Good Morning! On this day in 2024, Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, made its maiden voyage out of PortMiami.
Now that there’s a U.S.-China deal for the sale of TikTok, some are asking whether the laws restricting its use will change. Gov. Ron DeSantis banned TikTok on government devices and networks in May 2023, citing cybersecurity concerns.
The long-awaited great wealth transfer may fall short of expectations, economists say, as Baby Boomers begin turning 80 this year. The shift is raising questions about why trillions of dollars may never reach heirs. Host Ayla Brown unpacks it all on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here.
Today’s sponsor is Xtreme One Entertainment, the team behind XFC, MMA’s first publicly traded developmental league. Right now you can tap into their limited-time offering and even secure up to a 20% bonus stock.
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State Finds Arsenic in Popular Candy
Florida officials warned parents to take a closer look at their children’s candy after state testing found that 26 of the 33 popular brands tested contained elevated levels of arsenic.
Gov. DeSantis was joined by his wife, Casey, and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Monday in The Villages to discuss the results of testing conducted by the Florida Department of Health at independent, certified labs.
The state’s website published the results for specific candies, including SweeTarts, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme, 3 Musketeers, Snickers, Swedish Fish, Dots, Tootsie Rolls, and Nerds.
“More than eight pieces of Swedish fish exceed the estimated safe annual arsenic exposure level for a child,” First Lady DeSantis said. “Yet in a typical small bag, usually 3 to 5 ounces, there are anywhere from 50 to 100 pieces.”
Tri-Rail May Raise Fares
Amid budget cuts and an uncertain future, Tri-Rail leadership is considering raising fares by 10% as early as this year and has asked analysts to report on the potential impact by Feb. 27.
Current fares for the 73.5-mile, 39-station system range from $2.50 to $8.75. Without new funding sources, the trainline could be forced to cease operations by July 2027.
The publicly funded South Florida passenger rail estimates that the move would raise almost $742,000 but could lead to a decrease of 97,000 riders, based on fare increases on other systems.
Despite record ridership in 2025, Tri-Rail faces a $30 million deficit when federal COVID relief funds run out, as well as a $27 million reduction in funding from the Florida Department of Transportation.
Florida Partners with Germany
German Ambassador to the U.S. Jens Hanefeld and Gov. DeSantis agreed to a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) to increase cooperation between the European power and the Sunshine State.
The agreement promotes strategic investment, industrial ties, and economic growth. It establishes a framework for cooperation across key sectors, including innovative technologies, aerospace and aviation, manufacturing, life sciences, and workforce training.
The JDI was a direct result of the June 2025 Florida Leadership Mission to Germany. As of 2024, Germany was Florida’s seventh-largest trading partner, with over $7.2 billion in merchandise traded, an increase of over 12% year over year.
“The Free State of Florida continues to set the standard for business growth and economic development on the international stage,” DeSantis said.
Flying together with our sponsor
This Fast-Growing Sport Is Already More Popular Than the NFL
MMA has a larger global fanbase than American football by 200M+ fans.
Yet, even as UFC media rights surpass $7B, the next generation of fighters still lacks a true developmental platform.
Xtreme One ($XONI) fixes that. Built by execs from Turner Sports, HBO, WWE, and FOX Sports, they created MMA’s first publicly-traded developmental league, XFC. And it’s already turning fighters’ and viewers’ heads.
➤ Statewide: A piece of unattended luggage led to an evacuation at Miami International Airport (MIA) Sunday night, adding to the travel delays and cancellations caused by the weekend winter storm throughout much of the U.S. (More)
➤ Starke: Gov. DeSantis signed the second death warrant of 2026. Melvin Trotter, 65, was convicted of killing a grocery store owner during a robbery in 1986. He is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Feb. 24. (More)
➤ South Florida: Tal, Alon, and Oren Alexander, three wealthy brothers, are on trial this week in New York for sexual assault, trafficking, and the rape of dozens of women from 2008 to 2021. Two of the three lived and worked in Miami. (More)
➤ Broward County: The public schools superintendent issued a memo reversing a decision to hold some high school graduations in gymnasiums instead of nicer venues after parents and students complained. (More)
➤ Tampa: Housing advocates called for the return of a rental property registry for landlords amid rising rents, a policy that was repealed in 2023. (More)
➤ Pasco County: Starting Feb. 28, new rules for parking RVs and boat trailers will be enforced, with repeat offenders facing fines of $500 per day. (More)
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➤ Florida men’s basketball fell three spots to No. 19 in this week’s AP poll. They’re the only ranked team in the state. (See Poll)
➤ Miami linebacker Mohamed Toure will return for an eighth season. (More)
➤The Jacksonville Jaguars poached Buccaneers’ offensive line coach Brian Picucci to become their run game coordinator. (More)
➤ Former Florida quarterback commit Jaden Rashada announced he’ll play at Mississippi State next season—the fifth college football program he’s committed to. The former four-star recruit never suited up in Gainesville because of an NIL-related contract issue. (More)
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➤ Penske Automotive Group increased its presence in Florida with the acquisition of Lexus of Orlando and Lexus of Winter Park, which are expected to add $450 million in annualized revenue. (More)
➤ Dania Beach-based Spirit Airlines is in talks to be acquired by an investment firm from Minnesota. The carrier has filed for bankruptcy for a second time in less than a year. (More)
➤ The Palm Pavilion, a century-old Clearwater Beach restaurant, held a goodbye party on Sunday for the Hamilton family, who have run the restaurant since 1964 and sold it to St. Petersburg-based Beachside Hospitality Group. (More)
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This Sports Stock is Eyeing the Nasdaq or NYSE
But investors are currently buying shares via a special offering those markets can’t match.
That company? Xtreme One ($XONI). Capitalizing on MMA’s explosive growth, where UFC media rights now exceed $7B, they created MMA’s first publicly-traded developmental league, XFC.
This is a paid advertisement for Xtreme One’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.xtremeone.com/
➤ Six Florida restaurants were named to Yelp’s list of the top 100 restaurants in 2026, with four in South Florida. (See List)
➤ The Clearwater Historical Society is celebrating the U.S. turning 250 years old with an exhibition that showcases what the average person experienced during the war for independence. (More)
➤ Anglers reeled in a massive great white shark during a fishing trip to Pensacola Beach. The shark was around 13 feet long and weighed about 1,000 pounds. (See Video)
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State Finds Arsenic in Popular Candy
