Saturday, August 22, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1882, officials broke ground in Pensacola on the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad, the first line across the Panhandle. Crews had already been laying track for more than a year.

Several Miami Dolphins players were kicked out of a joint practice with the Giants after a fight broke out. Learn more in Sports.

Have you ever wondered what actually determines how long you'll live? Most people think it’s diet or exercise, but neither one cracks the top three. When researchers tracked tens of thousands of people for decades, the habits that mattered most weren't the ones anyone expected. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Amy counts down the 10 habits that actually predict longevity and reveals the number one predictor science keeps landing on. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, AutoCamp, is bringing boutique hotel comfort to the great outdoors, backed by major partnerships with Hilton and Airstream as it expands its footprint in the growing outdoor lodging market.

Judge Weighs FIU Indoor Protest Ban

A federal judge could rule before Monday's start of classes on whether Florida International University can punish seven students for a silent protest inside a campus building.

The students, from a group called ICEBreakers, wore "ICE OFF FIU" shirts and stood silently during a March fireside chat with President Jeanette Nuñez. FIU charged them under a policy barring demonstrations inside campus buildings.

They sued Aug. 11 with the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and asked U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra this week to block the policy. Attorney Nicholas Warren called the demonstration "peaceful and not disruptive."

FIU told the court the rule doesn't violate the First Amendment, saying it permits "the full range of lawful expressive activities" outdoors, including organized demonstrations. It says the rule applies regardless of viewpoint.

The protest targeted FIU's deal enrolling campus police in ICE's 287(g) program, the first such voluntary agreement by a U.S. university.

DeSantis Sends $8.8M to Rural Towns

Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded nearly $8.8 million Thursday to 12 small and rural communities across Northwest Florida for water, sewer, road, and housing projects.

Franklin County drew the largest award of $1,769,250 for water and sewer work supporting future workforce housing. Bonifay gets $1.5 million for a sewer extension on Decon Road, and Blountstown $1,185,576 to overhaul an aging wastewater plant.

The money comes through the federally funded Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program and the state's Community Planning Technical Assistance grants, which sent $75,000 apiece to five recipients, including Holmes County and the town of Century.

Speaking in Bonifay, DeSantis contrasted rural awards with big-city spending. "I can bring 50 million dollars to Miami, and no one cares," he said.

Salmonella Outbreak Reaches Florida

Florida recorded its first case in a national salmonella outbreak traced to jalapeño peppers, the CDC reported Wednesday.

The outbreak has grown to 431 confirmed cases across 32 states, with 57 hospitalizations. Minnesota and Colorado account for more than half the illnesses.

Investigators traced the strain to jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Of 224 people interviewed, 203 had eaten at a Mexican-style restaurant, including Chipotle and Qdoba, before getting sick.

Taylor Fresh Foods recalled the peppers Aug. 8, and Whole Foods pulled guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, and other products Aug. 12. Chipotle switched suppliers; Qdoba dropped jalapeños entirely.

Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and cramps, typically appearing six hours to six days after exposure and lasting four to seven days.

Flying together with our sponsor

Hilton Hotels Enter High-Growth World of Outdoor Lodging

Hilton Hotels didn't become a global hospitality giant by standing still. When they see a category worth backing, they move.

So it didn’t take long for them to form a first-of-its-kind partnership with AutoCamp.

AutoCamp brings boutique hotel comfort to the great outdoors, transforming $732B in markets. As the first outdoor lodging brand ever bookable on Hilton.com, AutoCamp’s 700+ rooms are in front of 200M+ Hilton Honors members who can earn and redeem points on every stay.

In fact, direct AutoCamp bookings on the Hilton channel are up 30% year-over-year.

It’s not just Hilton Hotels partnering with Autocamp, either. Iconic American travel brand Airstream also formed an exclusive partnership. In total, AutoCamp’s model has earned more than $150M in location revenue since inception.

For investors, it's a signal: some of the travel industry’s largest players are backing AutoCamp in the outdoor lodging race. Become an AutoCamp shareholder before they expand to 10,000+ rooms.

➤ Jacksonville: A new $20 million fund in Jacksonville is expected to finance $80 million in affordable multifamily rental housing, a group of private and philanthropic investors announced Thursday. The fund will offer low-cost development loans, tax credits, and other assistance to affordable-housing developers. (More)

➤ Columbia County: A Zaxby's under construction on State Road 47 near the I-75 exit south of Lake City collapsed as storms moved through Thursday. No serious injuries were reported, and crews were back Friday repairing the framing. (See Photo)

➤ Hernando County: A jury took just over five hours Thursday to convict Jeffrey Crum, 65, of kidnapping, sexual battery, and first-degree murder in the 1993 death of 12-year-old Jennifer Odom, who vanished walking home from her Pasco County school bus stop. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty. (More)

➤ Lee County: The sheriff's office cited 686 drivers for illegally passing stopped school buses during the first week of classes, more than 130 a day. Money from those citations will fund new bus-routing software for the school district. (More)

➤ Fernandina Beach: City commissioners voted 4-1 Wednesday to cancel the city's paid parking contract with One Parking, a day after 75% of voters backed a citizen ordinance requiring a public vote before any new paid parking. (See Details)

➤ Pasco County: A Wesley Chapel apartment building is a “total loss” after a three-alarm fire broke out on Thursday afternoon, leaving 200 residents displaced. (See Photos)

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➤ Multiple Miami Dolphins players were pulled from a fight-filled joint practice with the Giants this week in Miami Gardens. The team’s starting offensive tackle Austin Jackson was among those ejected for throwing punches. (More)

➤ Florida basketball was voted preseason No. 1 in CBS Sports' Candid Coaches survey, earning 55% of the vote from nearly 100 coaches. The Gators return three starters from their national title team. (More)

➤ Tampa's city council is expected to vote next week on the $2.3 billion Rays baseball stadium deal after scheduling a special meeting for Aug. 27 to review final financing documents. (More)

➤ The Florida Panthers’ front office dropped to fourth in The Athletic's annual confidence rankings after finishing first the past two years. An injury-plagued season and a missed playoff run shifted the outlook. (More)

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How Solving Camping’s Biggest Problem Earned $150M+

Most people love the idea of being outdoors. Almost nobody loves what it takes to get there.

Campsites book months in advance. Gear’s expensive and collects dust. RV ownership’s a financial and logistical burden. Hotels are comfortable, but lose the very thing people were chasing in the first place.

AutoCamp solves all that. Guests arrive with a suitcase, check in like a hotel, and wake up at an iconic outdoor destination like Yosemite or Joshua Tree. But instead of hard ground and outhouses, they have a boutique room or custom-designed Airstream trailer with a spa-inspired bathroom.

And travelers can’t get enough, with 1M+ happy campers so far. That’s earned $150M+ in location revenue for property owners operating with the Company’s Brands since inception.

Now you can invest as AutoCamp works to scale from 9 locations to 100+.

This is a paid advertisement for AutoCamp Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.autocamp.com/

➤ Make-a-Wish helped a 10-year-old boy battling a rare cancer spend a day at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport marshaling a private jet, touring the air traffic control room, and climbing aboard a fire rescue truck. (See Video)

➤ The Brevard Zoo in Melbourne is offering free admission to up to three children with a paid adult ticket for Florida residents during the month of September. (More)

➤ Railroad Square Vendor Market will celebrate its grand opening this weekend in Tallahassee, launching a year-round gathering place for local makers, artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Swollen Feet and Ankles? There May Be Another Approach. Tight rings and swollen ankles are often blamed on salt, standing, or aging. But researchers are exploring how a specific type of Antarctic omega-3 may help support the body’s natural response to age-related swelling. Discover why adults over 50 are taking a closer look at this unique omega-3. Learn More >>

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ How long will you live? Decades of research say your daily habits already know. (Hear Details)

➤ The Pentagon and independent trackers are telling two very different stories about oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz. (Listen Now)

➤ Eight people were aboard a charter plane headed for a remote Alaska military radar site when it crashed. (Podcast Available)