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Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Floridian consumer sentiment retreats as perceptions of personal economic conditions decline
Consumer sentiment in Florida dropped 1.2 points in September to 66.3, down from a revised figure of 67.5 in August. Similarly, national sentiment declined 1.4 points. “The decline in September is not unexpected, as this month's reading reflects the impact of Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall on August 30 in Florida's Big Bend region, resulting in business closures, agricultural production losses, and property damage. More from UF News.
Progressive's nonrenewals add to volatility in Florida's already shaky property insurance market
Progressive has joined AAA and Farmers as the latest major insurer with plans to offload homeowners’ insurance policies in Florida, aiming to reduce their risk exposure as the state’s shaky market continues to take hits. Progressive is planning on sending out nonrenewal notices to roughly 100,000 policyholders, around half of all their Florida customers, beginning in May of next year. More from WTSP.
Manatee County port absolved of involvement in oil spill
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its efforts investigating the SeaPort Manatee oil spill that was first discovered Aug. 31, absolving the port from any involvement. The port samples collected for type testing didn’t match the oil found in the inner harbor, a press release states. While the coast guard was unable to pinpoint the source, it has suspended its investigation. More from the Business Observer.
Brightline doubling new Orlando service to 15 daily roundtrips next week, company president says
Two weeks after launching its service to Central Florida, Brightline expects to start operating a full schedule of 15 daily roundtrips between South Florida and its new station in Orlando with train speeds reaching 110 mph, the Miami-based company’s president told a gathering of business and political leaders in West Palm Beach. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
How an Amazon package winds through Tallahassee facility on the way to your doorstep
It all starts with a package, then another and another. An endless stream of cardboard boxes of various sizes and weights snake their way through Amazon's new fulfillment center in Tallahassee. The meticulous operation resembles a 24-hour factory, one never seen in the capital city before. Conveyers and multiple floors of roaming "drives" or robots stack mounds of packaged items, which the company calls "units." In Tallahassee, the new site can hold up to 40 million units. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Transportation Trends
Dash Tesla SUVs to soon hit downtown Tampa’s streets
Debuting soon on the streets of Tampa: bright yellow Tesla SUVs, available for rides around downtown at $2 a person. Officials announced this summer the new rideshare service dubbed Dash. It is a fleet of six all-electric vehicles that will use a mobile app to pick up riders at hubs around the city and ferry them to lunches, meetings, parks and events.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Profile
Miami Film Festival has a new executive director and a new theater in Little Havana
The Miami Film Festival, the city’s premier international film event, has found its new executive director. James Woolley, who has organized and run major film festivals from Sydney to San Francisco for decades, will oversee the Miami Film Festival as it prepares for its 41st edition and the 10th anniversary of its GEMS festival this fall.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
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