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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida to further limit Chinese influence in the state
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he’s considering banning Chinese entities from purchasing property in Florida and that the state legislature was looking at ways to further restrict the communist country’s influence in Florida. According to a 2022 National Association of Realtors report, Chinese investors accounted for 6% of foreign buyers who spent over $6 billion on U.S. real estate between March 2021 and March 2022. Top foreign buyers were from Canada and Mexico. [Source: The Center Square]
Space Force: Still expecting hundreds of Florida launches in the coming years
If Space Force projections pan out, last year's record 57 Florida launches are just the start of what could become a science fiction-like cadence of "multiple hundreds" of missions flying from Space Coast pads. Speaking to a packed National Space Club Florida Committee luncheon in Cape Canaveral this week, Space Force Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy said Florida can expect a roughly 60% surge in the number of missions taking flight from the Eastern Range, which encompasses Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center. [Source: Florida Today]
What if everyone had Citizens Insurance for their home?
Why not just expand state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to cover all homeowners in Florida? It’s a timely question for the fast-growing state-owned insurer of last resort after a run of costly hurricanes and heavy litigation have resulted in five straight years of collective insurance industry losses, failure of 15 insurance companies since 2020, and huge rate hikes for homeowners. Created in 2002, Citizens is meant to provide insurance coverage only to homeowners who cannot otherwise obtain it at an affordable price. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Florida sees first graduation rate decline in 16 years
Florida’s annual high school graduation rate decreased in 2022 for the first time in 16 years, as the state re-imposed testing requirements it had waived for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the levels of seniors earning a diploma hovered near 90%, as schools have taken advantage of several state-approved paths toward successful completion. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida agency warns pharmacists not to dispense abortion pills
With pharmacies in some states preparing to dispense abortion pills, Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration sent a letter Thursday to all state healthcare providers warning them that do so in Florida is illegal. “The Agency issues this alert to remind providers that they must continue to comply with Florida laws that govern the performance of abortions,” the Florida agency said via an email. The warning follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s early January decision allowing retail pharmacies to stock and dispense abortion pills in states that allow the procedure. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Miami strives to become a top global tourist destination for people with disabilities
The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Miami-Dade’s destination marketing agency, has made disability tourism a pillar of its marketing strategy. The bureau is hoping to capture a new corner of the tourism market and be known as one of the world’s most accessible beach destinations. To help attain that, the county tourism agency has launched marketing efforts, published guides on Accessible Travel in Miami and is organizing free workshops for hotels and tourism businesses about best practices for accessibility for visitors.
› Cruise ship MSC Meraviglia rescues 24 migrants from boat while returning to Port Canaveral
A cruise ship bound for Port Canaveral encountered a boat in distress Saturday and rescued all 24 occupants at sea, MSC Cruises reported in a statement. MSC Meraviglia was returning from Cozumel, Mexico, to the Space Coast when the ship encountered the migrant vessel.
› Buy a Brightline ticket, book an Uber under new partnership deal
Brightline offers the fastest train rides in South Florida. And now the intercity train service believes a new hookup with Uber will help move passengers to and from the railroad’s five stations faster. The two companies announced a partnership Friday that will enable passengers to book an Uber ride using Brightline’s app or website while they’re also buying their train tickets. The new service started immediately.
› Federal money will help Latino startups expand in Tampa Bay
Roberto Borrero has always dreamed of launching his own mobile app to search and order food based on the most popular web sites, including Hispanic restaurants. Now he feels that he may be closer to achieving his project. New federal money of $500,000 could now offer him the opportunity as well as other Hispanic entrepreneurs to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
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