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Friday, September 18, 2026
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Good Morning! On this day in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 captured the first image of the Earth and Moon together in a single frame, just days after launching from Cape Canaveral.
Florida’s attorney general is dialing up the pressure on phone scammers with a proposed new law. Get the details in today’s Top Stories.
If you haven’t compared your car insurance in a while, there’s a good chance you’re paying more than you need to. Even if you checked rates a year ago, the market has changed. That’s why today’s sponsor, Insurify, makes it easy to compare quotes from more than 120 insurers in just a few minutes.
Daytona Beach 🌦️ 87°/76° | Fort Myers ⛈️ 91°/74° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 90°/74° | Key West 🌦️ 89°/80° | Miami ⛈️ 89°/76° | Ocala 🌤️ 91°/71° | Orlando ⛈️ 89°/72° | Pensacola 🌤️ 91°/74° | Port St. Lucie ⛈️ 88°/74° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 91°/71° | Tampa 🌦️ 92°/74°
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 AG Pushes Prison Time for Scam Callers
Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed legislation on Thursday creating tougher criminal penalties for scam calls and texts, including fraud using AI-generated voices, and giving his office independent authority to shut down spam operations.
The Florida Anti-Spam Communications Act also targets phone farms and SIM farms that blast thousands of numbers from one room, and high-volume schemes would become elevated felonies with mandatory prison time.
“Floridians should not have to fear every unknown call or text,” Uthmeier said. He wants lawmakers to take up the package in the 2027 session, paired with a statewide education campaign for older Floridians.
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Screwworm Threat Puts Florida on Alert
The first U.S. equine case of the New World screwworm outbreak was confirmed on Sept. 9 in a ranch horse in Presidio County, Texas, putting Florida horse and livestock owners on alert.
The flesh-eating larvae infest open wounds and feed on living tissue. The pest has not been detected in Florida, but University of Florida experts are monitoring its spread and urging owners to check animals daily, clean minor cuts, and keep up with fly control.
The U.S. eradicated screwworm in 1966 using sterile flies, and Florida stamped out a 2016 Key deer outbreak on Big Pine Key.
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Broward Flooded as Stormy Stretch Begins
Heavy rain flooded streets across Fort Lauderdale and central Broward County on Thursday morning, stalling cars and prompting a flood advisory for low-lying areas.
Oakland Park recorded about 5 inches of rain, the county’s highest total, while Coral Springs topped 3 inches, and Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek, and Dania Beach each saw more than 2. Tow trucks pulled stalled vehicles from flooded streets near Andrews Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard.
Broward County deployed all available vacuum trucks and staged pumps in low-lying areas. Forecasters say the soaking begins another stormy pattern, with rounds of storms expected into next week.
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➤ Statewide: The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Invest 98-L several hundred miles east of Bermuda, giving the disorganized system a 20% chance of developing within 48 hours and 30% within seven days. (See Details)
➤ St. Lucie County: Officials found at least 14 unpermitted license plate readers on county rights-of-way and plan to monitor the cameras because officials don’t know who installed them. (See Details)
➤ Taylor County: An explosion at the PACEM facility on Wednesday evening was heard and felt across the area but left the two people inside unharmed, prompting state and federal agencies to investigate the cause. (More)
➤ Boca Raton: The director of FAU’s autism center pleaded guilty to falsifying records to obtain $750,000 from a fund for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and submitted a $776,031 restitution check while awaiting sentencing. (See Details)
➤ Groveland: A pump failure at the Sunshine Water Treatment Plant left about 5,000 people without water and under a boil notice, renewing concerns about the city’s aging system as upgrades continue. (More)
➤ Osceola County: Environmental group Save Split Oak and Orange County Vice Mayor Kelly Martinez Semrad oppose a proposed toll road affecting about 60 acres of Split Oak Forest, urging officials to build a flyover instead. (See Details)
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➤ Miami returns to ACC play tonight at Wake Forest after routing Stanford and Florida A&M. Darian Mensah has completed 91% of his passes. (Preview)
➤ Inter Miami claimed its first trophy of 2026 on Wednesday, defeating Cruz Azul 2-0 for the Campeones Cup. Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for the club. (More)
➤ Former Florida State golfer Mirabel Ting clinched her 2027 LPGA Tour card after winning twice, recording 11 top-10 finishes, and making 15 cuts in 17 Epson Tour starts. (More)
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➤ Florida’s average gas price jumped 10 cents overnight to $4.29 per gallon, while Orlando’s climbed to $4.34, and statewide diesel reached a record $6.34, increasing pressure on drivers and businesses. (More)
➤ Hillsborough County commissioners advanced a contract that would provide ZooTampa with $75 million in Community Investment Tax funds toward a $150 million, 15-year expansion featuring upgraded habitats, a new ride, and riverfront attractions. (More)
➤ Miami officials aren’t considering proposals from the Museum of Miami and Pan American World Airways to alter historic City Hall’s use after commissioners voted 4-1 to continue holding meetings at the waterfront landmark. (More)
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➤ The cast of ABC’s South Florida crime drama R.J. Decker visited Lauderdale-by-the-Sea before its season 2 premiere, featuring Dancing with the Stars performers Jenna Johnson, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Joey Graziadei. (More)
➤ Florida’s Fish Art Contest is accepting entries from K-12 students through Feb. 28, 2027, inviting young artists to celebrate the state’s fish species while learning about conservation. (More)
➤ A Florida couple sued Brown Fertility Associates in Jacksonville, alleging the clinic used the wrong sperm during IVF after their daughter’s blood type prompted DNA testing that showed a 0% probability of paternity. (More)
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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.
➤ New research revealed just how many Americans are carrying medical debt despite having health insurance. (Listen Now)
➤ Princess Diana’s brother took aim at King Charles in a new memoir that has drawn a rare rebuttal from Buckingham Palace. (Hear Story)
➤ Uber was ordered to pay $40 million to the family of a woman killed after her driver abandoned her on a freeway. (Hear Details)
  
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