TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalSecretary of State certifies Daryl Campbell's win in HD 94, clearing the way to his swearing-in
House Democrats will add a 41st member this Legislative Session after all, according to the latest news from the Secretary of State’s office.
Daryl Campbell, elected Jan. 11 to represent House District 94 and succeed former Rep. Bobby DuBose, will be seated next week. This comes after two weeks of questions about when — and whether — it would happen.
“We’re certified to go — I’m thankful for the amount of support that was put into making sure that I get seated,” Campbell said. “I got to see a united front come together and now we have 175,000 people who will get representation in Tallahassee.”
Campbell, whose district covers parts of Fort Lauderdale, Plantation and Wilton Manors, won 40% of the vote in a four-way Primary Election. No other parties fielded candidates in the race, so the March 8 General Election was rendered moot.
Read more: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/491161-secretary-of-state-certifies-daryl-campbells-win-in-hd-94-clearing-the-way-to-his-swearing-in/
Anti-abortion activists arrested in Fort Myers; In Capitol, lawmakers pursue 15-week abortion ban
As state lawmakers hold a second committee hearing today on a 15-week abortion ban, a Planned Parenthood health center in Fort Myers was disrupted by protesters opposing abortion rights, leading to several arrests.
Anti-abortion protesters blocked patients from entering the health center and refused to move during the protest Thursday morning, said Stephanie Fraim, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.
“This morning, an anti-abortion group, tried to invade our health center in Fort Myers and blockaded the entrance to interfere with our patients ability to access health care,” Fraim said in an email to the Florida Phoenix. “The safety of our patients and staff is always our top priority, our health center staff followed protocol and kept everyone safe.”
Several of the protesters were arrested and taken into custody in Lee County, in Southwest Florida, Fraim added.
Read more: https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/01/27/anti-abortion-activists-arrested-in-fort-myers-in-capitol-lawmakers-pursue-15-week-abortion-ban/
Businesses gain power to fight local governments under measures passed by Florida Senate
TALLAHASSEE – Businesses could more easily sue local governments, which also would be forced to put price tags on proposed ordinances, under measures approved Thursday by the Florida Senate.
Opponents, however, ridiculed them as a power grab. “It’s a devastating one-two punch to our local governments,” said Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Lighthouse Point.
Still, Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, the sponsor of the measures (SB 620, 280) defended the approach, saying that fortifying a company’s defense against local government regulations was important.
“I think we are one of the most pro-business states in the entire nation, and I think this bill goes a lot further to separate us from the pack,” Hutson said.
Read more: https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/27/florida-senate-bills-make-easier-businesses-sue-cities-counties/9246817002/
(Sarasota Herald Tribune)
Universal Studios' parent company says Epic Universe will open in 2025
NBCUniversal’s parent company, Comcast, announced today that the new Epic Universe theme park is set to open by the summer of 2025 in Orlando.
The announcement was made by Chief Financial Officer Michael Cavanagh in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call. Comcast’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts also announced that Universal Orlando had “ the best quarter in the company’s history for any quarter.”
From those earnings, NBC Universal plans to invest about $1 billion on capital expenditures for the theme park.
After construction was paused for nearly a year, Epic Universe is “full steam ahead” according to Shell.
The 110-acre theme park will include Super Nintendo World, extensive fountains, a direct park access celestial-themed hotel and many other features yet to be announced.
Read more: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2022/01/27/universal-studios-parent-company-says-epic-universe-will-open-in-2025
Ige Extends Emergency Proclamation As Lawmakers Consider Limits On Executive Power
Hawaii’s latest emergency proclamation requires cruise ship passengers to follow Hawaii’s Safe Travels program, which requires visitors to quarantine for 10 days unless they can show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test.
Th extension of the emergency proclamation will run through March 25, which means Hawaii will have spent more than two years under the governor’s emergency orders.
“Just a few weeks ago, Hawaii saw record high COVID-19 cases in our communities,” Ige said in a press release. “While we believe we may have hit the peak, we must continue to remain vigilant.”
The governor is extending Hawaii’s emergency proclamation as state lawmakers are set to take up bills that seek to limit Ige’s emergency powers.
Read more: https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/ige-extends-emergency-proclamation-as-lawmakers-consider-limits-on-executive-power/
Insiders Say US Rep. Kai Kahele Considering A Run For Governor
First-term U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele is considering jumping into the governor’s race in a move that would further splinter the Democratic primary and make the race even less predictable.
Political insiders from Honolulu Hale and the State Capitol to the neighbor islands and Washington, D.C., all say Kahele has been contemplating the move, and has checked in with some of his most important political supporters in Hawaii to sound them out.
If Kahele actually takes the plunge, he will join Lt. Gov. Josh Green, former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and former Hawaii First Lady Vicky Cayetano in the Democratic primary, rounding out an unusually long list of well-known contenders for the office.
Gov. David Ige is in his eighth year as governor and is term limited, which means he will leave office in December.
Read more: https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/insiders-say-u-s-rep-kai-kahele-considering-a-run-for-governor/
Owner of a $24M mansion on Maui clashes with residents over shoreline access
KAPALUA (HawaiiNewsNow) - The owner of a mansion on Maui is defending himself against accusations that he’s harassing people who are using the shoreline behind his home.
The multi-millionaire lives near a popular hangout spot in West Maui called Hawea Point, also known as “Cliff House.”
The area in Kapalua is where residents like to hang out, swim, and where thrill seekers test their courage by cliff jumping.
Wailuku resident Kiha Kahalehau said he came down on Thursday to make a statement.
“We heard the kahea and chose to come, hangout,” Kahalehau said. “Just be here, show him that you cannot do these kinds of stuff. Ku Kiai Cliff House!”
Read more: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/01/28/maui-mansion-owner-residents-clash-over-shoreline-access/
Here, kitty: Bidens welcome cat named Willow to White House
Source: AP
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have finally added the long-promised cat to their pet family.
Her name is Willow, and she's a 2-year-old, green-eyed, gray and white farm cat from Pennsylvania.
"Willow is settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore," said Michael LaRosa, the first lady's spokesperson.
Jill Biden had said after Joe Biden was elected in November 2020 that they would bring a kitty to the White House, but her arrival had been delayed. Last month, the White House said the cat would come in January.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-jill-biden-cats-e3164173bf418f28495a79cd9319ce11
If anyone doubts that the arrival of the First Cat is important news of national interest, then they will need to debate that with my cat and her claws.
The Bidens introduced their new cat, a 2-year-old Tabby named Willow, to the world on Friday, January 28, 2022.
THE WHITE HOUSE
COVID hits one of the last uninfected places on the planet
Source: AP
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — When the coronavirus began spreading around the world, the remote Pacific archipelago of Kiribati closed its borders, ensuring the disease didn’t reach its shores for nearly two full years.
Kiribati finally began reopening this month, allowing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to charter a plane to bring home 54 of the island nation’s citizens. Many of those aboard were missionaries who had left Kiribati before the border closure to spread the faith abroad for what is commonly known as the Mormon church.
Officials tested each returning passenger three times in nearby Fiji, required that they be vaccinated, and put them in quarantine with additional testing when they arrived home.
It wasn’t enough.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-religion-new-zealand-fiji-27b40edd3d6e94c5b10185e49bbf182f
Russia says it won't start a war as Ukraine tensions mount
Source: AP
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat said Friday that Moscow will not start a war but warned that it wouldn’t allow the West to trample on its security interests amid fears it is planning to invade Ukraine.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Ukraine’s president a day earlier that there is a “distinct possibility” that Russia could take military action against its neighbor in February.
“There won’t be a war as far as it depends on the Russian Federation, we don’t want a war,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a live interview with Russian radio stations. “But we won’t let our interests be rudely trampled on and ignored.”
Tensions have soared in recent weeks, and the United States and its NATO allies worry that the concentration of about 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine heralds Moscow’s intention to attack the ex-Soviet state. Russia has repeatedly denied having any such plans, but has demanded that NATO promise Ukraine will never be allowed to join and that the alliance roll back deployments of troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-united-states-europe-moscow-8593998c182f17caafeb57fe93f7578c
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