Clashing Politics in Tampa, Crist Blasts DeSantis in TV Ad, Prisons Consider Cuts to Visitations, Major Tampa Bay Homeless Shelter Closes, and more...
July 22, 2022 — This Week's Top Stories in Florida
Welcome to the this week’s edition of Floridian Today, a newsletter about all things Florida — from politics, business, real estate, and climate. These are the most important stories in the Sunshine State that you need to know. If you’d like to sign-up to never miss an update, you can do so here:
Here is what’s happening in Florida…
A Politically-Charged Weekend in Tampa
The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) hosted their Leadership Blue annual dinner gala last weekend on Water Street in downtown Tampa, bringing together Democratic leaders from across the state, including both Democratic candidates vying for the governorship. The sold-out event attracted Rep. Val Demings who is challenging Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate race, state Rep. Anna Eskamani, Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, state Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the incoming leader of the Florida House Democratic Caucus for the 2024–2026 term, and even current Illinois Governor JB Pritzker who appeared as the keynote speaker. Many Democratic members of the Florida State House and Senate were in attendance and of course, Congressman Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, both opponents in the 2022 Democratic primary for governor.
Leading up to the event, tensions between the Crist and Fried campaign’s increased as they each made their case to lead take on DeSantis. Nikki Fried criticized her opponent by referencing the “chain-gang Charlie” moniker used in the 1990s when then-State Senator Crist supported the use of chains for prisoners working along highways. The former Republican governor said his support was meant to reduce increasing crime in the state and disincentive criminal activity. In a recent interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Fried also accused her opponent of not being trustworthy among independents and lacking the ability to mobilize the Democratic base, alluding to his status as a registered Republican until 2010. Meanwhile, in Tampa over the weekend, Crist was chanted away after approaching a group of pro-abortion protesters. Fried continues to trail Crist in recent polls.
While Democrats assembled at downtown Tampa’s JW Marriott for Leadership Blue 2022, a much different but equally high-profile event was being held across the street. The conservative Moms for Liberty organization met for their first annual national summit — drawing a stark contrast of the political reality in the state and across the nation. Moms’ is a two-year-old group that advocates for parental rights in schools and tackles “education not indoctrination” in an era of so-called wokeness. They have made a name for themselves by attending school board meetings to announce their disagreement over mask mandates, critical race theory, and other liberal ideas. Roughly 500 members from across the country gathered at the Tampa Marriott Water Street to attend the Moms for Liberty ‘Joyful Warriors National Summit.’ The event brought together multiple notable Republican leaders to Tampa, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, First Lady Casey DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Gov. DeSantis kicked the event off with an hour-long speech in which he detailed his administration’s efforts to promote freedom and combat perceived indoctrination in the school system. This included touting the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” the “Parental Rights in Education,” and the “Stop WOKE Act” all of which he signed into law as well as requiring school curriculum transparency. Beyond advocating for parental rights in education, other topics discussed were race and gender ideology, first amendment rights, and furthering the political movement by encouraging members to run for their local school board. The gathering brings to the forefront how important and energizing public education has become and will be in the upcoming mid-term election.
Democrats across the street attending the Leadership Blue Gala made frequent references to the Moms for Liberty Summit and using it as an example of the high-stakes in November’s election. Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz accused DeSantis as “pandering to Fox News viewers“ and blamed him for the state ranking “43rd in education funding, 48th in average teacher salary,” and facing a teacher shortage. The Democratic candidates for governor also weighed in, making Florida’s current leader a central focus of the weekend. Crist declared, “everywhere you look DeSantis and Republicans are taking away our rights and our freedoms” while Fried called the governor "a wannabe dictator.”
Prison Officials Weigh Reducing Visitation Hours for Inmates
Officials with the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) are proposing to cut visitation time in half for inmates of state prisons due to staffing shortages. Currently, prisons operate with weekly visitation hours on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and on major holidays. Under the new rule, inmates could be allowed visitors every other weekend and it would be restricted to only family — not friends. Opponents against the rule change say that such visitations are important to maintain connections that positively influences inmate behavior and is beneficial for life outside the prison system. It could also reduce recidivism by fostering an environment of rehabilitation. FDC believes new rules are necessary as they face critical staffing shortages that have impacted prison operations, including the health, safety, and security of inmates and personnel. The proposal would allow individual prisons to determine whether to suspend the traditional visitation schedule based upon a specified criteria, such as maintaining adequate staffing levels to ensure an appropriate level of supervision for visitations. Inmate advocates are calling for prison and sentencing reform and say that the Legislature should address the staff retention issues that have plagued the corrections system for years. Florida is home to the third largest state prison system in the nation with more than 80,000 inmates and 24,000 staff members.
Charlie Crist Blasts DeSantis in First TV Advertisement
Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Crist has gone on the offensive against Governor Ron DeSantis in his campaign’s first TV ad purchase. The Crist campaign has decided to look past the primary against opponent Nikki Fried and focus on the general election in the first gubernatorial TV commercial launched this cycle, demonstrating confidence in the latest polls that show Crist outpacing Fried. Titled “Fighting Back,” the 30-second ad goes after Gov. DeSantis on the issue of abortion, guns, and stopping his “radical agenda.” Crist also criticizes the governor on his preoccupation with running for president, a widely speculated ambition of DeSantis in 2024, instead of focusing on state-related matters. “He wants to outlaw abortion, even for victims of rape and incest. He opposes any background checks on guns, even for violent criminals. And he cares more about running for the White House than your house,” Crist says in the ad. The commercial will broadcast in multiple media markets in Florida, as well as digital platforms, representing a six-figure ad buy.
CNBC Study: Florida is the 11th Best State for Business
Florida ranks as the 11th best state to do business based on a criteria of 10 categories, per a new analysis published by business and financial market news media company, CNBC. For a state that prides itself on maintaining a business-friendly environment and a State Legislature that cozies up to the sector, the latest ranking is rather low. However, a reason for the deflated score is that the criteria focused on that expands beyond just tax and regulation-based policies. The categories weighed each state’s workforce, infrastructure, cost of doing business, economy, technology and innovation, education, access to capital, and cost of living, among other areas. Florida suffered when it came to the categories of “life, health, and inclusion,” business friendliness, cost of living, and cost of doing business, ranking towards the bottom of the list in those criteria. The CNBC analysis also pointed to lawsuits and the liability climate in the state as a possible dissuading factor for current and prospective companies. Ranking at the top of the list was North Carolina, followed by Washington, Virginia, Colorado, and Texas. Mississippi ranked dead last.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker energizes Florida Democrats in Tampa
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who also owns a home in Florida, made the trip to the Sunshine State to energize Democrats and emphasize what’s at stake this election. “Florida is in dire need of a pro-choice, Democratic governor, and Governor Pritzker is proud to support the Florida Democratic Party in their efforts to flip the state blue,” a Pritzker campaign spokeswoman told Politico ahead of the Leadership Blue Gala event in Tampa. The Illinois governor and billionaire businessman is also running for reelection this year and has been floated as a potential presidential candidate for his passion and popularity among Illinoisans. During his speech, Pritzker accused the GOP of being “naked and afraid” for their pursuit of what he viewed as fear-based policies. “They’re afraid of fighting inflation by producing goods made in America. They’re afraid of fiscal policy that says that the highest income earners, like me, should pay the highest tax rates. They’re afraid of raising the minimum wage, because it might unshackle the working poor,” he added. His speech was intended to motivate Democrats in a year in which Republicans seem to have the upper-hand. Gov. Pritzker warned of “complacency” and urged the party to be bold. He even went of the attack against Gov. DeSantis, which he called “subtle Trump” stating, “[DeSantis is] trying to pass off his covert racism, homophobia and misogyny as a more-reasonable form of Trump Republicanism.”
Major Tampa Bay Homeless Shelter Closes
One of Tampa Bay’s largest homeless shelters is shutting its doors and will not be accepting new occupants. Grace House is Pinellas County’s largest homeless shelter for families and has begun turning prospective residents away amid a funding loss. The shelter has been forced to convert to an affordable housing complex by October after the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County voted unanimously in 2020 to end its $400,000 in annual funding commitments due to concerns about the nonprofit’s finances, management, and treatment of occupants. Located in Clearwater, Grace House has operated for over three decades and features 80 beds in 14 apartment-style shelter units that accepts families with children experiencing homelessness. The shelter works to relocate residents to permanent housing. With this closure and the loss of nearly 60% of beds available to homeless families in Pinellas County, many people fear the impacts it will have on the community. Local organizations that provide homeless services say they expect greater demand on resources and access to housing. Due to the limited supply of shelters, non-profit officials emphasized the need to coordinate with other homeless service providers and concentrate on advocacy.
MLB Commissioner: Tampa is Preferred for Rays
As discussions of the Tampa Bay Rays’ future home — whether Tampa or St. Petersburg — and the prospects for the current Tropicana Field site have turned into a dragged out saga, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has weighed in. Traditionally mum on the issue, Manfred said this week that he prefers proposed sites in Tampa over St. Pete for the Rays’ next stadium. However, he added one caveat — that the location would be one factor of many to consider. “What financing is available, what sites are available, how quickly you can get in the ground. So it’s not just the location. There are other things that you need to take into account,” Manfred said before Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. As MLB’s chief, he has largely stayed out of the Rays’ decade-long quest for a new stadium and has previously deferred to the team’s leadership and local officials to discuss such matters. However, last month, Manfred did stress the importance in swiftly getting these efforts underway.
Over a Hundred Florida Churches File Lawsuit to Leave United Methodist Church
106 Methodist churches have filed a lawsuit against the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, its governing body, to separate amid a theological schism and a property dispute. Central to the lawsuit is the United Methodist Church denomination’s embrace of the ordination and marriage of its LGBTQ members. The clashing beliefs and how to approach same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ issues that the Methodist denomination has warmed to has left many congregants at odds. The Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, granted permission for the 106 churches to disaffiliate, but the Conference requires them to pay a so-called exit fee, which the churches say is burdensome. This means the properties would still be owned by a trust of the governing United Methodist denomination unless they pay steep apportionments and pension liabilities. The matter will go before a Florida jury to decide whether the Conference’s grip on these churches is legal.
Tampa Bay’s Desire for Commuter Train Service is Derailed
Leaders and organizations in the Tampa Bay area have long floated the idea of bringing a passenger rail service to the area, providing a much-needed viable mass transit option to residents. Often, these discussions have focused on the railroad tracks owned and operated by CSX after the rail-based freight transportation company offered two infrequently used segments in Tampa Bay for sale in 2015. The freight lines travel through four counties in the area, from Brooksville in Hernando County to St. Petersburg in Pinellas County. However, CSX has reversed their previous offer with Florida Department of Transportation officials saying the company is “not interested” selling. “CSX operations in Tampa are essential to the national supply chain network. Our priority is to protect CSX’s critical assets, preserving our ability to grow and provide reliable, efficient freight rail service to our customers,” the company says. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) continues to show desires to study the feasibility of a future passenger rail in the area, proposing as much as $3.5 million to do so.
Despite CSX new reluctance to sell the underutilized tracks, the company has done so in the past. In 2011, CSX sold over 60 miles of rail lines to the state for $150 million that would later be used for Orlando’s SunRail, the commuter train service that spans from southwest Kissimmee to DeLand.
Miami Developer Purchases Waterfront Area in Downtown Tampa for $55.5 Million
Miami-based developer Related Group is placing its bets on downtown Tampa and the Riverwalk district that has seen a serious boon in the last several years and has attracted numerous projects. Related Group paid $55.5 million for 6 acres of waterfront across multiple parcels that sit along the Hillsborough River, largely near South Parker Street and West Kennedy Boulevard. While this isn’t Related’s first project in Tampa, having previously built an apartment complex nearby, it does represent their focus on Tampa Bay. In fact, outside of Miami, Tampa is the developer’s largest market. The Related Group is planning the site for a mixed-use development that features more than 1,000 residential units, nearly 33,000 square feet of retail space, and several boat slips. The project will include luxury market-rate apartments alongside smaller, more affordable units, but the developer’s other housing projects largely cater to higher-end buyers. This includes downtown St. Petersburg’s Icon Central high-rise luxury apartments that the Related Group sold for $149.6 million in 2021. Although, the company does have a history of investing in mixed-income housing, such as the West River redevelopment project and Rome Yard, both projects in west Tampa that include affordable and workforce housing.
Sen. Rubio: Americans Can Choose Between “Lunacy” or “Common Sense”
Speaking to hundreds of conservatives at the Sarasota County Fairground over the weekend, Republican Senator Marco Rubio went on the attack against liberal policies and left-wing ideology within the Democratic Party. Delivering the keynote address, Rubio criticized what he viewed as liberal indoctrination in public education and hypothesized that the social and cultural issues across the nation will be good news for the GOP in the mid-term election. He also called for unity among Republicans to support what he views as common sense issues. “The choice in American politics today is no longer simply left and right, or Republican and Democrat…The choice is between common sense and complete and utter lunacy,” Rubio said. Another target of the Florida Senator was critical race theory and transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, before attacking Democrats for widespread inflation and the rise in fuel prices.
Bucs' Single-Game Tickets for 2022-23 Season on the Rise
If you are hoping to watch Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium this season, you better act quickly as prices are continuing to rise. On secondary markets like Ticketmaster, the prices for the most in-demand games like the Green Bay Packers or Kansas City Chiefs are costing well above $300 per ticket for the cheapest seats. Other games such as those against defending Super Bowl champs, the Los Angeles Rams, or the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, are running north of $200 per ticket. Existing season-ticket holders are not affected by the price hikes.
Homeowner Must Pay $30K For Uncut Grass, Federal Judge Rules
A federal judge has ruled that a Dunedin man must pay $30,000 in fines imposed by the City for code violations for failing to mow his lawn. And a second federal court has since affirmed the decision. The legal battle began in 2018 when James Ficken was cited by the City for “high grass,” resulting in $500 fines per day. The total accrued to nearly $30,000 and Ficken sued the City of Dunedin in 2019 when the municipality began foreclosure on his home. He previously ran into trouble for numerous code violations as far back as 2007 and was declared a “repeat violator” in 2015 for an unkempt lawn. Ficken’s legal counsel argued that fines were excessive and no notice was issued. After three-years of legal battles, two federal courts have ruled that the homeowner will have to pay the hefty fines after declaring the City acted appropriately and the penalties are not “unconstitutionally excessive.” Now Mr. Ficken risks losing his home. The case may be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, per his lawyers.
Bass Pro Shops Continues Buying Massive Amount of Land in Putnam County
Outdoor recreation retailer Bass Pro Shops has been snagging land in southern Putnam County, purchasing as much as 5,200 acres in recent years. Putnam County is located in northeastern Florida, east of Gainesville. The county seat and largest city is Palatka. So, what does a mega retailer hope to do with so much land? While plans haven’t been revealed by the company, one thought is that Bass Pro Shops will eventually build an Wilderness-themed resort on the land, similar to its very own Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri. That property spans roughly 4,600 acres. Executives with Bass Pro Shops says no specific plans have been outlined for the thousands of acres the company has purchased.
Republican Wins State House Seat After Opponent is Removed from Ballot
House District 57, covering north Pinellas County, will have a new representative after a judge ruled one of two candidates in the race did not qualify to run. Republican Adam Anderson will now represent the district after now being unopposed in the State House race. His opponent, Austin Brownfield, was determined to be ineligible to run in the Republican primary as a 2021 Florida law requires candidates to be registered members of their party for a minimum of 365 days before the qualifying period begins. Brownfield updated his party registration to Republican in March after having no party affiliation.
Rush Limbaugh’s Mansion Up For Sale at a Record Price
In the market for a new home? How about a Mansion? The widow of the late conservative firebrand talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh is looking to sell the Palm Beach estate between the price tag of $150 million and $175 million, which would make it among the most expensive home in the state. The 2.7-acre waterfront property is located along the exclusive North Ocean Boulevard area with a 24,000-square-foot main residence and roughly 250 feet of beach access. Limbaugh died last year from lung cancer and now his widow Kathryn Adams is covertly shopping the home through a realtor for a stunning sum, according to The Wall Street Journal. The right-wing, and often-controversial radio host, reportedly paid less than $4 million for the 2-story home in 1998. Last year, immediately after Limbaugh’s death, reports indicated the home’s value at $50 million.
Presidente Supermarkets’ Scrutinized After Series of Failed Inspections
It has been a rough two months for Miami-based Presidente Supermarkets as seven stores have failed Florida Department of Agricultures inspections since June 10. The issues noted by inspectors range from fruit flies in the produce department, raw meat packaging open longer than 7 days, food stored at improper temperatures, old particles of meat on preparation equipment, and disrepair of coolers and freezers used to house seafood, meat, and produce. Presidente Supermarkets is a privately-owned family business that is one of the largest Hispanic grocery chains in the U.S., with about 30 stores in South Florida and Orlando. It is a stretch of bad news for the supermarket, but not the first time the chain was received negative press, having failed evaluations in past years. Generally, when a grocery store fails a Department of Agriculture inspection, the location is imposed with a Stop Use Order on either equipment or departments within the store until reinspected.
Brightline Construction Forces Numerous Road Closures
As Brightline lays down track, builds necessary infrastructure, and makes upgrades to existing crossings during the buildout of its rail extension to Orlando, communities throughout Central and Southeast Florida have been plagued by multiple lane and road closures. Significant closures are felt in St. Lucie and Martin Counties as well as areas of greater Orlando. The 170-mile extension project from West Palm Beach to Orlando spans six counties and motorists are warned to expect detours through the end of 2022.
NBA Star Steph Curry Purchases Winter Park Home
After winning his fourth NBA Championship, Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry will be spending the off-season in Florida. Curry and his wife Ayesha have purchased a Florida vacation home in Winter Park for a $2.1 million price tag after getting involved in a bidding war, according to Orlando Weekly. The four-bed, three-bath home sits on a quarter-acre lot just north of Orlando and features of 4,200 square-foot. The home is an addition to their primary $31-million residence in Atherton, California, in the Silicon Valley area, outside of San Francisco.
U-Hauls Pile Up
A parade of U-Hauls trucks were seen leaving Panama City Beach last week after a surplus of vehicles became stockpiled in the City due to all the new residents moving to the area. U-Haul was forced to hire private contractors to move the trucks out and transfer them across the region to be used by others wishing to move. In February 2022, U-Haul said people coming to Florida in one-way U-Haul trucks rose 27 percent year-over-year. Panama City Beach and the surrounding area has seen tremendous growth in the last year with 1-year home prices rising over 26%, according to Zillow data.
Loose Cows Cause Traffic Jam for Hours Along Highway
Traffic along a stretch of Florida’s Turnpike in Osceola County, just south of Orlando, grinded to a halt for hours on Monday afternoon after a herd of about 70 cows got loose. A semi-truck fire forced the driver to pull over to open the cattle trailer and let the cows loose, rescuing them from the ensuing flames and smoke. Of course, the cattle strayed onto the highway and it took a massive effort of law enforcement, fire department crews, and other drivers to help corral the animals. The traffic near St. Cloud was jammed for over three hours.
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