Good Morning! On this day in 1997, an EF-1 tornado, one of the most photographed in history, landed in downtown Miami, cutting an eight-mile path.
The rainy season arrived right on time, with much of the state experiencing downpours and thunderstorms over the weekend and into today. The rain is welcome, as we experience the worst drought in 24 years.
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Daytona Beach ⚡ 79/68° | Ft. Myers ⛈️ 83/72° | Jacksonville ⚡ 80/68° | Key West 🌦️ 82/77° | Miami 🌦️ 81/74° | Ocala ⚡ 82/68° | Orlando ⚡ 80/69° | Pensacola 🌧️ 77/65° | Port St. Lucie ⚡ 80/69° | Tallahassee ⛈️ 84/64° | Tampa ⛈️ 84/71°
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Budget Deal Collapses
The budget deal lawmakers had been working on “has blown up,” said House Speaker Daniel Perez, accusing Senate President Ben Albritton of “breaking his commitment to the House” by refusing to bring the House tax proposal to the Senate floor for a vote.
After the governor held a roundtable discussion on taxes last week, Albritton announced on Friday that he would not advance the proposal, arguing that “an across-the-board sales tax cut would unduly benefit tourists and foreigners.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis has doubled down on his desire for property tax relief, stating that the state needs to allow a $1,000 property tax rebate for every homeowner.
“This is supposed to be your private property, but yet you could own your home for 50 years, and you’ve still got to pay the government just to live on your property!” DeSantis said. “When do you own your property free and clear?”
The budget conferences expected to begin this week will be delayed.
Pope Leo XIV Invited to Port Charlotte
Pope Leo XIV’s older brother, Navy veteran Louis Prevost, has lived in Port Charlotte for four years and says he couldn’t be more proud of his sibling’s elevation to the papacy.
Louis asked his brother, former Cardinal Robert Prevost, to come to Florida before moving to Rome after being named the new leader of the Catholic Church, saying, “God knows when you’re gonna get a chance to come back again.”
The brothers grew up in Chicago with their oldest sibling, John, who still lives in Illinois. Louis said many people recognized something special in Robert from an early age.
“We used to tease him about being Pope because he always had that holy way about him,” Prevost said. “The neighbors on the street we grew up with—a lot of them used to say, ‘you’re going to grow up to be Pope one day.‘“
Florida Ranks High for Economy and Education
Florida ranked sixth in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s2025 ranking of every state based on factors including crime, education, economic health, and healthcare.
Rising from ninth place overall last year, the Sunshine State notably took the No. 1 spot for its economy, buoyed primarily by economic growth. Florida also ranked No. 2 in education, down one position from its top ranking in 2024.
Utah was the No. 1 state nationwide, followed closely by New Hampshire at No. 2 and Idaho at No. 3.
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➤Miami-Dade County: A brush fire that burned more than 400 acres over the weekend caused road closures along U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road between Florida City and Key Largo. (More)
➤Collier County: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed the state’s first death by black bear attack after the remains of Robert Markel were found inside the captured animal. (More)
➤Orange County: Julian Nunez-Aranzamandi, an inmate arrested April 10 on charges of molesting two children between 2016 and 2019, was found dead in his cell on Friday. (See Details)
➤St. John’s County: A fire at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach on Saturday forced one person to jump from a second-story balcony to escape. No injuries were reported. (More)
➤Pensacola: In a recent U.S. News report on the safest cities in America, Pensacola ranked fourth, with a lower crime rate than many similarly sized areas. (More)
➤Meanwhile, Miami was named the smartest city in Florida by software company ProptechOS, which ranked U.S. cities based on connectivity, job markets, and green infrastructure. (More)
➤ The Florida Panthers evened their second-round series in the NHL playoffs 2-2 by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 last night. Game 5 takes place Wednesday in Toronto. (More)
➤ Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Travis Jankowski hit a walk-off single on Saturday to give the Rays a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. (Watch Video)
➤Miami Marlins second baseman Javier Sanoja made one of the team’s best defensive plays of the season on Saturday with this sliding stop. The Marlins went on to win the game 3-1 over the Chicago White Sox. (Watch Video)
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➤ Cook Out will open its first Florida location on Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville. The privately owned North Carolina-based restaurant chain bought the property for $2.75 million. (More)
➤A Spirit Airlines flight from Houston to Orlando on Saturday declared an emergency when the plane’s autopilot failed, though it soon landed safely in Pensacola. (More)
➤Walmart is opening 34 “Stores of the Future” in Florida. The new concept will include pharmacies, vision centers, and other “updated features for guests.” (See Where)
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➤ A former South Park writer launched a parody website mocking the Brevard school board for not renewing a teacher’s contract after she violated school policy by calling a student by a chosen name without parental permission. (More)
➤Jay’s Steakhouse in Fort Lauderdale opened this past week inside a former Lutheran church, retaining much of the original architecture—vaulted ceilings, stained glass, and arched windows. (More)
➤Tortuga homeowners had an unexpected visitor when an alligator knocked on their door. Lee County sheriff’s officers who responded joked on social media, “How’s that for taking a BITE outta crime?” (See Photos)
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Budget Deal Collapses
