Rabu, 29 Juli 2026

A Double Execution, Lobster Mini-Season Opens, and Drone Finds Lost Dog

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1960, Tropical Storm Brenda came ashore near Cross City in Florida's Big Bend, soaking Tampa with more than 14 inches of rain.

To what lengths would you go to find a lost pet? The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue team answered that question by using infrared drones to locate a lost dog in a sugarcane field. Get the details and find a link to a video of the dog's reunion with her owner in Et Cetera below.

Do you know which of your daily habits actually controls your dreams? That coworker from years ago who suddenly showed up in your dream last night, or that random worry that turned into a whole storyline while you slept. Well, scientists just finished one of the largest dream studies ever, and it turns out none of that is random. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla shares the five things this study uncovered about what your dreams are really made of, including one thing that's been hiding in people's dreams for years without them realizing it. Tune in here!

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Florida Executes Two in One Day

Florida executed two men Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke, the first state in nearly a decade to put two people to death in one day.

James Aren Duckett, 68, a former Mascotte police officer convicted of raping and drowning 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987, was pronounced dead at 1:19 p.m. He declined to give a final statement, and the girl's mother, Dorthy Tula, said she had waited nearly 40 years for his death.

Dominick Occhicone, 80, convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 1986, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. He is the oldest prisoner Florida has executed since modern record-keeping began.

The two were Florida's 11th and 12th executions this year, more than every other state combined. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who set both dates, has said families waited too long for justice. Duckett maintained his innocence, and opponents argued that back-to-back executions raised the risk of a botched procedure.

State Warns Against Kids' Psychiatric Drugs

The Florida Department of Health issued new guidance recommending against psychotropic medications for children ages 5 to 17 in most cases.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo released the guidance statement on Friday in Orange County, urging psychotherapy and behavior management ahead of drugs for depression, anxiety, and ADHD. "Parents deserve access to clear information about the benefits, risks, and available alternatives," he said.

The move follows U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge in May to address the overprescribing of psychiatric medications to children.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has criticized the federal push, saying it "broadly and imprecisely challenges established psychiatric diagnoses and evidence-based treatments." A state health department spokeswoman said Florida's guidelines don't contradict the academy's recommendations.

Lobster Mini-Season Opens Wednesday

Florida's spiny lobster mini-season runs Wednesday and Thursday, giving divers a two-day head start on the regular commercial and recreational season that begins on Aug. 6.

The bag limit is 12 lobsters per person, or six in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park. Each keeper's carapace must measure more than 3 inches—checked in the water—and egg-bearing lobsters are off-limits.

No harvesting is allowed at all in Everglades or Dry Tortugas national parks, the Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, or Keys sanctuary no-take zones.

With thousands expected on the water, the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are stepping up patrols and vessel boardings. "When in doubt, slow down," said Coast Guard boating specialist Scott Szczepaniak, noting a common cause of injuries is boats striking other boats, bridges, or the bottom.

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➤ Ocala: Eight Marion County deputies and a police officer opened fire on Jason Castillo, 45, after a PIT maneuver stopped his vehicle on Monday, and the suspect produced a gun. Castillo, an ex-boyfriend of the mother of a 13-year-old girl he had allegedly abducted, died. The girl was found safe. (More)

➤ Egmont Key: Victoria Zardoya, a 20-year-old New Jersey college student, died two days after falling from the ruins of Fort Dade while touring the island by boat with friends on Friday. (See Details)

➤ Palm Beach County: A resident in their 80s died of Vibrio vulnificus, Florida's first death this year from the "flesh-eating" bacteria that grows in warm, brackish water. The state has logged 11 cases in 2026, down from 33 cases and five deaths last year. (See Details)

➤ Seminole County: The school district will cut about 300 jobs to balance its budget, leaders said at the annual State of Our Schools address, pointing to enrollment losses as more families choose charter and private schools. No school closures are planned. (More)

➤ Statewide: A Leon County judge ruled that Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback can stay on the Aug. 18 primary ballot, finding rival Lt. Gov. Jay Collins hadn't proven Fishback fell short of the seven-year residency requirement. Collins may appeal. (See Details)

➤ Apopka: Commissioners took no action Monday on a proposed 5.1-mill property tax rate, a 22% increase that would add about $187 to the average annual bill. Commissioner Nadia Anderson objected, citing residents' rising costs. They meet again on Thursday. (More)

➤ Statewide: Florida has recorded 17 leprosy cases this year. Twenty-six were reported last year, but only eight in 2022. Researchers point to nine-banded armadillos as one cause of the spread. They carry the bacteria, leaving it behind in soil they dig, where humans can come into contact with it. (See Details)

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➤ Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea requested a trade this week after contract extension talks stalled. The two-time Pro Bowler reportedly wants to go to a California team or the Las Vegas Raiders. (More)

➤ Tampa's city council pulled from its agenda an upcoming vote on public funding for a new Rays ballpark, deepening a rift with Mayor Jane Castor over the $2.3 billion stadium project. The vote had been scheduled for Aug. 20. (More)

➤ Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright represent Florida in tonight's MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte, where the stateside All-Stars will face a collection of Mexican league stars. (Details)

➤ Griffin Conine hit a walk-off single to snap the Marlins' franchise-worst 12-game losing streak in an 8-7 comeback win over the Phillies on Monday. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | WNBA

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➤ Sig Sauer faces a federal lawsuit from an Orlando man who says his P365 pistol fired in its holster on Nov. 5, 2024, injuring his leg. David Araujo De Souza is seeking a jury trial. The company maintains its pistols cannot fire without a trigger pull, although it has faced several lawsuits over a similar issue with its P320 platform. (See Details)

➤ The Villages recorded another seven-figure resale, with a Lake Ridge Drive home in the Village of Pennecamp selling June 4 for $1.275 million. The Villages sold it new in 2013 for $490,600. (See Details)

➤ State Road 390 in Panama City should be six lanes end to end by late 2026, FDOT says, finishing a $97 million widening started in 2017. Chiropractor Sherry Brown said she lost a third of her patients during construction. (See Details)

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➤ Palm Beach County Fire Rescue used an infrared drone to find Sadie, a dog that bolted into a field of 6-foot sugarcane after a car crash. Firefighters searched on foot first, then sent the drone up. (Watch Video)

➤ Broward County has outfitted all 1,300 of its school buses with AI stop-arm cameras aimed at drivers who pass a stopped bus. A 30-day warning period begins with the first day of school, Aug. 10, and $225 citations start Sept. 9. (See Details)

➤ Jamal Law, 21, shut off his Mustang's headlights and reached speeds of more than 140 mph while fleeing a Florida Highway Patrol trooper on the Turnpike in Miami-Dade County on July 9, an arrest report says. He crashed into a wall and faces fleeing and eluding charges. (See Video)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Your dreams follow hidden rules, and scientists just uncovered what actually controls them every night. (Hear Details)

➤ Air Force One has scrapped its decades-old look for new colors. (Hear Episode)

➤ Birds are struggling to stay hydrated in extreme heat, and you can help by adding this one common freezer staple to your feeder. (Listen Now)