Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Weather: Today, a slight chance of showers between 2pm and 3pm, with a high near 97. Tonight, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, with a low around 77. Wednesday, a slight chance of showers between 2pm and 5pm, with a high near 97. Wednesday night, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, with a low around 75. NWS

US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.5%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq -0.3%) as 30-year Treasury yield tops 5.3%, the highest in 19 years (More).

Local & State News

Leon County voters will decide in November whether to amend the county charter to require periodic reviews of community conditions associated with past government policies. Details.

The Division of Elections on Monday morning posted that nearly 1.1 million mail ballots have been returned to county elections offices and more than 818,000 voted in-person at early voting locations. Details

According to AAA, the state’s average price of a gallon of gas was $3.85 on Monday, 1 cent lower than a week earlier and 77 cents more than a year ago. Details

National News

President Donald Trump reportedly threatens to bomb Oman if it interferes in US efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the Iran war; comes as Trump’s 60-day deadline to reach a deal with Iran ends (More).

Uber Eats plans to begin integrating drones into its food delivery services in Dallas and Houston by the end of 2026; company hopes to cut transit times to a maximum of 10 minutes (More).

The Leon County Commission voted 5-2 Monday to place the proposed charter amendment on the Nov. 3 general-election ballot.

The measure would establish a recurring “Community Impact Assessment” process requiring public reporting and County Commission review and response regarding adverse community conditions related to historic public policies or governmental practices.

The proposal has changed significantly since it was first considered earlier this year.

An earlier version sought to address persistent disparities associated with historic public policies and included discussion of slavery, segregation and racial discrimination. That proposal failed in February when the Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee deadlocked 9-9.

County officials also raised legal and financial concerns as state and federal governments moved to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

County staff previously warned that an improperly structured program could jeopardize millions of dollars in federal funding, including a $16.8 million federal grant for safety improvements along North Monroe Street.

Florida lawmakers also approved SB 1134, which restricts local governments from funding, promoting or taking official action related to DEI. The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

In April, county commissioners directed staff to develop a different approach that would focus on geographic areas rather than race, gender, ethnicity or another protected class and would comply with state and federal law.

The Commission voted 4-2 in May to return the issue to the Charter Review Committee. On May 28, the committee approved the revised proposal 14-3.

Bruce Strouble Jr., a Charter Review Committee member and chairman of Tallahassee ALERT, has been a leading advocate for the amendment. Strouble has argued that the revised proposal is not a reparations program and instead creates a process for determining whether previous government decisions continue to affect particular areas of the county.

The revised amendment contains no protected-class eligibility requirements and does not establish a restoration fund or require the Commission to spend money on particular communities.

Critics, however, continue to question both the need for the amendment and its underlying purpose.

Commissioner Brian Welch, who has opposed the proposal, said Monday that he believes it is “intellectually dishonest” to contend that the effort is not about reparations.

County staff previously noted another concern: the County Commission already possesses broad authority to study community conditions and direct resources toward underserved areas without changing the charter. Staff has also noted that no other Florida county charter contains similar language addressing harmful historic public policies.

Commissioner Carolyn Cummings expressed reservations about placing what could be considered a policy matter in the county’s governing document but said Monday that allowing citizens to participate in the process and supporting local control outweighed those concerns.

The final decision will now rest with Leon County voters in November.

Gas prices across most of Florida continue to waver under the $4 mark.

According to AAA, the state’s average price of a gallon of gas was $3.85 on Monday, 1 cent lower than a week earlier and 77 cents more than a year ago.

Averages on Monday ranged from $3.55 in Escambia County to $4.11 in Monroe County. Palm Beach County, at $4.04, was the only other county on Monday topping the $4 mark.

Since the state average dipped under $4 on June 2, the daily mark has been around $3.85 a gallon, with a low of $3.62 on June 22.

Prior to the start of military strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, the average was under $2.90.

AAA Florida spokesman Mark Jenkins cautioned that prices in the state could soon rise as the U.S. price of crude oil was up 5 percent over the week.

“That could limit how much further pump prices fall in the near term,” Jenkins stated in a release. “If crude oil remains elevated, drivers could see renewed upward pressure at the pump.”

Nationally, the average was $4.06 on Monday, a 5-cent increase on the week.

Diesel in Florida stood at $5.38 a gallon on Monday, a 9-cent increase from a week earlier. A year ago, diesel in Florida averaged $3.65 a gallon.

For motorists with electric vehicles, the average kilowatt hour cost at charging stations in Florida on Sunday rounded down to 41 cents, a rate mostly unchanged since early March.

More than 1.9 million Floridians have already cast ballots for Tuesday’s primary election.

The Division of Elections on Monday morning posted that nearly 1.1 million mail ballots have been returned to county elections offices and more than 818,000 voted in-person at early voting locations.

Republicans carrying a 1.6 million advantage in registered voters in the state have accounted for 45.5 percent of the ballots cast already, while registered Democrats were at 42.1 percent.

Registered Republicans in Florida have cast more than 448,000 early votes to just under 306,000 by Democrats. Meanwhile, Democrats are up in mail voting – 501,000 to 422,000.

The biggest race in the state is the field of 11 Republican gubernatorial contest, which features U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and former state House Speaker Paul Renner.

The 2022 primary, the last time there were statewide gubernatorial and Cabinet primaries, 3.7 million votes were cast, of which nearly 1.75 million were mail ballots and just over 613,000 were early votes. Turnout was just under 26 percent.

Of the more than 3 million votes cast in the 2024 primary, 1.4 million came through the mail and 656,500 were done at early voting locations. Turnout was 22 percent.

Monday, August 17, 2026

Weather: Today, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with a high near 97. Tonight, a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, with a low around 78. Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms likely, with a high near 98. Tuesday Night, showers and thunderstorms likely before 8pm, with a low around 78. NWS

US stock markets close down Friday (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq -0.3%); slip comes a day after the S&P 500 crossed 7,800 for the first time (More).

Local & State News

ICYMI: TR took a look at the statements and actions by the local candidates and developed an ideology guide to Tallahassee’s city commission elections. Details.

The Tallahassee metropolitan housing market continued to post stronger home price growth than the statewide average in June, even as the number of homes sold declined, according to the latest report from Florida Realtors. Details.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has submitted for judicial review a rewritten version of the title and ballot summary for Amendment 3. Details

National News

Centcom Commander Adm. Brad Cooper visited the USS Abraham Lincoln on Saturday in light of allegations of poor conditions on the ship. Cooper praised US service members for their role in the war and claimed the Lincoln had among the lowest numbers of mental health cases among US aircraft carriers. 

US health officials inspect Taylor Farms central processing plant in Mexico as part of cyclosporiasis investigation; outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce, linked to nearly 9,500 cases and two deaths (More).

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has submitted for judicial review a rewritten version of the title and ballot summary for Amendment 3.

Circuit Judge David Frank in  Leon County ordered the AG’s office to rewrite the far-reaching property tax amendment’s ballot language after ruling the original title, “Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes,” was “akin to a political slogan” in violation of state law.

Under a 2011 law, the office had 10 days from the ruling, or until Aug. 14 — Friday — to submit new language for the judge to review. 

Former State Sen. Jeff Brandes, one of the named plaintiffs in the legal challenge, seemed satisfied with the new language submitted by Uthmeier.

“Finally, the practicing attorneys took control of the language. The text is honest about what the amendment does,” Brandes said in a text to the Phoenix. “I hope Florida voters will dig deeper, ask hard questions, and understand the consequences before they decide the outcome.”

If passed, Amendment 3 would constitute one of the most significant changes to property taxes in the state in more than a generation. Its projected financial impact could reach up to $12 billion annually beginning in 2031.

The new title and ballot summary language come days before the Aug. 18 primaries, after which the local supervisors of elections will start preparing ballots for the general election.

In the new version, the title “Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” has been replaced by, “Increased Homestead exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non Homestead Property Assessment.”

The ballot summary would now make clear the measure would increase the homestead exemption for all non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and adjust for inflation thereafter.

The amendment reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

The summary makes clear the Legislature would write a law laying out a “uniform procedure” for counties and municipalities (and special districts, subject to referendum approval) to follow that would “increase the homestead exemption to the full assessed property value.”

The new ballot summary also makes clear counties and cities would be required to use property taxes solely for public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, natural resources, bond debt service, retirement benefits for employees, and operations and administration.

With a projected $12 billion annual loss in revenue, those interests will compete for a smaller amount of available revenue, which is why the amendment has drawn opposition from groups representing law enforcement, local government officials from both political parties, as well as the Florida Democratic Party.

And while Gov. Ron DeSantis says he supports Amendment 3, he isn’t investing his political energy into helping get it passed because, he says, it wasn’t his original plan. His proposal would included school taxes in the cuts, which was a step too far for the Florida Legislature.

Edie Ausley, a spokesperson for the “Vote No on 3” campaign, issued a statement saying Frank’s ruling along with the the new language “confirm what we’ve long known — this amendment is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

She said the Amendment is not tax relief but a tax shift.

“The proposal doesn’t eliminate the cost of local services — it shifts more of the burden onto renters, businesses, and other property owners while leaving communities to make up the difference.”

Friday, August 14, 2026

Weather: Today, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with a high near 98. Tonight, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm, with a low around 77. Saturday, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm, with a high near 97. Saturday night showers and thunderstorms likely before 8pm, with a low around 76. NWS

US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq +0.8%); S&P 500 reaches record high amid cooler-than-expected inflation data (More).

Local Sports: With the girls swimming season just around the corner, Tallahassee Reports previews swimmers that we think could have an impact this season.

Local & State News

Leon County teachers earned an average annual wage of $53,226 in 2025, ranking 44th among Florida’s 67 counties, according to a county-by-county wage analysis. Details.

A decline in Florida’s jobless claims slowed as the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,622 first-time applications were submitted last week, 71 more than in the prior week. Details

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday awarded $9 million for infrastructure improvements linked to the Birdon America shipbuilding initiative at the Port of Pensacola. Details

National News

Flock Safety announced new privacy restrictions yesterday for its automated license plate readers following scrutiny over privacy and police misuse. The company will require automated audits and case codes for searches and reduce its default data retention period from 30 days to seven.

US military is sending USS George Washington to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln amid reports of deteriorating conditions and supplies; the ship has gone over 200 consecutive days without a port call, a modern record (More).

McKay Yearty, Chiles

McKay Yearty enters her senior season at Chiles after a strong 2025-2026 campaign in the freestyle events. Yearty recorded times of 1:53.38 in the 200 freestyle and 5:03.30 in the 500 freestyle, along with a 54.94 in the 100 freestyle and 25.09 in the 50 freestyle.

Yearty was also a key contributor at the state level as Chiles finished 11th as a team with 60 points at the FHSAA Class 3A State Championship. She placed sixth in the 500 freestyle finals with a time of 5:06.83, giving her a top-six individual finish at the state meet heading into her final season with the Timberwolves.

Olivia Holt, Maclay

Maclay’s Olivia Holt enters her freshman season after making an immediate impact as an eighth grader during the 2025-2026 season. Holt was the lone Leon County girls swimmer to qualify for the FHSAA 1A State Championship, where she competed in the 100 butterfly and recorded a personal-best time of 57.61 in the finals to finish seventh individually.

Holt also posted strong times in several other events during the season, including a 2:10.13 in the 200 individual medley, 26.74 in the 50 butterfly and 58.94 in the 100 freestyle. After reaching the state podium as an eighth grader, Holt will be one of Maclay’s swimmers to watch as she begins her freshman season.

Osea Rawling, Leon

Osea Rawling returns for her junior season at Leon after competing in four events during the 2025-2026 season. Rawling posted a 1:02.83 in the 100 freestyle and a 28.74 in the 50 freestyle, while also recording times of 33.85 in the 50 backstroke and 1:15.87 in the 100 backstroke.

Rawling competed at the FHSAA 3A District 1 Championship in both the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke, giving her experience competing at the championship level. With two seasons of high school swimming still ahead of her, Rawling will look to build on her 2025-2026 performances during the upcoming season.

Reagan Owen, Chiles

Reagan Owen is going into her third season with the Chiles Timberwolves after competing primarily in the freestyle events during the 2025-2026 season. Owen recorded a 26.90 in the 50 freestyle and a 59.52 in the 100 freestyle, both at the FHSAA 3A District 1 Championship.

Owen will bring two years of high school swimming experience into the 2026-2027 season as she looks to build on her performances from last year. Her experience in the sprint freestyle events makes her one of the Chiles swimmers to watch this season.

Amelia McGlynn, Chiles

Amelia McGlynn returns for her sophomore season at Chiles after competing in the freestyle and backstroke events during the 2025-2026 season. McGlynn posted a 25.22 in the 50 freestyle and a 1:06.22 in the 100 backstroke, while also recording a 29.33 in the 50 backstroke.

McGlynn competed at both the FHSAA 3A Region 1 Championship and the FHSAA Class 3A State Championship last season, swimming the 50 backstroke at the state meet. As she enters her second season with the Timberwolves, McGlynn will look to build on her championship-level experience and continue improving across the freestyle and backstroke events.

Teresa Castano, Chiles

Teresa Castano is going into her third season with the Chiles Timberwolves after competing across freestyle and individual medley events during the 2025-2026 season. Castano recorded a 5:19.11 in the 500 freestyle and a 2:15.87 in the 200 individual medley, along with times of 1:01.02 in the 100 freestyle and 28.55 in the 50 freestyle.

Castano competed at the FHSAA 3A Region 1 Championship in both the 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley, giving her experience at the regional level. With two seasons of high school swimming already under her belt, Castano will look to build on her performances as she enters her third season with Chiles.

Molly Lambert, Maclay

Molly Lambert is going into her third year with the Maclay Marauders after competing in the sprint freestyle events during the 2025-2026 season. Lambert recorded a 27.05 in the 50 freestyle and a 1:00.62 in the 100 freestyle, with both times coming at the FHSAA 1A Region 1 Championship.

Lambert’s regional experience gives her a strong foundation heading into her third season with Maclay. She will look to build on her performances in the sprint freestyle events and continue improving during the 2026-2027 season.

Lila Bubriski, Maclay

Lila Bubriski is going into her third year with the Maclay Marauders after competing primarily in the sprint freestyle events during the 2025-2026 season. Bubriski recorded a season-best time of 28.16 in the 50 freestyle and 1:01.18 in the 100 freestyle at the PCB High School Invitational.

Bubriski also competed at the FHSAA 1A District 1 Championship, placing fifth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:03.61 and eighth in the 50 freestyle at 29.08. With two seasons of high school swimming experience behind her, Bubriski will look to build on her performances as she enters her third season with Maclay.

Sarah Jane Holloway, Community Christian

Sarah Jane Holloway enters her senior season at Community Christian after competing in the freestyle and backstroke events during the 2025-2026 season. Holloway posted a 26.52 in the 50 freestyle and a 59.12 in the 100 freestyle at the FHSAA 1A Region 1 Championship, along with a 31.03 in the 50 backstroke.

Holloway also had strong finishes at the FHSAA 1A District 1 Championship, placing second in the 50 freestyle with a 26.73 and third in the 100 freestyle with a 1:00.42. She enters her final high school season with experience competing at both the district and regional levels and will be one of Community Christian’s swimmers to watch in 2026-2027.

Blake Wheeler, Community Christian

Blake Wheeler is going into her third year with Community Christian after competing in the butterfly, individual medley and freestyle events during the 2025-2026 season. Wheeler recorded a season-best 1:07.07 in the 100 butterfly and 2:34.38 in the 200 individual medley, while also posting a 28.57 in the 50 freestyle.

Wheeler had several strong finishes during the championship portion of the season, placing third in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 200 individual medley at the FHSAA 1A District 1 Championship. She also competed in all three events at the FHSAA 1A Region 1 Championship, placing 13th in both the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.

The median sales price for an existing single-family home in the Tallahassee MSA reached $364,950 in June, a 5.8% increase from June 2025. That outpaced the statewide median sales price of $432,000, which rose 4.9% over the same period. Year-to-date, the Tallahassee median sales price stands at $340,000, up 1.5%, compared with Florida’s statewide median of $421,419, which increased 1.6%.

While prices continued to rise, home sales moved in opposite directions.

The Tallahassee MSA recorded 364 closed sales in June, a 6.2% decline from a year earlier. By contrast, Florida recorded 26,036 closed sales statewide, an increase of 9.3% over June 2025.

Despite the slower June, Tallahassee remained ahead of last year’s pace on a year-to-date basis. The region reported 1,830 closed sales through the first six months of 2026, a 3.9% increase from the same period in 2025. Statewide, closed sales totaled 134,254, representing a 4.6% increase year over year.

The data suggest the Tallahassee housing market continues to experience resilient home values despite softer monthly sales activity. The region’s stronger June price appreciation compared with the state indicates demand has remained sufficient to support higher prices, even as fewer homes changed hands during the month.

Two-Year Trend

The chart below shows that the Tallahassee MSA single-family home median sales price has generally trended upward over the past two years, despite some month-to-month fluctuations. After beginning near $320,000 in mid-2024, prices climbed steadily through late 2024 and early 2025 before leveling off for several months. The three-month moving average indicates the market has remained relatively stable while continuing its overall upward trajectory. By June 2026, the median sales price had risen to approximately $365,000, reflecting continued appreciation in home values.

Florida Realtors compiled the statistics from local multiple listing services, with June 2026 data released on July 17, 2026. The Tallahassee MSA includes Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties, while statewide figures encompass all Florida metropolitan statistical areas.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday awarded $9 million for infrastructure improvements linked to the Birdon America shipbuilding initiative at the Port of Pensacola.

The Birdon initiative carries a $275 million price tag to build a 400,000-square-foot advanced shipbuilding facility at the port, which is expected to create 2,000 jobs after the facility opens in late 2027.

“I think the vast majority will probably be people from within this community,” DeSantis said during an event at the port to announce the funding. “And if you do the right things on the job training, leading into that pipeline, it’s going to be a natural fit.”

The work is intended to support U.S. Navy and defense contracts.

Earlier this year, the project was awarded a $76 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant, which is money from a $2 billion settlement over the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill directed to eight Northwest Florida counties.

The funding comes from the Job Growth Grant Fund, used by DeSantis to back infrastructure projects and workforce training programs.

The budget for the current fiscal year includes $40 million for the fund, with a requirement that half the new dollars be held in reserves until a new governor is seated in January.