The morning edition

Sheriff names 5 MIA crash victims. Realtors pour $10M into Yes on 3. AG targets AI chatbot crimes.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Good Morning! On September 9, 1964, at about 3:30 a.m., the Beatles landed at Key West International Airport after Hurricane Dora forced their Montreal–Jacksonville flight south. Fans met them at the airport and at the Key Wester Motel on South Roosevelt Boulevard, where the band waited out the storm for two days before the Jacksonville Gator Bowl show. (Keys History)

In This Issue: Sheriff names five MIA crash victims, Florida Realtors pour $10 million into Yes on 3, and Uthmeier moves to criminalize AI chatbot crime help.

Weather: Hot, humid Wednesday with scattered to numerous afternoon showers and thunderstorms across much of the peninsula. Highest coverage inland and Gulf-side (Gainesville–Orlando–Tampa–Fort Myers roughly 60–70%); Jacksonville and Daytona chance (~40%); Miami–Keys lower (~30–40%); Pensacola mostly sunny and dry (~5%). Highs upper 80s to low 90s. Brief downpours, lightning, and gusty winds possible where storms fire.

Tropical: No Florida tropical watches or warnings (National Hurricane Center). Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (800 PM EDT Tue Sep 8): 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 Wednesday for Northeast Florida Atlantic (NWS JAX), the Space Coast / Volusia Atlantic (NWS MLB), Southeast Atlantic Palm Beach–Broward–Miami-Dade (NWS MFL), eastern Panhandle / Big Bend Gulf (NWS TAE), and Pensacola–Destin / western Panhandle Gulf (NWS MOB). Low for west-central / SW Gulf including Tampa Bay through Fort Myers and Naples / Collier (NWS TBW; NWS MFL Collier). Swim near a lifeguard; heed beach flags.

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Sheriff Names 5 Cleaning-Van Victims as MIA Crash Probe Turns to Runway Safety

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz on Tuesday identified the 5 people killed when Amazon Air Flight 7598 (Boeing 767, 21 Air) overran Runway 30 Sunday as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47 — all associated with Professional Ocean Service Corp.’s cleaning van; the pilot and co-pilot have been released, with 2 injured still critical and 1 stable (Local 10).

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators are focusing in part on the lack of an Engineered Material Arresting System at MIA (not among about 120 U.S. airports with the crushable runway-end beds the FAA says have saved about 500 lives); 2 of 4 runways remained closed Tuesday until the scene is released (CBS News Miami).

Florida Realtors Pour $10 Million Into Vote Yes on Amendment 3

Florida Realtors contributed $10 million last week to their Vote Yes on 3 committee — the first major cash infusion for the November homestead property-tax amendment ($150,000 exemption in 2027, $250,000 in 2028; 60% voter threshold) — with CEO Margy Grant chairing the committee and a formal campaign launch eyed Wednesday (Florida Politics).

Vote No organizers warn of multi-billion local-revenue hits if the measure passes the 60% bar; WESH reports the Realtors’ cash is the first major Yes war chest on the statewide ballot fight (WESH).

Uthmeier Proposes Criminal Penalties When AI Chatbots Help Commit Crimes

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday in Tampa that he will push legislation holding companies that own, control, or distribute AI chatbots criminally accountable when those systems participate in crimes — with possible fines, victim payments, court-ordered monitoring, or suspension of Florida business activity — building on Florida’s June 1 civil suit against OpenAI (WFLA).

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass joined the announcement; the proposal sits beside the state’s OpenAI case and would reach chatbot makers whose systems help plan or commit crimes (CBS12).

Moody Pushes Legislation to Put U.S. Space Academy on Florida’s Space Coast

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody said Tuesday she will introduce legislation to locate the newly established United States Space Academy on Florida’s Space Coast after President Trump’s executive order creating the NASA-linked academy; Florida’s congressional delegation already wrote the White House and NASA offering the state, citing launches up more than 500% since 2016 (ClickOrlando).

FlaPol notes Moody is also still pushing the CAPE Canaveral Act to move NASA headquarters to Florida while teeing the Space Academy site bill (Florida Politics).

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❖ Miami-Dade: Taste the Caribbean is Sunday Sep 13, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s 83-acre grounds — Caribbean food and music; adult tickets from $24.95, kids 3–11 $11.95 (Greater Miami and Miami Beach).

❖ Tampa Bay: Downtown’s Backyard Market returns Thursday Sep 10, 12–4:30 p.m., at Poe Plaza — Tampa Downtown Partnership’s monthly produce-and-food market on the City Center esplanade (Visit Tampa Bay).

❖ Orlando: Orlando Museum of Art’s Floridiana opens Thursday Sep 17 with Access for All free admission 10 a.m.–8 p.m. — more than 130 mid-century Florida objects from Gary Monroe’s collection (ClickOrlando).

❖ Jacksonville: University of Florida holds a 4 p.m. ribbon-cutting Wednesday Sep 9 at 801 W. Bay St., then an open house tour of the former Interline Brands building on the 20-acre downtown graduate campus (Florida Politics).

❖ Broward: Broward Attractions & Museums Month runs through Sep 30 — 15 buy-one-get-one offers and 8 free admissions when visitors mention BAMM (Visit Lauderdale).

❖ Palm Beach: West Palm Beach GreenMarket’s 32nd season — a USA TODAY 10Best No. 1 — returns Saturday Oct 3 at 100 N. Clematis St.; a typical Saturday draws about 10,000–15,000 people (City of West Palm Beach).

❖ Gulf Coast: Island Hopper Songwriter Fest runs Sep 18–27 — Captiva, Cape Coral, downtown Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach — with more than 60 mostly free BMI songwriter shows; ticketed names include Edwin McCain (Sep 21), LOCASH (Sep 23), and Michael Ray (Sep 27) (Island Hopper Songwriter Fest).

❖ North Florida: Pensacola Seafood Festival fills historic downtown Sep 25–27 (Friday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.) — free, Gulf seafood cooked on site, more than 150 artisans (Fiesta of Five Flags).

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❖ Sarasota: Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis briefed commissioners that Amendment 3 could cut about $46.85 million in FY 2028 property-tax revenue and nearly $87.09 million the following year; FY 2027 budget public hearings are Sep 9 and Sep 23 (Your Observer).

❖ Florida: Vote No chair Bryan Desloge (former Leon County GOP commissioner) called the Florida Realtors’ $10 million Yes on 3 infusion “short-sighted,” warning a homestead cut would shift costs onto rentals and commercial property as the formal Yes campaign launch is eyed Wednesday (WESH).

❖ Florida: Sachs Media’s latest Amend 3 poll still shows about 65% support on the revised ballot wording even as organized No voices warn of local-service hits — a soft refresh of Tuesday’s Politics read for Wednesday’s Realtors-cash news cycle (WPTV).

❖ Tampa Bay: Bay News 9’s Sep 8 Political Connections paired Attorney General James Uthmeier’s AI chatbot plan with the Florida Realtors’ Amendment 3 cash — same-day board as the Realtors and chatbot tops (Bay News 9).

❖ Tampa: Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Tampa proposal would hold companies that own or distribute AI chatbots criminally accountable when those systems help commit crimes, building on the state’s June 1 OpenAI suit (WFLA).

❖ Florida: U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody said she will introduce legislation to locate the United States Space Academy on Florida’s Space Coast after the NASA-linked academy order; the delegation cited launches up more than 500% since 2016 (ClickOrlando).

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❖ Port St. Lucie: Amazon plans to close its Port St. Lucie fulfillment center for about two years starting Sep 17, 2026, affecting roughly 850 workers while investing about $200 million to add about 870,000 sq ft of mezzanine and convert the site into an advanced sortable fulfillment center eyed to reopen late 2028 with about 1,000 jobs (Treasure Coast).

❖ Florida: USDA/NASS’s 2026 Commercial Citrus Inventory shows Florida citrus acreage at 165,359 acres — down 21% (42,827 acres net) from 2025 — even as 2025–26 production rose about 7% to 15.7 million boxes; new plantings were 5,200 acres (Citrus Industry).

❖ Cape Canaveral: Blue Origin has broken ground on an about $80 million payload processing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station designed to support roughly 16 missions a year and eyed to open early 2028, part of a broader Cape rebuild that includes Launch Complex 36 work and Merritt Island test/production builds (Florida Press).

❖ Lakeland: Publix is expanding its Lakeland distribution campus — permits totaling $200 million-plus on the County Line Rd / Allen K. Breed site after a 137-acre annex (Polk Squeeze).

❖ Florida: PACS Group plans to acquire operations of 32 Florida skilled-nursing facilities (4,049 beds) from landlord Omega Healthcare; close eyed in the fourth quarter (PACS Group).

❖ Jacksonville: FCP Euro is putting a roughly $30 million-plus Jacksonville fulfillment hub in about 268,000 sq ft at Imeson, with 400-plus jobs over five years and an opening eyed early 2027 (CareerSource Northeast Florida).

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Bowles: Sean Tucker a Game-Time Decision for Bucs’ Week 1 at Cincinnati

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said RB Sean Tucker (undisclosed injury) is still rehabbing and will be a game-time decision for the Sep 13 opener at Cincinnati; Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell are healthy to rotate as RB1/RB2, with Josh Williams a practice-squad elevate candidate if Tucker sits (Sports Illustrated).

First Official Bucs Injury Report Due Wednesday Ahead of Bengals Opener

Tampa Bay’s first required Week 1 injury report posts Wednesday; Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) returned to a Monday bonus practice, with Bowles saying they “ran around pretty good” after weeks of limited work (Bucs Report).

Florida Hosts Campbell Saturday After 66–21 Sumrall Debut

After opening Jon Sumrall’s era with a 66–21 win over FAU (Aaron Philo 275 pass yards / 3 TDs; Jadan Baugh 160 rush yards / 3 TDs; 624 total yards), Florida hosts Campbell on Saturday Sep 12 at 5:30 p.m. ET in The Swamp (Florida Gators).

Scoreboard

Rays 7, Braves 1 (FINAL, Truist Park)

Mets 7, Marlins 5 (FINAL, loanDepot park)

Schedule

Buccaneers at Cincinnati — Sun Sep 13, 1:00 p.m. ET FOX

Jaguars host Browns — Sun Sep 13, 1:00 p.m. ET CBS

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

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

Miami vs Florida A&M — Thursday, Hard Rock

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Florida regular averaged $3.8958 a gallon Tuesday (AAA current as of 9/8/26) — down about a cent from Monday ($3.9054) and down about 5 cents from a week ago ($3.9420), and still about 26 cents under the national $4.1514. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive named metro at $4.0569; The Villages is cheapest at $3.8283 (Orlando $3.8340; Lakeland–Winter Haven $3.8419).

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❖ Daytona Beach: Daytona Dog Beach Inc. presented a $9,000 donation to Volusia County Animal Services from the Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza (May Daytona debut), plus $1,752 for dog-friendly beach supplies; Hang 8 returns as a two-day event May 30–31, 2027, behind the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach (WFTV).

❖ Jacksonville: Jacksonville hosted a K9 Frisbee Worldwide Championship North Florida Regional at Oceanway Park (one of 31 regional sites across four countries); Jax Disc Dog League’s Colleen Hegyi walked spectators through how to watch and how beginners can join (News4Jax).

❖ Miami-Dade: Junior SeaKeepers (grades 9–12, priority Title I Miami-Dade / also Broward and Upper Keys) is accepting 2026–27 cohort applications through Sep 20 — free Biscayne Bay research, cleanups, and up to $10,000 in three participation scholarships (SeaKeepers).

❖ Florida: Tony Jannus High School Scholars Awards (Florida grades 9–12) close Sep 16 — $3,000 / $1,000 / $500 for 1,000–1,500-word essays or 3–5-minute videos on the 1914 first commercial flight or aircraft leasing (Tony Jannus Awards).

❖ Florida: Florida Department of Education and Volunteer Florida’s Hispanic Heritage Month student art (K–3) and essay (grades 4–12) contests close Sep 17 at 5 p.m. ET (FLVS).

❖ Fort Myers: FGCU’s Whitaker Institute seeks student volunteers for its Sep 26 GEMS (Growing in Engineering, Math, and Science) middle-school STEM half-day; orientation Sep 25 4–5:30 p.m., RSVP by Sep 21 (FGCU).

Today’s Quote

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.

— E.B. White

Florida Almanac

Moon: Waning Crescent, about 3% illuminated Wednesday Sep 9 (Orlando). Next New Moon: Thu Sep 10.

Sunrise / sunset (Wednesday Sep 9; Orlando, EDT): 7:06 a.m. / 7:38 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): Northeast Florida bloom samples from prior weeks were Karenia papilionacea (not K. brevis). Over the past week covered by that update, K. brevis was at background in one Northwest Florida (Franklin County) sample and not observed in Southwest Florida or along the East Coast. No red-tide fish kills or respiratory irritation reported that week. Pair beach plans with the rip-current map in Weather. (FWC red tide)

Florida by the Numbers

Florida’s April 1, 2026 resident population is estimated at 23,708,635 — up 329,374 (+1.41%) from April 1, 2025 — per the Demographic Estimating Conference (June 22, 2026). All recent growth continues to come from net migration (deaths still exceed births). (EDR demographic summary)