Good Morning! On this day in 1972, NFL fullback Fred McCrary was born in Naples. McCrary played for 11 seasons and later contributed to the ongoing discussion about football head trauma and long-term brain damage.
Arrrgh! It’s National Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys. An estimated 5,000 pirates roamed Florida’s Gulf Coast between the peak pirate years of 1715 to 1735. You can read more about the Sunshine State’s history with pirates here.
If constant tingling or burning in your feet has been holding you back, you’ll want to see the simple at-home device from today’s sponsor, Vita Feet, which is helping seniors finally find fast relief without drugs or costly treatments.
Daytona Beach 🌤️ 84/76° | Fort Myers 🌤️ 91/73° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 88/71° | Key West 🌥️ 86/81° | Miami 🌤️ 87/77° | Ocala 🌤️ 91/69° | Orlando 🌤️ 90/73° | Pensacola 🌤️ 91/71° | Port St. Lucie 🌦️ 87/74° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 93/67° | Tampa 🌤️ 92/72°
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Epic Universe Guest Dies after Stardust Racers Ride
An adult male guest visiting Universal Studios in Orlando on Wednesday became unresponsive after riding the Stardust Racers ride in Epic Universe’s Celestial Park.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, was taken to an area hospital after being found on the coaster by off-duty deputies responding to a man down call. He later died.
Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany stated that an autopsy was performed on Thursday morning, and the cause of the accidental death was “multiple blunt impact injuries.”
According to the Universal website, Stardust Racers is a thrill ride that stretches to a height of about 133 feet with 5,000 feet of track. The shooting star-themed ride also includes an inverted crisscross.
The attraction has been closed indefinitely. Epic Universe opened four months ago this week.
FSU Health in Tallahassee Created
Florida State University (FSU) and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) announced this week a partnership to create an academic medical center in Tallahassee to be called FSU Health.
For years, FSU and TMH have laid the groundwork for developing a clinical enterprise that rivals the University of Florida’s healthcare system.
Pending city commission approval, TMH would become a part of FSU Health, with the university taking control of all of the hospital’s city-owned assets.
FSU President Richard McCullough and TMH CEO Mark O’Bryant issued a joint statement touting “a landmark agreement to advance our shared vision of creating a world-class academic health center in Tallahassee.”
Franklin Statue Unveiled in Founders Series
A statue of Benjamin Franklin was unveiled in Apalachicola on Wednesday, which marked the 238th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
Gov. Ron DeSantis attended the ceremony at the Franklin County Courthouse and said, “Statues like this symbolize our firm resolve to uphold the Constitution, to honor the legacy of our founders, and to embody the values of our nation’s founding.“
The event marked the second in a series of statue unveilings planned across Florida counties this year to honor America’s founders in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.
Statues will also be installed in Washington, Hamilton, Madison, and Monroe Counties. A statue of Thomas Jefferson was unveiled in Jefferson County earlier this year.
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➤ Broward County: The Florida Department of Health issued a 60-day rabies alert after a raccoon killed near Interstate 595 in Davie tested positive for the virus. (See Video)
➤ Orange County: Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said initial numbers from an audit of finances show that leaders could easily cut $190 million from the budget. (See Video)
➤ Sarasota: The grand opening for the new Mote Science Education Aquarium will be Oct. 8, with current Mote members able to preview the $130 million aquarium Oct. 6 and 7. (More)
➤ St. Johns County: Lawmakers and other dignitaries gathered on Thursday to mark the $1 million state allocation for phase one planning and design of the Florida Museum of Black History in St. Augustine. (More)
➤Delray Beach: Commissioners voted to raise the millage rate from 5.94 mills to 6.19 mills, a 4.2% tax increase. The city is facing a potential budget deficit of $25 million. (More)
➤Hillsborough County: Edward Medard Conservation Park reopened after a major renovation project. Two other park projects are underway at E.G. Simmons Conservation Park and Lithia Springs Conservation Park. (See Video)
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➤ Florida Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk will likely miss the entire first portion of the NHL regular season as he recovers from surgery. He’s aiming for a December return. (More)
➤ A boxing match between Jake Paul and Tank Davis has been moved from Atlanta to Miami, organizers announced on Wednesday. It will now take place at the Miami Heat’s Kaseya Center on November 14. (More)
➤The Miami Dolphins played the Buffalo Bills in a Thursday Night Football matchup last night. The Dolphins kept it closer than expected for most of the game, but the Bills prevailed 31-21. (More)
➤ The self-cleaning, bacteria-killing water Bottle everyone’s talking about. UVBrite turns ordinary water sources into completely purified, germ‑free hydration with just one button. Using advanced UV‑C LED technology (yep, the same used in hospitals and even NASA), this bottle annihilates 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and microbes. (LEARN MORE)
➤ Charmaine Gatlin, the former chief operating officer of the Jackson Health Foundation in Miami-Dade County, pleaded guilty to defrauding the foundation of at least $4.3 million between 2014 and 2024. (More)
➤ Florida Power & Light is installing 10 new, large-scale battery storage systems in its Northwest service area. The 400-megawatt systems will be integrated with the company’s solar plants, producing renewable power in Escambia and Jackson counties. (More)
➤ Climavision, a private weather technology company, is installing four new weather radars across the state, which is expected to improve coverage gaps in NOAA’s Doppler radar network. (More)
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Struggling with foot pain can affect your whole body—impacting posture, mobility, and even energy levels. VitaFeet Relieve is designed to ease discomfort, improve circulation, and support proper alignment so you can move freely again.
➤ The $398.5 million Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project will construct a new U.S. 98 (State Road 30) bridge across the bay. (See Photo)
➤ SeaWorld Orlando will debut SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep in 2026. The world’s first-of-its-kind suspended dark ride takes a cutting-edge submersible into the ocean’s ecosystems. (See Photos)
➤ Universal Studios Orlando’sRock the Universe music festival returns Jan. 23-24, featuring some of today’s most popular Christian artists. (See Lineup)
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Epic Universe Guest Dies after Stardust Racers Ride
