The St. Augustine Record

Updated Aug. 13, 2026, 6:18 p.m. ET Florida has settled a short-lived free speech lawsuit for $65,000, marking the second loss for the state's wildlife agency after firing a state worker over a social media post criticizing Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator who was killed in September. Marion County resident and former dispatcher Haley Massung filed a lawsuit in June against Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for firing her last Sept.

The Perseid meteor shower is still visible even though its peak has passed. Favorable viewing conditions continue with a moon that is less than 1% illuminated tonight. For the best viewing experience, find a location away from city lights, such as one of Florida's three Dark Sky locations. Although the Perseid meteor shower's peak has passed, the annual celestial event is not over. Yesterday, Wednesday, Aug.

Shake Shack is opening 11 new locations across the United States in August. Two new Florida locations are opening in Orlando and Doral this month. The company denied a viral claim that it charges customers more for not tipping at self-pay kiosks. Shake Shack is having a busy August with 11 new locations opening across the country, including two in Florida. Four locations opened the same day, Aug. 12, in California, Colorado, Texas, and Virginia.

Graham voted at Florida A&M University to honor its civil rights history and encourage student participation in the election. Donalds campaigned in nearby Crawfordville, focusing on affordability issues like housing, insurance, and healthcare costs. The two campaigns are presenting competing visions, with Democrats seeking a broad coalition and Republicans aiming to continue current conservative policies. Florida's campaign for chief executive arrived in the Big Bend on Aug.

Ballot wording for the Florida governor's race has caused some confusion among voters. Voters are reminded to select only one candidate per race to ensure their vote is counted. Some voters have mistakenly selected two candidates, possibly thinking one was for lieutenant governor. Voters who make a mistake can receive up to two replacement ballots to correct their vote.

Aug. 13, 2026, 3:01 p.m. ET A candidate for the Florida House of Representatives was assaulted outside of a polling center in St. Augustine this week, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. Diana Jordan-Baldwin, who is challenging state Rep. Kim Kendall in the Republican primary for Florida House District 18, said she was punched by community activist Charles Hunt on Aug. 11 at a polling place in World Golf Village.

Aug. 13, 2026, 2:57 p.m. ET Florida has more than 3,000 vacant positions for educators, according to a recent report, with hundreds open in South Florida alone. There were 3,157 "advertised instructional vacancies" as of Aug. 4 this year throughout the state of Florida, according to an Aug. 10 press release by the Florida Education Association. Florida has more than 3,000 vacant positions for educators, according to a recent report, with hundreds open in South Florida alone.

A Powerball ticket sold in Illinois won the $1.04 billion jackpot on August 12, 2026. A ticket sold in Florida won a secondary prize of $1 million in the same drawing. This marks the 15th time a U.S. lottery jackpot has surpassed the $1 billion mark. For the 15th time in U.S. lottery history, a jackpot hit the $1 billion mark for last night's drawing. The $1.04 billion jackpot was won just over two weeks after an $800 million jackpot was won in Florida.

All 67 counties in Florida are under a heat advisory with heat indexes expected to reach 105-110 degrees. Extreme heat can cause serious health issues, including heat exhaustion and potentially fatal heat stroke. While landlords in Florida must provide heat, they are not legally required to provide air conditioning unless it was included at move-in. Florida's brutal heat is no joke. All of Florida's 67 counties are under a heat advisory as of Aug. 13.

Chick-fil-A is introducing a limited-time fall menu featuring chicken and waffle sandwiches. The new menu includes a S'mores Milkshake and a S'mores Frosted Coffee. These fall items will be available nationwide starting Aug. 24. The Chicken & Waffle sandwich will be offered as both a breakfast and an all-day entrée option.