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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Hurricane center back to tracking 3 systems including one that doused Florida
The National Hurricane Center was back to keeping tabs on three systems with potential to form into the next tropical depression or storm including the mass of swirling rain that drenched Florida on Thursday. Only one of the three systems, far in the Atlantic, has a medium chance to form, the NHC said in its 8 a.m. tropical outlook. The disorganized showers and thunderstorms now off the coast of northeast Florida and Georgia are associated with a weak area of low pressure that crept in over the state Thursday prompting flood warnings in South Florida and storms all up the coast and into Central Florida. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Data shows Florida electricity rates decreased slightly in July
According to data from the Florida Public Service Commission, Florida’s electricity rates decreased slightly in July due to lower natural gas prices caused by increased production. The PSC data on electricity rates are based on Florida households using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month and vary between providers. The average bill for a Florida Power & Light ratepayer is $136 per month, while a Florida Public Utilities Company customer pays $175 per month. More from the Center Square.
Too noisy to work? Fort Lauderdale Police Department on hunt for new digs
Fort Lauderdale fled its own City Hall after floodwaters breached the basement during a record-breaking spring rainstorm. And now, in a surprise move, another landmark building will soon be abandoned due to construction noise: Police headquarters. Most of the department’s 750 employees will likely move to the Kaplan University Learning Center at 1515 W. Cypress Creek Road in northern Fort Lauderdale, city officials say. Fort Lauderdale taxpayers will pick up the tab for what will likely turn into a two-year stay. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Tampa bed tax collections rise 15%
Hillsborough County collected $5,257,350 in hotel taxes for June, collected from May bookings. The numbers are down a bit from May numbers from April bookings, which were $6,571,482, say officials from Visit Tampa Bay. June's revenue from Tampa's tourist development tax collections help the county surpass the $52 million mark for the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. More from the Business Observer.
United Way starts $2.5 million job training effort for low-income Miami-Dade residents
In an effort to assist low-income, underserved Miami-Dade County residents with job training and career development in healthcare, transportation and other industries, United Way Miami on Thursday announced the formation of UpSkill Miami. UpSkill Miami is a $2.5 million fund for workforce retraining that was made possible by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $6.5 billion donation in December 2020 to six South Florida nonprofits, including United Way’s Miami chapter. More from the Miami Herald.
Regional partnerships are a proven approach for addressing healthcare talent needs
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the United States continues to grow, a critical issue exacerbated by the pandemic. According to the American Ambulance Association, about one-third of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) quit their jobs in 2021, and turnover continued to rise last year. The cost of getting certified can be a major hurdle, especially when new EMTs have to factor in paying for their training and finding employment. [Sponsored report]
Business Beat - Week of July 28th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Profile
Ocala's Horse Fever horses need repair and refreshing. Meet the man who helps them out.
Local artist Mark Hershberger has a "crazy" workshop for damaged and wayward horses — not the ones that can eat you out of house and home, but the fiberglass ones. Hershberger was in the process of repairing a series of different Horse Fever horses from various years at his Ocala home recently. There are currently 88 Horse Fever horses throughout Marion County.
» Read more from the Ocala Star-Banner.
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