Good Morning! On this day in 1810, a flag for the Free and Independent State of West Florida was raised and flown until Dec. 6, 1810. The short-lived state included parts of present-day Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, but also small areas claimed in Florida.
On this first full day of fall, here’s a prediction for a drier winter season in much of our state. As La Niña develops in the Pacific, forecasters say the weather pattern will impact us.
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Port Tampa Bay Deepened
Port Tampa Bay is entering the second phase of a project to deepen its shipping channel. The $1.1 billion project will be completed in six phases and take over a decade to finish.
The project includes roughly 70 miles of channels from the Gulf entrance at the Egmont Bar north to the City of Tampa, including the Hillsborough Channel, Alafia River, and the Upper Channels.
The channel will be deepened to 47 feet from its current depth of 43 feet, allowing larger vessels to access the port—potentially lowering the price of consumer goods shipped on cargo vessels.
The Army Corps of Engineers will take a first-of-its-kind approach to dredging a new channel inside the port’s existing channel. Around 22 million cubic feet of hard bottom would be removed, enough to fill Raymond James Stadium 84 times.
NASA Planning Advances
This morning, NASA is scheduled to launch new space weather satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A. Scientists warn of rising solar storm threats that could disrupt power, satellites, and communications.
On Monday, NASA announced its new astronaut class, selected from a pool of 8,000 applicants. They will undergo two years of training and then become eligible for missions to the moon, the International Space Station, or Mars.
NASA will hold online events today and Wednesday to discuss the Artemis 2 mission, which is planned to launch four astronauts on a journey around the moon in early 2026.
Hot Spots for Recent College Graduates
According to a new study by JLL Research, Florida and Texas have experienced the fastest growth in the employment of recent college graduates this decade.
Nearly one in five college graduates nationally have stayed or relocated to the two states since 2020, a 2% share shift equal to over 2 million jobs. You can see the study here.
Corporate relocations to Florida and Texas are cited as the top reason for the shifting talent trends.
Despite New York City claiming the No. 1 spot, Miami/South Florida and Orlando claimed two of the top 20 talent hubs.
➤ Cape Canaveral: Blue Origin announced plans to utilize historic Complex 36 at Kennedy Space Center to fly orbital launch vehicles. The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, will build a 21st-century production facility at Exploration Park. (More)
➤ High Springs: Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies and bomb team were called in to investigate an explosive device, shutting down Northwest 182nd Avenue. The object was found to be a fake bomb made to look like sticks of dynamite. (See Video)
➤ Orlando: Universal Orlando’s president says the Stardust Racers ride “functioned as intended” in an internal letter addressing a guest’s death. The ride will remain closed as the company conducts a “comprehensive review process.” (See Photo)
➤ Broward County: The Historic Stranahan House Museum, the county’s oldest surviving structure, started a $3.3 million campus-wide transformation to restore the property to its original 1901 role as Fort Lauderdale’s first gathering place. (More)
➤ Davie: State Sen. Barbara Sharief filed a bill backed by the Church of Scientology that would require medical examiners to conduct a toxicology report on mass shooters and to test for psychotropic drugs. (More)
➤ Tampa: Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing at the University of South Florida launched its first official semester. It’s the first college in Florida with AI in the name. (See Video)
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➤ Miami Heat All-Star Tyler Herro will be out for about eight weeks following a foot surgery scheduled for Friday. The NBA season starts next month. (More)
➤ No. 7 Florida State women’s soccer scored a goal in the final 35 seconds of their game on Sunday, securing a 1-1 tie in a crucial matchup against NC State. (More)
➤Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield called their win against the Jets “personal” because New York’s defensive coordinator cut him when he played for the Panthers. (More)
➤ Mercy Is the Mission. For over 45 years, Mercy Ships has been saving and transforming lives by providing safe surgery to individuals lacking access to medical care — and it’s completely free of charge. (Join them in sharing hope and healing)
➤ Greystar, the nation’s largest landlord, with apartment complexes in Tampa and Orlando, has agreed to a federal settlement over its use of algorithmic rent pricing. (More)
➤ Miami-based Royal Caribbean has extended its pause on sailings to Labadee, Haiti, through next year, citing political instability. Labadee is one of the cruise company’s private destinations. (More)
➤Señor Frog’s Mexican restaurant will open its first Volusia County location in Daytona Beach as part of a redevelopment plan. The company’s U.S. headquarters is based in Orlando. (More)
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➤ Florida Tax Watch offered five options lawmakers could consider as they begin discussing ways to eliminate or reduce property taxes. (More)
➤ Liza Marie Garcia, a best-selling author who lives in Tampa, is working to increase the number of Hispanics in the profession as she celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. (See Video)
➤ Disney World announced the celebrity narrators for this year’s Candlelight Processional, taking place Nov. 28-Dec. 30 as part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays in Orlando. (See List)
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Have you ever eaten at a Señor Frog’s Mexican restaurant?
Port Tampa Bay Deepened 
