The morning edition

Front Porch Florida — Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Same edition as the morning email.

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Good Morning! On August 26, 2002, Lakeland Electric lineman Marc Moore was electrocuted while working in a mobile-home park off Reynolds Road. Ten years later the Florida House designated August 26 Lineworker Appreciation Day (HR 9089, adopted March 2, 2012, for that year); city utilities still keep the date.

In This Issue: SpaceX flew 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral before dawn, Brevard philanthropists funded Cocoa High scholarships, and a Palm Beach County Habitat homeowner walked into a fully furnished house.

No tropical cyclone threat to Florida Wednesday (National Hurricane Center). Rip-current risk Wednesday: moderate NE Florida and Panhandle; low west-central/SW Gulf, SE Atlantic, and Pensacola–Destin (NWS Surf Zone Forecasts).

SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites at Cape Canaveral

SpaceX flew 29 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at about 5:33 a.m. ET Tuesday. The Falcon 9 headed northeast on Starlink 10-49, lighting the predawn Space Coast sky. Space Coast Daily said the first-stage booster, B1067, was making a record 37th flight after prior NASA cargo and crew missions plus two dozen-plus Starlink flights.

FOX 35, citing SpaceX, said the rocket lifted off just after 5:30 a.m. from Launch Complex 40 with the 29 satellites, and that the booster later landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The station noted Starlink is SpaceX’s low-Earth-orbit broadband network and that many 2026 Cape flights have been Starlink adds.

Spaceflight Now timed liftoff at 5:33 a.m. EDT and reported satellite deployment confirmed at 7:18 a.m. It put the Starlink constellation at more than 11,000 spacecraft. Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1067 landed on A Shortfall of Gravitas — the 165th landing on that ship and the 654th Falcon booster landing, the site said. The 45th Weather Squadron had forecast about a 90 percent chance of favorable weather.

Spaceflight Now also said the flight could be the last Cape Starlink for a while, with no further internet-constellation missions on the near-term Florida schedule and Cape crews shifting toward Starship work. Next Spaceflight likewise called it the final planned Falcon 9 Starlink launch from Florida, with future Florida Starlink missions set to fly on Starship. B1067 became the first booster to fly 37 times.

CBS12 said Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast early risers saw a glowing jellyfish-shaped exhaust plume in the dark. The Falcon 9’s northeast path let people as far as the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and New York City glimpse it. The station said sunlight was already hitting the high-altitude plume while the ground was still before sunrise — the so-called space-jellyfish, or noctilucent-cloud, effect. Viewer photos came in from Palm Beach County and western North Carolina.

Guy and Delores Spearman Give $52,500 to Cocoa High Students

The Eastern Florida State College Foundation said Brevard philanthropists Guy and Delores Spearman gave $52,500 to fund the Spearman Family Cocoa High Endowed Scholarship, EFSC’s Tigers to Titans Welding program, and Cocoa High’s Cocoa Champions mentorship track. Space Coast Daily posted the gift Tuesday.

The gift grew out of a partnership among Eastern Florida State College, Elevate Brevard, Family Promise Space Coast, and Cocoa High School. The foundation said the money is meant as a lasting source for Cocoa High students moving on to EFSC and for lowering money barriers to a job or degree.

Delores Spearman, Cocoa High class of 1968, said she learned more about those barriers at Family Promise Space Coast’s annual meeting and about Elevate Brevard’s Cocoa Champions program, which started in the 2024-25 school year. Champions pairs seniors with local professionals for college and career planning, applications, FAFSA help, résumés, and scholarships. “As a Cocoa High alum, class of 1968, supporting the Cocoa Champions program was an easy decision because I saw firsthand how it empowers students to believe in themselves and their potential,” she said.

The Spearmans, already EFSC donors, also backed Tigers to Titans Welding, a no-cost dual-enrollment path into EFSC’s Welding Technology Career and Technical Certificate. The program launched in 2025-26 with Brevard Public Schools, Cocoa High, and Art Hoelke, vice president of Knight’s Armament.

Carla Hamilton Walks Into a Fully Furnished Habitat Home

Carla Hamilton got the keys to her Palm Beach County Habitat for Humanity house this week and walked in with her grandson expecting empty rooms. Instead, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County and the iTHINK Community Foundation had furnished and personalized every room. WPTV’s Shining a Light package is free.

Jennifer Thomason, Habitat of Greater Palm Beach County president and CEO, said Hamilton put in 300 to 400 volunteer hours building the house and completing financial education, then bought it on a 0 percent-interest mortgage set at 30 percent of her income, not market price. Hamilton said the last time she visited it was “just an empty box,” and now drawers and cabinets held coffee makers, juicers, and TVs.

Stephen Johnson of iTHINK Financial said the foundation’s 10-year community effort paid for the surprise and that iTHINK has put more than a million dollars into Habitat and other Palm Beach County programs. Organizers used a questionnaire Hamilton filled out so details matched her family and interests, including lyrics from American Authors’ “Best Day of My Life” on a wall — a song she said was on her list.

Larissa, one of the volunteer organizers, said 31 volunteers — kids, families, brothers, uncles — staged the house in a little more than three hours on a Saturday morning.

Florida Recovers 163 Missing Children in Statewide Operation

Attorney General James Uthmeier and FDLE said Florida recovered 163 missing children in Operation Statewide Shield, a four-and-a-half-day effort officials called the state’s first statewide child-recovery drive and the largest of its kind in Florida. CBS12, datelined Tampa, said the children ranged from 2 months to 17 years old. Officials said many had faced abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other crime, including trafficking. The announcement moved Monday into Tuesday TV copy.

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass, per CBS12, listed recoveries by hub: 46 in the Tampa Bay region, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola, and three in Tallahassee. Work also reached Alabama, California, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee, plus countries including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, and Taiwan. Officials said the 163 were not all tied to one trafficking ring.

Uthmeier told CBS12 some cases were custody fights, abuse or neglect, foster-care situations, or runaways, and others involved trafficking claims. Rita Peters, special counsel to the attorney general for human trafficking, said recovery is “the first day of a child’s case, not the last.” Children went to seven BayCare Behavioral Health hubs from Pensacola to Miami, including one with St. Mary’s Medical Center in Palm Beach County. FDLE led with the Office of Statewide Prosecution, DCF, DJJ, BayCare, More to Life, and the Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund.

Florida Politics, covering the joint news conference, quoted Uthmeier: “Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable.” DCF Assistant Secretary Jonathan Stephens credited government, faith groups, nonprofits, and the private sector. The site listed additional countries (Dominica, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala) and said multiple adults were arrested, with more possible.

➤ Jefferson County: Duke Energy handed Jefferson County seniors boxes of shelf-stable emergency meals Tuesday as peak hurricane season nears. Each box had three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), including chicken salad, whole-wheat crackers, green beans, graham cookies, fruit snacks, juice, and water, said Robert Mixon, the company’s North Florida community and government relations manager. Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) and Rep. Allison Tant (D-Tallahassee) helped pass out food; Tant urged people who need oxygen, mobility help, or refrigerated medicine to join the special-needs registry.

➤ Tampa: Hillsborough County Animal Control and police pulled an about 8-year-old shih tzu from a Tampa storm drain Monday with a net and took her to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. Staff are treating fleas, badly matted fur, and burned feet; she has no microchip, has stayed calm and friendly, and may later go up for adoption or to a rescue.

➤ Fernandina Beach: Childhood friends Timothy Homan, a Yulee air-traffic controller, and Jake Thiel, an architect now in Germany, left Fernandina Beach’s downtown marina Saturday on restored 1995 Yamaha WaveRunners for an about 1,200-mile, eight-day Intracoastal run to Fenwick, Maryland. Riding With a Purpose is raising money for Active Minds, a teen mental-health group; they made Savannah by Sunday night after camping in South Georgia.

➤ Fort Myers Beach: WGCU on Tuesday premiered *Decoding Ancient Florida: Mound House*, a short documentary on the Calusa shell mound under the oldest building on Fort Myers Beach and how that engineering helped the house survive Hurricane Ian in 2022. Archaeologist Theresa Schober is in the film; Mound House archaeologist Breanna Vaccaro said the Calusa were on the site from about 400 A.D. to 1650, and the settlement may have housed about 100 people. Streaming on wgcuplus.org.

At Miami’s Freedom Tower on Tuesday, GOP gubernatorial nominee U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds picked Miami-Dade’s Bryan Avila — a Cuban American state senator who has resigned the seat — as his lieutenant-governor running mate, calling him a “proven warrior.” Avila, a Florida Army National Guard captain and former eight-year House member, sponsored this year’s homestead-tax amendment and the 2022 Stop WOKE Act; he pledged socialism “will never find a home” in Florida. Democrat David Jolly (running mate: former Rep. Gwen Graham) congratulated Avila and said the race will turn on Donalds’ relationship with Donald Trump, not the LG pick.

The Leon County Canvassing Board finished a Monday manual recount and certified official primary results for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3: P.J. Perez 11,634; Tom Derzypolski 10,533; Talethia Edwards 10,518 — 15 votes for the second November slot (Monday unofficial was 14). Board chair Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson, Supervisor Mark Earley, and Commissioner Nick Maddox reviewed 25 undervote/overvote ballots; WTXL said four added votes (Perez +1, Derzypolski +2, Darryl Alfred +1), lifting Derzypolski’s machine-recount edge from 13 to 15. Earley: no further recounts. Seat opens as Jeremy Matlow runs for mayor.

Vice Chair Richie Floyd is asking Thursday’s St. Petersburg City Council to send the city’s Flock Safety license-plate-reader contract to the Public Services and Infrastructure Committee — the first public discussion since a five-year, $730,250 deal passed on the January 2024 consent agenda with no debate. Floyd says the network is now about 54 cameras, and a police memo told Council it “cannot control how Flock uses the data”; Chief Anthony Holloway has defended the system (FOX 13). Referral only on Thursday, not a kill vote.

Florida Phoenix (Christine Sexton, Tuesday): state economists project the group health-insurance trust fund will run a $62.2 million deficit by June 30, 2027, growing to $2 billion four years later, even after the Legislature’s $375 million cash infusion. Premium collections are not keeping up — economists put FY 2027-28 at $4.3 billion in premiums vs. $5.3 billion in costs; enrollment 196,719 that year, rising to 199,075 by FY 2030-31. Career-service workers still pay $50 a month individual / $180 family; senior staff $8.34 / $30. Prior infusions: $275 million (FY 2025-26), $550 million (FY 2024-25), $200 million (FY 2023-24).

AAA (Aug. 24 booking analysis for Sept. 3–7): Orlando ranks second among U.S. Labor Day destinations behind Seattle (Boston 3, Denver 4, New York 5). Average domestic round-trip airfare +2% to about $750; flights into the most popular destinations nearly +20% to about $790. Domestic hotel bookings +9%; international hotels +12%; U.S.-port cruises −4% to about $2,700; international airfare −4%. Heaviest road traffic Thursday–Friday (INRIX). Florida Politics overlay: AAA Auto Club Group of Florida says the holiday stretch will cost Floridians more.

Florida Chamber of Commerce and FloridaCommerce on Tuesday named the Top 8 in the second annual Coolest Thing Made in Florida bracket after three public-vote rounds from a field that opened with more than 100 products. Remaining: Arro Tech GEON E61 (Bay); Arthrex TightRope PRO (Collier); Danfoss Turbocor TGS380 (Leon); Koozie Group Garyline Cubbie bottle (Pinellas); Lockheed Martin NASA Orion (Brevard); Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (St. Johns); Rovex Rovi hospital robot (Alachua); Sandvik electric rotary blasthole drills (Alachua). Chamber CEO Mark Wilson: manufacturers are creating jobs; the industry supports more than 426,000 jobs. Vote Aug. 25–Sept. 8 for the Final Four; winner Oct. 28 at the Future of Florida Forum in Orlando.

At Miller Electric Center joint practice Tuesday, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. made a diving touchdown catch from Trevor Lawrence on the first offensive play from scrimmage, came off, returned one play, then sat the rest of the day with a left-shoulder issue. Head coach Liam Coen said he is “alright,” “just came down on his shoulder,” and Jacksonville will “hold him out, be smart, keep him out, and then get him to go for” the Sept. 13 opener vs. Cleveland — sitting Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Buccaneers.

Asked about first-team playing the preseason finale at Jacksonville, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said: “Right now I am leaning towards not playing them but we will see how tomorrow goes.” Wednesday’s second joint practice will decide whether starters need more reps. Same pattern as after Jets joints (starters sat MetLife).

At Comerica Park, the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4–1 on Tuesday. FINAL. Jonny DeLuca infield single scored Junior Caminero in the 4th. Max Clark homered (Báez scored) in the 5th; an Aranda error let Torres score; Lee RBI single in the 7th. Ian Seymour took the loss; Kenley Jansen the save. Tigers ended a six-game losing streak.

Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs (hamstring strain on an early-camp conditioning run) returned to 11-on-11 vs. the Jaguars on Tuesday. Coach Todd Bowles: “Good to see him fresh… he is making progress.” Nose tackle Vita Vea also made his return (one-on-one vs. Robert Hainsey; team period).

In Miami, the Boston Red Sox beat the Miami Marlins 7–3 in 11 innings on Tuesday. FINAL. Gasper homered in the 2nd and 6th. The Marlins tied it on a Navarreto sacrifice fly, a Hernández homer, then a 10th-inning wild pitch after Wong scored on a passed ball. Duran’s 11th-inning homer scored Contreras, Jones, and Monasterio (four runs). A. Gamboa the win; C. Gibson the loss.

Dolphins host Falcons Friday at Hard Rock Stadium — preview only.

Florida’s AAA regular-unleaded average is $3.8429 as of Tuesday, Aug. 25 — a fraction below Monday ($3.8467), 7.6 cents cheaper than a week ago ($3.9193), and 25.4 cents under the national AAA average ($4.0969). Most expensive named metro: West Palm Beach–Boca Raton $4.0134. Cheapest: Pensacola $3.7552. Per AAA.

The Lighter Side

Pensacola boat captain and CNC builder Jonathan Jones delivered his 23rd 3D-printed mobility trainer this week to Asher Lewis, 7, of Mobile — a Mickey Mouse custom with cup-holder and tablet-holder mods. Jones became a vetted Make Good National maker after a TikTok; his first chair was in February. The trainers are free via makegoodtmt.com. Jones is now a Make Good National administrator.

Daytona State College culinary student Cezar Nita (Craiova, Romania; enrolled Fall 2025, on track 2027) is one of 220 Phi Theta Kappa members nationwide named a 2026 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar, with a $1,000 award. He volunteers at school and culinary events.

The Central Florida Indian Community delivered school supplies and snacks Monday to Champion Elementary and Osteen Elementary with Volusia’s PETALS Program, which serves 2,500–3,000 homeless students a year. School Board members Ruben Colon and Jamie Haynes helped unload at Osteen. Third year of the partnership.

Joke of the Day

In Florida, we don't have cockroaches. We have palmetto bugs, which is the same animal with better public relations.

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waxing Gibbous, 98% illuminated (USNO, noon local Wednesday Aug 26). Full Moon 12:18 a.m. EDT Friday Aug 28.

Sunrise / Sunset (Wednesday Aug 26):
Tallahassee (EDT): 7:10 a.m. / 8:07 p.m.
Miami (EDT): 6:59 a.m. / 7:46 p.m.
Key West (EDT): 7:06 a.m. / 7:51 p.m.
Pensacola (CDT): 6:22 a.m. / 7:19 p.m.

Gardening Hottest days still limit new color to heat-tolerant annuals (vinca, coleus, salvia, celosia). Fall vegetable window is open — dates differ north of SR 40 / Central SR 40–70 / South of SR 70. Herbs from plants, not seed. Many cities ban lawn fertilizer June–September. (UF/IFAS)

Coastal / Red Tide (FWC, Aug 21 status, samples Aug 13–20; next written report Aug 28): Karenia brevis in 25 East Coast samples; bloom (>100,000 cells/L) in one Nassau County sample; Duval background–low; St. Johns background–very low. Background offshore Pinellas; not observed in Northwest Florida. No red-tide fish kills or respiratory-irritation reports past week (FWC).

Florida by the Numbers

13,499,674 active registered voters in Florida as of July 31, 2026 (Florida Division of Elections / Department of State, page updated Aug 11, 2026).

Today’s Poll

SpaceX flew 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral before dawn Tuesday. Did you catch the launch?

Yesterday’s Results

Florida health officials opened a 21-day comment window on dropping four school vaccine requirements. How should the state handle school-entry shots?

Keep the current list 44% · Drop the four as proposed 29% · Need more details 27%

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