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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024

Good Morning! On this day in 1946, Tony Award-winning actor, singer, and dancer Ben Vereen was born in Miami.

As much of our state endures Hurricane Milton, please be safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Later today, you'll receive an email from one of our partners, GoldCo, offering free financial advice to help protect your retirement savings. These partnerships are vital in keeping Flyover Florida free for our readers. We value your support and hope you find their offer beneficial.

Check out this investment opportunity with today's sponsor, Miso Robotics.

Historic Hurricane Milton Pummels Florida

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key at 8:30 p.m. as a Category 3 storm Wednesday evening, slamming into the state's already battered west coast.

The hurricane brought winds up to 120 mph, widespread flooding, and tornadoes as it moved inland. Follow live updates here.

By 10 p.m., Milton had weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds, moving east-northeast at 16 mph about 20 miles northeast of Sarasota.

Milton's impact was immediate, with about 125 homes destroyed, nearly 2 million people losing power, and Hardee County experiencing near-total blackout and significant outages in Sarasota, Manatee, and Pinella counties. Here's an interactive map.

Hurricane Milton's powerful winds shredded the fabric roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, causing significant damage to the domed stadium that was being used as a staging site for emergency workers. See a video here.

Free Urgent Care Video Visits During Milton

AdventHealth Centra Care offers free urgent care video visits during Hurricane Milton until 8 p.m. tonight.

Floridians can access the video visits by downloading the AdventHealth App on their mobile phones and using the code “Milton” to bypass payment pages. You can download the App here.

“AdventHealth medical professionals will be available to provide virtual consultations and recommended treatment for urgent, non-life-threatening medical needs,” an AdventHealth spokesperson said.

Federal Judge May Block Florida 'Fake' Meat Ban

A federal judge said Monday he plans to rule quickly on a request to temporarily halt a new Florida law banning lab-grown cultivated meat.

UPSIDE Foods, a California-based company, filed a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality and seeking a preliminary injunction.

The company argues that federal poultry product laws preempt Florida's ban.

State Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson defended the law, stating, "Food security is a matter of national security, and our farmers are the first line of defense." Simpson added, "States are the laboratory of democracy, and Florida has the right to not be a corporate guinea pig."

This Breakthrough Kitchen Robot Sold Out in a Week

It doesn’t take an economist to know that sellouts bode well for business. Well, Miso just sold out its first run of the latest Flippy Fry Station—its new commercial kitchen robot—in only seven days.

Why did this AI robot get snatched up so quickly? Simple – the $1T fast food industry’s feeling the heat from its 150% turnover rate. In fact, despite minimum wages climbing as high as $20/hour in places like California, the industry will need ~1M new workers each year through 2033.

Enter Flippy Fry Station. Building on its 150,000+ hours of experience in real-world kitchens for brands like Jack in the Box, this new robot is smaller, faster, smarter, and ready-made for today’s fast-food landscape. This sellout is just the start. White Castle announced interest in rolling out Flippy to 100 locations.

With 170+ US fast food brands in need of automation, there’s a $4B annual revenue opportunity for the taking. Hurry—invest in Miso before their opportunity ends on October 18.

➤ Manatee County: Water to Anna Maria Island, the Town of Longboat Key, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach was turned off on Wednesday to protect infrastructure and lift stations as Hurricane Milton approached. (More)

➤ St. Johns County: A flash flood warning was issued after more than 3 inches of rain fell overnight Wednesday in the western areas of the county. St. Augustine was placed under a mandatory evacuation. (More)

➤ Boca Raton: Florida Atlantic University’s interim president’s contract has been extended with a $100,000 bonus and raise for the second time as the school’s contentious search for a permanent president continues. (More)

➤ Escambia: The United Way of West Florida's $804,000 bid was approved to lead the Escambia Children’s Trust Healthy Schools Initiative and others. (More)

➤ Miami: Latin America's wealthiest families met at a summit this week to promote business, investment, sustainability, and technology in Latin American countries, while strengthening ties with financial institutions in the U.S. (See Details)

➤ Sarasota: Nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast has named Kamala Martinez its new president and CEO. (More)

➤ The Jacksonville Jaguars have designated star cornerback Tyson Campbell for return from injured reserve. Campbell signed a new contract in the offseason, making him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history. (More)

➤ The Tampa Bay Lightning have evacuated from Florida due to Hurricane Milton ahead of their season-opening matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Lightning’s home opener is scheduled for Saturday, but the hurricane puts that game’s status in doubt. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers canceled their public championship ring celebration on Monday due to concerns about Hurricane Milton. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAF

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➤ Midwest Transport, a trucking company, cut 222 jobs in Jacksonville and Tampa after being forced to shut down both terminals by a creditor. (More)

➤ Lakeland-based Ready Chapter 1, a startup platform for independent authors, announced this week that it has joined forces with Barnes & Noble Press, the publishing arm of national bookseller Barnes & Noble. (See Details)

➤ Miami-based Brightline Trains posted a net loss of $420.5 million during the first half of 2024 as the company grappled with mounting costs related to its expansion into Orlando and a substantial one-time charge from debt refinancing. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Join Sam’s Club through this exclusive deal for Flyover Florida readers and get 50% off your membership. That’s only $25! Limited time offer. (See It Here)

One Giant Leap for AI

The move from prototype to commercial product is critical for any startup. It’s a sign that they’ve proven their tech, their customers want it, and they can now start making money. That’s exactly what’s happening with Miso. And unlike most successful startups making this transition, you can invest in Miso at this pivotal moment.

Miso’s honed Flippy, their AI-powered kitchen robot, for 150,000+ hours at fry stations for top brands like White Castle and Jack in the Box. Now, Miso just launched the newest commercial-ready Flippy Fry Station. In a smaller, faster, and smarter package than its predecessor, its first units just sold out in only seven days.

Now Miso’s ready to begin selling to 170+ brands and 100,000+ fast food locations in desperate need of automation. That’s a $4B recurring revenue opportunity for Miso. Hurry — the opportunity to become a Miso shareholder ends on October 18, 2024.

^{This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.}

➤ Pioneering Jacksonville triathlete Dottie Dorion's life is now the subject of a film. The documentary Beyond Triathlon debuts at the University of North Florida's Lazzara Performance Hall on Oct. 12. (See Photos)

➤ The Florida Association of Chamber Professionals named Destin Chamber CEO Shane Moody Executive of the Year, recognizing his contributions to membership growth, strategic planning, and volunteer engagement. (More)

➤ Looking for a castle to rent? The Reunion Castle in Kissimmee offers a luxury stay for up to 48 guests, with 15 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, and 23,000 square feet. (See Pictures)

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➤ The Lightbulb That Protects Your Home – Introducing Sight Bulb™, the revolutionary security camera that easily screws into any socket like a lightbulb! It’s perfect for homeowners, parents, pet owners, and businesses. (See It Here)