Hackers Breach State Student Aid Website

Hackers broke into Florida’s student financial aid website, potentially exposing the Social Security numbers and other personal information of 4.9 million people, state education officials said.

Department staff discovered the intrusion on Oct. 19 and moved to contain it. The attorney general’s office was notified as required by state law, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Digital Service are assisting in the ongoing criminal investigation.

The officials said tuition payments, scholarships, grants, and loan eligibility aren’t affected. People whose information was exposed should monitor their accounts, review credit reports, and consider a fraud alert or credit freeze.

Martin County Waters Fail Bacteria Tests

State health officials are warning people to stay out of the water at 10 Martin County sites after Oct. 26 tests found high levels of fecal bacteria. 

The list includes Bathtub Beach, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound Beach, the Stuart Sandbar, and Sandsprit Park.

Health department spokesperson Renay Rouse pointed to stormwater runoff from heavy rain and king tides, which flooded parts of Palm City on Monday.

The bacteria can come from pets, wildlife, and sewage, and contact can cause stomach illness and skin rashes. The advisory stays in place until retests come back clean.

FSU Debuts Drone Show for Clemson

Florida State will debut its first-ever drone show when the Seminoles host Clemson at Doak Campbell Stadium on Halloween night. The drones will join the Marching Chiefs at halftime, followed by a fan light show in the fourth quarter.

Dubbed “Operation Garnet Storm,” the night also includes a trunk-or-treat, military tributes, and a first-quarter salute to Peter Warrick, a 1999 national champion headed to the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

It comes as FSU President Richard McCullough urges frustrated fans to keep packing Doak.

Festivities start at 3 p.m. on Langford Green, with kickoff at 7 p.m.

A Note from Cole, CEO of The Flyover

Dear Reader,

This week, The Flyover’s editions, including The Flyover Florida, passed six million readers combined.

Before anything else, thank you. A milestone like this belongs to the people who open our email every morning—that’s you.

But the number isn’t the point. The point is what six million of you showed up for, and what you have walked away from.

You know what’s on the other channel. Anchors telling you what to think before they’ve told you what happened. So-called “straight news” pages that read like opinion pages. The legacy media had one job, reporting the news, and somewhere along the way they decided their real job was converting you to their ideology.

The slant isn’t an accident, and it isn’t decided in front of you. It happens in rooms you’ll never see. Every so often, the door cracks open: last fall, a leaked memo revealed that a legacy media outlet had spliced a presidential speech into something it never was. Two top executives resigned. That’s one leak from one room. The decisions that never leak? Those just become the evening news.

We run on the opposite principle: the truth survives the light. The facts arrive the way we found them. We don’t bend them toward a conclusion, and we don’t decide what you’re allowed to make of them. That’s your job.

We report what happened, not what to think about it.
We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts.
And The Flyover Florida stays free.

That was the deal at reader one. It’s the deal at six million. It’ll be the deal at sixty million.

Because here’s what I’ve learned this year, watching those newsrooms shrink and quietly walk away from their readers: a promise like ours doesn’t get broken all at once. It erodes, one compromise at a time, when an outlet stops answering to its readers.

We keep ours by staying answerable to you.

So on the week you made us six million strong, I’m asking you to put your name behind the promise. If news that plays it straight is something you want to see thrive, this is how you feed it.

Support the news you can trust. Free, every morning.

Make a generous donation to support The Flyover Florida.

Give $25
Give $50
Give $100
Give $250

Our promise: we answer to you. Help us keep it.

– Cole
CEO, The Flyover

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Statewide: Florida’s springs and water supply will receive $100 million for 45 restoration projects, including $3 million for septic-to-sewer improvements near Crystal River and funding to reduce nitrogen pollution. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Florida probation officers will check more than 5,000 homes of sex offenders under felony supervision ahead of Halloween, enforcing restrictions on decorations, candy distribution, porch lights, and interactions with trick-or-treaters. (More)

➤ Davie: A water main break caused part of South Pine Island Road to collapse Thursday, forcing police to close northbound lanes between Southwest 30th and 36th streets and divert traffic. (See Video)

➤ Franklin County: OneBlood has partnered with Franklin County EMS to provide lifesaving blood transfusions before patients reach the hospital, giving people suffering severe blood loss a better chance of survival. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: A major I-95 expansion will add four lanes between I-295 and Butler Boulevard starting this fall, while the Baymeadows Road interchange will be redesigned. (More)

➤ Port Charlotte: HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital announced a $16 million emergency department expansion, adding nine exam rooms, six fast-track spaces, and a CT scanner. Construction is expected to start in early 2027. (More)

Enjoy reading Flyover Florida? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ No. 17 Florida listed starting quarterback Aaron Philo and backup Tramell Jones Jr. as questionable for Saturday’s game against No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta. (More)

➤ UCF was fined $100,000 by the Big 12 after fans directed derogatory chants at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during last weekend’s win over BYU. (More)

➤ Bam Adebayo passed longtime teammate Udonis Haslem as the Miami Heat’s career rebounding leader in Wednesday’s 129-117 win over the Atlanta Hawks. (More)

➤ UCF was picked 13th of 16 teams in the Big 12 preseason men’s basketball media poll. Arizona, coming off a Final Four run, was picked to win the league. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | WNBA | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Skip the oven and grill for this genius microwave hack. Rocket Chef delivers crispy, juicy meals in minutes!  Turn your microwave into a searing hot grill for burgers, grilled cheese, pizza, leftovers, and more. Learn More

➤ Florida home prices are climbing again after declining in 2025, with 18 of 19 markets reporting third-quarter gains, including a 3.3% increase in Miami fueled largely by luxury home sales. (See Details)

➤ Over 824,000 Florida homeowners are getting insurance relief this month as premium cuts of up to 12.1% take effect, with officials expecting additional reductions over the next two months. (More)

➤ White Castle is bringing its famous sliders to Northeast Florida after St. Johns County approved a $1.95 million restaurant project near International Golf Parkway, marking the chain’s sixth Florida location. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Got ten minutes? The Penny Hoarder rounded up simple ways to earn extra cash and save on everyday expenses. From paid surveys to cash back on gas, these quick moves could give your budget some breathing room. Explore the list and find an opportunity that fits your routine.

Flying together with our sponsor

Still Paying the Same Car Insurance Rate?

The average U.S. driver now pays about $194 a month for car insurance. If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, it may be worth checking whether you’re still getting a competitive rate.

Shopping around can uncover lower-priced options, and comparing quotes only takes a few minutes.

Money’s car insurance comparison tool can help you see rates from providers in your area and find out whether switching could put more money back in your pocket.

COMPARE CAR INSURANCE RATES

➤ Four rescued dogs are headed for new homes in Tallahassee, Ocala, and Melbourne after volunteer pilots flew them from overcrowded Georgia shelters to Florida, saving them from possible euthanasia. (See Video)

➤ Marco Island police said rescuers found a missing boater alive near Coon Key Pass after he spent three days at sea in rough conditions. (More)

➤ An underwater photographer escaped injury when his iPhone, protected by an OtterBox case, deflected a 9mm bullet during an attempted robbery at a Boynton Beach gas station. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Your next favorite wine is waiting. Firstleaf matches award-winning wines to your tastes and delivers them to your door. Through October 31, get an extra bottle with your introductory order: seven bottles starting at just $44.95. Take the wine quiz to discover wines matched to your palate, and claim your bonus bottle before this offer ends. (Find Your Perfect Pour)

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Protesters clashed with riot police in Madrid, demanding the prime minister’s resignation after Wednesday’s train crash killed nearly seventy people. (Hear Details)

➤ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly grew close to a suspected Chinese spy whom U.S. intelligence spent a year tracking. (Hear Story)

➤ A popular WNBA star said the FBI is monitoring roughly 20 people tied to stalking and threats against her. (Listen Now)

How old is too old to go trick-or-treating?

1. 13
2. 16
3. 18
4. You’re never too old
5. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

Which Bob Ross phrase best fits your life?

1. “No mistakes, just lessons“: 53%
2. “Happy little accidents“: 21%
3. Other: 10%
4. “Let’s get crazy“: 9% 
5. “Beat the devil out of it“: 7%

What is Florida’s native pumpkin called?

Show me the answer