The morning edition

A Gulf depression puts 25 Florida counties under a state of emergency, and Disney raises its ticket prices

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Good Morning! On Oct. 7, 1763, King George's Royal Proclamation created four new British governments in lands secured by the peace treaty concluded at Paris, among them East Florida and West Florida. East Florida was bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River, with its northern line running to the St. Mary's River and the Atlantic. West Florida stretched along the Gulf from the Apalachicola to Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.

In This Issue: 25 Panhandle and North Florida counties under a state of emergency as a Gulf depression forms, the victims named in Monday's Polk County school bus crash, a Medicaid crackdown the state says has removed 220 providers and Disney World's new $229 peak-day ticket. Plus: public campaign money down 68% from 2022, the Rays' chance to clinch in the Bronx and three screamer chicks, a first hatch for Naples Zoo.

Weather: Showers and thunderstorms are likely Wednesday across much of the peninsula, from Jacksonville and Gainesville through Orlando, Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida to Miami and the Palm Beaches. Tallahassee and Pensacola stay mostly dry, with highs from about 80° to 88° statewide. (NWS)

Tropical: NHC says Tropical Depression Nine strengthened into Tropical Storm Isaias early Wednesday (40 mph, moving east-northeast at 8 mph over the southwestern Gulf) and is forecast to rapidly strengthen into a hurricane by Thursday before approaching the northern Gulf Coast on Friday. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect yet, though NHC says hurricane watches will likely be required for part of the northern Gulf Coast later today, and Gov. DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 25 Panhandle, Big Bend and North Florida counties (Executive Order 26-202). (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: High rip current risk Wednesday from Escambia through Okaloosa, in Franklin County, on the Atlantic from Nassau through Indian River and in Palm Beach County, with a high surf advisory from Nassau through Flagler until 5 a.m. Thursday. The risk is moderate in Walton, Bay, Gulf, St. Lucie and Martin counties and low from Broward through Miami-Dade and on the Gulf coast from Levy to Collier. (NWS)

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DeSantis Declares a State of Emergency for 25 Counties as Tropical Depression Nine Forms in the Gulf

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Tuesday declaring a state of emergency for 25 counties: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla and Washington. The state emergency response team is staging generators, fuel, flood barriers, water, meals, tarps, Tiger Dams and sandbags in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area. The governor's office says a tropical storm or hurricane could make landfall along the central Gulf Coast later this week, with heavy rain, strong winds, coastal flooding and isolated tornadoes possible across North Florida.

Tropical Depression Nine formed Tuesday over the western Gulf with 35 mph winds, moving east at 5 mph about 630 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Isaias early Wednesday with 40 mph winds, and NHC expects rapid strengthening into a hurricane by Thursday, then a turn toward the northeast and north as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast Friday. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect as of 5 a.m., but NHC says hurricane watches will likely be required for part of the northern Gulf Coast later today. From Friday through the weekend, 3 to 6 inches of rain, with up to 10 in spots, is forecast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, and flash flooding is possible. NBC 6 says South Florida isn't expected to see direct effects.

Victims Named in Polk School Bus Crash; Sheriff Says the Car's Driver Isn't Expected to Be Charged

Polk County Superintendent Frederick Heid identified the Winter Haven High School student killed in Monday's 6:15 a.m. crash on Lucerne Park Road as Adinaluz Guadalupe Prieto Oyola, saying Monday was her first day of cheerleading practice. Sheriff Grady Judd identified the Jeep driver as Deshaun Smith, 26, of Haines City. Judd said a westbound Chevrolet Malibu crossed the center line and hit the rear of the bus, tearing off a tire and sending it head-on into the Jeep. The Malibu's driver, a Haines City nursing student headed to work, is cooperating and is not expected to face charges.

Judd said the bus driver, who was not speeding and was in her lane, freed herself after being pinned and immediately helped students get out. Thirty-nine people were aboard: 37 high school students, the driver and her 9-year-old daughter. Thirty-five were taken to hospitals; three remain hospitalized but are expected to fully recover. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened a federal safety investigation.

DeSantis Says Medicaid Fraud Crackdown Has Removed 220 Providers and Cut $1 Billion From Projected Costs

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday in West Palm Beach that the state's Medicaid fraud and abuse crackdown has terminated more than 220 providers, and state officials said those providers billed more than $230 million in 2025. The state also reports more than 150 fraud referrals to the attorney general's office and payment restrictions or suspensions for hundreds more providers. The main focus is applied behavior analysis therapy for children with autism: AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris said Florida Medicaid spent about $6.57 billion on it from 2023 to 2025, and moving it to managed care has cut projected spending to about $2.8 billion, more than $1 billion below earlier forecasts.

AHCA has made more than 400 onsite provider visits, focusing on durable medical equipment, adult day care and ABA providers, and requires providers to verify their identities. "We're not accepting, 'I didn't know the requirements,' as an answer," Harris said. DeSantis called the actions the first "salvo" and promised more. Asked about families who lost access to ABA therapy, he said interruptions are the provider's fault, not AHCA's, and Harris said managed care plans are helping families find new providers.

Disney World Raises Ticket, Annual Pass and Lightning Lane Prices, With a New $229 Peak Day

Walt Disney World has raised prices on some tickets and all its annual passes. The peak one-day, one-park ticket will be $229 for holiday dates in 2027, including Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, up from $209 for those dates this year. The lowest one-day ticket, $119 for Animal Kingdom, is unchanged. Annual pass increases, effective Tuesday, range from $10 to $120 depending on the pass.

The top-tier Incredi-Pass rises $120, from $1,629 to $1,749, and the price ceiling for the Lightning Lane Premier Pass goes up $50, from $449 to $499. Lightning Lane Multi Pass prices are unchanged, and no parking increase has been announced. The hikes come as Disney builds what it calls the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history, including a Cars-themed land and Villains Land.

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❖ Miami-Dade — Could a Fly Help Solve Florida's Sargassum Problem?: Miami-Dade: Researchers in the University of Miami Rosenstiel School's aquaculture program are using black soldier fly larvae to convert sargassum in a fraction of the time traditional composting takes. In nine to 14 days the larvae fatten and mature, and they can then feed livestock, fish, even cats and dogs. Researcher Julio Camperio is leading a two-year pilot project.

❖ Tampa Bay — Florida Holocaust Museum Plans $10 Million Wiesel Experience and a New Theater: St. Petersburg: The Florida Holocaust Museum is planning The Wiesel Experience, a $10 million third-floor exhibit anticipated for 2028. It will hold Elie Wiesel's original desk and office library, his papers and artifacts including his Nobel Peace Prize. A new first-floor theater with an estimated $5 million price tag, scheduled to debut in 2027, will seat up to 68 people for an expanded edition of Dimensions in Testimony.

❖ Orlando — The Beacon Opens in Downtown Orlando, Adding Affordable Housing to Creative Village: Orlando: The Beacon, a five-story affordable housing complex for income-qualifying households, opened Tuesday in downtown Orlando's Creative Village, adding 115 apartments. Workers said 62 of the 115 units have been rented so far. It marks the completion of the first phase of the Creative Village project, the redevelopment of 68 acres where the old Amway Arena stood.

❖ Ocala — Pine Avenue Antique Mall Opens in Ocala, Reuniting Displaced Vendors: Ocala: Pine Avenue Antique Mall has opened at 510 S. Pine Avenue in Ocala's Pine Plaza, giving a home to dozens of longtime vendors left without a venue when Diggers Antique Mall closed in late July. Married couple Ken Kisner and Richard Rice started the venture with manager Michael Guest; the Diggers property sold for $1.11 million before it closed.

❖ Broward — Stirling Road Business Park Changes Hands in $57 Million Deal: Broward County: BKM Capital Partners and Kayne Anderson Real Estate bought Lakeview Center, a roughly 210,000-square-foot multi-tenant industrial campus on Stirling Road west of Interstate 95 near Dania Pointe, and will rename it Stirling Landing. Commercial Observer reported the price was $57 million and the seller was Blackstone affiliate Link Logistics. The new owners plan HVAC replacements, targeted roof maintenance, exterior painting and parking-lot improvements.

❖ Palm Beach — Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach State College Turns 40: Lake Worth: The Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach State College is marking its 40th anniversary, four decades of bringing world-class performing arts to Palm Beach County. Hollywood legend Burt Reynolds is among PBSC's notable theatre alumni.

❖ Gulf Coast — Home Base Plans Veterans Wellness Center in Estero: Estero: Home Base Florida, a national nonprofit co-founded by the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, plans a two-story, 26,000-square-foot veterans wellness center on 2 acres north of Everblades Parkway. Home Base has served Southwest Florida veterans for 13 years without a permanent local home; the planned center would put rehabilitation, counseling, wellness programs and veteran gatherings under one roof.

❖ North Florida — FSU Installs What's Believed to Be the Nation's First On-Campus Mental Health 'Hope Booth': Tallahassee: Florida State University is home to what's believed to be the first on-campus mental health "Hope Booth" in the country, a $25,000 booth on the first floor of the FSU Student Union that guides users through a three-minute interactive experience. It drew 374 users in its first 10 days on campus.

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❖ Public Money for Florida Campaigns Is Down 68% From 2022 — Florida has disbursed $4,063,615 in public campaign matching funds so far this cycle, down 68% from the $13,015,149 paid out four years ago, WESH reports. Through Oct. 2, Democrat David Jolly had received $2,340,680.29 and Republican Byron Donalds $1,036,482.85; in the attorney general race, José Javier Rodríguez had received about $318,957 and James Uthmeier $167,711. UCF political scientist Aubrey Jewett said only money raised in smaller campaign accounts gets matched, not the unlimited PAC money, and amendments to end public financing failed in 2010 and 2024.

❖ Florida Hid Trump's Voter Details Under a Privacy Law That Doesn't List the President — Florida election officials removed President Donald Trump's home and mailing addresses, birth date, party affiliation and email address from public voter records after he cited a 2025 state privacy law whose list of covered offices doesn't include the president, Fresh Take Florida reports. The Palm Beach County elections office said it processed his March 24 request without checking whether he was eligible, describing its role as "only administrative and ministerial." Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Lake Mary, one of the law's authors, said the Legislature forgot to add the president and that he supports shielding Trump's information. Lawmakers can't change the law until they meet again in March.

❖ Donalds Launches a New Ad Wave as Polls Show a Tighter Governor's Race — Republican Byron Donalds' campaign released two ads Tuesday highlighting his endorsements from Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump. They follow a Monday ad featuring his wife, Erika. As of Sept. 25, Donalds had raised $134.4 million and spent $91.7 million across his campaign and political committee, while Democrat David Jolly had raised $16.7 million and spent $11.2 million. Recent polls still show a closer race: Change Research had Jolly ahead last month, St. Pete Polls showed an essential tie, and Stetson University had Donalds up 51-39 two weeks ago.

❖ Central Florida's Newest Voters Leaned Non-Republican Before the Deadline — In 10 Central Florida counties, about 25,000 voters registered between Aug. 31 and the Oct. 5 deadline, according to county figures compared with state data, Central Florida Public Media reports. At least 9,592 (37%) registered as Democrats, at least 8,367 with no party or a minor party, and at least 7,951 as Republicans, the smallest share. That held even in red Polk County. The state Division of Elections plans to post final registration figures by mid-October.

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❖ Miami's $2,500 One-Bedroom Rent Ranks Sixth Highest Among U.S. Cities — Miami ranked sixth among U.S. cities for one-bedroom rents in September, with a median asking rent of $2,500, according to online rental marketplace Zumper's National Rent Report, as reported by WLRN. That's down 2% from August and 1.6% from a year earlier. Two-bedroom rents fell 3% from August to $3,230, a 3.9% drop from a year earlier, making Miami one of two top-10 markets where both bedroom types declined year over year. Fort Lauderdale ranked 19th for one-bedrooms at $1,850, down 6.1% from September 2025, while its two-bedroom median of $2,700 was up 0.4% from a year earlier. The national medians were $1,518 for a one-bedroom and $1,903 for a two-bedroom, and New York ranked first at $4,580.

❖ Brightline's Planned Cocoa Station Secures $57.5 Million in Federal Funding — A new Brightline passenger rail station in Cocoa is moving toward final design and construction after securing $57.5 million in federal funding, officials announced Tuesday, Spectrum News 13 reports. Officials said the multimodal station is expected to create 3,500 jobs and generate up to $350 million in economic impact. Cocoa Mayor Michael Blake said trains that now pass through the city will stop there, improving access to Port Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center and local businesses. Brightline Florida CEO Patrick Goddard said the company's business is up 18% to 20% year over year: it had about 3.1 million riders in 2025 and is on track for about 3.6 million this year. He also said its bankruptcy restructuring at the end of September dealt with the company's debt. Brightline leaders said the station is a few years from opening, with a potential date of 2030, and that they are still looking at expansion, including a possible connection to Tampa.

❖ Jacksonville Council Panel Delays $49.65 Million Downtown Publix Incentive Vote Until After Amendment 3 — The Jacksonville City Council's Finance Committee on Tuesday postponed a vote on a $49.65 million incentives package for developer Gateway Jax, Jacksonville Today reports. The package is for Gateway's proposed $140.15 million, 14-story residential and retail tower near City Hall, which the developer says will house a full-service Publix. Some council members worry the city would struggle to pay the package's $28.25 million cash completion grant if voters approve Amendment 3, the homestead property-tax cut on the Nov. 3 ballot. The council auditor estimates that if it passes, the city would lose $200 million in revenue in 2027-28 and $300 million by 2028-29. The deal also includes a $21.412 million property-tax refund over 17 years. The money would go to Gateway, not Publix, which would lease the 37,000-square-foot ground floor beneath 259 apartments. Council President Nick Howland helped negotiate the delay to the committee's Nov. 4 meeting. The head of the Downtown Investment Authority told the committee the project is urgent.

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Rays Can Clinch in the Bronx as Martinez Faces Fried in ALDS Game 3

The Rays are one win from their first AL Championship Series since 2020, and they get the chance Wednesday night (8 p.m., TBS/truTV) at Yankee Stadium, where Nick Martinez starts against Yankees lefty Max Fried. Martinez used to sit in the Yankee Stadium bleachers while playing college ball at nearby Fordham. Tampa Bay already celebrated in the Bronx once this season, clinching the AL East there Sept. 22, and teams up 2-0 in a best-of-five have won 83 of 93 times, according to MLB. One more loss would stretch the Yankees' World Series drought to a 17th season. "There's no taking games off," Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca said. The winner meets the White Sox or Cleveland.

Barkov Avoids Surgery, Expected Out Six to Eight Weeks

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov won't need surgery on his left leg and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, coach Paul Maurice said after Tuesday's morning skate in Los Angeles. "That's our best window," Maurice said. "Could be a little less, could be a little more." AP figures that's roughly 20 to 25 games, well short of the 10-to-12-week report Maurice waved off Monday. Barkov was hurt in last Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss at San Jose, and the injury isn't related to the right knee that cost him all of last season. "I think last year was six to eight months, so we're taking it," Maurice said.

Messi Scores and Sets Up Two in His Argentina Farewell

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi played his 208th and final match for Argentina on Tuesday night, a friendly against Benin in front of more than 85,000 fans in Buenos Aires, and he made it count: he set up goals by Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz in the second half, then converted a 71st-minute penalty in a 3-0 win. Messi, 39, walked out with his three sons to fireworks and a giant replica of his No. 10 jersey that read "Gracias." He announced his international retirement Aug. 31, weeks after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain, but his Inter Miami contract runs through the 2028 season. "I don't think we'll have somebody like him again," said Pablo Brescia, a University of South Florida professor who writes about Argentine culture and soccer.

Rookie Jalon Daniels Gets Second Start as Bucs Look for First Win in Dallas

Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will make his second straight start for the 0-4 Bucs on Thursday night at Dallas (8:15 p.m., Prime Video), with Baker Mayfield still out with a thumb injury. Daniels went 19 of 27 for 148 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and ran for 55 yards in his debut against Green Bay, and he says Mayfield has helped him get ready on the short week. Tampa Bay's scoring has dropped every week, down to 14 points against Green Bay, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson put it on himself: "It has not been good enough. It starts with me 100%." Dallas (2-2) is averaging 30.5 points a game.

Scoreboard

Tue Oct 6 — Panthers 2, Kings 1 FINAL.

Schedule (all times ET)

Wed Oct 7: New Mexico State at FIU, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

Wed Oct 7: ALDS Game 3, Rays at Yankees, 8 p.m., TBS/truTV

Thu Oct 8: Wild at Lightning, 7 p.m., The Spot

Thu Oct 8: USF at UTSA, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Thu Oct 8: ALDS Game 4 (if necessary), Rays at Yankees, 8 p.m., TBS/truTV

Thu Oct 8: Buccaneers at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video

Fri Oct 9: Florida State at Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN

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: ALDS Game 5 (if necessary), Yankees at Rays, 8 p.m., TBS/truTV

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

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

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Florida regular averaged about $4.15 a gallon Tuesday (AAA, as of 10/6/26), up about 8.7 cents from Monday ($4.060) and down about 15.2 cents from a week ago (about $4.30). That is about 22.2 cents under the national average of about $4.37. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at $4.302, and Pensacola is the cheapest at about $3.91.

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❖ Naples Zoo welcomes 3 screamer chicks in historic first hatch: Three southern crested screamer chicks hatched at Naples Zoo on Aug. 10, the zoo's first successful hatch of the species. They are the first offspring for 4-year-old Jamie Lee and 13-year-old Peggy, and the zoo says Jamie Lee has been an especially protective father. Zoo guests may hear the birds' loud daily calls, and the family is set to be on habitat together later this month.

❖ At Centro Asturiano, one old membership book helps a Tampa family find its roots: Yvette Lopez's mother pulled an old membership book from a box, revealing that Lopez's grandfather, whom she never met, belonged to Ybor City's Centro Asturiano de Tampa in the 1920s. Lopez grew up going to the club, later brought her own daughters, and her husband, Morris, was born at Centro Asturiano Hospital. Now three generations are carrying the connection forward, and Lopez hopes for a fourth: "No pressure."

❖ Puerto Rican firefighter overcomes language barrier to achieve his dream: Raymond Cortes-Castillo moved to Central Florida from Puerto Rico eight years ago without speaking English, after serving two years with the Puerto Rico Fire Department. He enrolled in emergency medical services school at Seminole State College, earned his EMT certification and, in July, was sworn in as a firefighter with Oviedo fire. His message: "Just always believe in yourself. If you want to do it, just do it."

❖ St. Johns County Fire Rescue saves hawk from storm drain during heavy rain: Crews from Station 19, St. Johns County Animal Control and the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office rescued a red-tailed hawk trapped inside a storm drain during recent storms, according to a video post. With heavy rain and rising water, responders removed the drain grate to reach the bird and get it out safely. The hawk went to St. Johns County Animal Control for care.

❖ IndyCar champion Alex Palou hosts pep rally at Dania Elementary: IndyCar champion Alex Palou held a pep rally at Dania Elementary, where he and DHL gave every student at the event a backpack filled with supplies and books. Students also ran their own newscast, interviewing Palou and DHL officials. The school received a $10,000 check, plus 14 bikes and helmets.

❖ Indian River County records record-breaking sea turtle nesting season: More than 14,000 sea turtle nests have been counted in Indian River County this season, about 10,000 of them loggerheads, the most since the county began tracking in 2005. "This nesting season has been a record-breaking season," said Kendra Bergman, executive director of Coastal Connections, who credits conservation rules and their enforcement. Nesting continues through Oct. 31, and some late green turtle nests could hatch as late as December.

Today’s Quote

"I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, / And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,"

— John Masefield

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waning crescent Wednesday, Oct. 7 (about 10% illuminated). New moon is Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11:50 a.m. EDT, and first quarter is Sunday, Oct. 18 (USNO).

Sunrise / Sunset: In Orlando on Wednesday, sunrise is at 7:22 a.m. and sunset at 7:04 p.m. EDT, for about 11 hours, 42 minutes of daylight. Times vary across the state, and Pensacola is on Central time.

Gardening Notes: With a Gulf storm brewing, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says the trees most likely to survive hurricanes are compact, with a low center of gravity, a sturdy trunk and deep, symmetrical roots, like the native live oak. Trees with dense canopies, decayed or multiple trunks, or shallow roots are more vulnerable.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC’s latest statewide update (Oct. 2) found background to very low red tide levels in Gulf County, background levels in Sarasota County and none on the East Coast, with no fish kills or respiratory irritation reported. The next report is due Friday, Oct. 9.

Florida by the Numbers

Three of the four Category 5 hurricanes to strike the continental United States since 1851 hit Florida: the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, Andrew in 1992 and Michael in 2018, according to NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division. (The fourth was Camille in 1969, in Louisiana and Mississippi.)

Today’s Poll

Do you support Gov. DeSantis declaring a state of emergency for 25 North Florida counties before any storm watches have been issued for Tropical Depression Nine?

Yesterday’s Results

With forecasters expecting a tropical depression to form in the southwestern Gulf this week, do you support Floridians starting storm preparations now, before any watches are issued?

Strongly support 34% · Somewhat support 0% · Oppose 33% · Not sure 33%