Good Morning! On this day in 1513, Juan Ponce de León named what is now our state La Florida, after the Spanish term La Pascua Florida, which means “feast of the flowers.”
Water restrictions are tightening across parts of Florida as the state’s historic drought intensifies with two more months to go before the start of the rainy season. Are you cutting back on your water usage? Reply to let us know.
Despite a 2.8% increase in Social Security benefits, seniors are receiving less than before. Rising premiums, deductible spikes, and benefit reductions are actually resulting in a pay cut. Tune in to The Flyover Podcast to hear Ayla Brown’s exclusive breakdown of the six specific ways seniors are actually getting less from their benefits this year. Tune in here!
Today’s sponsor, EnergyX, is addressing the growing lithium shortage with breakthrough technology that could reshape battery production and help power the future of data centers.
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Uthmeier Accuses NFL of Civil Rights Violations
Attorney General James Uthmeier warned National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to drop the Rooney Rule as part of NFL hiring practices or risk enforcement action for civil rights violations.
Uthmeier said the rule, which mandates that every NFL team interview at least two minority candidates for any head-coaching vacancy, violates Florida law. In a letter to the commissioner, Uthmeier set a May 1 deadline for compliance.
“Professional sports are a visible example of a merit-based system, but through the Rooney Rule, the NFL requires its teams to use race-based hiring practices,” Uthmeier wrote on X. “The Rooney Rule violates Florida law, and it must stop.“
The rule was established in 2003 after black coaches Tony Dungy and Dennis Green were fired the previous season despite strong win-loss records. It was named for the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who chaired the NFL’s diversity committee.
Man Arrested for MacDill AFB Threats
Jonathan James Elder, 35, was arrested on Monday by U.S. Marshals in connection with a threat made against MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Elder is accused of calling MacDill on March 18 and referencing a bomb placed near the visitors center. The threat prompted a shelter-in-place order last week.
FBI agents said they traced the caller’s number to an assisted living facility in St. Petersburg, where Elder lives. When questioned, Elder admitted to calling MacDill and claimed his statement about a bomb was meaningless “garbage.”
Federal agents said Elder was identified as a person of interest during a threat assessment last year and that a previous risk protection order had been filed against him. Elder has an extensive Baker Act history dating back to 2014, which involves threats to shoot others and build pipe bombs.
Experts Concerned About Apartment Safety
After hundreds of tenants were displaced at Lake Mary and Orlando apartment complexes by safety inspectors in the past two weeks, experts said lawmakers should take a closer look at required assessments.
On Wednesday, more than 80 units at the Pebble Creek at Lake Mary apartment complex in Seminole County were deemed unsafe after issues were found following a Feb. 27 fire. Repairs are needed before residents can return, but there is no clear timeline.
On March 19, 200 units and 358 residents were evacuated from The Rialto Apartments in Orlando after residents reported strange popping noises, prompting safety inspectors to question the building’s stability.
The Orlando incident reminded one expert, Alliance Reserve Services President Anastasia Kolodzik, of the 2021 condo collapse in Surfside that killed 98 people. She said that the building “was in trouble from the get-go, and it was found that basically the same thing is happening all over the state.“
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AI’s 80,000-Ton Battery Problem
As AI infrastructure explodes, so does lithium demand. Google’s AI data centers currently use 100M+ lithium-ion cells for reliable, always-on power.
The problem? Big Tech’s race to build massive new data center capacity has Morgan Stanley forecasting an 80k-ton lithium shortage this year.
➤ Tampa: Ruth Cate, assistant police chief of operations, was fired from her position this week. The department did not release details explaining her departure. (More)
➤ Pompano Beach: The city manager urged the city commission to extend the city’s contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office for another year rather than create a standalone police department. (More)
➤ Sarasota: The city hired its first female city manager after the commission approved Karie Friling for the position with an annual salary of $279,500. She begins on May 29. (More)
➤ Orange County: Commissioners approved funding for $39 million in federal grant awards, including $15 million to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida for a new shelter for women and children. (More)
➤ Volusia County: Circuit Judge Randell H. Rowe III is retiring at the end of his term in January, concluding a 21-year career that presided over cases ranging from a dispute over a Batmobile to the Deltona Xbox mass murder. The next judge to hold Rowe’s seat will be decided by voters. (More)
➤ Palm Beach County: An almost 40-year-old cold case featured on Unsolved Mysteries and America’s Most Wanted has been solved. The man, who vanished after allegedly stealing $1.3 million from a Riviera Beach armored car company in 1988, was identified through a fingerprint match performed after he died. (See Details)
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➤ University of Florida freshmanAhmed Jaouadi set a new NCAA record in the 1,650-yard freestyle at the men’s swimming and diving championships in Atlanta, clocking in at 14:10.03 to break former Gator Bobby Finke’s mark. (See Highlight)
➤ The Miami Marlins open their Major League Baseball season against the Colorado Rockies tonight at 7:10. (More)
➤ USF hired Chris Mack as its men’s basketball coach after he logged two 20-win seasons at the College of Charleston. (More)
➤ Meanwhile, USF also hired Alabama’s Kristy Curry as its women’s basketball coach after her 13-year run with the Crimson Tide. (More)
➤ Seniors: This Is Why You Struggle to Stand Up After 60. Harvard research recently uncovered a hidden condition that dries out your joints from the inside — a slow, invisible process called “joint drought” that gets worse each decade after 50. It’s not just cartilage loss or inflammation. Your joints are literally starving for the lubricating fluid they need to move freely. A Boston doctor’s targeted approach to reversing joint drought has already helped over 300,000 Americans move with less stiffness — without surgery or injections. [Read the Full Article →]
➤ Gas prices were down two cents per gallon on Wednesday, dropping for the fourth straight day, with the average price for regular unleaded in Florida currently at $3.88 per gallon. (More)
➤A genetic shrimp study found that most Mayport Shrimp dishes served in the Jacksonville area are actually imported and farm-raised, with 57% of restaurants tested misrepresenting what they are selling. (More)
➤The Florida Farm Bill includes new penalties for contractors who do not pay subcontractors, protecting small businesses and suppliers who rely on timely payments. The law takes effect July 1. (More)
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➤ If you have outstanding credit card debt, getting a new 0% intro APR credit card from Wells Fargo could help ease the pressure while you pay down your balances. Our credit card experts identified top credit cards that are perfect for anyone looking to pay down debt and not add to it! Click through to see what all the hype is about. (LEARN MORE)
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China’s 60% Stranglehold on Lithium is Cracking
China dictates the flow of 60% of the world’s lithium. That’s about to change.
America already has the 5th-most lithium reserves in the world. Now, domestic innovators like EnergyX are preparing to ramp up production to unlock this untapped supply.
Their patented tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That’s already earned investment from giants like General Motors. Even better, they already have rights to nearly 150,000 acres of lithium-rich land across the Americas.
Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged The Flyover to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. The Flyover has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. The Flyover and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
➤ Your name can travel to the moon on a digital boarding pass on an SD card with the four Artemis II astronauts. Add your name here. (More)
➤ The Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts has announced the launch of its 10 for Tomorrow capital campaign, a $10 million initiative to build a new community arts center in South St. Petersburg. (More)
➤ A former helicopter training field in Beulah will be transformed into five districts where residents can live, work, and play. The project is being called one of the largest-scale commercial developments in Pensacola’s history. (More)
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➤ Dry Eyes? Here are 5 reasons drops aren’t working. Are you wasting your money on eye drops? Here are 5 reasons drops won’t work for dry eyes and why you should be doing THIS instead. PS – If you really care about your eye health…⇒Read this short article before you spend another penny on eye drops… (You are probably being misled.)
Uthmeier Accuses NFL of Civil Rights Violations
