The morning edition

Isaias makes landfall near Destin and moves inland as a new poll puts the property tax amendment above 60%

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Good Morning! On Oct. 10, 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing Passage Key, a tiny island near the mouth of Tampa Bay, as a federal bird reservation. Roosevelt would go on to create 51 bird reservations and four national game preserves, the start of what is known today as the National Wildlife Refuge System. A century ago Passage Key was a lush 60-acre barrier island with a freshwater lake, and today the largest populations of royal and sandwich terns in Florida can be found there and on nearby Egmont Key.

In This Issue: Isaias making landfall near Destin and moving inland, outages spreading across the Panhandle, an Avianca jet diverting to Miami after severe turbulence and 29 school districts asking voters for new property taxes. Plus: a new poll putting Amendment 3 above 60%, the season's first orange forecast, Louisville's comeback against FSU and a Stuart surfer paddling a girl out of a rip current.

Weather: Tropical storm conditions are still possible in Pensacola early Saturday as Isaias moves inland, and storms are likely from Tallahassee to Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando and Tampa Bay. South Florida, the Keys and Daytona Beach have a chance of storms, with highs from 79° to 90°. (NWS)

Tropical: Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin at 8:30 p.m. CDT Friday and was a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds 45 miles east-northeast of Pensacola at 10 p.m., moving north at 20 mph toward Alabama and the Tennessee Valley; a Hurricane Warning remains to the Bay/Gulf County line, a Tropical Storm Warning to the Aucilla River and a Storm Surge Warning to the Suwannee River, and Florida's state of emergency covers 27 counties (Executive Order 26-211). (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: High rip current risk Saturday along the entire Panhandle from Escambia through Franklin, with High Surf Warnings for Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa (7- to 10-foot surf) and Walton and Bay (around 10 to 11 feet) and High Surf Advisories for Gulf and Franklin. The risk is also high on the Atlantic from Nassau through Flagler and St. Johns and from Palm Beach through Miami-Dade, and on the Gulf coast from Levy through Lee and in Collier; it is moderate from Volusia through Martin. (NWS)

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Isaias Makes Landfall Near Destin and Weakens to a Category 1 as It Pushes Inland Over the Western Panhandle

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin at 8:30 p.m. CDT Friday as a 90-knot hurricane, about 104 mph, NHC said. At 10 p.m. CDT it had weakened to 90 mph, a Category 1, with a minimum central pressure of 982 mb, and was about 45 miles east-northeast of Pensacola and 65 miles northwest of Panama City, moving north at 20 mph. A Hurricane Warning remains from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Bay/Gulf County line, a Tropical Storm Warning runs east to the Aucilla River and a Storm Surge Warning runs from Dauphin Island, Ala., to the Suwannee River; NHC dropped the warnings west of those points and the Storm Surge Watch east of the Suwannee. NHC expects Isaias to keep weakening as it moves north across Alabama toward the Tennessee Valley through the weekend.

NHC forecast 4 to 8 inches of rain in the Panhandle and Big Bend, "or even more" in spots, and expects Isaias to weaken to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon, NBC6 reported.

Outages Spread and Bay County Restricts 911 Responses as DeSantis Calls It the "Last Chance" to Leave

DeSantis said Friday afternoon that it was "really your last chance" for residents to leave, and that impacts would reach "far, far" outside NHC's cone. Officials said surge could reach as far east as Apalachicola and possibly parts of Tampa Bay, and that tornadoes could form as far away as Tallahassee. He expects "extensive power outages." The state has staged more than 1,400 generators and 16,000 utility workers, and 5,000 Guard members with more than 1,300 high-water vehicles. FHP says I-10 will close if winds top 39 mph.

Late Friday, CHELCO reported 49,100 members without power in Walton County, about 92% of its meters there, and 17,000 in Okaloosa, about 76%. Bay County crews are now responding only to life-threatening calls, and Lynn Haven has halted all emergency operations. Officials warned that responders may not be able to reach callers until conditions improve. Tyndall Air Force Base closed at 5:30 p.m. Friday to everyone except mission-essential personnel and emergencies.

Severe Turbulence Sends Eight to the Hospital After Avianca Flight Diverts to Miami

Avianca Flight 42, flying from Medellín to New York's JFK, diverted to Miami International Airport after hitting severe turbulence and landed safely at 3:30 a.m. Friday, the airline said. Avianca said three crew members and six passengers were affected. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said it took eight people to the hospital by ambulance. FlightRadar24 data showed the Airbus A320 at about 36,000 feet over Cuba before it dropped about 25,000 feet in minutes, roughly three hours into the flight.

Passengers described at least three strong bouts of turbulence. "We thought it was the end for us," said one passenger, Pilar, who didn't give her last name. NBC6 cameras showed some passengers arriving at the hospital on stretchers, including a flight attendant still in uniform. Avianca said it was helping the other passengers continue to New York.

29 Florida School Districts Ask Voters for New Property Taxes as Costs Outpace State Funding

Twenty-nine of Florida's 67 school districts are asking voters to approve new property tax levies on the Nov. 3 ballot to help cover operating costs that are rising faster than state funding. The same ballot asks whether to lower property taxes in the future through Amendment 3. Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar said almost all the referendums are meant to help with teacher and staff pay. He said the union isn't worried about Amendment 3's effect on them.

In Leon County, the school board has already cut arts, athletics and staffing. On Oct. 13 it will decide whether to take a $30 million loan to cover payroll. "Before long we're going to have to cut ourselves to death," Superintendent Rocky Hanna said. Leon's levy would help pay educators and school security staff.

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❖ Miami-Dade — After Selling Cal AI, a 19-Year-Old Miami Founder Raises $10 Million for an AI Wristband: Miami: Zach Yadegari, 19, who sold calorie app Cal AI to MyFitnessPal in March, raised $10 million for his new startup, Persona, in a round led by Vine Ventures. Persona offers a free iMessage AI assistant and is taking pre-orders for a $179 wristband.

❖ Tampa Bay — YMCA Camp Cristina Plans a 30-Foot Challenge Course in Riverview: Riverview: YMCA Camp Cristina plans a new challenge course built around a 30-foot adventure tower with a climbing wall, cables, bridges and elevated platforms. It will be open to families, school groups and businesses on the 65-acre camp.

❖ Orlando — Sanford Family Pushed Out of Their Bedroom by Mold Gets Released From Its Lease: Sanford: Nemo Stokes and Courtney Lewis say water leaks and mold at The Cottages at Sanford forced them and their 4-month-old daughter out of their bedroom, with maintenance records showing problems since at least July. Management agreed to release them from the lease.

❖ Jacksonville — The Pickle Factory Grew From a Six-Generation Family Recipe to 40,000 Packages a Week: Jacksonville: Charlotte and Shai Tzabari started selling pickles at Northeast Florida farmers markets using a kosher dill recipe passed down six generations. Their Jacksonville business, The Pickle Factory, now turns out 40,000 packages a week.

❖ Broward — NSU Opens a Free Therapy Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Residents: Davie: Nova Southeastern University's College of Psychology launched a free counseling program for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and their families. It's run by Erika Lohmiller, a hard-of-hearing counselor with 22 years in the field. No insurance or copay is needed.

❖ Palm Beach — Palm Beach Diocese's First Hispanic Bishop Reflects on His Path From the Dominican Republic: Palm Beach County: Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, the first Hispanic bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach, grew up in Moca, Dominican Republic, and joined the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2009 to serve Hispanic parishes. "We should always be proud of our identity and never hide it," he said.

❖ Gulf Coast — Drought Wrecked Wading Bird Nesting in Everglades National Park: Everglades National Park: A new South Florida Water Management District report finds the Southwest Florida drought, ongoing since early 2025, devastated wading bird nesting in the park. White ibis, roseate spoonbills and wood storks are tracked as key gauges of Everglades health.

❖ North Florida — Group Behind Tallahassee's TLH Letters and Cascades Amphitheater Will Wind Down After 20 Years: Tallahassee: The Knight Creative Communities Institute, which helped create the Cascades Park amphitheater and the TLH letters, says this will be its final year. Director Betsy Couch plans a "Catalyst Playbook" for other cities by next spring.

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❖ New JMI Poll Puts Amendment 3 Above the 60% It Needs and Shows the CFO Race Tied — A new James Madison Institute poll found 63% of likely voters backing Amendment 3, the property tax measure, with 21% opposed and 15% undecided. That's above the 60% needed to pass. The online survey of 1,200 registered voters, taken Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 by Targoz Market Research, has Republicans Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody each leading 52% to 42% among likely voters, in the governor and U.S. Senate races. Attorney General James Uthmeier leads José Javier Rodríguez 50% to 40%. The CFO race is tied: Blaise Ingoglia and Democrat Annette Taddeo are each at 43%, and 10% are undecided.

❖ State Paid Private Lawyers More Than $444,000 to Challenge the Hope Florida Grand Jury Report, Records Show — Law firms hired to represent state officials named by the Hope Florida grand jury have received more than $444,000 in state funds since the investigation began in August 2025, according to a Florida Trib review of state contracts, republished by WLRN. Some partners billed $850 to $875 an hour. Court records show the lawyers fought the grand jury's findings for months in closed proceedings. The Trib notes that a longstanding attorney general opinion, still posted on the AG's website, says public funds can't pay legal fees for public employees called before a grand jury. The firms and agencies did not respond to requests for comment.

❖ Before Counting Starts, Indian River Invites the Public to Watch Its Voting Machines Get Tested — The Indian River County Supervisor of Elections Office tested its voting and tabulation equipment in public Friday morning before it began processing mail ballots. Workers ran a test stack of ballots with every race marked, plus blank and overvoted ballots, through 10 tabulators and 10 ExpressVote ballot-marking devices in about an hour. The equipment is then sealed for early voting and Election Day. "You need to come and watch in person what we do," Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan said.

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❖ USDA's First 2026-27 Forecast Puts Florida Oranges at 10 Million Boxes — The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its first citrus crop forecast for the 2026-27 season, projecting Florida's production at 10 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, 1.3 million 85-pound boxes of grapefruit and 450,000 95-pound boxes of tangerines, WINK News reports. Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, praised the state's growers: "The tenacity and grit of Florida Citrus growers cannot be overstated." She said Florida citrus "remains a significant economic driver in the state of Florida and well-positioned for future investment." Florida citrus contributes $6 billion to the state's economy.

❖ JAX Airport's $340 Million Concourse B Nears Completion, With American Airlines Moving Into 5 of 6 Gates in January — About 400 contractors are working to finish the 165,000-square-foot Concourse B at Jacksonville International Airport, with six new gates, restaurants and traveler clubs, Jacksonville Today reports. American Airlines will move into five of the new gates before a Jan. 27 ribbon-cutting, and the airport will use the sixth for other flights as needed. The airport already has 20 gates on Concourses A and C. Construction on the $340 million concourse began in spring 2024, and the federal government is paying for it through airline ticket taxes and Federal Aviation Administration trust funds. The concourse will have a Jax Club and a Delta Sky Club, and restaurants planned include V Pizza, Willie Jewell's barbecue, Chick-fil-A and Panda Express. A third parking garage, with about 2,000 spaces at an estimated cost of $100 million, should be done by Thanksgiving. Airport officials said passenger traffic is up so far this year.

❖ $103.4 Million Financing Closes to Renovate Downtown St. Pete's 188-Unit Affordable Senior Building — A $103.4 million financing package has closed for the purchase and renovation of Skye Isle, formerly the Viridian, a 188-unit affordable senior apartment building at 518 Third Avenue S. in downtown St. Petersburg, the St Pete Catalyst reports. The yearlong renovation, already underway, includes new plumbing, cooling systems, impact-resistant windows, kitchens and bathrooms, plus a wellness center and services to help older residents stay in their homes. Debra Koehler of Sage Partners, whose affiliates have been involved with the property since 2009, said residents average in their mid-70s with average incomes of about $17,500. She said rents won't rise because of the improvements and that affordability restrictions have been extended for another 50 years. The deal includes about $51.1 million in recorded acquisition consideration. The broader package includes $27 million in bonds issued through the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, federal housing tax-credit equity, private lending, and city and state assistance. Hennessy Construction Services is the contractor.

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Louisville Scores 35 Straight to Bury FSU 44-20 After Seminoles' 14-0 Start

Florida State led 14-0 after the first quarter Friday night, but Louisville tied it by halftime on Isaac Brown's 97-yard touchdown run, the longest play in program history, then pulled away with Brown's 71-yard kickoff return opening the second half, two Lincoln Kienholz touchdown runs and a 68-yard Brown score for a 44-20 win at L&N Stadium. The Seminoles' two-point try after their lone second-half touchdown was intercepted.

Rays' ALCS Foe Comes Down to Saturday's Guardians-White Sox Game 5

The Rays will learn their American League Championship Series opponent Saturday night: Cleveland beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 Thursday behind José Ramírez's homer and three RBIs to force a winner-take-all Game 5 in Cleveland. The winner opens the ALCS at Tampa Bay next Monday. The Guardians, who lost the first two games at home, are trying to become the first team since the 2017 Yankees to rally from 0-2 in a best-of-five series.

Eagles Rule Out Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith for Sunday's Jaguars Game in London

Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley and receiver DeVonta Smith have been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Jaguars in London with hamstring injuries. The Eagles are also reshuffling their offensive line after Lane Johnson's retirement and the trade of Cam Jurgens to Baltimore.

Schedule (all times ET)

Sat Oct 10: UCF at Oklahoma State, noon, ESPN2

Sat Oct 10: South Carolina at Florida, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Sat Oct 10: Wild at Panthers, 6 p.m., Scripps Sports

Sat Oct 10: Lightning at Islanders, 7:30 p.m., The Spot

Sat Oct 10: D.C. United at Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV

Sat Oct 10: Columbus at Orlando City, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV

Sun Oct 11: Eagles vs. Jaguars (London), 9:30 a.m., NFL Network

Sun Oct 11: Bengals at Dolphins, 1 p.m., FOX

Mon Oct 12: Panthers at Sabres, 1 p.m., Scripps Sports

Tue Oct 13: Panthers at Blue Jackets, 6:15 p.m., Scripps Sports

Tue Oct 13: Lightning at Rangers, 7:15 p.m., The Spot

Tue Oct 13: FIU at Jacksonville State, 8 p.m., ESPNU

More Scores: NFL | MLB | NHL | NCAAF | WNBA

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Florida regular averaged about $4.15 a gallon Friday (AAA, as of 10/9/26), down about 3.3 cents from Thursday (about $4.18) and down about two-tenths of a cent from a week ago (about $4.15). That is about 22.5 cents under the national average of about $4.37. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at $4.308, and Pensacola is the cheapest at about $4.02.

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❖ Off-Duty Surfer With Lifeguard Training Paddles a Girl Out of a Rip Current at a Stuart Beach: Amy Offenbach, a Martin County employee with years of lifeguard training, saw three girls struggling in the water at Bob Graham Beach in Stuart on Thursday afternoon, where no lifeguards were on duty. She paddled out on her surfboard, stabilized a girl who was choking on water, and rushed her to the nearest lifeguard stand; the girl was taken to the hospital with minor drowning injuries. Offenbach said she doesn't feel the need for recognition and was acting on her instincts as a mother.

❖ Kissimmee Freshman Heads to Washington for the $100,000 National Civics Bee: NeoCity Academy freshman Araoluwakiitan A. will represent Florida in the National Civics Bee on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, competing for a $100,000 education fund. He earned the spot by winning the Florida State Civics Bee on June 30 in Tallahassee. It is his second year in the program; in 2025 he won the Osceola Chamber's regional and placed fourth at state.

❖ Bavaria-Born New U.S. Citizen Crowned Ms. Oktoberfest in Cape Coral: Christine Blasses, who grew up in Bavaria, Germany, has been crowned Ms. Oktoberfest in Cape Coral after becoming an American citizen this past July. "I think every girl, every little girl, every young woman would love to be Ms. Oktoberfest," she said.

❖ Pickleball Bystanders and Pasco Firefighters Earn Life Saving Awards: When a pickleball player collapsed on a Pasco County court on June 5, a retired Tampa Fire Rescue firefighter and a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue battalion chief happened to be nearby, began CPR and delivered two shocks with an AED before Pasco County Fire Rescue arrived. Pasco County Fire Rescue personnel and several civilians recently received Life Saving Awards for the rescue, which saved the man's life.

❖ Crystal River Is the One Place in Florida You Can Legally Swim With Manatees: Crystal River is the only place in Florida where people can legally swim with manatees, and more than 300,000 people take guided tours there between November and March, when as many as 1,000 manatees can be in the area. Before getting in, guests watch an instructional video, and the biggest rule is don't touch, just watch.

❖ New Key Largo Fire Chief Has Cycled Thousands of Miles for Fallen First Responders' Families: Over the last 18 years, Key Largo Fire Rescue's new chief, Jeff Morse, has cycled thousands of miles in support of fallen first responders through the Brotherhood Ride, which he founded with his wife, Candy. This year's seven-day, 600-mile ride starts Oct. 17 in Fort Myers and ends in Miami, with riders meeting families of 22 Florida first responders along the way.

Today’s Quote

"The best weekend plans in Florida end with a kid asleep in a lawn chair and nobody in a hurry to leave."

— original / Front Porch

Florida Almanac

Moon: New moon is Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11:50 a.m. EDT. First quarter is Sunday, Oct. 18, and full moon is Monday, Oct. 26 (USNO).

Sunrise / Sunset: In Orlando on Saturday, sunrise is at 7:23 a.m. and sunset at 7:01 p.m. EDT, for about 11 hours, 38 minutes of daylight. Times vary across the state, and Pensacola is on Central time.

Gardening Notes: If Isaias flooded your vegetable garden, UF/IFAS Extension says to treat that produce conservatively: don't eat anything meant to be eaten raw that touched floodwater, and know that cooking can't remove chemical contaminants such as petroleum or heavy metals. Wear gloves, and hold off planting or working the soil until it dries out.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC's Oct. 9 update found background to very low red tide levels in 11 samples from and offshore of the Gulf Coast, from Pinellas to Collier and in Bay and Gulf counties, and none on the East Coast.

Florida by the Numbers

The most rain NOAA's Weather Prediction Center lists from a single tropical cyclone in Florida is 45.20 inches, at Yankeetown during Hurricane Easy in September 1950. The runner-up is 35.00 inches at Trenton in an October 1941 hurricane.

Today’s Poll

Do you support Florida working with Uber to offer evacuees free rides, up to $40 each way, to and from state-approved shelters during hurricanes?

Yesterday’s Results

Do you support the Florida Department of Health's plan to drop the hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines from the shots required to attend Florida schools?

Strongly support 23% · Somewhat support 23% · Oppose 32% · Not sure 22%