Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1887, the Florida Legislature chartered the City of Tampa, folding the Town of Tampa and the Town of North Tampa into one government just as the cigar boom took off.

The Pensacola Beach Air Show runs today through Saturday, marking the Blue Angels' 80th anniversary and America's 250th. Are you planning to attend any more 250th birthday celebrations? Hit reply to let us know what we shouldn't miss.

Today's sponsor is Medical Guardian, helping older adults stay independent while giving their families greater peace of mind. As a Flyover reader, you'll receive a special offer: use promo code FLYOVER to get FREE equipment on all of Medical Guardian's top-selling products. Learn more below.

Alligator Alcatraz Is Gone

Aerial footage on Tuesday showed the site of Alligator Alcatraz empty, with the Everglades detention center's sign taken down and its gates locked.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced the closure on June 25, saying the facility "fulfilled the role that it was designed to serve." Roughly 21,000 illegal immigrants were deported through the site after it opened in July 2025, according to the state.

The tent-and-trailer camp at the Dade-Collier airstrip cost an estimated $1.2 billion, and Florida is still seeking federal reimbursement. Civil rights groups sued over conditions they called inhumane, and environmental groups say they'll press claims over the site's impact on the Everglades.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava wants the county-owned airfield sold to the National Park Service for preservation once the state returns it.

Florida Executes 74-Year-Old

Dennis Sochor, 74, was executed by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke, making him the oldest inmate executed in the state's history.

Sochor was convicted of kidnapping and killing a Broward County woman he met at a New Year's Eve party in 1982. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Sochor's stay request and petition on Tuesday.

He's the second of three older prisoners set to die within a month. Dusty Ray Spencer, 74, was executed June 25, and Dominick Occhicone, 80, is scheduled to die July 28 for the 1986 murders of his ex-girlfriend's parents in Pasco County.

Florida has carried out ten executions this year, more than every other state combined, after a record 19 in 2025. Governor DeSantis has said, "justice delayed is justice denied," while death penalty opponents question executing prisoners who may soon die of natural causes.

Nearly 2,000 Teacher Jobs Unfilled

Florida school districts are heading into the new school year with nearly 2,000 teaching positions unfilled.

Education officials say the shortage is driven by high turnover, with many teachers leaving the profession after only a few years in the classroom.

Florida ranks 50th in the nation in average teacher pay at $56,663, per National Education Association data, though its starting salaries rank 19th. The Florida Education Association wants lawmakers to put billions more into public schools.

State education officials counter that vacancies have decreased year over year and that more than $5.9 billion has been allocated to teacher pay increases since Governor DeSantis took office.

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➤ St. Augustine: A 28-year-old man was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Tuesday after fleeing an encounter with ICE and Homeland Security agents at a gas station. He was one of four vehicle occupants who ran. (More)

➤ Statewide: Florida's economy has grown to $1.8 trillion, making it the world's 14th-largest, ahead of Australia and Mexico, the Florida Chamber Foundation announced Tuesday. It grew 6.3% over the past year, and the Chamber projects a top-10 global ranking within five years. (See Details)

➤ Fort Lauderdale: A Regal Princess crew member died after going overboard near Cancun on Monday, two days after the ship left Port Everglades. The ship, another nearby ship, and Mexican maritime authorities searched for more than eight hours before Princess Cruises confirmed the death. (See Details)

➤ Melbourne: A police officer resigned after a video showed him tackling a 15-year-old during a search for a missing teen, breaking the boy's arm. The department said officers misidentified the teen. The family's attorney said the teen was helping with the search for a fleeing juvenile. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Florida's Hometown Heroes program relaunched Monday, offering eligible frontline workers up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance toward a first home. (See Details)

➤ DeLand: A Navy veteran is credited with helping pull a girl and her dog from a burning DeLand house. Two first responders were treated for minor injuries. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: The American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage Monday after the national supply fell nearly 25% in June. Florida donors are urged to give. Type O positive and B negative blood and platelets are in the shortest supply. (More)

➤ Bradenton: Police broke up a gathering of roughly 300 teenagers at Rossi Park and the Riverwalk Saturday night, temporarily closing the park in what officers called a planned "teen takeover." The crowd dispersed without serious incidents. (See Details)

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➤ The Miami Marlins gave Jonah, the rescue dog who went viral for staring longingly at another dog's hot dog, a dream day Sunday at loanDepot park: a custom jersey, a suite, and his owner throwing the ceremonial first pitch. (Read Story)

➤ Five Tampa Bay Rays players made Tuesday night's All-Star Game in Philadelphia, tied for third-most in baseball, with third baseman Junior Caminero starting for the American League. Yandy Diaz, Drew Rasmussen, Bryan Baker, and Nick Martinez rounded out the group. (More)

➤ The Marlins reached the All-Star break in playoff position despite one of the majors' lowest payrolls. Reliever Max Meyer, back from Tommy John and hip surgeries, made his first All-Star team. (See Details)

➤ The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Chris Rembert, the Pensacola Catholic alum, at No. 51 overall Saturday out of Auburn, where the second baseman hit .343 with 80 hits and earned First Team All-SEC honors this season. (More)

➤ Hard Rock Stadium hosts the World Cup's third-place match Saturday at 5 p.m., the last of seven tournament matches played in Miami Gardens. The two losing semifinalists will square off for the bronze medal the day before the final. (See Schedule)

Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA

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➤ Orlando leaders warned that a proposed statewide property tax overhaul could seriously impact the city budget, potentially forcing hiring freezes, service cuts, and delayed projects if it passes. (More)

➤ Florida has approved the final $91.98 million for a new 164,000-square-foot Building C at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, bringing total state investment to roughly $152 million. It's the joint campus's first major expansion since 1998, with enrollment now topping 3,700 students. (See Details)

➤ The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia broke ground on DeLand's first tiny home community, 10 transitional units built from shipping containers, where families in financial crisis can stay up to two years, paying about 30% of their income in rent. The first residents are expected early next year. (See Details)

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➤ The Florida Highway Patrol's black-and-tan cruiser won the American Association of State Troopers' Best Looking Cruiser contest for a fourth straight year, beating runner-up Georgia. (See Photo)

➤ Brickell resident Nick Pellecchia won $1 million on Season 2 of Netflix's Million Dollar Secret, a competition where an undercover millionaire hides in plain sight at a lakeside estate. (Read Story)

➤ Kissimmee's Anthony Grosso was crowned TOPS Club's 2025 Florida King, the nonprofit's top male weight-loss award, after officially recording 57.2 pounds lost. Grosso weighed 249 pounds in August 2023 and is down to 181 through food tracking and a trainer. (See Photos)

➤ South Florida volunteers keep sending earthquake aid to Venezuela a month after back-to-back quakes devastated the country, with shipments coordinated alongside the U.S. State Department. (Read Story)

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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:

➤ Hearing specialists say once hearing fades, it's gone for good, making a few simple habits the only way to protect it. (See Habits)

➤ Newly released records show a former special counsel's team accessed texts from dozens of lawmakers in both parties, drawing constitutional accusations. (Hear Episode)

➤ A state just cleared the way for seniors in assisted living to raise a glass together, no liquor license required. (Listen Now)