Good Morning! On this day in 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States. William D. Moseley was elected the first governor, and David Levy Yulee became Florida’s first senator.
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump presided over a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday in New York, making history as the first spouse of a U.S. president to do so.
The U.S. takes over the rotating presidency of the 15-member council for March, and the first lady’s office said the meeting will “emphasize education’s role in advancing tolerance and world peace.” Melania Trump is also the first U.S. first lady to call Florida home.
Scam artists are stealing billions of dollars from Americans every year, and we want to ensure that Flyover readers are not prime targets! On today’s The Flyover Podcast, host Ayla Brown walks through the most common schemes, plus the FBI’s best advice for staying alert before your money is gone. Tune in here!
Big announcement: We’re launching The California Flyover on April 1st! We’ve had our eyes on The Golden State for a long time, and we’re excited to add it to The Flyover family. Don’t miss the first edition; click here to sign up!
Today’s sponsor, Incogni, helps protect you from scam calls, phishing, and identity theft by removing your personal data from data brokers and continuously monitoring and deleting it as new threats emerge.
Daytona Beach 🌤️ 73/63° | Fort Myers 🌤️ 85/66° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 73/58° | Key West 🌤️ 78/71° | Miami 🌤️ 79/72° | Ocala 🌤️ 82/59° | Orlando 🌤️ 80/64° | Pensacola 🌤️ 71/59° | Port St. Lucie 🌤️ 79/67° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 80/55° | Tampa 🌤️ 84/64°
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Byron Donalds Leads GOP Gubernatorial Field
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is nearing majority support in Florida’s Republican race for governor, according to a new survey of likely primary voters statewide.
The poll showed Donalds at 44% on the initial ballot. After voters were told of President Trump’s endorsement, Donalds surged 18 points to 62%. “Unsure” came in second, ahead of James Fishback at 5%, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins at 4%, and former House Speaker Paul Renner at 2%.
Last week’s poll by the University of North Florida gave Donalds a four-point lead (28%) over Casey DeSantis (24%), should she decide to run. Donalds’ support increased to 47% when respondents to that poll were told of Trump’s endorsement.
Lower Mortgage Rates Could Boost Market
Mortgage rates fell below 6% for the first time since September 2022, which experts say could potentially boost Florida’s housing market by increasing affordability and pulling sidelined buyers back in for the spring season.
The decline in rates will significantly lower monthly mortgage payments. The shift, acting as a confidence trigger, may ease the “lock-in” effect for sellers who purchased during the ultra-low pandemic-era rates of 2-3%.
Realtors report increased activity and pending sales in Florida, especially among first-time homebuyers.
Late Commissioner Felts Honored
The Manatee County Commission is planning to hold special tributes for fellow board member Carol Ann Felts, who died suddenly last week at age 68. Under consideration is naming a portion of Crane Park after the late District 1 commissioner.
An eighth-generation Floridian, Felts was known as a dedicated advocate for her community, a fierce opponent of sprawling development, and a champion for rural, environmental, and heritage preservation in Myakka City and surrounding areas.
Before her 2024 election, Felts spent years as a concerned citizen attending county meetings to fight for the community, a passion she continued to demonstrate on the dais.
The decision to create the Carol Ann Felts Preserve at Crane Park will be voted on by the board today. The community gathering place is located in Myakka City, where Felts lived.
The BBC caught scam-call workers on hidden cameras as they laughed at the people they were tricking. One worker bragged about making $250k from victims. The disturbing truth? Scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers.
Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft. That’s why we recommend Incogni: They delete your info from the web, monitor and follow up automatically, and continue to erase data as new risks appear.
➤ Statewide: Iranian-Americans in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and South Florida celebrated the fall of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, along with the deaths of dozens of top officials, in the weekend’s U.S. and Israeli-led attacks. (More)
➤ Broward County: Deputies arrested Robert Albanese, 76, on Sunday at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for making a verbal bomb threat on a JetBlue flight. (More)
➤ Holly Hill: The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, along with police, arrested 19 people in a “drug house.” (See Video)
➤ Daytona Beach: The 85th annual Bike Week kicked off this past weekend and will run through March 8, providing an economic boost to Volusia County. (More)
➤ Oviedo: City-registered golf carts can now be driven on streets that have a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less. They cannot be driven on sidewalks, bicycle paths, swales, trails, or private property, unless the owner gives permission. (More)
➤ Orange County: A new connector along the Lake Apopka Loop Trail officially opened last week, linking the county with Lake County via a nearly three-quarters-mile stretch of multi-use path that cost $10 million. (More)
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➤ Florida men’s basketball climbed two spots to No. 5 in this week’s AP poll, while the Miami Hurricanes made the list at No. 22. (See Poll)
➤ Nico Echavarria overcame a three-stroke deficit with three holes left to beat Shane Lowry at the Cognizant Classic golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens. (More)
➤Inter Miami scored four straight goals to come back against Orlando City in their first in-state battle of the MLS season. The 4-2 victory makes Inter Miami 1-1 on the season. Orlando City is 0-2. (More)
➤ Florida State women’s basketball beat Wake Forest 77-74 in overtime to close out the ACC regular season. They take on Georgia Tech tomorrow in the first round of the conference tournament. (More)
➤ Coffee Lovers Can’t Stop Talking About Javvy—Now 50% Off With Free Gift. Javvy isn’t just coffee—it’s protein-powered fuel for healthier mornings. With 10g whey protein, zero sugar, and gut-friendly ingredients, it’s 50% off today and comes with a free gift. Don’t miss out. (LEARN MORE)
➤ Pompano Beach-based Tri-Rail, Florida’s commuter rail operator, has a new interim executive director, Diane Hernandez del Calvo, as its parent company launched a search for a permanent replacement. (More)
➤St. Augustine leaders chose not to renew the city’s franchise agreement with Country Carriages, one of the area’s largest horse-drawn carriage operators, after months of pressure from animal rights activists. (More)
➤A Coral Springs restaurateur celebrated 50 years of bringing authentic Italian food to South Florida. (More)
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➤ The Florida A&M UniversityMarching 100 has joined “Michael Celebrates: Legacy, Artistry, Culture,” a nationwide celebration of the life and legacy of Michael Jackson ahead of the film Michael, set for release on April 24. (See Performance)
➤ Here’s an inside look at how drones captured the Firestone Grand Prix in St. Petersburg. (See Video)
➤ A rare Queen AnneVictorian house built in Orlando nearly 150 years ago has hit the market for $3.39 million. The home sits on Honeymoon Row, a historic neighborhood named for houses built by and for newlyweds in the 19th century. (See Listing)
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Have you ever visited the United Nations in New York?
Byron Donalds Leads GOP Gubernatorial Field
