Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad staggered ashore at Key West after 53 hours in the water. Her 110-mile swim from Havana made her the first person to cross the Straits of Florida without a shark cage.

What are the things experts say you need to buy before you retire? Research shows there are seven purchases worth making while paychecks are still coming in. We ranked them by urgency, and some are pricier than you'd think. The one at the top of the list only gets more expensive every year you wait, so join Ayla on The Flyover Podcast as she counts down all seven and reveals which purchase you can't afford to sit on your to-do list. Tune in here!

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.

Florida Pulls Plate Readers from Highways

Florida ordered local police to remove their license plate readers from state highways on Monday, revoking all approvals the transportation department had issued.

The one-page memo cited a "recent exponential increase" in police cameras, as well as "concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes." The order fulfills a promise from Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said Friday that the cameras capture more than just plates. "We're gonna clear the state right-of-ways," he said.

Flock Safety called a ban the wrong response, saying its cameras helped find missing children and led to a murder suspect's arrest in Florida in recent weeks. The company said it backs privacy and transparency rules instead.

The order spares cameras on private property and local roads, where DeSantis said 98% of them sit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is removing its readers across Duval County anyway, even while calling the technology "an enormously valuable investigative tool."

Dengue Cases Climb across Tampa Bay

Locally acquired dengue cases in the Tampa Bay area have reached 33, and mosquito crews are spraying Hyde Park and Ybor City overnight this week.

Hillsborough County accounts for 30 of them, and Pinellas has three. Statewide, Florida has confirmed 41 cases transmitted by local mosquitoes rather than through travel. Traps in Hillsborough neighborhoods have also turned up the virus in 10 mosquito pools, prompting more treatment by air and ground.

Pinellas crews are fogging Palm Harbor and St. Petersburg by day and knocking on doors to locate standing water in yards. "Dengue does not stop at county lines," Mosquito Control Director Alissa Berro said.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue bites during the day and breeds in as little as a bottle cap's worth of water. Symptoms include fever, rash, and severe muscle and joint pain, and can appear within two weeks of a bite.

Waymo's Driverless Taxis Launch in Tampa

Waymo's driverless taxis started picking up paying riders across roughly 50 square miles of Tampa on Tuesday.

The zone runs from Hyde Park to Temple Crest and from Westshore out to Highland Pines. Before the launch, specialists drove the cars around town for months to map curb heights, lane markers, and the city's messier intersections.

Rides come in Hyundai IONIQ 5s, the newest vehicle in the fleet. Thousands of Tampa residents preregistered, and Waymo says it's inviting them in batches rather than opening the app to everyone at once.

Tampa launched the same day as Denver and San Diego, putting the service in 14 U.S. cities. Waymo says its vehicles are involved in 11 times fewer injury crashes and five times fewer airbag-deploying crashes than human-driven cars.

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➤ Statewide: Both major-party candidates for governor, Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly, called for Hope Florida reforms after a leaked grand jury report said the DeSantis administration misused Medicaid settlement money for political purposes. DeSantis noted no indictments were issued. (See Details)

➤ Starke: Harold Gene Lucas, 74, was executed Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison for the 1976 shooting death of a 16-year-old girl in Bonita Springs. He's the state's 14th execution this year. (More)

➤ Martin County: Deputies waded into a gator-filled swamp along the St. Lucie County line to chase down a hit-and-run suspect who left an injured motorist behind, capturing 39-year-old Likenson Daceus after more than two hours. (See Video)

➤ Groveland: Descendants of the Groveland Four gathered with city leaders and lawmakers to honor the four black men falsely accused of rape in 1949, as the state budget sets aside $4 million split among their families. (See Details)

➤ Panhandle: Republican U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, whose district covers Pensacola, filed the Lake America Act to rename Lake Ontario on federal maps, following President Trump's push to do the same. "Lake America sounds a whole lot better," Patronis said. (More)

➤ Tallahassee: A Florida State student wounded in the April 2025 Student Union shooting is suing the university, claiming negligent security left her with permanent injuries. Accused gunman Phoenix Ikner's trial is now set for June 2027. (See Details)

➤ Sarasota: Kyle Rittenhouse has taken a job at gun shop Shark Coast Tactical after moving to Florida. Rittenhouse was acquitted of homicide charges in the 2020 shooting of three men, two fatally, during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (More)

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➤ Miami Columbus knocked off top-ranked Bishop Gorman 33-28 at the Broward County showcase behind University of Miami commit A'Mir Sears, who caught two touchdown passes and intercepted three. The Explorers visit No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday. (See Details)

➤ IMG Academy held its spot atop the state's high school football Top 25 after a 59-10 rout of Cornerstone Christian. The First Academy debuted at No. 25 following a 21-14 win over Edgewater. (See List)

➤ Four area players earned Tallahassee Quarterback Club Week 2 honors, led by North Florida Christian receiver James Butler, who piled up 129 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 win over Port St. Joe. (See Details)

➤ Florida's men's golf team starts the season ranked No. 1 in the Golf Channel and Golfweek preseason polls, with Luke Poulter, Zack Swanwick, and Jack Turner named All-Americans. The Gators open Sept. 12 at the Sahalee Players Championship. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: U.S. Open | MLB | Soccer | Volleyball

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➤ Blue Origin broke ground on a 120,000-square-foot payload processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36. The building will hold four payload-processing bays and two encapsulation bays, and it's set to open in early 2028. (See Details)

➤ Otto Aerospace plans to break ground at Cecil Airport in 2028 on a plant for a next-generation corporate jet, with work on the first aircraft expected around 2030, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority told city council members. (More)

➤ A Sarasota bakery has doubled its business since earning Michelin recognition. Focaccia Sandwich + Bakery, owned by chef Nick Sammelman, is one of three Sarasota restaurants to make the list, alongside Lucky 8 and Tralia. (Read Story)

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➤ A black bear tried to drag a trash can off a Panama City Beach porch in broad daylight Aug. 26, grabbing the handle in its mouth. The homeowner met another bear at his can on Sunday evening and ran inside. (See Video)

➤ The Florida Scallop Festival returns to Gulf County's Veterans Memorial Park at Beacon Hill this Saturday and Sunday with eight bands, rain or shine. Day passes run $10, two-day passes $20, and kids 12 and under get in free. (See Lineup)

➤ Jacksonville's science museum released new exterior renderings Tuesday of its planned five-story Northbank home, a 125,000-square-foot building with 10 exhibits and a café. Groundbreaking is expected in early 2027. (See Renderings)

➤ Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County and Williams Company broke ground Tuesday on a new Orange County home as part of the seventh annual Home for the Holidays event. A local family will purchase the finished house through an affordable mortgage, with a dedication ceremony set for Dec. 11. (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.

➤ Buying these seven things before you retire could save you thousands, but the clock is ticking. (See List)

➤ Federal officials say a monthlong immigration sweep across New York netted thousands of arrests, including a number of violent criminals. (Hear Details)

➤ A Lake Tahoe swimmer needed nearly 40 stitches after an otter pulled her underwater and wouldn't let go. (Hear Story)