Good Morning! On this day in 1542, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto died while searching the Mississippi River for treasure. De Soto had come to the New World with a royal commission to conquer and settle “La Florida.”
It’s that time of year. Florida’s rainy season will soon be making its annual appearance. Click here to find out more about our rainy season than you’d ever want to know. Are you ready? Answer the Poll question below to let us know.
Could a single phone call or email wipe out a lifetime of savings in your family? The FBI says these three scams are responsible for billions in losses, and they’re hitting older Americans harder than ever, with average victims losing $83,000. On The Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown unpacks how each scam works, why they’re so effective, and what families can do right now to protect the people they love. Tune in here!
Still trying to figure out what to get Dad this year? We pulled together some of our favorite Father’s Day gift ideas to help make it easy. From practical everyday upgrades to fun finds he’ll actually use, these are gifts built for dads of all kinds. Check out the full Father’s Day Gift Guide here.
Daytona Beach 🌤️ 85/75° | Ft. Myers 🌧️ 92/74° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 90/74° | Key West 🌤️ 87/82° | Miami 🌤️ 86/80° | Ocala 🌧️ 92/73° | Orlando ⛈️ 91/74° | Pensacola 🌤️ 82/73° | Port St. Lucie 🌤️ 88/74° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 89/70° | Tampa 🌤️ 93/75°
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Raúl Castro Indicted
Federal prosecutors in Florida unsealed a historic indictment Wednesday, charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro with murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, and destruction of aircraft—nearly 30 years after the deadly attack that sparked an international crisis.
The charges stem from the Cuban air force’s 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes flown by the Florida-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, which killed four people. Castro, now 94, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time. Five co-defendants, identified as Cuban fighter pilots, were also charged.
The announcement was made at Miami’s Freedom Tower during a ceremony honoring the victims. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche presided over the event on a day Cuban exiles celebrate as Cuba’s independence day.
Property Tax Push Meets Resistance
Gov. Ron DeSantis held a property tax roundtable in Melbourne on Monday, urging Florida lawmakers to wrap up the state budget so he can call a special session and place homestead property tax elimination on the November ballot.
The House passed its own version of the measure 80-30 earlier this year, but the Senate has shown little interest. The two chambers remain at odds on scope and timing, and no agreed-upon plan has emerged.
Local governments are already bracing, exploring new revenue sources in case property taxes disappear. Critics say eliminating homestead taxes would shift costs onto renters, businesses, and second-home owners.
DeSantis has pledged to keep calling special sessions until lawmakers act, saying homeowners could save roughly $2,000 a year if a constitutional amendment passes.
NFL Cooperating with Florida Attorney General Probe
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league is cooperating with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s investigation into whether the Rooney Rule and other DEI hiring programs constitute civil rights violations.
Uthmeier issued the subpoena on May 13, ordering the league to appear at his Tallahassee office on June 12 and produce coaching demographic data going back to 2017. His office has called the Rooney Rule “blatant race and sex discrimination.”
The 23-year-old Rooney Rule requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach, general manager, and coordinator openings. Uthmeier threatened enforcement action in March if the league didn’t suspend the policy.
Speaking at league meetings in Orlando, Goodell said the NFL believes its programs are “consistent with the law” and that the accelerator program—also under review—has been revamped to include candidates of all backgrounds.
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➤Seminole County: A Central Florida attorney and his TikTok influencer daughter were arrested in a murder-for-hire plot targeting pop singer Jack Avery—the father of her child—amid a custody dispute. (More)
➤Tallahassee: A Florida wildlife biologist fired over a social media post mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk has settled her First Amendment lawsuit. Brittney Brown, who sued the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for wrongful termination, will receive a cash payout. (More)
➤Broward County: Superintendent Howard Hepburn says the district could close more than 10 schools by 2027 due to declining enrollment, joining Miami-Dade in weighing significant school consolidations. (More)
➤Everglades: Registration is open for the 2026 Florida Python Challenge (July 10–19), offering $25,000 in prizes for hunting invasive Burmese pythons across South Florida’s wetlands. (More)
➤Vero Beach: A 25-year-old woman was arrested after a fatal utility terrain vehicle crash in Okeechobee County. Her blood alcohol registered 0.128, 60% over Florida’s legal limit. (More)
➤Fort Lauderdale: Richard Knight is scheduled to be executed on Thursday for the 2000 stabbing deaths of a Broward mother and her 4-year-old daughter. (More)
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➤ No. 4 seed UCF opens the Big 12 baseball tournament today against No. 5 Oklahoma State in Surprise, Arizona. The Knights went from near the bottom of the Big 12 a year ago to a top-four finish this season. (More)
➤ Meanwhile, Gators baseball opens SEC Tournament play Wednesday as the No. 5 seed against Vanderbilt in Hoover, Alabama. The team has won eight of its last nine games, capping a 37-18 regular season. (More)
➤ The Florida Panthers are being mentioned in connection with Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk ahead of the NHL offseason. His brother Matthew is already a Panthers cornerstone, and a former coach says a reunion wouldn’t surprise him. (More)
➤ Florida football cracked CBS Sports’ post-spring top 25 rankings under coach Jon Sumrall, a sign of the program’s upward trajectory. The Gators also reeled in a four-star 2027 commit this week. (More)
➤FSU student-athletes posted a collective 3.348 semester GPA in the spring of 2026, a new school record. (More)
➤ The Kelvin8 Multitoolcombines eight essential emergency tools into one compact device designed for roadside safety and survival. Featuring a hand-crank power bank, flashlight, SOS alarm, seatbelt cutter, and window breaker, it helps drivers stay prepared during blackouts, accidents, storms, and unexpected emergencies wherever the road takes them. (LEARN MORE)
➤ HomeAid Orlando is partnering with McCoy Federal Credit Union on its sixth annual drive to collect 1 million diapers for families in need—drop-offs run through June 5 at 13 branch locations. (More)
➤ Florida’s special budget session looks set to preserve the Hometown Heroes homebuyer program at $50 million and fully fund SHIP/SAIL housing programs. (More)
➤ Nine Central Florida restaurants were forced to close after state health inspections, with pest infestations among the top violations—and three more were shuttered the following week, records show. (See List)
➤Travel + Leisure named Fort Myers a must-visit Gulf Coast destination, highlighting its shell-strewn islands, walkable riverfront, and some of Florida’s best beaches. (More)
➤A new state law bans the capture of threatened shark and ray species and restricts commercial harvest, as wildlife officials warn several species are declining along Florida’s 1,350-mile coastline. (More)
➤Citrus County is requiring tour boat operators at Crystal River’s Kings Bay to obtain special-use permits under new manatee protection standards, sparking debate over conservation and business fairness. (More)
➤Miami Fashion Week will host the inaugural Virtual Fashion Awards gala at Queen Miami Beach on Thursday, bringing together global designers and fashion leaders for the industry event. (More)
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Raúl Castro Indicted
