Bay County was Trump country during the 2016 presidential election.
The Northwest Florida county gave 71 percent of its vote to Republican Donald Trump --- a margin of more than 40,000 votes over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Now, as Trump gears up for his 2020 re-election campaign, he will come to Bay County on Wednesday night for an early rally in the politically pivotal state.
Republicans have long relied on conservative Panhandle voters as a critical bloc in statewide races. But the dynamic could be a little different when Trump appears in Panama City Beach.
Much of Bay County was devastated in October by Hurricane Michael, and residents and leaders are frustrated by a lack of federal disaster relief. It’s far too early to know whether that will affect Trump’s 2020 campaign in Florida, but the visit might give him more of a picture of a region that is struggling.
MONDAY, MAY 6, 2019
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AT ISSUE: The Florida Board of Occupational Therapy will meet. (Monday, 9 a.m., Florida Department of Health, 4042 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee.)
CONGRESSIONAL PANEL EYES VOTING RIGHTS: The Subcommittee on Elections of the U.S. House Committee on House Administration will hold a field hearing in Broward County about voting rights and election administration in Florida. (Monday, 10 a.m., Broward County Governmental Center, 115 South Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.)
UF FACILITIES PANEL MEETS: The Facilities and Capital Investments Committee of the University of Florida Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet. (Monday, 10 a.m., University of Florida, 123 Tigert Hall, Gainesville.)
PHARMACY BOARD HOLDS CALL: The Florida Board of Pharmacy is scheduled to hold a conference call. (Monday, 1 p.m. Call-in number: 1-888-585-9008. Code: 744469610.)
WATER QUALITY AT ISSUE: The state Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration will hold a workshop about “total maximum daily loads” --- a water-quality standard --- for impaired waters in the Middle St. Johns Basin. (Monday, 2:30 p.m., St. Johns River Water Management District, Maitland office, 601 South Lake Destiny Road, Suite 200, Maitland.)
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2019
RUBIO HOLDS ‘MOBILE’ OFFICE HOURS: Staff members for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will hold “mobile” office hours in Volusia and Miami-Dade counties. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., West Volusia Chamber of Commerce, 132 Treemonte Dr., Orange City. Also, 9:30 p.m., Stephen P. Clark Government Center, 111 N.W. First St., Miami.)
WATER QUALITY AT ISSUE: The state Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration will hold a workshop about “total maximum daily loads” --- a water-quality standard --- for impaired waters in the Peace River Basin and the Withlacoochee River Basin. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Division, 4177 Ben Durrance Road, Bartow.)
MOSQUITO CONTROL AT ISSUE: The Florida Coordinating Council on Mosquito Control is scheduled to meet in Citrus County. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., Citrus County Mosquito Control District, 968 North Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.)
FPL POWER PLANT PERMIT DISCUSSED: The state Division of Water Resource Management will hold a public meeting about a draft National Pollution Discharge Elimination System renewal permit for Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point power-plant complex in Miami-Dade County. (Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., 2905 N.E. Ninth St., Homestead.)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019
FLOOD RESILIENCY DISCUSSED: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Rural Water Association will hold a flood-resiliency training event in Lee County. (Wednesday, 8 a.m., 2031 Jackson St., Fort Myers.)
JUDICIAL CANDIDATES INTERVIEWED: The 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission will interview candidates for a Duval County judge position that opened when Judge Meredith Charbula was appointed as circuit judge.
TRANSPORTATION PLAN ON TABLE: The Florida Transportation Plan Steering Committee will meet in Duval County. (Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., Omni Jacksonville Hotel, 245 Water St., Jacksonville.)
JUSTICES HEAR DUVAL MURDER CASE: The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases, including an appeal by Arthur James Martin, who was convicted of first-degree murder in an October 2009 murder in Jacksonville. Martin was convicted of firing a gun multiple times and killing Javon Daniels. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Florida Supreme Court, 500 South Duval St., Tallahassee.)
PAROLE CASES CONSIDERED: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will start a two-day meeting in Hillsborough County. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., commission Tampa office, 1313 North Tampa St., Tampa.)
JUDICIAL CANDIDATES INTERVIEWED: The 9th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission will interview candidates for two circuit judgeships. The 9th Circuit is made up of Orange and Osceola counties. The candidates are Kafi Kennedy Swanson, Christine Lomas, John Beamer, Barbara Leach, Heather Trick, Eric DuBois, Michael Kraynick, Hallie Zobel, Craig McCarthy, Mark Van Valkenburgh, Vincent Chiu, Diego Madrigal III, Nathan Hill, Charles Hart II, Victoria Anderson, Gisela Laurent, Tyrone Watson, Mikaela Nix, Mark Skipper, Andrew Bain, Lydia LaBar and Linda Skipper. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Gray Robinson, P.A., 301 East Pine St., Suite 1400, Orlando.)
RUBIO HOLDS ‘MOBILE’ OFFICE HOURS: Staff members for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will hold “mobile” office hours in St. Lucie, Highlands, Sumter and Indian River counties. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Port St. Lucie City Hall, 121 S.W. Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie. Also, 10 a.m., Highlands County Government Center, 600 South Commerce Ave., Sebring. Also, 10 a.m., Savannah Recreation Center, 1545 Buena Vista Blvd., The Villages. Also, noon, North Indian River County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian.)
UNEMPLOYMENT CASES EYED: The state Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission will meet. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., 101 Rhyne Building, 2740 Centerview Dr., Tallahassee.)
JUDICIAL CANDIDATES INTERVIEWED: The 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission will interview candidates for a Duval County judge position that opened when Judge Meredith Charbula was appointed as circuit judge. The candidates are Janet L. Abel, Melina E. Buncome, Jeffrey Davenport, Michael T. Fackler, Margaret G. Gulliford, Monique Hawkins, Octavius A. Holliday, Jr., James E. Kallaher, Barry E. Newman, Rhonda D. Peoples-Waters, Alphonse B. Perkins, W. Bradley Russell, Jr., R. Anthony Salem, Julie K. Taylor and David G. Tucker. (Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., chamber of Chief Judge Mark Mahon, Duval County Courthouse, 501 West Adams St., Jacksonville.)
SOUTH FLORIDA WATER BOARD HUDDLES: The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board will hold a workshop on the region's water-resource issues, with a focus on nutrient pollution, the legal framework of water-quality programs, Lake Okeechobee and its watersheds. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., district headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.)
REFUGEE ISSUES ON TABLE: The Jacksonville Area Refugee Task Force will meet. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Jacksonville Baptist Association, 2700 University Blvd. South, Jacksonville.)
WATER PROJECTS CONSIDERED: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Water Restoration Assistance will hold a meeting about priority lists for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 3800 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee.)
I-95 UPGRADES AT ISSUE: The Florida Department of Transportation will continue a series of workshops on the I-95 Multimodal Master Plan for the Treasure Coast --- Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. (Wednesday, 5 p.m., Port St. Lucie Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd., Port St. Lucie.)
UTILITY RATES CONSIDERED: The Florida Public Service Commission will hold a customer meeting in Volusia County in a wastewater rate case filed by North Peninsula Utilities Corp. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., South Ormond Neighborhood Center, 176 Division Ave. Ormond Beach.)
TRUMP HOLDS PANHANDLE RALLY: President Donald Trump will appear at a rally in Bay County. (Wednesday, 7 p.m. Central time, Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater, 600 South Pier Park Dr., Panama City Beach.)
THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019
SOUTH FLORIDA WATER BOARD MEETS: The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board is scheduled to meet. (Thursday, 9 a.m., district headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.)
PAROLE CASES CONSIDERED: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will continue a two-day meeting in Hillsborough County. (Thursday, 9 a.m., commission Tampa office, 1313 North Tampa St., Tampa.)
RUBIO HOLDS ‘MOBILE’ OFFICE HOURS: Staff members for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will hold “mobile” office hours in Volusia, Okeechobee, Glades, Martin and Seminole counties. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Volusia Council on Aging, 351 Andrews St., Ormond Beach. Also, 10 a.m., Okeechobee County Library, 206 S.W. 16th St., Okeechobee. Also, 10 a.m., Glades County Courthouse, 500 Avenue J S.W., Moore Haven. Also, 12:30 p.m., The Peter & Julie Cummings Library, 2551 S.W. Matheson Ave., Palm City. Also, 1:30 p.m., Seminole County Library, in conjunction with Seminole Legal Aid Society, 215 North Oxford Road, Casselberry.)
SUPREME COURT RELEASES OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court is scheduled to release its weekly opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)
MACMANUS SPEAKS AT VOLUSIA TIGER BAY: Susan MacManus, a distinguished professor at the University of South Florida who has spent decades studying state politics, will speak to the Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County. (Thursday, 11:30 a.m., LPGA Clubhouse, 1000 Champions Dr., Daytona Beach.)
PHYSICAL THERAPY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Physical Therapy will meet in Orange County. (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Rosen Plaza, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)
TRUMP CAMPAIGN CHIEF SPEAKS TO GOP: Brad Parscale, the 2020 campaign manager for President Donald Trump, will speak during the Seminole County Republican Party’s Trump Day Dinner. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Lake Mary Marriott, 1501 International Parkway, Lake Mary.)
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2019
PHYSICAL THERAPY BOARD MEETS: The Florida Board of Physical Therapy will meet in Orange County. (Friday, 8 a.m., Rosen Plaza, 9700 International Dr., Orlando.)
HOUSING ISSUES ON TABLE: The Florida Housing Finance Corp. Board of Directors is scheduled to meet. (Friday, 8:30 a.m., Tallahassee City Hall, 300 South Adams St., Tallahassee.)
RUBIO HOLDS ‘MOBILE’ OFFICE HOURS: Staff members for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will hold “mobile” office hours in Lee County. (Friday, 10 a.m., Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers.)
BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS AT ISSUE: The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a meeting in Escambia County about provider enrollment, prior authorization and payment for behavior-analysis services in the Medicaid program. (Friday, 10:30 a.m., Agency for Health Care Administration, Medicaid field office, 160 West Governmental Center, Suite 510, Pensacola.)
MESSAM SPEAKS AT TIGER BAY: Democratic presidential candidate Wayne Messam, the mayor of Miramar, is slated to speak to the Capital Tiger Bay Club. (Friday, 11:30 a.m., Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, 505 West Pensacola St., Tallahassee.)
CITRUS FORECAST UPDATED: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is scheduled to release an updated forecast for Florida’s citrus-growing season. (Friday, noon.)
FINANCE REPORTS DUE: State political candidates and committees face a Friday deadline for filing reports showing finance activity through April 30.
