Sen. Rick Scott continued his crusade against Kanye West’s upcoming Tampa concerts with a fiery press conference at the Florida Holocaust Museum on Monday morning.
Florida
Starting The Florida Trail (ECT Day 14) – The Trek
“Sitting under the cypress tree, I saw a miracle flying high.
I tuned into the song that she was singing.
The melody was an honest friend and it felt like I was learning to fly.
But I fear I’ll never know the feelin’.
It must be nice. (It must feel good.)
To just be heard.
And it might sound a bit absurd.
I’d sing along with the birds.
I’d sing along if I only knew the words.
I’d sing along with the birds, if I only knew the words…
I’d master every verse until my spirit learned to burst.
Into the morning sun.
While my heart is on the run.”
– from “Gild the Lily” by Billy Strings,
A Little Recap
Thanks everyone for finding your way to the site! If you’re new here, my trail name is Stevie Wonder and I’m about two weeks in on the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT). After walking the Florida Keys, a few brave companions and I just finished an alternate route I came up. We spent seven days navigating the waters of the Everglades, which brought me up to Highway 41 at the Turner River Launch.
Amateurly marked up map of the Everglades route
Next up is a 15 mile road walk (the top purple line above) to reconnect with the official ECT route and the start of the Florida Trail!
Turner River Launch to 7 Mile Camp
- Hiked Today: 21.9 miles (15 Stevie ECT Alternate, 6.9 Florida Trail)
- Total Hiked: 187.6 miles
- Total Paddled: 99.5 miles
The motel stay was a treat and needed for all of us I’d say. We kept our routine from the waterway trip and got up early. And, like then, dad was first up to make coffee and start making breakfast. There was a small grocery store right next to us, and he was inspired to give me a bacon and eggs send off!
After breakfast, I commenced to “town” tasks… organizing my food (I had pre-packed a box for them to bring me), looking at the trail ahead, and generally just thinking through what’s going in my pack with me. Dad kindly helped out by doing a round of laundry, which was down the road a mile or so.
Organized chaos
We were quite efficient with all our tasks and after packing up, went to pick up my laundry down the road around 9:00am or so. Then, it was a short drive over to the Turner River Launch where I’d ended my day yesterday.
After some thanks yous and goodbyes and hugs, the Everglades team split… dad and Don turned right to head towards Naples and start their long drive north. Me, I started walking to the left (east) towards the Big Cypress National Preserve’s Oasis Visitor Center!
Safe waters Sally and Karl… Safe travels Don and Dave!
To those of kean eye and an observant stature, you may have picked up that I have a new hat! Indeed, on the last full day of kayaking, I found it floating in the water. Just out there by its lonesome. I assume one of the fish folk zooming in their super speed boats lost it from the wind, despite it’s nice drawstring. In pristine condition, I felt it would serve me nicely up trail. At first I’ll admit that I was nervous of some Everglades water fleas or something having made a home. Thus, at the motel, I washed with dish soap. That ought to sanitize it, right???
The 49-Gator Road Walk
I wasn’t looking forward to this road walk along 41. It’s pretty busy and vehicles are moving quick. There’s also a lot of semi trucks that use it, I found out. They’re the worst for road walks, although the big pickup trucks with the dual tires always seem to want to speed up right when passing… they might take it for the literal worst!
The shoulder was pretty good throughout today, but I was a little hesitant to walk too much in the grass unless I was really looking ahead in case of snakes. Parallel to the road the entire way is a canal. I spotted 49 alligators in and along the banks of that canal today. No exaggeration. And if I’d started looking and counting sooner, there’d be more. Plus, I wasn’t always on my game, for long stretches when no cars were, coming I was perusing on my phone.
Gator 36 was eating a bird when I saw it. That was a scene. And gator 40 has put leaves on its back to camouflage itself (I assume).
Gator #40
Most stayed out just basking in the sun or floating about, but some thrashed into the water all in a big kerfuffle. Some slid into the water slow and gracefully.
“Pohoan Checkish” – ” Just leave us alone.” What a rosy depiction of the government, I thought reading this sign. They left out all the prior history of them pushing the Seminoles out and to near extinction 🙁 Signage can be very bad.
First trail magic (that wasn’t from my own family at least)!!! Two roadside electric workers saw me, pulled over, and got these cold drinks out of their cooler for me. Best Gatorade I’ve ever had I think.
Nearing the visitor center, I was on the phone chatting with my mother, but also I really wanted to find gator #50! Alas, I failed. And I shan’t fib to y’all about it, you get the truth here haha.
Starting the Florida Trail!
I got to the visitor center at 2:40 pm and went inside. Ranger Caroline (I think that was her name) was a huge help and we chatted about working and living the seasonal life. She helped me write out the permit and I bought a coke too. I finally got that coke! After a little wandering about, filling up water, and downing my drink, I got my southern terminus of the Florida Trail (FT) selfie…
Let’s Go!
Foreshadowing???
Let the orange spray paint blazes begin.
It took 0.8 miles until I stopped dodging puddles and started walking right through them. They were just puddles though for a while. The first 30 miles on this trail are kind of infamous for being a very difficult swamp walk!
One of the many unique things about this area is that often just under the mucky soil and sometimes above, is limestone. It had solution holes and is bumpy too, which is neat, but makes walking difficult…
Another very prevalent feature are the cypress trees (who would think in Big Cypress National Preserve)…
Some had brown needles, hope that’s not a bad sign of something. There would be prescribed burned areas ahead, but that wasn’t this.
And, what I believed were longleaf pines, but I think are actually slash pines…
Baby Dr. Seuss’esque slash pine
The pinelands were where it was typically driest and the cypress where wettest. That’s my amateur anecdotal observation anyways. I got in only one spot today where it was wading through consistent water. This was, of course, my favorite part!
Still not very deep, and it was a short stint wading today.
I made it 7-miles on the FT and thought it was quite pleasant. It’s all super interesting to me, especially going in and out of different landscapes based on such tiny differences in water level.
I was taken aback by my sweet campsite too. It was amazing! Located in one of the dry pinelands areas, there was palmetto (spikey looking plant) all about. They seem to have mowed it down around the camp though.
It felt like I was on a thru-hike again (kayaking was unbelievable, but a different feel for sure)… actually single-track trail and a campsite.
And there you go, nothing bad about this whole swamping business… Well, I made have been a bit scant and skimmed over just how muddy and mucky it really was. Just wait for tomorrow’s post 🙂 As a teaser, here’s when I took my shoes off…
Silty sand had been sucked up like a vacuum caking itself to the insides of my shoes and socks and toes. I tried to clean out as best I could, but already I’ve got two new small blisters. Eek.
As always, I’ll try to follow my hero Lieutenant Dan’s orders (Forest Gump):
“One, take good care of your feet. Two, try not to do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed.”
Album of Day: “Notes From the Archive: Recordings 2011-2016” by Maggie Rogers
Florida
South Florida shark diving operators push back against Florida Safe Seas Act: “There’s a huge double standard here”
Shark diving operators in South Florida are raising concerns that a bill currently moving through Congress could wipe out their industry.
The Florida Safe Seas Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, is now headed to the Senate for consideration. If enacted, the legislation would prohibit the use of bait to attract sharks in federal waters off the Florida coast, though it would include an exception for shark fishing.
Supporters argue the bill will improve safety for swimmers, beachgoers, and anglers. Opponents, however, contend the measure would effectively dismantle the multimillion-dollar shark diving tourism industry in South Florida.
“This industry has created a natural guardianship for sharks; it is showing people that sharks are worth more alive than dead; it’s showing people the importance of sharks, really,” said Tanner Mansell, who operates Tanner Underwater Charters out of Jupiter.
Mansell argues that banning bait would leave operators with no viable alternative. “It would completely eliminate the industry because if we could go out there and swim with sharks without using bait, I would, I would be more than happy to do that,” he said.
He noted that his charters typically operate 3 to 4 miles offshore, well away from beachgoers, and argued that shark fishing from the beach presents a greater safety risk.
“So they’re taking the same chum that we use to attract sharks offshore, but you can put it on a hook and throw it at the beach and lure sharks in if you want to catch them right next to beachgoers, so there’s a huge double standard here,” Mansell said. He also disputed claims that dive charters are responsible for drawing sharks closer to shore, pointing to the high volume of recreational fishing boats in the area.
Conversely, the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust supports the legislation, citing the need to address shark depredation—a situation where sharks target hooked fish or fish being released back into the water.
“I think anything we can do to address the shark depredation issue is going to pay dividends in the long run,” said Kellie Ralston, the organization’s vice president for conservation and public policy.
Ralston highlighted research indicating that more than 40% of breeding permit fish, a key recreational fishery in the state, were being lost to sharks during the catch-and-release process. “I think couched in kind of this larger focus on shark depredation, I think we’re poised to see some really positive results out of this that’ll benefit our anglers, our boaters, our waters and our fisheries to be sustainable for the long term,” she added.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Clermont. A spokesperson for Webster’s office stated that the legislation mirrors existing Florida state law prohibiting shark feeding off the coast.
“The bill would extend these protections to federal waters, aligning with existing federal law surrounding Hawaii and Pacific territories,” the spokesperson said. “With the bill passing the U.S. House of Representatives on June 2, it now goes to the Senate for consideration.”
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Joined by Holocaust survivors, Jewish leaders, fellow Sen. Ashley Moody, and former Republican governor turned Democratic St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Charlie Crist, Scott stood behind a lectern bearing the slogan “Don’t. Fund. Antisemitism.” He gestured to the boxcar on his right, which once transported humans to death camps during the Holocaust.
“Many suffocated in boxcars like these before they even made it,” Scott said. “It all started with questions like the one before us today: Are we going to tolerate this?”
Kanye West’s schedule in Florida
West, who now goes by Ye, has Raymond James Stadium concerts scheduled on June 26 and 28, prompting an outcry from the Tampa Jewish Federation and the Florida chapter of the National Organization for Women. Last week, the Florida Holocaust Museum announced it would offer free admission that weekend.
On June 4, Scott wrote a scathing open letter to the Tampa Sports Authority, which operates Raymond James Stadium. He argued that taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to fund events for West, who sold swastika merchandise and posted a song titled “Heil Hitler” last year.
“People say, ‘Oh, it’s just a concert. Oh, the Tampa Bay Sports Authority is going to make some money, let people have their fun,’” he said. “Some of the worst sins in human history begin with the words, ‘I was just’: ‘I was just going to a concert with my friends,’ ‘I was just trying to make money,’ ‘I was just following orders.’ No, you can’t do that. None of us should be let off the hook for hatred and antisemitism.”
In a new statement following Monday’s press conference, the Tampa Sports Authority pushed back against Scott’s claims.
“We condemn antisemitism from any source. However, we also respect free speech rights guaranteed under the US Constitution, even when we disagree with that speech,” it said. “In addition, no taxpayer money is being used for staging the Ye concerts. To suggest otherwise is false.”
Ye has a long history of antisemitism
This spring, Ye published an apology for his antisemitism in the Wall Street Journal, attributing his behavior to his bipolar disorder and brain damage caused by a car accident. Despite this, his behavior prompted European officials to block him from entering the UK, effectively canceling some concerts there.
“Why is it that other countries can tell him no, and we don’t do that? We’ve accepted him,” said Toni Rinde, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor who traveled from Clearwater to speak at the press conference. “Why? Why is this person being so hateful, trying to destroy people?”
Janet Hammer, a volunteer at the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast, spoke out against the concerts at last week’s Tampa City Council meeting and sent letters to her elected officials.
“There are people who have not been educated to understand what Nazis represent. He is glamorizing hatred,” she said. “We should have a ticket buyback program. Because to me, it’s not just the profit that’s going to be made. It’s how many individuals are going to be hearing this person, and who knows what the messaging is that he’s going to share?”
After the press conference, Hammer said she is still looking for ways to fight back against the concert.
“It’s like a done deal. That’s unacceptable in my eyes,” she said. “I left there asking, ’What more can I do?’”
🏆 Residential: The top home sale to hit records in South Florida was in Miami, where the 4,400-square-foot at 733 Belle Meade Boulevard changed hands for $9.2 million. The seller was an LLC tied to entrepreneur Andrew Sieja and his wife, philanthropist Jessica Sieja. The buyer was Joshua Keller. The waterfront property has five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. It last sold in 2021 for $8.3 million. It went on the market in January for $10 million. Miltiadis Kastanis with Compass had the listing, and Dan Hechtkopf, also with Compass, brought the buyer.
🏆 Commercial: The priciest commercial deal was in Hollywood, where the hotel known as the Rooftop Resort at 1215 North Ocean Drive sold for $6.9 million. Built in the 1970s, the property spans 16,500 square feet and has 34 rooms. The seller was an LLC tied to Pamela Riccio and the buyer was an LLC managed by Michael Delouya, Thierry Cohen and Daniel Benhamou. The Rotella Group had the listing.
📊 Residential: In Miami Beach, a 4,500-square-foot condo at 1011 West 48th Street sold for $8 million or roughly $1,800 per square foot. The seller was a company managed by Ansir Junaid, founder of the Junaid Group, which operates business across a range of industries from real estate to healthcare, and the buyer was an entity led by Robert Curran. The unit, which has four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, previously sold in 2023 for $8.3 million. Its most recent asking price was $9.5 million. One Sotheby’s International Realty’s Chelsea Werner had the listing, and Ximetta Mires with Global Luxury Realty represented the buyer.
By the Numbers: Number of underwater homes in the US reached 2M
The number of underwater homes in the U.S. is rapidly growing.
For the first time since 2021, the number of homes where loan balances sit at least 25 percent higher than a property’s estimated market value passed the 2 million mark. The figure represents a 15 percent year-over-year increase, according to a new report from real estate analytics firm Attom.
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