Tallahassee mayoral candidate Jeremy Matlow’s political committee, Friends of Jeremy Matlow, has received a $200,000 contribution from the California-based Green Advocacy Project, according to newly reported campaign finance information.

The contribution, disclosed less than a week before the November 3 election, brings renewed attention to the role of out-of-state environmental organizations in Tallahassee politics and their interest in influencing the future of the city’s electric utility.

The timing also raises questions about campaign finance transparency. With only days remaining before voters go to the polls, the late disclosure leaves limited opportunity for news organizations to investigate the contribution and for voters to evaluate the donor’s policy objectives.

However, without evidence of the donor’s or campaign’s intentions, it cannot be established that the contribution was deliberately timed to avoid press coverage.

Who Is the Green Advocacy Project?

The Green Advocacy Project, based in Palo Alto, California, was founded in 2017 by progressive political activist Michael Kieschnick, who also founded CREDO Mobile.

The organization supports political efforts aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. Its leadership includes political operatives associated with national progressive campaigns, including Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.

This is not the organization’s first involvement in Tallahassee elections.

In 2024, the Green Advocacy Project contributed $150,000 to Matlow’s One Tallahassee political committee, which supported progressive candidates for City Commission. The organization has also contributed $200,000 to Lead Locally PAC between 2024 and 2026.

Why Is California Interested in Tallahassee?

One explanation involves Tallahassee’s city-owned electric utility.

Unlike communities served by investor-owned utilities, Tallahassee’s elected City Commission has significant authority over electricity generation, energy investments and utility policies.

The city’s electric generation system relies heavily on natural gas, making Tallahassee an attractive target for environmental organizations seeking to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

In September, California-based Lead Locally endorsed Matlow and City Commission candidates Dot Inman-Johnson and P.J. Perez. The organization has specifically advocated a rapid transition to clean energy in Tallahassee.

Matlow has also received the endorsement of the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, another national organization supporting candidates committed to reducing fossil fuel use.

Matlow’s own voting record reflects his willingness to challenge existing natural gas commitments.

In February 2024, Matlow and Commissioner Jack Porter opposed extending a natural gas pipeline capacity agreement after utility officials warned that the capacity would be needed to meet customer demand.

Matlow instead sought a review of alternatives to natural gas. The proposed alternative failed, and the contract extension passed 3-2.

The disagreement highlights a potentially significant financial issue for Tallahassee residents.

Matlow has argued that transitioning to renewable energy could lower utility bills. Supporters of renewable energy also point to reduced fuel expenses and the potential for long-term savings.

However, accelerating that transition could require substantial investments in generation, battery storage and backup capacity. The impact on customer rates would depend on the cost and timing of those investments.

Questions About Timing

The $200,000 contribution is particularly noteworthy because of its proximity to Election Day.

Although late campaign contributions are permitted under applicable reporting requirements, disclosure shortly before an election can limit the time available for public scrutiny.

The distinction between when the contribution was received and when it was publicly reported is important. Establishing whether the timing was intentionally designed to minimize news coverage would require additional evidence.

The contribution also raises broader questions about what California environmental organizations expect from the candidates they support.

Matlow previously defended out-of-state contributions to his political committee, telling WFSU in 2024 that the financial support helped his political allies compete with opposing interests.

For Tallahassee voters, the central questions are why the Green Advocacy Project is investing another $200,000 in local politics, whether the contribution is connected to specific utility policy expectations, and how those policies could affect electric rates.

The answers could have consequences extending well beyond Tuesday’s election.

Single-parent households can face greater financial pressures because household expenses often must be supported by one parent rather than two. However, the Census figures alone do not establish the income or economic circumstances of individual families.

The findings are particularly relevant to local discussions about poverty, housing affordability, educational outcomes and economic mobility.

The Numbers

The data show that 35.26% of children under age 18 living in households in Leon County reside in single-parent households, placing Leon first among the state’s 37 larger counties.

Duval County ranked second at 33.24%, followed by Escambia County (32.10%), Sumter County (31.52%) and Alachua County (31.09%).

Leon County’s rate was more than two percentage points higher than second-place Duval County and more than six percentage points above Miami-Dade County, which reported 28.87%.

At the other end of the rankings, St. Johns County reported the lowest percentage at 13.36%, followed by Santa Rosa County (16.12%), Martin County (18.68%) and Clay County (19.25%).

The data also reveal that Leon County’s percentage has increased slightly since 2020.

In 2020, 34.82% of Leon County children lived in single-parent households. By 2024, that figure had increased to 35.26%, a rise of 0.44 percentage points.

Leon County ranked ninth among the 37 larger counties in the increase in its single-parent household percentage between 2020 and 2024.

Indian River County experienced the largest increase, rising 4.47 percentage points, followed by St. Lucie County (3.97 points), Hernando County (2.78 points) and Okaloosa County (2.16 points).

For Leon County, the central finding is clear: Its rate is the highest among Florida’s 37 larger counties, and the percentage has increased slightly since 2020.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data, 2020–2024, as compiled in the supplied county comparison spreadsheet. Rankings are limited to counties with 2024 populations exceeding 95,000. The data measure the percentage of children living in single-parent households, rather than the percentage of all households headed by a single parent.

Lincoln earned a place in the boys team bracket after finishing 15th in the state qualifying round, while Rickards bowlers Jayden Peterson, John Nance and Grace Lee competed in the individual qualifying rounds. Although none of the three Rickards bowlers advanced to the final 16 in their respective divisions, all three recorded finishes among the competitors at the state finals.

Lincoln Reaches the Team Bracket

Lincoln finished 15th among 32 teams in the boys team qualifying round, recording a four-game total of 3,918 pins to secure one of the 16 places in the team bracket.

The Trojans’ qualifying lineup included Dylan Fell, who led Lincoln with 832 pins to finish 56th overall among 207 bowlers. Caleb Moore placed 77th with 811 pins, followed by Kale Hurd in 90th with 782 pins, Devin Mortham in 92nd with 780 pins and Hunter Mortham in 135th with 713 pins.

Lincoln opened bracket play against Leesburg High School in the winners’ bracket on Wednesday. The Trojans recorded a team total of 590 pins but lost the match, 3–0, moving them into the consolation bracket.

Lincoln then faced Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School in its first consolation-bracket match. The Trojans fell 3–2, ending their run in the team tournament.

Rickards Bowlers Compete in Individual Qualifying

Three Rickards bowlers represented Leon County in the individual competitions, with two competing in the boys division and one in the girls division.

Peterson posted the highest local finish in the boys individual qualifying round, placing 42nd among 207 bowlers with a four-game total of 856 pins. He opened with a 215, followed with a 239 and 224, and finished with a 178.

Nance finished 100th with 763 pins across four games. After opening with 165 and 182, he recorded a 212 in the third game and closed with a 204.

In the girls division, Lee placed 42nd among 231 bowlers with 711 pins. She began with a 203, followed with a 173 and 163, and finished with a 172.

The individual qualifying round determined which bowlers advanced to the final 16 in each division. Peterson, Nance and Lee did not reach that cutoff, but each represented Rickards and Leon County at the state tournament.

Clemson is 4-3 on the season with wins against Georgia Southern, North Carolina, California and Charleston Southern and losses to LSU, Miami and Virginia Tech. FSU is 21-17 when facing off with the Tigers. The last time the Seminoles beat Clemson was in 2023 in an overtime thriller. The last time FSU won at home was in 2014.

Observations from the last game

Florida State played their best game of the season but came up just a little bit short. The missed 4th downs inside the Miami ten, the inability to slow down Malachi Tony (no one else has been able to do it either) and the phantom holding call on Xavier Chaplin were all major contributors as to why FSU fell short.

After Ousmane Kromah got hurt Trey Wisner turned up his play to keep the Seminoles in the game. Kromah fractured his ankle, so he is out for the season. The defense got after the by Miami offensive line forcing Mensah into some bad throws.

Florida State offense versus Clemson defense

Clemson has been average against the run so far but slightly better versus the pass. The key players on this side of the ball are Florida State running backs Wisner and little used freshman Amari Thomas. If they can get the run game going close to what we were accustomed to with Kromah the offense should do enough to get the win.

Players to watch for on the Tigers’ defense are defensive end and Will Heldt (6 sacks), cornerback Elliot Washington (3 interceptions) and the 3 talented safeties Corey Myrick, Jerome Carter and Ronan Hanafin. Heldt will be another tough matchup for left tackle Xavier Chaplin.

Florida State defense versus Clemson offense

Clemson has struggled on this side of the ball especially in the passing game. The Tigers switched to the freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds in the season opener, and he has been the starter ever since. Reynols has a 4-2 record as starter but hasn’t much of a factor in those games with only 1 touchdown pass and has taken a whopping 20 sacks. His go to receivers this year have been Bryant Wesco, TJ Moore and Tyler Brown.

The best player on offense is running back Gideon Davidson, who has 492 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Clemson is going to try to establish the run early on to have Reynolds have more time and use play action. FSU defensive tackles, Daniel Lyons and Kevin Wynn, can get a push to stop the run they will put the quarterback in 3rd and long situations. Linebacker Chris Jones to make plenty of tackles in the run game and get some QB pressures when blitzing.

Special teams

Advantage Clemson. Bryant Wesco has had a great season returning punts.

Prediction

I think FSU will limit the turnovers and get the run game going to squeak out the win. Florida State 21 Clemson 17

Friday, October 30, 2026

Weather: Today, partly sunny with a high near 83. Tonight, mostly cloudy with a low around 66. Saturday, a 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm with a high near 82. Saturday night, mostly cloudy with a low around 67.

US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.3%, Nasdaq -1.4%).

Local Sports: Leon High School’s boys golf team earned a regional berth with a runner-up finish, while Chiles’ Rhys Cochran also qualified for regionals capturing the individual district championship at the FHSAA Class 3A District 1 golf tournament. Details

Local & State News

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) arrested Leon County Schools Deputy Superintendent Michelle Gayle, 64, on Thursday, October 29. Details.

Florida is approaching 4 million votes cast ahead of Tuesday’s midterm election, with registered Republicans slightly ahead of Democrats in ballots cast by mail or at in-person early voting sites. Details

The pace of first-time jobless claims in Florida dipped slightly over the past two weeks. Details

National News

President Donald Trump called for Alaska Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola to be prosecuted and removed from the ballot after a New York Times report (free w/email) alleged her campaign recruited a candidate sharing the name of her opponent, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R).

The boys and girls tournaments featured teams from across the district competing for regional qualification. The top two teams in each tournament earned regional berths, along with the top two individual golfers who did not qualify through a team.

On the boys side, Leon finished second with a team score of 311 (+23), just two strokes behind district champion Tate, which finished at 309 (+21). Chiles placed third at 315 (+27), while Lincoln finished seventh at 334 (+46).

In the girls tournament, Chiles placed fifth with a team score of 421 (+133). Liza Baker Wright led the Wolves individually, tying for the tournament’s best score with an 81 (+9) through 18 holes.

Leon Boys Secure Regional Berth

Leon’s second-place team finish was led by Liam Minton and Solomon Hardy, who finished second and third individually, respectively.

Minton carded a two-under-par 70 to finish two strokes behind Cochran, while Hardy recorded an even-par 72. Their performances helped the Lions finish ahead of Chiles by four strokes and secure one of the district’s two regional berths.

Aubrey Turner shot an 83 (+11) to tie for 19th, while Hudson Gardner finished with an 86 (+14) in 26th place. Andrew Suber rounded out Leon’s lineup with a 99 (+27).

Tate claimed the district team championship with a score of 309 (+21), narrowly holding off Leon for the top spot.

Cochran Wins Boys Individual Championship

Chiles junior Rhys Cochran delivered the top individual performance of the boys tournament, shooting a three-under-par 69 to win the district championship.

Cochran finished one stroke ahead of Leon’s Minton and three ahead of Hardy, giving Leon County golfers the top three individual positions.

Chiles finished third in the team standings, four strokes behind Leon. Asher Hall tied for ninth with a 78 (+6), while Parker Ritchie tied for 15th after shooting an 81 (+9). Mason Githens carded an 87 (+15), and Jackson Kukla finished with a 91 (+19).

Lincoln placed seventh at 334 (+46), led by Chase Fleischer, who shot a 75 (+3) to tie for fifth individually. Freshman Jack Marsey finished with an 84 (+12), tying for 21st, while Sutton Suber carded an 87 (+15) and Kale Hurd finished at 88 (+16). Bryce Garber completed the Trojans’ lineup with a 101 (+29).

Chiles Girls Finish Fifth as Baker Wright Leads County

The Chiles girls team finished fifth in the district standings with a combined score of 421 (+133), while Niceville won the district championship at 348 (+60). Pace finished second at 372 (+84), claiming the other team regional berth.

Chiles junior Liza Baker Wright led the Wolves and tied for first individually with an 81 (+9). She shared the tournament’s lowest score with Niceville junior Tenley Sharron, though the provided results do not indicate a playoff or tiebreaker to determine an outright individual champion.

Chiles junior Kate Mathis finished sixth with an 85 (+13), giving the Wolves two golfers in the top six. Aubyn Galloway led Leon’s individual representation with a 99 (+27), tying for 16th, while Charlotte Norris finished with a 113 (+41), tying for 25th.

Chiles’ remaining golfers were Ava Collier, who shot a 116 (+44) to tie for 29th, and Audrey Benford, who finished with a 139 (+67) in 38th.

Despite Baker Wright’s strong round and Mathis’ top-six finish, Chiles finished 49 strokes behind second-place Pace.

The pace of first-time jobless claims in Florida dipped slightly over the past two weeks.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimated 4,956 initial unemployment applications were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,041 the week ending Oct. 17.

Since the start of August, Florida has steadily averaged fewer than 5,400 new claims a week.

Florida’s jobless rate for September was 4.4 percent, or about 489,000 out of work from a labor force of 11.1 million. The jobless number has grown by 28,000 over the year while the workforce is up 21,000 in the same time.

The National Federation of Independent Business has reported small business owners have become “more cautious” about planning for the future.

Meanwhile, a report out this week showed CEOs surveyed by the Florida Council of 100 continued to express a positive economic outlook. But the third quarter survey showed expectations for sales, capital investment and employment were down from the previous quarter.

“Florida’s business leaders remain confident in opportunities to invest and grow,” Council Chairman George LeMieux said in a released statement. “Hiring expectations remain particularly strong relative to the nation, and investment expectations are substantially higher than a year ago.”

Nationally, an estimated 194,000 new unemployment claims were filed last week, down 1,000 from a revised count for the prior week.

Florida is approaching 4 million votes cast ahead of Tuesday’s midterm election, with registered Republicans slightly ahead of Democrats in ballots cast by mail or at in-person early voting sites.

The Division of Elections on Thursday showed nearly 1.57 million Republicans have cast ballots, while more than 1.51 million Democrats have voted.

Those without a political party have cast more than 700,000 ballots, while individuals registered with a minor party were at 96,000 votes.

Republicans hold a 1.5 million advantage over Democrats among the state’s 13.7 million registered voters.

In-person early voting as of Thursday morning was 972,000 by Republicans to 788,000 Democrats. Democrats were up 727,000 to 594,000 with vote-by-mail ballots.

The prior midterm election in 2022 drew 7.8 million voters, 53.8 percent of those registered in Florida at the time.

Republicans cast nearly 1.17 million early votes, almost 500,000 more than Democrats, in 2022. The 1.2 million Democrats who voted through the mail in 2022 were about 200,000 more than Republicans.

Mandatory early voting for all 67 counties ends Saturday. Alachua, Bradford, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Leon, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota, Seminole, Duval and Levy counties will offer the voting option on Sunday.

According to an LCSO press release, investigators determined that Gayle allegedly used her position to obtain improper reimbursements from the nonprofit organization, which raises funds to support Leon County public schools.

The investigation began after Leon County Schools personnel reported suspected financial discrepancies involving the Foundation.

Detectives subsequently identified inconsistencies between information Gayle submitted to the Foundation and the reimbursement payments she received. Investigators confirmed more than $1,200 in allegedly fraudulent reimbursements.

Gayle was charged with grand theft and booked into the Leon County Detention Facility.

The arrest follows an investigation that became public in August when Gayle and Foundation Executive Director Margaret Farris were placed on administrative leave.

Gayle, one of Superintendent Rocky Hanna’s highest-ranking administrators, oversees the district’s Office of Professional, Intervention and Community Services. Her responsibilities include oversight of the Foundation for Leon County Schools, school choice, community partnerships and several other district functions.

Previous Audit Identified Financial Weaknesses

On August 26, Tallahassee Reports published a follow-up investigation revealing that the Foundation’s 2023 independent audit had identified two material weaknesses in its financial controls.

One finding involved inadequate separation of financial responsibilities. Auditors reported that individual employees were responsible for multiple steps in handling financial transactions, including collecting payments, recording deposits and making bank deposits.

Auditors also identified insufficient review procedures for journal entries and credit card transactions.

The second material weakness involved significant accounting adjustments required to bring the Foundation’s financial statements into compliance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The auditors warned that the weaknesses increased the risk of financial misstatements or misappropriation of assets. However, the audit did not establish that money had been stolen, and the auditors ultimately issued an unmodified opinion on the corrected financial statements.

At the time of that report, the Foundation’s 2024 and 2025 independent audits were not publicly posted. Both are now listed on the Foundation’s financial information website.

Foundation Operations Suspended

In September, Superintendent Hanna confirmed that the district had suspended Foundation operations and hired an outside firm to examine spending practices.

The suspension affected fundraising events and the review of teacher grants. Hanna said the district needed a complete accounting of the Foundation’s financial activities before operations could resume.

The Foundation, established in 1986, raises money to support Leon County public school students, teachers and educational programs.

Its financial activity has grown significantly in recent years. According to financial records previously reviewed by Tallahassee Reports, the organization reported approximately $1.5 million in revenue during fiscal year 2024.

The arrest raises additional questions about the Foundation’s financial oversight, whether the weaknesses identified in earlier audits were corrected, and what steps district leadership and the Foundation’s board took to monitor financial transactions.

Gayle is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Weather: Today, mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Tonight, partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Friday, partly sunny, with a high near 84. Friday night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.3%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.3%) (More).

Local Sports: Maclay captured both the boys’ and girls’ team championships at the 2026 FHSAA Class 1A District 3 Golf Championships on Oct. 27 at Golden Eagle Country Club. Details.

Local & State News

An ethics complaint filed October 27, 2026, with the Tallahassee Independent Ethics Board alleges that City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow’s aide, Ryan Ray, used taxpayer-funded work hours to engage in anonymous political activity. Details.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday hit the campaign trail to support U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee to replace him, but later in the day he also urged GOP voters not to be lethargic about heading to the polls. Details

National News

Staffers affiliated with Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola were reportedly directed to recruit candidates named Dan Sullivan to run in order to divert votes from incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK); the New York Times investigation challenges the Peltola campaign’s claims it was not involved.