Good Morning! On this day in 2004, Hurricane Charley kicked off an unusually active hurricane season as the first in a series of four major hurricanes to hit the state that year. Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne followed.
Tropical Storm Erin has formed in the Atlantic and is forecast to become a major hurricane. The storm’s track is uncertain, and nobody knows yet if it will impact the Sunshine State. Stay tuned!
Today’s sponsor is M2i Global, presenting an investment opportunity in the U.S. minerals market.
Daytona Beach 🌦️ 90/76° | Fort Myers 🌦️ 94/76° | Jacksonville 🌦️ 92/77° | Key West 🌤️ 89/83° | Miami 🌤️ 89/80° | Ocala 🌧️ 93/76° | Orlando 🌦️ 93/77° | Pensacola 🌦️ 87/78° | Port St. Lucie 🌤️ 92/75° | Tallahassee 🌦️ 88/75° | Tampa 🌦️ 93/77°
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Collins Sworn in as Lt. Governor
After months without a lieutenant governor, Gov. Ron DeSantis swore in Tampa Republican Jay Collins at a press conference in Tampa on Tuesday. The position has been vacant since February, when Jeanette M. Núñez resigned to become president of Florida International University.
A native of Montana and a decorated Green Beret veteran, Collins was first elected to the Senate in 2022, defeating Democratic state Sen. Janet Cruz.
Many see the appointment as a strategic move and a signal of DeSantis’ preference for his successor. It could set Collins up for a gubernatorial primary challenge against President Donald Trump’s pick, Rep. Byron Donalds.
A special election will be held to fill Collins’ Florida Senate District 14 seat, representing the Hillsborough County area.
Views Differ on Public Education Health
As students return to the classroom around the state this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s largest teachers union presented different views on the health of the public education system.
Speaking in Melbourne on Monday, DeSantis said the most recent state budget brings “about $150 million additional to our teachers’ salary increases,” pushing the total to $1.38 billion.
The governor touted the state’s commitment to education, promised more investment, and pointed to reforms that have benefited student learning.
The Florida Education Association, however, said in a statement on Monday that “extensive budget cuts” have forced districts to eliminate thousands of positions, increase class sizes, and reduce critical student programs.
Orlando City Council Race Takes Off
So far, 11 contenders have declared their candidacies for three Orlando City Council seats, representing residents from Lake Nona to downtown Orlando and up into College Park and Rosemont.
More than half are in District 3, where Robert Stuart is retiring after serving since 2006. Six candidates have filed to succeed him, serving the northwest portion of the city.
In Lake Nona, incumbent Jim Gray, the council’s only Republican, will defend his seat and faces challengers Sunshine Grund and former state Rep. Tom Keen.
The makeup of the three contests could change, however, as additional candidates have until Sept. 11 to qualify for the ballot. Election Day is Nov. 4.
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What the U.S. (and Investors) Learned From Israel v. Iran
When Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a gateway for 20% of the world’s oil, it reminded us why the U.S. keeps up to 714M barrels in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
As for the critical minerals we rely on for national defense and consumer electronics, the situation is far worse. For example, China controls 80% of the global lithium supply, but the U.S. has no strategic reserves of these critical minerals.
M2i Global plans to fix that. They’re shoring up the U.S.’s critical mineral supplies by rolling out a three-tiered approach – revitalizing abandoned mines, recycling reclaimed scrap metal, and forging public-private partnerships across industry, academia, and government at all levels.
The federal government is actively working with them at Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot to launch the first phase of a U.S. Strategic Mineral Reserve. They recently secured a $850M copper offtake agreement. It’s not hard to understand why M2i is already publicly traded.
➤ Tallahassee: A proposed multibillion-dollar rate increase from Florida Power & Light is now on hold as the Florida Public Service Commission pauses on making a decision pending the filing of a revised agreement from the utility giant. (More)
➤ Ponce Inlet: No injuries were reported after a banner plane crashed upside down into the water on Monday afternoon near Disappearing Island. (See Video)
➤ Manatee County: A medical examiner said the body found in a retention pond last week—believed to be the North Carolina teen who went missing earlier this month—showed no signs of foul play but requires further testing. (See Details)
➤ Miami-Dade County: Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis launched a new initiative, Knocking with Natalie, offering at-home meetings with constituents. (More)
➤North Fort Myers: A police standoff ended peacefully when Jamie Jenks was taken into custody. Jenks had barricaded himself inside an apartment building, prompting a large-scale response from law enforcement. (See Photos)
➤ St. Johns County: Three Airport Authority board members resigned their elected positions as part of a deal to have Sunshine Law charges against them dropped. (More)
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➤ Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan has undergone season-ending triceps surgery on his pitching arm. (More)
➤ A first-of-its-kind floating pickleball court has been unveiled at Mirada Lagoon in San Antonio, Florida. (See Photo)
➤ The University of Florida has been named the most likely team to land 2027 five-star quarterback Elijah Haven by a number of experts. (More)
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➤ America Business Forum is making its U.S. debut at the Kaseya Center on Nov. 5-6 and is expected to draw nearly 30,000 attendees. Speakers include soccer legend Lionel Messi and actor and producer Will Smith. (More)
➤ Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Violet Lowrey and Diana Taub, both new members, and reappointed Chair Elizabeth Justen to the Memorial Healthcare System’s Board of Commissioners. (More)
➤ Orlando-based Wrigglebrew was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Run by a team of University of Central Florida graduates, the company is working to create a formula to turn plastics into fertilizer. (More)
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The Government-Backed Minerals Stock Hiding in Plain Sight
The U.S. has set aside billions to secure the minerals that power EVs, missile defense systems, and grid-scale storage batteries.
But while most companies are years from breaking ground and bolstering supply, one is already working with federal officials to produce real results. No wonder they’re publicly traded.
Meet M2i Global ($MTWO). Combining abandoned mine revitalization, recycled metals, and public-private partnerships, they’ve become an authority on U.S. minerals.
Their Nevada facility is on track to generate $8.3M by 2027, they’re working with the federal government to launch the nation’s first Strategic Mineral Reserve, they recently secured a $850M copper offtake deal, and just completed a reversed takeover that will allow for a NYSE uplisting.
This is a paid advertisement for M2i’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.m2i.global/
➤ Florida native Ariana Grande sent a surprise Wicked care package to a 9-year-old who has stage 4 cancer and records her journey on social media. (See Photos)
➤ A 96-foot yellow submarine was removed from the waters near Marathon as part of an effort to clear old, abandoned boats to help protect sea life and keep boaters safe. (See Video)
➤ Authorities confirmed that a small plane that crashed last month in Lake Worth Beach was on a test flight after a new propeller had been installed. (See Photo)
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Collins Sworn in as Lt. Governor
