It’s been a frightful season for the Miami Dolphins. But on Halloween, fans finally got a treat.
After another disastrous season mired in disappointment, the franchise is moving on from longtime general manager Chris Grier, signaling the start of yet another rebuild in South Florida.
The decision ends a nearly 25-year run for Grier within the organization, including nine seasons as general manager. His tenure produced flashes of promise — most notably the drafting of Tua Tagovailoa and the hiring of Mike McDaniel — but never any semblance of sustained success Dolphins fans have craved. Miami has been abysmal this year, and is set to miss the playoffs again, looking miles away from contention.
Owner Stephen Ross framed the split as a mutual decision, but the message is clear: The team needs new leadership. Despite splashy trades, expensive free-agent signings, and years of “next year” talk, the Dolphins remain stuck in mediocrity. Grier’s departure offers fans something they haven’t had much of lately: hope that the next era might finally deliver real results.
It won’t fix this lost season. But after years of frustration, the move at least gives fans hope that better days are ahead.
But now, it’s onto our weekly game of winners and losers.
Winners
Honorable mention: Rick Scott. Scott is once again shining a light on an issue he’s been championing, and this weekend’s changing of the clocks makes his effort especially … timely.
Days before Floridians groaned and fumbled with microwaves and dashboard clocks Sunday morning, Scott renewed his call to “lock the clock” by making Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide.
On the Senate floor this week, Scott urged passage of his long-running “Sunshine Protection Act,” arguing that the twice-a-year clock change is an outdated nuisance that hurts productivity and even public health. The proposal would keep the country on Daylight Saving Time permanently — meaning later sunsets year-round and no more groggy readjustments twice a year.
It’s an idea that’s popular among voters and one Scott has consistently pushed since his time as Governor, when Florida became one of the first states to formally request the change from Congress. The measure has occasionally gained momentum — passing the Senate unanimously in 2022 under U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s sponsorship — but has repeatedly stalled in the House.
Yes, Washington has far weightier and more polarizing issues to solve amid the ongoing shutdown. But Scott’s focus on a small but tangible quality-of-life fix nevertheless stands out. It’s time to stop the clock-switching madness.
Almost (but not quite) the biggest winner: Naya Young. Tampa voters have chosen Young to fill the late Gwen Henderson’s District 5 seat on the City Council. Young defeated former Council member Thomas Scott decisively with nearly 61% of the vote, flipping the script after trailing him in the first round of voting last month.
Her win gives Tampa a young leader who didn’t come from a traditional candidate background. Young was a first-time candidate and has been a grassroots activist for years. She toppled Scott despite being outraised, emphasizing infrastructure and equitable growth, a message that seemed to win over residents eager for new energy at City Hall.
Scott, a longtime fixture in Tampa politics, entered the runoff with name recognition and experience. He previously served on the Council and the Hillsborough County Commission. But after placing first over Young in the initial contest, his comeback stalled.
Was Young’s victory a one-off in an off-cycle Special Election? Or is it a signal of a broader generational and stylistic shift in Tampa politics?
That remains to be seen. But Young will now serve through November 2027, stepping into a seat that will play a key role in decisions facing Tampa in the years ahead.
The biggest winner: Tampa. But Young wasn’t the only reason Tampa was in the news this week. And despite her election win being more substantively important for the city, it got overshadowed by major sports news for the city.
The city has been selected to host the 2029 College Football Playoff National Championship. The decision cements Tampa’s status as one of the country’s go-to destinations for major sporting events, adding another crown jewel to a résumé that already includes multiple Super Bowls and the 2017 College Football Playoff title game.
The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium, marking the second time Tampa has hosted the CFP Championship since the format launched in 2015. The selection is a testament to the city’s proven ability to handle large-scale events and deliver for fans, organizers, and networks alike.
Tampa offers plenty of infrastructure, weather and entertainment — key assets that likely jumped out to the College Football Playoff committee.
Hosting the 2029 title game is expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors and generate millions of dollars in economic impact, giving local businesses a jolt and showcasing Tampa on a national stage. The win also strengthens the city’s case for future marquee events, particularly as its sports and entertainment scene continues to boom with the ongoing expansion of Water Street and improvements around the downtown corridor.
In a state already known for big-time sporting moments, Tampa’s return to the college championship rotation reinforces its reputation as Florida’s premier stage for big-ticket events.
Losers
Dishonorable mention: Polluters. An investigation by the Tampa Bay Times lays bare the systemic failures that have let big-industry polluters off easy while Florida’s waterways quietly collapse.
According to the piece, large real‐estate and agricultural interests operate under what amounts to an honor system where they self-report pollution efforts, regulators rarely test whether contamination actually drops, and enforcement is minimal to nonexistent.
That’s not to say every large entity is the enemy. Some operate in good faith with the larger picture of Florida’s well-being in mind. Others, however, are abusing the system and the state is suffering for it.
Scores of waterways show rising contamination, massive algae blooms spread, and manatees starve in the Indian River Lagoon — while the industries responsible, for the most part, continue business as usual.
The Times found that despite decades of development and regulation, Florida has allowed more than 550,000 acres of new development a year, even in the face of clear data showing stormwater controls weren’t working. Meanwhile, regulators admit they don’t collect basic data about individual pollution sources, meaning agriculture and development firms can operate without meaningful accountability.
That’s a system where the polluters continue to win short-term gains as the environmental cost continues to mount.
Almost (but not quite) the biggest loser: 2nd DCA. This week, Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal unraveled a high-stakes verdict, reversing a $213 million jury award in the much-publicized “Take Care of Maya” case.
That decision’s legal merits may or may not stand up. But in making this move, the 2nd DCA exposed itself to a backlash over accountability, justice and how courts protect vulnerable parties.
The original verdict had found Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital liable on multiple counts — false imprisonment, wrongful death, battery, and fraudulent billing — in a story that captured national attention. The hospital’s reporting to child welfare authorities, the forced separation between Maya and her mother, and the subsequent suicide of her mother, Beata, all formed a wrenching narrative. The family’s wins at trial were not just legal victories — they were moral ones, backed by media scrutiny and public empathy.
But the appellate panel found fault with how the trial court interpreted Florida’s child protection immunity statute. The DCA said the lower court had misapplied immunity protections meant to shield mandated reporters and entities participating in dependency proceedings from civil liability when acting in good faith.
The ruling doesn’t completely wipe the slate clean, but it cuts deep. The appellate court vacated the full judgment, dismissed some claims outright, reversed punitive damages and told the lower court to grant a new trial (but narrowed the claims that can proceed).
For many, the original verdict validated a family that felt wronged by both medical and state institutions. The DCA’s decision will be portrayed as a technical legal correction by some, and a retreat from responsibility by others. Either way, it undermines public confidence that even victims’ families can carry their day in court when facing powerful institutions.
The biggest loser: Hungry Floridians. Thousands of Floridians are taking a cruel hit, as food assistance for many ends even as the cost of living keeps rising.
Starting Saturday, Florida lost waivers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), forcing vulnerable people into mandatory work requirements they’d been exempt from. The rollback affects more than 180,000 people statewide — including 90,000 homeless adults, 55,000 aged 55-64, and 30,000 parents with older kids.
The change comes because federal lawmakers ended exemptions under the “Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” and now the U.S. Department of Agriculture will strictly enforce requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.
To top it off, the broader SNAP program in Florida is already at risk under the federal shutdown. The state warns nearly 3 million Floridians could see benefits suspended if Congress doesn’t restore funding. Florida Democrats are pushing for Republicans in Tallahassee to step in and provide substantial state assistance, but that call has fallen on deaf ears.
For families who already live paycheck to paycheck, this is devastating. Those newly classified as “able-bodied” may struggle to jump through new hoops to remain eligible.
What’s worse is there’s virtually no wiggle room here. Food banks and community programs are already reporting surges in demand. And charities are raising alarm bells about the ability to sustain support for residents as the shutdown effects kick in.
These are mothers, seniors, veterans and other people hoping to get by. And now, they’re about to get squeezed.