SHARE:

Wednesday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 10/5/2016

Officials worried about complacency as Matthew nears Florida

Hurricane Matthew's slog toward the East Coast has government officials worried about complacency, especially in South Florida, which hasn't seen a major hurricane in 11 years.

Click to enlarge map

Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have been issued for Florida’s east coast and large portions of the interior part of the state too. President Obama postponed a campaign stop to the state and will instead visit FEMA headquarters. The U.S. hasn’t had a category three or stronger hurricane make landfall since Wilma hit Florida in 2005. More from the AP, the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Tampa Bay Times.

You'll find these, and more links, at our Hurricane Matthew Update page.

Do you have a link that should be added to the update page? Email it to news@floridatrend.com.

Household spending in Florida has jumped more than anywhere else in the country

Household spending jumped 5 percent Florida last year, the biggest surge in the country, according to government data released Tuesday morning. The next-highest increases came in Oregon and Colorado, both up 4.9 percent. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Thousands of Florida residents may be eligible for Affordable Care Act premium tax credits

This week,the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released data showing that 153,000 Florida residents who currently purchase off-Marketplace individual market coverage may qualify for tax credits if they shop for 2017 coverage through the Marketplace. [Source: Florida Trend]

Disease that can infect humans, livestock, pets, found in Florida

New World screwworm, a devastating disease that can infect livestock, wildlife, pets and humans, has been confirmed in Key deer from a wildlife refuge in Big Pine Key. It’s the first infestation in the U.S. in 30 years, and the first in more than five decades in Florida. Left untreated, the disease can be fatal. More from the Palm Beach Post, the AP, and WLRN.

Regulator OKs removal of additional Citizens Property insurance policies

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved the removal of up to 95,465 personal residential policies and 1,925 commercial non-residential policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation for December. [Source: South Florida Business Journal]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Moran Institute seeks to help established Jacksonville small businesses in expansion [Florida Times-Union]
Established small businesses in the Jacksonville area are eligible for a new program designed to help those companies expand and grow. Startup businesses have gained a lot of traction through burgeoning efforts to help them get off the ground in recent years in Jacksonville.

› Tampa International Airport has landed another international flight: Reykjavik, Iceland [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa International Airport is adding a fourth European flight to its growing line up: Reykjavík, Iceland. IcelandAir will offer nonstop flights to Keflavík International Airport near Reykjavík, Iceland's largest city and capital, twice a week to and from Tampa International Airport beginning Sept. 7, 2017.

› Northeast Florida pilot program hopes to diminish addiction stigma [Health News Florida]
In the first half of last year alone, 174 died of opioid overdoses in Duval, Nassau and Clay counties. Stigma continues to deter some addicts from seeking help, but a new Northeast Florida partnership is seeking to change that

› Column: Deeper Jaxport will produce more business, improved local economy [Florida Times-Union]
Amazon. GE Oil & Gas. Saft Batteries. Havertys. Coach. Volkswagen. These are just some of the household names locating and expanding in our region during recent years.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

1 2 NEXT »

Tags: Daily Pulse