Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Multiple conservation advocates and state agencies have come together to broker a land conservation deal that preserves some 78,000 acres of land in North Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet approved an agreement to preserve the land that runs through several counties. Additional players, such as the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT), played a crucial role in arranging the action.
“Under my administration, Florida has significantly expanded its land conservation efforts and (Tuesday’s) conservation is a major milestone for the Florida Wildlife Corridor,” DeSantis said. “By prioritizing conservation, we are not only supporting our natural resources, but also our rural economies and the future of our state.”
The Florida Forever Program provided the foundation for the vast property acquisition. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) used elements of that program to finalize the latest preservation declaration.
About 61,000 acres of the preserve will be in a conservation easement within the Raiford to Osceola Greenway area in Baker and Union counties. Nearly 15,000 acres of conservation easement are in the Camp Blanding Greenway in Baker and Bradford counties. An additional 1,700 acres of conservation designation will connect easements in Alachua, Bradford, Clay and Putnam counties.
Another 340 acres of protected land will be part of the Annutteliga Hammock project in Hernando County, included in the Withlacoochee State Forest and the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area. The conservation designations will also impact the Ocala National Forest to the Osceola National Forest (O2O) conservation area and the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—”The 29 most eye-popping lines from Donald Trump’s Fort Bragg speech” via Chris Cillizza of So What
—”The right refuses to take AI seriously” via Dylan Matthews of Vox
—”Trump is pushing allies away and closer into each other’s arms” via Matina Stevis-Gridneff and Jeanna Smialek of The New York Times
—”The White House is delighted with events in Los Angeles” via Missy Ryan and Jonathan Lemire of The Atlantic
—”A look at anti-ICE protests across the U.S., from New York to Texas” via Ben Brasch of The Washington Post
—”Bonjour, Gov. Ron DeSantis! Florida leaders heading to France on trade mission” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics
—”Fired Florida state parks whistleblower sues state agency for retaliation” via Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times
—”New law brings managed care to people with intellectual disabilities” via Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix
—“Roger Federer’s commencement speech wasn’t just a viral moment. It was masterful” via Rustin Dodd of The Athletic
—”Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder and architect of pop, dead at 82” via Gavin Edwards and Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone
Quote of the Day
“These sanctuary jurisdictions and cities, I think they’re antithetical to American sovereignty and our way of life.”
— Attorney General James Uthmeier, saying Florida will help the feds in California.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
Help Gov. Ron DeSantis prep for his trip abroad with a tasty Pernod-based French Pearl.
Attorney General James Uthmeier is serving a Coco No-No to retailers thinking about using tariff turmoil to take advantage of consumers.
DeSantis and the Cabinet earned Green Plains for voting to conserve a huge 78,000-acre tract of land in North Florida.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Rays wrap series in Boston
The Tampa Bay Rays conclude a three-game series in Boston against the Red Sox tonight (7:10 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Sun).
The Rays split the first two games of the series, beating Boston 10-8 in 11 innings on Monday behind Jake Mangum’s four-hit game. The Red Sox bounced back to win 3-1 yesterday.
The Rays have won six of their last eight games, including a sweep of the Texas Rangers and taking two of three from the Miami Marlins. Both series were played at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The Rays continue to hover around the Wild Card race. Tampa Bay is five games behind the American League East-leading New York Yankees and a game behind second-place Toronto in the divisional race.
If the season ended today, the Rays would be in the postseason as a Wild Card team. The Blue Jays lead the American League Wild Card race. The Minnesota Twins would also be in if the season ended today. The Rays have a long way to go, however, with 95 games remaining on the schedule, including tonight’s matchup.
Zach Littell is scheduled to start for the Rays against Boston’s Walker Buehler. The Rays have won the last eight games Littell has started. He won his last start on Friday against Miami, limiting the Marlins to one run over six innings in a 4-3 Tampa Bay win.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
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