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FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2024

Good Morning! On this day in 1983, STS 8 became the first shuttle to launch at night. It was the eighth shuttle mission and the third flight of the Challenger spacecraft.

It's Jimmy Buffett Day in Florida, and from Fernandina Beach to Key West, Naples to Destin, parades, live music, fundraising, food specials, and every type of margarita are celebrating the life of the late-great singer and entrepreneur. Read more in our Top Stories section—and we hope your day includes shrimp dip and cheeseburgers.

Later today, you'll get an email from us asking you to contribute to our Tip Jar. Our sponsors are amazing, and they help us pay the bills, but we still depend on the direct support of our readers. If you'd like Flyover Florida to keep taking off every morning, this is the best way to help!

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Controversial State Parks Plan On Hold

Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the controversy over his administration’s plans to build golf courses, pickleball courts, and hotels in nine Florida state parks on Wednesday, saying the state would go “back to the drawing board” on the idea.

The Great Outdoors Initiative, announced last week by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, faced immediate opposition from leading elected officials and Florida residents.

The proposal sparked protests at parks across the state and prompted hundreds of thousands of Floridians to sign petitions opposing the plan.

DeSantis distanced himself from the initiative, calling it "half-baked" and saying, "If there does need to be improvements, we're not gonna take away any green space, we have an existing footprint… If we do nothing, then that's fine with me."

Florida Gears Up for First Jimmy Buffett Day

After the death of music legend Jimmy Buffett on Sept. 1, 2023, the Florida Legislature declared Aug. 30, 2024, as the first-ever Jimmy Buffett Day in the state and renamed A1A, the state road that runs along the Atlantic coast, Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.

Celebrating Buffett's life, talent, and connection to Key West and the Sunshine State, communities, bars, and resorts throughout Florida are offering ways for Buffett fans, known as Parrotheads, to honor the singer.

Margaritaville resorts around the state are hosting parties open to the public, including the Margaritaville Resort Orlando, which is hosting a party in the hotel’s grand lobby featuring live music, family activities, raffles, and giveaways.

If you order a Drink For A Cause cocktail at a participating Margaritaville Resort, a portion of the proceeds is donated to local charities. In addition, 15% of all Jimmy Buffett merchandise sales are donated to Buffett’s Singing for Change foundation.

Floridians Compete in Paris Paralympics

Several Floridians are in Paris to compete in the 2024 Paralympics, which started on Wednesday and will run through Sept. 8.

The Team USA roster lists seven athletes with Florida hometowns, and three others attended a school in the state. See the list here.

In addition to being some of the best in their sports, these athletes have overcome personal and physical adversity to compete on the world stage.

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➤ The National Hurricane Center has increased the likelihood of a new tropical depression or storm developing in the Atlantic to 40% within the next seven days. (More)

➤ Authorities warned Wednesday about a new scam involving fake letters that claim a bench warrant has been issued “due to a failure to respond to a jury summons.” (See Details)

➤ SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission is now in limbo after the Federal Aviation Administration grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets for the second time in two months following a booster fire. (More)

➤ Federal prosecutors want a central Florida man known as “Sedition Panda” to spend 66 months in prison for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021, according to documents filed in federal court this week. (See Photos)

➤ County officials voted this week to extend one-day-a-week watering restrictions until Dec. 31 in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties in an effort to refill the regional reservoir. (More)

➤ Manatee County: An abandoned compound on 62 acres has been leased to the nonprofit Foundation for Dreams to develop a camp for young adults with developmental disabilities. (More)

➤ The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is unveiling a program from Sept. 1 through May 2025 focused on pedestrian and bicyclist safety after nearly 500 crashes have been recorded this year in the Sun Coast. (More)

➤ Fort Lauderdale: The Museum of Discovery and Science received a Community Anchor Award from the NASA Office of STEM Engagement. It is one of 13 institutions across the country to share $510,000. (See Photo)

➤ Miami Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine, son of Marlins legend Jeff Conine, recorded his first MLB RBI on a sharply hit single up the middle in a 8-2 loss against the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night. (See RBI)

➤ The Jacksonville Jaguars signed international rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit to their practice squad as a developmental player on Wednesday after he was cut from the Kansas City Chiefs. (More)

➤ The Tampa Bay Rays are running a new promotion where fans can receive two free tickets for those who sign up for their facial recognition process before entering the ballpark. (More)

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➤ Billionaire hedge fund titan Ken Griffin unveiled plans for Citadel’s new 54-story Miami headquarters, projected to cost $1 billion. When complete, the development will span 1.7 million square feet. (See Renderings)

➤ Tampa-based Bloomin' Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Bonefish Grill, named Michael L. Spanos CEO this week. The former Delta Air Lines executive is expected to turn around slumping sales. (More)

➤ Foot Locker is exiting several international markets and moving its sneaker company headquarters from New York City to St. Petersburg in late 2025. (More)

➤ Miami-based Royal Caribbean cruise line this week announced that it has signed an agreement with a Finnish shipbuilder to order a fourth Icon Class ship for delivery in 2027. (More)

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➤ A record number of 130 manatee calves have died this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (See Why)

➤ Brightline announced a week of deals for train passengers to celebrate its first year of service between South Florida and Orlando. From Sept. 3 to Sept. 7, email subscribers can access daily discounts. (More)

➤ Ave Maria, a Barron Collier master-planned community in eastern Collier County, is a growing Southwest Florida innovation zone. (See Details)

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