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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1742, the British warship HMS Tyger ran aground on coral reefs near Garden Key. It was the first of three British man-of-war ships to wreck off the Florida Keys.

A special election is being held today in Fort Pierce, District 2, to fill an empty seat on the city commission. The runoff follows the November general election, in which no candidate received a majority of the vote.

Today’s sponsor is AARE, a real estate investment platform that aims to help everyday investors participate in what it believes may be the most compelling real estate buying opportunity since the post-2008 cycle.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Legislative Session Begins

This year's state legislative session kicks off today with Gov. Ron DeSantis' State of the State Speech.

The governor will outline his priorities for his final year in office, which will include the elimination of property taxes for homesteaded properties, regulation of AI, healthcare deregulation, and conservation efforts.

Lawmakers will have 60 days to weigh in on the governor's proposed $117.36 billion budget, as well as a long list of proposed bills that range from changes in gun purchase laws to renaming a state bird.

Affordability is expected to dominate the lawmakers' agenda, with the session deciding if they can agree on solutions that survive inter-chamber negotiations, gubernatorial scrutiny, and, potentially, voter approval.

Citizens Insurance Premiums Drop

Citizens Property Insurance rate premiums across the state, especially in South Florida, will decrease by an average of 8.7% as the number of Citizens policies dropped from 1.3 million to fewer than 400,000, the lowest level in 14 years.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the premium decreases and said policyholders with Citizens, the state's insurer of last resort, in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties will see the largest cuts, with an average reduction of 13.4%.

According to the governor, Florida accounted for about 8% of homeowners' insurance claims nationwide but generated nearly 80% of the country's litigation costs. Following legislative changes, those numbers have begun to reverse, allowing insurers to reduce costs.

"These are historic reductions that have not been seen in modern memory," DeSantis said, attributing the drop in premiums to a combination of legal reforms, increased market competition, and a drastic decline in abusive litigation related to insurance claims.

Uber Rates Drop

It costs less to Uber in Florida than it did two years ago, the rideshare company announced on Monday, attributing the savings to the state's passage of a bill cracking down on lawsuit abuse.

HB 837, a law passed in 2023, made changes to how lawsuits are filed and litigated in the state. Uber said that lower insurance costs resulted from the measure, allowing the company to pass savings on to riders while enhancing earning opportunities for drivers.

Uber's costs in Florida are now lower than in the rest of the country, according to Gov. DeSantis, who stated that fares average 6% less than in the 49 other states.

According to Uber, the law has saved riders tens of millions of dollars on Uber rides. As of September, government-mandated insurance represented just 19% of a rider's Uber fare, a decrease of two percentage points from the previous year.

Flying together with our sponsor

A Pivotal Opportunity in Real Estate, Echoing 2008

A pattern is emerging that only happens once every 15 years or so. Typically, only real estate insiders are in a position to act on it in time.

The last time this happened, Blackstone created Invitation Homes and went on a $10 billion buying spree. It resulted in billions in profit, and Invitation Homes is now a public REIT.

Nearly two decades later, the market is aligning again. Another million-dollar operator is moving in. But this time, they’re giving everyday investors a seat at the table.

Just like before, it’s all about timing as the Federal Reserve makes a critical U-turn in its policy.

From 2022 to 2024, the Fed raised interest rates at a historic pace, contributing to 30-40% lower real estate prices today. With the Fed lowering interest rates, this could supply a major tailwind to real estate values going forward.

AARE has spent 20+ years preparing for this exact moment.

They’ve assembled a war chest of income-producing properties, with $2.75B+ in transactions.

Their experience gives AARE a strong advantage in today’s market.

And they’re still at ~$39M valuation, while other REITs are valued 100x more.

Many of these REITs saw massive upside last cycle thanks to buying sprees of their own:

Prologis stock gained 950%
American Tower stock gained 910%
Crown Castle stock gained 1,300%

Now’s the time to look for potential upside in addition to the classic REIT income.

Become an AARE shareholder now and get up to 15% bonus shares.

➤ Palm Beach: A suspicious package found at the airport prior to the arrival of President Trump's motorcade prompted the Secret Service to divert its route on Sunday afternoon and led to an extended search by the FBI on Monday. (More)

➤ Lake County: School leaders confirmed that a lockdown was issued on Monday after a bomb threat was reported at Lake Minneola High School. The lockdown was issued following a tip from law enforcement and lifted by mid-afternoon. (More)

➤ Tallahassee: A bill from state Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) and Rep. John Snyder (R-Martin County) would obligate non-disabled Medicaid recipients to work or volunteer as a condition of receiving coverage. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Police Officer Donald Bowers, who was seen on video hitting a man during a traffic stop in February, has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing after an investigation by the State Attorney's Office. (More)

➤ Volusia County: Leaders are exploring a domestic violence registry, as cases in the county rank among the highest in Florida. The proposal could change how domestic violence offenders are tracked locally. (More)

➤ Orange County: Public school leaders said they may shut down seven schools because of declining enrollment. (More)

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➤ Florida was No.19 in this week's men's college basketball poll, while UCF dropped out of the top 25. (See Poll)

➤ The Miami Hurricanes reportedly offered Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson $6.5 million to transfer instead of going into the NFL draft. (More)

➤ Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will interview with four teams—the Browns, Titans, Ravens, and Falcons—for a head coaching job this week. (More)

➤ One reporter gave Jaguars head coach Liam Coen unusual praise during the team's postgame press conference on Sunday, sparking nationwide conversation about whether journalists should hide their fandom when reporting on the league. (More)

➤ The Tampa Bay Rays are vetting potential broadcast partners for the 2026 season, with Tegna and Scripps currently leading the way. (More)

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➤ Gas prices are down by double digits in Florida this week, with prices dipping under $2.70 a gallon, according to an AAA report. North Florida remains the most affordable, while Naples and Palm Beach County have the highest prices. (See Map)

➤ Ampera, a clean energy company, opened a headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens. Ampera develops micro-nuclear reactors that generate clean electricity and power AI data centers, defense operations, and industrial facilities. (More)

➤ PortMiami and cruise line companies have curbed pollution by using shore power, meaning plugging in to the city's power grid when they're in port instead of burning fuel. (More)

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Real Estate Is “Too Cheap to Ignore”

That’s the word from the Wall Street Journal.

It’s part of a market cycle that only comes around every 15 years or so.

Enter AARE. They’ve built their real estate portfolio for 20+ years, facilitating $2.75 billion in transactions. And now, the company is giving everyday investors access to their latest deals.

Commercial real estate is one of the highest-quality assets on the market. That’s why some REITs are valued at up to $120 billion, more than 100x AARE’s current $39 million valuation, which points to real upside potential.

Plus, they plan to pay out up to 100% of income in dividends*. But it gets even better…

You can also get up to 15% bonus stock when you invest in AARE today.

This is a paid advertisement for AARE Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.aare.com/

➤ Oviedo police have brought back officer trading cards to build community connections. The cards feature real officers and are distributed during surprise community events. (More)

➤ A St. Petersburg doctor opened the Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute and has created a program to help people with conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia thrive on their own terms. (More)

➤ A Florida bill is taking aim at paper straws. Introduced in both the House and Senate, it would require jurisdictions with straw laws to allow options other than paper. The bill claims that paper straws are harmful to the environment and human health. (More)

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Do you plan to attend a live sporting event in South Florida this year?

Monday's Results:

Do you ever bid in online auctions?

Yes: 44%
No: 56%

What makes up the massive Anderson Mound at the Jungle Prada Complex in St. Petersburg?

Show me the answer

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