Good Morning! On this day in 1964, The Beatles made their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, drawing 70 million television viewers. Watch it here.
If you live close to Daytona Beach or are still in town after America’s race, here are nine day trips to explore. Get the details about the Daytona 500 below. How’d your driver do? Reply to let us know.
Today’s sponsor, United States Tungsten Corp, is offering investors a chance to get in early on America’s largest past-producing tungsten mine as the U.S. looks to secure its supply amid rising prices and new restrictions on Chinese imports.
Daytona Beach ☁️ 65/56° | Fort Myers 🌤️ 76/56° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 62/52° | Key West 🌤️ 74/63° | Miami 🌤️ 81/66° | Ocala ☁️ 70/51° | Orlando 🌤️ 71/57° | Pensacola 🌤️ 66/55° | Port St. Lucie 🌤️ 78/59° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 70/48° | Tampa 🌤️ 74/56°
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Lawmakers’ Budgets Nix Some DeSantis Priorities
The Florida House and Senate released dueling state budget plans that are about $1 billion apart, with the House proposing to spend $113.6 billion and the Senate $115 billion between July 1 this year and June 30, 2027.
Neither budget meets the $117.4 billion spending level that Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed in his 2026-27 budget request, and both fell short of the governor’s directives on several fronts, including the emergency fund, teacher pay raises, and food testing.
DeSantis pushed for $62 million for the Florida State Guard, a $26 million increase. The House’s budget would slash funding altogether, whereas the Senate would direct $33.9 million to the guard, about $700,000 less than its current budget.
The budget proposals differ on whether to transfer the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College of Florida. The Senate does not include that proposal, but does include $200,000 to fund the “patriotic displays in classrooms” bill, which the House did not include.
Brush Fire in Ocala National Forest
Heavy smoke from a brush fire five miles south of Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest forced officials to close roads over the weekend as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
Dubbed the Bills Branch Fire, it burned an estimated 75 acres east of State Road 19 along Lake George. Authorities determined the fire was an accidental, human-caused incident.
Boaters on Lake George were urged to avoid the area as helicopters conducted water‑dip operations. Crews established a dozer line around the perimeter and used localized firing tactics to keep the fire within that footprint.
Reddick Wins His First Daytona 500
After 200 laps around the 2.5-mile track, Tyler Reddick emerged as the champion of the 68th annual Daytona 500, winning about $1.6 million of a record-setting $31 million purse. Reddick drives for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan.
The biggest race in NASCAR kicked off the season at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, an hour earlier than scheduled due to weather conditions. It was unofficially the windiest Daytona 500 ever.
Zane Smith won Stage 1 ahead of Penske’s Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney. Late in Stage 2, the “big one” happened on Lap 124 as a huge pileup took out about 20 cars. Major contenders Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and William Byron were all affected.
Comedian Nate Bargatze served as the 2026 Grand Marshal, while actor Kurt Russell was the honorary pace car driver. Three-time Grammy Award winner Miranda Lambert performed a pre-race concert to the sold-out crowd, followed by a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird flyover.
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Tungsten Price Up 200%: Invest in America’s Largest Mine Before Operations Begin
Tungsten prices surged 200% last year after China halted exports. That’s because China currently controls 84% of the global tungsten supply, and it’s one of the most important metals on earth.
Since the U.S. military relies on tungsten for everything from armor-piercing rounds to jet engines, they’re racing to find a way of sourcing tungsten without relying on China.
This is a huge opportunity for United States Tungsten. They hold the lease to the “Tungsten Queen,” once America’s largest tungsten mine. It’s a massive asset containing 1 million tons of minerals worth an estimated $450M.
Plus, the White House just proposed raising the military budget to $1.5T next year. A bigger budget means more spending on the hardware that requires tungsten. As new laws require that money be spent on American-mined minerals first, United States Tungsten is positioned to become a supplier for one of the world’s most reliable customers.
They’re already in talks with the U.S. Government.
You can get a piece of this 1-million-ton mine right before they start digging.
➤ Miami: Residents will have the chance to vote in August on a proposal to allow a private group to restore and operate the iconic Miami Marine Stadium so that it can once again be used as a concert and performance venue. (More)
➤ Starke: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Michael King, 54, convicted in the 2008 murder of a North Port woman, which resulted in increased training for 911 operators in Florida. He is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on March 17. (More)
➤ Gulf County: A 10,000-acre forest conservation project near Port St. Joe supports Apalachicola Bay’s long-term recovery by safeguarding the fresh water that flows into it. Commercial oyster harvesters returned to the Bay for the first time since 2020. (More)
➤ Naples: Measles cases at Ave Maria University have climbed to nearly 60 amid a U.S. outbreak of over 1,000 confirmed cases in 2026. (More)
➤ Tampa: No real estate developers have expressed interest in buying the police department’s downtown headquarters, a site heralded by Mayor Jane Castor as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.” (More)
➤ Miami-Dade: Commissioners suggested last week that the search for a spot to build a new garbage-burning incinerator should start over, expressing concerns about the ongoing annual land costs of $3 million for two proposed sites. (More)
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➤ Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson won the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest with this running windmill dunk in the final round. (Watch Video)
➤ Meanwhile, Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson narrowly escaped injury after suffering this scary fall on a missed dunk earlier in the contest. (Watch Video)
➤Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel helped Team USA close out its victory over Denmark at the Olympics in Italy on Saturday with this third-period goal to extend the USA lead to 5-3. The USA won 6-3. (Watch Video)
➤The Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly plan to use two-way star Travis Hunter primarily as a cornerback in 2026, with a few packages at receiver mixed in. (More)
➤ Allegiant Airlines launched direct flights from Rochester, New York, to Fort Lauderdale. The new route fills a gap left by Spirit Airlines, which discontinued service between the two cities in January. (More)
➤Universal Orlando Resort is making a $20 million investment at Epic Universe theme park, committing to build a 53,886-square-foot event space to hold up to 1,400 people. (More)
➤ Lakeland-based Publix has been dubbed one of the most admired companies in the world, according to a report by Fortune and Korn Ferry. Publix Super Markets ranked No. 50 overall, marking its 31st consecutive year to make the list. (More)
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The amount of tungsten-bearing minerals in the “Tungsten Queen” is estimated to be worth $450 million at today’s prices. That’s because the metal is in urgent need for military tanks, aircraft, missiles, and more.
Don’t miss this chance to back the company that holds the lease.
This is a paid advertisement for United States Tungsten Company’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.unitedstatestungsten.com/
➤ Florida’s Atlantic Coast could see the longest red snapper season since 2009 this year, if the federal government signs off on a plan to shift management of the fishery over to the state. (More)
➤ The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office urged riders to take its free six-hour motorcycle safety course that teaches essential riding techniques and covers “brake and escape” exercises to help avoid collisions. (More)
➤ A cowboy named Perry rode his trusted steed, Tweety, through a busy section of Port Orange to wrangle a loose cow seen at the intersection of Williamson Boulevard and Taylor Road. (See Video)
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Lawmakers’ Budgets Nix Some DeSantis Priorities
