Good Morning! On this day in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Indian River Lagoon, the first wildlife refuge in the U.S.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in Florida from 12:55 a.m. to 5:05 a.m. on Friday. Called a “blood moon,” it will have an eerie red-orange glow.
Expect an email later today from us on behalf of our partners at Mode Mobile, featuring an exciting milestone update and details on how you can still invest at $0.26/share before their next big move.
We’re sponsored today by RYSE. If you missed out on previous opportunities to invest, here is another chance.
Daytona Beach ☀️ 77/57° | Ft. Myers ☀️ 81/59° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 78/56° | Key West 🌤️ 79/71° | Miami ☀️ 80/66° | Ocala ☀️ 78/52° | Orlando ☀️ 81/58° | Pensacola 🌦️ 73/63° | Port St. Lucie ☀️ 80/56° | Tallahassee 🌦️ 73/56° | Tampa 🌤️ 77/58°
New Bellini College Merges AI with Cybersecurity
The University of South Florida (USF) announced the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing, the first named college in the country dedicated to the convergence of AI and cybersecurity.
Offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its Tampa campus, the college plans to research AI-driven solutions to enhance cybersecurity starting in the fall semester of 2025.
A $40 million gift from Arnie and Lauren Bellini helped establish the college. The donation, the largest in USF’s history, aims to strengthen workforce development, national security, and economic growth.
On day one, the college will have 3,000 students and 45 faculty members. By the end of year three, the plan is to grow that number to 5,500 students.
If passed, the legislation would “hold colleges and universities accountable for addressing the rise of antisemitic harassment and discrimination, which violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, or risk losing federal funding,” Scott’s website said.
Scott said the legislation puts teeth behind President Trump’s recent promise to withhold $400 million in funding for Columbia University, where Jewish students said they were targeted on campus.
Scott and Rubio cited the rise of antisemitic harassment cases on college campuses since the terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with presidents of several universities resigning over this issue.
Big John’s Alabama BBQ Named Best in Florida
More than 10,000 readers of Southern Living magazine voted for their favorite barbecue restaurant in each Southern state, naming Tampa’s Big John’s Alabama BBQ as the best in Florida. See the full list here.
Rev. John A. Stephens, who moved to East Tampa from Eufaula, Alabama, opened Big John’s. Today, the restaurant is run by Stephens’ grandchildren and features an Alabama-style open brick pit.
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➤Statewide: Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff today to pay tribute to State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who died last month. Thompson represented Orlando for nearly two decades. (More)
➤ Tallahassee: Lawmakers discussed a bill on Tuesday that would officially rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, revising over 50 state statutes to reflect the name change. (More)
➤ Longwood:A man captured video of the violent EF-2 tornado that ripped through his neighborhood on Monday morning. (See Video)
➤ Seminole County: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting a virtual meeting today to discuss options for regulated black bear hunting in Florida. (See Details)
➤ Miami-Dade County: County commissioners discussed on Tuesday whether to remove fluoride from the public water supply, reflecting the national debate on the issue. (More)
➤ Hillsborough County: The sheriff’s office issued a warning about scams targeting older adults, noting that more than $1 million has been stolen from local residents in 2025. (See Video)
➤ Florida State men’s basketball was eliminated from the ACC tournament on Tuesday with a 66-62 loss to Syracuse. Head coach Leonard Hamilton will not return to Florida State next year after coaching with the Seminoles every season since 2002. (More)
➤ The Miami Dolphins have been awarded four compensatory selections in the 2025 NFL draft as compensation for free agents leaving last offseason, bringing their total picks in the draft to 11. (More)
➤The Tampa Bay Lightning have now lost consecutive games for the first time since January after only scoring one goal across their previous two contests. (More)
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➤ St. Petersburg-based space startup Lonestar Data Holdings’ lunar data center is the only surviving payload after a private lunar lander came down sideways on the moon. (More)
➤ Port Canaveral survived the 16-month shutdown of the cruise industry through a $72 million federal grant, along with part of a $250 million state allocation to help ports recover. (More)
➤ Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs and the popular YouTube show Hot Ones have teamed up to create two fiery new subs to test your heat tolerance. (See Photos)
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➤ A third group has emerged to potentially purchase the Tampa Bay Rays as Major League Baseball has reportedly been pressuring owner Stu Sternberg to sell. (See Video)
➤ Florida author Rick Cutts is adapting his popular novel Stratagem into a movie, showcasing several Lakeland businesses. (See Video)
➤ A passenger on a regional flight to Miami attacked a flight attendant, kicked and punched the seat in front of him, and swallowed rosary beads, resulting in pilots returning to the airport in Savannah, Georgia. (More)
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Do you think Stu Sternberg should sell the Tampa Bay Rays?
