Sunday, May 3, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1901, the Great Jacksonville Fire tore through the city, destroying 146 blocks and 2,368 buildings in what became the largest urban fire in the American South.

Both Miami and Jacksonville are implementing new ticketing systems to help keep students riding school buses safe. Learn more in Around Florida.

In case you missed it, this week on The Flyover Podcast, host Ayla Brown breaks down the long-running feud between Jimmy Kimmel and President Donald Trump. What started as a late-night appearance years ago has turned into a nearly decade-long back-and-forth involving media giants, political power, and plenty of sharp words. How did it all begin, and where does it stand today? Listen here.

Today's sponsor, the knēNest Pillow, is designed to relieve nighttime pain and improve sleep by keeping your body properly aligned for deeper, more restorative rest.

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.

Spirit Airlines Shuts Down for Good

Spirit Airlines began an orderly wind-down of its operations Saturday morning, ending 34 years of budget travel with roughly 15,000 employees left suddenly out of work.

"It's hard to believe this is it," a Spirit Airlines pilot told an air traffic controller at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

The Dania Beach carrier—long the backbone of South Florida's budget travel market—had been negotiating a $500 million government bailout for weeks, but key bondholders rejected terms that would have left them in a worse financial position under the deal.

Spirit filed its second bankruptcy and faced soaring jet fuel costs tied to the global oil spike. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was Spirit's primary hub, and the shutdown leaves a major gap in low-cost service for South Florida travelers.

Trump Visits The Villages Friday

President Donald Trump spoke at an event at The Villages Charter School on Friday aimed at revving up seniors, a reliable voting block, ahead of the midterms.

Trump talked about economic development, taxes on tips and Social Security, and senior workers.

Supporters filled the streets as some waited in line for over 24 hours to see Trump.

One attendee said, “We thought we got here earlier enough to get in line, but it was a mile long... we possibly are not going to get in, so let’s still stay and support Trump today and work our way through the shops and the restaurants.”

Fire Breaks out at USF

A two-alarm fire broke out at a commercial building on the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus.

Several firetrucks could be seen in the area around 6 p.m. as flames burst from the roof of the USF Marine Science Lab building and a large plume of smoke billowed into the air.

Police were calling it a hazmat situation and asking people to stay away. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue said the building was safely evacuated, and there have been no reports of injuries at this time.

Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ Madeira Beach: A Winn-Dixie being converted into an Aldi collapsed partially Friday morning when the roof gave way during renovation, closing a nearby road. No injuries were reported. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: The Downtown Investment Authority voted Thursday to recommend a Baltimore-based group to build and operate a seafood restaurant on city-owned land at Riverfront Plaza, a key piece of Jacksonville's downtown revitalization. (More)

➤ Tallahassee: The local NAACP branch sued to block the city's transfer of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to Florida State University, arguing the March deal jeopardizes the hospital's Medicare and Medicaid provider agreements. (More)

➤ Miami: Miami-Dade County Public Schools is reviving its school bus camera program Monday with a 14-day warning period after pausing it due to widespread complaints of wrongly issued tickets. The district says the errors have been fixed. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: Duval County upgraded from warnings to $225 fines Friday for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. During the warning phase, 609 drivers were cited. (More)

➤ Siesta Key: Visitor numbers rose nearly 2% between March 2025 and March 2026, with businesses reporting strong foot traffic as the popular Gulf Coast beach rebounds from post-hurricane uncertainty. (More)

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➤ Lando Norris won Saturday's sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium, beating McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The main race begins today at 4 p.m. (More)

➤ The Florida Gators softball team played the series-deciding Game 3 against No. 14 Georgia in Athens on Saturday. (More)

➤ Florida Complex League baseball opened its 2026 season Saturday across the state, giving fans a first look at the next generation of MLB prospects. (More)

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Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ Miki Sudo, the undefeated world champion of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, is graduating from Hillsborough College in Tampa this May. The top-ranked female competitive eater balanced training with coursework for years before earning her degree. (More)

➤ Brevard Zoo's Illumi-Nature nighttime lantern festival has been extended through Memorial Day Weekend, giving Space Coast families another few weeks to walk through the illuminated displays in Melbourne. (More)

➤ Spinning Coffee, a vinyl cafe and Vietnamese coffee shop, has opened in Bradenton, blending record shopping with specialty coffee. (More)

➤ Florida Wildlife Commission's annual Lionfish Challenge returns May 22 through September 14, calling on divers and anglers to remove the invasive species from Florida's coastal waters. Prizes are awarded for the most lionfish removed. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Rush hour took a prehistoric detour Tuesday when a 7-foot alligator shut down North Dale Mabry Highway, until a deputy stepped in and politely escorted the scaly traffic jam off the road.