Monday, June 15, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1822, settlers along the St. Johns River renamed their community from Cowford to Jacksonville, in honor of Florida’s first military governor, Andrew Jackson, who never visited. Today, Jacksonville turns 204.

These underwater cleanup crews are so effective, Indian River Lagoon officials have dubbed them “Super Clams.” Find out why in today’s Top Stories.

Today’s sponsor, Tinnitus Talk, is sharing new insights into the hidden factors that may contribute to persistent ringing, buzzing, and hissing in the ears—and why understanding these triggers could be the key to finding relief.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Florida Forever Loses Its Funding

Florida lawmakers zeroed out new funding for Florida Forever, the state’s signature land-buying program, down from $229 million two years ago.

Since 2001, Florida Forever has helped protect more than 1 million acres of springs, wildlife corridors, and public land, making it one of the nation’s largest conservation programs. Conservation groups are sounding the alarm.

Backers in the Legislature say farmland preservation programs fill the gap. Critics counter that those easements protect private working ranches, not the springs, corridors, and public-access lands Florida Forever was built to save.

DeSantis Calls Out GOP Debate Rules

Gov. Ron DeSantis is publicly pressuring the Republican Party of Florida to hold a full gubernatorial primary debate, calling the party’s criteria “ridiculous” and designed to “engineer a preferred outcome.”

The June 27 Sunshine State Showdown in Hollywood will skip a full debate after party-set polling and fundraising thresholds left only Trump-endorsed front-runner Byron Donalds qualified. The party’s own poll put him at 38.8%, locking out rivals like businessman James Fishback.

Former House Speaker Paul Renner piled on, asking, “What have we become“? and accusing leadership of tipping the scales. Qualifying just closed with roughly two dozen candidates.

Drones Drop Clams to Clean Lagoon

Drones are airdropping millions of baby “super clams” into Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, and a recent drop near Port St. John pushed the nine-year restoration effort past 100 million clams placed.

The hardy strain descends from a few dozen clams that survived years of toxic algae blooms and pollution. As filter feeders, they pull algae and nutrients from the water, the key to reviving seagrass and marine life.

Organizers aim for 1 billion clams, enough to filter Brevard County’s entire lagoon volume roughly every two months. They’ve hit one-tenth of that goal so far.

Flying together with our sponsor

Do you know what the root cause of tinnitus is?

If you’re hearing ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds that won’t go away, you may be dealing with tinnitus. Most people think it’s simply caused by hearing damage, but experts are discovering there may be hidden triggers behind the noise.

These underlying factors can make the ringing more frequent, more noticeable, and harder to ignore. But there’s good news.

By understanding what may be causing your tinnitus, many people are finding ways to reduce the ringing and regain peace and quiet. Click here to discover the hidden triggers behind tinnitus and learn how people are finally quieting the noise.

➤ Tampa: Hundreds of Tampa teens attended the kickoff of the Safe Summer Series, a new initiative offering supervised activities and safe alternatives to disruptive teen takeover gatherings. (More)

➤ Miami: World Cup fans are flooding into Miami today as Uruguay and Saudi Arabia prepare to face off in South Florida’s first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (More)

➤ Lee County: Deputies are trying to reunite a mysterious urn found on Turner Beach with its owner and are asking the public for help identifying the family it belongs to. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds toured four Northeast Florida counties on Friday, unveiling a literacy initiative and promoting his campaign’s focus on affordability, parental rights, and economic growth. (More)

➤ Key Largo: Firefighters marked Flag Day by hoisting a giant American flag above the Overseas Highway, joining fire stations across the Florida Keys in a patriotic display stretching from Key Largo to Key West. (More)

➤ Port St. Lucie: Officials will consider how to spend a $24 million settlement from former trash hauler Waste Pro on Monday, including whether residents could receive refunds for years of missed garbage and recycling pickups. (More)

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➤ The Miami Heat have submitted a trade offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with insiders reporting the Bucks are comfortable with the package. A completed deal would be the biggest move in franchise history since signing LeBron in 2010. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Alex Anzalone called signing with Tampa Bay a “dream come true,” citing the chance to be closer to family and familiar surroundings. The veteran is expected to help replace retired linebacker Lavonte David in Tampa Bay’s defense. (More)

➤ Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry returned to his hometown of Yulee, Florida, for his annual community day, awarding a $10,000 scholarship to Yulee High graduate Joshua Barnes and providing free backpacks, bikes, and scooters to more than 300 children. (More)

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➤ The Air Force is evaluating a new launch complex at Cape Canaveral that would support Army and Navy missile tests while reducing conflicts with nearby commercial space operations. (More)

➤ A developer scaled back plans for the former Winn-Dixie site on Park Boulevard to meet existing code limits, a move that eliminates public hearings and council design oversight and shuts residents out of the process. (More)

➤ Amici Italian Restaurant could close by month’s end after 27 years in St. Augustine as its owners search for a buyer following years of financial and operational challenges. (More)

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Constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ears can be frustrating and difficult to ignore. While many people assume tinnitus is simply a hearing issue, researchers are uncovering hidden factors that may be making the noise worse.

The good news? Identifying these triggers may help reduce symptoms and restore a greater sense of calm. Discover what could be contributing to your tinnitus and the steps others are taking to find relief.

➤ Ralph Haben, a former Florida House speaker and influential Tallahassee lobbyist, died on Saturday at 84 after a life that included surviving a plane crash, a boat sinking, and a black widow spider bite. (More)

➤ A diver with Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Expeditions discovered a 22-pound silver bar worth an estimated $100,000 from the famed Atocha shipwreck, marking the first such find in nearly 30 years. (More)

➤ A Florida man faces a DUI charge after troopers stopped him for driving more than 90 mph on Interstate 75 in Pasco County and found 34 open White Claw cans inside his car. (More)

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