The morning edition

An FAA ground stop snarls Florida flights, dengue cases reach 624, and flu activity climbs across the state

Saturday, November 14, 2026

Saturday, November 14, 2026

Good Morning! On the night of Nov. 14, 1955, more than 200 residents of Longboat Key, the Gulf barrier island split between Sarasota and Manatee counties, packed a fire station and voted 186 to 13 to incorporate as a town. They then elected Will LePage as the first mayor of the new Town of Longboat Key, home at the time to roughly 215 people.

In This Issue: A nationwide FAA ground stop snarled Florida flights Friday, with cancellations spilling into Saturday, Florida's dengue count jumped by 100 in a week to 624 as the Tampa Bay outbreak persists, and flu activity is climbing statewide, led by the H1N1 strain.

Weather: Saturday brings plenty of sun and the coldest air of the season so far, with highs in the low 60s north to the upper 70s in the Keys. Frost Advisories are in effect early Saturday morning for Holmes and northern Walton counties, and for inland Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. The St. Johns River near Cocoa remains at major flood and is forecast to crest at 17.2 feet this weekend; moderate flooding continues above Lake Harney. Never drive into flooded roads. (NWS)

Tropical: The National Hurricane Center does not expect any tropical cyclones to form in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf over the next seven days. Hurricane season ends Nov. 30. (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: The rip current risk is high Saturday on Charlotte and Lee County beaches, and on Gulf County's west-facing and state park beaches. The risk is moderate from Nassau through St. Johns, with surf of 3 to 4 feet, on Volusia through Martin County beaches, on Walton, Bay and Franklin County beaches, on Gulf County's south-facing beaches, in Collier County, and on Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota County beaches. The risk is low in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade, from Pensacola through Okaloosa, and from Levy County to Pasco County. (NWS)

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Nationwide FAA Ground Stop Strands Florida Travelers for Hours, With Saturday Cancellations Already Piling Up

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop for all airports Friday afternoon, including Palm Beach County's Trump International, over a communications issue that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said affected all 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers, which handle all flights above 18,000 feet; Friday night, Duffy described the need to keep upgrading an air traffic control system that still includes some technology from the 1980s. The stop was lifted at 8:15 p.m., but many airlines had already called off flights for the rest of the night, more than 1,200 flights for Saturday had been canceled, and Trump International had 91 delays and 31 cancellations as of 8 p.m., according to FlightAware, while WPBF counted 470 delays and 134 cancellations at Miami International and 348 delays and 72 cancellations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood.

Orlando International Airport said it expected about 90 flight cancellations Saturday, a number that could change as airlines resume normal operations, and urged travelers not to come to the airport until their airline confirms the flight is departing. Visit Orlando has partnered with Rosen Hotels and Resorts and Hilton Orlando on discounted rooms for stranded passengers; Rosen requires proof of a ticket on an affected flight, while Hilton Orlando is offering a special distressed-traveler rate.

UPDATE: Florida Dengue Cases Jump by 100 in a Week to 624 as the Tampa Bay Outbreak Persists

The Florida Department of Health's weekly update shows 100 new locally acquired dengue cases for Nov. 1–7, bringing the state total since the outbreak began in July to 624, and Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties accounted for 92 of the new cases; Hillsborough added 61 for a total of 468 after just 22 the week before, and Pinellas added 29, its biggest weekly count this year, for 109. The department said the number of new cases under investigation has decreased in recent weeks, while Hillsborough extended its local state of emergency through Nov. 19, with the county's order saying areas of concern now cover more than half the county and are continuing to spread.

Tampa Bay accounts for nearly 95% of the state's infections, and mosquito control has already cost Hillsborough about $6 million this year; officials also reported increased West Nile virus activity in Pinellas County's sentinel chicken flocks, which they called an early warning for potential human transmission. Health leaders say the best protection is avoiding bites by wearing repellent and protective clothing and draining standing water around the home.

Flu Activity Rises Across Florida, With the 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Strain Leading

Flu activity increased across Florida during the week of Nov. 1–7, the Florida Department of Health said, with influenza A H1N1, the 2009 pandemic strain commonly called swine flu, listed as the state's predominant strain; both flu test positivity and emergency department visits for flu were up compared with their averages over the previous three weeks, visits for flu-like illness also rose, and the report listed no new outbreaks. The state recommends that people at higher risk, including children younger than 2, adults 65 and older, pregnant people and those with underlying conditions, contact a health care provider promptly, with antiviral treatment ideally started within 48 hours of symptoms.

Florida's latest Walgreens Flu Index score is 6.35 on a 10-point scale, compared with 3.6 nationally, the third-worst state score in the country behind only Washington and Hawaii. University of Florida professor Benjamin Anderson tied the spike to cooler weather and more face-to-face contact, noting that flu usually peaks in late December to early January, and urged Floridians to get vaccinated with temperatures expected to drop into the 40s.

Everglades Restoration Is Moving Faster Than Ever, but Scientists Say Water Quality Still Isn't Meeting the Mark

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report published last month says Everglades restoration has sped up substantially over the past two years with better federal-state collaboration and record funding: seven projects are complete, including reservoirs east and west of Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir is due in 2029, and dry-season flows have improved in Everglades National Park and Shark River Slough.

But a new water-quality standard for nutrient pollution from farms south of the lake has not been met based on data through water year 2025, and it must be met for at least five years before the EAA reservoir can run at full capacity; the scientists warned "aggressive and possibly contentious new actions" may be needed and raised concerns about the loss of federal staff who handle endangered-species protections, such as for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow.

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❖ Miami-Dade — Faena Residences Breaks Ground on 68-Story Twin Towers Along the Miami River: Miami: Fortune International Group, KAR Properties and Faena have broken ground on Faena Residences Miami, a pair of 68-story towers planned to rise about 800 feet at 24 SW 4th Street along the Miami River, Florida YIMBY reports. The 434-condo project, designed by the late Rafael Viñoly, is backed by an $817 million construction loan described as the largest condominium construction financing in Florida history, with completion expected in 2030.

❖ Tampa Bay — Brandon Hospital Plans a Seventh Freestanding ER Near FishHawk: Brandon: HCA Florida Brandon Hospital plans to open its seventh freestanding emergency department in January 2027 on Boyette Road near the FishHawk and Riverview line, ABC Action News reports. The 479-bed hospital, which is preparing to mark its 50th anniversary in 2027, already operates six freestanding ERs around Tampa Bay.

❖ Orlando — GOAA Targets 8,000 Parking Spaces and Two Garages at Orlando International by 2030: Orlando: The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is targeting 8,000 public parking spaces by 2030, including an expanded Terminal A garage and a new Terminal C garage at Orlando International Airport, ClickOrlando reports. GOAA CEO Lance Lyttle said the work, which also includes rental-car improvements, new gates added over the past year and a pedestrian bridge from Terminal C to the train station, is meant to keep pace with Central Florida's growth.

❖ Jacksonville — Hastings Community Center and Library Opens in a New Building: Hastings: The new Hastings Community Center and Library at 401 N. Main St. opened to the public Friday after moving out of the former Hastings High School, Jacksonville Today reports. Library Branch Manager Brad Powell, who has run the branch for 16 years, said the new building includes a children's room and meeting areas, and St. Johns County has just six library branches for about 350,000 residents.

❖ Broward — Chubby Boy Rolls' Giant Cinnamon Rolls Keep Selling Out: Wilton Manors: Chubby Boy Rolls, the microbakery Anthony Perez and Sean Kotowich started in December 2025 out of a car trunk, now sells 120 to 150 oversized cinnamon rolls per drop for pickup in Wilton Manors, Miami New Times reports. The couple also runs occasional pop-ups and limits customers to three rolls per order.

❖ Treasure Coast — Rio Marine Village Breaks Ground on 16 Acres Along the St. Lucie River: Rio: Developers and residents broke ground Thursday on Rio Marine Village, a 16-acre project along the St. Lucie River planned to include eight multifamily buildings, a townhome building, a restaurant, a marina clubhouse and public waterfront access, WPBF reports. The site has sat vacant since Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne destroyed a hotel, restaurant and marina there in 2004; developer Charles Modica said the project, approved in 2025, is meant to reopen the waterfront to residents.

❖ Gulf Coast — 280-Unit Altera Jacaranda Opens in Venice: Venice: Wood Partners has opened Altera Jacaranda, a 280-unit garden apartment community in five four-story buildings at 2305 Frederick Drive in Venice, Florida YIMBY reports. Greystar is managing the property, which has welcomed its first residents, and a ribbon-cutting is set for Nov. 18.

❖ North Florida — Tallahassee's Arion Apartments Face a Water Shutoff Over $109,000 in Unpaid Bills: Tallahassee: Residents at the Arion Apartments on Blair Stone Road have found flyers warning that water service could be shut off this week after the complex's utility bill went unpaid, WCTV reports. A City of Tallahassee spokesperson said the account is more than $109,000 delinquent and that the city is in contact with the complex's 35 tenants about their options.

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❖ Uthmeier Calls 2018 Post-Parkland Bump-Stock Ban Unconstitutional, Will Not Defend Convictions — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Friday issued a legal opinion declaring the state's 2018 ban on bump stocks, enacted as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, and said his office will not defend a conviction under the statute going forward. The opinion does not eliminate the law; Uthmeier wrote that the statute appears to restrict trigger enhancements used for lawful purposes and subjects people to five years in prison.

❖ St. Petersburg Projects a $33 Million Property-Tax Loss in 2028 Under Amendment 3 — St. Petersburg estimates it will lose approximately $33 million in property tax revenue in fiscal year 2028 after the passage of Amendment 3, and nearly double that figure in 2029. St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership CEO Jason Mathis said projects such as the Historic Gas Plant could offset some of the projected losses.

❖ Seminole County Fire Department Cancels High School Recruitment Events After Amendment 3 — The Seminole County Fire Department has canceled recruitment outreach events scheduled at local high schools later this month as it waits to see what impacts it could face after the passage of Amendment 3. The department has more than 500 firefighters across more than a dozen stations, 60-70% of its recruits come from Seminole County, and Fire Chief Matt Kinley said it is fully staffed for now, with only two positions already open before a hiring freeze, and that the public should not see an effect on emergency response.

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❖ UPDATE: Owner Says Jannus Live Is Not for Sale; $11.5 Million Listing Is the Adjacent Building — Friday's item said the downtown St. Petersburg building that houses Jannus Live was listed for $11.5 million. The courtyard owner now says the venue is not for sale. Tony Amico, who owns the 11,000-square-foot space where concerts have been staged since 1984, told the St. Pete Catalyst the listing was in error. The $11.5 million listing is the adjacent two-story building at 200 1st Avenue N., posted by Jannus Landing Retail Building LLC, and does not include the standing-room concert space at the same address. Friday's item also said Knight Global Entertainment had owned the venue since 2010; Knight Global has managed the courtyard concerts since 2010 under a lease from Amico, and that contract ends in December. Amico said he has numerous inquiries about taking over, and the name may revert to Jannus Landing.

❖ Analysis: TECO Customers Paid Over $400 Million, Duke Florida Over $1 Billion After Storms — A Climate Action Campaign review, reported Friday by WLRN, found at least 23 utilities in 18 states are raising customer bills to recover extreme-weather damage or harden the grid. The campaign said 18 of those utilities, including Tampa Electric, Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy, don't have sufficient clean energy goals. TECO customers paid over $400 million for damage the utility sustained from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and Duke Energy Florida customers paid over $1 billion to recover from 2024 storms, including Debby, the report said. A campaign spokeswoman said people paying the increases are not responsible for worsening weather.

❖ Parker's Kitchen Opens Its First Florida Store in Yulee — Savannah-based convenience store and gas station chain Parker's Kitchen opened its first Florida location Wednesday in Yulee, at 75970 William Burgess Blvd. near Interstate 95 and Highway 200, its 118th store overall. The opening caps the company's 50th anniversary year; it was founded in Midway, Ga., in 1976 and is headquartered in Savannah. The Yulee store offers fuel, indoor dining, electronic ordering kiosks and a hot bar for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Before the opening, the closest Parker's stores were in Kingsland and Brunswick, Ga. The company said it plans to open additional stores across north Florida in 2027.

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Panthers Erase a 4-1 Deficit, Beat Detroit 5-4 on Lundell's Winner

Anton Lundell scored his second goal of the night off a highlight-reel pass from Brady Tkachuk with 2:40 left to cap a rally from three goals down, and the Florida Panthers pulled off their biggest comeback of the season to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on Thursday night in Sunrise. Detroit led 4-1 with less than 30 seconds left in the second period. Gustav Forsling scored with 18 seconds left in the second to get Florida within two, Lundell connected 2:32 into the third to make it 4-3, Lars Eller tied it with 3:31 remaining, and Lundell got the winner less than a minute later. Sam Reinhart also scored, and Carter Verhaeghe had three assists. Reinhart's goal at 3:52 of the first — his 200th with the Panthers — had given Florida a 1-0 lead before Detroit scored the next four. Andreas Englund got his first goal in more than two years, Marco Kasper scored his first of the season, and Lucas Raymond and J.T. Compher also scored for the Red Wings, who have lost five straight. The Panthers entered Thursday as the only NHL team without a point against a divisional opponent and are now 1-4-0 against Atlantic Division rivals. They visit St. Louis on Saturday.

Hagel Scores Twice as the Lightning Beat Columbus 3-1 for a Fifth Win in Six Games

Brandon Hagel had two goals and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Thursday for their second victory in two nights and fifth in their last six games. Jake Guentzel scored in his 700th NHL game and added an assist, and Nikita Kucherov had two assists a night after a natural hat trick in Buffalo. Dennis Hildeby stopped 28 shots and joined Sean Burke as the only goalies in Lightning history with at least one standings point in each of their first five starts with the team. Hagel opened the scoring at 2:57 of the first period. Matthew Knies tied it with a power-play goal with 7:40 left in the first, his first goal since opening night, ending a 15-game drought. A Hagel goal with 4:42 left in the second was waved off for a high stick. Guentzel put Tampa Bay ahead for good at 1:06 of the third, and Hagel added the insurance goal at 7:41, his fifth in three games. Kucherov's first-period assist was his 16th against Columbus since Feb. 10, 2024, and extended his points streak against the Blue Jackets to eight games. Jet Greaves stopped 25 shots for Columbus, which has lost three straight. Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan left with an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return. The Lightning host Detroit on Saturday.

Jaguars Will Hold Out Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III at Tennessee

The Jacksonville Jaguars are holding newly acquired defensive tackle Jordan Davis and safety Jessie Bates III out of Sunday's game at Tennessee because the two have not yet had a bye week, ESPN reported, citing coach Liam Coen on Friday. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, also acquired in a trade Monday, will play because he has had a bye. “Want to be able to make sure that we're in a player safety [mode], putting them in a position to succeed, also learn the system and just give those guys a week to be able to do that,” Coen said. “We've been talking about it, working through it as the week goes and made the decision to ultimately do it today.” Coen also said running back Bhayshul Tuten, who did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, would practice Friday and will play against the Titans. Philadelphia, which traded Davis to Jacksonville, has its bye this week; Atlanta, which traded Bates, has a bye in Week 11; New Orleans, which traded Godchaux, had its bye in Week 8.

Scoreboard

Orlando Magic 107, Milwaukee Bucks 99 — FINAL

Miami Heat 133, Cleveland Cavaliers 121 — FINAL

Schedule (all times ET)

Sat Nov 14 — Duke at Miami, 12pm EST — ABC

Sat Nov 14 — Arizona State at UCF, 5:30pm EST — ESPNU

Sat Nov 14 — Florida at Kentucky, 6:15pm EST — ESPN

Sat Nov 14 — Panthers at Blues, 7pm EST — Scripps Sports

Sat Nov 14 — Red Wings at Lightning, 7pm EST — ESPN+

Sat Nov 14 — Pistons at Heat, 8pm EST — NBA TV

Sun Nov 15 — Dolphins at Colts, 1pm EST — CBS

Sun Nov 15 — Jaguars at Titans, 1pm EST — Fox

Sun Nov 15 — Panthers at Stars, 8pm EST — NHL Net

More Scores: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAF

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Florida's average for regular is $3.68 a gallon, AAA says, a four-month low, down about 4 cents from yesterday ($3.71) and about 16 cents below a week ago ($3.84). That's about 20 cents under the national average of $3.87. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at about $3.87; Pensacola is the cheapest at about $3.35.

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❖ DeLand's WWII Tugboat Tiger Docks Within 600 Feet of Where It Was Built: The Tiger, a 140-ton tugboat built on Lake Beresford in 1944 by about 500 workers, is docked again on the same lake, within 600 feet of its original build site, after nearly 80 years overseas supporting the Allied effort in Europe; volunteers brought it back from Sweden in 2022 and moved it from the St. Johns River to Lake Beresford last week. DeLand historian Dan Friend and the DeLand Historic Trust want to turn it into a memorial museum to World War II tugboats, but first need to raise $500,000 to buy land and get the boat out of the water before it sinks. Friend says the crew did manage to keep the tug's original engine aboard.

❖ Biscayne Bay's Raccoon Island, a 15-Acre Spoil Island Run by Raccoons: In the far northern reach of Biscayne Bay sits a 15-acre spoil island built from dredged sediment in the 1970s, first called Sandspur Island, then Beercan Island, and now known as Raccoon Island for the colony of friendly raccoons that tour guides estimate at about 40. Visitors reach it mostly by kayak on guided trips such as a $93 tour from SoFlo Water Adventures, whose Angely Bernard says no publication had written about the island before New Times visited in June 2025. Biologist William H. Kern cautions that feeding the raccoons is illegal and that one bite or an introduced disease could put the whole colony at risk.

❖ After 167 Days in the NICU, a Jacksonville 3-Year-Old Finds a Place to Play: Zachariah, now 3, was born at 27 weeks after his mother's water broke 16 weeks into her pregnancy, then spent 167 days in neonatal intensive care and needed a tracheostomy to breathe. At 5 months his family connected with Community PēdsCare, Community Hospice & Palliative Care's pediatric program, whose social worker Danielle McMenamy linked him to physical and feeding therapy; he now needs fewer home visits and moved to the program's KITES follow-up service in March. At Jacksonville's Dorion Family Pediatric Center he plays the drums and heads for the book room, and his mom, Kiki Bradford, says, "He feels like he is right at home."

❖ Treasure Village Montessori's Graduating Class Gifts a 12-by-24-Foot Sea Mural: After a year and a half of planning, Treasure Village Montessori in the Upper Keys has a 12-foot by 24-foot marine mural at its student pick-up area, the class of 2025's traditional eighth-grade thank-you gift to the school. Students drew up the ideas and Islamorada artist Roberto "Pasta" Pantaleo, whose son attended the school 20 years ago, freehand-drew the centerpiece sea dragon, the school mascot; parents and art teacher Diana McGuirk helped paint, and after the base coat went on Sept. 29 it rained five days straight before Pasta finished the seascape in six days. Principal April Smith hopes to hold a contest to name the sea dragon.

❖ NASA Chief Jared Isaacman Tells UCF Students They Could Help Build a Moon Base: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told UCF students Friday at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center that NASA is going back to the moon for a lasting presence, "not just going for the flags and footprints," building toward a lunar base through repeated robotic missions, starting with an uncrewed lander and the FLIP rover expected in January. He told the crowd, which included Space Force cadets and mascot Knightro, that the effort will need engineers, scientists, technicians, operators and astronauts, and urged students to pursue NASA internships and commercial space jobs. UCF says its graduates make up 29% of Kennedy Space Center's workforce.

❖ Nokomis Baby Theo Thriving After In-Womb Spina Bifida Surgery: When a routine 20-week ultrasound found their unborn son had spina bifida, Nokomis parents Lauren and Sean Hearn flew to Texas Children's Hospital, where surgeons including Dr. Michael Belfort and Dr. William Whitehead closed the baby's spinal lesion in a five-hour fetoscopic operation while he was still in the womb. Belfort says operating before birth can halve the number of children who need a shunt and double the number who walk unaided. Theo was born nearly two months ago at home in Florida, and his mom says he is "doing amazing" alongside his 2-year-old sister, Olivia.

Today’s Quote

“In Florida, Saturday morning is when somebody already has the jumper cables in hand, and the car that wouldn't start still makes it to the errands.”

— original / Front Porch

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waxing crescent, 25% lit.

Sunrise / Sunset: Orlando sunrise 6:47 a.m., sunset 5:32 p.m. EST, 10h 45m of daylight. Times are Eastern Standard (Pensacola and the western Panhandle are on Central time); times vary across the state.

Gardening Notes: Microgreens are a kitchen-window crop for Florida, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says: they're young greens harvested about 2 inches tall, just as the first true leaves appear, snipped above the soil so you eat the stems and leaves. Sow them thickly in a shallow, sterile mix, keep the tray covered in the dark for four or five days, then move it to a sunny south window; fast growers include radish, kale, mustard and cabbage. Cut them in the morning or at night; they keep about five or six days in the fridge.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC's Nov. 13 report finds red tide at bloom concentrations in four samples from Bay and Gulf counties, with the organism in 20 Northwest Florida samples and at background levels in three Southwest Florida samples. Several fish kills were reported in Bay and Gulf counties; no respiratory irritation was reported.

Florida by the Numbers

1,636,669: licensed health care practitioners in Florida as of June 30, 2026, a record, according to the Florida Department of Health's Division of Medical Quality Assurance annual report for fiscal year 2025-26. That's up 205,606, or 15.5%, from fiscal year 2021-22.