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Thursday, February 5, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1931, Malcolm Campbell set the world land speed record of 246.08 mph, driving his famous Blue Bird car at Daytona Beach.

It's opening day at the annual Florida State Fair, which runs through Feb. 16 in Tampa. Unusual food combinations are always a big draw, and this year's list of new foods includes America's Birthday Cake Iced Tea and a Reese's Pieces Donut Burger. Our Poll question asks if you would try the burger.

A quick note from the Flyover Florida team: This week, our entire Flyover team is doing something we don't get to do very often: we're all flying into Colorado to be in the same room together.

Because our writers, developers, and sales folks are spread across the country, most of our work happens over Slack, Zoom, and email. This fly-in gives us the chance to plan, debate, whiteboard, and—importantly—get to know each other better as humans. We'll be spending our time talking about how to make Flyover Florida even better for you in 2026.

As a result, a few of our editions this week may be a bit more abbreviated than usual. That's intentional—and temporary. We'll be back to our regular edition on Sunday.

And while we're together, we'd love your input. If there's something you love, something you'd like more of, or something we could improve, hit reply and tell us. Many of our best ideas come directly from readers like you. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being part of The Flyover community.— The Flyover Team

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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.

Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison

Ryan Routh was sentenced to life in prison in a Fort Pierce federal court on Wednesday, his first appearance since he was found guilty last year of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.

Routh was convicted in September on five federal counts in connection with the assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024, when the president was still a candidate.

Prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Routh "remains totally unrepentant" and that "the heinous nature of this assassination attempt—his selfish, violent decision to prevent the American voters from electing President Trump by killing him first—that warrants severe criminal punishment."

Routh's sentencing had initially been scheduled for December. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon agreed to move the date back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase, rather than representing himself as he had for most of the trial.

Report Details Cost of Immigration Enforcement

The DeSantis administration spent $573 million from Florida's Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund on immigration enforcement over the past three years, according to a report delivered to lawmakers. The report notes that nearly $150 million was spent on missions to help Americans who were stranded in Israel and Haiti.

The Division of Emergency Management said it expects the federal government to reimburse roughly half of the amount, as FEMA approved Florida's request last September for $608 million in immigration-related reimbursements.

The report was required by a law passed last year on the fund that allows the governor to spend money on declared emergencies without seeking lawmaker approval. Critics said the report underscores concerns about the state using emergency powers to fund what they argue are federal responsibilities.

Since the fund was created in 2022, DeSantis has spent about $6.5 billion, largely on hurricane response. Immigration enforcement, under the Operation Vigilant Sentry label, is the third-largest expense.

Residents Object to Removal of Iconic Trees

Fort Lauderdale officials approved a downtown makeover on Tuesday that will remove the city's iconic black olive trees along Las Olas Boulevard. The project to widen the sidewalks has been debated for years, with the tree removal serving as the primary objection.

The trees' removal will make way for new, larger canopy trees to provide shade over wider sidewalks for pedestrians and outdoor cafés. Mayor Dean Trantalis said the black olive trees are dying one by one.

Community members argued that the trees are an iconic, historic part of the city's charm, fearing the change will make Las Olas look like a generic, modern street.

Similar concerns were expressed by residents of an Atlantic Beach neighborhood in Jacksonville, where a 250-year-old live oak, considered a landmark, was removed during a construction project. Mayor Curtis Ford said the city is looking into code changes to give additional protection.

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➤ Naples: Voters ousted incumbent Ray Christman in a crowded city council race on Tuesday, electing former council member Ted Blankenship, along with John Krol and Scott Schultz, to fill three at-large seats. (More)

➤ Statewide: Law enforcement warned residents of an Amber Alert scam happening across the state that includes calls from people claiming to be with Amber Alert and asking for children's information to schedule an "Amber kit appointment." (More)

➤ St. Petersburg: Foundation Vision Partners submitted a proposal to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District, currently occupied by Tropicana Field. The group submitted a master plan and a phased public infrastructure project, ensuring the city's ownership and control of the 86-acre site. (More)

➤ Lee County: The House Judiciary Committee advanced a claims bill to authorize payment of a $750,000 jury verdict to Patricia Ermini, who sheriff's deputies shot during a 2012 wellness check. (More)

➤ Orlando: Darden Restaurants announced Tuesday it will permanently shutter all Bahama Breeze Island Grille locations by April 5. Half of the locations will be converted to sister restaurants, which include Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. (More)

➤ Osceola County Commissioners approved an agreement on Tuesday for the sale of a site to build a K-8 school off Hickory Tree Road in St. Cloud. (More)

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➤ Florida State's athletics department reported $437 million in debt for 2025, which officials say is related to funding renovation and construction projects. (More)

➤ The Big 12 fined UCF $25,000 for storming the court following their 88-80 upset win over No. 11 Texas Tech. Fans breached the court with 0.2 seconds remaining on the clock, triggering an automatic fine per conference policy. (More)

➤ Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. intercepted a pass from Joe Burrow with four minutes left to seal the NFC's win in the Pro Bowl. Winfield was named defensive MVP for his fourth-quarter heroics. (See Highlight)

Yesterday's results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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