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Rolando Escalona to remain in Miami Commission race after Judge rules his residency is legit

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Rolando Escalona is still in a race for a Miami Commission seat after a Judge ruled that he is indeed a resident of District 3.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez found Escalona sufficiently proved that he has rented and lived in an apartment since June 2024, like he claimed, and should not be disqualified from running for the seat, as demanded by his opponent, Denise Galvez Turros.

The ruling came at the end of a roughly five-hour hearing Wednesday, during which Escalona provided multiple items as evidence of his residency. Among them: his driver’s license, voter information card, and Amazon furniture and TV orders — all listing the District 3 apartment as his home — and the lease he signed for it June 4, 2024.

Galvez Turros, meanwhile, provided as evidence Escalona’s 2024 tax return, broker’s license, property tax assessment, property tax deed and other documents listing a duplex he owns in District 4.

Citing Escalona’s evidence as satisfactory, Butchko Sanchez denied Galvez Turros’ request for an injunction to disqualify Escalona from the contest. A source close to the case told Florida Politics Galvez Turros has since filed a notice that she will not appeal the ruling.

In a statement, Escalona called the ruling “a decisive victory for truth, integrity and the voters of District 3.”

“The court saw this lawsuit for exactly what it was, a politically motivated and orchestrated effort by the same insiders to silence voters and distort the democratic process. I have said from the beginning that I am a proud resident of District 3, and today’s decision confirms that fact. I have always been honest about where I live and why I’m running,” he said.

“While others wasted time and taxpayer dollars on this baseless political stunt, I’ve stayed focused on what really matters: making our neighborhoods safer, supporting small businesses, expanding access to affordable housing, and improving public transportation so residents can move through our city with dignity and opportunity. This case was meant to distract us from those priorities, but it failed. This election is about values, fairness, and the kind of leadership Miami deserves. I’m running to serve the people, not the political establishment, and I’m more determined than ever to deliver for the families, workers, and small business owners of District 3.”

Galvez Turros sued Escalona last week, alleging that his claimed residence inside the district’s bounds is a “sham” and should disqualify him from the ballot. Under a year-old charter amendment, eligible Miami candidates must have lived continuously within their district for at least a year before qualifying.

Escalona swore in an affidavit that he has rented and lived in an apartment in District 3 since June 2024, three months beyond the required period.

Galvez Turros, a fellow Republican and the co-founder of “Latinas for Trump,” contended that records showed Escalona actually lives in the District 4 duplex, where he and his wife signed a mortgage refinance in February.

In her court filing, she argued Escalona “cannot simultaneously swear to his bank that his primary residence is outside the district while swearing to the city clerk that his continuous residence is within it.”

Escalona, a restaurant manager and real estate broker, called the suit an “eleventh-hour” political hit job and insisted to the Herald that he meets all residency rules. He has said previously that he moved after redistricting pushed his property outside of District 3.

Florida Politics analysis of all Miami candidates’ residency records found Escalona is among the newest arrivals to the city. He previously lived in North Miami and the unincorporated West Little River neighborhood.

Escalona and Galvez Turros are among eight candidates competing to succeed term-limited Commissioner Joe Carollo, who is running to again be Miami’s Mayor. Carollo’s brother, former Commissioner Frank Carollo, is also running, as are U.S. Navy veteran Oscar Alejandro, Code Enforcement Abatement Board member Yvonne Bayona, real estate broker Brenda Betancourt, Marine Corps veteran Rob Piper and City Hall aide Fayez Tanous.

Galvez Turros, a “Latinas for Trump” co-founder, also ran for Commission in 2017. She was arrested in 1994 on credit card theft charges and in 2010 for disorderly intoxication charges, both later dropped or dismissed, and has since corrected a LinkedIn entry that wrongly claimed she held a journalism degree.

Piper led a 2020 recall PAC targeting Joe Carollo.

Bayona, Betancourt, Carollo and Tanous are also Republicans. Alejandro and Piper are Democrats.

City races are technically nonpartisan, but party politics are frequently still a factor.

Miami’s General Election is Nov. 4. If no candidate tops 50% in a race, the top two advance to a Dec. 9 runoff.



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Woman who died after riding Universal’s Revenge of the Mummy had ruptured aneurysm

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Ma de La Luz Mejia Rosas died last month after the 70-year-old suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm on Universal’s Revenge of the Mummy ride, according to a newly released Medical Examiner’s report.

Rosas became unresponsive on Nov. 25 on the indoor roller coaster then passed away two weeks later Dec. 9 at Orlando Regional Medical Center, records showed.

“Mrs. Rosas went to the park to enjoy time with her children and grandchildren, expecting a safe and joyful experience,” lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing her family, said in a statement.

“Instead, her family is now left grieving and searching for answers. They deserve a full understanding of what happened before, during, and after this ride. We intend to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragedy and ensure her family’s voice is heard.”

Crump said he is asking for information about the ride’s operations, safety protocols, maintenance history and data on other incidents.

Universal did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Rosas’ death was publicly disclosed on a statewide theme park injury report last week.

Florida’s major theme parks are required to self-disclose all visitors’ injuries on rides if the guests were hospitalized for at least 24 hours. The report is publicly released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, though it contains limited information on what went wrong and about visitors’ condition.

The theme park injury report showed 16 people had been hurt on Revenge of the Mummy since it opened in 2004. Most recently, a 32-year-old woman felt “neck pain/motion sickness” last year. A 60-year-old woman hadseizure in 2017. Other guests reported chest pain, light headedness, feeling nauseous or passing out.

Crump was previously representing the family of a man with disabilities who died in September after riding a roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park.

The family and Universal settled out of court in a confidential settlement.

Millions of people visit Orlando’s theme parks every year, and a handful of tragedies occur.

Earlier this month, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against The Boathouse restaurant after a man died from choking on a steak at Disney Springs last year.



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James Uthmeier endorses Jon Maples for HD 87

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‘Jon Maples brings real-life experience, strong values and a deep commitment to Florida families.’

Fresh off a commanding Republican Primary win in the Special Election for the empty House District 87 seat, former Lake Clarke Shores Council member Jon Maples has notched an endorsement from Florida’s top cop.

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on X that he is fully behind Maples, who he said will be “a principled voice in Tallahassee.”

“Jon Maples brings real-life experience, strong values and a deep commitment to Florida families. He understands the challenges facing our state and is ready to lead with common sense,” he said.

“I’m proud to endorse Jon Maples for FL House 87.”

Uthmeier’s endorsement Tuesday adds to others from President Donald Trump, Republican Reps. Anne Gerwig, Griff Griffitts, Jon Snyder and “MAGA” Meg Weinberger, Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter, Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Mimi May, former Rep. MaryLynn Magar, the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and business group Associated Industries of Florida.

Maples won last Tuesday’s Primary with 84% of the vote over one opponent. He’s set to face Democrat Emily Gregory, who took 88% of the vote against a single Primary foe.

The winner of the March 24 Special Election will succeed former Republican Rep. Mike Caruso, who vacated the HD 87 seat in August for an appointed post as Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller.

HD 87 covers Palm Beach County’s coast from Juno Beach south to Lantana, spanning Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Hypoluxo along the way.



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Stacy Hahn files to challenge GOP incumbent Donna Cameron Cepeda in Hillsborough Commission race

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Republican Hillsborough County School Board member Stacy Hahn has filed to run for the Hillsborough County Commission, challenging another Republican in a gambit for the countywide District 5 seat.

Hahn, who has served on the Hillsborough County School Board since 2018, announced her candidacy by citing her experience with the School District as evidence of her fiscal responsibility and belief in limited government.

The countywide District 5 seat is currently held by incumbent Republican Commissioner Donna Cameron Cepeda, who won election in 2022 as part of a broader GOP sweep that flipped control of the Hillsborough County Commission

The race is already drawing significant attention, with well-funded Democratic challenger Neil Manimala also vying to claim the seat. Manimala has a significant lead in funds raised, with his campaign already reporting more than $121,000 compared to $6,000 raised by Cepeda, according to Supervisor of Elections records. Hahn has not yet been required to submit a funding report.

Hahn described herself as a conservative who supports limited government and fiscal discipline, arguing that government is most effective when it empowers individuals, families and businesses rather than expanding bureaucracy.

In a statement, Hahn said her time on the School Board gave her a firsthand view of how county-level decisions affect classrooms, neighborhoods and the local economy, touching on issues such as public safety, infrastructure, housing affordability and budgeting.

“As a School Board member, I worked closely with families, educators, and community partners, and I saw firsthand how county decisions impact our classrooms, neighborhoods, and local economy — from public safety and infrastructure to housing affordability and responsible budgeting,” Hahn said.

“Hillsborough County is a unique and beautiful place with tremendous potential. To unlock that potential, we need common-sense leadership at the County Center — leaders who are focused on improving quality of life for every neighborhood, supporting local businesses, and being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

First elected to the School Board in 2018, Hahn has focused her tenure on financial transparency, literacy initiatives, workforce and career pathways, and early childhood education. She has pointed to her oversight of the School District’s roughly $4.4 billion budget and management of the county’s largest employer as preparation for the demands of county government, saying that experience helped her balance budgets, manage growth and deliver results.

Hahn has also been involved in a range of community and nonprofit efforts, including literacy- and STEM-focused programs, according to her campaign materials. She lives in Tampa with her husband, Jeff, their three children, Ethan, Jackson and Aidan, and their dog Rocky.

Hahn said she is “excited about the work ahead and the opportunity to serve.”



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