Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Paul “Papaw” Wayne Leek passed away January 15 He was a East Knoxville native and resident of South Knoxville where he was known and loved by many in the community for his generosity When he wasn’t running his welding business you could find him working on something in his garage or socializing in the community while out grabbing a bite to eat He was a loving father and proud grandfather who enjoyed spoiling his grandkids great grandkids and his beloved dogs.  the memories he left will live in our hearts forever and Graham and Kelsey Brantley; and great grandchildren 2025 from 5:00-7:00 with a service to follow at Mynatt Funeral Home Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Jan 15 we’ve got a recipe for a cozy French classic: potato leek soup Chef Curtiss Hemm shares a new recipe with us every month using as many local ingredients as possible Hemm is the founder of the Carriage House Cooking School in Peru outside of Plattsburgh and the executive chef at The View restaurant at the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid Hemm told Northern Light co-hosts Monica Sandreczki and Catherine Wheeler that this recipe hits the spot after a day on the slopes Their conversation has been lightly edited for clarity Monica SandreczkiA cozy French classic recipe for potato leek soup Chef Curtiss Hemm's potato leek soup Having lived over in France for a couple years it connects me to a really great time in life CATHERINE WHEELER: Before we jump into the recipe itself prepare and chop the leeks to get them ready for the soup What I mean by "trenched" is: picture a "V" in the ground like you took a hoe and you pulled it on a diagonal and you created this little ditch The leek seedlings go in there and then they backfill the dirt around that seedling where they pull the leaves off and blanch it you don't have a large amount of chlorophyll in that bottom part of the leek What I do is trim off any of the long roots on the bottom and then I split that leek in half It's really where the first seam appears on the stalk of the leek that you start to have the presence of dirt because the leek grows from the center and upwards and outwards Very rarely will you find dirt in the very bottom white part of the leek It's always where the white meets the green I want to focus on the pale green and the white part Just give it a little brush and just shake it underwater and use your thumb and clean out the dirt WHEELER: This recipe calls for both potatoes and cream is that it's very simple and has those classic flavors What ingredients in this help those simple ingredients pop HEMM: The herb bundle is essential: you've got thyme We call this a "bouquet garni," where you tie it up and the essence of those herbs is going to come out through the long The type of potatoes you use determines the flavour (I almost always use Yukon Gold for this soup) and the leek If you want kind of an umami-esque piece with a little meat flavor the chicken broth; if you want to use a mushroom broth or vegetable broth for this but really it's the leek and the potato that are the stars MONICA SANDRECZKI: What are some good variations on this recipe that you'd suggest we were talking [about] sausage or Croghan bologna but that would probably overpower some of those flavors HEMM: I always use the psychology of menus If I say "potato leek soup with crispy Croghan bologna," the thing that you're going to want is potato and leek flavor first and then the bologna is going to accent that There is a weighted way that we understand food as it's written in words in terms of how it connects to our subconscious and our expectation I'm very cautious about how I write those things You could add crispy bread crumbs cooked in butter with parsley and thyme chopped up on there You want to watch things that are going to overpower the subtlety of the potato I love that because it's a little bit of spice but it's not more than two teaspoons of chorizo crumble crisped up from Harmony Hills That would be really nice and vibrant against that light green soup Even some flaked salmon that's leftover and roasted would be a fantastic addition to the soup WHEELER: You're speaking our language with those suggestions the NCPR holiday party theme was "soup and accompaniments" and.. I think a crusty bread with really good butter Crown Point Dairy has amazing local butter A nice little plain French omelet with fleur de sel salt on top would be a fantastic addition to this do you need a wine that's a bit more acidic to cut through the cream and potatoes like a Chenin Blanc You could do a Pét-nat; Buttonwood Grove Winery in the Finger Lakes has a really good Pét-nat They've got both Riesling and Cab Franc - I think that would be good A beer is going to go great with this soup and getting some carbs to replenish what you burned on the slopes a fantastic beer would be great HEMM: I wouldn't go too heavy on the IPA factor I like stuff from Oval Craft Brewing here in Plattsburgh could you briefly walk us through this recipe You're not going to try to caramelize them You just want the sweetness of the leek itself Once those are softened a bit and a little bit translucent I would put a little bit of salt and a little bit of pepper in at this point Just simmer until the potatoes are fork tender or skewer tender which means that the skewer of the fork goes into the potato with zero resistance That means the potato is fully gelatinized from the chicken stock meaning that the structure of it is soft and ready to blend you can take that directly to a blender and puree it that's how I would do it because it cools it off a little bit I am notorious for burning my mouth because I can't wait for food 2 large leeks4 tablespoons butter2 pounds potatoes cubed6 cups chicken stock1 small bundle herbs (parsley Combine the leeks and butter in a large soup pot set over medium heat Cook until the leeks are soft and fairly translucent.2 Add the potatoes and mix well to coat them in the leeks and butter Cook for a couple of minutes then add the chicken stock and the bundle of herbs then stir to combine Bring the pot to a hard simmer then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the potatoes are tender When the potatoes are tender remove the bundle of herbs and discard Remove a small amount of the cooked leeks and reserve for use as a garnish.4 Using either an immersion style blender or a blender puree the soup until smooth Add in the salt and pepper and check for seasoning.5 Add the cream to the soup and allow to sit for a few minutes to heat up.6 Serve by ladling soup into bowls and topping with a spoonful of the reserved cooked leeks it’s designed to satisfy nocturnal breakfast cravings If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy which I liken to a classic diner omelet — unapologetically hard-cooked It’s stuffed with miscellany from the fridge It’s the kind of thing you eat before you hustle off to work The oven method results in an evenly lucious “dense and creamy” (her words) frittata — one I turn to whenever a nocturnal craving for breakfast food strikes start by cleaning and slicing 4 ounces of mushrooms I like shiitakes if I’m buying from the grocery store but this is also a prime opportunity to pick out more unusual varieties from the farmers market trim the green part off of 1 small leek and discard Slice the white part of the leek lengthwise (it’s okay to leave a bit of light green) and rinse each half so fan the layers with your fingers as the water washes over them I make the cuts about a half-inch wide because anything smaller feels unsubstantial I’ll pause here to say that mushrooms and leeks are a classic combination feel free to use whatever vegetables you like Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into an 8-inch nonstick skillet and set it over medium heat too — just make sure there’s a thin layer covering the bottom of the pan.) Add the mushrooms give them a stir so they get coated in the oil You should stir them a few subsequent times so that both sides have a chance to make contact with the surface of the pan The more you let them do their thing without disturbing them You can also add more olive oil as needed; mushrooms absorb a lot but if the skillet starts to look dry at any point and nobody knows cookware like Heritage Steel we have created a line of stainless clad cookware that brings professional quality to the home cook Perfectly sized for smaller portions or side dishes our 8.5” fry pan’s fully clad construction ensures even heating across both the bottom and sides of the pan While the mushrooms are cooking, crack 3 eggs into a small bowl. (I’m being generous here, since this is dinner, but I often use 2 eggs, which is totally fine and equally delicious. It will just result in a thinner frittata.) Season with kosher salt. Despite what some claim, this will not dry out your eggs. Sohla El-Wally has a helpful explainer on how much salt to use in this NYT Cooking video but the basic idea is a small pinch scattered across the surface of each egg They take about eight minutes total — but trust your eyes more than my word (Salting at the beginning draws out too much moisture at once prolonging the time it takes for the mushrooms to crisp.) Once they’re done place them into a small bowl and set aside drizzle in a little bit more olive oil if needed you should stir every few minutes; the goal is for the leek to get soft and take on just a bit of color sprinkle ½ ounce of grated Parm over the top along with a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper Place the skillet into the oven for 13 to 15 minutes until the eggs are cooked through Take it out and let it sit while you make a piece of toast to eat alongside Emma Wartzman is the kitchen and dining writer at New York Magazine’s the Strategist.Additional photo illustration credits: plate photo by Emma Wartzman The freshest news from the food world every day As the hours tick by on the last day of Regular Session linguistic quibbles and resentment over process could spell the end for a bill meant to keep cop killers from getting lighter sentences The Republican sponsors of the legislation (SB 234) disagree over just four words that Tom Leek’s preferred version states that people cannot resist a “lawful or an unlawful” arrest with violence or a threat of violence prefers language regarding resisting should apply to “any” arrest But Leek and Baker both acknowledged it’s more about a lack of inter-chamber collaboration legal and local government advocacy organizations But one party absent from the process was Baker who said as much on the House floor Thursday after the Senate refused to accept her amendment to replace the language referring to a “lawful or an unlawful” arrest with “any.” Baker noted that the House accepted the “good faith” language but the Senate did not do the same when asked to approve a comparatively minor amendment in return She said the Senate “cheered as they stripped away” the House’s amendment before sending it back I have some news for our friends on the other side of the rotunda: We are a bicameral Legislature and we will not be dictated to by the Senate,” she said “If our partners want to kill this good bill for the second year in a row and they refuse to stand behind law enforcement and they want to keep lighter sentences for cop killers saying Baker was “offended” because the Senate excluded her “If what she needs to hear is that I’m sorry that she wasn’t engaged in that process reach as deep inside you as you need to reach to find the goodness to do the right thing.” to send the bill back to the House with a demand that the amendment be removed This is the second year Baker has carried a bill containing SB 234’s proposed changes The measure is titled the “Officer Jason Raynor Act” after Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor Prosecutors sought a first-degree murder charge against Raynor’s killer forced a physical confrontation and in less than 30 seconds pulled a gun and shot the officer in the head Jurors instead found Wallace guilty of a lesser manslaughter charge, which carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence when the crime involves a firearm. Community outrage followed SB 234 would require mandatory life sentences without parole for defendants convicted of manslaughter in cases involving the death of a police officer Jonathan Martin sponsored the legislation in 2024 but couldn’t get it to the chamber floor Democrats in both chambers have voiced support for Leek and Baker tossing the bill back and forth Ashley Gantt said she appreciated the “bipartisan collaboration” Baker employed to refine the measure “The policy that was in the original language in the bill “Shame on someone that’s so petty that they’re putting ego and personalities before what we’re trying to do for the people,” she said but we’re the Florida Senate … and we stand with you Sen. Jason Pizzo, who a week ago resigned as Senate Democratic Leader and left the party said Leek was “incredibly magnanimous” when he took the Black Caucus’ concerns into consideration “at perhaps an inconvenient time” and made the “good faith” change There’s still time for the two chambers to reach an agreement — but not much Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN Home » Giant Food Mart Celebrates the Mighty Leek From Giant Food Mart in Wellsville and Cuba NY 🕰️ A Brief History of Wild Leeks in Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania: Wild leeks are a treasured springtime find in the forests of Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania These wild-grown leeks have been foraged by locals for generations pungent flavor that blends the taste of garlic and onion ramps have a deep connection to regional culture featuring in seasonal meals and local traditions they’ve been celebrated for both their culinary and medicinal benefits with locals gathering them in the early spring when they emerge 🍽️ Delicious Leek Dishes on Offer:Giant Food Mart has an amazing lineup of leek-inspired dishes you won’t want to miss in Wellsville and Cuba: ✨ Join Giant Food Mart for a taste of tradition and culinary creativity Don’t miss out on these leek-inspired dishes Giant Food Mart will be serving these up at until the leeks run out Wellsville Secondary announces honor roll for 3rd Quarter offering pure flavor and technical tips within its few steps So much of cooking is bombast and brute force: high heat You’re not so much cooking this soup as you are gentling it into existence You’ll coat chopped vegetables in melted butter then tuck them in under a lid cut from parchment paper to fit your pot then cut a little smaller than your outline Then cut or poke a small hole in the center.) This helps keep everything evenly distributed and submerged limiting evaporation and condensing flavor Your soup pot is now a sauna for your vegetables forget that you’re going to eat them… Shhh… From a box is great too.) It won’t take long for the whole pot to come to a boil; you’re pretty much already there Simmer the vegetables just until they’re tender Blitz the heck out of everything in your blender and start tasting: Add as much salt and pepper as you find pleasing I have made this recipe many times — for weeknight suppers with bread and butter as a starter for elegant holiday meals — and never the same way twice But I generally find I prefer to use 4 cups (a.k.a substitute half-and-half for heavy cream because that’s what we have on hand peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups) Cut a circle out of parchment paper to fit inside the pot you want to use Turn them in the butter until they are well coated Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper Place the parchment paper directly on the vegetables let the vegetables sweat until they are soft but not colored then simmer until the vegetables are just cooked Don’t overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavor You may want to add extra stock if you prefer a thinner soup Ladle into bowls and garnish each with a sprinkle of chives and a drizzle of cream Use the green parts of the leek as well as the white reserve the green tops for another soup or vegetable stock.) use olive oil instead of butter and skip the cream and milk Did you make this soup? Send us an e-mail at wintersoupclub@globe.com to let us know how it turned out In this week’s newsletter: Sheryl Julian extols the virtues of red lentils and shares a nourishing Devra First can be reached at devra.first@globe.com. Follow her on Instagram @devrafirst. Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information Mitch Leek is used to ride horses on the morning of his fights and was prepared to follow in his ancestors racing footsteps but he’s now all in on his rising professional boxing career Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Japanese and philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder Her hobbies include playing trombone and piano She can speak Japanese and enjoys traveling to Japan to visit her family Here's how to cut leeks so you can clean them properly as well as how to dice Richard LaMarita is a chef-instructor of Plant-Based Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s NYC campus Certain cutting methods, including julienne, are best done with a mandoline slicer Follow safety precautions when using these very sharp instruments Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks There is currently a transition period in the leek market are "spot on," shares Jeroen Buyck of Calsa so everyone was harvesting at full speed to get all the leeks into cold storage Everything that needed to be stored should now be in and the last leeks are being harvested and prepared for direct sale," he explains we are currently seeing somewhat larger leeks as everything has grown significantly in recent weeks due to the nice weather there will once again be more available that are smaller in size." How will the market develop in the coming weeks and how the weather behaves will ultimately determine the rhythm of the market." you traditionally see demand for a winter product like leeks decline I hope the end-of-season leeks will perform as they have in previous years Prices for cold-stored leeks have been decent during the summer months It's also necessary because the costs involved are significant and that must be compensated for in the selling price." They consistently hovered between 40 and 60 euro cents much of the supply went mainly to Eastern Europe and partly to Southern Europe but prices were always carefully considered there Customer demand drops were not so significant that they were willing to pay more but not a situation where prices shot up quickly There was still quite a bit of supply from France we are seeing prices slowly but surely starting to rise over the past few days." Jeroen notes that demand is shifting towards greenhouse vegetables "It is really peak season for us at the moment and cucumbers are replacing winter vegetables We are seeing good demand for these products I don't fully understand why prices have to be this extremely low We see this to a lesser extent with vine tomatoes We haven't often seen this happen so early in the season everyone needs to be able to earn a living." For more information:Jeroen BuyckCalsa Roeselaarsestraat 9b8850 Ardooie, BelgiumTel: +32 (0)51 74 73 74[email protected]www.calsa.be FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 HortiDaily.com This plant-based soup is perfect for Veganuary Recipe: Courtesy of Veganuary 2025 Celebrity Cookbook The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee passed a measure Monday that seeks to protect employer trade secrets and confidential information from being shared by former employees St. Augustine Republican Sen. Tom Leek introduced the bill (SB 922) it would allow employers to enter into non-compete and Garden Leave agreements to protect their business interests “The current law in Florida on restrictive covenants is insufficient to protect industries in which employees’ routinely access sensitive business information,” Leek said if an employee with access to such information leaves for somewhere an employer can go to court to seek to stop the former employee from using or disclosing the former employer sensitive business information.” and added that by the time the court rules the sensitive information may have already been disclosed “SB 922 carves out from an existing law … two types of commonly used employee agreements — non-compete agreements and Garden Leave agreements,” Leek said “[The bill] establishes a more streamlined process than currently exists designed to protect sensitive business information from disclosure by a current or former employee to another business at least until a court can decide whether the non-compete or Garden leave agreement has been violated.” Leek noted that the bill would not only enhance protection for sensitive information but also narrows who it would apply to “The streamline process in SB 922 provides Florida employers and employees with enhanced protections for sensitive business information and provides greater certainty and transparency for all concerned,” Leek said “The bill narrowly applies to covered non-compete and covered garden leave agreements The agreement must be in writing … the employees afforded adequate notice and the employee is advised in writing of the opportunity to seek counsel.” Leek added that the bill outlines the mechanism to quickly enforce covered agreements via a preliminary injunction before any potential harm could done Jacksonville Democratic Sen. Tracie Davis asked why the agreements had been extended to four years “Most states deal with only having the non-competes to exist for one to two years Why are we seeming like we’re strengthening our agreements to four years?” Davis asked Leek said the extension is purely because of the information that needs to be protected “In Florida it’s a presumption of six months to two years … States similarly have those types of presumptions so it’s not limited to a specific period of time,” Leek said we’re creating a presumption that the period of time should be four years because of the type of information that we’re talking about.” Multiple industries would be affected if the bill was to pass into law “Florida is poised to be one of the finance capitals of the world and if we want to attract those kinds of clean you have to provide those businesses those protections on the investments they’re making,” Leek said Orlando Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith said he would be voting against the bill and noted that strengthening non-compete clauses would only help employers further restrict employees and stifle innovation Leek reiterated that the bill only applies when it comes to trade secrets and confidential information and added that no one would enforce it against a former employee if they had not shared any restricted information specified in the bill The bill was passed in a 6-3 vote and will now go to the Senate Judiciary Committee Floridians who commit animal cruelty won’t have anywhere to hide if a new bill from Sen Florida Statute defines a person who commits animal cruelty in a couple of different ways Someone found guilty of animal cruelty as a first degree misdemeanor is one who “unnecessarily overloads deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner.” a “person who intentionally commits an act to any animal or a person who owns or has the custody or control of any animal and fails to act or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering The statute as written specifically addresses equine abuse or lassos the legs of a horse by any means for the purpose of entertainment or sport commits a felony of the third degree.” SB 150 holds that a “person who during a state of emergency … in an area included in the state of emergency” commits “animal cruelty … commits a felony of the third degree.” A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski Robert Leek was enjoying the cooler weather the region has been experiencing Friday as he knocked on doors in Milton campaigning for the Ward 3 Seat 2 position on the municipality's city council He said he's sweat through several shirts in a single day at times do the best I can for the community with honesty 5 the voters will give me the opportunity to serve them I don't believe they will be disappointed." Leek is running to unseat two-term incumbent Jeff Snow who said it was never his intention to seek a third four-year term in office but he feels compelled to do so Meet Jeff Snow: Candidate Q&A for Milton City Council, Ward 3 Meet Robert Leek: Candidate Q&A for City of Milton Council Ward 3, Seat 2 adding that it is important to return the slate of incumbent city council members to office this year to maintain the integrity they have shown and continue moving the city forward said when he's out campaigning the first thing city residents talk to him about is its "dysfunctional city council." "I feel I would bring civility to the council," he said "I will listen and be 100% a public servant The two men have very differing opinions on the future direction of Milton but according to Leek they were at one time closely aligned He said it was Snow who recruited him in 2021 to fill a vacancy on Ward 3 Seat 1 he didn't follow Snow's lead on certain issues "I told him I was beholden to the city of Milton and didn't answer to him." Leek said Snow and some political allies "spent a lot of money" to defeat Leek in the 2022 city election. Gavin Hawthorne narrowly edged out Leek for the seat. "I think I was clumped in with the incumbents in that one," he said "People just wanted to get rid of the incumbents." Council controversy: Milton's political infighting may end up crippling its economic growth Snow did not return a call Friday from the News Journal seeking to provide him an opportunity to respond to Leek's allegations Snow did tell the News Journal that the city has come a long way in the eight years he has been one of its most vocal leaders employees and city council have made great strides to improve the city," he said "We're experiencing the largest business growth in the city in decades and that's been supplemented with over $60 million in grants." He and Leek agree that the city's highest priority for the near future is the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant and the retrofitting of an aging at-capacity plant on the Blackwater River so that effluent can be sent to a place where it can be pumped into the ground at a spray field on just about every other aspect of waste water treatment in Milton Wastewater woes: Concerns arise over Milton plan to discharge contaminants near drinking water wells Snow said he is "just ready to go forward on the Waste Water Treatment Plant" to be sited at a long-identified location The city added $30 million to its general fund for FY 2025 from various sources that will be put this year toward waste water treatment needs to move the location of the proposed new plant to a safer location "I would like to see the plant moved away from any waterway and the city owns enough acreage to do that and I don't think it would create a huge impact," he said "will not budge on moving the location of the new treatment plant Leek said he also wants to see the city change its plans to spray wastewater effluent within a Santa Rosa County-created ring around where most of its drinking water is pumped from the sand and gravel aquifer Snow scoffs at worries about the current site plan for the waste water treatment plant and concerns about the spending surrounding its construction "People have been misled about spending issues and about the waste water treatment plant," he said Snow also highlighted the city's efforts to increase opportunities in parks and recreation by adding lighting and amenities. He cited a splash pad built in 2020 to enhance Carpenter's Park new basketball courts and lighting at Lucille Johnson Park and a BMX track at the city SportsPlex Leek and Snow do seem to agree on at least a couple important city issues Highway 90 through the city without doing irreparable damage its historic downtown said if he is re-elected he will continue to work well with the Florida Department of Transportation and citizens of Milton as they continue to strive together to bring a "complete streets" plan to get the U.S The complete streets program has been embraced by FDOT and involves a commitment to roadways designed to accommodate all means of transportation in a safe and convenient manner 90 widening during his first term in office but has come to see the necessity of four-laning the busy city thoroughfare "That four lane will ultimately impact the business my son and wife own," he said "But to carry traffic through downtown and help the people of East Milton it needs to be done I'm one person in this 11,000-person city and this is not about how it affects me Sen. Tom Leek is pushing for Florida’s Museum of Black History to be built in St Johns County in a new bill filed Monday after lawmakers have debated where to put it Leek’s SB 466 states that the Legislature intended to build the museum in St Johns County and establishes a nine-person board of directors with three gubernatorial appointees (one of whom serves as chair) three appointees each of the Senate President and House Speaker and two House members and two Senators picked by their chamber’s respective leaders requires all board appointments to be made by July 31 Johns County Board of County Commissioners to provide administrative help and staff until the museum’s project planning “As we recognize February as Black History Month I am proud to file Senate Bill 466 as we move forward as the preferred location for the Florida Museum of Black History,” the Republican from Ormond Beach said in a statement Monday “The museum will be built on the former site of Florida Memorial University which has historical significance here in St and I look forward to working with our community and our state in furtherance of this significant designation.” The site contains the relocated Canright House was supposed to stay in the 1960s before segregationists vandalized the property Last year, Rep. Bruce Antone, a Democrat from Orlando, argued the museum should be built in Eatonville Eatonville is located just outside Orlando Antone argued the process was rigged and the task force had already decided on St Guaranteed it will never ever be able to operate without government assistance forever Begin here>>>>>>> Workjoin7.com Get Your Copy! Order Your Almanac Today! The Almanac Garden Planner - Use It Free for 7 Days Plan your 2025 garden with our award-winning Garden Planner Try Now which is both sweeter and milder than an onion and a space saver in the garden and harvest leeks in your own garden so that you have a generous supply for winter comfort food and summer salads no-fuss plant that is planted in winter or early spring and unbothered by frosts Leeks are a member of the genus Allium, like onions, shallots, garlic, scallions, and chives Although they may look like an overgrown green onion Leeks have flat leaves and don’t make a much of a bulb and many varieties can be left in the garden even after your frost dates and harvested as needed all fall Leeks can be harvested over a long period if you choose the right mix of varieties Varieties described as early-season leeks will be ready in time for autumn while mid- and late-season leeks can be harvested through the winter and into spring they’re more like mild onions that have a sweeter flavor than regular onions can be chopped and frozen for use in the winter after you run out of your own onions What most people consider the edible portion of the leek is the white or pale green main stem which is actually not a stalk but a bundle of leaves the entire plant—minus the roots—is edible While the white and light green parts are commonly cut up and used even the tougher green tops (called the flag) are edible and make a great addition to your stocks and soups for flavoring.  Leeks like full sun, doing best with at least 8 hours a day, if they can get it. They need deep, fertile, well-draining soil with high organic matter levels. A soil pH of 6.0-7.0 is ideal.  Starting leeks from seed at home is inexpensive and easier than you might suspect While prices vary widely with variety and organic certification you can purchase 250 leek seeds for as little as a five-dollar bill  Look out for varieties described as “rust resistant,” as this fungal disease can cause minor problems from summer onwards Leeks can be planted in the ground in your garden, in raised beds, or even in deep containers. (Read about the benefits of each method.)  Whether you grew them from seed or bought transplants caring for leeks is the same and is pretty straightforward.  Visit Cornell University’s Growing Guide for more tips on growing leeks Leeks will be perfectly happy to sit in your garden and do their thing which must be harvested all at once and stored you can go snag half a dozen leeks whenever you need them from late summer until the ground freezes.  This year and also last year most of my leeks put up a flowering stalk I have never had this problem before; it makes processing the crop a real nuisance The Editors In reply to by Joanne Vegter (not verified) Leeks can bolt (send up a flower stalk) when they experience optimal growing temperatures followed by a period of cold weather which is the opposite for many flowering plants the timing of planting can be adjusted to make sure they are planted after daytime temperatures are consistently above 45°F Another reason for bolting is too much fertilizer so it is best to avoid fertilizing when the leeks are planted and while the leeks are growing One more thing to consider is if planting transplants consider selecting ones that are smaller (thinner than a drinking straw) because the larger a leek plant grows the more likely they are to produce flowers if you see your leek plants starting to produce flower stalks remove them as soon as possible because once they are allowed to grow and mature it can change the flavor of the vegetable You need to mention that the deer also love leeks Joe Bills In reply to by Ann E ©2025 Yankee Publishing Inc., An Employee-Owned Company1121 Main Street | P.O ST Tom Leek defeated two challengers in the Republican primary for Senate District 7 Leek and former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar faced off with Leek garnering over 35,000 votes (47%) Shoar trailed with nearly 21,000 votes (28%) Challenger Gerry James had more than 19,000 votes (25%) The airwaves were buzzing with political ads involving Leek who was backed by former President Donald Trump But it wasn’t just Trump’s and DeSantis’ endorsements that played a role in this race Leek also had the endorsements of all the local sheriffs while Shoar had the support of trial lawyers PRIMARY RESULTS One trial lawyer to publicly criticize Leek was John Morgan who recently posted a video on the social media platform X It was reported that the lawyers opposed Leek because he supported tort reform RELATED: Political ads going after Tom Leek have been running nonstop. He says vengeful trial lawyers are behind the attacks “Listen, I didn’t ask for this. None of my races have ever been like this. No one has ever accused me of not being conservative. I knew one day they’d come looking for their pound of flesh. And now it’s my time to fight back and I’m going to keep fighting,” Leek said in a previous interview addressing the matter. Shoar even sent a statement to News4JAX during the campaign calling for Leek to drop out of the race and cease all negative attack ads against him. Leek will now face Democrat George “T” Hill in the general election in November. Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Proud alumnus of Bethune-Cookman University. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Though your garden is dormant under that protective blanket of snow and ice this in-between time is perfect for several garden-prep chores It will be weeks until the weather turns and the soil warms up but do these tasks now so you’ll be ready come spring You can begin seed-starting indoors now for onions a waterproof heating pad for plants and grow lights then sow 20 to 30 seeds in the same pot and place it on top of the heating pad cut them back to about a third of their height They will continue to grow stronger and will need eight to 10 weeks of indoor growing time before you can transplant them outside to your garden canna lily and other tubers to overwinter in your basement check the tubers to make sure they are in good shape More from Vermont Public: To overwinter dahlias, dig up the tubers and stash them in a shoebox simply mist them lightly with water and repack remove the rotting bulbs and throw out the wood chips or other medium you've packed them in add in fresh medium and return the undamaged bulbs for storage This last garden chore is a good preventive pest control measure: On the next day that is above 40 degrees and calm Spraying deciduous fruit trees with horticultural oil or "dormant oil" protects the trees while they lay dormant in the wintertime More from Vermont Public: More pruning techniques to create fuller and more productive fruit trees By coating trees' bark and branches with dormant oil Orchardists have been busy pruning their fruit trees already or save this task for a warmer day in March A: Mycorrhizae are naturally occurring fungi in native soils. Their presence creates a complex underground network in forests because it helps them to more efficiently take up water and nutrients and even helps them communicate with each other There is a movement among home gardeners to insert the fungi in other places where things grow Some brands of potting soil say they contain mycorrhizae, but there's been some research that's shown otherwise when the soil was tested: Up to 80% of the mycorrhizae were dead because it got too hot or had been sitting in the potting soil bag too long perhaps you could try a little experiment and report back: Obtain a bag of potting soil that says it has mycorrhizae in it Grow similar plants in the soils and compare All Things Gardening is powered by you, our audience! Send us your toughest conundrums and join the fun. Email your question to gardening@vermontpublic.org or better yet, leave a voicemail with your gardening question so we can use your voice on the air! Call Vermont Public at 1-800-639-2192 Listen to All Things Gardening Friday evenings at 5:44 p.m., or Sunday mornings at 9:35 a.m., and subscribe to the podcast to listen any time Sen. Tom Leek is introducing Senate Bill 1548 to ensure local governments prioritize stormwater projects before seeking state funding Titled “Florida Building Code,” the bill addresses using excess funds collected by local governments through permitting and licensing fees This initiative, led by the Ormond Beach Republican, responds to a long-standing City of Daytona Beach audit. Leek claims approximately $11 million in impermissibly collected fees is currently being held “A local government should not receive additional state funds for stormwater management improvements while it is under audit by the state and until it has expended all impermissibly collected permitting and licensing fees,” Leek stated directly referencing Daytona Beach’s situation SB 1548 amends Florida Statutes to require local governments to allocate excess code enforcement fees for necessary stormwater management repairs It mandates that if a local government collects excess fees those funds must first be used for stormwater improvements before requesting state funding The bill also specifies limited use of these funds in other areas and prohibits cities from using them in certain departments the funds can be redirected for purposes such as fee rebates any city or county under legislative audit within the past year or failing to provide required information will be ineligible for additional state funds These provisions aim to ensure responsible spending and prioritize critical infrastructure needs The bill is expected to be debated during the upcoming Legislative Session Phil Ammann is a Tampa Bay-area journalist and writer with 30+ years of experience in print and online media He is currently an editor and VP of Operations for FloridaPolitics.com/Extensive Enterprises Media Glad to hear that local governments go through regular audits An Ormond Beach Republican wants to expand a state ban against companies discriminating against Israel to colleges and universities Sen. Tom Leek’s SB 1678 suggests anti-Israeli actions by schools and non governmental agencies amount to an “academic boycott,” and merit the cessation of state contracts and grants with those entities on the wrong side of the ideological conflict These entities would have 90 days to correct their non-compliance and be removed from what would be called the Scrutinized Companies or Other Entities that Boycott Israel List under this proposal the state would divest itself of contracts with them “Florida’s global economy thrives with our trade partners which is why I am proud to file Senate Bill 1678 that will now address entities boycotting Israel to include educational institutions and nonprofit organizations,” Leek said Hillary Cassel has filed companion legislation in the House The current list of companies, managed by the State Board of Administration, was first put forth in 2016 after Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law It currently includes a number of companies including various subsidiaries of Unilever the expert who drafted the original legislation “No state has done more than Florida to shield its economy and taxpayer funds from the damage done by the antisemitic BDS (boycott This bill keeps Florida on the cutting edge of this policy effort and will set a standard that will surely be followed by the 38 other states with anti-BDS laws.” The SBA compiles the boycott Israel list quarterly using publicly available data and contacting the companies as part of its fact finding The 2016 bill passed with unanimous support in the Senate and two no votes in the House A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski the price of goods and services should be the only determinant I’ll make an exception for the AntiChrist The FREEDUMB Party of Small Gubberment finds another opportunity to infringe on the First Amendment Someone could look into the finances of Step Up for Students now that their 3% of the annual take is ballooning due to the Vouchers for All A Florida lawmaker is proposing a new program to improve hurricane resistance for the many condominiums across the state The Department would provide fiscal accountability contract management and strategic leadership for the pilot program Participation in the program would be limited to condos that are at least three stories high and the structure must contain at least one residential unit to be eligible In order for an association to apply for a grant to improve one or more units within a condo an association must receive approval by a majority vote of the board of administration or at least 75% approval from unit owners who reside within the condominium grants would be used by the association to make the recommended improvements in a hurricane mitigation inspection report to increase the structure’s resistance to hurricane damage each unit owner must also submit a statement An association would be able to select its own contractors for the mitigation project as long as they are appropriately qualified The contractors must further secure all required local permits necessary to complete the project Contractors license numbers would also be electronically verified before grant approval Projects must comply with applicable building codes and regulations and provide more hurricane protection than previous improvements Grants awarded to an association must be completed in its entirety before the final grant award can be received and the property must be available for a final inspection once completed All grants would be matched on the basis of $1 provided by the association for every $2 provided by the state toward the actual cost of the project The association may receive grants for both roof and opening protection projects but the maximum grant award per association is $175,000 This project could cost hundreds of billions of dollars of other people’s money After hearing impassioned arguments over its potential negative impacts Tom Leek has postponed a floor vote on his bill to enhance penalties for people found guilty of killing a police officer Leek and Jacksonville Republican Rep. Jessica Baker have argued for weeks that their companion bills (SB 234, HB 175) afford cops no additional room to misuse their authority They’ve said the legislation is instead meant to ensure that debate about the lawfulness of an arrest or detainment takes place in a courtroom not on the street where it sometimes leads to lethal results But contention that the legislation’s removal of a requirement that officers act in “good faith” when arresting or detaining people has persisted with detractors contending it will embolden bad actors and suppress historically marginalized communities That contention came to a head Wednesday before a planned vote on SB 234 with several Black lawmakers pushing back against the bill Leek heard them and temporarily pulled the measure from consideration “My love for you all tells me today that the best thing for us to do is to keep talking to continue the discussion (and) try to do the best that we can to make everybody comfortable that the policy we pass is good policy,” he said would require defendants convicted of manslaughter in cases involving the death of a police officer to receive life sentences without parole The legislation is named for Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor Jurors instead found Wallace guilty of a lesser manslaughter charge which carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence when the crime involves a firearm Community outrage followed Wallace’s sentencing So did bills last year from Fort Myers Republican Sen SB 234 and HB 175 would add manslaughter to the list of crimes — including first- and second-degree murder and attempted murder — against a police officer for which the mandatory minimum sentence is life imprisonment without parole It would also eliminate statutory language to clarify that a person cannot resist an officer with violence or the threat of violence when the officer is performing his or her official duties because “jurors can get confused” when interpreting the relevant statutes as they’re currently listed and defendants have used that confusion to their advantage But the legislation’s removal of a “good faith” standard for officers has been a persistent sticking point Shevrin Jones explained why Wednesday while proffering an amendment that would have kept that language in the law “If there is a factual question about good faith the jury should be able to ask and engage (on) it trust a jury to make sometimes difficult calls,” he said this (bill) does not and will not play out (the way you think it will).” Several of Jones’ Black Caucus colleagues concurred who made history as Pinellas County’s first Black prosecutor spoke of how he taught his sons to be submissive during police interactions because “if you resist “doesn’t seem like a whole lot to ask” in return voted for SB 234 twice during the committee process but had a change of heart after speaking with Black police officers community members and reflecting on her own uneasy interactions with law enforcement She spoke of the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 that sparked nationwide protests and calls for police reforms and how even as people witnessed and filmed the incident “Law enforcement officer can do their jobs … but they can’t just do what they want to do and a lot of times in our community we have law enforcement officers that handled us in a way that’s not of justice (and) that I know most of you in this room would not approve of,” she said “We’re (not) saying all White police officers are bad or we’re making ourselves the victims What we’re trying to express to you is the reality of what we live with every day.” Hollywood Democratic Sen. Jason Pizzo, a former prosecutor and the current leader of Senate Democrats, said SB 234 undermines the “gatekeeping function” of the Fourth Amendment which protects people from unlawful searches and seizures it would also disincentivize defendants from pleading guilty because of the heightened mandatory minimum “This is a bill that basically addresses how upset we are that a jury found a lesser (sentence) ‘How do we get justice (and) closure for our family because a prosecutor didn’t do a good enough job to get a higher charge,’” he said “If the prosecutor had gotten second-degree murder In what initiated the most heated exchange on the floor Wednesday Martin talked of how “many people disrespected law enforcement but at the same time would demand that law enforcement would keep their community safe.” He attributed that disconnect to “televised controversy where someone says they were innocent and were profiled,” but that the officers in question were acting on material evidence — a vehicle description for instance — that prompted the interaction “We cannot let the lies in the media that amp us up … ruin our communities and this bill gets to the heart of that issue,” he said adding that nonviolent resistance such as walking away when a cop tells you to stop would still be lawful “If the law enforcement officer doesn’t have a right to detain you But under no circumstance do you have a right to fight that officer (or) resist with violence.” told Martin racial profiling and implicit bias are “not a myth.” Martin denied saying any such thing “It may not be in your community,” Jones said “You’ve got five Black members who are sitting in this room Leek tried to lower the temperature in the room “There’s no one in this chamber who believes racial profiling doesn’t exist,” he said Organizations supporting the “Officer Jason Rainer Act” include the Florida Sheriffs Association Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association Aaron Wayt of the Florida Association of Defense Attorneys said Floridians today have “multiple defenses” against excessive and key to those defenses are the “good faith” and “legal duties” standards “If we don’t agree that officers should be acting in good faith,” he said “that’s the sound of the canary in the coal mine.” Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner Orlando lawyer John Morgan has posted his most provocative social-media rant yet against Florida Senate candidate Tom Leek challenging him to a debate about homeowners' insurance "We will debate this issue and what went on, and I will give $100,000 to the charity of your choice, as long as it's not your favorite charity, you — it can be something else," Morgan said, addressing Leek directly and pointing to the camera Morgan has previously attacked Leek for his growing personal wealth and for supporting tort reforms unpopular with trial lawyers The four-term state representative from Ormond Beach engaged in a heated Republican primary against former St Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and former professional athlete Gerry James A spokesperson for the Leek campaign responded by tying Morgan and other trial lawyers to a list of people and organizations unpopular to Republican primary voters Tom Leek debates his Republican primary opponents not their Democratic funders — who also back President Biden former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum and The Lincoln Project," according to a statement attributed to a campaign spokesperson "They have expended millions of dollars in attacking President Donald Trump Ron DeSantis and conservative Republican values." Morgan — known for his Morgan & Morgan TV commercials and backing of legalizing marijuana — posted a three-minute video on X Tuesday calling Leek is a "nuisance" and a shill for the insurance industry Leek sponsored a bill that removed a provision requiring insurance companies to pay the legal fees of a homeowner whose claim had been denied but then was successful in court "After Tom Leek got finished with his special session no longer would you get attorney's fees if your house was damaged," Morgan said have to give your lawyer a piece of the money to fix your house which means you won't have enough money to fix your house." Leek has argued the measures taken by lawmakers are designed to increase competition and ultimately result in a stabilized market and lowered rates And Morgan alleged Leek is in politics for himself which showed Leek's net worth about $1.1 million when he first got into office in 2017 That net worth rose to more than $16 million this year insurance companies had to do the right thing And here's the other thing: Tom Leek got rich on it," Morgan said Leek has explained that he changed jobs during that time joining upstart Daytona Beach-based insurance brokerage Foundation Risk Partners the year after it opened in 2017 and in August 2022 our efforts were rewarded when the company recapitalized with a new private equity partner," Leek told The News-Journal in January "We are most grateful that our entrepreneurial efforts were successful." Morgan cites Trump tweet attacking DeSantisMorgan noted Leek voted against an amendment seeking to force insurance companies to lower rates by 6.4% in 2024 he cited a 2023 Donald Trump social-media post attacking Gov his then-rival for the Republican presidential nomination "Ron DeSanctimonious is delivering the biggest insurance company BAILOUT to Globalist Insurance Companies IN HISTORY," the post reads "This is the worst Insurance Scam in the entire Country!" On Saturday, Trump endorsed Leek's rival who's been the target of a television and print ad blitz says Shoar is being backed by lawyers such as Morgan because he has championed reforms that take money out of their pockets The Leek spokesperson explained: "He is not surprised by the onslaught of campaign attacks and ridiculous allegations made by the dark money billboard personal injury lawyer groups over the last several months Leek has fought these special interest groups throughout his eight-year tenure in the House and is now fighting against millions of dollars leveled at him from those who continue to support their chosen candidate is looking to block Leek’s path to an open Senate seat Leek and Shoar will face each other in a Republican Primary on Aug where voters will decide if they prefer one of these veteran pols or former wrestler Gerry James The winner will head into November as the clear front-runner in the Senate District 7 race Travis Hutson produced millions in spending on airwaves “The people who have endorsed me are people who know me People who I have worked directly with over the last eight years People who know what I can do,” Leek “I am honored to have the strong support of Senate District 7 voters and the endorsement of Gov and so many others who know me as the only conservative candidate who is ready to lead on day one committing our efforts to get out the vote heading into the final days of the Aug We must fight off the personal injury billboard lawyers who are 100% funding one of my opponents and turn back the Democrats trying to manipulate our Republican Primary the true Republican conservative in this important election.” And within the Legislature for the last eight years he’s taken assignments reserved for members with respect for impartiality including Chair positions for the House Public Ethics and Integrity Committee and the House Redistricting Committee Last year, he rose to his highest position of influence, chairing the powerful House Appropriations Committee, holding greater sway over the $117.5 billion budget passed by the Legislature than any lawmaker but Renner himself For much of the year, Leek faced only James, now a conservative activist who two years ago challenged Hutson and lost by double-digits But the dynamic of the race changed significantly in the Spring as a mysterious new political committee, The Truth Matters, started airing ads attacking Leek Funded by trial lawyers across the state and chaired by a lawyer at Woolsey Morcom the group for months punished Leek for his role in crafting legislation seeking to curb lawsuit abuse Shoar, a former Sheriff-turned-investigator for Woolsey Morcom, jumped into the Senate contest in June presenting himself as an alternative to Leek and the excesses of the Legislature “Republicanism is about limited government and getting as much power away from the federal and state government as we can,” Shoar said 2 has reported more than $4 million in spending in the race starting with $1.7 million in anti-Leek blasts in April and continuing through the start of this month The group has seen some of Florida’s most prominent lawyers But it also has put up biographical ads touting Shoar as a solid alternative Leek has responded with his own ads calling Shoar a RINO Shoar hasn’t done nearly as much campaigning himself raising $71,000 in his official campaign account but spending less than $32,000 through Aug Meanwhile, Leek has spent about $568,000 through the same date, and closed the period with $96,000 in cash on hand. The Friends of Tom Leek political committee spent another $1.4 million on top of that Over months of campaigning, Leek announced endorsements by various elected officials from sitting Sheriffs and Congressman up to Gov But Shoar secured one of the most important in Republican politics: the backing of Trump That sets the race up as a bit of a proxy battle between the 2024 Republican presidential nominee and DeSantis who challenged Trump unsuccessfully for the nomination earlier this year James has largely stayed out of the fray and allowed Leek and Shoar to focus on one another He presented himself as an alternative to the region’s existing political class Leadership that is owned neither by the insurance companies nor the lawyers I know a guy!” James posted on social media And while he didn’t come too close to beating Hutson two years ago he’s the only candidate running who can claim he already had 43% of Republicans vote for him in a Primary under these district lines His support fell shy of the incumbent’s majority but could be enough to win the nomination in a three-person race the winner will advance to a General Election against George “T” Hill in November More than 69% of voters supported DeSantis’ re-election in 2022 and more than 62% backed Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election Your commentary of this race is typical of the misinformation spewing from lazy mainstream media I realize your biases but my goodness stop with the lazy disinformation Served his country and community for decades Honorable public servant who knows how to lead Liberal Leek is just another puppet for the rich Gerry James…a religious Tea Party wacko Irrational ideology always benefits and the rich and rich only Why does the author state that James is a former wrestler when he has been a PGA pro for the last 20+ years and has won two long drive world championships Tom Leek has taken a major step toward filling an open Senate District 7 seat The Ormond Beach Republican defeated former St Johns Sheriff David Shoar and retired wrestler Gerry James in an often combative Republican Primary “There were so many factors that led to this incredible victory but I truly credit the voters of Senate District 7 who spent millions of dollars trying to influence a local state Senate Republican primary election,” Leek said Unofficial final results showed Leek leading the three-person field with 47% while Shoar had about 28% and James received 25% Randy Fine and Ed Hooper on their decisive Primary wins,” said Senate President-designate Ben Albritton and these gentlemen have proven records of delivering for the folks they serve.” Albritton added: “With tonight’s results we are eager to begin contrasting the Republican record of delivering for hardworking Florida families with that of our Democrat opponents who remain out of touch and far too extreme we have made Florida a model for the nation from universal school choice to keeping our communities safe and we look forward to making our case.” Leek advances to a General Election against Democrat George “T” Hill as a heavy favorite to succeed Republican Sen During the last eight years in the Legislature Leek has taken assignments reserved for members with respect for impartiality and these gentlemen have proven records of delivering for the folks they serve we are eager to begin contrasting the Republican record of delivering for hard-working Florida families with that of our Democrat opponents who remain out of touch and far too extreme Last year, Leek rose to his highest position of influence, chairing the powerful House Appropriations Committee, holding greater sway over the $117.5 billion budget passed by the Legislature than any Representative but Renner himself reported more than $5.3 million in spending on the race starting with $1.7 million in anti-Leek blasts in April The group showcased some of Florida’s most prominent lawyers But it also put up biographical ads touting Shoar as a solid alternative Leek responded with his own ads calling Shoar a RINO raising about $78,000 for his official campaign account and spending less than $32,000 through Aug Leek believes his victory shows voters could see the liberal forces behind Shoar’s campaign a Miami-Dade Democrat and president of the Florida Justice Association (FJA) were both seen campaigning in David Shoar t-shirts here in Senate District 7 personal injury lawyers were not playing in the Republican primary is laughable,” Leek said Over months of campaigning, Leek announced endorsements from various elected officials from sitting Sheriffs and members of Congress up to DeSantis But Shoar secured one of the most important in Republican politics: the backing of Donald Trump James largely stayed out of the fray and allowed Leek and Shoar to focus on one another he was the only candidate who could claim he already had 43% of Republicans vote for him in a Primary under these district lines and to the respected elected leaders – our sheriffs firefighters – and so many others who endorsed my candidacy from the very beginning This win would not be as sweet without sharing it with my family,” Leek said and my 97-year-old grandmother who watched the election returns with me from home I thank you for your unwavering support and unconditional love that has sustained us as a family throughout all of our legislative campaign races.” Office you're seeking: City of Milton Council Ward 3, Seat 2 When I decided to make Milton my home, I committed to be a contributing member of the community. I hope that through my public service I can help build a community that my children and grandchildren can be proud of, a community that offers good jobs and secure futures. medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced pounds medium yellow potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice tablespoons chopped fresh chives (for garnish) 1. In a soup pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the leeks are tender. 2. Add the potatoes and stock. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, set on the cover askew, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. 3. With the back of a kitchen spoon, press a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup to the consistency you prefer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives. 3tablespoons butter3medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced1clove garlic, finely chopped Salt and pepper, to taste1½pounds medium yellow potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice4cups chicken or vegetable stock2tablespoons chopped fresh chives (for garnish) 3. With the back of a kitchen spoon, press a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup to the consistency you prefer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives.Jill Gibson The classic French duo of leeks and potatoes in a soup can be served several ways They can be pureed to make a hot bowl of potage Parmentier or chilled for vichyssoise Here we leave the vegetables chunky for a hearty hot soup with texture so cut them in half lengthwise and fan them out under running water to remove any dirt before slicing them crosswise They vary enormously in length and size; aim for 4 to 5 cups of chopped leeks Start by cooking them slowly over low heat so they soften without browning Add diced yellow potatoes such as Yukon Golds; leave them unpeeled Their skins are thin and will help keep the potatoes intact while they simmer in chicken or vegetable stock mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the broth and give it a long-simmered feeling press a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup to the consistency you prefer Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper unpeeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice4cups chicken or vegetable stock2tablespoons chopped fresh chives (for garnish) Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives.Jill Gibson Tom Leek confirmed Wednesday he will not run for the Congressional seat being vacated by U.S “Since it was announced that my friend Congressman Mike Waltz was going to be nominated to serve as NSA Director I have been honored to be asked if I would consider running for his congressional seat in a Special Election I am very much looking forward to beginning my service in the Florida State Senate next week and will not be seeking election to Congress,” Leek said Leek was elected to his first term in the Senate last week following eight years serving in the state House Waltz earlier this week was announced as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for National Security Adviser which will require him to give up his seat in Florida’s 6th Congressional District with Volusia serving as the anchor with about 33% of CD 6’s registered voters re-electing Waltz with two-thirds of the vote last week Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics New legislation would give code enforcement boards and special magistrates authority to sanction those who tear down historic structures As of this writing, Florida has more than 1,700 qualifying properties on this list according to Florida’s Department of State The legislation from Leek and Greco would permit fines of “up to 20% of the fair or just market valuation of the property before demolition of the building or structure as determined by the property appraiser” if destruction of buildings was “knowing and willful and was not permitted or the result of a natural disaster.” If the measure passes and is signed, it takes effect in July and amends Chapter 162 of Florida Statutes which deals broadly with administrative liens A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski one of the founding members of the band Dexys Midnight Runners He was only 66 years old and died after a tough lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease He was set to marry his longtime partner Deborah Smith Lawrence on Christmas but the two decided to wed on October 30 just days before he passed away on November 3 Lawrence shared an emotional post on Facebook that read “The poet Mary Oliver wrote ‘Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.’ And the unimaginable has happened My beautiful Andy left us on Sunday November 3 Mercifully he was held safe at Goscote Hospice which is the most peaceful place I have known in my entire life He received truly compassionate and loving care from people there.” in those most fragile last moments and he died as he lived generous and authentic.” She added that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease almost twenty years ago The album Waking Up the World was written in that maelstrom.” Lawrence added that they had been together for 35 years and felt no need for marriage “I cannot convey how bittersweet this is to have married and to have lost the love of my life within one week Equally I have no words to convey the shock and the sorrow I feel Yet I have the enduring love and a lifetime of the most amazing memories of being with such an exquisite man Andy’s incredible talent and musical legacy as a poet musician and a world class singer will endure It’s the album Eternity Beckons that touches me most right now.” Dexys Midnight Runners are best known for their songs “Come On Eileen” and “Geno.” Leek performed in the band in the ’70s and ’80s as the pianist He soon left to pursue a career as a solo singer-songwriter and is known for his song “Say Something.” His final album was released in 2013 and around that time he also began posting old music with lyrics on YouTube for fans to enjoy More than $750,000 was spent over two weeks by Republican Senate candidate Tom Leek and campaign committees under his control But a group financed by trial attorneys burned through more than $1 million smearing him The Truth Matters, a political committee that for months attacked Leek while occasionally promoting opponent David Shoar plunked down another $1.2 million in spending between Aug The massive fundraising comes ahead of a Senate District 7 Republican Primary between Leek haven’t been the candidates but political committees supporting that The Truth Matters over a two-week time frame raised more than $2.4 million, all donated by a separate committee called Floridians for Accountability, Freedom and Opportunity. That committee raised the vast majority of its donations over the same two weeks from law firms across the state along with scattered heath care industry donors In addition to funding the Truth campaign, the Floridians for Accountability committee also gave more than $2 million to the Conservative Veterans Alliance the Conservative Veterans Alliance had spent upward of $3.1 million on Shoar’s behalf while The Truth Matters cleared $5.3 million in total spending Incidentally, Shoar’s official campaign account spent a fraction of that, less than $32,000 from the time he filed in June until the last reporting period before the election closed Shoar only bothered to spend about $70 in check processing fees letting the political committees do all the heavy lifting for his campaign Leek’s official campaign has spent well over $625,000 over the course of the campaign including nearly $58,000 of that in the past two weeks alone He also has political committees helping as well. The Friends of Tom Leek committee formed after he filed for Senate has spent more than $1.7 million over the course of the race About $300,000 of that was spent in the last two weeks, though some $250,000 of that went directly to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, the political arm of Senate Republicans, which endorsed him earlier this year The FRSCC has invested heavily in dulling Shoar’s momentum, including funding a recent ad reminding voters of a controversial investigation of the death of the girlfriend of a St In addition to the Friends committee, Leek for years also has controlled the Living Life With Purpose political operation That included more than $405,000 in spending just in the last two weeks has continued in his own campaign and spent more than $106,000 But that has trailed off in the weeks leading up to the election The last four-figure expense he reported was on Aug 1 for $3,000 worth of print and digital advertising The winner of the Republican Primary will advance to a General Election against Democrat George “T” Hill David Shoar was an impeccable public servant for over a decade and served the nation in uniform he is a pothead now and controlled by Trial Lawyers Your conspiracy theories and bogus claims don’t amount to a hill of beans One week after he postponed a measure amid outcry from Black Caucus members Tom Leek returned to the Senate floor with an amendment that addressed the concerns of his colleagues There was a brief discussion, all of it heartfelt, considerate and appreciative. Then the legislation (SB 234) to enhance penalties for people found guilty of killing a police officer passed 37-0 we worked together with everyone to make sure that we came up with good policy,” Leek said SB 234 and its House analog (HB 175) would It would eliminate statutory language to clarify that a person cannot resist an officer with violence or the threat of violence when the officer is performing his or her official duties the House bill’s Republican sponsor Jessica Baker of Jacksonville said because “jurors can get confused” when interpreting the law and defense lawyers have used that confusion to secure lighter sentences for their clients Shevrin Jones proffered to preserve the standard in Leek’s bill cross-aisle debate that at one point saw Jones raise his voice at Fort Myers Republican Sen Jonathan Martin for attributing some fear of police violence to “lies in the media.” Thursday saw none of that tension. Leek’s amendment included the provision Jones’ item aimed to preserve and went further defining good faith as making “sincere and reasonable efforts to comply with legal requirements or other act is later found to have been unlawful.” Jones called it “a very good amendment” and commended Leek Majority Leader Jim Boyd and Naples Republican Sen Kathleen Passidomo “for being amenable to it.” who made history as Pinellas County’s first Black prosecutor and joined Jones in criticizing the bill last week “It is the floor of the Senate where hard debate is supposed to take place where we’re supposed to be agreeable about things that we disagree on,” he said “It was very important to the constituents of certain members of the Senate that ‘good faith’ remained in the bill We didn’t want it to appear that we were condoning wrongful conduct on the part of an officer so by including ‘good faith’ and the definition for it are titled the “Officer Jason Raynor Act” after Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor So did bills last year from Martin and Baker Leek held up a letter from Raynor’s mother Jesse Scheckner has covered South Florida with a focus on Miami-Dade County since 2012. His work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, Florida Society of News Editors, Florida MMA Awards and Miami New Times. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JesseScheckner A new measure has been filed to strengthen legal safeguards for employment agreements and seeks to guarantee the enforceability of these agreements under Florida law St. Augustine Republican Sen. Thomas Leek filed the bill (SB 922) with the goal of augmenting legal protections for employment agreements especially those involving trade secrets and noncompete clauses The Legislature has found that state interests are served by enforcing strong legal protections in contracts between employers and contracted personnel which encourages greater levels of information sharing It further finds that alternative means of protecting confidential information and client relationships fixed-term contracts and non-solicitation clauses within employment contracts are not sufficient to protect against global risks faced by companies in Florida The bill adds that predictability in the enforcement of contracts fosters investment into the state A “covered employee” is defined as an employee or individual contractor who earns or is reasonably expected to earn a salary greater than twice the annual mean wage or who has access to his or her employer’s or client’s confidential information or customer relationships a “covered employer” is defined as an entity or individual who employs or engages a covered employee employees would agree to not resign before the end of the agreed notice period Employers would be required to retain the covered employee for the duration of the agreed time and would be required to continue to pay the employee’s salary and benefits that the employee received in the last month before the commencement of the notice period The employer would not be obligated to provide discretionary incentive compensation or benefits or have the covered employee continue performing any work during the notice period A prospective or current covered employee would be required to make a written acknowledgment that they were advised of their right to seek legal counsel before executing a garden leave agreement Covered noncompete agreements are defined as written or portions of a written agreement between a covered employee and their employer The noncompete agreement would require a covered employee to agree to not assume a role with or for another business entity or individual within a specified geographic area — which may be global in scope — for a period of up to four years Current noncompete agreements range from six months to two years allowing additional time depending on the need to protect customers and other types of business interests Similar notice requirements and enforcement provisions would apply to noncompete agreements as with garden leave agreements The bill notes that garden leave agreements do not constitute a restraint of trade or an attempt to monopolize trade or commerce Notice requirements would be required to be followed and the courts would be required to issue a preliminary injunction to stop any breaches of these agreements Prevailing parties would be able to have any reasonable attorneys fees and costs covered and employers would be allowed to reduce salaries or benefits in cases of gross misconduct without breaching the agreements UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ramps, also known as wild leeks, and their unique garlic-onion flavor profile, are a popular foraged seasonal food but that demand could drive overharvesting of the native forest plant. In response to excess harvest worries, an interdisciplinary Penn State research team has studied how to grow and harvest ramps as a potential forest crop since 2017. In their latest study, published in the journal Wild they characterized ramp habitat for the first time in Pennsylvania offering guidance for the agroforestry practice known as forest farming The researchers gathered field site data such as soil topography and neighboring vegetation at 30 thriving wild populations across Pennsylvania and paired it with geographic information system site-level data for more than 100 additional populations to determine “ramp habitat” in the state Plant species associated with ramps in natural settings were recorded as “indicators” for on-the-ground assessments of potential forest farming sites ramp populations were most frequently recorded in moist They are most often found under the following forest canopy trees: sugar maple The most frequent woody understory species associated with ramps in Pennsylvania are multiflora rose these results can help to guide practical site selection for forest farming “The agroforestry practice of forest farming may be a solution to conservation challenges surrounding the wild exploitation of this species, but it requires proper site selection to be successful,” said team leader Eric Burkhart teaching professor in ecosystem science and management For nearly two decades, Burkhart’s lab in the College of Agricultural Sciences has conducted research on the conservation ecology and management of popular wild plants in Appalachian forests such as American ginseng the increasing demand for the plant in recent years has the potential to be detrimental to wild ramp populations in the future if not balanced by planting and stewardship especially in parts of their range where they are less plentiful and “not just any forest will do,” according to first author Ezra Houston who earned a master’s degree in forest management from Penn State in 2022 “Plants can tell you a lot about local site conditions within a forested landscape — especially because many slow-growing perennial forest understory plants tend to grow together in similar forest microhabitats,” Houston said Choosing the proper location to grow ramps can help reduce planting failures or poor performance “We hope that by using a combined modeling and field-collected data approach we have produced information so that a prospective forest farmer could walk a forested site and quickly get an idea of whether it is a suitable spot for growing ramps or not,” he said adding that the authors expect to disseminate these findings in less technical outlets such as extension education products and programs beginning in 2025 Contributing to the research were Cassie Stark who earned master’s degree student in forest resources at Penn State; Xin Chen University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; and Sarah Nilson The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Legislation that would publicly list those who are cruel to cats dogs and other animals is finally moving in the Senate The Senate Criminal Justice Committee has advanced legislation (SB 494) by Sen. Tom Leek The measure is a way of honoring a dog that never had a chance “This law is meant to honor a dog named Dexter Dexter’s decapitated body was found by Pinellas County deputies in a bag dumped in the water at Fort DeSoto Park,” Leek said “The horrific cases we witness every day highlight the need for this legislation and are a reminder that those that perpetrate this type of abuse on animals can often and do and often do pose a threat of violence to human beings as well.” A strike-all amendment adding felony scoring sheets to the bill was adopted in committee. That seems to align with SB 150 which makes animal cruelty “a felony of the third degree.” Leek said that component of the bill would be fleshed out during future committee stops A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski I­’v­e­ b­e­e­n­ m­a­k­i­n­g­ m­o­r­e­ t­h­a­n­ $15k ­a­ m­o­n­t­h­ f­r­o­m­ h­o­m­e­ ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Florida state Rep. Tom Leek defeated two challengers in the race for Senate District 7, which represents St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties, according to News 6 partner WJXT Republican Leek and former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar faced off with Leek Shoar trailed behind with nearly 21,000 votes The airwaves were buzzing with political ads involving State Senate candidate Leek who former President Donald Trump endorsed But it wasn’t just Trump and DeSantis endorsements that played a role in this race Leek also had the endorsements of all the local sheriffs while Shoar had the support of trial lawyers PRIMARY RESULTS who recently posted a video on social media platform X No one has ever accused me of not being conservative I knew one day they’d come looking for their pound of flesh and I’m going to keep fighting,” Leek said in a previous interview addressing the matter Shoar even sent a statement to News4JAX calling for Leek to drop out of the race and cease all negative attack ads against him More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved Proud alumnus of Bethune-Cookman University TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Finally someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles