Sunrise

State officials — including Gov. Ron DeSantis — are positively giddy about the COVID-19 vaccines that a handful of hospitals are now administering.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— However, there’s a problem with the Pfizer vaccine: DeSantis says Florida may not get the expected 450,000 doses over the next two weeks.

— Florida’s Department of Health reported 9,400 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, as well as 94 more fatalities. Florida’s death toll now stands at 20,365. Shortly after announcing those numbers, the Governor held a news conference at Florida’s oldest steakhouse, where he encouraged people to dine out, implying restaurants may be safer than your home.

—The COVID-19 crisis has driven many Florida families to the brink of bankruptcy, eviction or foreclosure … but it’s been a great time for the state retirement fund. They’re making bank during the pandemic.

— On the Sunrise Interview, two South Florida prep schools canceled a basketball game because administrators didn’t want the players wearing shirts that said Black Lives Matter. Rep. Omari Hardy is asking administrators at American Heritage prep schools in Delray Beach and Plantation to confront racism instead of censoring players.

— And finally, two stories of Florida Man and Florida Woman: She tried to escape the law by jumping into a canal after hitting a tree; he was killed while breaking into a house when the window fell on his neck.

Senate President Wilton Simpson reveals he has COVID-19 on the same day vaccines were delivered to five Florida hospitals and Tampa General administers the first shots. Gov. Ron DeSantis supplied the play by play.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Tampa General President John Couris says it’s now the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Health care workers are first on the priority list … followed by residents of nursing homes and senior centers. Most Floridians won’t be able to be vaccinated until February or March at the earliest, so the doctors say it's up to all of us to stay safe until then.

— While everyone was celebrating vaccinations, the coronavirus remained on a tear in the Sunshine State. The health Department reported 138 new fatalities Monday … increasing the statewide death toll to 20,271. There were almost 85,000 newly confirmed cases of the disease … increasing the total to 1,134,383. Nationwide, the death toll just broke 300,000.

— Florida’s presidential electors cast their ballots … and there were no surprises.

— And finally, a Florida Man golfing in Cape Coral found his ball sitting on the top of an alligator’s tail.

The Electoral College meets in Tallahassee this afternoon for a lost cause … to cast votes for Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The state reports 84 more fatalities and almost 9,000 cases of COVID-19. Bad as that is, it’s the first day in a week with fewer than 10,000 new infections.

— Gov. Ron DeSantis appears from his bunker to talk about the arrival of COVID vaccines and defend the state raid on a COVID-19 whistleblower. He wishes people would stop using the R-word.

— What else you call it when officers walk into a private home with guns drawn to investigate a nonviolent crime … so we’ll stick with “raid” for now.

— Some have accused the Governor of spinning the COVID-19 data and withholding information that doesn’t support his agenda, but every once in a while, he says the right thing — in the wrong context. Call these "DeSantis’s unintentional moments of truth," and here are four examples.

— A Florida couple is in jeopardy after accusations of stealing the questions and the answers to Florida's teacher test and selling them in study guides and test prep tutoring. On Sunrise Soapbox, U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe says the case has international implications. Florida’s Education Commissioner calls the allegations “abhorrent, unacceptable and embarrassing.”

— And finally, a Florida Man is vowing to rebuild his roadside snake exhibit after a fire killed all of his reptiles.

Rebekah Jones continues to rally against Gov. Ron DeSantis and the FDLE after the state law enforcement agency released video of the raid on her Tallahassee home. Meanwhile, Florida reported its worst COVID-19 toll since late July with more than 11,000 cases.

Also on today’s Sunrise:

— Democratic lawmakers call on DeSantis to get out from President Donald Trump’s shadow and start taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously, including by issuing a statewide mask order.

— Attorney General Ashley Moody joins an amicus brief based on a lawsuit out of Texas seeking to overturn the presidential election results in four states President-elect Joe Biden won, prompting backlash from Florida Democrats.

— A Florida man who agreed to keep a friend’s garbage can in his yard discovers a dead body inside. The man lives in a mobile home park in Manatee County. He investigated the contents of the garbage can after noticing a foul smell and found a decomposing body inside. Authorities are investigating.

— A Key West man was arrested for not masking up, citing Gov. DeSantis saying he doesn’t have to.

Florida now enjoys the distinction of having the very first Space Force bases in America. Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the Kennedy Space Center to make the official announcement.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— They’re not new bases, of course. They simply renamed two Air Force bases by removing the word “Air” and inserting the word “Space.”

— In the aftermath of the state raid on a COVID-19 whistleblower, a Florida Congresswoman calls for an investigation of the Governor. Debbie Wasserman Schultz says it appears Ron DeSantis has chosen to abuse Florida’s law enforcement and judicial systems to persecute the woman who accused his administration of trying to monkey with the COVID-19 stats to make things look better than they really are.

— Florida’s COVID surge continues as the Department of Health reports 89 more fatalities and almost 9,600 newly confirmed cases.

— A “Road Trip with the CFO.” Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will be rallying at two restaurants today — in Tampa and Jacksonville — to advocate for a bill protecting small businesses from COVID-19 liability lawsuits.

— The Florida Supreme Court hears a death penalty case out of Jacksonville and even the defense attorney calls it terrible. How horrible? Donald Smith was convicted of kidnapping, raping, sodomizing and killing an 8-year-old child.

— And finally, two Florida Man stories: one is an idiot, the other is a Christmas Angel.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is back from the White House Summit on COVID-19 where he got a shoutout from President Donald Trump.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— While the Governor was acting as a cheerleader for Trump, the Florida Department of Health reported 98 more deaths and almost 8,000 new cases of COVID-19.

— Now that COVID-19 tanked the tourism trade, agriculture is the biggest economic driver in Florida and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says our new hemp crop is turning heads.

— Florida TaxWatch and the environmental group One Thousand Friends of Florida are looking to tackle MCORES — the controversial plan to build three new toll roads through some of the last undeveloped areas of the state.

— Rep. Anthony Sabatini keeps pushing hot buttons in the Florida Legislature. The Howey-in-the-Hills Republican is now sponsoring a bill to ban red-light cameras. It would abolish the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Law. On Sunrise Flashback, you’ll hear from Mark’s widow Melissa.

— Repealing the red-light camera law is only one of the controversial bills Sabatini filed for the upcoming Session.

— And finally, meet a Florida Man who lets snakes bite him — for educational purposes.

FDLE agents raided the home of the woman whistleblower on Gov. Ron DeSantis' efforts to downplay the COVID-19 stats. Rebekah Jones posted the video on her Twitter feed.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— They seized Jones’ phone and computer … the one she’s been using to post updates on the COVID-19 crisis. She calls them the “DeSantis Gestapo.” The search came after the Department of Health filed a complaint about unauthorized access to a messaging alert system used for emergencies.

— The DOH reported 106 added fatalities from the disease Monday, as well as 7,700 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus — which is a bit of a break after the past several days of more than 10,000 new infections.

— As the COVID-19 surge continues, the University of Florida is putting final changes to its plan for a full reopening in January. The faculty union is fuming and some folks in Gainesville believe the university is putting money ahead of health.

— Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Miami says enough is enough; she has been on the Governor’s case all along … accusing him of putting politics ahead of public safety. Mucarsel-Powell sent out a tweet calling for DeSantis’ resignation for hindering government transparency during the pandemic.

— Despite everything, the Governor found time to record a video for YouTube announcing former FSU and NFL football star Corey Simon is the new CEO of Volunteer Florida.

— Florida law officially recognizes three confederate holidays and Rep. Mike Grieco talks about his bill to end those holidays. Grieco says he’s received all sorts of hate on social media since he filed the repeal bill … mostly from out of state.

— An Orlando state Senator will be filing a bill to expunge the convictions of anyone in Florida with a misdemeanor marijuana conviction.

— And finally, two Florida Man stories: Police accuse one of pooping in mailboxes; the other is accused of voter fraud after encouraging North Florida Republicans to register to vote in the Georgia Senate runoffs.

Florida’s Department of Health reported an average of almost 100 fatalities and 10,000 new cases per day over the past week — and Miami-Dade’s new Mayor believes it will be worse before the end of the year.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Local governments often feel like they’re on their own during the COVID-19 crisis. Gov. Ron DeSantis says he won’t be imposing any mandatory requirements to try to stop the spread of the disease. He signed an executive order prohibiting local governments from collecting fines for people who violate local mask mandates or safety measures. So much for the state.

— And at the federal level, Senate leaders have spiked every proposal for a new COVID relief package to help average Americans deal with the fallout … much to the dismay of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.

— The Governor of New Jersey tells Congressman Matt Gaetz he’s no longer welcome in the Garden State after tweeting pictures from a Young Republican event where no one wore a mask, practiced social distancing or obeyed crowd size limits. He also called Gaetz “Congressman Matt Putz.”

— Key West pulls the plug on the raucous New Year’s celebration that draws tens of thousands of people. There will be a 10 p.m. curfew on New Year’s Eve.

— The election may be over, but that didn’t stop Donald Trump from holding a campaign rally this weekend in Georgia about 20 miles north of the Florida line. Trump’s rally was to support the pair of Republicans in a runoff for the U.S. Senate, but the President spent most of the time claiming he could not have lost the election unless someone cheated. He still believes he can overturn the vote — somehow.

— And finally, a Florida Woman’s arm became tiger food at the Big Cat Rescue sanctuary.

Gov. Ron DeSantis faces accusations of spinning and misrepresenting the truth during the COVID-19 crisis. That’s the gist of a new report in the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel, which concludes the Governor deceived Floridians about the real danger for political reasons … like talking about vaccines that are not available to divert your attention from the 19,000 fatalities and 1 million infections in the state.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The Florida Division of Emergency Management will be working to distribute those vaccines — when they become available. Jared Moskowitz, who runs the agency, will discuss the pending vaccine.

— A COVID-19 vaccine would be pretty handy right now because the casualty count is surging in Florida. The Department of Health reported 100 more fatalities Thursday and 10,870 newly confirmed cases. We haven’t seen those sorts of numbers since the peak days of July.

— A federal appeals court hears the case of a woman who is suing to undo the once-secret plea deal that kept child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein out of federal prison. The Department of Justice says the lawsuit should be thrown out … but they apologized to Cheryl Wilde for the way prosecutors in Miami cut the deal without informing victims.

— The court hearing was conducted by Zoom, which included a four-minute gap when one of the judges disappeared from the screen. She was (of course) from Florida.

— And finally, a Florida Woman tried to get revenge on a romantic rival by posting her name, picture, address and phone number on a dating site — saying come on by for sex and meth — and a Florida man who finally knows he is NOT the son of William Shatner. It took him 36 years to find out.

Florida passed another milestone in the COVID-19 crisis. On Tuesday, the state surpassed 1 million confirmed cases; on Wednesday, there were ten thousand more and the death toll exceeded 19,000. What does the Governor have to say about that? Nothing yet. But Ron DeSantis did release a three-minute video on YouTube saying vaccines are on the way, but supplies are limited.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— When schools pivoted to digital instruction during the pandemic, they found out quickly that some kids couldn’t connect because they don't have computers or broadband. Former Gov. Jeb Bush says the digital divide is real — and we need to deal with it.

— The government invested billions into connecting schools and libraries with high-speed internet; one suggestion is to turn those facilities into neighborhood Wi-Fi hubs.

— Business owners throughout Florida want the Legislature to immunize them from COVID-19 liability lawsuits, with chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis leading the charge.

— And thanks to the COVID-19 crisis, businesses will face an increase in the price of unemployment insurance next year.

— Jeffrey Epstein may be dead, but the lawsuit over his secret plea deal with a Miami prosecutor is alive and well. A federal appeals court in Atlanta is hearing the case today.

— And finally, a Florida Man in a sticky situation: he’s accused of threatening another Florida Man’s life because he wasn’t charging enough for sugarcane juice.