Some quick thoughts on Florida this past week

The documentary efforts on what I'm calling A Congregation of Alligators is consuming almost all of my time lately and along with my attention. So a quick one here.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington DC in February of 1968.

Table of Contents

Finite Disappointment

Florida Gonna Florida

Historic Interlude

Infinite Hope

Bear the History Hound Finds

Finite

Disappointment

Outrage, call for change continue to mount following Hope Florida grand jury report

The report found taxpayer money was routed through nonprofits and into political accounts, while Attorney General James Uthmeier faces fresh criticism over his role in the transfer.

CBS MiamiJim DeFede

Florida

Gonna Florida

Watch a documentary on the Everglades and you'll quickly learn that fire is part of the landscape and essential to the ecosystem. The river of grass often goes fairly dry in the winter to early spring, South Florida's dry season. Unfortunately, until just about this week, the wet season, from late spring to end of October, this year has been anything but wet.

Drought, then fire. Where does that leave the Everglades?

Fires that burned about 24,000 acres in Everglades National Park were mostly brought under control on Wednesday, but scientists are keeping an eye on effects from a prolonged drought that could impact Florida Bay, wading birds and the Everglades muck.

WLRNJenny Staletovich

Historic

Interlude

When the legendary Miami Herald journalist writes something, you should check it out. This week's piece on Willie Anthony Waters is no exception. Please check it out.

Infinite

Hope

Believe it or not, after entering the gates of Everglades National Park perhaps 100 times from mid-2024 to mid-2025, I haven't been inside the gates to the park since March of 2026–until Friday. The longest break from the gates of the park since I first entered them in a few years ago. The park never disappoints. It was hot, humid, and the animals were mostly hiding from the heat. But the osprey above had the right idea–it was taking a bath to cool off.

Bear

The History Hound Finds

What voters really mean when they say the Democrats should “fight” more

81% of Democrats say their party should focus on ending Trump’s corruption, while 54% want it to prioritize affordability. In open-text response they write leadership should “put regular people first”

Strength In NumbersG. Elliott Morris

Four Maga defectors on what led them to walk away: ‘I’d been addicted to fear and rage’

Ex-Maga supporters unpack their role in bolstering Trump’s platform and share what brought them to the Leaving Maga non-profit support network

The GuardianFabiola Cineas

Google’s obedience to Trump’s “Lake America” order follows a depressing pattern

The tech giant renamed Lake Ontario for American eyes only—and hedged everywhere else.

Mother JonesAlex Nguyen

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