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Thursday, July 9, 2026
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Good Morning! On this day in 1957, Pass-a-Grille joined Don CeSar, Belle Vista Beach, and St. Petersburg Beach in voting to consolidate into the city of St. Petersburg Beach, now known as St. Pete Beach. Pass-a-Grille, one of Florida’s oldest Gulf Coast resort communities, is now part of the city’s historic district.
Florida Power & Light customers are set to receive about $80 million in refunds after state regulators ordered the utility to return money it overcollected. That inspired today’s Poll question: If your power company owed you a refund, how would you want to get it? Cast your vote below and let us know.
More than half of retirees in the last five years say they regret how they planned, and it’s usually not the mistakes you’d expect. Experts say the ones that quietly derail retirement stay hidden until after the paycheck stops, when a handful of overlooked missteps start compounding at the worst possible time. In today’s Flyover Podcast, Amy breaks down the five most common retirement mistakes and how to sidestep them before they cost you. Tune in here to learn more!
Today’s sponsor, AirCar, is giving investors a chance to get in early on its vertically integrated flying car company, with a limited-time offer of 10% bonus shares before the current funding round closes.
Daytona Beach ⛈️ 90°/77° | Fort Myers ⛈️ 91°/77° | Jacksonville ⛈️ 91°/76° | Key West 🌦️ 89°/82° | Miami ⛈️ 89°/81° | Ocala ⛈️ 93°/75° | Orlando ⛈️ 92°/76° | Pensacola 🌤️ 92°/76° | Port St. Lucie ⛈️ 90°/77° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 94°/75° | Tampa ⛈️ 91°/79°
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 Stop WOKE Act Blocked at Universities
A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Florida cannot enforce the Stop WOKE Act’s higher education provisions, keeping the 2022 law blocked.
Judge Britt Grant, an appointee of President Trump, rejected the state’s claim that paying professors’ salaries lets it control classroom speech.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law to combat what he called “indoctrination.” It barred instruction endorsing eight concepts tied to race, color, national origin, and sex. Judge Barbara Lagoa dissented, arguing that states may decide what their classrooms endorse.
The 2-1 decision affirms a preliminary injunction. Florida can seek rehearing or petition the Supreme Court.
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FPL Customers Get $80 Million Back
Florida Power & Light customers are getting about $80 million back from storm charges collected after the 2024 hurricane season, state regulators decided.
The refund arrives as a one-month base rate reduction for more than 12 million people across 43 counties.
Regulators approved the $1.2 billion repair charge in December 2024 to cover restoration from Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, adding about $12 to average monthly bills. The charge was subject to refund, with interest, once actual costs were tallied.
Duke Energy Florida customers got similar relief: a $90.5 million refund approved in May hit bills in June.
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Hearing Set on Fishback’s Ballot Status
A Tallahassee judge set a two-day hearing starting July 21 to decide whether Republican James Fishback stays on Florida’s August gubernatorial primary ballot.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a Republican rival, sued Fishback and Secretary of State Cord Byrd, arguing Fishback fails the state constitution’s seven-year residency requirement and lied on his candidate oath, citing his D.C. voter registration and homestead deduction. Fishback denies the claims and vows to appeal.
The judge cited an “extreme shortage of time” in denying the request, leaving Fishback’s name on the ballot despite polls showing him trailing front-runner Byron Donalds by double digits. The primary is on Aug. 18.
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Flying together with our sponsor
The Real Reason This Flying Car Can Move Faster
Here’s something most flying car companies won’t tell you: they don’t actually build their own aircraft. They assemble parts from outside suppliers, then wait on everyone else’s timelines and price tags.
AirCar does it differently. They’re an original equipment manufacturer, building everything in-house, from carbon fiber airframes to 400V motors. No outside suppliers or margin lost to middlemen.
That control is exactly why AirCar can price its LightSport at $99K (4X more affordable than competitor EHang’s $410K+ aircraft), while hitting roughly 50% target margins. That’s also why it can move toward commercialization faster than competitors who are still years into heavy air-taxi certification.
Now you can get in on the growth as an early-stage AirCar shareholder. But don’t wait: you have 4 days left to receive 10% bonus shares.
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➤ Daytona Beach Shores: City leaders approved a second reading of a community-led proposal to rename the city “The Shores,” sending the measure to November voters despite estimated implementation costs starting at $244,000. (See Details)
➤ Orange County: School district leaders are considering a campuswide ban on e-bikes and e-scooters after one student died and another suffered serious injuries, with a policy targeted for the new school year. (See Details)
➤ Safety Harbor: City leaders are racing to fix dimming sports lights at City Park before August, as Little League organizers warn the problem could disrupt 400 young athletes. (See Details)
➤ Collier County: Volunteers can help clean up Barefoot Beach this month as Keep Collier Beautiful and the Coconut Coast Organization of Realtors team up to protect one of Southwest Florida’s most popular shorelines. (See Details)
➤ Tallahassee: A pilot was hospitalized after a small plane crashed into trees while approaching Tallahassee International Airport, prompting a fuel leak response as the FAA investigates. (See Plane)
➤ Tampa: Waymo will begin rolling out its driverless robotaxi service in Tampa in the coming weeks, giving employees first access before expanding to the public as the company widens its U.S. lead in autonomous ride-hailing. (More)
Enjoy reading Flyover Florida? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️
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➤ Inter Miami could be in line to sign Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, the 40-year-old free agent who became a fan favorite during this summer’s World Cup. (More)
➤ Tampa Bay Rays reliever Edwin Uceta will seek a second opinion on his shoulder after manager Kevin Cash said his rehab “has not gone as well as we would have hoped.” He struck out 103 batters in 70 appearances last season but has not pitched in a major league game this year. (More)
➤ Meanwhile, the Rays earned an A in ESPN’s midseason MLB grades as one of the best teams in the American League, powered by Junior Caminero’s 26 home runs. The Marlins were given an A- after going 20-6 in June and playing their way into wild-card contention. (More)
➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Wimbledon
Flying together with our sponsor
➤ Summer is here and there’s still time to feel your best. If you’ve been thinking about losing weight, DirectMeds connects qualified patients with licensed providers who can prescribe GLP-1 medications like semaglutide. Start your journey toward a healthier, more confident you. See if you qualify today.
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➤ Space Coast: Sen. Ashley Moody introduced the Space Ready 2.0 Act to help NASA and commercial partners modernize Space Coast infrastructure as Florida’s launch pace continues to accelerate. (See Details)
➤ Taylor County: Commissioners approved a $300,000 feasibility study for a seafood facility in Steinhatchee, aiming to keep local catches in Taylor County and strengthen the area’s working waterfront. (See Details)
➤ Detroit-style pizza chain SoDough Square has opened its first Tampa location, bringing its signature caramelized “frico” crust and Orlando-born concept to South Dale Mabry as Gulf Coast expansion continues. (More)
Flying together with our sponsor
➤ Pack 3X More in Any Bag. Checked bags cost money and time. Aerless compression bags let you fit 3X more into a single carry-on, with a pocket-sized rechargeable pump that removes excess air in seconds. Over 1 million travelers use it, backed by 50,000+ five-star reviews. (Click here)
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Flying together with our sponsor
The Flying Car Market Is Growing 550% By 2030
There’s a pattern to the way new markets take off. First they’re dismissed, then they’re debated, then they’re obvious. By then, the early opportunity is gone. The flying car market is somewhere between the first two stages, which is exactly where you want to be.
In 2024, the global eVTOL market was worth $4.4B. By 2030, it’s projected to hit $28.6B. That’s 550% growth in six years.
Most retail investors will watch it happen from the sidelines. A few will get in now.
AirCar is already in the market: $21M in deposit-backed pre-orders, 1,000+ manned test flights, a $99K aircraft that’s 4X more affordable than the competition and first deliveries ~12 months out.
Invest by the July 13 deadline to receive 10% bonus shares.
This is a paid advertisement for AirCar Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.aircar.aero/
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➤ A WPLG anchor’s bikini photos from a Fiji vacation sparked controversy after a leaked newsroom memo urged journalists to avoid influencer-style social media and maintain a more professional online presence. (See Photos)
➤ Epic Universe debuted Universal Celestial Goodnight, a nighttime spectacular featuring synchronized lights, fountains, and fireworks set to a high-energy musical score. (See Details)
➤ Cuba Libre on International Drive offers a specialized menu for customers taking weight-loss medications, with five dishes all under 500 calories. The smaller-portion entrees, including ropa vieja and pollo asado, are priced about 25% below their full-size counterparts. Smaller appetites, meet smaller plates. (See Details)
Flying together with our sponsor
➤ Researchers recently discovered why so many collagen supplements fail to deliver noticeable results. It isn’t because collagen doesn’t work…It’s because much of it never gets absorbed in the first place.That’s why scientists are taking a closer look at a delicious new way to consume collagen that helps the body absorb dramatically more than traditional powders or pills. Read the full story here.
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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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:
➤ More than half of retirees regret their planning, undone by five mistakes they never saw coming. (See List)
➤ Search crews have found the Boeing 737 cargo plane that vanished in the Arabian Sea. (Hear Details)
➤ Nike is being sued for allegedly copying 7-Eleven’s trademark colors days before the shoe’s launch. (Listen Now)
  
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If your power company owed you a refund, how would you want to get it?
- Lower monthly bills
- One refund check
- Bill credit
- No preference
Yesterday’s Results:
How much would it take for you to eat an entire key lime pie without your hands?
- Not for any price!: 47%
- $1000: 21%
- I’ll do it for free!: 20%
- $100: 8%
- $20: 4%
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