Good Morning! On this day in 2007, NASA launched the Phoenix Mars Lander from Cape Canaveral. It touched down 295 days later on the Martian arctic plains and confirmed water ice sitting just below the surface.
You might think 21 is very young to be a professor of engineering at Miami Dade College, but Nathan Thomas started when he was 18! Find out more in Et Cetera.
What if the biggest threat in your diet isn’t sugar or fat, but something hiding in more than half of everything you eat? Ultra-processed foods have been linked to plenty of chronic conditions, all of which can shorten your life. And they’re lurking in products you’d never suspect, from your morning bagel to the sauce on your stir fry. The good news? You don’t have to overhaul your kitchen or your budget to cut them out. On today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla reveals six everyday swaps that push these foods off your plate, plus the one trick that exposes them on any label. Tune in here!
If you haven’t compared your car insurance in a while, there’s a good chance you’re paying more than you need to. Even if you checked rates a year ago, the market has changed. That’s why today’s sponsor, Insurify, makes it easy to compare quotes from more than 120 insurers in just a few minutes.
Daytona Beach ⛈️ 87/75° | Fort Myers ⛈️ 88/75° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 91/75° | Key West ☁️ 87/83° | Miami 🌤️ 88/80° | Ocala ⛈️ 87/72° | Orlando ⛈️ 88/75° | Pensacola 🌤️ 89/76° | Port St. Lucie ⛈️ 90/75° | Tallahassee ⛈️ 90/73° | Tampa 🌩️ 86/78°
Uthmeier Presses Catholic Schools on Exemptions
Attorney General James Uthmeier warned Florida’s Catholic bishops that schools rejecting religious vaccine exemptions could lose state scholarship money.
His Friday letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops cites the Catechism, the Bible, and Pope Leo to argue that church doctrine doesn’t bar the exemptions. Florida law requires public and private schools to grant exemptions when parents object on religious grounds.
“Failure to comply could jeopardize eligibility for state educational scholarship programs,” Uthmeier wrote to conference executive director Michael Sheedy, who has until Aug. 7 to respond.
The conference, which has lobbied lawmakers to keep vaccine requirements, said it’s reviewing the letter. “Be assured, Florida’s Catholic schools are operating in accord with the law and Church teaching,” spokeswoman Michele Taylor said.
More than 500,000 students use Florida’s vouchers, which account for about a quarter of the state education budget. Most districts open for the 2026-27 school year in 10 days.
Bank Fights Trump ‘Debanking’ Lawsuit
Capital One says an anti-money-laundering review—not political discrimination—drove its decision to close hundreds of accounts tied to President Donald Trump and his family business, according to a motion filed Friday in Miami federal court.
The bank is asking a judge to dismiss with prejudice a lawsuit by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, Eric Trump, and affiliated entities, alleging that Capital One closed more than 300 accounts on political grounds after the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The filing says the closures followed “months of analysis” by compliance staff and notes that the deposit agreement allowed the bank to close accounts “for any reason and without notice.”
U.S. District Judge Roy Altman dismissed an earlier version in March but allowed the Trump entities to amend and refile. Trump entities have also filed a similar $5 billion debanking suit against JPMorgan Chase.
Everglades Fire Burns 800 Acres
A lightning-sparked grass fire dubbed the Bluegill Fire has burned more than 800 acres in the Everglades of southwest Miami-Dade and was 75% contained as of Monday afternoon.
The fire sparked Sunday afternoon just south of the Tamiami Trail near mile marker 25, and drivers on U.S. 41 recorded flames and smoke visible for miles. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the Florida Forest Service, and Everglades National Park crews responded.
Officials shut down a stretch of U.S. 41 on Sunday and later reopened it, warning drivers that smoke could cut visibility along the highway. Miccosukee Police said the nearby Everglades Safari Park was evacuated as a precaution.
Rainstorms rolled in late Sunday night and helped crews make quick progress. Firefighters said the fire threatened no property, and no injuries had been reported as of Monday afternoon. Officials determined lightning caused the fire.
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Your Insurance Rate Might Be Higher Than It Should Be
A lot can change in a year. Insurance companies constantly adjust their pricing, and the company that offered you the best rate last time may no longer be the most competitive. In fact, Insurify projects rates will change in 35 states this year, making it worthwhile to shop around even if you’ve been with the same insurer for years.
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➤Statewide: Florida could face nearly $1 billion in annual federal penalties over its SNAP error rate, which sits at roughly 13%, more than double the 6% threshold. Lawmakers passed reforms to deploy AI technology to catch processing errors before penalties are imposed in October 2027. (More)
➤Escambia County: A plane made an emergency landing in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 on Monday morning after the pilot reported mechanical trouble, Sheriff Chip Simmons said. A pilot and a flight student were aboard, and neither was hurt. Traffic slowed until the plane could be moved. (More)
➤Seville: Volusia County deputies charged Austin Mowery, 28, with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer after an overnight standoff on Lake Juanita Road. Deputies came for a well-being check Monday night. The sheriff’s office says Mowery pointed a shotgun through a window and surrendered early Tuesday morning. (See Details)
➤Marion County: The school district’s state grade slipped from a B to a C even though Superintendent Danielle Brewer says it posted its highest scores since 2012. Marion earned 59 points, one short of a B, and the state has raised next year’s B threshold to 65. (See Details)
➤Pensacola: A Florida Highway Patrol trooper clocked a 2016 Kia Sportage at 108 mph on Interstate 110 and charged the driver, 24-year-old Austin Lee Clark of Century, under the state’s “Super Speeder” law. Clark said he was trying to keep up with a car that had passed him. (More)
➤Orlando: Alaska Airlines banned a passenger who was removed from a flight at Orlando International Airport after she began preaching to travelers and refused repeated instructions from flight attendants to take her seat. Video of police escorting her off the plane spread widely online. (See Video)
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➤ The Lake Mary Little League girls softball team defeated Italy 15-0 to reach 2-0 in the Little League World Series in Greenville, North Carolina. (Watch Recap)
➤ Urban Meyer will join Florida’s Ring of Honor during the Gators’ Nov. 7 game against Oklahoma, the team he beat for his second national title in 2008. Wilber Marshall, Emmitt Smith, Steve Spurrier, Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel, and Jack Youngblood are already in. (More)
➤ Former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos is exploring a return to college football after a federal court ruling granted athletes from the 2022 recruiting class an extra year of eligibility. Castellanos went undrafted after throwing for 2,760 yards and 15 touchdowns with the Seminoles last season. (More)
➤ Miami Hurricanes freshman cornerback Jontavius Wyman announced he’s taking a year away from football this season, but vowed he’d be back eventually. The former four-star recruit was expected to compete for a starting role in the secondary. (More)
➤ Former Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will miss the entire 2026 NFL season after the 49ers placed him on injured reserve for PCL surgery. The 2024 first-round pick has played just 20 games through his first two professional seasons. (More)
➤ Dozens of Special Olympics Florida athletes bowled Sunday in Bradenton in the Area 7 North qualifier. Those who advance head to the state championship in Orlando on Sept. 18 and 19. (More)
➤ Beat the heat without blasting your whole house with air conditioning. evaCHILL is a compact personal evaporative cooler that cools, humidifies, and purifies the air around you while using minimal power. Just add water, plug it into any USB power source, and enjoy hours of refreshing comfort at your desk, bedside, or on the go. (LEARN MORE)
➤ Florida property tax levies rose 108.1% from 2014 to 2024, nearly double the 54.9% combined growth in population and inflation, Florida TaxWatch found. Voters will decide on a tax relief measure in November. (See Report)
➤ A new federal THC cap takes effect Nov. 12, limiting hemp beverages and edibles to 0.4 milligrams per container. St. Petersburg’s Herban Flow says 80% of its inventory won’t comply and has begun layoffs. (See Details)
➤ Land O’ Lakes’ 34637 ZIP code climbed 1,527 spots to lead the nation in year-over-year relocation popularity, according to MovingPlace. Dunnellon’s 34434 ranked seventh and Placida’s 33946 eighth. The firm credited Pasco County’s newer, larger homes and proximity to Tampa employment hubs. (More)
➤ The Flagler Humane Society is pushing Palm Coast to raise its stray animal payments after the City Council called for a $140,000 cut to the $326,850 budget city staff proposed. Treasurer Rebecca Reynolds says the city’s $156-per-animal fee covers less than half of the shelter’s $392.64 cost. (More)
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➤ Turn overflowing piles of kids’ artwork into lasting keepsakes with Artkive. Simply send in your child’s drawings, paintings, and school projects, and Artkive professionally photographs, organizes, and transforms them into beautiful hardcover books or custom mosaics—preserving precious memories while helping you reclaim space at home. (LEARN MORE)
Insurify estimates drivers who switch through its marketplace can save up to $1,100 per year, simply by comparing offers from multiple insurers side by side. The service is free, there are no hidden fees, and you’ll see real quotes from trusted insurance companies based on your information.
If it’s been more than a year since you last shopped for insurance, now is a smart time to check.
➤ Nathan Thomas of Miami became the world’s youngest professor at 18 years and 346 days old, breaking a 305-year-old record held by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin. Now 21, he teaches engineering at Miami Dade College, where he earned an associate degree at 14. (Read Story)
➤ Zoey, a 6-year-old Yorkie, survived an alligator attack in Englewood that left her with four broken ribs and both lungs collapsed. The animal hospital gave her a 50% chance of living. She’s home now. (More)
➤ A Sarasota County school teacher lost her home to a fire that left her family with nothing. Her students have rallied around her. (Read Story)
➤ Orkin’s latest ranking of the country’s worst cities for bed bugs included Tampa (No. 46) and Miami (No. 47). (See Details)
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➤ The Real Reason Skin Starts To Thin After 50 (It’s Not What You Think. Remember when bruises faded fast and skin bounced back? New research shows a particular deficiency impacts strength and dark spots too—and you don’t have to accept paper-thin, discolored skin as the “new normal.” Unfortunately, most people don’t know that thinning, aging skin is often caused by this. Learn More
The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:
➤ Hidden ultra-processed ingredients lurk in over half your diet, but there are six simple swaps to fight back. (Hear Details)
➤ The first deaths have been reported in the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, with two victims confirmed in Michigan. (Hear Episode)
➤ New Yorkers can finally camp overnight in Central Park, but scoring a free spot means winning a coveted citywide lottery. (Listen Now)
If you ever played softball or baseball, what was your favorite position?
Uthmeier Presses Catholic Schools on Exemptions
