New since the last brief
- Local (Brevard) · Election Brevard Voters Decide Nov. 3 Whether to Renew the Half-Cent Lagoon Tax for 10 More Years
The Save Our Indian River Lagoon sales tax voters approved in 2016 runs out Dec. 31. The ballot question asks whether to renew it for 10 years, with the money kept in a trust fund for lagoon projects. - State · Election Nearly 3.9 Million Floridians Have Voted With Five Days Until the Nov. 3 Election
Another 376,000-plus ballots came in over a single day, the state's figures show. Early votes top 2.2 million, and about 752,000 mail ballots are still out. 
Image: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (@BEA_News on X)Breaking · National U.S. Economy Grew at a 3.4% Rate in the Third Quarter, First Government Estimate Shows
The Bureau of Economic Analysis says growth picked up from 2.2% in the spring, driven by business investment, consumer spending and government spending. Prices measured by the PCE index rose at a 2.1% annual rate in the third quarter, down from 5.0% in the second, though September prices were up 3.6% from a year earlier.
Photo: European Central Bank (@ecb on X)Breaking · World ECB President Christine Lagarde Will Step Down Feb. 7, 2027
The European Central Bank says Lagarde told its Governing Council and European Council President António Costa on Thursday. The European Council will appoint her successor.
Image: DoorDashBreaking · Money DoorDash Agrees to Buy Instacart for About $17 Billion
The companies say DoorDash will pay $65 a share, mostly in cash. The deal still needs approval from Instacart shareholders and regulators and isn't expected to close until late 2027 or the first half of 2028.- Crime Ukrainian Man Gets 70 Months in Federal Prison in Ransomware Case Investigated by FBI Tampa
Artem Stryzhak pleaded guilty to two conspiracy counts. Federal prosecutors say the Hive group he worked with hit about 1,500 victims worldwide, including hospitals. 
Photo: NASAScience & Technology Spacewalkers Install the Space Station's Seventh Roll-Out Solar Array in a 7-Hour, 11-Minute Spacewalk
NASA's Anil Menon and Canada's Joshua Kutryk added the new array Thursday. One more is planned for a Nov. 5 spacewalk, which NASA says will finish the station's power upgrade.
Photo: Tommy Garcia, via @SirPatStew on XBreaking · Entertainment Sir Patrick Stewart, Star Trek's Captain Picard and X-Men's Professor X, Has Died
His family announced on his verified X account that he died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home after "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia."
Earlier today
- State Federal Public Assistance Approved for 15 Panhandle and Big Bend Counties Hit by Hurricane Isaias
The money helps local governments and some nonprofits pay for debris removal and repairs. Help for individual households is still under federal review. - Breaking · State DeSantis Awards $100 Million for 45 Springs and Water Supply Projects Across Florida
Half the money goes to 23 springs restoration projects and half to 22 alternative water supply projects, including $10 million for Tampa Bay Water and $12.6 million for seven Polk County communities. - Breaking · Local (Orange) FHP Trooper Seriously Injured After Pickup Hits His Patrol Car in SR 429 Work Zone Near Bay Lake
The trooper was airlifted to a hospital and is in stable condition. FHP says the truck's driver failed to move over for the patrol car's emergency lights, and charges are pending. - Local (Duval) Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Releases Video and Details of Oct. 11 Police Shooting on Mar Vic Lane
JSO says officers shot and killed a 34-year-old woman after she fired at them. The State Attorney's Office will review the shooting, and JSO says its conclusions are still pending. - Weather South Florida's East Coast Faces More Coastal Flooding Through the Week; Rip Current Risk Stays High
The National Weather Service in Miami says high tides could bring moderate flooding through at least Thursday evening, with hazardous beach and boating conditions through Thursday. - Breaking · National Federal Reserve Holds Key Interest Rate at 3.75% to 4%; Two Policymakers Wanted a Hike
The Fed's rate committee voted 10 to 2 to leave the federal funds rate unchanged. Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissented, saying they'd have raised it a quarter point.
That's Thursday, every fact linked to where it came from. The conclusions are yours to draw.
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