The morning edition

Florida confirms DAVID breach via Plant City login. Cabinet OKs terror-group rule. State lists $417M in unpaid immigration invoices.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Good Morning! On September 12, 1976, the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their first regular-season NFL game — a 20–0 loss to the Houston Oilers at the Astrodome before 42,228 fans; Steve Spurrier threw for 90 yards in the debut. (Pro Football Reference)

On September 12, 1966, WUSF-TV went on the air from the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. USF students were the first viewers; weekday distance-learning filled the early schedule, weekend programming arrived in the 1970s, and a Riverview transmitter later carried the West Central Florida PBS signal across seven counties. (WUSF)

In This Issue: Florida confirms the DAVID breach via a Plant City login, the Cabinet OKs a terror-group designation rule, and the state lists $417M in unpaid immigration invoices.

Weather: Hot Saturday with scattered to numerous afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms statewide. Tallahassee and Gainesville start with patchy fog; storm chances run highest inland north (~60–80% PoP) and across South Florida (~60–70%). Highs upper 80s to low 90s; heat index near 100–108 in spots (highest SE).

Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings (National Hurricane Center). Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (800 PM EDT Fri Sep 11): 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 Saturday for Northeast Florida Atlantic (NWS JAX), the Space Coast / Volusia Atlantic (NWS MLB), and eastern Panhandle / Big Bend Gulf (NWS TAE). Low for west-central / SW Gulf including Tampa Bay through Fort Myers (NWS TBW), Southeast Florida Atlantic Palm Beach–Broward–Miami-Dade (NWS MFL Saturday SRF), and Pensacola–Destin (NWS MOB). Swim near a lifeguard; heed beach flags.

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Florida Confirms DAVID Breach Via Plant City Police Login

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Friday an international cybercriminal organization accessed its systems after exploiting credentials for a single Plant City Police Department user that were improperly stored on a personal device; the agency said it learned of the breach Sep 4, mitigated it quickly, and that “no further breach is ongoing” (Fox 49).

FLHSMV notified the Attorney General under 501.171, F.S., and is partnering with the Florida Digital Service and FDLE; NBC News noted the Friday statement landed on the same day ShinyHunters had set as a contact-or-leak deadline for claimed DAVID records (agency has not confirmed volume stolen) (NBC News).

Cabinet OKs Rule to Designate Groups as Terror Organizations

In a meeting that lasted under two minutes on the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved a rule letting FDLE’s chief of domestic security notify the governor and Cabinet before designating organizations as domestic or foreign terrorist groups under HB 1471 (WLRN).

The framework clears a path toward designations DeSantis flagged for CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa; designations would take effect 30 days after Florida Administrative Register publication, with seven days for written objections — ACLU/CAIR suits are already pending (WLRN).

State Reports 592 Unpaid Immigration Invoices Worth $417M

The Division of Emergency Management on Friday filed a long-delayed report — due mid-July — showing 592 unpaid invoices totaling $417 million from last fiscal year’s immigration operations, hours before lawmakers considered more disaster/immigration money, the Tampa Bay Times reported (free ArcaMax republish) (ArcaMax).

The Legislative Budget Commission approved about $8 million for National Guard pay at Deportation Depot plus $187 million for DEM (mostly unpaid bills) and $62 million for other emergencies; DEM projected a worst-case $1.5 billion Emergency Preparedness fund deficit if major storms hit (ArcaMax).

Orlando Packs 210,000 Meals on 9/11 Day of Service

About 600 volunteers from 40 Central Florida companies packed 210,000 non-perishable meals Friday at the Central Florida Fairgrounds for Second Harvest Food Bank — Orlando’s first year in the national 9/11 Day Meal Pack (ClickOrlando).

WESH reported the same 210,000 / 600-volunteer totals and noted Second Harvest’s post-9/11 tourism-worker response history; one in seven Central Floridians faces hunger, Second Harvest says (WESH).

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❖ Coral Gables: Coral Gables Museum Market on the Plaza is Saturday Sep 12, 8 a.m., at 285 Aragon Ave. — outdoor plaza market beside the museum (VenUnite).

❖ Carrollwood: Carrollwood Market returns Saturday Sep 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., at Carrollwood Cultural Center (4537 Lowell Rd.) — 70+ vendors of produce, plants, eggs, meats, baked goods, artisan goods, and local art with live music; free, dog-friendly (Tampa Bay Markets).

❖ Winter Park: Electric Ave — Winter Park’s 5th annual Sustainability Fair & EV Car Show — is Saturday Sep 26, 9–11 a.m., along Park Avenue / Central Park with 45+ electric vehicles beside the farmers market; free (Drive Electric Month).

❖ Jacksonville: Voces y Caras: Latinx Communities of North Florida runs through Sep 20 at MOCA Jacksonville (333 N. Laura St.) — Cuban-American artist Ricder Ricardo and a 14-year UNF oral-history project; VyStar Free Saturdays (11 a.m.–5 p.m.) cover Sep 13 and 19 (MOCA Jacksonville).

❖ Miramar: Inaugural Miramar ArtSCAPE Farmers Market is Saturday Sep 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., at Miramar Cultural Center (2400 Civic Center Place) — produce, handmade goods, street food, and live music around Artscape Lake (Miramar Cultural Center).

❖ West Palm Beach: West Palm Beach Fall Harvest Craft Fair is Sat–Sun Sep 12–13, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Expo Center / South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd) — artists, crafters, fall décor, food and beverages (Fairs and Festivals).

❖ Sarasota: Newtown Farmers Market is Saturday Sep 12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., free at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park (2523 Cocoanut Ave.) — local produce and small-business vendors (Eat Play SWFL).

❖ Tallahassee: Theatre Tallahassee opens “Come From Away,” commemorating the 38 planes diverted to Gander on 9/11, as capital-city remembrance programming tied to the 25th anniversary (WCTV).

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❖ Florida: Public comment on the Florida Department of Health proposal to drop school/daycare mandates for hepatitis B, varicella, Hib, and pneumococcal vaccines runs through Sep 14 (vaccinerule@flhealth.gov); WLRN reported pediatricians describing rising hesitancy and burnout as the rule advances under Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo (WLRN).

❖ Florida: Florida Realtors’ Vote Yes on 3 committee put $10 million behind the November homestead-exemption hike ($150,000 in 2027 / $250,000 in 2028 for non-school levies) and launched a public campaign, while Vote No on 3 and local officials warn of multi-billion local revenue cuts (WUSF).

❖ Florida: Economic development groups including the Florida Economic Development Council and Opportunity Florida are sounding alarms against Amendment 3, arguing deep local property-tax cuts would hit infrastructure and jobs pipelines that recruit employers (Florida Politics).

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❖ Orlando: Frontier Airlines announced first-ever South America service from Orlando International — nonstops to Bogotá (from Dec 14, fares from $99*), Medellín (daily from Dec 10, from $169*), and Cartagena (weekly from Dec 19, from $129*), subject to government approval, with intro fares for select Jan–Apr 2027 dates purchased by Sep 16 (Frontier).

❖ Central Florida: AAA warned Central Florida drivers not to run tanks near empty as regional pump prices climb and could rise again next week amid global oil disruption — fuel-pump damage risk noted (ClickOrlando).

❖ Apopka: Publix will open a new Apopka store at 2411 Ocoee Apopka Road / Shoppes at East Shore (~48,000 sq ft with drive-thru pharmacy and liquor) on Sep 24 (ClickOrlando).

❖ Tampa Bay: Rays CRA talks delayed to Nov 12 on four redevelopment areas — construction timeline said intact on $2.3B stadium-entertainment district (Bay News 9).

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Rays Take Astros 3–1 at the Trop

Tampa Bay beat Houston 3–1 Friday night at Tropicana Field, improving to 88–59 while the Astros fell to 75–73 (ESPN).

UCF Visits Pitt After 73–6 Opener

UCF (1–0) plays at Pittsburgh Saturday Sep 12, 3:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN2 at Acrisure Stadium after tying a program record with 73 points and 560 yards in a 73–6 win over Bethune-Cookman; Knights seek first road win since Sep 14, 2024 (UCF Athletics).

Florida Hosts Unbeaten Campbell on Championship Reunion Weekend

Florida hosts Campbell (2–0) Saturday Sep 12, 5:30 p.m., at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on SEC Network+; Camels enter off a 28–19 win over No. 24 Western Carolina with 528 yards of offense (Florida Gators).

Scoreboard

Rays 3, Astros 1 — FINAL, Tropicana Field (ESPN)

Schedule

UCF at Pittsburgh — Sat Sep 12, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Campbell at Florida — Sat Sep 12, 5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+

Rays vs. Astros (series continues) — confirm first pitch on MLB board

Marlins vs. Dodgers — confirm on MLB board

Sun Sep 13 NFL Week 1: Buccaneers at Bengals 1 p.m.; Jaguars vs. Browns 1 p.m.; Dolphins at Raiders 4:25 p.m.

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Florida regular averaged $4.1551 a gallon Friday (AAA) — up less than a cent from Thursday ($4.1490) and up about 20 cents from a week ago ($3.9516), and still about 14 cents under the national $4.2950. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive named metro at $4.2930; Panama City is cheapest at $3.9736. (AAA)

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❖ Gadsden County: Deputy Kamryn Weeks cleared a choking baby’s airway at the Gadsden County Courthouse with two firm back blows after a piece of Jolly Rancher lodged in the child’s throat; the sheriff’s office said the episode took about 30 seconds and the baby stayed conscious (WCTV).

❖ Palm Harbor: Genelle Guzman-McMillan — the last known survivor pulled alive from World Trade Center rubble after 27 hours — spoke at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens on the 25th anniversary; Palm Harbor Fire Rescue Chief Scott Sanford estimated 2,500–3,000 people attended (Bay News 9).

❖ Altamonte Springs / Orlando: Kapri DeRamus and Tyasia Thomas married in a multipurpose room at Orlando Regional Medical Center after DeRamus was extricated from a head-on crash on East Altamonte Drive en route to their Sep 5 wedding — injuries included two broken arms, a broken jaw, a broken rib, and a knee laceration; staff helped stage the ceremony (ClickOrlando).

❖ Port Richey / Tampa Bay: Rebuilding Together Greater Florida and partners finished a donated roof for Air Force veteran Aneisha Johnson timed to Sep 11, with Owens Corning materials and Veterans Contracting labor — a full-circle service story for a veteran who once served at MacDill (Bay News 9).

❖ Leon County: Leon County leaders partnered with Second Harvest to pack meals for veterans in honor of 9/11 (WCTV).

Today’s Quote

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

— Jacques Cousteau, Life and Death in a Coral Sea

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waxing Crescent; about 3% illuminated (Orlando). New Moon was Thu–Fri Sep 10–11.

Sunrise / sunset (Saturday Sep 12; Orlando, EDT): 7:09 a.m. / 7:33 p.m. (times vary; most of Florida is Eastern; Pensacola is Central).

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. (UF/IFAS)

Coastal: FWC statewide red-tide status dated September 11, 2026: Karenia brevis was not observed in samples collected statewide over the past week; no red-tide–related fish kills or respiratory irritation reported. Pair beach plans with the rip-current map in the weather strip. (FWC red tide)

Florida by the Numbers

Florida’s Division of Recreation and Parks maintains more than 3,024 miles of trails and 3,363 campsites across a system of 176 separate management units (plus 101 miles of sandy beaches in the state park system). (Florida DEP)