Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1890, the Grande Dame of the Everglades, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, was born in Minneapolis. Her 1947 book, The Everglades: River of Grass, reshaped public perceptions of the Florida wetlands.

As of Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis had signed 24 bills into law from the 2026 legislative session. Here's a list of what has been approved and will take effect later this year.

If you’re one of roughly 50 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part D, these changes could affect your costs more than you realize. On today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, host Ayla Brown shares details on the updated spending cap, what counts toward it, and the long-awaited end of the donut hole. Tune in here!

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Artemis II Breaks Apollo 13's Distance Record

Artemis II astronauts made history on Monday when they traveled 252,760 miles from their launch pad in Florida, farther than any humans had before, surpassing the Apollo 13 distance record of 248,655 miles set in 1970.

The highly anticipated lunar flyby of the mission took the four astronauts on a survey of the moon, including the rarely glimpsed far side, which always faces away from Earth.

The astronauts have experienced what mission control in Houston described as "moon joy" as they’ve drawn closer to the moon over the past few days.

The crew, which includes NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, saw features on the lunar surface that human eyes have never observed.

Using a camera equipped with a 400-millimeter lens, the crew has been able to point out specific lunar craters, features, and topography, including the entire, vast Orientale Basin, which had never been witnessed or photographed by humans before this mission.

Poly Patents System to Detect Microplastics

Florida Polytechnic University researchers in Lakeland have developed a patented sensor system that can detect microplastics in water within minutes, making water testing faster and more efficient.

Researchers use a treated electrode strip connected to a reader. The technology is based on electrochemical sensing, which uses chemical reactions to detect and measure the concentration of specific materials in different environments.

The discovery comes as microplastics, tiny plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, have become pervasive in tap and bottled water, often originating from the breakdown of larger plastics, industrial debris, or synthetic fibers.

Last week, HHS and the EPA announced a joint effort to measure, understand, and remove microplastics and pharmaceuticals from the nation's water supply. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said there is roughly "a spoonful of plastic in every human brain."

Florida Caregivers Provide $81B in Unpaid Care

AARP's Valuing the Invaluable 2026 report found that 4.3 million family caregivers in Florida who care for adults contribute roughly 4.1 billion hours of unpaid care annually. At a rate of $19.66 an hour, that work would be valued at $81 billion.

"Family caregivers are a major economic force that fill critical gaps in our health care system," said Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida State Director, with Florida's long-term care system helping older adults remain in their homes and reducing reliance on more costly institutional care.

Nationally, the report estimates 59 million Americans provide 49.5 billion hours of unpaid adult caregiving each year, valued at roughly $1.01 trillion. Those hours would be equivalent to 24 million full-time workers, about 17% of the full-time workforce in America.

Only California surpassed Florida with 6.4 million caregivers and $149 billion in unpaid care.

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➤ Statewide: Drought conditions in Florida have helped spur 1,500 wildfires in the first three months of the year, according to the Florida Forest Service. With the entire state under a drought, the number of wildfires is on track to surpass last year's 3,100. (More)

➤ Palm Beach County: Six schools were awarded $50,000 STEM grants from FPL and the Education Foundation's program to aid technological education in classrooms. The money will be used for robots, drones, and 3D printers. (More)

➤ Orange County: Officials are offering up to $10,000 to help homeowners who live near local springs without sewer connections to upgrade their septic systems with a program to reduce pollution and protect local waterways. (More)

➤ Tampa: The Tampa Sports Authority will meet with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get the ball rolling on a modernization of 28-year-old Raymond James Stadium ahead of the NFL team's 2027 decision on extending its lease. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: A developer has proposed building a riverfront hotel and conference center downtown, which would include a 14-story tower with 160 hotel rooms, a conference center, a restaurant, and retail space. (More)

➤ Orlando: The city was ranked as the healthiest in Florida, and the 24th healthiest in the nation, according to a report by WalletHub of 180 highly populated U.S. cities. (See List)

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➤ Former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman said the Miami Dolphins hired him for an advisory role this offseason because he has "information that they don't have or can't get" through his broadcasting relationships. (More)

➤ The Marlins gave closer Pete Fairbanks a start against the Yankees on Sunday, allowing him to pitch one inning before leaving for the birth of his child. (More)

➤ University of Florida men's basketball center Rueben Chinyelu was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this weekend, becoming the first Gator to ever win the award. (More)

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➤ The Rays' home opener on Monday against the Cubs, their first game back at Tropicana Field, had local businesses excited about the potential economic boost. (More)

➤ Mulligan's in Jensen Beach permanently closed on Sunday after 23 years in business, citing high rent as the primary reason. Locations in Sebastian and Vero Beach will remain open. (More)

➤ An investment of at least $13 million would likely be required to attract nonstop transatlantic service to Jacksonville International Airport, according to the head of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. (More)

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➤ The Endangered Species Committee met last week for the first time in over 30 years and voted to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf from a decades-old law protecting endangered species. (More)

➤ Elimia snails may be the solution to algae blooms in Florida's natural springs, according to researchers from the University of Florida. (See Photos)

➤ Keel Farms in Plant City opened its 17th annual month-long blueberry festival, despite the cold snap having killed 5% of its crops. (More)

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