Florida’s Surgeon General is continuing to evangelize against mask wearing like it’s 2022. His latest theory? People wearing protective coverings over their faces simply don’t want to be seen, said the state’s Chief Health Officer and doctor of medicine at the University of Florida. Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said a doctor at the University of California Los Angeles talked to “some of her medical residents, physicians in training who are wearing masks and it turns out it seems like some people, they just like to hide their faces, which is a really sad testament to humanity and where we are ..read more

Animal rescue nonprofit executive and House District 94 candidate Meg Weinberger now has the vocal and monetary support of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which represents more than 5,000 law enforcement employees. In a letter shared with Florida Politics, Palm Beach PBA President John Kazanjian confirmed his organization’s endorsement of Weinberger. “We will ask all our members, their families and friends — and all citizens of State of Florida District 94 who respect the strong and efficient enforcement of our laws, to cast their ballots in support of Meg Weinberger ..read more

Ex-Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger wants to make clear where he stands on Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. He endorsed her back in September along with 25 other municipal Mayors. But now that he’s running to supplant her — and in light of problems he has with her leadership, including her handling of the 2021 Champlain Towers South condo collapse — he’s rescinding that nod. “It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of my decision to withdraw my endorsement for your 2024 re-election campaign,” Danzinger said in a letter to Levine Cava. “Recent events and actions have left me pr ..read more

Liz Dahan, who was the seventh Democrat to enter the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, has now qualified for the race. “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the people of Florida’s 13th District,” Dahan said. “My campaign is focused on delivering real results for our community and ensuring that every voice is heard. Together, we will work tirelessly to defeat extreme obstructionist Anna Paulina Luna, who fuels divisive politics that have held us back for too long. I am confident that with the support of Florida’s 13th, we can overcome any obstacle and build a brighte ..read more

Citrus County Judge Charles Helm is moving up. Gov. Ron DeSantis is promoting Helm, a Florida City resident, to the 5th Judicial Circuit Court bench. He succeeds Judge Anthony Tatti, who stepped down from the bench on March 31 after nearly 40 years of public service, including 13 years on the Circuit Court. DeSantis’ Office announced Helm’s appointment Thursday. Helm grew up in Zephyrhills and worked as a Plant City Police officer and K-9 handler for six years before beginning his legal career. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Liberty University School of Law in 2015, four years after attai ..read more

Florida’s homeowner insurance crisis is turning a corner with “light at the end of the tunnel” and “good news” as a slate of new companies come into the market and put downward pressure on rates. But homeowners, still facing price hikes, aren’t seeing it yet. That was the message from most officials at an insurance panel convened by Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. He and other lawmakers and regulators touted changes enacted by the Legislature to reduce lawsuits as having the intended effect. Reinsurance costs, a key component of costly rate hikes in recent years, are expected to stay f ..read more

Three Florida cities top the list of the most risky places for small businesses among major U.S. metro areas, according to recent findings by Forbes Advisory. The Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa areas, respectively, filled in the top three slots in the findings regarding risky areas for small businesses. California also had three cities in the top 10. Sacramento was at fourth, San Diego was fifth and Los Angeles was sixth. The Forbes methodology for the rankings considered factors such as financial metrics, including commercial real estate rental rates and corporate tax rates; safety risk metric ..read more

A stalking complaint filed by Rudy Ferguson Sr., a candidate for a Tallahassee City Commission seat, against Stanley Sims, a local activist and longtime critic of City Hall, has been thrown out by a Judge. Judge Dawn Caloca-Johnson of the 2nd Circuit Court tossed aside Ferguson’s request for a stalking injunction against Sims following an interaction Feb. 21 during a City Commission meeting. “Mr. Ferguson’s failed efforts to abuse the legal system to bar ordinary people’s right to access our local government and candidates for public office is wrong and without legal merit,” said Sims’ attorne ..read more

Florida’s Governor is setting the stage with yet another showdown with the Democratic White House. This one is about new language from the Joe Biden administration reconfiguring Title IX to protect students on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the latter of which Florida Republicans don’t believe is up for debate. “We will not comply and we will fight back. We are not going to let Joe Biden try to inject men into women’s activities. We are not going to let Joe Biden undermine the rights of parents and we are not going to let Joe Biden abuse his constitutional aut ..read more

Billy Corben is out of the running for Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. The documentary filmmaker withdrew from the contest Wednesday night near the end of a Zoom forum featuring three other Chair candidates: Sen. Shevrin Jones, Miami-Dade College Democrats President Manuel Fernandez and Biscayne Gardens Chamber of Commerce President Bernard Jennings. Corben cited disorder and favoritism within the party’s leadership, including acting Chair Laura Wagner’s endorsement of Jones and a refusal to reschedule Friday’s Chair election so it doesn’t conflict with Passover, among his reasons ..read more