Sunrise

The Governor says out loud what we've all been thinking; in Ron DeSantis World, he's the victim … not the one slinging bullshit.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Miami-Dade’s school superintendent draws a line in the sand. He opposes the Governor's emergency order that forbids mandatory mask policies at public schools and told the Board of Education their threats mean nothing to him.

— Florida Democrats in Congress are criticizing the Governor's mask policy … or lack thereof. And they blame DeSantis for the resurgence of COVID-19 in Florida.

— And finally, two Florida Men: One used a bogus credit card to steal $10,000 worth of home improvement supplies from a Home Depot. The other has his phone in one hand — and his dick in the other.

COVID-19 casualties continue to pile up in Florida.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Florida Board of Education votes to crack down on two school districts accused of trying to protect their students from COVID-19. Alachua and Broward are being punished for refusing to make masks optional.

— Charlie Crist comes out swinging in the battle over face masks, with his first commercial attacking Ron DeSantis over his COVID-19 response. It will not be the last.

— The Governor announces another site for COVID-19 sufferers to get monoclonal antibodies.

— And since when did DeSantis become a pitchman for Regeneron? There's a theory on that.

— And finally, a Florida Man and his Florida Woman used bogus vaccine passports to travel to Hawaii.

High school student JJ Holmes is pleading with the Governor to let districts adopt masking policies so he can go back to school. JJ has cerebral palsy; he's confined to a wheelchair, and can't go back to school if the other kids don't have to wear a mask.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— JJ appeared courtesy of Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who continues to attack the Governor's entire response to the COVID-19 crisis.

— The Governor held a news conference in Orlando Monday to talk about treating COVID-19 patients with Regeneron treatment … a monoclonal antibody cocktail for people who already have this disease. He even brought one of his top health bureaucrats because her daughter was treated with monoclonal antibodies.

— But Democrats in the Legislature says there is so much more the Governor should be doing to help hospitals deal with the new wave of COVID-19 cases.

— And finally, two stories: A Florida Man who can steal your catalytic converter in 90 seconds flat and a Florida Woman arrested for exposing his breasts to her husband ... in jail.

The showdown over masks in schools is heading to court. Parents are suing the state over the Governor’s ban on mask mandates and the state wants the court to dismiss the lawsuit without a full hearing.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The state plans to file a motion to dismiss before noon … a decision could come by the end of the week.

— The Governor's "no mask mandate" is also playing out in the court of public opinion. School boards in Alachua and Broward have ignored Ron DeSantis' threat to cut their funding if they require students to mask up.

— Broward County School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood says they know from firsthand experience that masks prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

— It was quite a week in Florida: 152,000 cases of COVID-19 and 1,071 fatalities. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says we're doing worse than Third World nations — all of them.

— And finally, the stories of two Florida Men: One was busted for threatening Disney executives with C-4 plastic explosives and hand grenades; the other stole $13 million and spent it on internet porn.

The body of the legendary FSU Football coach Bobby Bowden will lie in state in the Historic Capitol from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. for public viewing. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for charitable contributions to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— Gov. Ron DeSantis is dropping hints that the state may resume daily COVID-19 reports after cutting back to weekly reports in June — just before the summer spike began. But now the Governor says they can use those county-by-county breakdowns.

— House Democrats want more than just maybe. They want numbers. But until the state starts publishing those numbers again, Nikki Fried says you can always count on the feds.

— DeSantis is starting a new program to treat COVID-19 victims with Regeneron, and for once it sounds like he's taking the delta variant seriously.

— The Governor’s Office is also conceding they don't have the authority to withhold the salaries of school board members and superintendents who voted to impose mask mandates at local schools.

— Sunrise looks at vaccine hesitancy and how to talk with people who won't get the shot.

— And finally, three Florida Men used a shark to open a can of beer.

The battle over mask mandates in schools is getting tense. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is warning Broward County schools to rescind their mask mandate or face sanctions … but the Joe Biden administration says it will work to bypass the Ron DeSantis administration.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— The Governor is still spinning the stats for kids who are sick with COVID-19. Despite the surge in pediatric cases, DeSantis insists the proportions of kids infected with the disease are the same as last year.

— Once again, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is appealing to DeSantis to change his mind about masks and start talking about the surge in COVID-19 cases.

— They may not want to talk about COVID-19 right now, but DeSantis and friends have started handing out $1,000 checks to teachers ... a reward for their service last year during the pandemic. So, you had Corcoran threatening to cut off funding for districts that impose mask mandates while also handing out checks to teachers who masked up last year.

— And finally, two Florida Men: One is suing Facebook over censorship, the other is nursing a head wound after trying to hide from a police dog.

Democrats in the House are urging school boards to ignore the Governor's ban on school mask mandates and stand up for student safety. But Gov. Ron DeSantis says parents need to make that decision … not school boards and superintendents.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Are there limits when your choice affects other children?

— Meanwhile, more school districts say they will ignore the Governor's orders against mask mandates. The latest is Broward County.

— DeSantis and the CDC are disputing some new case numbers and the result could be the resumption of daily COVID-19 reports by the Florida Department of Health.

— The Governor starts handing out bonus checks to law enforcement.

— And finally, a Florida man got lost on a golf cart. He was searching for a Chili’s but ended up in jail.

It’s turned into Nikki Fried day; she's all over Sunrise. For starters, she continues to do the Governor's job supplying updates on COVID-19.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Gov. Ron DeSantis has insisted masks CANNOT be mandatory when classes resume, but school board members say they're the ones who should make that decision.

— You'll hear from Lila Harley, the young girl from Jacksonville who wrote a letter to her school board pleading for a mask mandate.

— Fried is also urging local officials to ignore the Governor's "no mask mandate" when they make plans for the upcoming school year.

— And finally, two Florida Men: One put hidden cameras in the bathroom of his martial arts studio; the other bit off part of another man's ear.

Florida’s COVID-19 crisis shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, it's getting worse.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— More people are hospitalized than ever … but the Governor is trying to dismiss those numbers by say it's all part of the cycle.

— Florida's kids are heading back to school and Gov. Ron DeSantis is sticking to his guns … saying local school districts cannot require students to wear a mask.

— The state Board of Education weighed in, but not in a good way. They adopted an emergency rule saying students shamed for refusing to wear a mask in school are eligible for a scholarship to a private school.

— The rule was approved unanimously by the Governor's supporters who serve on the board.

— And finally, two Florida Men: One of them had to call a professional trapper to get rid of a toilet iguana; the other died of COVID-19 after downplaying the epidemic.

Gov. Ron DeSantis held a secret meeting on COVID-19. No reporters in the room mean no embarrassing questions about the rise in cases.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Democrats in the Legislature are piling on DeSantis. Sen. Annette Taddeo wants the Governor to declare a state of emergency and Sen. Audrey Gibson wants him to order the health department to return to daily reporting of COVID-19 stats.

— Congressman Charlie Crist, who is running for Governor, says DeSantis is more concerned with a run for the White House than he is about the surge in COVID-19 cases.

— And as long as the Governor is ignoring the issue, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried — also running for Governor — decided to start holding her own news conferences on the COVID-19 crisis.

— In Washington, the House holds its first hearing on the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, much to the dismay of Congressman Matt Gaetz.

— Speaking of Gaetz, his future sister-in-law describes him as “weird and creepy.” Roxanne Luckey posted a video on social media describing how he encouraged a colleague in his mid-30s to ask her out when she was a 19-year-old Capitol intern.

— And finally, a Florida man wanted to walk to New York in a water bubble.