Good Morning! On this day in 1913, Collins Bridge opened and opened access to Miami Beach. At the time, it was the longest wooden bridge in the country, and it cost more than $150,000 to build.
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Flyover Florida! There isn’t a state in the Union with more interesting stories than the Sunshine State, and you can catch them all here—from Pensacola to Key West.
How do you think we did today? We’d love to know your thoughts; just hit reply and let us know.
Today’s edition is brought to you by Peeps, by Carbon Klean. Keep your shades and glasses crystal clear this summer!
Three Russian Navy ships and a nuclear-powered submarine passed 90 miles off Florida’s Atlantic coast on Tuesday on the way to Cuba for a military exercise, according to analysts. There’s video here.
U.S. officials say they didn’t see the arrival as threatening, but the U.S. Navy is “shadowing” the Russian flotilla as it begins military exercises today.
The Russian flotilla, equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles, was monitored by a NATO ‘Poseidon’ anti-submarine aircraft from Norway to Cuba.
U.S. officials say the exercise is a response to increased NATO commitments to Ukraine and comes as tensions rise between the U.S. and Russia.
Storms Soak Central and South Florida
Repeated rounds of heavy rain are drenching Florida this week, bringing an end to the extreme heat and putting a dent in the drought conditions across the state.
South Florida could see up to two feet of rain through Saturday, and flooding is possible. All counties south of Lake Okeechobee remain under a flood watch through Wednesday evening.
As the week progresses, tropical downpours tracking through the Gulf of Mexico basin have the potential to produce flooding and rough seas for an extended period of time across the state.
List: Florida’s Most Legendary Restaurants
A new list in Southern Living names 17 restaurants from the Panhandle to the Keys that have “a unique story to tell” and patrons that return again and again.
The iconic eateries serve as living landmarks of culture, history, and cuisine, including dimly lit historic dives, beachfront seafood spots, and old-school Cuban joints.
Several of the restaurants on the list have been serving for more than 50 years, including Captain Anderson’s in Panama City, The Yearling in Cross Creek, Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish in St. Petersburg, and The Columbia Restaurant, which opened more than 120 years ago.
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➤ Lake Okeechobee has the most alligators in the state, with nearly 25,000, according to the annual census of Florida waterways. Lake Kissimmee and Lake Jesup took second and third place. (More)
➤ The Miami metro area ranks in the top 20 in the world for startups in a new study that credits a surge in migration of founders and investors during the pandemic. (More)
Central Florida
➤ Osceola County: The State Attorney’s Office announced Monday it will seek the death penalty against Stephan Sterns, the man accused of killing 13-year-old Madeline Soto in late February. (More)
➤ The Central Florida Expressway Authority unanimously approved the $534 million construction of a half-mile section of test roadway equipped to charge electric cars as they drive. (More)
North Florida
➤Anonymous donors are offering $20,000 for the “safe return” of a 12-year-old Gainesville girl who went missing on May 29. The reward in the search has doubled since it was announced on June 6. (More)
➤The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Baker County Sheriff’s Office are under investigation by order of Governor Ron DeSantis. No other details were released. (More)
The Panhandle
➤ The TallahasseeCity Commission race now includes political unknown Donna Nyack, a longtime registered nurse from Bakersfield, California. The Republican first registered to vote in Florida less than six months ago. (More)
➤The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport introduced its first-ever non-stop flight to Boston on American Airlines. The new route takes around three hours, shortening travel times for those looking to head to the northeast. (More)
➤ The Panthers defeated the Oilers in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final to extend their series lead to 2-0. Game 3 will be Thursday in Edmonton. (More)
➤ Delray Beach tennis star Coco Gauff won her first major doubles title in tennis on Sunday by teaming with Katerina Siniakova for the French Open trophy. The 20-year-old is the youngest player in nearly two decades with both a singles and doubles title. (More)
➤ The Miami Heat announced a home exhibition schedule on Monday, giving fans a chance to watch the No. 1 picks from the 2024 and 2023 NBA drafts. Preseason road games have yet to be announced, and the regular-season schedule will be released in August. (More)
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➤Orlando-based Red Lobster may close 24 more Florida locations as part of the restaurant chain’s bankruptcy restructuring plan, according to a new list. (See List)
➤ Pompano Beach: Manhattan-based global real estate firm Tishman Speyer entered the South Florida industrial market with the $100.2 million purchase of Rock Lake Business Center, a 35-acre industrial park. (More)
➤Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill last week that was unanimously passed by the Senate to regulate the sale of hemp. The Governor said it would “impose debilitating regulatory burdens on small businesses.” (More)
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➤ A police sniper in Ft. Myers shot and killed a bank robber by firing through a computer monitor while the suspect was holding a knife to a female hostage. (Video, Viewer Warning)
➤ Wild hogs are threatening Florida and beginning to spread across 35 states. The feral swine eat crops and have attacked humans, causing $1.5 billion in economic damages per year. (More)
➤ Florida officials are giving state prison inmates 5,000 decks of “cold-case” playing cards featuring photographs and information about unsolved homicides or missing people. Similar decks of cards in Connecticut helped solve 20 cold cases. (See Photo)
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