Thursday, November 5, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1894, residents gathered at the “Calaboose,” the town’s first jail and police station, and voted 77-1 to incorporate West Palm Beach, which railroad tycoon Henry Flagler had developed to house workers at his nearby resorts.

Do you think tipping culture is out of control? Everyone is talking about it, so today Ayla breaks down five reasons Americans are fed up with the system, then flips the tablet around with five reasons tipping still matters. The spinning screen at the sandwich counter and the server who waits on your table are two very different stories. How much per hour do servers actually make on tips? Ayla has the full breakdown on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Later today, you'll receive a special email from Insurify about how comparing car insurance quotes from more than 100 companies could help you save up to $1,100 a year.

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Key Biscayne Helicopter Crash Kills One

One person was killed, and two others were injured when a small helicopter crashed into Biscayne Bay off Key Biscayne late Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Video showed the Robinson R44 helicopter floating upside down near Nixon Beach with its yellow emergency floats deployed. Two of the three aboard were airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The third was pronounced dead at the scene.

The survivors were in critical but stable condition Wednesday afternoon. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said all three aboard were photographers capturing images of speedboats.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation with the FAA. The cause of the crash and the names of those aboard haven’t been released.

Florida Voters Approve Amendment 3

Florida voters approved Amendment 3, raising the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. The measure drew 62% of the vote, two points above the 60% needed to amend the state constitution.

Homeowners are expected to save thousands a year, but local governments stand to lose billions. Firefighters, police, local officials, and some top Republicans opposed it, warning rural counties couldn’t absorb the cut without hitting essential services.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday that he’ll call a special session before his term ends in early January to set the exemption schedule and keep local governments from “just doing an end run around the amendment and taxing them in other ways.”

1-in-1,000-Year Flood Swamps Brevard

Nearly 2 feet of rain fell on parts of Brevard County on Sunday and Monday, a deluge forecasters called a 1-in-1,000-year flood event.

High water along its corridor forced Brightline to halt trains between Orlando and West Palm Beach into Wednesday afternoon.

Two people died in Palm Bay, Mayor Rob Medina said, and crews rescued hundreds of people with boats and high-water vehicles. Floodwaters opened sinkholes, cut off neighborhoods, and forced officials to relocate polling places on Election Day.

The water is now heading north. Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the state of emergency to seven more counties on Wednesday, including Lake, Seminole, and Volusia, as the St. Johns River keeps rising.

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➤ Tampa: A gunman killed a woman and wounded four others on Wednesday after crashing through a fence at Citibank’s campus and opening fire on people eating lunch before a security guard fatally shot him. (More)

➤ Northwest Miami-Dade: Surveillance video captured a lightning bolt striking a home's roof on Tuesday, narrowly missing a woman standing beneath the overhang. (See Video)

➤ Hillsborough County: Voters approved a 10-year extension of the school district's half-cent sales tax, expected to generate about $1.5 billion for campus improvements, and voted to make the superintendent an elected position. (More)

➤ Brevard County: Area schools reopen today after three days of flooding-related closures, although some campuses remain under boil-water notices and officials warn of possible bus delays in storm-damaged neighborhoods. (More)

➤ Lakeland: Orlando Health opened a 24-hour emergency room in North Lakeland on Wednesday, featuring 18 treatment rooms, on-site imaging, and emergency care for adults and children. (More)

➤ Key Biscayne: A contractor ruptured a sewer line along Crandon Boulevard, spilling wastewater into Pines Canal and prompting a no-swim advisory across the island, including Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. (More)

➤ Myakka City: The Sarasota Medieval Fair returns Saturday for its 22nd year, transforming 47 wooded acres into a medieval village with 14 stages, armored jousting, and turkey legs, running weekends through Dec. 6. (See Details)

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➤ The Jacksonville Jaguars visit Baltimore tonight to face a Ravens team starting undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano at quarterback, with Lamar Jackson headed to injured reserve. (More)

➤ Bob Heinz, who helped anchor the defensive line on the Miami Dolphins’ perfect 1972 team, died last week at 79, his family announced. He spent eight seasons in Miami and won two Super Bowls. (More)

➤ Florida listed Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. as co-starters at quarterback ahead of Saturday’s game against Oklahoma. (More)

➤ Florida Atlantic hosts ESPN’s SportsCenter on Campus for the first time today before facing UTSA in the Owls’ first regular-season home game televised on ESPN. (See Details)

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➤ Tampa will host the 2027 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships on Aug. 12-15 at Benchmark International Arena, with world all-around champion Skye Blakely expected to compete ahead of the 2028 Olympics. (See Details)

➤ A new analysis estimates Florida drivers will spend about $2,454 annually on gas, $98 above the national average, because they drive roughly 1,045 more miles per year despite paying less per gallon. (More)

➤ Tallahassee International Airport reported a 6.4% increase in September passenger traffic to 75,813 travelers, with Breeze Airways adding nearly 4,000 passengers and Delta gaining 8%, while American Airlines declined 6.1%. (More)

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➤ A blind man was arrested after allegedly shooting an acquaintance during an argument outside a Brooksville apartment complex, possibly over a speaker, with authorities reporting no injuries to bystanders. (More)

➤ An Osceola County deputy gave tourists a taste of Florida wildlife on Halloween, wrangling an alligator trapped in a fence outside a Celebration hardware store before driving it to a nearby lake for release. (See Gator)

➤ Kimia, a bonobo at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, gave birth to the zoo's first bonobo baby in more than a decade, bringing a new arrival to the endangered species native to central Africa. (See Kimia)

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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.

➤ Americans are fed up with tip screens, but what’s the real effect on workers’ paychecks? (Listen Now)

➤ Passengers who paid more than $300,000 for a lifetime at sea have been forced off their cruise ship in Cambodia. (Hear Why)

➤ The scientist who helped create Russia’s Novichok nerve agent, then accused Moscow of using it for state-level hits, has been found dead. (Hear Story)