The morning edition

Uthmeier asks court to freeze OpenAI's new models. Miami-Dade officials back Amendment 3. Mayfield out at least three weeks.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Good Morning! George W. Jenkins, who would go on to found Publix Super Markets, was born on Sept. 29, 1907, in Warm Springs, Ga. He moved to Florida in the 1920s and managed a grocery store in Winter Haven before opening his own store there in 1930, while the state was still recovering from the land bust and two deadly hurricanes. When he died in Lakeland in 1996, "Mr. George" was running the state's largest commercial employer, an employee-owned chain known for clean stores and early innovations like electric-eye doors.

In This Issue: the attorney general's bid to freeze OpenAI's new models, Miami-Dade officials backing Amendment 3, nearly 1.5 million mail ballots already out, and Starliner's December return target.

Weather: Tuesday brings more clouds and storm chances to the peninsula, with scattered storms around Tampa Bay, Southwest Florida, South Florida and the Keys, while the Panhandle stays sunny. Highs are mostly in the upper 80s, reaching near 91° in Tallahassee. (NWS)

Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings. NHC's 2 p.m. Monday outlook tracks Tropical Depression Fay near the Azores and newly formed Tropical Storm Hanna far east-northeast of Bermuda, and it expects no other development over the next seven days. (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: Moderate rip current risk Tuesday on the Atlantic coast from Nassau County through Palm Beach, and at South Walton, Bay and Gulf County beaches. The risk is low in Broward and Miami-Dade, along the Gulf coast from Levy to Collier, and in Franklin and Pensacola–Okaloosa. (NWS)

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Uthmeier Asks Court to Freeze OpenAI's New-Model Work and Keep Minors Off ChatGPT

Attorney General James Uthmeier on Monday asked a Highlands County circuit judge for a temporary injunction against OpenAI. He wants the company barred from developing new AI models without independent safety guardrails, required to keep Florida minors off ChatGPT, made to drop design features that prolong engagement or make the chatbot seem human, and stopped from marketing it as safe, accurate or reliable (WLRN).

The motion is part of the lawsuit the state filed June 1, which lists the April 17, 2025, Florida State University shooting among the alleged harms. The court has not ruled (WLRN).

Miami-Dade Officials Back Amendment 3 as Sheriffs Split Over the Tax Cut

Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia joined the county tax collector and property appraiser Monday in endorsing Amendment 3, the homestead-exemption expansion, saying public safety is protected. Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz also supports it, breaking with the Florida Sheriffs Association. Polk Sheriff Grady Judd, one of the opponents, warns it could shrink public-safety money (NBC 6).

The measure needs 60% on Nov. 3. It would expand the exemption from non-school taxes for residents who own their homes before Jan. 1, 2027, phase in newcomers over five years, and cut the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5% (News 6).

Nearly 1.5 Million Florida Mail Ballots Are Out for November

The Division of Elections reported Monday that nearly 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have gone out for the Nov. 3 general election: about 660,000 to Democrats, 485,000 to Republicans and 287,000 to minor-party and NPA voters. More than 2,200 have already come back, mostly from military and overseas voters (NBC 6).

NASA, Boeing Target December for Uncrewed Starliner Return; Hoburg to Command 2028 Crew Flight

At Kennedy Space Center on Monday, NASA and Boeing said an uncrewed Starliner mission to the International Space Station could fly as early as December, with a crewed flight planned for 2028 under commander Woody Hoburg. Boeing says about 90% of the certification requirements have been approved (News 6).

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❖ Kendall: Casa Familia has finished The Gardens at Casa Familia at 11025 SW 84th St., a community of 50 one-bedroom apartments for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and still needs about $3.2 million for its assisted-living phase (Florida YIMBY).

❖ Wesley Chapel: The Tampa YMCA opened the 49,319-square-foot Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA on Monday next to BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel. It is the community's first Y, with an aquatic center, gym and child watch; it opened with more than 6,300 members already signed up and expects to create more than 300 jobs (Spectrum Bay News 9).

❖ Horizon West: The Orange County Library System will open its Horizon West Branch on Oct. 10. The roughly 20,000-square-foot, $27.275 million library at 4657 Hamlin Groves Trail, near Horizon West Regional Park, will have about 45,000 books and an outdoor StoryWalk garden (Orlando Shine).

❖ Pompano Beach: Caroline Pompano Beach, a 352-apartment community built by Morgan on the former Macy's site at Pompano Citi Centre, has opened. Its first residents are moving in this month, and 15% of the units are set aside as workforce housing (Florida YIMBY).

❖ Boynton Beach: Construction has begun on The Winsberg at Green Cay, a $380 million nonprofit retirement community with 220 residences on 15 acres. It is Palm Beach County's first new continuing-care community since 2016 and is scheduled to open in 2028 (REBusinessOnline).

❖ Bradenton Beach: Manatee County's $2 million renourishment of Coquina Beach, damaged by Hurricane Idalia, is nearly finished. Crews have placed 63,450 cubic yards of sand along almost a mile of shoreline, and pipeline removal and beach tilling are expected to wrap up this week (WWSB).

❖ Alachua: Winn-Dixie opens Oct. 3 in the former Hitchcock's Markets headquarters store, and the High Springs Winn-Dixie will close at the end of October and move into the Alachua store (Mainstreet Daily News).

❖ Fort Walton Beach: Crews have finished pouring the deck of the new westbound Brooks Bridge, part of FDOT's $171 million replacement of the 1966 span. An FDOT update in June said westbound traffic would shift onto it in September or October, with all traffic on the new bridges by year's end (Get the Coast).

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❖ Former U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, a Democrat who represented South Florida from 1993 to 2005, endorsed former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, a Republican, over Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz in CD 25. Deutsch, who endorsed Donald Trump in 2024, said Israel drove his decision and argued Singer would vote to keep Mike Johnson as House speaker (Florida Politics).

❖ Democratic governor nominee David Jolly says he would use executive orders to cap what property insurers can pay related companies at 20%. The plan mirrors a stalled bill from Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, and Jolly is using it to tie Republican Byron Donalds to the current system (Florida Politics).

❖ A dozen new state laws take effect Thursday, Oct. 1. Meg's Law (SB 432) bans nitrous oxide sales at smoke shops and gas stations, HB 1293 makes rental identity fraud a third-degree felony, and SB 488 raises the crash-reporting threshold from $500 to $2,000 in damage and clarifies that license plate frames are legal. Others toughen animal cruelty penalties, broaden the definition of a gang member and tighten career offender registration (WUSF).

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❖ A WUSF analysis found that a typical Duke Energy Florida residential bill has risen from $108 to $185 since 2016, about 70%, while TECO bills are up about 60% and FPL's 46%. TECO's typical bill of $195 was the eighth-highest in the country last year, and Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler says cost-recovery charges now make up as much as half of some bills (WUSF).

❖ New unemployment claims in Florida rose by 117 to 5,130 for the week ending Sept. 19, according to U.S. Labor Department figures, as filings climbed 6.7% nationally. The state's jobless rate fell to 4.5% in August; September's rate is due in late October (Florida Politics).

❖ Airbnb has committed an initial $250 million nationwide to help stalled housing developments move forward and is making a separate donation to the Florida Housing Coalition. The coalition helped pass Florida's "Yes in God's Backyard" law and will use the money to expand its work with local governments and builders; Airbnb also says it will back a proposed Florida Starter Homes Act (Spectrum Bay News 9).

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Mayfield Out at Least Three Weeks; Undrafted Rookie Jalon Daniels Gets the Start

The MRI on Baker Mayfield's dislocated right (throwing) thumb found no additional damage, and coach Todd Bowles said Monday the 0–3 Buccaneers expect to be without him for at least three weeks, with no surgery needed and no move to injured reserve for now. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels out of Kansas takes over at quarterback, and Bowles said Tampa Bay will also look for a veteran or practice-squad arm (ESPN).

Dolphins Lose Achane for the Season With Torn ACL

Running back De'Von Achane tore his ACL in Sunday's loss to Kansas City and was placed on injured reserve Monday, ending his 2026 season. Coach Jeff Hafley said his heart breaks for Achane but predicted he'll come back strong; the 0–3 Dolphins gave the Pro Bowler a four-year, $64 million extension this offseason (ESPN).

Jaguars Get Travis Hunter's First Interception Ball After Sideline Tussle

The Jaguars confirmed Monday they recovered the ball from Travis Hunter's first NFL interception. A viral clip had shown a Patriots ball boy refusing to hand it to Josh Hines-Allen until Jacksonville equipment manager George Pellicer stepped in. Coach Liam Coen said the teams sorted it out; the 2025 Heisman winner's pick came late in the first half of Sunday's win, which lifted the Jaguars to 2–1 (ESPN).

Panthers Open NHL Season Tuesday as a Stanley Cup Favorite

Oddsmakers put Florida among the top three Stanley Cup favorites entering the 2026–27 season, along with Carolina and Colorado, and the Panthers face the Hurricanes right away in Tuesday's opener in Raleigh. The Lightning start Thursday at the Rangers (ESPN).

Scoreboard

No Florida team played Monday. The NFL's Monday night game was Eagles at Bears, MLB was idle ahead of Tuesday's Wild Card round, and the NHL season opens Tuesday.

Schedule

Panthers at Hurricanes — Tuesday, Sept. 29, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN (NHL opener)

Lightning at Rangers — Thursday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / The Spot

Panthers at Sharks — Thursday, Oct. 1, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / Scripps Sports

UCF at No. 20 Houston — Saturday, Oct. 3, noon ET, ESPN2

No. 8 Florida at No. 25 Missouri — Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Florida State vs. Virginia — Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Doak Campbell Stadium

FAU vs. Texas Southern — Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Lightning vs. Capitals — Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+ / The Spot

No. 4 Miami at Clemson — Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

USF vs. Temple — Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU, Raymond James Stadium

Rays vs. Yankees–Red Sox winner — AL Division Series Game 1, Saturday, Oct. 3, time TBA, TBS/truTV

Buccaneers vs. Packers — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET, FOX, Raymond James Stadium

Jaguars at Bengals — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Dolphins at Vikings — Sunday, Oct. 4, 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX

Panthers at Ducks — Sunday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m. ET, Scripps Sports

More Scores: NFL | MLB | NCAAF | WNBA

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Florida regular averaged $4.344 a gallon Monday (AAA, as of 9/28/26). That's down about 2.4 cents from Sunday ($4.368) but up about 6.3 cents from a week ago ($4.281), and roughly 13.3 cents under the national average of $4.477. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at $4.503 (Naples $4.465). Pensacola is the cheapest at $4.072 (Panama City $4.081).

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❖ Miami: New Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a video of himself refusing to go into his South Florida backyard while an iguana lounged next to his basketball. "I'm scared," he told his laughing kids, then warned the lizard, "Never touch my ball like that." At Monday's media day he joked that if the iguanas keep coming he might move to an apartment across the street with no pool and no grass (NBC 6).

❖ Rockledge: Rockledge High senior and volleyball captain Marlee Jeddrie, who lost her two dogs during COVID, earned her Girl Scout Gold Award by building a "Peaceful Goodbyes Gazebo" with Island Animal Hospital in Merritt Island and local donors, an outdoor spot where families can say goodbye to their pets. Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey honored her last week; she has been in her troop since kindergarten (Space Coast Daily, Sep 27).

❖ DeLand: Students in DeLand High's International Baccalaureate program have spent recent weeks singing and playing for residents of senior living centers around town, including a guitar-and-vocal set by Sophia Tepper, 17, at Grand Villa of DeLand. Anna and Jose Alacan, married 68 years, called it "beautiful" (The Beacon, Sep 24).

❖ Tarpon Springs: On vacation in Greece, Mayor John Koulianos tracked down a Byzantine icon of St. Nicholas that the city's cathedral had sent to Aegina for repairs after a 1923 fire and that never came back. A local priest remembered where it was: on the back wall of Panagitsa Church. Koulianos hopes it can come home in January if church leaders in both countries approve (FOX 13, Sep 18).

❖ Melbourne: Brevard Zoo welcomed Gail, a 119-pound Masai giraffe calf born to 12-year-old Kumi and 6-year-old Mapenzi. She is the zoo's first giraffe birth since Mapenzi in 2020, and she stood just 30 minutes after she was born. Mother and calf are bonding behind the scenes before Gail meets the herd, good news for a subspecies that is endangered in the wild (WESH, Sep 17).

Today’s Quote

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for any one else."

— Charles Dickens

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waning gibbous, about 89% illuminated Tuesday (USNO).

Sunrise / Sunset: In Orlando on Tuesday, sunrise is at 7:16 a.m. and sunset at 7:15 p.m. EDT, for just under 12 hours of daylight. Times vary across the state, and Pensacola is on Central time.

Gardening Notes: UF/IFAS's North Florida Gardening Calendar says September is the time to establish strawberry plants and to plant broccoli, carrots, cabbage and collards. For fall color, it suggests ageratum, celosia, zinnia and wax begonia.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC's latest update (Sept. 25) found the red tide organism at very low levels in Gulf County and at background levels in Southwest Florida, with none on the East Coast. The next report is due Oct. 2.

Florida by the Numbers

Florida has 8,436 miles of tidal shoreline (3,341 on the Atlantic and 5,095 on the Gulf), the most of any state except Alaska, according to NOAA's Shoreline Mileage of the United States.

Today’s Poll

Florida's attorney general wants a court to stop OpenAI from developing new AI models until independent safeguards are in place; do you support that move?

Yesterday’s Results

After this weekend's king tides flooded streets across South Florida, how concerned are you about tidal flooding where you live?

Very concerned 13%

Somewhat concerned 20%

Not very concerned 40%

Not sure 27%