DeSantis Delivers State of the State Address

Speaking to the Florida Legislature for his final State of the State Address on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis highlighted promises kept and work still to be done. You can see the speech here.

“Seven years ago, I stood on the steps of the old Capitol building to articulate a new vision, launch a bold agenda, and make a promise to produce big results,“ DeSantis said. “Today, I stand here in this chamber to report that together, we have made good on that agenda.“

The governor pointed to the state’s economy, which he said has accounted for almost 14% of “all new jobs produced throughout America” since 2020. He announced that Florida’s high school graduation rate reached a record 92.2% for the 2024-25 school year, the highest graduation rate in Florida’s history.

Acknowledging that he believes there is still work to be done, the governor focused on property tax relief and legislation to place a property tax measure on the November ballot, saying, “Let the people have a say.”

Jay Collins Enters Governor’s Race

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins announced Monday that he’s running for governor in 2026 to succeed Gov. DeSantis, who is term-limited.

Collins entered a crowded Republican primary field that includes President Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds, former House Speaker Paul Renner, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, activist Bobby Williams, and political newcomer James Fishback. 

DeSantis appointed Collins as lieutenant governor in August, praising him at the time as “the Chuck Norris of Florida politics.” Before joining the executive branch, Collins served in the Florida Senate.

During a news conference on Monday, DeSantis called Collins a “good guy,” but added that he hadn’t decided whether to make an endorsement.

Citing more than 23 years of service in the U.S. military, Collins said his campaign will focus on secure borders, economic strength, and an America First agenda, declaring he is ready to keep Florida strong as the state’s next governor.

Allegiant Merger To Reshape Air Travel

Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines agreed to a merger that would create one of the nation’s largest leisure-focused carriers, a move with direct implications for Southwest Florida.

Allegiant and Sun Country stated that combining their route networks will lead to more mid-sized markets and vacation destinations for travelers. Both airlines play a significant role in connecting Southwest Florida to Midwestern and Northeastern markets.

Allegiant and Sun Country each operate at Punta Gorda Airport, which has grown into a major low-cost gateway for the region, serving over 40 cities nonstop. The airlines also overlap at Southwest Florida International Airport in Lee County, which offers flights to Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.

Allegiant plans to acquire Sun Country in a cash-and-stock transaction valuing Sun Country at about $1.5 billion. The combined airline would serve roughly 22 million passengers annually across nearly 175 cities.

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➤ 6th Congressional District: U.S. Rep. Randy Fine introduced legislation to annex Greenland and admit it as a state as the Trump administration increasingly demands that the Arctic island nation, a Danish territory, be ceded to the U.S. (More)

➤ Broward County: Gov. DeSantis criticized the school district for a “laundry list of failures” and suggested that placing it in receivership might be an option to fix it. (More)

➤ West Palm Beach: Vanderbilt University announced it has secured $300 million in funding to begin construction on a new Florida campus. Additionally, the university is launching a $250 million campaign to establish a graduate business school. (More)

➤ Statewide: Pollen levels from juniper, elm, and maple trees are higher than usual this year due to a warm, dry winter thus far. The pollen from pine and oak trees is also about to reach peak levels. (See Map)

➤ Tallahassee: Democrat gubernatorial candidate David Jolly criticized Republican candidate James Fishback for using what he called racist rhetoric to attack GOP rival U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds. (More)

➤ Miami: Ticket prices for the Indiana-Miami College Football Playoff national championship game on Jan. 19 are soaring, with some seats available on sites like StubHub, TickPick, and Ticketmaster going for over $10,000. (More)

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➤ The Tampa Bay Rays acquired pitcher Ken Waldichuk and infielder Brett Wisely from the Atlanta Braves this week for cash considerations or a player to be named in the future. (More)

➤ Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving revealed that he was baptized at Raymond James Stadium before the team’s game against the Saints this season: “It meant a lot, especially after being hurt earlier in the year…being able to grow a connection with God.” (More)

➤ The Tampa Bay Lightning ranked No. 3 in USA Today‘s latest NHL Power Rankings, while the defending champion Florida Panthers were ranked No. 18. (See List)

➤ Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning notched their 10th consecutive victory with a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. It was also the 600th regular-season win for Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper. (More)

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

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➤ Celebrity makeup artist Daniel McFadden, who lived on the West Coast and worked with A-listers in Hollywood, is now working at the Color House Collective in Fort Lauderdale. (More)

➤ Baptist Health is seeking $21 million in incentives from Jacksonville to build a 15-story hotel at its campus downtown. The four-star boutique-style hotel will include a rooftop restaurant and a public terrace. (More)

➤ Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach is working to address the aircraft mechanic shortage around the country. (More)

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➤ Old King’s Road in Flagler County is now all that remains of Florida’s oldest highway. (See Photos)

➤ Central Florida will host major acts to add to its concert offerings in 2026. Here’s a list of the biggest concerts and music festivals, starting in March. (See List)

➤ Aakash Manasw, a student at Lake Highland Preparatory School, spoke at a climate conference in Brazil to share his beekeeping best practices and explain his bee-saving solution, which involves swapping pesticides for carbon dioxide. (See Video)

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Which Krispy Kreme doughnut is your favorite?

1. Original glazed (any flavor)
2. Chocolate iced (any flavor)
3. Fruit filled
4. Kreme filled
5. Other
6. I don’t eat them

Tuesday’s Results:

Do you plan to attend a live sporting event in South Florida this year?

1. No: 45%
2. Not sure: 28%
3. Yes: 27%

Inter Miami soccer team is known by what two nicknames?

Show me the answer