The morning edition

Florida's east coast braces for a week of high surf and coastal flooding as Panhandle lights come back on

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Good Morning! At 12:53 p.m. EDT on Oct. 18, 1989, space shuttle Atlantis lifted off Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on its fifth flight, STS-34. On their first day in space, Commander Donald E. Williams and his four crewmates, including Shannon W. Lucid and Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, deployed the Galileo spacecraft and sent it on its six-year journey to Jupiter. Galileo arrived in December 1995 and studied the giant planet in great detail for eight years.

In This Issue: a week of high surf and coastal flooding along Florida's east coast, Panhandle power essentially restored after Isaias, an insurer's bid to trim homeowners' rates again and a data breach involving Florida driver license records.

Weather: Cool, dry air settles over North Florida Sunday behind the cold front. NWS Tallahassee says lows could reach the 40s for the first time since early May if winds go calm, and low humidity with breezy winds raises fire concerns. A Wind Advisory covers the coast from Nassau through northern Brevard until 8 p.m. Sunday, and showers and storms linger in Miami and the Keys. (NWS)

Tropical: NHC says “A strong non-tropical low pressure area is expected to form by Sunday night off the southeast coast of the United States,” and “some subtropical development is possible” through the middle of next week (formation chance: near 0 percent in 48 hours, 30 percent in 7 days). “Regardless of development, this system will cause high winds, coastal flooding, and dangerous surf along portions of the U.S. East Coast.” Florida’s Isaias state of emergency covers 30 counties (Executive Order 26-212). (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: High rip current risk Sunday along the entire Atlantic coast from Nassau through Miami-Dade, with High Surf Advisories from Nassau through Broward. Risk is also high from Escambia through Okaloosa, in Franklin, and in Charlotte and Lee. (NWS)

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

Florida's East Coast Faces a Week of High Seas, Coastal Flooding and Beach Erosion

Florida's east coast faces an extended stretch of onshore winds and high seas starting this weekend, with coastal flooding, beach erosion and hazardous marine conditions expected. Gusts could reach 45 mph in some places along the immediate coastline. A developing Atlantic coastal storm will enhance the effects during the workweek, though the low is expected to stay well offshore.

NOAA gauges show nearly 40 Florida locations with high water levels, and about half a dozen at or forecast to reach flood stage, including parts of the St. Johns and St. Marys rivers. The St. Johns at Astor has reached minor flood stage, with moderate flooding expected soon.

FPL Says Isaias Power Restoration Is "Essentially Complete" for 435,000 Customers

Florida Power & Light says it has restored electricity to "essentially all" 435,000 customers affected by Hurricane Isaias across Northwest Florida. Some outages remain because of complex repairs, new outages or damage that requires property owners to hire electricians before service can be safely restored.

At 12:05 a.m. Saturday, FPL reported 1,366 outages in Escambia County and 565 in Santa Rosa, though it was unclear how many were new ones caused by Friday night's gusty winds. FPL and partners are directing more than $2 million in aid to customers who previously qualified for federal assistance.

Heritage Insurance Files a Second Florida Rate Cut, Averaging 3% to 5% Statewide

Heritage Insurance has filed a second rate reduction with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, CEO Ernie Garateix said, which he expects to lower homeowners' premiums once approved. He said the statewide average would be "another 3 to 5%."

Garateix said the cut would be about 8% to 9% in Hillsborough County and about 10% in the tri-county South Florida area, as the insurer, which shed policies in recent years, starts writing more business again. The filing awaits regulators' approval.

Florida Highway Safety Department Reports Data Breach Involving Driver License Records

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says someone accessed certain department records on Sept. 4 using compromised credentials. Information potentially affected includes driver license and motor vehicle data, including document images and other personal information.

FLHSMV says it has found no evidence that the information has been misused. Letters will be sent to current driver license or ID card holders who may have been affected.

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

❖ Miami-Dade — Miami Dade College Fashion Institute Strikes Bachelor's Pathway Deal With Istituto Marangoni Miami: Miami: Miami Dade College's Miami Fashion Institute and Istituto Marangoni Miami have created a pathway for MDC fashion graduates to finish a bachelor's degree at the design school. The deal includes one 100% scholarship and three 50% talent scholarships, plus a 25% scholarship for every MDC fashion graduate, said IMM President Hakan Baykam.

❖ Tampa Bay — University of Tampa President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg to Step Down at End of Fall Term: Tampa: University of Tampa President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg will step down at the end of the fall term. The private university named her its 11th president in December 2023, succeeding Ronald L. Vaughn, and a search for her successor is already underway.

❖ Orlando — Izziban Sushi and Snowbean Abruptly Close on East Colonial; Atelier Dining Group Buying the Site: Orlando: Izziban Sushi and BBQ, open since 2007, and dessert shop Snowbean have closed at 5310 E. Colonial Drive. Atelier Dining Group is acquiring the property for a new, "highly themed" concept.

❖ Jacksonville — Alpha School, With Two-Hour Academic Mornings, Set to Open in St. Johns County in Fall 2027: Ponte Vedra: Alpha School plans to open in St. Johns County in fall 2027. Students would spend two hours on core academics each morning and then attend workshops in the afternoon.

❖ Palm Beach — Wellington Regional Medical Center Marks 40 Years of Service: Wellington: Wellington Regional Medical Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Mayor Michael Napoleone presented a proclamation at the Oct. 2 celebration, and CEO Pam Tahan thanked staff.

❖ Gulf Coast — Scrapped Sarasota Tower Returns as Lumora, a 10-Story Independent Living Condo Project: Sarasota: Developer Lutgert Cos. has brought back its downtown Adagio project as Lumora, a 10-story, 178-unit independent living condo building near South Palm Avenue and Ringling Boulevard. It will have 169 condos and nine attainable units, down from the earlier plan of 113 market-rate condos and 76 attainable rentals, COO Mike Hoyt said.

❖ North Florida — Census Data Show Tallahassee Permitted 1,234 New Single-Family Homes in 2025, Down 10.1%: Tallahassee: The Tallahassee metro authorized 1,234 single-family units in 2025, down 10.1% from 1,373 a year earlier, according to the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey. That's about 30.5 per 10,000 residents, 16th of 22 Florida metros, behind Panama City at 84.1 and Pensacola at 60.0.

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

❖ Castor and Beltran Face Off in a Rare Debate for a Redrawn Tampa Congressional Seat — U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat in Congress for 20 years, debated Republican former state Rep. Mike Beltran at Ybor City's Cuban Club for District 14, which the Legislature redrew this year toward more conservative areas of southern and eastern Hillsborough, WUSF reports. Castor called Beltran a "rubber stamp" for the Trump administration. Beltran said he was "one of the most independent voting Republicans" in Tallahassee. They also split on the federal role in education.

❖ Donalds Launches a 50-Stop Bus Tour Through 38 Counties Before Election Day — Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds, his wife, Erika, and running mate Bryan Avila will make 50 stops in 38 counties before Nov. 3, starting Monday in Plant City, The Villages and Jacksonville Beach, Florida Politics reports. Sheriff Grady Judd, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, CFO Blaise Ingoglia and Attorney General James Uthmeier will join selected stops. "We are going to reach every corner of this state and meet voters where they are," Donalds said.

❖ Sanders Tells Tampa Rally Angie Nixon Will Be 'the Next U.S. Senator' — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied with Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon in Tampa on Saturday, praising her primary win despite being "outspent 15 to 1" and without establishment support, CBS12 reports. Some doubt she can beat Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, he said: "Let me tell you, they're wrong." Nixon introduced Sanders as her former boss.

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

❖ American Airlines to Launch Two Daily Naples–Charlotte Nonstops Dec. 2 — American Airlines will start two daily nonstop flights between Naples Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Dec. 2, using a 65-seat jet, Gulf Coast News reports. The flights will be scheduled within the airport's voluntary 10 p.m.–7 a.m. curfew, and American will use the North Road Terminal.

❖ St. Petersburg Startup Indigo Launches Software to Help Homeowners Manage Renovation Risk — St. Petersburg-based Indigo officially launched its platform, which lets homeowners claim their properties, register renovation and repair projects, connect with Indigo partner contractors and track progress, with the goal of reducing fraud, cost overruns and delays, St Pete Catalyst reports. Founder Matthew Cleary, who has worked in construction for most of his career, said development began in 2022. Technical lead Verdi Ergün said AI is used for risk scoring, contractor matching and photo analysis.

❖ South Florida's Fitness at Your Door Grows to More Than 250 Trainers, Expands to Treasure Coast — Fitness at Your Door, a South Florida wellness company that sends personal trainers to clients' homes, has grown to more than 250 certified trainers who undergo background checks and serves clients from Miami to Jupiter, founder Kashawn Fraser told WPTV. Fraser, a former Canadian Football League player, said the program is expanding to the Treasure Coast and also works with 55-and-older communities.

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

Rays Beat Guardians 7-3 to Even ALCS at Two Games Apiece

Junior Caminero, who had struck out in five straight at-bats, lined an RBI double that put Tampa Bay ahead 2-1, and Jonathan Aranda's seventh-inning single, helped by a Chase DeLauter error, made it 4-1 as the Rays beat Cleveland 7-3 at Progressive Field. Starter Nick Martinez held the Guardians to one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings. The American League Championship Series is now a best-of-three for a World Series date with the Milwaukee Brewers, and a fully rested Drew Rasmussen starts Game 5 for Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Jones Leads Gators to 27-24 Upset at No. 7 Texas in First Start

Tramell Jones Jr., starting in place of the injured Aaron Philo, threw two touchdown passes to Lacota Dippre, and Jadan Baugh scored in the fourth quarter as Florida rallied from a 17-3 deficit to beat No. 7 Texas 27-24 in Austin. The Gators (5-2, 3-2 SEC) sacked Arch Manning five times, and Myles Graham's final sack forced a fumble on Texas' last possession. It was Florida's first road win over a top-10 opponent since 2012. "Our team grew today ... because we fought," coach Jon Sumrall said.

Verhaeghe, Bennett Hat Tricks Power Panthers Past Kraken 8-3

Carter Verhaeghe had a natural hat trick and Sam Bennett scored his first three goals of the season as Florida beat Seattle 8-3 in Sunrise. The Panthers became the first team in NHL history with natural hat tricks in three consecutive games, after Brady Tkachuk had one in each of the two previous wins. Matthew Tkachuk added three assists. Florida visits Ottawa on Wednesday.

Scoreboard

Rays 7, Guardians 3 (ALCS Game 4)

Lightning 4, Canucks 2

Panthers 8, Kraken 3

Inter Miami 3, Atlanta United 1

Orlando City 4, D.C. United 1

Schedule (all times ET)

Sun Oct 18: Texans at Jaguars (London), 9:30 a.m., NFL Network

Sun Oct 18: Orlando Pride at Houston Dash, 1 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Sun Oct 18: Steelers at Buccaneers, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun Oct 18: Rays at Guardians, ALCS Game 5, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV

Mon Oct 19: Guardians at Rays, ALCS Game 6, 8 p.m., TBS/truTV

Tue Oct 20: Guardians at Rays, ALCS Game 7 (if necessary), 8 p.m., TBS/truTV

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

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

Florida regular averaged $4.14 a gallon Saturday (AAA, as of 10/17/26), down about 5 cents from Friday ($4.19) and up about 3 cents from a week ago ($4.11). That is about 16.9 cents under the national average of about $4.31. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at about $4.30, and Pensacola is the cheapest at $3.91.

Receive Front Porch Florida Free Each Morning · Send to a Friend

❖ Brooksville Names WWII and Korea Veteran Capt. Arthur L. "Roy" Snow Sr. Its 2026 Great Brooksvillian: The City of Brooksville honored the late Capt. Arthur L. "Roy" Snow Sr., born on Chinsegut Hill on April 13, 1918, as one of 18 children, with its 2026 Great Brooksvillian award at City Hall on Thursday. Snow landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, and his honors included the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars and five Purple Hearts. "Although, [Snow Sr.] is no longer here with us, his legacy certainly is," said Mayor Christa Tanner.

❖ Off-Duty Firefighter Uses a Gas Tank as a Float to Bring Three Capsized Boaters to Shore: Jacksonville firefighter Otto Scherick was celebrating his girlfriend's birthday near Big Talbot Island when he heard screams and saw three young boaters clinging to their overturned boat. With no life jackets on board, he swam out, disconnected the boat's gas tank to use as a float and helped them swim in, with a bystander staying alongside the whole way. "He didn't have a radio, a crew, or any equipment, just his training and good judgment," said JFRD Director/Fire Chief Percy Golden II.

❖ Villages High Culinary Student Brileigh Whigham Named Sumter Schools' CTE Student of the Month: Brileigh Whigham, a senior at The Villages High School who balances culinary studies with a hosting job at Belle Glade Country Club, is the Sumter County Schools Career and Technical Education Student of the Month for October. She has earned ServSafe and other industry credentials and helped her team win a gold medal in the MRE Challenge at the Florida SkillsUSA State Competition. "Brileigh is an excellent student in our academy who consistently does great work and sets the example for others in the class," said teacher Chef John Woods.

❖ Deputies Spend Eight Hours Pulling "Very Uncooperative" Heifer Veronica From a Muddy Canal: Veronica, an 18-month-old Gyr heifer, jumped a fence and went missing until a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office drone spotted her stuck in deep mud along a canal off Boat Bayou. Deputies worked in the mud against an incoming tide, fading daylight and mangroves too thick for vehicles, in what the agency called "no easy rescue" with "one very large, very uncooperative cow." Eight hours after locating her, they pulled her free, and she is resting and uninjured at the sheriff's office range.

❖ Orange County Names a Day for the Late Ocoee Naturalist and Author Peggy Sias Lantz: Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings approved a resolution making Sept. 26 Peggy Sias Lantz Day, honoring the Ocoee naturalist, educator and editor, who published 10 books about nature. Members of the Tarflower Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society met with Demings on Oct. 12 to honor Lantz, who died Dec. 14, 2025, at 92. "Peggy gave so generously of her knowledge, talents and love of Florida's natural world," the chapter posted.

❖ Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Training Jacket, Found in a Closet, Lands at Titusville's American Space Museum: One of the two flight jackets Neil Armstrong wore while training for the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, with his last name stitched inside, turned up in a closet while the family of a former Apollo-era worker was helping him move to assisted living. The family sent it to the American Space Museum, where Charles Jeffrey of the museum's board said its value is estimated at $800,000 to $1.2 million, with a 20% charity fee going to the museum's parent nonprofit. Jeffrey said the other two Armstrong jackets are in the Smithsonian and the astronaut's museum in Ohio.

Today’s Quote

"Sunday dinner isn't a meal. It's a roll call with gravy."

— original / Front Porch

Florida Almanac

Moon: First quarter arrives Sunday, Oct. 18, at 12:12 p.m. EDT. Full moon is Monday, Oct. 26 (USNO).

Sunrise / Sunset: In Orlando on Sunday, sunrise is at 7:28 a.m. and sunset at 6:53 p.m. EDT, for about 11 hours, 25 minutes of daylight. Times vary across the state, and Pensacola is on Central time.

Gardening Notes: Carrots are cold-hardy, easy to grow and don’t need much room, so they belong in the fall vegetable garden, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says. Rainbow types such as ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘White Satin’ revive the purple, white and yellow colors carrots had before orange took over.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC’s Oct. 16 update found only background red tide levels in Southwest Florida. Samples still being processed show low levels in St. Joseph Bay (Gulf County) on Oct. 14.

Florida by the Numbers

Florida stretches 447 miles from the St. Marys River to Key West and 361 miles from the Atlantic to the Perdido River. The drive from Pensacola to Key West covers 792 miles, and the state’s geographic center sits 12 miles northwest of Brooksville, according to the Florida Department of State.