Where’s E-Verify? Has DeSantis stepped back from campaign vow on immigration?

A political shot Ron DeSantis fired at Republican primary opponent Adam Putnam in their Fox News debate last June now looks like its ricocheting back at the new governor. With immigration a potent issue in his campaign against Putnam, DeSantis accused his rival of caving to powerful business and agriculture donors who opposed being required to use E-Verify, the federal database that checks whether new hires are legally eligible to work in this country. More from the Ocala Star-Banner and the Palm Beach Post.

In Florida, the Trump 2020 re-election campaign is already gearing up

In 2016, the overwhelming majority of elected Republicans in Florida at the state and federal level backed either former Gov. Jeb Bush or U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio during the primary battle and were long reluctant to back Trump. But from the vantage point of 2019, that primary seems a long time ago. And now Florida Republicans are mostly united in purpose to help President Trump win the state again in 2020. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Uneasy tomato truce ending between Florida and Mexico

Florida tomato growers have no shortage of challenges these days. Development is encroaching on the best farmland. There are issues of climate change and access to fresh water, pest problems and soil problems, heat and humidity, and the threat of hurricanes. Labor costs are high. But, according to growers, the biggest challenge isn’t in Florida at all. [Source: Panama City News-Herald]

Blue Origin planning 90-acre expansion with new facilities at Kennedy Space Center

According to documents filed with the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Jeff Bezos-owned rocket company is planning a nearly 90-acre expansion to connect with its current facility at the state-owned Exploration Park just outside the gates of KSC. The project characterizes the expansion as a south campus of Blue Origin’s current, $200 million-plus rocket factory. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida may boost regulation of cosmetic surgery clinics

South Florida has become a hub for the freewheeling industry in trendy cosmetic surgeries, drawing a boom in medical tourism. However, complications and even deaths of several out-of-state women in recent years have spiked concerns over the safety of the cosmetic procedures, prompting a bill before the Florida Legislature this year to impose stricter regulations. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Avocados sold in Florida recalled over Listeria fears [WFLA]
Henry Avocado Corporation has issued a voluntary recall of California-grown conventional and organic avocados sold in bulk because of a possible Listeria contamination. The corporation announced the recall Saturday after some samples taken from the avocados tested positive for the bacteria. No illnesses were reported.

› Businesses that cater to St. Johns’ large deaf community fill a needed void [St. Augustine Daily Record]
Can you imagine trying to describe to a barber the kind of cut you want, but in a foreign language? To question a bill from a mechanic who is not bilingual? Or to understand what a doctor’s prognosis is when you don’t speak the language? For the deaf and hard of hearing, these kinds of encounters are everyday challenges.

› Community activists call for economic boycott of Jacksonville unless city removes Confederate monuments [Florida Times-Union]
Community activists Saturday renewed their demand that Jacksonville leaders immediately take down all Confederate monuments on city-owned property, as well as strip the names of Confederate leaders off public buildings and street signs. They also called for an economic boycott of Jacksonville unless city leaders immediately remove the statues and other symbols of the Confederacy.

› As Atlanta Braves move in, North Port joins the big leagues [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Shortly after 4:05 p.m. Sunday, when the first pitch is thrown at Cool Today Park, the Atlanta Braves $140 million spring training facility in the West Villages, it will mark the beginning of a new era for North Port. Paul Erhardt, president of the West Villages development, which led the courtship of the Braves along with Sarasota County officials, calls it “a major promise that’s delivered.”

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› Poisonous toads infest suburban South Florida neighborhood [Tampa Bay Times]
A Florida suburb is being plagued by thousands of poisonous toads. Experts say the amphibians are bufo toads, also known as cane toads. Residents in the infested Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood worry toxins secreted by the toads will harm their pets and children.

› Unlocking state funds for affordable housing is the right move, CEOs said [Miami Herald]
Florida CEOs were asked: Gov. DeSantis has proposed unlocking more state funds for affordable housing. What do you think is the best way to encourage more affordable housing construction in South Florida?

› Orange County seeks a new convention center chief at a salary of up to $250K [Orlando Sentinel]
Orange County is searching for an executive director of its convention center, the second-largest in the nation. The post pays $180,000 to $250,000 not including performance bonuses.

› Want to rent out your car? Florida lawmakers consider fee, rules for that [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The story has a familiar ring: a disruptive new tech company connecting people with rides is stirring up a battle in the Legislature. This time it’s not ride-sharing companies like Uber, but peer-to-peer car rental companies such as Turo and Getaround that allow private owners to rent out their cars to others.