Sunrise

Florida’s latest COVID-19 stats are showing another surge is underway. The state Department of Health is reporting a 51% increase in new cases last week compared to the previous week and the delta variant is now the dominant strain in Florida.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Vaccinations are the key to beating the pandemic; 55% of Floridians are at least partially vaccinated. But you don't hear much about it from the Governor anymore. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is running for Governor next year, says Ron DeSantis should be doing everything he can to encourage people to get their shots.

— During a speech to the Democratic Club of The Villages, Fried also accused DeSantis of trying to rewrite the history of Florida's COVID-19 response to make himself look better.

— It's back to Zoom for employees at the Miami-Dade Courthouse. In the aftermath of the Champlain Tower condo collapse in Surfside, engineers recommended emergency repairs at the courthouse, so employees are back to working at home.

— And finally, a Florida Man walks the beach with a loaded gun on his back just hoping to be stopped by police.

Two weeks after the collapse of the condo in Surfside, the search for survivors has become a search for remains. The focus is now on the survivors, to help them deal with the trauma.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Governor is also promising survivors they won't have to pay property taxes on the rubble that used to be their home.

— If you lost power after Elsa blew through, Public Service Commission Chairman Gary Clark says it should be restored today. He made the announcement Thursday.

— Storm damages were minimal, but there was one fatality: a sailor stationed in Jacksonville died when a tree branch fell to the street and tore the top off his car.

— Senate Democrats want Gov. Ron DeSantis to do a better job convincing reluctant Floridians to get vaccinated.

— Two South Florida men are suspects in the assassination of the President of Haiti.

— The Florida Man who created a charity called "We Build the Wall,” accused of keeping the money for himself, has been indicted again.

— Florida Realtors bank big bucks for their constitutional amendment drive.

— And finally, a Florida Man sues a Florida Couple in a dispute over dogs, a stolen fence, peeping neighbors, high-intensity lights aimed next door and signs accusing the neighbor of being a perv. In other words, just your average day in the land of Florida Man.

Elsa moves on; it's time to clean up.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— If you plan to post any pictures of the damage on social media, the state Emergency Management director says tag him … they may be able to use those pictures when filing a claim with the feds.

— As the search continues in the rubble of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, the Governor refuses to say whether Florida should do anything to encourage more inspections of aging condo towers.

— The tower may have been 40 years old, but Ron DeSantis says it had problems from the start.

— Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is calling on the state's highest court to hear an appeal over Florida's law that preempts the authority of city and county commissions to pass gun laws. It also threatens big fines and even removal from office for any official who dares to try.

— Fried was joined by a host of local officials from South Florida who say that preemption law is a violation of their First Amendment rights and prevents them from protecting their own citizens.

— A South Florida lawmaker holds a workshop on community violence. Rep. Kevin Chambliss says they're looking for solutions.

— And finally, a Florida Man found a million dollars when cleaning up his house.

Officials are trying to assess the damage from Elsa as it moves across the state. The Governor is worried about floods.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Good news on the economic front: Florida's tax collections in May beat the official estimate by $574 million, much of which came from increased sales taxes.

— Speaking of sales taxes, this is the final day of the sales tax holiday for live events or outdoor gear.

— Gov. Ron DeSantis may have won the first round of his fight with the feds over cruise ships, but the battle isn't over. The Justice Department has filed a formal notice of appeal and they're raising questions about Florida's new law banning vaccine passports.

— The COVID-19 crisis took a huge financial bite out of the program that provides free and reduced prices on breakfast and lunch at Florida schools.

— Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says the Governor had federal money to fill the gaps in the school nutrition program but chose to spend it elsewhere. So, she bypassed him and got the money directly from the USDA.

— And finally, two Florida Man stories: A professional wrestler who needs to hire a chauffeur; and a guy who punched a 74-year-old woman at Home Depot before stabbing another associate with a screwdriver. Talk about the wrong tool for the job.

Florida’s Emergency Operations Center is on alert as Elsa makes a run at the Sunshine State. The Governor says your best advice is NOT to bug out.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Elsa didn't do much in Miami-Dade, but the threat of high winds and excess water was enough to convince officials to order the demolition of the remains of the Surfside Condo before the storm made things worse.

— They found more bodies after the demolition, but more than 100 people are still missing.

— Another lawsuit has been filed against the state's new gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe. The company that owns Miami’s Magic City Casino and the Bonita Springs Poker Room claims it violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

— Part-time Florida Man Donald Trump got an early start on Independence Day when he held a rally in Sarasota Saturday night. It was his first rally in Florida since losing the election — which he still won't admit.

— Trump spent most of his time spinning the big lie about a rigged election; he also suggested lynching might be appropriate for The Capitol cop who shot and killed a MAGA rioter on Insurrection Day.

— And finally, stories of two Florida Men, with one accused of illegal dumping in a residential neighborhood, including 3,700 pounds of wet concrete.

Florida’s usual political follies are taking a back seat to the tragedy in Miami-Dade where a condo collapsed. Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett says the building literally pancaked and calls it a horrific catastrophe.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— Emergency crews from across Miami-Dade have converged on the site and the Governor went to see for himself. “It's bad.”

— It's going to be a while before they figure out exactly why this happened.

— Before Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to Miami-Dade, he held a news conference in Tampa to sign bills rebooting the state's vocational education and training system. He says that makes more sense for some people when compared to the price of a university degree.

— 150,000 Floridians who are receiving federal unemployment benefits during the pandemic will be cut off early. DeSantis is taking Florida out of the program 10 weeks early … which means those $300 weekly checks end Saturday.

— And finally, part-time Florida Man Donald Trump will be returning to the Sunshine State on July 3 for his first Florida rally since the election. There will be fireworks … both figuratively and literally. Also, the story of a Florida woman with a bad case of road rage — and a gun.

Florida gets an assist from First Lady Jill Biden, who is holding two events in the state to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— College kids can say adios to Zoom. The head of the Florida Board of Governors says the state university system is ready to return to full-time face-to-face instruction.

— The board also approved the appointment of two new university presidents … including the first full-time female president at New College of Florida. Don't let her looks deceive you: Dr. Patricia Okker can probably kick your butt … and outrun it too.

— The board also approved a new president for Florida State University and the reappointment of the presidents of Florida Poly and Florida International.

— House Speaker Chris Sprowls is asking the people who run the universities to produce innovative ideas to make sure conservative students and faculty members aren't silenced on campus.

— Congressman Matt Gaetz claims the military stand-down to address White supremacy and extremist behavior that is hurting the service … but the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says they need to know.

— And finally, police are accusing a Florida Woman of battering her boyfriend — with a plate full of chicken.

Florida’s education system is getting serious about civics. Gov. Ron DeSantis approved three bills to revamp civics instruction in Florida schools.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— One bill orders the department of education to revamp the entire civics curriculum from kindergarten till the end of high school … and more.

— Another bill prohibits colleges and universities from excluding speakers with unpopular viewpoints. It's the Florida GOP's response to longstanding claims that liberal professors cancel conservatives; House Speaker Chris Sprowls says it's more than just political posturing.

— Senate President Wilton Simpson shares that concern. During a speech to members of the Board of Governors, Simpson said universities are out of step with the rest of the state.

— On a lighter note, Wilton also recommended that members of the board not kill their annoying teenagers.

— And finally, a Florida Man is fined $2,500 because he cut the wrong nut.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is still basking in the warm glow of a favorable court ruling in his fight with the feds over getting cruise ships back in business. The Governor says there are limits to what the government can do to protect you from the pandemic.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— DeSantis made his first public comments about the court ruling during a news conference in Jacksonville about the state's financial commitment to support people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

— For Rep. Scott Plakon of Longwood, this is personal. Plakon says the state is spending more money on victims of Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

— Officials at the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council are hoping the Governor will be just as generous with their clients. They're asking DeSantis to draw down $300 million in Medicaid money to help pay for home care services.

— Big changes are coming to Florida Politics. Publisher Peter Schorsch talks about upcoming projects, including a new Florida-centric podcast, hiring new reporters to beef up coverage in Miami Dade and creating a new repository of all of the vilest political ads out there.

— And finally, the stories of two Florida men: One has a tattoo of the state on his forehead, the other is accused of pulling a gun during a dispute over cream cheese. The victim's mom is the chief of police.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody have won their first legal victory in their fight to unleash the cruise ship industry. But the battle is far from over.

Also, on today’s #Sunrise:

— 290 more names have been added to Florida's death toll from COVID 19 … along with 10,000 new cases over the past week.

— The state economy continues to rebound from the pandemic. The jobless rate was up a tad in May… but mostly because of a big increase in the labor force.

— For the first time, Florida now has just as many people in the workforce as it did before the pandemic

— Remember when Donald Trump attorney Sydney Powell promised to “release the Kraken” and prove the election was stolen? Well, Nikki Fried is threatening to do the same over an unregistered charity raising money to defend election conspiracy theories.

— Ambulances are going to the dogs … in a good way. The Governor has signed a bill saying K-9 cops injured in the line of duty are entitled to emergency care from paramedics, and an ambulance.

— The bill was inspired by a Florida Woman who founded a group called K-9s United.

—And finally, a Florida Man with a Trump flag used his truck to lay rubber all over a new rainbow painted PRIDE intersection. He's already charged with a hate crime, but wouldn't it be a hoot if he was the first arrest under Florida's new anti-protest law?