Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2004, Jack Eckerd, the owner of the Eckerd drugstore chain, died at 91. One of Florida's best-known names for decades, Eckerd sold the chain in 1986, and its locations have been rebranded as CVS and Rite Aid stores. Eckerd College in St. Petersburg was funded by and named for Eckerd and his wife, Ruth.

The nondenominational Church of Eleven22 baptized 2,500 people during its annual beach baptism at Jacksonville's Hanna Park. Nearly 2,000 people were baptized at last year's event.

Could one of the most common foods in your kitchen actually help guard your brain against Alzheimer’s? Two major studies published in The Journal of Nutrition uncovered a fascinating connection that researchers believe points to one key nutrient in this everyday food. On The Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown unpacks the science behind the findings and what this could mean for your daily routine. Listen here.

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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.

Cuba Suspected of Plot against U.S. Targets

Cuban officials on Sunday denied reports that the island nation has acquired hundreds of military drones and is weighing possible attack scenarios against targets in the U.S., including Key West. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Havana last week and warned Cuban leaders against taking actions hostile to U.S. interests.

According to an Axios report that cited confidential sources, U.S. intelligence believes Cuba has acquired over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023. Reports say the Cuban military discussed possible attacks on U.S. targets, including the naval base at Guantánamo Bay.

Cuba strongly rejected the allegations and accused the U.S. of fabricating a crisis. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned that any U.S. military action against Cuba would lead to a "bloodbath" with serious consequences for regional stability.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla also dismissed the drone allegations as an attempt to justify increased pressure or possible military action against Havana. Cuban officials insisted that the country does not represent a threat while maintaining that it has the right to defend itself under international law.

Tallahassee Photojournalist Dies

For more than four decades, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Mark Wallheiser shot indelible images of Tallahassee and Florida State University (FSU). Wallheiser, 72, died on May 15 after a battle with cancer and a brief stay in hospice.

Starting in 1981, Wallheiser covered Tallahassee, photographing protests, wrecks, presidential campaign stops, the 2014 Strozier Library shooting, and sporting events, including most of Bobby Bowden's 34-year run as FSU football coach.

Wallheiser was nominated for a Pulitzer for an image of President Trump at a Mobile, Alabama, rally that went viral, and he won the Pulitzer as part of the Biloxi Sun Herald team for Hurricane Katrina coverage in 2006.

In 2025, Wallheiser donated his personal collection of 2.5 million photos, prints, and negatives to FSU's Strozier Library. They now serve as a special collection archive documenting decades of Florida history.

A celebration of life is set for June 11 at Shell Point Beach in Crawfordville. Beach attire, beverages in coozies, cameras, and dogs are encouraged.

Push for Orlando MLB Team Gains Traction

The Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, an organization working to secure a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise for Orlando, announced on Monday that Visit Orlando, the nonprofit trade association that brands, markets, and sells Orlando as a global travel destination, officially endorsed the Dreamers' cause.

"This is huge for us, and another signal that the Orlando community supports bringing professional baseball to The City Beautiful," said Baseball Hall of Famer and Dreamers MLB Ambassador Barry Larkin.

The endorsement joined a string of recent statements of support from city, county, and state leaders. Orange County Commissioner Mike Scott reaffirmed his support for the Dreamers. State representative and City of Orlando mayoral candidate Anna Eskamani also endorsed the idea.

Last week, the Dreamers announced that World Series MVP and Orlando native David Eckstein had joined as an MLB Community Advisor and will be involved in community collaborations and fan engagement experiences.

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➤ Statewide: A record 2.7 million Floridians are expected to travel for Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA. The five-day holiday period begins on Thursday. (More)

➤ Lake County: The St. Johns River Water Management District declared a phase 3 extreme water shortage, the most recent county to do so in response to drought. (See Map)

➤ Miami-Dade: The school bus camera ticketing program started issuing tickets on Monday. Nine hundred buses will be equipped with cameras, and deputies will review any potential violations before a driver receives a $225 citation. (More)

➤ New Smyrna Beach: The South Berm Construction Project has reinforced more than 4 miles of coastline, adding protection against future erosion and storm damage. The project also created better nesting habitats for sea turtles and shorebirds. (More)

➤ Osceola County: Wild hogs tore up lawns and frightened pets at Del Webb Sunbridge, a 55-plus community off Narcoossee Road. Residents believe the hogs are displaced from nearby construction. (More)

➤ Eustis: The public high school, which dates back to 1942, is getting a $40 million renovation. Construction is expected to start at the end of May. (More)

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➤ The Florida 3A state baseball championship ended on a walk-off suicide squeeze—one of the riskiest plays in baseball—with South Walton beating North Broward Prep. It's the program's first state title after losing in the championship game each of the previous two years. (More)

➤ Former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley signed a five-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans yesterday, just two weeks after Orlando fired him. (More)

➤ Thunder on Cocoa Beach, an offshore powerboat race, wrapped up its 16th annual contest on Sunday with a record 80-plus boats competing on Florida's Space Coast. (See Results)

➤ Tampa Bay student-athletes received free heart screenings and sports physicals this weekend at the Buccaneers' training facility. (More)

Yesterday's Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | NCAAB | Soccer

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➤ Juno Beach-based NextEra Energy, the parent company of Florida Power & Light, is seeking to acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at about $67 billion. The deal would create the world's largest regulated electric utility and serve 10 million customer accounts across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. (More)

➤ Horizon West Bay, the new $85 million Largo City Hall, will open on Tuesday. The pandemic and hurricanes delayed the project for nearly two years. (More)

➤ Daytona Beach business owners are questioning the city's decision to expand the boardwalk by 245 feet, asking instead for games or activities that draw crowds and tourists. (More)

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➤ Boynton Beach High School retired two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson's No. 7 jersey. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was honored with two street signs reading "Lamar Jackson Way" and "Lamar Jackson Avenue," as well as a new 7 mph speed zone in honor of his jersey number. (See Photo)

➤ The Grow, a large new housing development community in Orlando, is expected to bring more than 2,000 homes, shops, parks, and gathering areas. It's designed to create a connected agricultural neighborhood centered around farming, wellness, and green space. (More)

➤ Air potatoes, Dioscorea bulbifera, is an invasive plant that made its way into the Sunshine State over 100 years ago and are illegal to introduce, own, or grow. (More)

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