Board Found as Jupiter Search Widens

The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies are searching for a 48-year-old paddleboarder last seen on Monday morning about 4 miles off Jupiter Beach.

Matt Pawlowski headed east around 9 a.m. on a 14-foot lime green and yellow paddleboard, wearing a white hat, orange shirt, and gray shorts.

A good Samaritan found a paddleboard matching the description about 10 miles off Jupiter Island on Wednesday and turned it over to law enforcement.

The search will continue with air and surface crews tracking drift patterns from his last known position.

Counties Escalate Dengue Response

Pasco County’s Mosquito Control District will resume daytime helicopter treatments over central Tampa on Wednesday, spraying a liquid larvicide in neighborhoods including Seminole Heights, Ybor City, West Tampa, and Palma Ceia to help Hillsborough County stop the spread of dengue.

The latest CDC data show 66 reported cases in Hillsborough, plus six each in Lee and Pinellas counties, and Polk County is adding public education, home inspections, and more frequent spraying. “The species of mosquito that can transmit dengue thrives around your home,” Polk Mosquito Control Manager Jackson Mosley said.

The two-day aerial runs continue on Thursday as county mosquito traps keep testing positive for dengue in what officials call the worst local outbreak in decades.

Bezos Again Tops Florida’s Rich List

Forbes released its 45th annual ranking of the 400 richest Americans, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains Florida’s richest resident at $378 billion, ranking second nationally.

Elon Musk tops the list for a fifth straight year at $908 billion after briefly becoming the world’s first trillionaire during SpaceX’s June IPO, more than doubling his fortune in a year.

Florida’s other wealthiest residents include Manalapan’s Larry Ellison at $204 billion, along with Palm Beach’s Thomas Peterffy and Miami’s Ken Griffin. The 400 members are collectively worth a record $8 trillion, up $1.4 trillion in a year, and the price of entry hit a record $4.4 billion.

Your AC Quits. Now You’re Facing a $6,000 Bill.

It always seems to happen at the worst possible time. Your AC quits during the hottest week of the year. Your refrigerator suddenly stops cooling—with a week’s worth of groceries inside.

Then comes the repair or replacement bill.

Replacing a central AC system now costs homeowners around $6,000 on average—and depending on the home and system, it can climb above $12,000. Even replacing a refrigerator costs around $1,500 on average.

Homeowners insurance typically isn’t designed to cover appliances and systems that fail from normal wear and tear. That’s where Choice Home Warranty can help. Depending on your plan, coverage may include major systems and appliances such as air conditioning, heating, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers.

Choice has covered more than 2.9 million homes and serviced more than 9.8 million claims.

See what a Choice Home Warranty plan could cover in your home.

➤ Statewide: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $5,000 bonuses on Tuesday for more than 1,500 new law enforcement officers. Florida has awarded over $83 million to nearly 12,500 officers since launching the program in 2022. (More)

➤ Statewide: The State Board of Education adopted rules on Wednesday requiring all 28 Florida College System schools to establish AI policies addressing academic integrity, assignments, grading, data privacy, and appropriate use by students and staff. (See Details)

➤ Jacksonville: The Rules Committee voted 5-2 Monday to advance an e-bike safety ordinance limiting sidewalk speeds to 15 mph and requiring retailer education. The full city council votes Sept. 22. (More)

➤ Sumter County: Commissioners voted on Tuesday to fully fund Fire and Rescue next fiscal year after a three-hour public hearing attended by more than 50 firefighters and property owners concerned about taxes. (See Details)

➤ Leon County: Commissioners voted unanimously to abandon an automated school-zone speed enforcement program, rejecting every vendor bid and ending an initiative developed over nearly a year. (See Details)

➤ Boca Raton: Newly released body camera video shows first responders racing to help a 23-year-old pilot after she safely landed a malfunctioning twin-engine plane in the ocean off Boca Raton. (See Video)

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➤ The Miami Hurricanes are returning to Nike in 2027 under a reported 10-year apparel and sponsorship deal worth more than $200 million. (See Deal)

➤ Florida State debunked rumors that football coach Mike Norvell was moving from Tallahassee after a delivery truck appeared outside a home falsely identified as his. (More)

➤ Miami Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks will miss the rest of the season after landing on the 15-day injured list for the third time with right median nerve irritation. (More)

➤ Inter Miami coach Cristian “Kily” González has received authorization to begin work after being named the permanent replacement for interim coach Guillermo Hoyos. González previously played alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer

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➤ Walt Disney World plans to add 5,000-plus jobs over five years. Three of five leaders began in hourly roles, while professional employees among its 80,000 cast members average 12-year tenures, triple the national average. (More)

➤ Tampa International Airport reclaimed J.D. Power’s top ranking among large North American airports after two second-place finishes. The airport also led the category in 2022 and 2023. (See Details)

➤ An Evoke Strategy study found 94% of nearly 30,000 Florida businesses tested never appeared in AI searches, suggesting they could miss potential customers who increasingly use the tools to find and evaluate companies. (More) 

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Could You Absorb a $6,000 Home Repair?

That’s approximately what a central AC replacement costs on average today. Depending on your system, the final bill could climb above $12,000. A new refrigerator averages around $1,500—and that’s before replacing the food that spoiled when it stopped cooling.

A home warranty can help you prepare before something breaks. Depending on the plan, Choice Home Warranty may cover major appliances and home systems that fail from normal wear and tear.

Don’t wait until the AC stops blowing cold air to think about the cost.

Check your available plans and see what coverage could cost.

➤ Painted Horse Rescue in Malabar is caring for three horses rescued from alleged abuse and neglect, including Hadley, a senior horse who has gained nearly 100 pounds since arriving about a month ago. (See Horses)

➤ A reported lightning strike stopped a Walt Disney World monorail bound for EPCOT on Sept. 8, stranding passengers for about 90 minutes before crews restored power and towed the train to a station. (See Video)

➤ A sinkhole in Miami-Dade County trapped a tractor-trailer and sedan on Wednesday, closing nearby roads and suspending Metrorail Green Line service beyond Earlington Heights Station. (See Sinkhole)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Can you catch up on sleep, and how many hours does it take? (Listen Now)

➤ Democrats refuse to advance a sweeping crypto bill until new limits are placed on presidential profits from digital assets. (Hear Episode)

➤ House lawmakers held billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress, escalating their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s network. (Hear Details)

How long have you stayed with one employer?

1. Less than five years
2. Five to 10 years
3. 11 to 20 years
4. More than 20 years

Yesterday’s Results:

When were you last on a boat?

1. Last five years: 30%
2. This year: 28%
3. Longer than that: 23%
4. This month: 16%
5. Today!: 3%
6. Never: 0%

Where can thrill-seekers find Florida’s infamous Devil’s Chair?

Show me the answer