News: POLITICO Florida Playbook: Elsa nears — Surfside tragedy continues

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

POLITICO Florida Playbook: Elsa nears — Surfside tragedy continues — Florida Covid-19 cases surge

Jul 07, 2021

Hello and welcome to Wednesday.

The disaster state — Florida's well-worn reputation as one of the nation's most disaster-prone states is once again on full display as it prepares for a likely hurricane as rescue workers continue to dig out the Surfside condo collapse that has so far left 32 dead. I know what the Florida natives among you are saying? "It's a Category 1, time for a hurricane party!" And for the most part you'll probably be right, but it still requires considerable resources and preparation for those state officials not making a pre-hurricane party run to the liquor store.

Windbreaker time — Gov. Ron DeSantis has been spending more time than he would like recently with the navy blue windbreaker that, in some form, is almost always worn by politicians during times of high-profile disasters. So far, DeSantis has largely gotten high marks for his response, which on Tuesday really started to incorporate storm preparation as his emergency management officials predicted a Wednesday morning landfill for Hurricane Elsa. As part of that preparation, Desantis expanded his original emergency order from 17 to 22 counties.

'Walk and chew gum' — Working multiple disasters comes with the territory when you're the emergency management department for a hurricane-attracting peninsula that has some regions that can start on fire, while others sink into the sea. Officials with Florida's Division of Emergency Management are experienced and know what they are doing, or as former DEM Director Jared Moskowitz put it to Playbook: "While every emergency brings different challenges (like Surfside) we built a division so it can walk and chew gum at the same time."

WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis.

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...HURRICANE HOLE...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media on June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Fla.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media on June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

GEARING UP — "Gov. DeSantis warns Florida Gulf Coast to brace for storm surge, rain from Tropical Storm Elsa," by Tallahassee Democrat's James Call: "Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning residents along the Gulf Coast that the time to prepare for Elsa is now, with forecasters warning it could strengthen as it moves closer to land. Florida emergency officials are bracing for storm surge, heavy rains, flash flooding, and damaging winds — including isolated tornadoes — as Elsa begins to move north along the Florida peninsula and Gulf Coast."

HERE WE GO — " Tropical Storm strengthens, expected to become hurricane before landfall in Florida," by Naples Daily News' Diane Pantaleo and Cheryl McCloud: "Tropical Storm Elsa strengthened Tuesday afternoon as it pounded the Florida Keys with tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain. The storm could become a hurricane before it makes landfall in Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. Some areas along the west coast of Florida are under a hurricane warning, and the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch in 20 Florida counties until 11 p.m."

ALWAYS A FEW — " As officials urge caution, some hit the beach prior to the arrival of Tropical Storm Elsa," by Sarasota Herald Tribune's Patricia McKnight and Earle Kimel: "Sarasota County Emergency Management officials were still monitoring Tropical Storm Elsa as of Tuesday afternoon, with the Emergency Operations Center partially staffed, at a Level 2 activation. Even as Elsa remained offshore, the radius of maximum winds was 75 miles, with tropical storm force wind gusts possible 150 miles away, Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane noted in a noon Facebook update. The system also gained some strength as it moved north over the warm Gulf."

— "Tampa Bay's power companies prepare for Tropical Storm Elsa ," by Tampa Bay Times' Malena Carollo

DRIVING THE DAY

RIP — "After demolition of Surfside condo, more of the dead are being found in original rubble," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross and Jay Weaver: "The demolition of the rest of the Surfside condo tower that partially collapsed nearly two weeks ago seems to be helping rescue workers uncover more deceased victims in the original rubble, with officials reporting Tuesday that four more bodies have been found. The death toll is now at 32. Of those, 26 have been identified. Another 113 are unaccounted for since the partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo on June 24, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Tuesday morning at a news briefing."

HOW IT WENT DOWN — " How the Surfside tower was imploded in just days: Hours of drilling, 128 lbs of dynamite," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks, David Ovalle, and Joey Flechas: "When Mark Loizeaux arrived in Surfside late last week, the 73-year-old explosives veteran walked into a private debate on how long to wait before demolishing the unstable remains of the Champlain Towers South tower. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters a demolition would take weeks. Loizeaux and his crew said they could do it in days."

MARKET RESPONDS — "'Should we sell?' After collapse, hot Florida market faces uncertainty," by The New York Times' Rick Rojas and Sophie Kasakove: "Ines Mason bought the 14th-floor condo in a building perched on an island in Biscayne Bay five years ago as a getaway, lured by the captivating view of the water. 'In the morning, the sun rises, you can see that,' she said. 'It's amazing.' But after seeing another high-rise similar to her own collapse nearly two weeks ago in the nearby city of Surfside, suddenly her Florida escape turned into a source of anxiety."

— "'It really, really hurts.' Family lived together in condo collapse, including couple who married in May," by Fort Myers News Press' Amy Bennett Williams

THE FIFTY

SURPLUSES — "States faced financial ruin. Now they're swimming in cash.," by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan: As the coronavirus tore across America last spring, elected leaders and economists feared the worst: the pandemic and resulting financial turmoil would devastate the budgets of states across the nation. Governors pleaded with Washington for a massive bailout. States borrowed billions to close the gap. And Mitch McConnell told them all to go bankrupt. Now, cash is raining down on state capitals as the economy rebounds faster than virtually anyone expected. The rich got richer as the stock market boomed. Businesses are begging workers to come back, juicing pay and raising prices to cover the costs. And Congress, in the end, did come through with a mountain of aid meant to plug deficits from Honolulu to Augusta.

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

OOPS — "Florida's teacher bonus plan may violate COVID-19 relief money rules," by Orlando Sentinel's Leslie Postal: "Florida's plan to use federal COVID-19 relief money to give classroom teachers and school principals $1,000 bonuses may have hit a snag. The U.S. Department of Education, in a letter this week, told Florida education leaders their bonus plan looks likely to conflict with federal requirements that the money help address student "learning loss" brought on by the pandemic."

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Covid-19 Update

FIGHT GOES ON — "Florida won first in fight with CDC over cruise restrictions. Federal appeals court will weigh in next," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders: "A battle between Florida and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about cruise-industry restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic went to an appeals court Tuesday, as federal government attorneys also argued that a lower-court ruling should be put on hold. U.S. Department of Justice attorneys filed a notice of taking the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a federal district judge last month sided with Florida and issued a preliminary injunction against the restrictions."

COMEBACK TIME? — " COVID-19 tracker: Leon County's cases up 130%; Florida causes surge 42%," by Tallahassee Democrat's Mike Stucka: "New coronavirus cases leaped in Florida in the week ending Sunday, rising 42% as 15,684 cases were reported. The previous week had 11,048 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. Florida ranked fifth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows."

CAMPAIGN MODE

NEW CHARACTER — "Prosecutors: Miami man paid sham state Senate candidate $9k on behalf of Artiles," by Miami Herald's Ana Ceballos: "An acquaintance of former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles was unveiled on Tuesday as a new character involved in a public corruption scandal that has ensnared Artiles and a web of political organizations he did business with during the 2020 election cycle. State prosecutors said Wade Scales, a Facebook friend of Artiles, withdrew $9,000 in cash from his bank account 'at the behest of Artiles' and gave them to Alexis Pedro Rodriguez, a no-party candidate who investigators allege was paid around $45,000 to enter the race in attempt to sway the outcome of Miami-Dade's Senate District 37 election in favor of the Republican candidate."

KEEPS TALKING — "Key player in Gaetz probe seeks sentencing delay so he can keep cooperating with feds," POLITICO's Matt Dixon: A key figure in the ongoing federal sex-crime investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz is seeking to delay his sentencing as he continues to cooperate with prosecutors. Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector who in May pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and corruption-related charges, requested in a motion filed Tuesday a delay in his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 19. Prosecutors are not opposing the motion, court records show. He faces a minimum of 12 years in prison.

BOUNCING BACK — "Post-insurrection exodus from Republican Party was real, but it didn't last," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Anthony Mann: "Immediately after Donald Trump supporters went on a rampage through the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to block counting of the electoral votes that confirmed Joe Biden's presidential victory, people responded 1,000 miles away in South Florida. Within hours, voters began leaving the Republican Party. Within weeks, thousands of South Florida Republicans changed their voter registrations."

PLAYING CATCH UP — "Nikki Fried's first month fundraising trails Crist, DeSantis," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross: "With a strategy of leaning on small-dollar donors, Democrat candidate for Florida governor Nikki Fried announced her first month's fundraising numbers Tuesday, a modest haul coming in at just under $813,000. About 92 percent of contributions to the agriculture commissioner fell below $100."

— "Audrey Gibson backs Charlie Crist for Governor," by Florida Politics' Kelly Hayes

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

First Lady Jill Biden will be in Orlando Thursday for the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. She will arrive in Florida at 6 p.m., then meet with spellers and their families before the primetime event begins, according to guidance from her office.

RIP — " University of North Florida's only woman president, Anne Hopkins, dies at age 79," by Florida Times-Union's Emily Bloch: "The University of North Florida's fourth president and only woman president in the school's 49-year history, has died. Anne Hopkins passed away over the weekend, UNF confirmed Tuesday through a press release. She was 79-years-old and would have celebrated her 80th birthday next month."

ON THE RISE — "Florida's average gas price passes $3 for first time since 2014," by Local 10's David Selig: "Brace for an expensive summer at the gas pump. Floridians are paying an average of $3.01 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline on Tuesday morning, the first time that number has passed $3 since October 2014, according to the American Automobile Association. If you're looking for a silver lining, AAA doesn't anticipate Florida's prices to be affected greatly by Tropical Storm Elsa. However, the high prices may be here to stay for a while."

RECOVERY BEGINS — " Baker's Cay Florida Keys luxury hotel sells for $200 million in bet on 'Revenge Spending,'" by Bloomberg's Patrick Clark: "The largest publicly traded owner of US hotels is buying a resort in the Florida Keys as revenge-spending vacationers spur investments in lodging assets. Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. is paying $200 million for Baker's Cay Resort in Key Largo, acquiring a newly renovated property with 200 rooms in a part of the country that is leading the nascent hotel recovery."

BIRTHDAYS: State Sen. Janet Cruz … State Rep. Stan McClain

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