Wednesday, April 1, 2026

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Article Icon 1DeSantis Signs Bill Naming PBI for Trump

On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 919, a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) to President Donald J. Trump International Airport as of July 1. 

Lawmakers passed the measure along party lines and now await federal approval and a local agreement for use of the Trump name. The law also restricts local governments from renaming other major Florida airports.

Ahead of the law, the Trump family company filed three trademark applications and said that the president and his family will not receive royalties, licensing fees, or financial considerations from the airport renaming.

Rep. Meg Weinberger (R-Palm Beach Gardens), who proposed the bill, said the honor reflects the first president from Florida. Critics, such as House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, called the bill a misuse of taxpayer funds, citing millions in rebranding costs.

Article Icon 1RFK Jr., Dr. Oz Launch Farm-to-Hospital Program

Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, launched a new initiative in Florida to improve hospital food and nutrition for patients.

The pair announced the “food as health” effort, described as a farm-to-hospital partnership, while at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami on Monday.

Under the directive, hospitals will be required to align patient meals with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released by Kennedy in January, to remain eligible for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

Florida officials, including Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, said the partnership will revamp hospital menus by connecting Florida farms directly to food programs, expanding patients’ access to fresh, nutrient-dense meals.

The initiative was highlighted during Kennedy’s Take Back Your Health tour, with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital being the first hospital in the state to sign the “Food is Health: Take Back Your Health” pledge.

Article Icon 1Barbie Dream Fest was a Nightmare

Organizers of the Barbie Dream Fest event, which took place last weekend in Fort Lauderdale, have announced they will issue full refunds to all ticket holders following a wave of intense backlash.

The event’s creator, Mischief Management, and brand owner Mattel confirmed the decision after attendees characterized the experience as a disaster. 

The festival was touted as a multi-day, immersive experience exploring the legacy of the Barbie brand. Fans who traveled from across the country for the celebration were left disappointed and underwhelmed.

Guests paid between $69 and $449 for entry and were met with what they described as a chaotic entrance, a lack of signage, and a venue that bore little resemblance to the advertised promotional materials.

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Around Florida

Starke: As a stay remains in place for an execution originally scheduled for this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for another prisoner, James Ernest Hitchcock, 69. Hitchcock was convicted of raping and murdering his brother’s 13-year-old stepdaughter nearly 50 years ago and will be executed on May 7. (More)

➤ West Palm Beach: The city commission approved an expansion project for the Norton Museum of Art, which includes a new three-story parking garage with 200 additional parking spaces, a new visitor center, and valet and school bus zones. (More)

➤ Miami: Eric Trump, the president’s son and a trustee of the Trump Library Foundation, shared a video rendering on Monday of the vision for the presidential library to be built downtown. (See Video)

➤ Siesta Key: Land valued at $2.8 million that was acquired by the county with tax dollars is being traded for privately owned beachfront property appraised at $11 million, with plans to turn that property into a public beach. (More)

➤ Pasco County: The city expanded access to a $200 million federally funded hurricane recovery program, allowing more homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton to qualify for financial assistance. (See Details)

➤ Clearwater: The city council approved a $13.6-million contract with Dunedin-based Bandes Construction to build a new terminal at the Clearwater Executive Airport. (More)

➤ St. Augustine: A historic jail at 7 Aviles St. that dates back to 1885 will be partially demolished after the city’s Historic Architectural Review Board gave its approval last week, saying the building is damaged beyond repair. (More)


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Florida Sports

Olivier Rioux, the University of Florida’s 7-foot-9 center and the tallest player in college basketball history, announced he is entering the transfer portal after playing just 15 total minutes across two seasons with the Gators. (More)

 Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said that extending the contract of running back De’Von Achane is a “priority” this offseason and reaffirmed that there has been “zero effort” to trade the Pro Bowler away from the team. (More)

 FIU defended its stadium naming deal with Pitbull after reports found he’s made just one social media post for the school in two years and hasn’t produced the sports anthem he promised. (More)

➤ UCF fired women’s basketball coach Sytia Messer after four seasons with a 49-69 record. A national search for her replacement is underway. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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The Business Of Florida

Gas prices rose 17 cents on Monday to reach 3.5-year highs, with the average price for regular unleaded in Florida currently at $4.12 per gallon. (See Map)

Ponte Vedra-based Gift Card Deal Marketplace, which operated as giftcarddeal.com, and its owner, have been permanently banned from doing business in Florida by a judge. Dozens of consumer complaints sparked the decision. (More)

Jacksonville Beach-based Optimum Healthcare IT was purchased for $465 million by India-based technology and consulting firm Infosys. Optimum, founded in 2012, provides digital and consulting services to the healthcare industry. (More)

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Et Cetera

Former NASA astronaut Doug Hurley, who flew on the historic SpaceX Demo 2 mission to the International Space Station, the first crewed commercial flight, shared his experience and advice for the Artemis II crew. (See Video)

➤ A Deltona native, Alyssa Ferraro, bowled a perfect game at the Professional Women’s Bowling Association tournament pre-qualifier in December. It was the second 300 game of her professional career. (See Photo)

➤ The nonprofit Lauren’s Kids kicked off its Walk in my Shoes month-long trek across Florida at Key West’s Southernmost Point on Tuesday to honor April’s National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month. (More)

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The Polling Station

Are you a bowler?

  1. Yes
  2. Used to be
  3. No
  4. I’ve bowled a perfect game!

 

Tuesday’s Results:

Will you watch the Artemis II launch?

  1. Yes: 62%
  2. No: 38%
Florida Trivia

What became the official state gem of Florida in 1970?

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