The morning edition

Hackers put Florida driver data on a Friday clock. AG busts $1.1M formula ring. Conahan is Florida’s 15th execution this year.

Friday, September 11, 2026

Friday, September 11, 2026

Good Morning! On September 11, 1946, in a special meeting, the Key West City Commission passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of the beach property at the south end of Duval Street for $37,000 — a stretch of sand that would become part of the island’s public waterfront. (Keys History)

On September 11, 1937, Robert L. “Bob” Crippen was born. He piloted STS-1, Columbia’s first orbital flight from Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981, later commanded three more shuttle missions, and served as director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center from 1992 to 1995. (NASA)

In This Issue: Hackers put Florida driver data on a Friday clock, AG busts a $1.1M baby-formula fencing ring, and Florida executes Conahan — its 15th this year.

Weather: Hot Friday with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms statewide. Coverage is highest from Pensacola through the southern peninsula (Pensacola storms ~75%; Fort Myers–Miami ~65%); inland north and central roughly 45–60%. Tallahassee starts with patchy fog. Highs upper 80s to low 90s; heat index near 100–103 in spots.

Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings (National Hurricane Center). Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (Thu Sep 10): tropical cyclone formation is not expected in the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of America during the next 7 days.

Rip Current Report: Moderate rip-current risk Friday for Northeast Florida Atlantic (NWS JAX), the Space Coast / Volusia Atlantic (NWS MLB), Palm Beach / Broward / Miami-Dade Atlantic (NWS MFL), and eastern Panhandle / Big Bend Gulf (NWS TAE). Low for west-central / SW Gulf including Tampa Bay through Fort Myers (NWS TBW) and Pensacola–Destin (NWS MOB). Swim near a lifeguard; heed beach flags.

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Hackers Put Florida Driver Database on Friday Clock

Extortion group ShinyHunters claims it breached Florida’s restricted DAVID driver-and-vehicle lookup system and stole more than 200,000 records — licenses, Social Security numbers, addresses — and set a September 11 deadline to negotiate before a threatened leak; FLHSMV still had “no comment” Thursday while a USF cybercrime professor told WCTV the group’s password-reset path looked real and that feature was temporarily disabled Thursday afternoon (WCTV).

Florida Politics earlier flagged the same Friday contact-or-leak clock and an unanswered outreach to Highway Safety; BleepingComputer reported the actors say they lost access and the reset flaw was being patched after compromising multiple authorized accounts (Florida Politics).

AG: Lake Worth Pair Ran $1.1M Stolen Baby-Formula Ring

Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday charged Mohammed Alsaidi, 59, and Zeina Abdul-Hassan Sou Zabib, 49, of Lake Worth with conspiracy to commit racketeering and directing dealing in stolen property, saying a 15-month probe found they fenced baby formula stolen by “boosters” from Publix, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and Winn-Dixie — paying about $10 a can — then resold it for more than $1.1 million in revenue (Nov 2024–Jun 2025) (Florida Attorney General).

Investigators tied the enterprise to 150+ thefts across eight judicial circuits; nine boosters are already charged, and each alleged ringleader faces up to 90 years if convicted as charged (ClickOrlando).

Florida Executes Conahan in ’Hog Trail’ Case — 15th This Year

Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., 72, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Thursday after a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke — the state’s 15th execution of 2026 — for the 1996 kidnapping and strangling of Richard Allen Montgomery in Charlotte County’s so-called Hog Trail murders (WUSF).

Florida has carried out more than half of U.S. executions so far this year under Gov. Ron DeSantis; another Florida execution, Curtis Wilkie Beasley, 77, is set for Sep 29 (WFLA).

McClatchy Cuts Gut Miami Herald Newsroom

McClatchy on Thursday eliminated about 30 Miami Herald positions — including roughly 20 filled journalists, more than a third of editorial staff — and emptied El Nuevo Herald’s reporting ranks, axing dedicated Miami, Miami Beach, and Capitol beats ahead of the November midterms, Florida Politics reported (Florida Politics).

Deputy investigations editor Carol Marbin Miller called the cuts a “blood bath” and warned Miami is “on the precipice of becoming a news desert”; Poynter put companywide newsroom losses above 90 across at least 13 papers (Poynter).

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❖ Miami-Dade / North Miami: MOCAFEST marks the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami’s 30th anniversary Friday Sep 25, noon–5 p.m., at 770 NE 125th St. — interactive art, live performances, Teen Art Force collaborators, and community wellness resources; RSVP encouraged (Miami and Beaches).

❖ Tampa Bay / Clearwater: The Market Marie fills Coachman Park (301 Drew St.) Saturday Sep 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — free waterfront market of more than 125 local artisans, makers, and small businesses with live music (Beer Can Island).

❖ Orlando / Avalon Park: Fall in My Pocket — Collective Corner’s fall pop-up market — is Saturday Sep 19, 4–9 p.m., free at Founders Square Park (13002 Founders Square Dr.) — local makers, artists, vintage, seasonal treats, and food vendors; family- and pet-friendly (Your Community Paper).

❖ Jacksonville / Jacksonville Beach: Jax Beach Arts Market returns Saturday Sep 26, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., free at Seawalk Pavilion (75 1st St. N) — maker-only art market in its ninth season; family- and pet-friendly (Jax Beach Arts Market).

❖ Broward / Oakland Park: Oakland Park Latin Fest is Friday Sep 18, 6–10 p.m., free at Jaco Pastorius Park (4000 N. Dixie Highway) — Salsabor All Stars, Florida Elite Event Dancers, food trucks, Sensory Village, and Kid’s Kitchen for Hispanic Heritage Month (City of Oakland Park).

❖ Palm Beach / West Palm Beach: Nights in Northwood Village is Friday Sep 25, 6–9 p.m., free on Northwood Road — open-air night market with 50+ vendors (art, fashion, handmade, vintage, eats) plus live Latin Groove Project (City of West Palm Beach).

❖ Gulf Coast — Fort Myers: Alliance Morning Market is Saturday Sep 19, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., free on the Alliance for the Arts’ 10-acre campus at 10091 McGregor Blvd. — artisans, live entertainment, Free Family ArtLabs (10 a.m.–noon), and Reel Families movie at noon (Alliance for the Arts).

❖ North Florida — Panacea: 49th Annual Panacea Blue Crab Fest is Saturday Sep 26 at Woolley Park (48 Mound St.) — Blue Crab Parade 10 a.m. along Coastal Highway, gates 10:30; seafood, live music, craft vendors; adults $3, kids 12 and under free (Fun 4 Tally Kids).

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❖ Tampa: Mayor Jane Castor, speaking Thursday with the Tampa Bay Chamber, called Amendment 3 “not well thought out” and more of a “resume builder” than an affordability fix, warning the city leans on property taxes for police, fire, roads, and parks and could face service cuts or new fees if the homestead expansion passes; Chamber chair Rob Ledford said the measure asks “the right question” but is “the wrong answer,” while Largo officials separately flagged a projected $15.7 million hit (Fox 13).

❖ Broward: Statewide prosecutors and the Broward Sheriff’s Office began serving subpoenas this week on Broward County commissioners, the county administrator, and deputies in a probe tied to the county’s review of whether to stand up an in-house police force at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades in place of BSO, which has patrolled FLL since 1996; a county spokesperson said two commissioners were served at county hall Wednesday (Local 10).

❖ Miami: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced implementation of Florida’s K–12 history-of-communism standards at a Bay of Pigs Museum & Library event in Miami this week — standards embedded across social-studies courses under 2024’s SB 1264, updated to include the federal indictment of Raúl Castro and the collapse of Nicolás Maduro’s Venezuela regime, alongside the Portraits of Patriotism initiative; Education Commissioner Henry Mack and GOP Lt. Gov. nominee Bryan Avila joined (Floridian Press).

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❖ West Palm Beach: Andreessen Horowitz plans a regional headquarters in downtown West Palm Beach’s CityPlace Tower (Related Ross) for its about $1.176 billion American Dynamism fund — defense, aerospace, industrials, and national-interest tech — with GP Katherine Boyle saying Florida’s Gold Coast is where many of those companies will be built; the firm fled a short-lived Miami crypto outpost two years ago and is returning for defense-tech deal flow (Refresh Miami).

❖ Boca Raton: Related Ross closed its acquisition Thursday of the 124-acre Boca Raton Innovation Campus at 5000 T-Rex Ave — about 1.7 million square feet on the former IBM PC campus — with undisclosed Ares Real Estate financing; the firm will keep running BRiC as an office/tech campus while advancing a longer mixed-use vision and extending its Palm Beach County footprint beyond West Palm and Wellington (Boca Raton Tribune).

❖ Florida: PACS Group (NYSE: PACS) entered definitive deals to acquire operations of 32 Florida skilled-nursing facilities — 4,049 licensed beds — leased from Omega Healthcare Investors, marking the Salt Lake City operator’s Florida entry; close eyed Q4 subject to customary conditions (PACS Group).

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Braves Deny Rays’ Playoff Clinch in 3–1 Win at Truist Park

The Tampa Bay Rays (87–59) were kept from becoming the first team to clinch a 2026 playoff berth when Atlanta scored three in the eighth and held on 3–1 Thursday at Truist Park; Martín Pérez threw seven scoreless innings before Austin Riley’s RBI single and Ha-Seong Kim’s two-run single, and Victor Mesa Jr. homered leading off the ninth (CBS Sports / AP) (CBS Sports).

Dolphins Post Thin First Injury Report Ahead of Hafley Debut at Allegiant

Miami listed just three players on its first Week 1 injury report after Wednesday practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex — LB Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring) and TE Will Kacmarek (calf) limited, TE Seydou Traore (thumb/Achilles) full — with zero DNPs heading into Jeff Hafley’s opener Sunday at Allegiant Stadium vs. Las Vegas (4:25 p.m. ET FOX) (Dolphins Wire).

UCF Follows 73–6 Bounce House Opener With Saturday Trip to Acrisure Stadium

After tying the program scoring record in a 73–6 win over Bethune-Cookman on Sep 3 at Acrisure Bounce House (360 rush yards, seven rushing TDs, 560 total yards), the Knights (1–0) visit Pitt Saturday Sep 12 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 at Acrisure Stadium — seeking to snap a nine-game road losing streak (UCF Knights).

Orlando Pride Visit Kansas City Under Interim Thomas

Orlando Pride (9–12–2, 29 pts, 11th) play at Kansas City Current Friday Sep 11, 8 p.m. ET — first match under interim HC Yolanda Thomas (Orlando Pride).

FSU on Bye Before Alabama Trip

Florida State is on bye this weekend after a Monday Sep 8 loss 27–24 to No. 19 SMU; next at Alabama Saturday Sep 19, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (Florida State Seminoles).

Bucs Injury Report: Tucker, McMillan Limited Ahead of Cincinnati

Tampa Bay’s Thursday injury report listed RB Sean Tucker (hamstring) and WR Jalen McMillan (knee) as limited ahead of Sunday at Cincinnati (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

Scoreboard

Rays 1, Braves 3 — FINAL (Thu Sep 10, Truist Park)

Schedule

Orlando Pride at Kansas City Current — Fri Sep 11, 8 p.m. ET (CPKC Stadium)

Marlins vs Dodgers — Fri Sep 11, 7:10 p.m. ET (loanDepot park)

UCF at Pittsburgh — Sat Sep 12, 3:30 p.m. ET (Acrisure Stadium)

Florida vs Campbell — Sat Sep 12, 5:30 p.m. ET (The Swamp)

Buccaneers at Cincinnati — Sun Sep 13, 1 p.m. ET FOX (Paycor Stadium)

Jaguars vs Cleveland — Sun Sep 13, 1 p.m. ET CBS (EverBank Stadium)

Dolphins at Las Vegas — Sun Sep 13, 4:25 p.m. ET FOX (Allegiant Stadium)

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AAA Florida average Thursday Sep 10: $4.1490 per gallon — up about 7¢ from Wednesday’s $4.0771, and up about 17¢ from one week ago ($3.9813). National AAA average: $4.2770. Most expensive tracked Florida metro: West Palm Beach–Boca Raton $4.2873. Cheapest: Panama City $3.9525 (Crestview–Fort Walton Beach $3.9724; Pensacola $3.9768). (AAA)

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❖ Casselberry: Free Latin Jazz and Art Festival is Saturday Sep 12, 5–9 p.m., at Lake Concord Park (95 Triplet Lake Drive) — Grammy-winning flautist Néstor Torres and Emmy-nominated Fabiola Méndez headline 7:30–9; Kalindá and Dimas Sánchez / Afro Latin Jazz Project open; galleries 5–8 at City Hall / Art House (WFTV).

❖ Williston: 5th Annual Williston Fiesta is Saturday Sep 19, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., free at 1050 NE 6th Blvd — Hispanic Heritage Month cuisine, live music, cultural dance, artisan vendors, and family activities (FFEA).

❖ Crystal River: Crystal River Nights Concert Series hosts free “Turn it On Again” (Phil Collins / Genesis tribute) Saturday Sep 19, 5–9 p.m., at Crystal River Town Square (559 N Citrus Ave.) — bring chairs; no coolers/outside alcohol (Discover Crystal River).

❖ Englewood: Fall Festival at Tringali Park Recreation Center is Saturday Sep 19, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., free admission at 3460 N. Access Road — Rising Tide Band, food trucks, outdoor games, bounce houses, crafts; gym activities $3 for ages 13 and under (Fun 4 SWFL Kids).

❖ Tampa: Fall Family Fest is Saturday Sep 26, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., free at Water Works Park (1710 N Highland Ave.) — interactive exhibits, giveaways, inflatable corn maze, food, and entertainment benefiting TBMG Cares (Eventbrite).

❖ Pembroke Pines: Hispanic Heritage Festival is Saturday Sep 26, 5–9 p.m., free at Charles F. Dodge City Center (601 City Center Way) — main-stage salsa (Melina Almodóvar closes), Abuela’s House, El Mercado food/vendors, La Granja kids zone, and La Cocina de Mamá (City of Pembroke Pines).

Today’s Quote

Courtesy still works: hold the door, return the cart, mean the thank-you.

— original / Front Porch

Florida Almanac

Moon: New Moon on the night between Thu Sep 10 and Fri Sep 11; about 0% illuminated (timeanddate / Orlando).

Sunrise / sunset (Friday Sep 11; Orlando, EDT): 7:08 a.m. / 7:35 p.m.

Gardening: Mid-September remains a strong window for cool-season starts (broccoli, kale, carrots, lettuce, collards, cabbage) by region. Central and South Florida can prep strawberry beds for late-September set dates; North Florida strawberries usually wait until October. Warm herbs (basil, mint, rosemary) still go in. Check local fertilizer blackouts through September.

Coastal note: FWC written statewide red-tide status dated September 4, 2026 (next written report due Fri Sep 11). Sep 4 update: Northeast Florida bloom samples from prior weeks were Karenia papilionacea (not K. brevis). Over the past week of that report window, K. brevis was at background in one Northwest Florida sample. Pair beach plans with the rip-current map in Weather. (FWC red tide)

Florida by the Numbers

Florida had 558 public library locations (plus 21 bookmobiles) across 79 regional library systems in FY 2023–24, providing nearly 1.3 million public service hours (Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services). (Florida DOS)