Friday, December 12, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court released its 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore, settling the recount dispute in Florida's 2000 presidential election in favor of George W. Bush.

Hanukkah officially begins at sundown on Sunday, and South Florida is ready with menorah lightings, festivals, and street fairs. Celebrations will continue throughout the eight nights of the holiday.

If you've ever wished you could get in on a Lucasfilm-level opportunity before the rest of the world caught on, today's sponsor, Elf Labs may be the rare early-stage entertainment deal everyday investors actually get to access.

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.

'Floridians First' Budget Proposal

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his "Floridians First" $117 billion budget proposal for his final year in office.

The plan reduces property taxes while expanding spending on law enforcement, education, infrastructure, and environmental priorities. It also bolsters military installations in hopes of deterring oil drilling off the coast.

DeSantis said his budget aims to achieve fiscal discipline while boosting select programs he considers core priorities, including $15.4 billion for the Department of Transportation, as well as $14.3 billion for the state transportation work program.

The governor proposed $13.5 million in pay raises for state law enforcement personnel, hiring 500 new corrections officers, and adding nearly $92 million for National Guard facilities and benefits.

The budget also allocates $8.6 million for improvements to the State Veterans' Nursing Homes and $36.6 million for child welfare system funding, which will support foster parents, caregivers, and community-based services.

Battle Brewing over Education Spending

Lawmakers will begin shaping the state's final budget when the legislative session begins on Jan. 13. Education funding for K-12 is expected to be a central battleground, particularly over the costs of school choice.

Gov. DeSantis' proposed 2026-27 budget includes a record $30.6 billion for K-12 education, including a $201 million increase for teacher salaries. The governor's plan would raise funding to $9,406 per student, a 3% increase. It also boosts funding for school safety and student mental health.

School choice scholarships, projected at $4.5 billion, were moved into a separate budget line, setting up a likely clash with House leaders. State senators are overhauling the program after auditors flagged funding problems tied to enrollment swings.

Teachers' unions criticized the proposed budget as insufficient, while DeSantis defended it as proof that Florida can prioritize education while maintaining fiscal discipline.

State Sues Starbucks

Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, accusing the coffee giant of using unlawful race-based hiring and employment practices at 934 stores statewide.

Filed in Highlands County, the 21-page complaint alleges that Starbucks imposed racial quotas, tied pay and promotions to race-linked programs, and excluded nonminority employees through its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Uthmeier argues that the practices violate the Florida Civil Rights Act by discriminating against workers based on race, even if intended to benefit underrepresented groups, and counter Florida's merit-based hiring protections.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt the practices and impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

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The $4 Billion Deal Everyday Investors Missed

In 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion — one of the most profitable entertainment deals ever made.

But everyday investors never had the chance to participate. The upside was locked away behind private doors.

This dynamic is finally changing. A new company has quietly assembled what normally takes media giants billions to acquire.

After a decade-long legal effort at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Elf Labs secured more than 500 trademarks and copyrights featuring iconic characters like Cinderella, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and many others.

It's one of the most significant character-IP victories in recent memory — and they are already rapidly scaling.

$15M+ in royalties
Upcoming global rollout to 200M TVs
12 patents being used to power 3D & immersive content
Unsolicited $70M+ offers before any nationwide rollout
A team with a $6B+ licensing track record

The shift resembles the Lucasfilm moment — except this time, the opportunity is still open to everyday investors.

Elf is building a tech-powered character universe designed to disrupt the $2 trillion entertainment and merchandise market. With enterprise backing and distribution underway, they're entering a major growth phase.

Become an Elf Labs shareholder before 12/17 to unlock up to 25% bonus shares

➤ Tallahassee: Gov. Ron DeSantis is backing U.S. military action against Venezuelan targets as the Trump administration escalates operations, including the seizure of an oil tanker. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: The sheriff's office said drug overdose deaths in the city dropped 33% from 2022 to 2024. In 2025, 221 people died of drug overdoses in Duval County, down from 317 last year. (More)

➤ Miami Beach: The city will face an audit from the state after a state committee approved a lawmaker's request to dig into the city's operations due to "financial mismanagement" and "a lack of transparency." (More)

➤ New Smyrna Beach: The city commission unanimously voted against allowing "pedal pubs," formally referred to as commercial mega-cycles, to operate on local streets. (More)

➤ Largo: Neighbors and county planners continue to protest a plan to build an apartment complex on a former landfill site, saying the 18-acre site on Pine Street could be contaminated. (More)

➤ St. Petersburg: The city unveiled its first purpose-built water testing laboratory, which aims to ensure safe drinking water flows during hurricanes. (More)

➤ Oviedo: Lawton Chiles Middle School went into lockdown Tuesday when its AI weapons detection system flagged a student holding a clarinet as someone holding a rifle. It "triggered the Code Red to activate," the school's principal told families in a message. (More)

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➤ The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Atlanta Falcons 29-28 last night on a game-losing field goal at the end of the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Mike Evans added 132 yards in his first game back since October. (More)

➤ Newly-hired Florida football coach Jon Sumrall said he's not convincing his former Tulane players to follow him to the Gators: "If any guy goes in the portal, and they're good enough to play here, then I'll recruit them. But I'll have zero conversations. I didn't steal one commit from Tulane to Florida." (More)

➤ Players from the Miami Dolphins delivered presents to pediatric cancer patients this week at a Miami hospital. (More)

➤ Former Florida Gators football general manager Jacob LaFrance is following former coach Billy Napier to James Madison to take over player personnel decisions at the school. (More)

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➤ Frito-Lay canceled a planned fulfillment center project in Osceola County that has been in the works since 2018. The project had been announced as a $180 million investment with plans to create more than 180 jobs. (More)

➤ Baptist Health is donating $250,000 to the regional food bank Feeding Northeast Florida. The donation will provide approximately 215,000 meals. (More)

➤ Tampa General Hospital Chief Executive Officer John Couris made Modern Healthcare's list of the 100 most innovative and prominent health care leaders in the nation. (More)

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This $6B Licensing Team is Offering up to 25% Bonus Stock in their New Venture

There's a new king in the $2T entertainment market.

And they're called Elf Labs.

The company has secured 100+ historic trademark victories tied to powerhouse characters like Cinderella, Snow White, and dozens more.

Their idea? Merge their iconic IP with AI, AR, and patented tech to build the world's first connected entertainment ecosystem. They're creating a world where content, toys, devices, and holograms all interact in real time.

And it's already taking off. In just 12 months, Elf Labs secured a nationwide T-Mobile–backed telecom deal, raised $8M from 2,200+ investors, and inked a 200M-TV distribution deal for their revolutionary new form of content.

Backed by a $6B licensing team, the company has already generated $15M+ in royalties. Momentum is accelerating.

Become an Elf Labs shareholder and unlock up to 25% bonus stock.

This is a paid advertisement for Elf Lab's Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://www.elflabs.com/

➤ The AKC National Championship, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, will welcome dogs from all 50 states and around the world to the Orange County Convention Center on Dec. 13 and 14 for North America's largest dog show. (More)

➤ Keeping North Florida Wild celebrates North Florida Land Trust's 25th anniversary. The book includes essays, archival images, and landscape photos about the conservation nonprofit. (More)

➤ Downtown Jacksonville's annual Gingerbread Extravaganza returns for its 23rd year on Saturday at the Jacksonville History Center. Forty-one creations of edible artistry will be on display through Dec. 27. (See Photos)

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