elections in Florida for several years. Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales admitted he used false statements, stole someone else’s identity during an application for a passport, falsely claimed a Social Security number and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen to vote in elections. The office of U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe in the Middle District of Florida said the evidence in the case was clear. Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales faces federal consequences after admitting to years of identity and voting fraud. “According to the plea agreement, Jaramillo Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a Florida driver’s license and to register to vote. He then voted in several elections,” a press release said. According to authorities, Jaramillo Grajales had been using bogus IDs for decades. His first passport application was in 2003, when he used a Puerto Rican birth certificate and driver’s license. Officials say they processed his applications because the identification used was legitimate, but they were unaware that Jaramillo Grajales was not the person the documents identified.

Clay County connection   Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped an old hand at utility management in Clay County. DeSantis announced this month he’s reappointing Michael Hingst to the Clay County Utility Authority. The organization is a utility service that delivers drinking water, wastewater and reclaimed water to residents of the municipality just west of Jacksonville. Michael Hingst returns to the Clay County Utility Authority, where keeping things flowing is the whole point. Hingst is not only a returning member of the Utility Authority's Board of Supervisors but also has extensive experience in the infrastructure industry. He is the director of technology, platforms and implementation for Pioneering Evolution. The business is a software design firm with military contracts that also provides support services for federal acquisition companies. Beyond that, Hingst was a software engineer for Mediware Information Systems. He also owned his own firm, Computer Troubleshooters of Orange Park. Hingst is a U.S. Navy veteran who earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the U.S. Naval Academy.

PR proud   The St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs is getting some positive public relations attention. The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) has awarded St. Johns County the “Government Team of the Year Award” for its commitment to informing residents of the First Coast county. It’s the second year in a row St. Johns County snagged the award. St. Johns is also the only county communications team to win the award twice in the 69 years of the FPRA’s Annual Golden Image Awards. St. Johns County’s public affairs team proves that good-government news can generate good PR. The honor was given to the St. Johns crew for outstanding and unique achievements in the past year, leadership and innovation in communications, and significant impact and results in livestreaming coverage of County Commission meetings. The county also added new podcasts over the past year, including a series on residents and county workers who demonstrate strong community stewardship. “Effective communication is essential to building trust and ensuring residents have access to the information they need,” said County Administrator Joy Andrews. “This recognition reflects the dedication, creativity, and collaboration of our Office of Public Affairs team and its commitment to finding new and meaningful ways to connect with our community.” The St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs targets residents to keep them informed through media relations, video production, digital communications, a range of websites, and creative partnerships with other departments and community organizations.

Paying for practice   The Jaguars are scheduled to complete the 2026 preseason schedule on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7:30 p.m. ET, WFOX). Just don’t expect to see much from the starters. Again. In the first two preseason games, head coach Liam Coen has opted to hold most starters out of the lineup, preferring to use joint practices to assess them. Jacksonville and Tampa Bay meet Friday, but many Jaguars starters may remain spectators. Image via The Florida Times-Union. That is, of course, his prerogative as head coach. In fact, it is an increasingly common approach around the NFL. Which is a problem. Especially in Jacksonville. Jaguars season ticket holders will already miss a pair of “home” games when the team plays in London. And this season, when the Jaguars have two preseason home games, it appears that they will not see any of the team’s front-line players. They’re still paying for the tickets. But back to football. The Jaguars and Bucs are working against each other this week, and Coen is stressing to his team that they treat the joint sessions as they would a game. “Especially for the joint with Tampa, just getting those guys a ton of reps and just trying to maximize these ops because we won't be in pads again until game week, you know, after this week,” Coen said. “That’s the reality of just how things fall and where we're at. We ended up having one more padded day than last year's training camp. So, you’ve got to maximize these ops and the continued continuity and chemistry is so important that every single time we step out here, there has to be real intentionality and not just, OK, this is another training camp practice.” There are still decisions to be made for starting jobs and how certain positions will rotate during the early portion of the regular season. There is still the question of how the Jaguars will utilize the top three running backs, Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez and LeQuint Allen. Ameer Abdullah has also performed well in the preseason games, albeit against backups. Who will comprise the Jaguars’ starting offensive line? We (think we) know Anton Harrison will start at left tackle and Robert Hainsey at center. But there are questions about who starts at the other three positions. Ezra Cleveland is expected to start at one guard spot. But what of Patrick Mekari, rookie Emmanuel Pregnon, and tackles Walker Little and Cole Van Lanen, who was cleared to return to practice this week? On defense, both Ventrell Miller and undrafted free agent Branson Combs are listed as co-starters. That will have to be sorted out before the season opener on Sept. 13 against the Cleveland Browns. And the cornerback and defensive tackle rotations are still to be finalized. Fans would love to see the competition play out on the field on Friday. It isn’t likely to happen. With more than two weeks between the preseason finale and the season opener, competition will continue until, and perhaps beyond, Kickoff Weekend.

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Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 8.27.26 — Burnin’ today: Hope Florida, DeSantis, Jolly & Donalds, data centers, Flock cameras, Ausley & Parks & Jelly Roll

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From: Extensive Media Enterprises  Good Thursday morning. 🏟️ — Moving goalposts doesn’t change the facts on the Rays stadium deal: Recent reporting on the deal brokered between the Tampa Bay Rays, the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County suggests a red flag: there’s no guarantee on the proposed mixed-use development. While that’s at least partially true, it ignores some basic facts about both large-scale development deals and what taxpayers are actually getting for their money. More here. The Tampa Bay Rays pitch a future where the ballpark is surrounded by plenty of real estate. 🩸 — He’s cut: Here’s how Ken Welch’s “joke” about running for Governor compares to Rocky Balboa finally drawing blood against Ivan Drago. After a desperate plea to a donor, Welch’s gut should tell him the same thing Drago’s did: that he’s in the ring with someone he can’t beat. Read more here.

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Days until   ‘The Dog Stars,’ directed by Ridley Scott, premieres — 1; Florida TaxWatch Government Productivity Awards — 5; NFL regular season kicks off — 13; Republican National Midterm Convention — 13; San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia — 14; Yankees host the Mets for the 9/11 anniversary — 15; MLB Roberto Clemente Day — 19; General Election UOCAVA ballot deadline — 23; Tampa Bay Buccaneers home opener against the Cleveland Browns — 24; General Election domestic ballot send window begins — 28; General Election domestic ballot send deadline — 35; ‘Digger,’ with Tom Cruise, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, premieres — 36; General Election voter registration deadline — 39; ‘The Social Network’ sequel, with Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Allen White and Mikey Madison, premieres — 43; Associated Industries of Florida one-on-one conversations with five top-of-ticket Republicans — 46; ‘VisionQuest’ premieres — 48; Optional General early voting begins — 53; ‘Six Kings Slam’ on Netflix — 55; Florida TaxWatch Fiscal Accountability Leadership Summit begins — 55; General Election ballot request deadline — 56; Mandatory General early voting begins — 58; General Election — 68; ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ premieres — 71; ‘Wild Horse Nine’ premieres — 71; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 76; ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’ starring Johnny Depp premieres — 78; ‘Paper Tiger’ starring Adam Driver premieres — 78; Joe Biden’s memoir, ‘Promise Me, America’ is released — 82; New legislator training sessions — 82; Senate convenes for general organization and selection of officers — 82; ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ premieres — 85; ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ with Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and written by Quentin Tarantino, premieres — 90; ‘Madden’ premieres — 91; Committee Week #1 — 95; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres — 113; ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres — 113; ‘Dune: Part 3,’ directed by Denis Villeneuve, premieres — 113; Committee Week #2 — 130; Committee Week #3 — 137; ‘Ahsoka’ season 2 premieres — 146; College Football Playoff national championship game in Las Vegas — 151; Committee Week #4 — 158; Grammys — 164; Committee Week #5 — 165; Super Bowl LXI — 171; Committee Week #6 — 172; Opening day of the 2027 Regular Legislative Session — 187; Tampa Mayoral Election — 187; ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan premieres — 190; Oscars — 199; Jacksonville First Election — 208; Miami Marlins Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. New York Mets — 210; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. Baltimore Orioles — 210; Democratic Mayors Association 2027 annual summit in Miami begins — 230; Jacksonville General Election — 264; ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ premieres — 274; ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 282; Citrus Series — Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins — 323; ‘The Bluey Movie’ premieres — 344; ‘Miami Vice’ reboot premieres — 344; Citrus Series — Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays — 379; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 477; 2028 South Carolina Presidential Primary — 513; College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans — 515; 2028 Nevada Presidential Primary — 523; 2028 New Hampshire Presidential Primary — 530; 2028 New Mexico Presidential Primary — 537; ‘The Batman Part II’ premieres — 540; 2028 Michigan Presidential Primary — 544; 2028 Virginia Presidential Primary — 551; Oscars — 556; ‘X-Men’ premieres — 617; ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ premieres — 638; ‘Incredibles 3’ premieres — 659; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 687; ‘Ghost Rider’ premieres — 701; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 803; ‘Black Panther 3’ directed by Ryan Coogler premieres — 841; College Football Playoff national championship game in Tampa — 879; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 1,203; College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami — 1,243; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 1,934.

Top story   “Hope Florida grand jury finds taxpayer money ‘misused for political purposes’” via Jeffrey Schweers for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Florida grand jury investigating the Hope Florida controversy concluded that $10 million in taxpayer money was “plainly used for political purposes,” while finding insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally. The money came from a $67 million settlement with Medicaid vendor Centene Corporation. The grand jury found $10 million was diverted through Hope Florida and nonprofit organizations before reaching political committees fighting Florida’s 2024 marijuana legalization amendment. Hope Florida’s money trail leaves lawmakers and a grand jury with plenty to untangle. The report identified Attorney General James Uthmeier, then Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Chief of Staff, as involved in directing the money after it reached Hope Florida. It said Uthmeier’s Keep Florida Clean committee ultimately received most of the funds. The grand jury also found U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, then Attorney General, knew about the arrangement and authorized her chief deputy, John Guard, to sign the settlement. The report said Guard failed to conduct sufficient due diligence concerning the taxpayer money. Despite describing the operation as a “sophisticated scheme,” jurors said responsibility could not be pinned on a particular person. Many participants were lawyers who testified that they acted on the advice of other lawyers, creating an obstacle to prosecution. The grand jury nevertheless delivered a stark conclusion: taxpayer money was misused, and safeguards should be strengthened to prevent a recurrence. The investigation, convened by Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell in October 2025, followed legislative scrutiny led by Rep. Alex Andrade into how money intended for Medicaid-related purposes ultimately flowed into political activity. The findings intensify scrutiny surrounding Hope Florida and its handling of public funds. “Ron DeSantis’ office blasts alleged leak of Hope Florida report” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — DeSantis’ office is condemning the alleged leak of a sealed grand jury report examining the Hope Florida controversy, while Senate Democrats are calling for legislative reforms. Alex Lanfranconi, DeSantis’ communications director, called the allegations a “baseless smear” and said leaking a confidential report would itself be a crime. Senate Democratic leader Tracie Davis plans legislation to strengthen accountability and transparency requirements for public funds.

2026   “DeSantis stops short of committing to campaign with Byron Donalds” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis says he supports Florida’s Republican ticket but isn’t committing to campaign alongside Donalds as the Congressman runs to succeed him. Asked in Miami whether he would campaign “with or for” Donalds, DeSantis pointed to his Primary Night statement backing the GOP slate without promising appearances. Donalds said the two had a “very productive conversation” and expect to keep talking throughout the campaign. DeSantis’ Primary-season actions were often interpreted as encouragement for Donalds’ rivals, including calls for debates and praise for former House Speaker Paul Renner. Donalds, meanwhile, has acknowledged the General Election could be tougher for Republicans than recent cycles. Public polling has shown him leading Democrat David Jolly by about 6 points on average, well short of the margins Republicans posted statewide in 2022 and 2024. DeSantis argues Donalds still benefits from a transformed electorate, noting Republicans now outnumber Democrats in Florida by roughly 1.5 million voters. Byron Donalds and Ron DeSantis find that party unity does not always come with a shared campaign calendar. “Donalds draws backlash over beauty salon remark” via Michael Van Sickler of the Tampa Bay Times — Donalds sparked criticism after joking during a Sanford campaign stop that better roads would help women reach beauty salons faster. Democratic running mate Gwen Graham called the remark “ridiculous and insulting,” while other critics labeled it sexist and tone-deaf. Donalds’ campaign dismissed the reaction as manufactured outrage, and conservative supporters defended the comment. The episode highlights Donalds’ informal campaign style, which often relies on unscripted audience interaction. It also fits a broader traditionalist message: Donalds has emphasized family formation, career preparation for young men and motherhood alongside leadership for young women. The exchange marks an early cultural flashpoint in the General Election against Democrat Jolly. “David Jolly goes all in against Flock cameras” via Florida Politics — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jolly is calling for a Special Session to confront Florida’s growing use of Flock cameras, saying lawmakers should consider “dramatic reforms or elimination” of the surveillance technology. Jolly says government cameras should not collect information about individuals or their movements without a warrant or an active crime investigation. His position puts him alongside DeSantis, who has warned the cameras are creating a “surveillance state.” Republican gubernatorial candidate Donalds previously called for an immediate pause on Flock systems but has since emphasized working with law enforcement on restrictions. More than 7,500 license plate readers operate statewide, with at least 100 law enforcement agencies using them.

More elections   "Kathy Castor’s re-election odds brighten as Cook Political Report shifts race to Toss-Up" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — One of the nation’s top election forecasters says U.S. Rep. Castor isn’t in as much danger as Republicans may hope. Cook Political Report changed its rating of Florida’s 14th Congressional District to “Toss-Up” from “Lean Republican,” as part of a post-Primary shift in races in Florida and Michigan, all of which moved in Democrats' favor. “Public and private polling shows Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor with an edge over the GOP nominee, former state Rep. Mike Beltran,” wrote Erin Covey, House editor for the election prognosticator. “Now that the General Election matchup is set, we’re shifting this race from Lean Republican to Toss-Up.” Covey notes there are still challenges ahead: Beltran was an ally of DeSantis in the Legislature, and having Angie Nixon as the U.S. Senate nominee could create problems for Castor in a battleground seat. Cook now lists seven Florida congressional elections as battlegrounds, and none of the competitive Democratic seats is rated any safer than “Toss-Up.” Mike Beltran and Kathy Castor head into a congressional contest that forecasters now call a toss-up.

Even more elections   "Bob Gualtieri backs ‘fierce defender’ Nick DiCeglie for re-election" via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Pinellas County Sheriff Gualtieri is endorsing Republican Sen. DiCeglie for re-election to Senate District 18 as he heads to a General Election against Democrat Karla Kemp. Gualtieri, who is also a Republican, has worked extensively with DiCeglie on state legislation related to a variety of public safety measures, including most recently on school bus stop arm cameras. “Nick is a fierce defender of law enforcement who never backs down from securing the resources we need to keep Pinellas safe,” Gualtieri said. DiCeglie said he was honored to have the Sheriff’s support. “Our Sheriff has dedicated his career to protecting Pinellas families and supporting the men and women who keep us safe,” DiCeglie added. Bob Gualtieri gives Nick DiCeglie a law-and-order boost heading into the General Election. “Fraternal Order of Police, Broward chapter back ‘strong advocate’ Mike Friend for HD 102” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — This week, Friend’s campaign announced endorsements from the statewide Florida State Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and Florida FOP District 5, which represents law enforcement officers, public safety employees and correctional professionals in Florida’s bluest county. Jeff Stinson, President of the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, said Friend’s commitment to officers and residents clinched the group’s backing. “Florida’s law enforcement officers need elected leaders who understand the challenges they face and who will stand with them when important public safety decisions are being made,” Stinson said. “We believe Michael Friend will be a strong advocate for law enforcement and the citizens of House District 102. We are proud to endorse him and look forward to working with him in the Florida Legislature.” Happening this weekend: Happening next week: and

Statewide   “Florida rejects $17B Meta settlement, vows to take tech giant to trial” via Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO — Florida rejected a $17 billion settlement with Meta that is expected to resolve child-safety lawsuits brought by most states. Uthmeier called the payouts “peanuts” compared with the harm he says Meta’s addictive features caused children and said Florida will take the company to trial. The state first sued Meta in 2023 under then-Attorney General Moody, alleging the company knew its apps harmed children and misled the public. The settlement would end similar claims brought by California, more than two dozen other states and several U.S. territories. Florida, Texas and New Mexico appear to be the only states outside the agreement. Mark Zuckerberg faces a Florida-sized holdout after the state rejects Meta’s $17 billion settlement. “DeSantis wants to grow education pipeline to prepare workforce for next disaster” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — DeSantis wants to strengthen the higher education pipeline to get people ready for careers in emergency management to help with Florida’s next disaster. “There’s not a state in the country that has a more multifaceted approach to disaster response and emergency management than the state of Florida, so we want to keep that momentum going,” DeSantis said at a news conference rolling out a program at Florida International University. “We want to make sure that we’re capable of having the workforce that can meet the challenges in the future as it comes to emergency management.” FIU will be adding more emergency response training into its existing cybersecurity and international disaster preparedness programs, DeSantis said. “Flock off? DeSantis says automated license plate readers ‘out of control,’ warns of ‘surveillance state’” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — DeSantis is taking an emphatic position against automated license plate reader cameras. He’s now calling for legislative action to curb the use of devices across the state, such as those from Flock Safety and other vendors. “I think these cameras, the license plate readers, I think it’s out of control,” DeSantis said. As reported by GovTech last year, at least 100 law enforcement agencies in the state use Flock license plate reader (LPR) cameras. That’s part of a national network estimated at more than 100,000 cameras, a sprawl the grassroots group DeFlock, which opposes the technology, has been documenting on a crowdsourced public map. “Medicaid families fear pediatric funding fight could threaten care” via Florida Politics — Florida families who rely on Medicaid are worried reimbursement changes could jeopardize access to pediatric care, according to a Rep Data survey commissioned by Pediatric Associates. Eighty-two percent of respondents expressed concern after learning funding had shifted toward specialized behavioral therapy services and away from primary pediatric care. Among Medicaid parents surveyed, 97% said that pediatricians leaving the program due to inadequate funding would create a crisis or a serious problem. Pediatric Associates is suing AHCA, arguing the state used a flawed payment methodology that reduced pediatric funding. Charlene Wong said families value long-term relationships with pediatricians. The poll also found 91% believe the state should ensure Medicaid payments adequately cover children’s care, while 59% said inaction could affect their future votes.

D.C. matters   "Donald Trump plans to buy Midterm ads about his own record" via Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Michael Scherer and Ashley Parker of The Atlantic — Earlier this month, President Trump gathered his top political advisers in the Oval Office to decide how to spend his super PAC’s $400 million political war chest with fewer than 100 days to go before the Midterm Elections. One person familiar with the meeting put it this way: “When the issues that you typically campaign on don’t move voters — or voters are pissed off at you about those issues — the question becomes: What do you campaign on?” Some GOP strategists favor focusing entirely on specific races. “The solution Trump settled on, according to three people familiar with the meeting, was to lean into the Democratic strategy of focusing on himself. The President ordered a series of television advertisements about his own record that will serve as a backdrop to the hundreds of individual House and Senate contests.” Trump wanted “environmental lift” ads and suggested the ad makers mine his own on-camera statements. “Go look at the clips,” he told his team. “I cite accomplishments all the time.” The blitz is set to roll out soon from MAGA Inc. “We are going to unload the guns on both chambers real soon,” one person said. Donald Trump wants Midterm ads to feature his most familiar campaign asset: himself. “Trump’s mail-in voting plan can proceed — for now — after judge lifts last block” via Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein of POLITICO — A federal judge reluctantly lifted the last remaining block on the Trump administration’s plan to regulate mail-in ballots, saying a Supreme Court ruling Monday in a related case had tied her hands. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s decision clears the way for the Postal Service to begin implementing a plan ordered up by Trump to reshape the way the federal government manages delivery and receipt of mail-in ballots — including potentially refusing to accept ballots addressed to or mailed to voters. The U.S. Postal Service effort could be short-lived, though. The Supreme Court ruled that earlier challenges to Trump’s order were premature because the Postal Service had not finalized its plans. But that changed Friday when USPS issued a final rule to implement the effort. “Trump signs controversial beef import plan despite ranchers' backlash” via Grace Yarrow of POLITICO — Trump signed a proclamation that aims to lower ground beef prices by dramatically boosting imports from other countries despite outrage from Republicans and allies in the beef industry. Trump’s proclamation will remove tariffs from 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings for 90 days. He said the countries supplying the beef would sell it at 25% below current market prices, as he first announced on Truth Social Friday. The administration is also eyeing a separate set of industry-friendly policy updates to roll out alongside the import plan, in hopes of quelling the wrath of the beef industry and some Republican lawmakers, according to two people familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. Some of the changes the White House is considering — like mandating country-of-origin labels on beef products sold in the U.S. — would require congressional action. “FDA approves landmark pancreatic cancer drug that’s shown to improve survival” via The Associated Press — The Food and Drug Administration approved a groundbreaking new drug for advanced pancreatic cancer, offering U.S. patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of cancer. FDA officials gave expedited approval to the first-of-a-kind pill, called daraxonrasib, which blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. It’s an approach that previously eluded drugmakers for decades. The daily pills will be sold by Revolution Medicines under the brand name Rasonque. A one-month supply would cost approximately $39,800. Patients taking the drug nearly doubled their survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned them to receive the experimental treatment or more chemotherapy. The company-funded study enrolled 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment.

Local: S. FL   “Property tax amendment could force multiple cities to fold in Palm Beach County, administrator says” via Abigail Hasebrook of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Palm Beach County’s top government officials agree: If voters in November approve a plan to cut property taxes, the lost revenue will have to come from somewhere. With the county projected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, officials are raising concerns about layoffs of county employees, service cuts, and potential rent increases. They say they’re also concerned local governments across the state may end up relying on money from Tallahassee to stay afloat. At a recent Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations meeting, County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo said: “Multiple municipalities will fold.” Abruzzo said he believes between eight and 10 municipalities could dissolve if they lose property tax revenue. Those most at risk lack commercial property and already levy the maximum tax rate, leaving them with limited options for alternate revenue sources. “South Florida Jamaicans bid farewell to beloved consul general as he lands in New York” via Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald — South Florida’s vast Caribbean diaspora knows that consuls general come and go. But for one community, the departure of a beloved government representative has been bittersweet. Roderick Oliver Mair, who served as Jamaica’s consul general for Florida and a dozen other states, is leaving South Florida for New York, where he will represent the largest Jamaican diaspora in the world, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness when he congratulated the diplomat on his promotion. Before Mair’s scheduled departure on Wednesday, members of the community celebrated his move with a show of gratitude while describing him as an unusually accessible and responsive diplomat who won crowds over with his singing and unabashed love of country. Roderick Oliver Mair trades South Florida for New York after winning plenty of fans in the Jamaican diaspora. "Judge rules North Miami Council members violated city charter, not Sunshine Law" via Staff of Local 10 — A judge has found three North Miami City Council members violated the city charter while trying to remove a former City Manager, but ruled there was insufficient evidence to find they violated Florida’s Sunshine Law. The ruling on Wednesday followed a three-day trial involving Council members Kassandra Timothe, Mary Estime-Irvin and Pierre Frantz-Charles. “I don’t recall,” Timothe said while testifying. The judge did, however, find a violation of Section 19 of the North Miami city charter. A violation of the city charter is a misdemeanor. "Coral Gables taps deputy to become City Manager" via Abraham Galvan of Miami Today — Coral Gables city officials are moving forward with appointing José “Joe” Gómez as the next City Manager. Currently serving as Coral Gables' deputy City Manager, Gómez will assume the City Manager role on Jan. 8, 2027, when current City Manager Peter Iglesias is scheduled to step down after announcing his resignation in May. “I believe that we are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Gómez’s caliber already here and ready to lead,” Mayor Vince Lago said. “Joe knows Coral Gables. He knows our team. He knows the projects on the way, and most importantly, he understands this community and the high standards our residents expect.” "Broward College and president cut ties after reaching settlement" via Rafael Olmeda of South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Without a word of public discussion or debate, the Board of Broward College dismissed its president after negotiating a settlement agreement. Former college President Torey Alston accepted the settlement just 15 minutes before the Board’s meeting, ending his 18-month tenure at the helm of the college. Alston will receive a $430,000 payout, including six weeks of severance, accrued sick leave and vacation, and money to resolve legal complaints he had against the Board. The Board appointed Broward College Chief Operating Officer Rabia Azhar as acting president while the search for a permanent replacement gets underway.

Local: C. FL   "County Commissioners accept TDT task force recommendations" via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County Commissioners accepted — with reservations and some argument — a citizen panel’s recommendations for how to spend future tourist-tax windfalls, advice that left out a convention center expansion and a billion-dollar baseball stadium. Commissioner Mike Scott, who represents District 6, which includes International Drive and the convention center, proposed allowing 16 of 20 applicants for TDT money to pitch their project directly to the Board. Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad objected to do-overs. “This is not round two where everybody gets to come up and talk to us about our preferences and readjust their presentations,” she said. Mike Scott wants Orange County projects to get another turn at the tourist-tax microphone. “Enrollment in Central Florida public schools falls by nearly 12,000 students” via Steven Walker of the Orlando Sentinel — Enrollment in Central Florida’s public schools dropped by nearly 12,000 students this school year, according to pupil counts from the first 10 days of school, continuing a trend that has led to millions of dollars in funding cuts and the shuttering of some campuses. Orange County Superintendent Maria Vazquez said her District was down 7,672 students — more than double the loss the state projected. Orange County Public Schools is the region’s largest School District and experienced the largest local enrollment drop when comparing the end of the last school year in May to the start of the current one. Seminole County Public Schools and the School District of Osceola County each lost about 2,000 students, while Lake County lost only about 200. OCPS’s enrollment fell by about 5,600 students last year, leading to a loss of about $50 million in per-pupil funding and the closure of seven schools. "Orlando could lose out on preservation grants with new downtown rules, state says" via Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — Orlando’s decision to temporarily loosen development rules in its historic downtown has drawn the ire of a state agency that oversees historic preservation grants. A presentation by Commissioner Patty Sheehan, who voted against the moratorium, found that buildings in the city have received more than $7 million in grants dating back to the 1980s. “It’s pretty bad when the state of Florida is more progressive than the city of Orlando,” Sheehan said. “It’s also going to decrease the amount of money that residential people are going to be able to get to improve their homes … I’m devastated by this news.” “Ormond Beach hits pause on data centers while rules catch up” via Sheldon Gardner of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Ormond Beach is putting new data center development on ice while city officials decide how the fast-growing industry should fit into the community. The City Commission voted unanimously to impose an 18-month moratorium on accepting applications or approving development items involving data centers. The pause gives officials time to consider changes to development regulations and the city’s Comprehensive Plan before projects can move forward. The next steps are already scheduled: The Planning Board is expected to review proposed Comprehensive Plan changes Sept. 10, followed by the City Commission’s first review Oct. 20. The moratorium comes amid broader scrutiny across Florida over data centers and their potential impacts on local communities. “Volusia County gives backyard chickens the green light” via Al Everson of the West Volusia Beacon — Volusia County homeowners in unincorporated areas can now keep backyard hens after the County Council unanimously approved a new ordinance. The measure allows chickens on single-family residential lots without requiring owners to register their flocks or obtain county permits. Homes on lots of 7,500 square feet or less may keep up to four hens, with larger properties allowed more. Roosters, ducks, geese, pigeons and peafowl remain prohibited. Chickens must be kept in enclosed areas or coops and may be raised only for personal use. Breeding, selling chickens, eggs or manure, and slaughtering chickens on residential property are prohibited under the ordinance.

Local: TB   "This Tampa Mayor candidate thought he was William Shatner’s son" via Lizzy Alspach of Tampa Bay Times — There are now a dozen candidates vying to be Tampa’s next Mayor. Peter Shatner, a 69-year-old business owner, filed paperwork to run in Tampa’s mayoral race. He gained fame for claiming he is the son of “Star Trek” actor William Shatner; Shatner changed his name from Peter Sloan in 2019, believing the actor was his father. A later DNA test showed Shatner was not related to him. Shatner said he’s focused on improving public safety, water, sewer and drainage systems, quality of life, responsible growth and “expanding Tampa’s potential as one of America’s great cities.” Peter Shatner enters Tampa’s crowded Mayoral field with a famous surname and a story all his own. “Hillsborough College unveils Dale Mabry makeover tied to Rays stadium plan” via Lucy Marques of the Tampa Bay Times — Hillsborough College released new renderings of its planned Dale Mabry campus redevelopment, which would surround the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium and mixed-use district. President Ken Atwater said the project would give the college a chance to modernize the campus while supporting student success and regional workforce needs. The renderings show new academic buildings, classrooms, study areas, outdoor walkways, a library and green spaces. Trustees were expected to vote on Wednesday on whether to work with Pure Project Management LLC to oversee the redevelopment. The campus overhaul is part of a broader stadium proposal that local officials are also weighing this week, tying the college’s future footprint to one of Tampa Bay’s biggest development decisions. “Rays outline community benefits for new stadium ahead of city and county votes” via Emma Behrmann of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — The Tampa Bay Rays released an outline of their community benefits agreement ahead of this week’s votes on the Tampa stadium deal, but as of now, it does not include a dollar commitment. The team released a summary of the community benefits agreement and legacy plan ahead of the scheduled votes from Tampa City Council on Thursday and the Hillsborough County Commission on Friday. The Rays’ document highlights over a dozen community-related points, but how those would be achieved and what contractual obligations the team would need to meet have not been determined. “Please note that there will be additional documents which will need to be approved, including the community benefits agreement and the ballpark license and use agreement,” Hillsborough County Attorney Julia Mandell wrote. “Fact-checking Lynn Hurtak’s ‘MythBusters’ take on Rays stadium deal” via Jesse Mendoza of Florida Politics — Tampa City Council member Hurtak says the proposed Rays stadium deal is a taxpayer “rip-off,” but a closer review finds a more mixed picture. Hurtak is right that Tampa’s $80 million is a City contribution, not a direct loan, and that the broader public commitment is far larger. Hillsborough County’s share could reach about $796 million. But future property-tax growth is intended to repay Tampa’s contribution, and federal disaster-recovery money would be limited to eligible stormwater work. Hurtak also raises legitimate questions about future repair costs and public-records issues, though the current agreement does not establish an unlimited “blank check” or clearly restrict public access. The deal still deserves scrutiny before Thursday’s vote. To watch the video, please click on the image below: Lynn Hurtak puts the Rays stadium deal through her own version of ‘MythBusters.’ "Tampa Bay Wave receives grant for new DefenseTech accelerator" via Staff of St Pete Catalyst — Tampa Bay Wave has received a $1.38 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to launch the Tampa Bay DefenseTech Innovation Accelerator. According to a prepared statement, the initiative is “designed to address the most urgent capability gaps facing the U.S. military.” Tampa Bay Wave has also received financial support from Hillsborough County, Pasco County, the City of Tampa, the University of South Florida Institute of Applied Engineering and the National Center for Responsible Government Contracting for the effort. The “full project is expected to cost over $1.7 million.” “Tampa presses developers on Live Nation’s Ybor City music venue” via Gabrielle Calise of the Tampa Bay Times — To build a 4,300-person music venue that Live Nation would run in Ybor City, developers of the mixed-use project GasWorx say they’re ready to relocate both a protected live oak and a historic home that sits on the desired property. But at Tuesday’s Barrio Latino Commission meeting, Commissioners were not convinced the developers were prepared to present their plan. “It appears that the application is incomplete and it’s missing significant documentation that’s required,” Commission Chair Rich Simmons said. The Barrio Latino Commission focuses on preserving Ybor’s historic and architectural fabric. When the proposed venue was last discussed on May 26, Simmons asked GasWorx developer Kettler to modify the plans for its venue at the 1400 block of N 15th Street. “Committee launches campaign for tax to boost Polk school workers' pay” via Gary White of the Lakeland Ledger — Standing in the shade of a sturdy oak tree, leaders of the push for a tax to boost the pay of Polk County Public Schools employees made their pitch to a pair of reporters and a high school journalist. They are now targeting a much wider audience. Polk County voters will vote on a referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot to dedicate one mill in property taxes to the School District, with most of the money earmarked for teacher and employee pay increases. The Chair of a Committee formed to promote the referendum joined the leader of the Polk Education Association at a small kickoff event the afternoon of Aug. 24 at Lake Eva Park in Haines City. Polk Schools Superintendent Fred Heid joined them, though he said his role is educational rather than political.

Local: N. FL   “Daryl Parks endorses Loranne Ausley for Tallahassee Mayor” via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Parks, a Tallahassee attorney who came in third place in the Aug. 18 Primary Election for Mayor, has thrown his support behind former state lawmaker Ausley, who came in second just behind City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow. Parks posted his endorsement of Ausley on his Facebook page, along with a photo of the two of them beaming for the camera at Foxtail Coffee Co. on South Monroe Street. He said Ausley would “move our city forward and restore civility, collaboration and respect to City Hall.” “I ran for Mayor because I believe Tallahassee deserves a city government that listens, brings people together, and puts people before politics,” Parks wrote. “I still believe in the ideals and priorities that drove my campaign. And I believe Loranne Ausley is the person who can take those priorities across the finish line.” Loranne Ausley picks up Daryl Parks’ endorsement after he finished third in Tallahassee’s Mayoral Primary. "Tallahassee Commissioners move forward with City Manager finalists despite timing concerns" via Tristan Wood of WFSU — The Tallahassee City Commission is moving forward with three finalists for the City Manager. Commissioners voted 3-2 to move forward with the finalists during Wednesday’s Commission meeting. Those finalists are Scott Andrews, former County Manager of Dona Ana, New Mexico, Karen Jumonville, deputy City Manager of Tallahassee and Valerie Washington, Assistant City Manager of Fort Worth, Texas. Renee Narlock is in charge of the firm that conducted the search for the city. “I can say without a doubt, we have a good slate of folks here,” she said to Commissioners during Wednesday’s Commission meeting. "Two Leon County Schools District administrators on leave amid financial records review" via Jamiya Coleman of WCTV — Two Leon County Schools District administrators are on administrative leave as the School District reviews financial records related to the Foundation for Leon County Schools. LCS revealed that Executive Director Margaret Farris and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Michelle Gayle are both on administrative leave “as this is an ongoing review.” The School District clarified in its statement that administrative leave should not be interpreted as a presumption or finding of wrongdoing, but that the action “allows the District to conduct a thorough and appropriate review of circumstances and determine whether any official action is warranted.” “Jacksonville City Council OKs economic development legislation focusing on veterans” via Joe Lister of the Jacksonville Daily Record — Companies receiving city incentives must make a “good faith effort” to hire veterans and will be given extra consideration for projects at Cecil Field under legislation approved Aug. 25 by Jacksonville City Council. Council voted 18-0 Aug. 25 in favor of Resolution 2026-0574, which requires the city Office of Economic Development to ensure that companies receiving a Recapture Enhanced Value Grant try to hire qualified active-duty military spouses and/or veterans for a minimum of 10% of new jobs. The resolution also requires that the OED give “additional positive consideration” for incentive requests when reviewing projects at Cecil Field. A REV grant is a refund on ad valorem tax revenue generated by a new development or property enhancement. Introduced by Council President Nick Howland, a U.S. Navy veteran, the resolution updates the policies governing economic development agreements between the city and companies receiving city funds. “JTA unveils costs for Skyway future ahead of Fall decision” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — The Jacksonville Transportation Authority revealed the estimated cost of various alternatives for the future of the Skyway that show a $294 million price tag for converting the elevated structure so rubber-tired Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation shuttles can run on it. The agency also crunched estimates on what it would cost to instead build a modern streetcar system downtown, which would cost about $565 million. Other alternatives that JTA will present to the community in September, in a second round of public meetings, will have price tags attached for rehabilitating aging Skyway vehicles for continued use, replacing those vehicles with longer trains, or turning the elevated structure into a path for walking and bicycling. “Eight years after the Jacksonville Landing shooting, Riverfront Plaza has officially replaced the city’s landmark” via Zach Wilcoz of First Coast News — Wednesday marked eight years since three people were killed and another 11 were injured when a gunman opened fire at a video game competition in downtown Jacksonville. The Landing closed less than a year later, was demolished shortly thereafter, and was replaced by Riverfront Plaza. This year, the new Riverfront Plaza was open for the first time on the date of the tragedy. There’s more still on the way with Phase 2, but for one former business owner at the Landing, it doesn’t matter how much it changes — being here will always remind him of what it used to be. “One of those ‘What if?’ kind of scenarios, because it could have been more of a direct impact on me,” said former New Jax Gym owner Tom Minette. "Florida A&M University President Marva Johnson looks ahead as year two of her presidency begins" via Justin White of WTXL — Florida A&M University President Johnson is marking more than a year in office with a list of ambitious benchmarks she says will define her second year leading the Tallahassee university. “I’m not calling it a dream. I’m calling it a covenant. That is our deliverable,” Johnson said. Johnson wants the university’s four-year graduation rate to eventually reach 70%. FAMU is also continuing its push to become the nation’s first public HBCU to reach Carnegie R1 research status. “If there’s one thing I wish that I could have done sooner, it would have been securing those two leaders,” Johnson said. “Jimmy Patronis is not OK with Jelly Roll” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Patronis is outraged after Jelly Roll filled in as a guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live and made Trump the butt of several jokes. The Fort Walton Beach Republican suggested the country singer now suffers from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” “Jelly Roll is 100% not welcome to Florida’s panhandle,” Patronis posted on X. “I don’t even want to see his bus on I-10. He’s always been the token ‘country’ star the libs in California are allowed to enjoy. (He ain’t country, never was.) Take the TDS elsewhere, loser.” Jelly Roll took shots at Trump’s weight and asserted that the President may be a bigot. He framed several comments as shots at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix held over the weekend in Washington. Jimmy Patronis finds Jelly Roll’s turn behind the late-night desk a little hard to swallow.

Local: SW. FL   "Carmine Marceno faces another state ethics investigation" via Bob Norman of Florida Trident — Lee County Sheriff Marceno is due in Tallahassee for a hearing regarding a second Florida Commission on Ethics investigation into him and his department. The newly revealed probe concerns a complaint regarding former LCSO commander James Bogliole. In the complaint, Bogliole alleges Marceno and other high-ranking Sheriff’s officials misused their public positions in the case to provide a special benefit to the now-former Dep. Michael Soto, who was driven home rather than criminally charged in the case. “In [Bogliole’s] training, in his belief, Deputy Soto is having a medical event,” Marceno said at the time. “[Bogliole] then determines that he wants to get Deputy Soto home to his family so he can take care of whatever that medical condition was at the scene.” Carmine Marceno heads back under the ethics microscope with another state investigation on the calendar. "Months later, SW Florida continues to top the state in immigration arrests" via Tomas Rodriguez of Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News — Immigration encounters have more than tripled in Lee and Collier counties since January. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office ranks second among statewide law enforcement and other agencies for encounters with people suspected to be undocumented immigrants, behind the Florida Highway Patrol. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office continues to rank first statewide among law enforcement agencies for arrests that result in local and state charges. As of Aug. 24, the state database recorded 3,377 immigration encounters associated with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, more than tripling the 884 documented in late January.

Top opinion   “The real winner of Trump’s trade war with Canada could be China” via Chad P. Bown for The New York Times — Xi Jinping may benefit most if the United States and Canada continue fighting over trade instead of strengthening their shared manufacturing base. China already controls critical supplies such as rare-earth magnets and semiconductors, giving Beijing leverage over North American industries. Trump has pressed Canada to surrender more manufacturing to the United States, particularly in autos, steel and aluminum. But Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected Washington’s latest offer and imposed new tariffs, arguing the terms would badly damage Canadian industry. If Canadian auto manufacturing collapses, the country could become increasingly dependent on Chinese imports. Australia offers a warning: after domestic automakers disappeared, Chinese-made cars rapidly gained market share. That matters for the United States, too. Losing Canadian consumers would shrink the North American market for American automakers, undermining scale, lowering competitiveness and potentially accelerating China’s global dominance in autos and other strategic industries. China has already used low prices and subsidies to gain a commanding position in rare earths, semiconductors, steel, aluminum, shipbuilding, and telecommunications. Once dominant, Beijing can turn market power into geopolitical leverage. Washington therefore needs Canada as an economic security partner, not an adversary. Trump’s “made in America” demands risk weakening the integrated manufacturing base needed to compete with China. The better strategy is a broader allied front that keeps Canadian consumers buying North American products and preserves enough Western manufacturing capacity to resist Chinese coercion.

More opinions   "A single vote shows power of your ballot in Florida election" via Scott Maxwell of Orlando Sentinel — More than 8,000 ballots were cast in the race for Seat 5 on the St. Cloud City Council. Yet when the dust settled, candidate Alex Rodriguez learned he made the runoff thanks to a single, solitary ballot. “I would simply say: Thank you for showing up,” he said. “When people hear ‘Every vote matters,’ it can sometimes sound like just another election slogan. But in this race, we saw exactly what those words mean.” Rodriguez said he even appreciated those who took the time to vote for his opponents, saying, “I hope this encourages people to never underestimate the power of their vote, especially in local elections. Sometimes democracy really does come down to one person deciding to show up.” “Newcomers bring stronger buying profile” via Amy Connolly for Florida Trend — Florida’s migration boom has cooled, but the people still choosing the state may be entering the housing market with stronger financial footing. The people still moving to Florida from other states tend to be older, earn more and are more likely to already own a home than those leaving, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation’s 2026 Florida Business & Economic Mid-Year Report. That matters as Florida’s single-family market continues to show signs of gradual improvement. Data cited in the report shows single-family sales increased year over year for 10 consecutive months through June. In the report, Florida Realtors Chief Economist Brad O’Connor said the market has shifted from normalization into a “gradual recovery,” adding that the underlying trend remains one of “slow, sustainable improvement.” “Partisan politics are ruining Tallahassee’s election process” via Norm Roche for the Tallahassee Democrat — Tallahassee’s officially nonpartisan City elections have become increasingly shaped by partisan politics, undermining the intent of the system and making balanced representation at City Hall more difficult. The recent race for Tallahassee City Commission, Seat 3, illustrates how party politics can influence contests that are supposed to focus on local issues and candidates rather than partisan labels. The infusion of partisan politics has infected — and continues to infect — the entire election cycle.

Instagram of the day

Remembering Dolly   "DeSantis, following Trump proclamation, orders flags half-staff for Dolly Parton" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Hours after news broke that country music icon Parton had died at 80, DeSantis moved to honor her by lowering flags across Florida, in accordance with a directive from Trump. DeSantis ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Florida to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations and grounds until sunset on Sept. 1. That’s the same time frame Trump designated in a proclamation he issued Tuesday, directing flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House and all public buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations and naval vessels. Trump ordered the same for facilities abroad, including U.S. territories, embassies, legations, consular offices and other sites. Dolly Parton leaves a legacy with enough heart, music and books to fill more than one lifetime. “Why it matters that Parton wasn’t a mother” via Ashley Fetters Maloy of The Washington Post — Parton left a legacy that showed parenting isn’t the only way to invest in children. Though Parton and her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, decided not to have children, she devoted decades to children’s causes, including literacy and pediatric health. Her Imagination Library, founded in 1995 in Tennessee, grew into an international program delivering free books to children from birth to age 5. Parton also spoke openly about how remaining child-free gave her the freedom to pursue philanthropy, challenging assumptions that people without children are selfish or disconnected from families. Her example bridged the divide between parents and nonparents, demonstrating that helping children thrive requires an entire community willing to invest time, energy and resources.

Happy birthday   Celebrating today are former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, Rep. Robin Bartleman, Charlie Dailey, Nicole Gomez of LSN Partners, smart guy and Golden Rotunda winner Albie Kaminsky, former state Rep. Wengay “Newt” Newton, the wonderful Melissa Stone of Cavalry Strategies, and Roger Stone (no relation). ___ Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.

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