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The morning edition
Front Porch Florida - Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Same edition as the morning email.
Florida’s 14th execution of 2026. Lake County and Miami-Dade pull local plate readers.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Good Morning! On Labor Day evening, September 2, 1935, the strongest hurricane ever to strike the United States crossed the middle Florida Keys near Long Key and Lower Matecumbe — a compact Category 5 with a Long Key barometer of 26.35 inches (892 millibars) and sustained winds later estimated near 185 mph. Storm surge and wind killed 408 people in the Keys, many of them World War I veterans in Federal Emergency Relief Administration highway camps; the Florida East Coast Railway’s Overseas Extension was ruined and never rebuilt as a rail line. At mile marker 81.5 in Islamorada, the Florida Keys Memorial — native keystone, palms bent in the frieze, a tiled crypt holding the cremated remains of about 300 — still marks the holiday that remade how Florida remembers the Keys.
Weather: Sea-breeze storms return Wednesday as east flow and leftover moisture collide inland. Highest coverage (about 70–80%) from Gainesville and Orlando through Tampa Bay and Fort Myers; 40–50% Jacksonville–Daytona–Keys; lower Miami and Tallahassee; Pensacola mostly sunny (~20%). Highs mid-80s beaches to low/mid-90s inland; heat index near 100–106.
Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings (National Hurricane Center). Tropical Storm Edouard is inland over southeastern Texas near Beaumont (~45 mph) and should weaken to a depression tonight and dissipate by Wednesday night — a Texas / southwest Louisiana flood threat only. No tropical cyclone formation expected in the Atlantic, Caribbean, or Gulf over the next 7 days.
Rip Current Report: Moderate NE Florida (Nassau–Flagler/St. Johns), Volusia/Daytona and Space Coast / east-central Atlantic, and eastern Panhandle / Big Bend Gulf beaches; low Palm Beach / Broward / Miami-Dade, west-central/SW Gulf (Tampa Bay through Fort Myers/Collier), and Pensacola–Destin.
Florida Carries Out Its 14th Execution of the Year
Harold Gene Lucas, 74, was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. Tuesday after a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, the state’s 14th execution of 2026 and the first of three scheduled this month. He was condemned for the August 1976 shooting death of 16-year-old Jill Piper at her Bonita Springs home and the wounding of friends Richard Byrd Jr. and Terri Rice; asked for last words, he said “No.”
Lucas spent nearly 50 years on death row and was sentenced to death five times after Florida Supreme Court reversals; he waived remaining appeals, telling a judge he was tired. Gov. Ron DeSantis has already signed warrants for Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., 72, on Sept. 10, and Curtis Wilkie Beasley, 77, on Sept. 29. Florida has carried out more than half of the roughly two dozen U.S. executions this year.
Lake County and Miami-Dade Pull License Plate Readers Off Local Roads
Lake County commissioners voted 5–0 Tuesday to revoke permits for automated license-plate readers in county rights-of-way, a day after FDOT’s state-road order. Commissioner Anthony Sabatini pushed to act without waiting on Sheriff Peyton Grinnell; the vote does not cover every reader that may sit on private property or city streets inside Lake. Groveland and Clermont police announced immediate ALPR suspensions the same day.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said that by the end of Tuesday all cameras on FDOT infrastructure would be offline and the sheriff’s office LPR program would be suspended in its entirety — beyond the state-road memo. WESH: Osceola Sheriff Chris Blackmon is turning off more than 100 readers on local roads (state-ROW units come down); Orange Sheriff John Mina will keep readers where still permitted. Volusia, Brevard, and Seminole pauses ran Monday.
Attorney General: Four Children Held in a Semi-Truck Cab for Six Years
Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday called the case one of the most horrific his office has worked: four children — two boys and two girls, ages five to nine — confined to a semi-truck cab for about six years while the suspects ran a Miami–Atlanta route. He named Keisha Epps and Tamra Stewart; he said Stewart sexually abused the two girls and that the boys were beaten when they reported it.
Uthmeier said the children were malnourished and rarely allowed to shower. Stewart faces sexual-battery, lewd-molestation, battery, and child-neglect counts; Epps faces sexual-battery, lewd-molestation, neglect, and four counts of failure to report child abuse. He said Florida will seek the death penalty if the law allows.
DeSantis Says He Will Campaign for Amendment 3 After All
Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters at Cecil Field in Jacksonville he is “going to be involved” in passing Amendment 3, the November property-tax measure he previously distanced himself from as “not my proposal.” He said he does not plan to lead a political committee or barnstorm the way he did against 2024’s marijuana and abortion amendments, but that “I think it’s important.”
Tiger Woods Set for Change-of-Plea Hearing in Jupiter Island DUI
Eldrick Tiger Woods is on the Martin County docket at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, before Judge Darren Steele on two misdemeanors from his March 27 Jupiter Island rollover: DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. WPTV: he previously filed a written not-guilty plea; it is not clear what he will enter or whether a deal exists. Breath test showed no alcohol; he refused urine.
➤ South Miami / Miami-Dade: Miami-Dade commissioners on Tuesday unanimously created the Downtown SoMi Community Development District to finance $149 million in infrastructure for the Shops at Sunset Place redevelopment on 10.16 acres bounded by U.S. 1, Red Road, Sunset Drive and SW 58th Avenue. Biggest line items: a $49 million public parking garage and a $41.7 million chilled-water plant; Commissioner Raquel Regalado’s ordinance (5L) takes effect Sept. 11 unless Mayor Daniella Levine Cava vetoes. Developer Alex Vadia’s Midtown bought the mall for $65.5 million in late 2020; the plan sketches 1,513 residences, a 1,300-seat theater and more than 200,000 square feet of retail.
➤ St. Petersburg / Tampa Bay: Pinellas County is asking the state for $15 million from the Resilient Florida Grant Program (and pledging a match) to flood-harden the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility, a 33-million-gallon-a-day plant near Joe’s Creek. Combined $30 million still short of a $41.82 million estimate; the plant’s pumps are about 30 years old. Chairman Dave Eggers’ letter to FDEP commits the match from the Sewer Renewal and Replacement Fund under the proposed FY27–FY32 CIP.
➤ Jacksonville: The Museum of Science & History submitted 60% design schematics Monday for a new Downtown Northbank museum: about 125,000 square feet over five stories on 2.5 acres of the Shipyards at East Bay Street and A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, with 10 galleries, a café, and an immersive theater (no new planetarium announced). Groundbreaking is sketched for early 2027; fundraising goal $150 million, almost $100 million in. City lease: MOSH builds, city owns, $1-a-year for 40 years.
➤ Boca Raton / Palm Beach: The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District has set a 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, groundbreaking for the 70-acre east side of North Park in Boca Teeca (former Ocean Breeze golf course), with more than five miles of walking and riding trails, a dog park, a playground, and more than 1,000 native trees east of NW 2nd Avenue. Chair Bob Rollins; contractor Butters Construction & Development; invasive-plant clearing already underway. Commissioners in January unanimously approved a 42,000-square-foot skatepark design for the same side. No cost or completion date on the page.
➤ Cape Coral / Gulf Coast: Lee County commissioners on Tuesday approved about $250,000 for Ajax Paving Industries of Florida to mill and resurface more than a mile of the Veterans Parkway bicycle-pedestrian path from Pine Island Road to east of Santa Barbara Boulevard, along the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve. Tree roots, edge drop-offs, and buckling; sod in spots. Work by the end of September, finish later this fall.
➤ Tallahassee / North Florida: Tallahassee Chamber chair Eddie Gonzalez Loumiet is pushing the Capital Region as the site of Florida’s first Tesla battery “gigafactory,” citing FSU, FAMU, Tallahassee State College, Lively Technical College, the MagLab, I-10, and expanding airport cargo. No timeline, no job count, and Tesla has not announced. Terry Ryan of the Tallahassee Regional Environmental Group warned about porous Apalachicola sands and about 200 contaminated sites already in Leon County.
➤ North Port / Sarasota: Sarasota County Schools said a $7.5 million hurricane-relief grant for a trades academy at Suncoast Technical College’s North Port campus was revoked; Superintendent Terry Connor called the Aug 26 decision unexpected. County commission had also shifted $15.6 million in Resilient SRQ money to widening South River Road.
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody said cities and counties should decide whether to host data centers, telling Fox News “it needs to be up to the people of a community or a state,” a local-control line that tracks Byron Donalds’ newer pledge to respect local bans after weeks of saying bans aren’t coming.
Charlie Crist challenged St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch to a televised debate ahead of the Nov. 3 mayoral runoff, arguing ticketed forums shut voters out; Crist took more than 35% in the primary to Welch’s less than 21% and proposed that each campaign name a liaison and lock a local TV host.
David Jolly’s “Data Center Donalds” ad and the Donalds “local control comes first” reply still cites University of North Florida polling that 68% of Florida voters oppose a data center in their area; Donalds’ campaign answered that “local control comes first” and that no center gets built without paying its own way.
University of Florida’s consumer sentiment index fell for a sixth straight month in August, to 67.4 from 69.3 in July, the weakest reading since the state exited the COVID crash; director Hector H. Sandoval said expectations for the national economy over the next 12 months have dropped nearly 17 points over six months, and “good time for big purchases” slipped from 62 to 59.5.
Florida recorded 5,033 first-time jobless claims for the week ending Aug. 22, down 647 from the prior week and the third straight weekly decline, while U.S. initial claims were 169,786 (vs. 191,208 a year earlier); after about a year of climbing, the state unemployment rate leveled off at 4.8% in April and May.
Tallahassee Chamber chair Eddie Gonzalez Loumiet is pitching the Capital Region for Florida’s first Tesla battery “gigafactory,” citing FSU, FAMU, Tallahassee State College, Lively Technical College, the MagLab, I-10, and expanding airport cargo — proposal only; Tesla has not announced a site, timeline, or job count, and Terry Ryan of the Tallahassee Regional Environmental Group warned about porous Apalachicola sands and about 200 contaminated sites already in Leon County.
Freddy Peralta worked six strong innings against his former club and Yandy Díaz homered and doubled as the AL-best Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Mets 6–2 on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Díaz’s three-run sixth capped a three-run frame; the Rays improved to 83–55.
Francisco Lindor’s first-inning homer briefly put New York up; Sean Manaea took the loss (5.2 IP, 11 H, 5 ER). Attendance 16,850; series tied 1–1.
Marlins Beat Royals 6–3 in Kansas City
Graham Pauley’s two-run homer and later triple and Kyle Stowers’ solo shot powered Miami past Kansas City 6–3 on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. The Marlins scored two in the second, one in the fifth, and three in the seventh before the Royals scratched across two in the eighth and a Nick Loftin solo in the ninth.
The Phinsider / Palm Beach Post note Miami’s 53 averages age 25, nearly two years younger than the league. regular season ahead of the regular season.
Bucs Receivers Egbuka, McMillan Still Banged Up for Week 1
NFL Network’s Sara Walsh: Emeka Egbuka (sprained toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee bruise) have “lingering issues” and aren’t locks for the Bengals opener; rookie Ted Hurst drawing praise.
FSU Hosts SMU on Labor Day Night at Doak
Florida State hosts SMU Monday, Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium on ESPN — the Seminoles’ Labor Day home date after a 34–17 opener vs. New Mexico State.
Florida regular averaged $3.9420 a gallon Tuesday, according to AAA — up about 6 cents from Monday ($3.8781) and up 10 cents from a week ago ($3.8429), and still about 15 cents under the national $4.0954. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the dearest named metro at $4.0906; Panama City is cheapest at $3.6941 (Pensacola $3.6984). Statewide is $3.94, not $4.
Colleen Gonzalez’s GROW Healthy Kids packed more than 1,200 recess kits Tuesday for 41 K–5 public schools across nine Central Florida counties — jump ropes, scoops, balls, cones — aimed at nearly 23,000 children. Ninth year of the drive; partners include Orlando Health, Orlando Soccer Foundation, Enterprise Mobility, Good Sports, and Amber Brooke Farms. Packing was at H&A Farms in Mount Dora, with distribution set for Friday.
Teacher Ben Leatherman — a South Plantation High alum who now runs the county’s largest animal-science magnet — teaches seven classes a day with more than 220 students feeding goats, trimming hooves, cleaning coops, and handling snakes such as Cornelia. Senior Mya Garcia and junior Matthew Grandez (vet track) are named on Local 10’s Tuesday feature; many animals, including lop-eared Thumper, were donated.
Volusia County Schools invited students who logged 750 or more summer reading minutes in the Superintendent’s Summer Home Run Reading Challenge to a free Daytona Tortugas game Monday, Aug. 31. Elementary director Dr. Leigh Prokop threw the ceremonial first pitch; New Smyrna Beach High freshman Jake Snyder sang the national anthem.
Joke of the Day
A Florida condo board meeting is not governance. It is theater with parking stickers.
Florida Almanac
Moon: Waning Gibbous, 71% illuminated (timeanddate, lunar noon Wednesday Sep 2, Tallahassee). Full Moon was 12:18 a.m. EDT Friday Aug 28. Next Last Quarter: Sep 4.
Gardening Early September is fall-garden start-up. North Florida can begin setting strawberries (UF/IFAS window roughly mid-to-late September into mid-October) and start cool-season crops (broccoli, carrot, cabbage, collards) plus warm-tolerant color and herbs (ageratum, basil, mint, rosemary, Mexican tarragon). Some municipalities still ban lawn fertilizer June–September; North Florida’s last lawn fertilizer of the year is around mid-to-late September. (UF/IFAS North / Central Florida Gardening Calendars)
Coastal / Red Tide (FWC): FWC written statewide update August 28, 2026 (next report Sept 4): Karenia brevis in 13 East Coast samples; bloom (>100,000 cells/L) in one Nassau County sample; Duval and St. Johns background to low. Not observed in Southwest or Northwest Florida. No red-tide fish kills or respiratory-irritation reports past week.
Florida by the Numbers
125,157.6 miles of public roads in Florida as of December 31, 2025 — up 576.5 miles from 2024 — including 12,287.0 miles on the State Highway System, 71,006.8 county, and 39,585.5 city. Agency: Florida Department of Transportation certification to FHWA (letter posted May 20, 2026).
Today’s Poll
Lake County and Miami-Dade just pulled local automated license-plate readers after FDOT ordered them off state roads. Should local ALPRs come down too?
