Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 10.19.21

  By Peter Schorsch    

Good Tuesday morning.

Medical marijuana provider Trulieve is opening its 100th dispensary in Florida with a new store on Tennessee Street in Tallahassee.

The company is holding a grand opening event at the new location Tuesday morning. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. at 1800 W. Tennessee Street, the site of Trulieve’s 100th Florida dispensary.

“Tallahassee is where we opened our first dispensary and where we’re proud to open our 100th in Florida,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said.

“Trulieve was the first licensee in the state of Florida approved to cultivate medical marijuana, first in the state approved to dispense, and first to open a dispensary, right here in Tallahassee. As the site of many important firsts and milestones for our company, Tallahassee has always been and will continue to be central to the Trulieve success story.”

Trulieve has opened dozens of locations throughout the state, becoming one of the leading marijuana distributors in Florida.

“This is a day of celebration, not only for Trulieve but for our communities and patients across Florida,” Rivers added.

“From day one, we’ve been driven by the opportunity to create positive economic impact, support local philanthropic organizations, and improve the everyday lives of our patients, employees and communities. Tallahassee, Gadsden County, and the surrounding communities have been instrumental to Trulieve’s story, and we’re excited to continue honoring those relationships and growing with the community.”

The 100th opening celebration comes less than two weeks after the United Way of the Big Bend honored Trulieve with its Business Partner of the Year award.

“This award is presented to one of our business partners who has gone above and beyond in their philanthropy to support the Mission, Vision and Goals of our United Way,” said United Way of the Big Bend Board Chair Jim Murdaugh.

“As the largest private employer in Gadsden County, Trulieve impacts the neighbors we serve and provides economic opportunity and growth.”

___

Converge Public Strategies is announcing a strategic partnership with HeraldPR to see the New York-based company operate under the Converge Public Strategies brand.

Under the deal, HeraldPR’s personnel will boost Converge Public Strategies’ broader suite of corporate communications services. Converge’s expanded communications division will be codirected by HeraldPR founder Warren Cohn and president Juda Engelmayer. Engelmayer will lead crisis and corporate communications, having worked with and built a powerhouse roster of clients across the globe.

“The opportunity to join with Converge was a win-win. No public affairs firm in the country matches their momentum. It’s a merger of HeraldPR’s public relations and communications talents with Converge’s growth trajectory nationwide and hard-won client trust,” Cohn said.

The partnership will bolster the Converge’s mainstay capabilities in issue advocacy and clients in the technology, health care, insurance, transportation, hospitality, luxury, professional services, and beauty sectors with a more robust suite of public relations services.

HeraldPR’s deep experience and a lengthy list of clients include the Gansevoort Hotel Group, beverage giant Diageo, Le Marais Steakhouse, Israel’s Foreign and Tourism Ministries, World Likud, attorneys Alan Dershowitz and Duncan Levin, New York City entertainment property Broadway Stages, Surface Media, DuJour Media Group, TransPerfect Global, The Glimpse Group, MyndVR and Alerion Aviation.

“HeraldPR’s move into Miami was a stroke of luck for all of us. Converge was looking to take its communications division to the next level and you can’t get better than HeraldPR — their track record of success and ‘whose who’ client list speaks for themselves. We can now offer world-class communications to our clients nationwide and beyond,” said Jonathan Kilman, founder and chair of Converge Public Strategies.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

—@GovRonDeSantis: @FLCaseyDeSantis is going to fight back against cancer with courage, determination, and trust in God. The outpouring of support we’ve received from across Florida and the country is heartwarming — there is light at the end of the tunnel and we’re going to get there.

—@ChristinPushaw: Not sure what was more predictable: Florida’s rapidly accelerating decline in COVID … or the corresponding rapidly accelerating decline of media coverage of COVID in Florida?

—@RonFilipkowski: Don Bongino announced today, “they can have the mandate, or they can have me.” Bongino, who is vaccinated, says he will quit and refuse to honor his contract with Cumulus Media, the company that carries his show on hundreds of stations, if they enforce their vaccine mandate.

—@Scott_Maxwell: Welcome to the race, Senator. If you shake up this campaign the way you shook up the shady ghost-candidate races — where you called for an investigation while other state officials sat on their rears — it will be a welcome addition.

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@Ovillegator: As a conservative Republican filmmaker and lifelong Floridian, I want to make films in Florida, and still try — but other states lure our investors on every project. Last two movies have been in Oklahoma. Rep. (Dana) Trabulsy‘s conservative program that brings film back makes sense.