Polymarket betting odds for Florida's Senate race moved higher after Angie Nixon won the Democratic primary, with incumbent Ashley Moody's chance of victory rising to 91% as of Saturday. Before the primary, Moody's odds were 87% and a generic Democratic nominee was projected at 13%. Nixon was assigned a 9% chance of winning. In the governor's race, David Jolly's odds fell to 19% while Republican Byron Donalds maintained an 81% chance. The market for Amendment 3, which would raise homestead exemptions to $250,000 by 2028, saw its yes share drop to 28% as of Saturday, the lowest level since the market opened. The proposition requires 60% voter approval and has been supported by Republican candidates, while Democratic opponents have not used their stance on the measure as a political weapon. The durability of the betting odds and the final outcome of the amendment remain undetermined.
Congress, the White House, elections, and the policies shaping the country.
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, the first woman elected to the United States Senate without a relative previously holding the seat, died on Friday at age 94, according to her son. She served three terms from 1978 to 1997, chaired the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, and was the only woman among eight female senators when she left office. Baker was the daughter of former Kansas Governor Alf Landon, the 1936 Republican presidential nominee, and entered the Senate after a career in state politics. During her 18 years in the Senate she cultivated a moderate reputation, working across party lines and supporting legislation such as the 1996 health insurance act co‑named with Senator Ted Kennedy. She advocated for a ban on assault weapons and endorsed Democratic candidates for governor and senator, including Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. In 2021 she called for the impeachment of former President Donald Trump after the Capitol attack. She married Senator Howard Baker in 1996; he died in 2014. After leaving the Senate she continued public service roles and remained a respected figure in Kansas. Her death concludes a career that bridged moderate Republicanism with progressive initiatives and left a lasting influence on Kansas politics.
Blake Dowling, a former University of Florida intern, has attended the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Conference annually for 20 years. In 1998, his curriculum required an internship at Creative Event Marketing in Atlanta, where he began a career involving frequent travel to events and conferences. In his second week he helped draft a Star Wars‑themed proposal for a national mattress company that won the contract and resulted in a product launch at the Houstonian Hotel in Texas. After the account executive experienced a family emergency, Dowling was asked to run the event alone, hired 20 actors to portray Star Wars characters, and oversaw themed menus and audiovisual setup. The mattress company’s CEO later praised the account manager, identified as the intern, and provided a bonus. Following the Houstonian event, Dowling managed tours for a band, staying primarily in Hampton Inns across the United States. He has attended more than 100 conferences, but the Tallahassee Chamber Conference is the only one he has attended continuously for two decades. At the 2026 conference, panels were led by Ed and Slaton Murray, Richard Darabi, and keynote speaker Don Yaeger, whose book “Great Teams: 16 Things High‑Performing Organizations Do Differently” was discussed. Attendees met officials and representatives from groups such as Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, focusing on community impact, volunteerism and local elections. Dowling noted that future road work will not include large‑scale events and that his next scheduled appearance is the 2027 Tallahassee Chamber Conference in Amelia Island.
State prosecutors asked a Florida judge to keep former Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso in jail without bond pending his trial on child sex abuse charges.
State prosecutors asked a Florida judge to keep former Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso in jail without bond pending his trial on child sex abuse charges. Caruso was arrested on Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea on Thursday, while Orange County Circuit Judge Barbara Leach will consider his detention at a hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Prosecutors argued that no bond arrangement could protect the community, citing two or more assault rifles he owns, an account of past violent behavior, and a 2013 complaint in which he was accused of touching a minor’s shoulders and legs. They added that he could leave Florida because of property holdings and financial interests, including a Manhattan apartment disclosed by his wife. The filing said the alleged victim’s family fears increased risk if Caruso is released. His attorney Jason Weiss, a former Palm Beach County prosecutor, said Caruso is innocent and will defend himself vigorously, seeking release under appropriate bond terms. Caruso faces felony counts of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury, with potential life imprisonment and a possible death sentence if indicted. The alleged victim is a relative under 12 years old who had unsupervised access to Caruso, including on the cruise ship Icon of the Seas during an August 2025 family vacation that sailed from PortMiami. Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Caruso on the day of his arrest, a move made one year after appointing him to the clerk position, and the executive order included his arrest affidavit containing victim information. The Haba Law Firm, representing the victim, asked media outlets to redact identifying details about the child. Former Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book condemned the administration for releasing the victim’s information. DeSantis said vetting of Caruso appeared clean despite available court records and predicted Caruso would face severe consequences if allegations are proven. The judge will rule on the detention request on Tuesday, and the decision may influence the upcoming November election for county clerk.
Florida TaxWatch launched a Property Tax Resource Center website to present data on Amendment 3, the November ballot initiative that would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000 by 2028 and requires 60% voter approval.
The amendment proposes to increase the homestead exemption, which TaxWatch estimates would reduce local property tax collections by about $45.8 billion over five years. The organization notes that the change could affect municipal budgets and property tax rates across the state.
The website provides a county‑by‑county map showing projected fiscal impacts and ranks each county by the estimated loss in tax revenue. TaxWatch Chairman David Casey said the center offers independent, data-driven research to help legislators, policymakers, voters and journalists understand the measure’s effects. President and CEO Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said some voters may be uncertain about what the amendment entails. TaxWatch argues that the current proposal was advanced without adequate review and suggests using the Florida Taxation and Budget Review Commission, which meets every two decades but will convene next year. Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds said he would ask the commission to consider property tax changes even if the ballot measure fails in November. The microsite follows a court‑ordered revision by Attorney General James Uthmeier that removed promotional language from the official ballot wording. A survey conducted by Sachs Media found that voters responded favorably to the new resource.
The amendment must achieve a 60% majority to pass, and its ultimate impact on homeowner taxes and local government finances remains undetermined.
PEN America criticized federal prosecutors for citing a passage from a novel written by former FBI director James Comey in the indictment accusing him of threatening to kill Donald Trump. The organization called the strategy a desperate Hail Mary intended to sustain a constitutionally dubious charge.
Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017, released a thriller in 2018 that contains a fictional scene in which a character threatens the president. The indictment alleges that the passage demonstrates Comey's intent to cause harm.
In a statement posted on Friday, Mara Gassmann, legal director of PEN America, said that using the novel to bolster the indictment was inappropriate and should be rejected. Prosecutors responded that the excerpt was directly relevant to the alleged threat and that the indictment is legally sound. The matter is expected to be reviewed by a federal judge before trial.
The court will determine whether the novel’s passage can be admitted as evidence as the case proceeds.
Early on August 3, assailants used wire cutters to break a window and force entry into the Westwood Islamic Community Center in west Cincinnati, Ohio, marking the third break‑in at the facility in seven years. The intrusion damaged the office, resulted in the theft of a surveillance camera and television monitors, and led to vandalism that included profanity written on a whiteboard and the tearing of two posters bearing Arabic Quranic verses.
Nashid Shakir, a board member who has been associated with the center since the 1960s, described the scene as “total disarray.” He noted that the center, which includes a mosque and a food pantry and serves an underserved, majority‑Black neighborhood, has previously experienced a 2005 pipe‑bomb attack that caused damage to a door and windows but remains unsolved.
Local Muslim leaders and community members have labeled the incident a hate crime, saying that previous attacks were accompanied by graffiti with racist language. They have called on local authorities to acknowledge and condemn the acts, expressing doubt that federal law enforcement will pursue a hate‑crime investigation. “I don’t have trust in authorities to find who’s behind this,” said Tala Ali, a community organizer with Cair‑Ohio.
The attacks occur amid a broader increase in Islamophobic rhetoric and incidents nationwide. In March, the Council on American‑Islamic Relations reported a record rise in Islamophobic incidents, and in May three people were killed at a mosque in San Diego. President Donald Trump referenced “jihadists being elected” on August 10, echoing language that has been used to describe recent attacks on Muslim Americans.
A thinktank report by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate found that targeting of Democratic senatorial candidate Abdul El‑Sayed increased twentyfold after his primary win on August 4, with repeated criticism from Donald Trump and other right‑wing figures. The Westwood incident reflects a pattern of intimidation that community leaders say is motivated by identity.
Community members have sought federal assistance for security upgrades, including grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but uncertainty about the current administration has made them hesitant. “Will these people really protect you, or will they use it, as they have historically used it, to access what we do in our community?” Ali asked. The center currently lacks security cameras, and no suspects have been apprehended.
Florida is demonstrating a range of adaptation measures for coastal cities facing rising seas and stronger storms, with architects and planners implementing designs such as elevated housing, 3D‑printed seawalls, and flood‑absorbing parks.
Sea level rise driven by human‑caused climate change has increased the frequency of extreme coastal flooding, and about 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal counties. The 1992 landfall of Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, highlighted the vulnerability of southern Florida.
Landscape architect Jeffrey Huber, a professor at Florida Atlantic University, said extreme storms are becoming more common. In Miami Beach, frequent rain‑induced flooding forced resident Anya Freeman to move her car, prompting her to leave her law career in 2024 and launch Kind Designs, a startup that creates 3D‑printed living seawalls. The seawalls, made from a nontoxic concrete mixture, dissipate at least 45% of wave energy and support marine habitat; 51 species, including oysters and tubeworms, were observed on one wall one year after installation. Kind Designs has installed 16 such walls in Florida and plans to expand to California, New York, and U.S. Navy coastal bases.
The Vista Breeze affordable senior housing project in Miami Beach, designed by Brooks Scarpa Huber, is elevated 10 feet (3.05 m) above sea level and built to withstand storm surges up to 20 feet (6.10 m). The structure uses waterproof concrete with a crystalline additive, zinc‑coated rebar, and is oriented southeast to capture prevailing breezes for passive cooling. Community rooms, courtyards and terraces encourage social interaction, while hidden elevators and prominent stairs promote stair use.
DC Alexander Park in Fort Lauderdale transformed a former parking lot into a public space featuring a 25‑foot overlook and a native maritime forest that absorbs rainfall and saltwater flooding while providing recreation and habitat.
Aaron DeMayo, founder of Future Vision Studios, developed The Coastline, a regional resilience master plan to protect Southern Florida from storm surge and sea level rise, estimating large returns on investment for protecting hundreds of miles of waterfront property. The University of Miami’s Center for Urban and Community Design, established after the 1992 hurricane, is creating a community design fund to assist lower‑income communities with climate‑resilient projects and is launching “sponge parks” that use green infrastructure to absorb rain and manage stormwater.
While financing, policy and community support remain challenges, officials say the solutions emerging in Florida could be replicated in other coastal cities worldwide as they confront similar climate threats.
Ian Kelley, a mentor and golf specialist with First Tee–Tallahassee, received the Dougie Jr. Award at the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism’s STARS of the Spectrum Golf League tournament held Tuesday at Harvest Hill Golf Course in Orchard Park, New York.
First Tee–Tallahassee serves youth ages 7 to 13 through a golf‑based curriculum that builds character, confidence and resilience. The STARS league, created in 2023, offers national competition for autistic golfers who hold a USGA handicap; it currently has 17 participants.
The tournament featured 11 players competing in person, including Kelley, several returning STARS golfers and debutants Peyton Mattingly and Liam LaFrance. The Dougie Jr. Award recognizes a player who demonstrates leadership and consistent support for peers. Nick Savarese, executive director of the foundation, presented the award.
Kelley thanked the First Tee–Tallahassee staff, coaches, his family and his brother Joey, who served as his caddie for the first time. He said the trophy belonged to the team and expressed gratitude for their support.
Kelley, also an ambassador for STARS and a participant in the Ernie Els Foundation for Autism, plans to become a certified golf coach and launch the Kelley Golf Academy, a 501(c)(3) aimed at providing hands‑on instruction to young people on the autism spectrum. The league continues to award scholarship prizes that support participants’ golfing goals.
Legoland Florida’s three hotels, including the pirate-themed Pirate Island Hotel that opened in 2020, target families with young children by offering amenities such as a built-in potty training toilet seat and a step stool for brushing teeth, and by providing spaces where children can play while adults wait. The Pirate Island Hotel features a nook with a bunkbed and a television for children, a pajama dance party in the lobby, and Legos displayed throughout the property, including carpet designs and a gift shop that sells exclusive sets. Play areas are located near the adult lounge, check‑in desk and restaurant to keep children occupied during delays. Dani Meyering, managing editor of Attractions Magazine, said she was impressed by the hotel’s specific touches for families. Josh Pate, head of hotels for Legoland Florida, said the design lets children make decisions while parents follow, describing the approach as unique in the industry. The company has added premium themed rooms and expanded park offerings during events such as the Lego Festival, where a bracelet‑making station was offered in the lobby. Dennis Speigel, chief executive of International Theme Park Services, said Legoland is an early innovator and that competition is driving hotels to improve guest experiences. Legoland has no immediate plans to open a fourth hotel, but it continues to renovate existing rooms and expand its footprint.