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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida's ports get cargo boost, see cruise rebound
Global supply-chain issues last year helped push cargo traffic at Florida’s 16 seaports slightly ahead of pre-pandemic numbers, while the cruise industry is expected to return to pre-pandemic passenger counts this year. The annual Seaport Mission Plan, issued Wednesday by the Florida Ports Council, said the state’s ports handled 112.5 million tons of cargo last year, up 6 percent from 2021 and 0.5 percent higher than in 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the cruise industry in Florida recorded 10.77 million passengers in 2022, 41 percent fewer than in 2019, according to the council report. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Spring break gets pricey as travelers return to old booking habits
Spring break travel demand is picking up, driving up airfare and hotel rates. Demand to Florida is particularly strong and airlines are boosting capacity to certain cities such as Orlando, where ramped up service could hit record-daily daily departures on peak days. This is the first U.S. spring break season since the Biden administration scrapped a requirement that travelers show proof of a negative Covid test before flying to the U.S., making it easier for some people to travel abroad, while capacity remains limited. [Source: CNBC]
Why are dead fish in the water? What’s in your throat? How red tide hits Florida beaches
The 2022-23 red tide has so far been mild compared to extremely potent bouts that have hit Florida’s Gulf coast over the past decade, including severe blooms between 2017-19 and in 2021. But even at lower levels, red tide can cause a nuisance. When will it go away? Here’s what science tells us about how red tides start, how long they last and what causes them to end. [Source: Miami Herald]
Researchers in Florida track down invasive pythons by strapping their prey with GPS collars
Researchers are fitting location-tracking collars on species like raccoons and opossums that the predatory snakes prey on in order to more effectively locate, trap, and eradicate invasive Burmese pythons in Florida's Everglades, as reported by the Guardian. Burmese python populations have increased recently in south Florida as a result of many snake owners releasing their pets into the wild as they become too large to manage. [Source: WION]
It may be February, but temperatures heading toward record highs in Florida
While much of the U.S. is bracing for blizzards, in the Southeast, residents are pulling on shorts and flip-flops in anticipation of near record high temperatures. Nearly 23 million Americans were under a winter storm warning this morning, and an additional 42.4 million people were under a winter weather advisory as a major winter storm batters the country across 2,600 miles from coast to coast. But in Florida, temperatures will range from "unseasonably warm," to "approaching record highs of near 90," according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. [Source: Florida Times-Union]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Central Florida businesses anticipate launch of Brightline
Central Florida residents can look forward to an exciting new transportation option as Brightline train service prepares to launch its Orlando route in the second quarter of 2023. With the expansion project now 90% complete, the train service is only a few months away from becoming a reality.
› Home sales plummet in South Florida. Why do prices keep rising as housing market deflates?
Many prospective homebuyers sent a strong message at the start of 2023: they are done trying to buy homes in South Florida, as annual sales nosedived in January in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. For residents patiently waiting to buy a bigger house here or move to a different neighborhood for better quality of life, the regional housing slowdown after two years of rapid growth is expected to bring price relief later this year, real estate experts said.
› The Gainesville Visionaires Club recently celebrated 85th anniversary
The Visionaires Club of Gainesville recently celebrated its 85th anniversary. The club is the oldest established group of Black women in Gainesville. The club was formed to create an outlet for Black women to share their collective vision for the Black community in terms of cultural enrichment and educational growth. .
› Pinellas SunRunner to be fare-free for six more months
The region’s first bus rapid-transit system, the SunRunner which shuttles between downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, will remain fare-free for an additional six months, the board of the Pinellas County transit agency approved Wednesday morning. The six-month free period was initially promoted to end April 30, 2023. Now fares will be suspended until November 2023.
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