Spirit Airlines Files for Bankruptcy

Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, ten days before one of the busiest holiday travel weekends. The Dania Beach-based low-cost carrier is facing ongoing losses, $1.1 billion in debt, and the fallout from failed mergers.

Spirit CEO Ted Christie said customers can still book flights and fly. They will also be able to use all tickets, credits, and loyalty points. 

In October, Spirit announced plans to sell multiple aircraft and lay off workers as it tried to raise cash and revive operations.

Two failed mergers in less than two years, one recently with Frontier and another earlier in 2024 with JetBlue, left the airline in a bind after repeated quarterly losses.

Florida Warns Residents of Holiday Shopping Scams

State officials are warning Floridians to watch out for shopping scams this holiday season, especially those involving gift cards or recalled items.

Attorney General Ashley Moody advised using credit cards for purchases, which provides fraud protection. She also recommends shopping from trusted sources and being on guard against fake companies and charities. You can check the legitimacy of a charity here.

Experian, the consumer credit reporting company, offers seven tips to protect yourself from falling victim to a scam. You can see them here.

Affordable Housing Shortage for Essential Workers

A recent report highlights that the 2023 Live Local Act, a Florida law designed to increase affordable housing for the workforce, is falling short of its goal for families where the sole income earner is a firefighter, paramedic, educator, or law enforcement officer.

The Florida Policy Institute (FPI) found that the average salary for workers in these professions falls below 80% of the “area median income” if they are the sole earners. You can see the report here.

FPI analyzed salaries and housing affordability in 25 metropolitan areas across the state, focusing on a family of three with one income earner.

Of the 64 counties in the state, 10.9% are affordable for paramedics/EMTs, 16.4% for firefighters, 31.3% for law enforcement officers, and 44.8% for educators.

➤ Central Florida: Tropical Storm Sara dissipated after moving through Mexico. Weather models indicate that moisture remnants from the storm will combine with an oncoming cold front, bringing rain to Florida around Wednesday. (See Video)

➤ Ormond Beach: A Missing Child Alert issued Sunday for 4-year-old Waylon Childs ended in tragedy when the boy’s body was recovered by the Volusia Dive Team in Central Park, where he had gone missing. (More)

➤ Martin County: Commissioners have decided to pause construction of a controversial 5G cell tower following opposition from residents of the Parkwood community. (See Video)

➤ Miami-Dade: A group seeking to open a new Muslim cemetery is finding resistance from neighbors who oppose rezoning the area. The proposal has been discussed in two zoning board meetings but has not yet gone to a vote. (See Details)

➤ Miami Beach: A vigil was held this weekend for the 19-year-old swimmer who drowned after saving his sister from a rip current on Key Biscayne. The event included fireworks, and two Miami-Dade fire rescue boats shot water high into the air to honor the teen. (See Video)

➤ Statewide: The university system’s Board of Governors will receive a report next week on a 2023 law ending agreements and partnerships between universities and seven “countries of concern,” including China, Iran, and Cuba. (See Details)

➤ Miami improved one spot to No. 11 in the most recent AP Top 25 College Football Poll after the team’s bye week. (See poll)

➤ Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis will miss the rest of the NFL season after suffering a meniscus tear on Sunday. (More)

➤ The Orlando Pride have advanced to the NWSL championship after a thrilling 3-2 win over the Kansas City Current. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW

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➤ Sanford’s downtown area is set to undergo significant changes and a loss of parking space as a $14 million multi-use development project called The Palmetto prepares to break ground in the coming months. (More)

➤ Food trucks are a growing business in Northwest Florida, mirroring a national trend that has resulted in more than 58,000 food trucks nationwide, according to a report. (See Details)

➤ SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the telecom Optus-X satellite from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Sunday during a beautiful sunset. (See Photos)

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➤ The Republican Party of Florida plans to travel to Washington, D.C., to celebrate President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Trump is the first president elected while a resident of the Sunshine State. (More)

➤ The popular History Channel series American Pickers is searching for unusual items and Floridians to feature in upcoming episodes. Filming is scheduled to take place across North Florida in December 2024. (More)

➤ Rafael Nadal, the retiring tennis phenom with several Rafa Nadal Academies in Florida, is the subject of a new biography by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Clarey. Titled The Warrior, the book is set to be released in May 2025. (See Profile)

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Are you a fan of getting food from food trucks?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Depends on the type of food

Monday’s Results:

Nov. 18 is Mickey Mouse’s birthday. Which of the “Sensational Six” is your favorite character?

1. None of them: 17.8%
2. Donald Duck: 15.6%
3. Mickey Mouse: 15.2%
4. Goofy: 14.4%
5. Pluto: 12.6%
6. Minnie Mouse: 12.3%
7. Daisy Duck: 12.1%

At what Florida facility can you find 1,005 palm trees, two tunnels below sea level, and a 1-million-gallon water tower?

Show me the answer