Monday, August 10, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1970, legendary frontman Jim Morrison of The Doors went on trial in Miami on charges including indecent exposure and public drunkenness. The charges stemmed from a chaotic concert at the Dinner Key Auditorium on March 1, 1969.

Today marks more than the start of a new school year for many Florida students—a host of new education laws is also on the curriculum. See today’s Top Stories for details.

Today's sponsor, PuriProduce, offers a simple, chemical-free way to help clean your fruits and vegetables, giving you added peace of mind with every meal.

Amendment 3 Ballot Rewrite Nears Finish

Attorney General James Uthmeier's office is finalizing new ballot language for Amendment 3, Florida's property tax cut, after the state declined to appeal a court-ordered rewrite.

Leon County Circuit Judge David Frank ruled last Monday that the original title read more like "a political slogan" than a description. The measure would raise the non-school homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000 by 2028, potentially saving average homeowners about $3,000 annually.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis calls the draft "very straightforward." Opponents, who are warning that the cuts could strain local budgets, have 10 days to challenge the new wording. Ballots will print in late August.

New School Laws Greet Florida Students

Students in 38 of Florida's 67 school districts head back to class today under a fresh set of state education laws, on the earliest start date the law allows.

Third through fifth graders must now receive cursive writing instruction under Senate Bill 182 and demonstrate proficiency by the end of fifth grade. The measure also places retired teachers as mentors in low-rated schools, with stipends of up to $3,000 for coaching new and struggling colleagues.

Other laws require schools to post seizure-response posters on campus. The remaining districts, including Orange and Polk counties, open later this week.

Car Insurance Costs Tumble in Florida

Average auto insurance premiums in Florida fell 19% in the first quarter from a year earlier, the biggest drop of any state, according to a report analyzing more than 1.5 million policies.

The figures reflect completed policy purchases through one national brokerage, and a separate analysis found average full-coverage premiums fell 6% nationally in 2025 after years of steep increases.

More than 40 Florida insurers have filed rate decreases since early 2025, credited to 2023 legal reforms. A lower average doesn't guarantee a lower bill; drivers who haven't shopped in a year should compare quotes now.

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➤ St. Johns County: A 14-year-old Switzerland Point Middle School student faces eight adult felony charges after deputies uncovered homemade guns and explosive materials linked to a planned robbery. A 13-year-old also faces one charge. (See Details)

➤ Niceville: Ruckel Middle School speed cameras will resume on Tuesday as Okaloosa County classes begin, operating 6:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. and ticketing drivers exceeding the limit by more than 10 mph. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Duval and St. Johns county schools erased projected deficits of $100 million and $23 million, respectively, before today’s first day of classes, declaring their financial turnarounds complete. (More)

➤ Lake Mary: Residents rallied at a local restaurant behind their Little League softball team after a 4-0 semifinal loss to North Carolina ended its World Series title bid. (Read Story)

➤ Southwest Florida: Thousands of voters cast ballots Saturday as early voting opened across the region, with solid primary turnout and new congressional boundaries affecting more than 173,000 Collier County voters. (More)

➤ St. Petersburg: Two St. Pete Beach business owners face felony charges for allegedly dumping 1,500 toxic mothballs to keep imperiled black skimmers from nesting near their businesses. (More)

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➤ Lake Mary claimed third place at the Little League Softball World Series after Kylie Green’s sixth-inning walk-off single secured a 5-4 victory over Toms River, New Jersey. (More)

➤ Inter Miami honored Lionel Messi before Saturday’s Leagues Cup loss to Monterrey following his father’s death at 68, while Rodrigo De Paul displayed Messi’s No. 10 jersey. (More)

➤ Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier weighed in after Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, saying a play like that would not happen in Florida. (More)

➤ Sandy Alcantara became the Miami Marlins’ career leader in innings pitched Saturday, striking out eight over seven scoreless innings in a 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels. (More)

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➤ Bonita Springs voters will decide on Aug. 18 whether to approve $35 million in bonds toward converting a $60 million rail corridor, valued at $75 million, into a public trail. (More)

➤ Ella’s Top Corral in Tallahassee celebrated 50 years in business on Saturday with a community block party honoring its original owner’s birthday and five-decade legacy. (Read Story)

➤ Northrop Grumman opened a 300,000-square-foot Melbourne engineering facility designed for more than 1,200 engineers and featuring 17 secure labs for advanced aircraft design. (See Details)

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➤ Off-duty Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood used his bicycle as a ladder to scale a shard-topped fence and rescue a 2-year-old girl before she entered an Ocoee community pool. (Read Story)

➤ DJ Khaled hosted a Miami Beach block party on Saturday, helping students shop for new clothes through his We The Best Foundation and the Circle of Brotherhood. (More)

➤ The Perseid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with a new moon creating dark skies for viewers to spot 50-plus meteors an hour without a telescope. (See Details)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ A boat carrying 14 people capsized off Liberty Island late Saturday night, killing a mother and her 5-month-old daughter. (Hear Story)

➤ Two tiny states out-drink everywhere else in America, and it's not who you'd guess. The real reason has less to do with thirst than with taxes. (Hear Which States)

➤ Couples are ditching the classic first-dance wedding songs for something else. (Hear What)