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Now that the Department of Interior has allowed the gaming compact between the state and Seminole Tribe to go into effect, opponents of the increased gaming being given to the tribe are readying a suit to stop it.

The Seminole gaming Pact was signed in April, approved by lawmakers in May and allowed to go into effect by the Department of the Interior when the 45-day review period expired without a comment.

“We plan to do what it takes to make sure this is in front of the courts, both at the federal level and the state level,” said John Sowinski with No Casinos Inc.

No Casinos Inc. is now readying a law suit to stop the compact.

“The compact that’s been approved violates at least three federal laws. The Indian gaming Regulatory Act, the online gaming act, as well as the Federal Wire Act,” said Sowinski.

The compact allows sports betting starting October 15th, as well as craps and roulette, none of which are currently legal in Florida.

Because of that, No Casinos believes that only voters can approve of more gaming.

“Amendment 3 is under assault. An amendment that seventy two percent of the people of Florida voted for is being ignored,” said Sowinski.

But the Governor and Tribe are hanging their hopes on Section C of the amendment passed by voters in 2018 .

“And I think it satisfies Amendment 3,” said Governor Ron DeSantis in April.

But No Casino’s disagrees.

“And the Legislature does not have the authority to duly authorize within our state sports betting, roulette, craps, any other form of casino gambling unless the voters of Florida approve it,” said Sowinski.

Florida voters have turned down casino gambling in 1978, 86 and 94.

They only narrowly approved slot machines in 2004, but only for south Florida.

No Casino’s contends the Indian Regulatory Gaming Act only allows gaming already legal in a state to take place on tribal lands.

A judge is likely to have the final say.

Cash is flowing into the 2022 race for Governor, with more than $5 million in raised in July alone.

Governor Ron DeSantis holds a more than 20-1 advantage in cash on hand, but it’s likely to be short lived.

The political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis has been having a great year, raising just over $40 million since January. r

“Illegal immigration, on shutting down businesses, on masking. All of those issues have been things people have been fighting back against and he’s been the guy fighting it,” said DeSantis Campaign Advisor Nick Iarossi.

In July alone the committee took in just over $4.2 million.

Much of it from the sale of merchandise with the theme ‘Keep Florida Free’.

Nearly 14,000 of the 18,000 contributors last month gave less than 50 dollars.

Now a Democrat, former GOP Governor Charlie Crist raised $503,000 last month from 2,900 contributors.

He has $2. 2 million on hand in his two political accounts.

“Nobody thought that I was going to be able to win,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried during a recent Democratic event.

And as Florida’s only elected statewide Democrat, Fried’s political committee has raised $1.4 million since the first of the year, and another $526,000 in the campaign account.

She trailed Crist in July fundraising, but has more on hand.

Democrats we spoke with told us the cash on hand now doesn’t matter.

What’s important, they say, whether they are competitive after their primary.

Fried has been critical of the Governor for raising money instead of spending every day in Flordia.

“He needs to be focusing on the people of our state and not traveling across the country,” said Fried Wednesday.

But beyond criticizing the Governor, Fried declined to discuss her fundraising.

“We are in the Capitol and I don’t want to talk campaign strategies and platforms. We can certainly do that offline,” said Fried.

And the fundraising is only going to get more intense.

The Governor’s goal is to raise $150 million.

Democrats are hoping for $100 million when all is said and done.

The Crist campaign declined to be interviewed for this story.

Governor Ron DeSantis has been a champion of restarting cruises on one hand, and the main proponent of not allowing proof of vaccinations for cruises or anything else.

That’s left the cruise industry walking a a thin line.

The first cruise to set sail from Florida left June 26.

The CEO of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Ludoff-Perlo, told the Economic Club of Florida that the Governor’s prohibition on vaccine passports was a tough hurdle to overcome.

“The state of Florida does not tell us we can’t ask. They can tell us we can’t require. So we are working within those constraints to insure that we live up to our commitment as a brand that we will sail at at least 95 percent vaccinated,” said Ludoff-Perlo.

But the unvaccinated face different protocols on board.

“And, so many are opting not to cruise because of those additional protocols,” said Ludoff-Perlo.

The CEO said surveys show public confidence about cruising has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Speaking virtually, Ludoff-Perlo told the audience that so far, COVID protocols have been working.

“And no one ever said there would not be a case on board. That’s unrealistic, and its not goign to happen and we are all watching what’s going on in Florida right now,” said Ludoff-Perlo.

And the CEO also said unvaccinated passengers pose their own problems.

“We do have ports of call that will not allow any unvaccinated guests into their ports,” said Ludoff-Perlo.

The question of whether private companies can require proof of vaccination is far from settled, and won’t likely be until the state takes the case to the US Supreme Court.

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Florida’s ban on vaccine passports as it applies to Norwegian, ruling the cruise line can require vaccination proof as the case moves forward because it’s likely they’ll ultimately succeed.

Support for legendary FSU football coach Bobby Bowden continues to pour in a day after he died at 91 from pancreatic cancer.

Bowden’s career continues to be celebrated by a stream of fans paying their respects at the football field that carries is name.

Outside the athletic Center, there are flowers. Lots of them.

And notes expressing admiration.

”He was everyone’s coach,” said lifelong fan Edward Miranda.

Miranda was en route from Texas to Miami when he stopped to say a prayer.

“He was such a great public speaker. A great coach. A great personality. You know, there was nothing bad you could say about him,” said Miranda.

Bowden brought hope and fans to the FSU program when he arrived in 1976.

As the team started winning, local songwriters went to work.

Lyrics from Tallahassee artist Murray Goff read: “Tickets are hard to come by since the Seminoles are good. Just tell them Bobby sent you”.

University President John Thrasher said it was Bowden that helped build FSU into what it is today.

“Clearly, Coach Bowden really really was the gold standard, if you will, for putting Flordia State in a position to be recognized around the country,” said Thrasher.

Coach Bowden will lie in state in the rotunda of the State Capitol on Friday, an honor usually reserved for governors.

Jonathan Williams played at Ottawa University in Canada and was in town to pay respects.

“You know, we idolized him, so we always dreamt of coming here and being part of that FSU atmosphere,” said Williams.

The parade of admirers is likely to continue throughout the week.

“He meant so much to everybody,” said Tallahassee local Linda Edson.

On Saturday there will be a public funeral service at the civic center in the capital city, the same place where the coach presided over sold out booster luncheons.

Bowden will be laid to rest at a private ceremony in Alabama.

Nearly 14,000 evection notices were filed with Florida courts between May and July.

A new 60-day moratorium, which took effect earlier this week, is likely to be challenged in court.

Legal Services of North Florida has already seen as many eviction cases so far this year as it saw all of last year.

But Legal Services attorney Patrick Jennings told us if you get an eviction notice, the first thing to do is call a lawyer.

“Many times there are legal defenses, or the landlord has not pursued this properly, and it can at least be delayed,” said Jennings.

A new CDC eviction moratorium issued this week only offers protection if you live in a county with high or substantial virus transmission.

All of Florida is covered for now, but that could change quickly.

“It might provide some protection, immediately, that was not available just last week,” said Jennings.

The State has nearly $800 million in rental assistance money available, but much of it has not yet been distributed.

“We’ve gotten a confirmation letter from the organization, the rental assistance organization, have been able to show that to the landlord and they’ve been willing to hold things off for a little while,” said Jennings.

Legal challenges to the new moratorium, which runs till early October, are expected.

And the Florida Apartment Association said the new moratorium doesn’t address the underlying issue of tenants not being able to pay rent.

“We really feel that the important thing to do here is insure the quick delivery of those rental assistance funds,” said Amanda White with the Association.

And the bottom line is that if someone can avoid eviction because of the moratorium, they are still on the hook for everything they owe.

In a statement, DCF, which administers renter relief, told us OUR Florida has paid out $25.7 million to 5,942 households.

The agency says a two-party application process is causing delays because the landlord must verify the information provided by the tenant.

Faced with falling poll numbers, rising COVID cases and attacks from potential 2022 challengers, Governor Ron DeSantis held a virtual roundtable with hospital leaders across the state Wednesday.

The consensus is the current surge will be short, is more contagious, but less dangerous, and that new treatments are working.

Hospital CEO’s from Tampa Orlando, Miami and North Broward all told the Governor the current surge is largely due to the unvaccinated.

“You know, 95 percent of our current patients here are unvaccinated,” said Shane Strum, CEO of North Broward Health.

And they all said they are managing the surging cases and expect a plateau soon based on what happened in the United Kingdom.

“This peak went up very rapid and then fell very quickly. So, we’re hoping that same thing occurs here,” said David Strong CEO Orlando Health.

The Governor was also told that many of the patients classified with COVID went to the hospital for other reasons, tested positive and are counted as virus infected patients when they see few symptoms.

“Obviously, vaccinated people have a lot less potential of getting hospitalized. That’s really important,” said CEO of Jackson Health System Carlos Migoya.

The hospital CEOs did acknowledge they are putting some elective procedures on hold, not because they are overwhelmed with COVID patients, but because they have a staffing shortage.

The hospitals also told the Governor that little known monoclonal antibody treatments are showing great promise, if patients seek treatment with the onset of symptoms.

“Almost 100 percent of our patients have told us that 24 to 48 hours later, they feel much better,” said Tampa General CEO John Couris.

The Governor wrapped up the virtual meeting by acknowledging those vaccinated may test positive, but that’s not cause for fear.

“It’s mostly mild cases,” said DeSantis.

The bottom line consensus of the hour long discussion is that the state needs to improve its messaging about the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies.

The hospitals said COVID patients make up anywhere from five to ten percent of their current patients.

Florida lawmakers this year revamped a 32-year-old program for people who suffer brain injuries at birth.

The plan know as the Neurological Injury Compensation Association, or NICA, takes care of brain injured children for life and was originally adopted to lower malpractice for doctors.

In 1988 hundreds of doctors marched on the State Capitol protesting skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates.

“And it has become a major health care threat,” said one doctor we spoke with at the time.

Born was the Neurological Injury Compensation Association.

Parents can’t sue but get care for life.

It is funded by an annual assessment on doctors.

The fund got lawmakers’ attention when it amassed more than a billion dollars in reserves.

“And they have apparently been not getting the support that they needed,” said State Representative Allison Tant.

The fund was accused of fighting parents over benefits.

“There is no cap on anything, so whatever the doctor says they need, based on that child’s condition, we pay for it,” said NICA Executive Director Kenney Shipley.

This year lawmakers ordered NICA to spend more money helping families.

The legislation increased the initial $100,000 payment to a quarter million and it applies retroactive to every family.

Dave and Ester Morgan’s daughter Melinda, was born in 1993.

“The doctors told us she probably had twenty four hours, and she’s twenty seven,” said Dave.

The Morgans initially wanted to sue.

“Knowing what we know now, I can’t tell you how thankful I am for NICA,” said Ester.

Still, the Florida Justice Association argued the changes don’t go far enough.

“The financial allowance for these families is still woefully inadequate,” said Association Treasurer Stephen Cain.

From now on, there will also be a parent and a physician on an expanded NICA board to advocate for children.

The Justice Association believes lawmakers aren’t done with NICA and expects benefit levels to be reexamined next year.

The county governments surrounding the state capital and Orlando, Leon and Orange Counties, are now both requiring every employee to show proof of being vaccinated.

Employees have until October 1st to prove they’ve had a shot or face termination.

In his memo to employees, Leon County Administrator Vince Long said his message is very simple and very serious: Unvaccinated employees pose a significant risk to spread the virus.

“I have to insure that we have a ready work force to respond to the needs of this community. Especially related to the COVID-19 variant as well a lot of other things like hurricane season,” said Long.

Long estimates that just half of the county’s 1,000 employees have had a shot.

“That number is just not acceptable, frankly,” said Long.

A May 28th memo from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission gives employer mandates a green light.

There are just two exceptions to the vaccine requirement: Medical or religious.

Employees who have had COVID are not exempt from proving that they are vaccinated.

At the County public works site, we found mixed reaction.

“I have no problem because I’m vaccinated,” said Leon County employee Stevie Smith.

We asked how he felt about working alongside others who are not vaccinated.

“That’s their choice,” said Smith.

But the mandate leaves some in tough a tough spot.

One worker who remained unnamed told us he was not vaccinated.

We asked if the new mandate would drive him to quit.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said.

At the Capitol Thursday, Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried once again called on the Governor make daily data available, but has not considered her own vaccine mandate.

“We have not gotten there yet. We are thinking again, of creativity,” said Fried.

If cases continue to spike, it’s likely more governments and private businesses to enact a vaccine mandate.

We reached out to the Governor’s Office.

Press Secretary Christina Pushaw told us in a statement, “Governor DeSantis stands for individuals’ rights to medical privacy and opposes discrimination in all its forms. The provision that county employees who decline to show proof of vaccination will be fired is coercive and appears discriminatory on its face.”

She added the office’s legal team is looking at the policy.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner and Gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Fried held a news conference for the second day in a row, hoping to push the Governor to again publish daily infection counts.

The state stopped daily COVID reporting in June.

Fried noted there were 16,038 new infections on Wednesday, the highest since January.

Fried called the numbers proof of the need for the state to do more.

“If the Governor’s office has this information, fantastic. Put it on to the reporting sites.This is a simple… We were doing up until two months ago and the only reason I can fathom why we’re not doing that is because they don’t want to recognize our current trajectory, our spikes in the way the numbers are going,” said Fried.

Fried indicated Thursday she will hold daily briefings on numbers until the Governor takes action.

Florida Realtors are backing a plan to change the constitution to guarantee more money goes into affordable housing in Florida.

They’re starting out with a $13 million war chest.

Every mortgage transaction, deed, stock transfer or written obligation to pay money is subject to a documentary tax in Florida.

The tax is 70 cents on every $100.

As of May, the state had collected a whopping $1.2 billion for the fiscal year.

By law, a fourth of it has been going into an affordable housing trust fund.

“Every single year, a portion of the housing trust funds are swept to the state’s general revenues,” said Christina Pappas with the Florida Realtors Association.

But this year, state lawmakers cut the funding for affordable housing in half, directing the money to sea level rise and septic to sewer projects.

The cut, or shift, has prompted Florida realtors to put $13 million behind a constitutional amendment.

The initiative seeks to restore affordable housing’s share of the tax back to 25 percent.

“If you are a school teacher, a firefighter, a nurse, you typically can’t afford to have the downpayment that you need,” said Pappas.

But the effort has angered incoming Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.

“I said to them, I’ll be honest with you, you declared war on the Florida Legislature,” said Passidomo.

The realtors amendment requires two thirds of the money go to the purchase of housing, raising questions if realtors are trying to guarantee themselves a pay check.

Realtors need just shy of 223,000 signatures for the Supreme Court to review it.

“We must challenge it,” said Passidomo.

If they get them, Passidomo said lawmakers will ask the court to throw it off the ballot.

“One, because I believe it’s misleading. And number two. It would impact our constitutional duty to pass a balanced budget,” said Passidomo.

But if the realtors make it to the 2022 ballot, they expect smooth sailing because affordable housing is a problem statewide.

Some Senators also see the amendment as self serving, arguing most of the amendment’s money would go do down payment assistance, which amounts to commission for realtors.

Forty years ago on July 27, 1981, six-year-old Adam Walsh was abducted from a shopping mall.

His severed head was found two weeks later.

The case forever changed the way parents guarded their children and how Florida and the nation look for those who go missing.

Adam Walsh was left playing video games unattended in a department store in the summer of 1981.

He was never seen again.

Following the murder, John and Reve Walsh began a crusade for kids.

“Someday no one will have to face the anguish they have undergone,” said then-Governor Bob Graham in 1983.

That same year Graham signed the first legislation in the country creating a missing children’s clearing house.

“It’s a, very rewarding seeing your accomplishments finally come to lite, but it will never erase the that we’ve experienced,” said Mrs. Walsh after the bill signing ceremony.

Serial Killer Otis Toole confessed twice but was never tried for the murder.

At the time, the Walsh’s told us Toole wasn’t important, saving kids was.

“We haven’t really concerned ourselves with vengeance. I think that is something that eats you up,” said Mr. Walsh.

The first clearing house was housed just blocks from the State Capitol.

In 1984, it became the temporary home of the national clearing house for missing kids.

Since then, the staff has grown from four to 17.

They work 24/7.

“And ultimately, that led to what we have today, where we receive these notifications on our phones and we receive more information through street signs and the lottery,” said FDLE Special Agent in Charge Chad Brown.

Since 2003 Amber Alerts have recovered 227 of 244 children.

Brown told us it’s a stat the state can be proud of.

“Oh, it feels fantastic,” said Brown.

While the clearing house has moved on to modern quarters, the Walsh’s work continues to pay dividends to this day.

The Walsh’s went on to have three more children.

FDLE is encouraging people not to mute Amber Alerts on your phone because they save lives.

Florida is one of nine states that ended additional $300 unemployment payments more than two months early on June 26th because thousands of jobs were going unfilled, but a lawsuit filed late Sunday seeks to restore the weekly stipend.

An estimated 150,000 Floridians lost $300 a week in additional federal unemployment payments at the end of June.

Now a new law suit filed on behalf of ten unemployed Floridians seeks to force the state to make the payments.

Gia Cuccero is one of the plaintiffs.

“There’s restaurant help and bartenders. I’ve never done anything like that in my life. I’m 52 years old and I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Cuccero.

The American Cares Act funding runs through September 6th, but in May the Governor said it was keeping people from looking for work.

“We’ve got almost half a million job opening in the state of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“And what he did was throw out the baby with the bath water,” said Attorney Marie Mattox, who is representing the plaintiffs in the case.

Florida law reads in part says the state must “secure…all advantages available under the provisions of federal law relating to reemployment assistance”

“No person is above the law and that certainly includes the Governor or a governmental bureaucrat in charge of DEO,” said Gautier Kitchen, another attorney working on the case.

Nine of the ten plaintiffs are women, in part because women have been hit harder by the loss of the extra cash.

“If you’d kept the benefits in place until September 6th, it gives the opportunity for some of these mothers taking care of their kids, to send their kids back to school full time,” said Attorney Scott Behren, also representing plaintiffs in the case.

For Cuccero, the future remains uncertain.

“If I get a job interview, I have to get to that interview. I don’t have money to get to that job interview,” said Cuccero.

By ending the payments early, the state is refusing an estimated $400 million that could have gone into the economy.

The plaintiffs want a judge to order the payments and make them retroactive.

Update: Here is a statement from the Governor and DEO:

The Department has received the lawsuit and will respond accordingly; however, the Department contests the alleged violation of law. Below is background information for you on this topic.

On May 12, 2021, the Department announced Florida’s ‘Return to Work’ initiative, which is focused on encouraging Floridians to return to the workforce, helping employers attract job seekers, and continuing to fuel the state’s economic growth. As part of Florida’s Return to Work initiative, the Department announced on May 24, 2021, the state’s withdrawal of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation programs, which, in compliance with Department of Labor policies, went into effect on June 26, 2021.

The Department withdrew from these programs due to positive, record-breaking economic factors. For 11 consecutive months, Florida’s unemployment rate, currently at 5.0 percent, has remained below the national rate, which is currently at 5.9 percent. For 14 consecutive months, Florida has continuously gained jobs, with more than 907,900 jobs added since the height of the pandemic. Additionally, there are more than 520,000 job postings currently available across Florida.

Florida businesses and employers are hiring across the state and need unemployed Floridians to return to the workforce. The Department stands ready to assist Floridians in this process.

There are going to be more students coming to Florida State University for the first time than any time in history.

Add to that the feeling the pandemic could be over, which could be a recipe for disaster.

Florida State is expecting up to 7,000 new freshmen this fall and an additional 7,000 returning sophomores who weren’t on campus last year because of the pandemic.

“There adrenaline for everybody to get back together, and with that adrenaline, anything can happen,” said FSU Student Body President Nastassia Janvier.

At a forum graduate students, university and community leaders outlined what a full return to campus will be like.

“We are recommending masks if you are indoors,” said Executive Director of University Housing Shannon Staten.

All 6,700 dorm slots will be full.

Students must be cleared to move in, either by proving they have been vaccinated or by getting tested.

“Anyone who is positive for COVID has to isolate off campus,” said Staten.

Students are going to be encourage to social distance in the outdoors and have as much outdoor activity as possible.

Bar owners in nearby college town are predicting a big year.

“Could be one of our largest quarters, three and four, to date,” said Jason Burroughs, owner of Township Tallahassee.

Student Government is launching a program it is calling ‘Angel Drink’.

“For example, you would say starfruit, and you would order starfruit and this would specifically signal for the servers, I need help, I need assistance,” said Janvier.

Deputy Chief of FSU’s police department Major Justin Maloy said officers’ focus won’t be on underage drinking.

“We’re focused on the bigger picture of crime in our community,” said Maloy.

The big picture includes being aware in new surroundings, keeping heads out of phones while crossing the street and protecting personal property.

All skills many lost during the pandemic.

Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County rank sixth in the state in per-capita crime in crime figures for 2020.

First time arriving college students are often unsuspecting targets.

The plight of pop star Britney Spears is shining a spotlight on thousands of Floridians who have had their lives hijacked by overzealous and sometimes corrupt guardians.

A first ever task force to recommend legal changes for incapacitated people being abused by the legal system holds its first meeting Thursday.

90-year-old Albert Hogue is back living with his daughter Hillary in her Naples home, but only after a multi-year fight to keep him out of a guardianship initiated by Hillary’s sister.

“These lawyers, they have such cozy relationships with the judge. They file something, and it’s just basically rubber stamped,” said Hillary.

The first ever guardianship task force is set to hold its first meeting.

Pinellas Clerk of Court Ken Burke is its chair.

“And Florida with our elderly population certainly should be a leader in this area, and we’re not currently,” said Burke.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, the task force will look at what’s succeeding in other states.

Hillary, who is also on the task force believes judges should see actually see someone before taking away their rights.

“The alleged incapacitated person is never in court. So here we have a judge who has never even set eyes or spoken to the person who will be more than likely will be losing every single right,” said Hillary.

Burke believes reform starts with more information.

“Judges have no set of troops to go out there and find out if the guardian is doing a good job or a bad job. They are relying on a lot of reports and and a lot of paperwork. And so maybe we just need to look at, first of all, creating a database of guardians out there with their credentials, how long they have been a guardian. How many active guardianships they have,” said Burke.

The panel hopes to change what has become the axiom of guardianships: The only way out is to die.

The panel has both advocates for change as well as some members who favor the status quo.

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty are circulating a video of a former Florida Supreme Court Justice who believes the state has executed innocent people.

The retired justice also questions the costs.

Gerald Kogan spent 11 years on the Florida Supreme Court, the last two as Chief Justice.

“Originally, I believed in the death penalty. I thought it was a proper penalty,” said Kogan in the Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty video.

More than two dozen people were executed during Kogan’s time on the court.

”Our system is not perfect,” said Kogan.

In the newly released video Kogan, who died earlier this year, questioned what he calls an imperfect system.

“I began realizing that we’re executing people who are probably innocent,” said Kogan.

The State doesn’t keep records about the costs of an execution, but in the video Kogan estimated each one costs$5 million from conviction, to appeal, to burial.

Prosecutor Brian Haas said errors may have occurred in the past, but not any longer.

We asked him directly if he thought his office had convinced an innocent person.

“No I don’t,” said Haas. “It is expensive. It is expensive, but I thing that the family members of the victims in the cases I’m handling they absolutely feel that it’s necessary.”

But the Florida Catholic Conference it quick to point out there have been 30 modern exonerations.

“We don’t know how many more innocents are on death row today, which is why we support ending the death penalty all together,” said Ingrid Delgado with the Conference.

99 people have been executed since the state resumed executions in 1979.

The most recent was two years ago.

Florida now requires a unanimous jury verdict and allows a judge to override a death sentence.

Those on death row also have an automatic appeal to the state Supreme Court.