Publix Recalls All GreenWise Frozen Berries

Lakeland-based Publix has recalled every lot of its GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries after the frozen fruit was tied to an E. coli outbreak.

The FDA says 12 people in Florida and Georgia have been sickened by E. coli O145:H28, a Shiga toxin-producing strain, and four were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, and the most recent illness began June 5.

The recall covers 10-ounce and 48-ounce bags of both products shipped to Publix stores in eight states. It expands a July 3 recall from Chilean supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur, which covered a single lot of 10-ounce blueberries.

Publix pulled the berries from shelves at the end of June, but they may still be sitting in freezers. The grocer says customers should throw the bags out or return them for a full refund.

Apopka Approves 10% Property Tax Increase

Apopka commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday to raise the city’s property tax rate by 10%.

The increase adds about $2.1 million in revenue, bringing the city’s property tax collections to roughly $41.2 million. Mayor Nick Nesta says Apopka needs the money for infrastructure and a growing city.

Commissioners had been weighing a steeper hike, but Florida law requires a unanimous vote for any increase above 10%. Capping it at 10% let the measure pass without District 3 Commissioner Nadia Anderson, who cast the lone no vote.

Anderson said the city hasn’t told property owners where the money is going. “When I hear people say, ‘Oh, it’s just $200’—that’s a lot of money for some people,” she said.

Nesta told residents he heard their call for restraint and that cuts are coming. Commissioners will go through department budgets line by line before a final public hearing Sept. 3.

Teen Lifeguards Revive Drowning 5-Year-Old

Two teenage lifeguards revived a 5-year-old boy who was pulled unconscious from the ocean at Volusia County’s Silver Beach this week.

The boy, visiting from Atlanta with his family, slipped under in calm water and was found motionless with a head injury. His family was swimming directly in front of a staffed lifeguard tower.

Dempsey Manhart, 16 and in his sixth week on the job, heard the screams and sprinted into the water. He carried the boy to shore, where 19-year-old Mackenzie Malone checked for a pulse and found none.

The two started compressions. After two rounds, the boy coughed up water and started crying.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Malone said. The boy was taken to Halifax Health, then transferred to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, where he is stable.

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➤ Tampa: A Tesla robotaxi was recorded stopped facing the wrong way on North Armenia Avenue, a one-way street in West Tampa, a day after the company launched driverless service in the city. (See Video)

➤ Lee County: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant Thursday for Harold Gene Lucas, 74, convicted of shooting 16-year-old Jill Piper at her Bonita Springs home in 1976. His execution is set for Sept. 1. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Two outside lanes of I-295 North are closed through 4 a.m. Monday, the second straight weekend of closures for a $5.4 million joint-replacement project. (More)

➤ Miami Beach: City lots, garages, and street spaces drop to $1 an hour for parking from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, a returning offseason promotion designed to boost tourism. (Details)

➤ Putnam County: The North Florida Land Trust and its partners bought 162 acres from the Currie family for $400,000, permanently preserving wetlands and gopher tortoise habitat. (Details)

➤ Wakulla County: Crews started prep work to replace the Mashes Sands Pier, destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018. A $3.6 million FEMA grant covers the new concrete pier, with completion set for March 2027. (See Video)

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➤ Baker Mayfield said he felt “disrespected” and “undervalued” by the Buccaneers’ contract offers and is shutting down extension talks until after the season. The team’s offer was reportedly around two years, $100 million—which would put him around the 12th highest paid quarterback in the league. (More)

➤ A Florida card collector pulled a one-of-one Shohei Ohtani autographed card from a hobby box at a card store in Boca Raton. He sold it for $11 million, the third-highest price ever paid for a sports card. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan left Thursday’s game in the fourth inning with mid-back tightness after his fastball velocity dipped below 94 mph. He seems optimistic about the return timeline, saying “hopefully it’s gone in the next couple of days.” (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Golf | WNBA | Soccer

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➤ A dog named Coco was returned home to a Fort Lauderdale woman after Sandy Paws Canine Rescue originally refused to release him, saying she lacked proof of ownership and that the microchip traced to his original breeder. The rescue handed him over after family photos on social media confirmed ownership. (See Video)

➤ The astronaut missing from a dollar bill signed by the 1988 STS-27 shuttle crew stopped by BurgerRobs in Titusville to add his name. The bill turned up in the burger joint’s cash register last summer and was authenticated by the American Space Museum. (See Video)

➤ A Bojangles biscuit maker from Sanford has advanced to the finals of the restaurant chain’s biscuit-making competition. (See Photo)

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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, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Your $139 Amazon Prime membership includes hidden benefits most members are unknowingly paying for and never using. (Hear More)

➤ Mortgage rates have climbed to their highest level in a year as war fears and Fed doubts fuel inflation concerns. (Listen Now)

➤ Shark sightings are surging off New York City beaches, forcing police to send drones into the sky over swimmers. (Podcast Available)

Do you like Bojangles biscuits?

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Which writer gave the Everglades the name that stuck—the “River of Grass”?

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