The morning edition

Sanford gathering shooting injures 8. Tropical Storm Fay forms. Florida holds Auburn.

Monday, September 21, 2026

Monday, September 21, 2026

Good Morning! On September 21, 1960, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved protective regulations for the Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve — barring destruction, alteration, or removal of natural or historical resources there because commercial exploitation was chewing up the reef. Interior Secretary Elmer Bennett signed off on the rules that helped secure the living coral gardens off Upper Key Largo; later that year the submerged lands became John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the nation’s first underwater park. (Keys Libraries)

In This Issue: Sanford gathering shooting, Tropical Storm Fay forms, and Florida holds Auburn 44–39.

Weather: Mostly sunny to partly sunny Monday with afternoon storm chances strongest over central and South Florida. Panhandle and Big Bend stay sunnier with only a slight late-day storm chance (Pensacola slight chance storms ~20% near 91; Tallahassee slight chance after 5 p.m. ~20% near 92). Northeast and Volusia see a lower storm chance (Jacksonville chance storms ~30% near 88; Daytona Beach chance storms ~35% near 86). North-central and the peninsula pick up more afternoon storms (Gainesville chance storms ~50% near 90; Orlando storms likely after 2 p.m. ~70% near 89; Tampa scattered storms after 2 p.m. ~50% near 91). Southwest and Southeast keep higher chances — Fort Myers scattered storms (~50% near 89), Miami storms likely (~70% near 87), West Palm Beach storms likely (~60% near 85), Keys chance storms (~50% near 90). Heat still near the mid-80s to low 90s where storms hold off.

Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings (National Hurricane Center). Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (800 PM EDT Sun Sep 20): NHC is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Fay, several hundred miles southwest of the Azores (Advisory 6: ~34.4°N 32.7°W, NNE ~6 mph, 65 mph max sustained / 999 mb — far eastern Atlantic, not a Florida land threat; could approach hurricane intensity before weakening Monday). Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

Rip Current Report: Moderate rip-current risk Monday for Northeast Florida Atlantic (Nassau–Duval–St. Johns–Flagler; NWS JAX SRF), East-Central / Treasure Coast Atlantic including Volusia–Brevard–Indian River–St. Lucie–Martin (NWS MLB SRF), and eastern Panhandle Gulf including South Walton / Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City Beach, Coastal Franklin / Apalachicola, and south-facing Gulf / state-park beaches (NWS TAE SRF — Moderate Monday). Low Monday for Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade Atlantic and Collier Gulf (NWS MFL SRF), west-central / SW Gulf including Nature Coast through Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee (NWS TBW SRF), and Pensacola–Destin / Escambia–Santa Rosa–Okaloosa coastal (NWS MOB SRF). Swim near a lifeguard; heed beach flags.

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Sanford Family Gathering Ends in Shooting That Injures Eight Adults

Sanford police say eight adults were shot Saturday night near Poplar Avenue and West 10th Street during what investigators described as a family gathering, with officers arriving around 9:54 p.m.; two victims were listed in critical condition and the others were described as “fairly OK,” with no suspects identified and no arrests announced as of Sunday (FOX 35 Orlando; ClickOrlando). (FOX 35 Orlando)

Chief Cecil Smith said investigators were still working to understand what led someone to open fire in the street and asked anyone with information to contact Sanford police or Crimeline; Seminole County deputies assisted, and Second Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church held Sunday prayers for victims and families as Pastor Irma Taylor called for community unity (ClickOrlando; WESH). (WESH)

Tropical Storm Fay Forms Far East Atlantic; No Florida Watches

NHC advisories Sunday confirmed Tropical Storm Fay far southwest of the Azores with no coastal watches or warnings and no Florida land threat; WESH and ClickOrlando framed it as a “fish storm” that could briefly strengthen before weakening midweek (WESH; ClickOrlando). (WESH)

Tampa Police Investigate Fatal River Willow Place Shooting After Fight Call

Tampa police responded shortly after 1:15 p.m. Sunday to a reported fight in the 13000 block of River Willow Place and found one person with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead at the scene; officers said the shooter remained at the location and was cooperating, with no arrest announced and detectives still working to identify the victim and establish motive (FOX 13; WFLA). (FOX 13)

WFLA reported the Tampa Police Department was treating the case as an active investigation and planned updates as details were confirmed; no names of the deceased or the cooperating shooter were released in the Sunday statements (WFLA). (WFLA)

Dania Beach Condo Leader Presses City After Weekend Flooding Hits Meadowbrook Lakes

Heavy weekend storms again flooded streets near Meadowbrook Lakes Condominiums in Dania Beach, where condo president Tom Heyen said fast-moving cars push floodwater into buildings and called on the city to block through traffic on the road outside the complex during heavy rain until a long-promised stormwater project reaches the neighborhood (Local10). (Local10)

Heyen said April 2023 flooding ruined about 45 first-floor units at an estimated $6 million loss and kept residents out for at least seven months; Local10 also noted a car stuck Friday near Southeast Tenth Street and Second Avenue that bystanders had to push through floodwater (Local10). (Local10)

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❖ Miami-Dade: “The Magic of Miami Beach,” a free all-ages photo exhibit by Lea Nickless, is on view Monday Sep 21 (library hours 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.) at Miami Beach Regional Library (227 22nd Street) — archival photographs tracing mangroves, coral limestone, and the laborers who built the barrier island before the resort myth (MDPLS). (MDPLS)

❖ Tampa Bay: Tampa Museum of Art Gallery Chats are Monday Sep 21 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (about 5–10 minutes each) — free with museum admission; Visitor Experience Team leads casual conversations on the permanent collection and current exhibitions at 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza (Tampa Museum of Art). (Tampa Museum of Art)

❖ Orlando: Basic Photography Concepts is Monday Sep 21, 10:30 a.m.–noon, at Orlando Public Library Photo Studio (Second Floor, 101 E. Central Blvd.) — free beginner class on the exposure triangle, DSLR modes, and manual practice (Orange County Library System). (OCLS)

❖ Jacksonville: Make Something Monday is Monday Sep 21, 4:30–5:30 p.m., free at Jacksonville Public Library Bradham and Brooks Branch — family-friendly arts-and-crafts for tweens and school-age kids; materials provided, no registration required (JPL). (JPL)

❖ Broward: Socrates Cafe is Monday Sep 21, 1:30–2:30 p.m., free at Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library (3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale/Davie) — open philosophical discussion for adults; no expert knowledge required (Broward County Library / NSU). (Broward County Library)

❖ Palm Beach: Mindful Moments at the Norton is Monday Sep 21, noon–1 p.m., at Norton Museum of Art (1450 S. Dixie Highway) — guided mindfulness + slow-looking with a work of art led by Jodi Sypher, MS Ed.; museum admission required / members free; online registration recommended (Norton Museum of Art). (Norton Museum of Art)

❖ Gulf Coast: The Ringling Free Monday: Museum of Art, Bayfront Gardens, and Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion are free to the public every Monday (10 a.m.–5 p.m.); register in the Visitors Pavilion on arrival (advance free tickets not available); regular admission still applies for Circus Museum and Ca’ d’Zan (The Ringling). (The Ringling)

❖ North Florida: “Cuba: A Journey Through History and Culture” is listed Monday Sep 21, 6 p.m., at LeRoy Collins Leon County Main Library — free community culture/history program (VenuNite / Leon County Library listings). (VenuNite)

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❖ Statewide: Democrat David Jolly said Sunday he will not face Republican Byron Donalds in televised debates before the Nov 3 election, arguing debates would “stoke division” and that Donalds acted in “bad faith” after months of ads Jolly called false; Florida GOP Chair Evan Power said Donalds had accepted three televised forums — Spectrum News / Florida A&M in Tallahassee Sep 29, News4Jax Oct 13, and Telemundo / NBC 6 in South Florida Oct 22 — and urged hosts to proceed with or without Jolly, calling it potentially Florida’s first gubernatorial race without a debate since 1974 (WCJB; TampaFP). (WCJB)

❖ Statewide: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order temporarily pausing the scheduled Oct 13 execution of William Lee Thompson, 74, convicted in the North Miami Beach murder of Sally Ivester more than 50 years ago, and appointed three psychiatrists to examine whether dementia leaves Thompson unable to understand the death penalty; the same NSF/WUSF package notes William Reaves remains set for lethal injection Oct 20 for the 1986 killing of Indian River Deputy Richard Raczkowski, and Reaves’ counsel moved for a stay tied to the Thompson litigation (WUSF / News Service of Florida). (WUSF)

❖ Seminole County: Seminole County officials told commissioners a homestead-exemption expansion under Amendment 3 could cost about $119 million in recurring revenue against a property-tax base of roughly $562 million, with public safety about 72% of that funding; Sheriff Dennis Lemma warned of a possible ~$41 million / ~20% hit and up to 300 patrol positions lost, while Fire Chief Matt Kinley projected more than $33 million / ~23% cuts, hiring freezes, and delayed capital projects if voters clear the 60% threshold Nov 3 (ClickOrlando). (ClickOrlando)

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❖ Daytona Beach: White Castle will open its newest Central Florida restaurant Tuesday Sep 22 at 1944 LPGA Boulevard in Daytona Beach with a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting; the 3,430-square-foot freestanding store will have indoor and outdoor seating, two drive-thru lanes using “hospitality doors,” and more than 60 jobs, becoming the chain’s fourth Florida freestanding location after Orlando, Clermont, and Kissimmee, with a fifth planned for St. Augustine (FOX 35 Orlando). (FOX 35 Orlando)

❖ Port Canaveral: Port Canaveral’s official release says construction is under way on a $95 million expansion and renovation of Cruise Terminal 10, designed by Bermello Ajamil and built by PCL Construction of Orlando, enlarging the terminal to more than 145,000 square feet (~30% larger) with expanded security and luggage areas, new elevators/escalators, and a glass façade; completion is targeted for November 2027 to handle ships carrying up to about 7,000 passengers as part of the nearly $1 billion Port Canaveral Advantage capital program (Port Canaveral). (Port Canaveral)

❖ Central Florida: Florida Real Estate Wire reported Sunday that Denver-based Speed Bay Warehouse Solutions completed a $113 million acquisition of industrial / warehouse properties in the Ocoee and Apopka areas northwest of Orlando, expanding the firm’s Central Florida logistics footprint amid continued investor demand for warehouse space near the metro’s transportation network (Florida Real Estate Wire). (Florida Real Estate Wire)

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Florida Holds Off Auburn 44–39 in SEC Opener at Jordan-Hare

Jadan Baugh ran for big yards and multiple scores and Aaron Philo threw for nearly 200 yards as Florida beat Auburn 44–39 Saturday night at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium in the Gators’ SEC opener — Florida led 20–17 at half and 34–24 after three before holding off a late Tigers push; Byrum Brown threw for Auburn’s late scores as UF improved to 3–0 (1–0 SEC) (ESPN / floridagators.com). (ESPN)

Browns Rally Past Buccaneers 23–19 After Lightning Delay

Deshaun Watson threw two touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 17-yard strike to Blake Whiteheart with 3:51 left, as Cleveland beat Tampa Bay 23–19 Sunday at Raymond James Stadium after a 2-hour, 12-minute lightning delay; Watson also hit Denzel Boston for a 55-yard TD to tie it late in the third, and Baker Mayfield’s fourth-down end-zone try fell incomplete as the Bucs fell to 0–2 (ESPN). (ESPN)

Rays Stifle Red Sox 5–1, Close In on AL East Title

Griffin Jax tossed five shutout innings and Tampa Bay scored four in the first as the Rays beat Boston 5–1 Sunday at Tropicana Field, finishing an 8–1 final homestand and improving to 95–60; the AL East leaders can clinch during Tuesday’s doubleheader at the Yankees (ESPN / Reuters). (ESPN)

Scoreboard

Browns 23, Buccaneers 19 (Sun — Raymond James; Watson 2 TD; lightning delay — ESPN)

Rays 5, Red Sox 1 (Sun — Tropicana; Jax 5 shutout IP; 8–1 homestand — ESPN)

Padres 7, Marlins 3 (Sun — Petco; Cronenworth 2 HRs; Padres sweep — ESPN)

Schedule

Rays at Yankees — Tuesday doubleheader (AL East clinch window)

Marlins — next series after Padres sweep at Petco

Buccaneers — Week 3 slate after 0–2 start

Jaguars / Dolphins — Week 3 after Sunday’s road games

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Florida regular averaged $4.2954 a gallon Sunday (AAA current as of filing) — down about 2.2 cents from Saturday ($4.3171) and up about 15.2 cents from a week ago ($4.1434), and still about 18.1 cents under the national $4.4761. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive named metro at $4.4455; Panama City is cheapest at $4.0389 (Crestview–Fort Walton Beach $4.0480; Pensacola $4.0507). (AAA)

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❖ Flagler: Flagler County Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Team 312 joined Volusia County TRT 533 Wednesday to free two horses trapped in deep mud inside the Dexter-Mary Farms Wildlife Management Area, using specialized large-animal rescue gear; both horses were extricated and evaluated, Chief Michael Tucker said, with Captain Karl Froling among the Flagler responders (FlaglerLive). (FlaglerLive)

❖ Jacksonville: Organizers Reginald Gaffney Sr. and Jacksonville City Council member Reggie Gaffney Jr. hosted a free uniform giveaway Saturday that drew more than 500 students and family members from Raines High, Ribault Middle and High, Andrew Jackson High, and Lake Shore Middle; parents filled bags with shirts, pants, and jackets at no cost, with plans to reach more schools later (News4Jax). (News4Jax)

❖ Central Florida: Puppy Rescue Flights said volunteer pilots moved five puppies from Alabama to Enterprise Municipal Airport, then on to Apopka, where Central Florida rescue partners took custody; the nonprofit covers aviation fuel while pilots and donors enable the “Leave no pup behind” missions (ClickOrlando). (ClickOrlando)

❖ Tampa: Organizer Allyson Lopez (mother of seven) staged Tampa’s first Family Vibes Baby Expo over the weekend so families could learn infant CPR, car-seat fitting, sleep coaching, and postpartum resources under one roof; she said another expo is planned for St. Petersburg in May and a return to Tampa next September (WFLA). (WFLA)

❖ Hillsborough: A kitten stranded on I-275 that Hillsborough deputies and an FHP trooper rescued — bodycam showed the kitten darting from rescuers before being secured — has been adopted by the responding deputy’s family and named Dash (TampaFP; CBS12 twin). (Tampa Free Press)

❖ Coral Springs: A kitten rescued from a platform truck during Coral Springs’ September 11 memorial ceremony was adopted by school staffer Carolyn McGuire and named Hero; local reporting said the kitten was healthy and settling into its new home (Coral Springs News). (Coral Springs News)

Today’s Quote

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

— C.S. Lewis

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waxing Gibbous (three days after First Quarter 4:44 p.m. ET Fri Sep 18); about 70% illuminated (wttr Orlando ~70% for Sep 21). Next Full Moon (Harvest Moon): Sat Sep 26 (12:50 p.m. ET).

Sunrise / sunset (Monday Sep 21; Orlando, EDT — times vary across the state; most of Florida is Eastern; Pensacola is Central): 7:12 a.m. / 7:24 p.m..

Gardening: Mid-to-late 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. (UF/IFAS Vegetable Gardening Guide / regional calendars)

Coastal note: FWC written statewide red-tide status dated September 18, 2026 (next written report due Fri Sep 25). Karenia brevis was observed at background concentrations in one Southwest Florida sample (Sarasota County) over the past week; not observed in Northwest Florida or along the East Coast. No red-tide–related fish kills or respiratory irritation reported. Prior Northeast Florida bloom samples were Karenia papilionacea (not K. brevis). Pair beach plans with the rip-current map in the weather strip. (FWC red tide)

Florida by the Numbers

Florida recorded 25 million cruise passenger trips in 2025, according to the Florida Department of Transportation’s Transportation Fast Facts (updated February 2026). (FDOT)

Today’s Poll

After a Sanford family gathering honoring a crash victim ended with eight adults shot and no suspects in custody, should Florida expand how Crimeline rewards and tip lines are funded after mass shootings?

Yesterday’s Results

After a Clay County custody-exchange shootout sent rounds into homes with a child inside, should Florida tighten how custody handoffs are supervised?

Yes — require supervised exchange centers statewide for high-conflict cases 44% · Leave it to local courts and existing parenting plans 31% · Focus on firearm restrictions for people under protective orders first 25%