Board of Education Makes Changes

The Florida State Board of Education made several changes last week, which address concerns raised by legal challenges and advocacy groups.

Sunshine State Kids Foundation was selected as the third choice to manage students’ education savings accounts and vouchers. The Hollywood-based group is the first new option in over a decade and offers an alternative to Step Up for Students and the AAA Scholarship Foundation.

State education officials also amended the rules governing Schools of Hope, limiting the number of applications that charter school operators hoping to colocate in traditional public school buildings may send to districts.

Regarding curriculum, the state board approved new history-of-communism teaching standards that will require students to learn about the apprehension of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, which the U.S. military carried out in January.

Freezing Temps Hit Growers for $3.17B

The costs of freeze damage to state agricultural production have exceeded $3.17 billion as another cold snap is hitting this week. The financial impact was widespread, affecting several of the state’s most prominent crops.

A report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimated producers in some cases lost 100% of their crop and evaluated the scale of the disaster as one of the most damaging freezes in Florida history.

Sugarcane sustained the most impact, with losses exceeding $1.15 billion. Citrus crops suffered losses of $674 million, while strawberry growers reported over $306 million in damages. Blueberries lost about 90% of 6,400 acres.

The report estimates that sweet corn producers lost 100% of their crop, valued at $255 million. Aside from greenhouse and nursery products and sugarcane, watermelons and cabbage had the lowest loss rates at 33% and 40%, respectively. 

Judge Bars Release of Mar-a-Lago Report

A federal judge on Monday permanently barred the release of a report on special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation alleging President Trump stored classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach after he left the White House following his first term.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that the report contains sensitive evidence and was prepared under circumstances the court previously found legally invalid.

Smith and his team produced a two-volume report on the classified documents investigation and a separate probe into questions regarding Trump’s involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Both investigations were abandoned.

Attorney General Pam Bondi previously determined that the report is “an internal deliberative communication that is privileged and confidential and should not be released” outside the Justice Department.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Statewide: A historic blizzard along the East Coast on Sunday and Monday caused hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at Florida airports. (More)

➤ Miami: The Haitian judge who signed an arrest warrant for Haiti’s president that figured prominently in the late leader’s 2021 assassination testified Friday that the document was illegal and that he had no authority to remove a sitting head of state. (More)

➤ Central Florida: Burn bans are in effect due to drought and wildfire risks. Open flames are prohibited, though contained gas and charcoal grills are still allowed with precautions. (More)

➤ Temple Terrace: Voters will decide this summer whether to fund a new police headquarters and third fire station after the city council unanimously advanced plans for a $50 million public safety complex. (More)

➤ Escambia County: A fire in Molino last week started in a chicken coop and spread, creating thick smoke in the area. County fire officials concluded the fire was started by a chicken that knocked over a heater. No animals were harmed. (More)

➤ Orlando: Residents are outfitting their pets with armor following attacks by coyotes. A chihuahua named Ben now wears a spiked canvas outfit. (See Video)

Enjoy reading Flyover Florida? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ Florida men’s basketball climbed five spots to No. 7 in this week’s AP poll, the only Florida team to make the Top 25. (See Poll)

➤ A Major League Soccer investigation revealed that a video did not show Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi entering the referees’ locker room after losing to LAFC, as previously alleged. No disciplinary action will be taken against Messi despite prior rumors. (More)

➤ Florida State broke ten program records this weekend at the ACC Swimming and Diving Championships in Atlanta en route to multiple conference medals. Select swimmers will return to Georgia this weekend for a chance to send the ‘Noles to an NCAA championship. (More)

➤ Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronyell Whitaker died this week at age 46. The cause of death is unknown. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Are you ready for Christ’s second coming? Unearth important historical and Biblical facts about the island of Patmos and three of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation by watching The 7 Churches of Revelation: Times of Fire. This critically acclaimed documentary is brought to you for free by RevelationMedia.

➤ The Florida Insurance Guaranty Association voted to eliminate the 1% emergency assessment on homeowner and business property and casualty policies two years earlier than expected, indicating the insurance market has stabilized. (More)

➤ Florida’s booming economy created record demand for certified public accountants. However, 75% of the CPAs will retire within a decade. House lawmakers are considering HB 333 to create new pathways into the profession. (More)

➤ The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences campus was sold on Feb. 13 for $71.53 million to a company that acquires property in sale-leaseback deals. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The self-cleaning, bacteria-killing water bottle everyone’s talking about. UVBrite transforms ordinary water into purified, germ-free hydration at the press of a button. Using hospital-grade UV-C LED technology, it eliminates 99.99% of bacteria and viruses while keeping drinks hot or cold for up to 12 hours. Safe water — anywhere you go. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ President Donald Trump was joined on Monday at the White House by the families of victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in a ceremony designating an official Angel Family Day. Palm Beach Officer Ethan Curreri spoke at the event. (See Video)

➤ The Florida Man Games were held this past weekend in Bradenton, showcasing competitions based on stranger-than-fiction headlines generated in the Sunshine State. (See Photos)

➤ Volcano Bay, the water park at Universal Orlando Resort, will transition to an entirely cashless payment system beginning Feb. 25. The move underscores a broader trend across the Sunshine State. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Do you wake up with yellow gunk in your eyes? (Read This). That may not be “just sleep.” Some experts warn it could signal hidden toxins affecting your vision. A simple 12-second technique is now being used to help restore and safeguard vision. Find Out All About It.

Will you watch the president’s State of the Union Address tonight?

1. Absolutely
2. Probably
3. No
4. That’s tonight?

Monday’s Results:

Do you prefer soft tortillas or crunchy taco shells?

1. Soft tortillas: 34%
2. Both: 26%
3. Crunchy: 24%
4. Neither: 16%

Where is the only place in Florida you could once find Dion’s Quik Marts serving Dion’s Quik Chik?

Show me the answer