Sunrise

Gov. Ron DeSantis blew off his usual coronavirus update so he could attend the launch of the SpaceX Dragon at the Kennedy Space Center, but they scrubbed the launch just 17 minutes before lift-off because of weather. They’ll try again Saturday.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— There’s still plenty going on with COVID-19. On Wednesday, the death toll increased by 62. And there’s a new forecast model predicting a second wave will hit Florida in August, increasing fatalities by 40% to almost 8,000 by September 1.

— The Florida Department of Health reports a huge drop in the number of kids getting routine vaccinations during the pandemic. The Governor’s personal pediatrician is urging parents to make sure their children are up to date.

— Disney and SeaWorld have presented plans to reopen to the public. SeaWorld wants to hold an employee appreciation night on June 10, then open to the public the next day. Disney’s starting dates are mid-July. Universal has already received clearance to reopen on June 5.

— Another consumer warning from Attorney General Ashley Moody. She’s urging Floridians to beware of scammers who claim to be working for the state Department of Law Enforcement.

— And not one, but two Florida Man stories: one featuring the skunk ape, the other is with a hungry, hungry hooker.

The Florida Supreme Court is now back to full strength — since Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed two new Justices from South Florida.

Florida has entered uncharted territory, according to the latest stats from the U.S. Department of Labor. The Sunshine State now has an unemployment rate of 12.9% — the highest since they started the current counting system back in the 1970s. There are at least 1,218,000 jobless Floridians, more than any time in state history. Gov. Ron DeSantis reacts to those numbers, as Sunrise does another deep dive on Florida’s unemployment mess.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— DeSantis isn’t letting those jobless numbers dampen his enthusiasm for reopening the state. He’s saying it’s OK to send kids off to summer camp (as well as other outdoor activities) to get them out of the house and back into social circles.

— The Tallahassee woman who was fired by the health department after going public with her concerns about manipulating COVID-19 data does her first interview since DeSantis threw her under the bus. Although the Governor said she was fired for insubordination, Rebekah Jones told CNN she was canned for refusing to change the stats to match his desire to reopen smaller counties that didn’t meet the guidelines for reopening.

— The DeSantis administration loses another legal battle over the voting rights of former felons. A federal judge says the state cannot demand payment from ex-cons to get their voting rights restored if they don’t have the money. And he’s not just talking about restitution. The judge says court fines and fees are a tax and, as such, cannot be a precondition to the restoration of voting rights.

— Checking in with a Florida Man arrested for trying to go home. Well, actually, it was for kidnapping.

Florida is releasing unemployment figures for April. We could be setting all sorts of records — not in a good way.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Universal Orlando wants to reopen to the public by June 5; masks and social distancing will be required. Disney and SeaWorld are still working on their plans.

— Gov. Ron DeSantis shut down all short-term vacation rentals when the state went into lockdown more than two months ago, but eight more counties have permission to restart those rentals. Sixteen counties have now been cleared and vacation rentals are booming in the Panhandle.

— Unions representing schoolteachers and college professors have created two task forces to produce plans for a safe reopening of neighborhood schools and higher education. Sunrise looks at these first meetings, and why they felt the need to do them in the first place.

— The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases a new forecast for the upcoming hurricane season. They’re predicting an above-average number of storms and there’s even a chance it could be extremely active … which is worse.

— With hurricane season bearing down, the head of the state emergency management agency wants to stay on the job. Jared Moskowitz will not be running for an open Senate seat in South Florida.

— Checking in with a Florida Woman … and 14 Florida Men.

Gov. Ron DeSantis faces more backlash over claims that his administration is manipulating the official stats for COVID-19 and unemployment claims.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Democrats in the Legislature are dismissing the Governor’s claim that the unemployment system is now working — and that it has paid 97% of valid claims.

— They’re also demanding an investigation into the firing of the woman who worked on the state’s computerized dashboard that tracks coronavirus cases after raising concerns about hiding data from the public.

— More prison inmates are testing positive for COVID-19, with nearly 1,200 confirmed cases in the Florida corrections system.

— A new COVID-19 scam is making the rounds. Con artists claiming to be contact tracers for the health department are trying to get your personal information.

— Florida teacher unions were NOT invited to participate in the Governor’s reopening task force; the state education commissioner ignored their request to create separate committees on the reopening of schools. So, the Florida Education Association and the United Faculty of Florida have set up their own committees, meeting for the first time today. FEA Vice President Andrew Spar talks about the details.

— Sen. Marco Rubio about coronavirus, giving the view from the chair the Senate Intelligence Committee.

— The latest on Florida Man, who just got out of prison and is already back behind bars after he was found in a stranger’s kitchen without a shred of clothing.

Gov. DeSantis is defending the state’s unemployment compensation, saying that the state paid more than 97% of valid claims — and there are good reasons why almost 30% of the applications have been rejected.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— The woman who designed Florida’s COVID-19 reporting dashboard — and was praised for its transparency and accessibility — has been removed from the project. The Governor says it's only a vacation, her goodbye email was completely misunderstood. They fired her anyway.

— Florida might be reopening, but Sen. Marco Rubio says don’t expect things to turn around any time soon. He believes fear of the virus will keep people from vacationing here, at least in the short term.

— Vacation rentals in the Panhandle get the go-ahead from the state to reopen. Airbnb and other short-term rentals are now allowed in seven counties. However, residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Louisiana need not apply.

— The pandemic is also a threat to your financial health. Kevin Johnson of the Suncoast Credit Union talks about a new campaign for financial literacy in the age of COVID-19.

— A quick check-in with Florida Men, including a doctor who lost his job for threatening the wrong cops.

Gov. Ron DeSantis holds his latest COVID-19 update next to a busy highway in Orlando, which got some special attention because of the pandemic. Good news if use I- 4 on a regular basis. If you don’t, well, consider yourself lucky.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Another day, another round of questions for the Governor about the state of Florida’s unemployment compensation system. DeSantis is starting to take umbrage, snapping at reporters who ask them.

— Broward and Miami Dade were the last counties in Florida to enter the reopening Phase One; there have been a couple of hiccups. The Mayors of Miami and Broward County talk about their progress and plans.

— While most of us are focusing on coronavirus, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says don't forget about wildfire. Fried travels to Collier County to checks out a blaze that has blacked almost 9,000 acres.

— Checking in with Florida Man, who wore a top (but no pants) at a pool in Naples.

Florida has entered a new stage of reopening. It’s not Phase Two yet … more like Phase 1.1.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Big changes are ahead for restaurants, retail shops, gyms and sports facilities. But theaters and movies are still closed (unless they are the drive-in type). Gov. Ron DeSantis offers details.

— The latest count from the state health department shows 45,588 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida and 2,049; 883 of those who died were residents or staffers at nursing homes or adult living facilities.

— DeSantis continues to face questions about the failure of the state’s unemployment compensation system; it appears to be getting on his nerves. After announcing plans for the next stage of the reopening, the Governor seemed annoyed at reporters who wanted to ask about unemployment.

— DeSantis also tried to take some of the heat off his administration for the failure of the unemployment system — by blaming the people who applied and had their claims rejected.

— Now that Floridians are getting back to work, Senate Democrats say the legislature should join them. Sen. Gary Farmer is calling on the Governor to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol for a Special Session to fix the unemployment system, expand health care coverage during the pandemic and make it easier for people to vote by mail later this year.

— Sunrise hears from Farmer, the Gov., Sens. Perry Thurston and Jason Pizzo to take another deep dive into Florida’s unemployment fiasco.

— Florida faces the first tropical storm of the new hurricane season … before the official June 1 start. Tropical Storm Arthur started off the coast of Cape Canaveral and is heading away from us.

— New polling from Florida Atlantic University shows Joe Biden has a 6-point lead over Donald Trump in the Sunshine State.

— And latest from Florida Man: the aquatic version.

Gov. Ron DeSantis visits Jacksonville to announce he’s lifting some of the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. Currently, we are in Phase One. In Phase Two, people from vulnerable populations would still be asked to self-isolate, but groups of up to 50 people would be permitted, as long as they practice social distancing. Phase Two also allows for increased restaurant capacity, as well as the reopening of gyms, schools, and bars.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Monday is a big day in South Florida — Miami-Dade and Broward counties will relax their stay-at-home orders and begin reopening businesses. They’re the last counties in the state to enter what has been called “Phase One” of Florida’s grand reopening.

— Sunrise takes another deep dive into the state workers' comp system. It’s been a nightmare for workers trying to file a claim. An attorney with the National Employment Law Project says it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do: Save money for business by making the unemployment system so frustrating that people will decide its simply not worth the effort.

— Checking in with two Florida Men: one is a pro-Trump Congressman who unknowingly filed a bill that could hurt the President. The other is a 36-year-old who wanted to fight a child.

Florida’s death toll at nursing homes continues to rise: 776 residents or staffers at long-term care facilities have now been dies of COVID-19. However, Gov. Ron DeSantis claims we’re doing better than most other states.

Also, on today’s Sunrise:

— Florida education officials are trying to figure out when it will be safe to reopen the schools and colleges. Pinellas County School's Superintendent says summer school is crucial this year to help kids make up for what’s commonly referred to as the “summer slide.” Now there’s the coronavirus slide. And the president of Tallahassee Community College says there’s no going back to normal.

— DeSantis wants professional sports teams to get back to business in Florida. He’s inviting teams from other states to train and play games in Florida if they face restrictions at their home fields.

— Another deep dive into the problems at Florida’s unemployment agency. Orlando-area Sens. Linda Stewart and Randolph Bracy have come to Tallahassee so they can help constituents back home navigate the system.

— The latest with Florida Man, who was arrested for building a campfire to stay warm. The trouble began when he lit it up.