Labor costs and climate change are pushing up the cost of Florida's crops
Florida is one of the country’s top producers of fruits and vegetables. Dairy farming is also significant, as is beef-cattle farming. Historically, the state’s warm climate has made it ideal for agriculture. But climate change has already altered Florida’s annual patterns of temperature and precipitation. Compared to a few decades ago, Florida today has milder winters and fewer freezes. Summers come hotter and earlier, and the air doesn’t cool off as much at night. Precipitation is less frequent, though when it does rain, it tends to rain more. [Source: Marketplace]
Citizens continues seeing slow growth
The state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. added about 1,000 policies last week, as it continued to see relatively small increases. Citizens had 781,467 policies as of Friday, up from 780,457 policies a week earlier and 779,995 policies two weeks earlier, according to data posted on its website. Citizens had 820,882 policies last month before what is known as a “depopulation” program moved policies to private carriers. While it has slowly added policies since then, Citizens officials expect a large number of policies to exit to the private market late this year through the depopulation program. [Source: News Service of Florida]
New AI model tracks early signs of hurricane formation
In a first-of-its-kind technique, a UM Ph.D. student has developed an AI model that tracks tropical easterly waves as they travel across the Atlantic Ocean. About 70 percent of Atlantic tropical cyclones originate from tropical easterly waves, according to Will Downs. While existing algorithms have labored to identify and track these waves, Downs’ AI-based model has proved more effective. [Source: Refresh Miami]
Florida gas prices remain stable despite weekly swings
Florida gas prices ended last week at $3.10 per gallon, a 2-cent increase from the previous week, according to AAA. Prices dropped 8 cents early last week, jumped 13 cents midweek, then slipped 3 cents by July 27. While gas costs are 10 cents higher than a month ago, they remain 31 cents lower than this time last year. [Source: Gulfshore Business]
This Florida attraction ranks No. 1 in the nation. It’s not in Orlando
Last week, Tripadvisor released its list of the highest-rated attractions and experiences in the world — and it turns out No. 3 is right here in the Sunshine State. Overall, the top-ranked attraction globally turned out to be the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, an ornate church located in Barcelona, Spain. But in Florida, the most highly rated attraction was revealed to be the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at Merritt Island. [Source: Click Orlando]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Company that rescued Floridians from strife-torn Haiti claims state hasn’t paid
A global rescue and disaster recovery company that helped evacuate Floridians from Haiti last year during a period of civil unrest has sued the state for $7.5 million, claiming Florida failed to pay the company for its role in the rescue efforts. The company sued for breach of contract and to recoup money it claims it is still owed.
› Crypto keeps building in Miami, and investors are paying attention
When Bitcoin hit all-time highs of $120k+ earlier this year, Miami didn’t throw a parade. No laser-eyed billboards. No press conference on the beach. But if you looked closely, something different was happening: The builders were still building. While other cities moved on from Web3, Miami’s crypto community doubled down. And as federal regulators slowly open the door to clearer guidelines through the GENIUS act, the city’s crypto scene is entering a new phase.
› Seminole Hard Rock Tampa honored for cultural impact by tribal gaming community
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has received a Cultural Impact Award from Casinos.com, recognizing its charitable work, disaster response and ongoing support for the Tampa Bay community. Voted Florida’s top tribal casino, by residents across four U.S. states and three Canadian provinces, the resort was one of just seven properties in North America selected during Tribal Casinos Month, a campaign tied to National Indigenous History Month.
› Want a new home on the Suncoast? It likely comes with developer debt
Nearly 3 out of every 5 new single-family homes and condos built in Sarasota and Manatee counties were located within special taxing districts governed by developers in 2023, the latest full year for which data was available. That’s up from less than 1% in the early 1990s — a sign of the control developers now wield over tens of thousands of residents along Florida’s Suncoast.
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› Publix starts selling one of its holiday Pub Subs early, meaning right now
Christmas in July? Who knew there was a trend? Apparently, there are numerous ways to do a mid-year replication of the winter Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays by playing seasonal music, decorating the office with trees and ornaments festooned with summery things and creating playlists of holiday songs. Publix got into the holiday spirit with the “Christmas in July” early release of its traditional Turkey Cranberry Holiday Sub.
› Sanibel Captiva Trust Co. rebrands as Florida Trust Wealth Management
The Sanibel Captiva Trust Co. and its divisions — The Naples Trust Co. and Tampa Bay Trust Co. — have unified under a new name: Florida Trust Wealth Management. The rebrand comes as the company celebrates its 25th anniversary and reflects its $5 billion in assets under management and growing statewide presence.
› Osceola County to launch NeoCity South technology park in St. Cloud
Osceola County is launching a second NeoCity technology park in St. Cloud, in the latest piece of the county’s aggressive, publicly-subsidized job development efforts. The county has contemplated “NeoCity South” since acquiring 323 acres last year on the Cross Prairie Parkway at the new Florida’s Turnpike interchange with W. Nolte Road from D.R. Horton. Development Services Director Raymond Stangle announced the decision last week while speaking to the Osceola County Association of Realtors, according to a report in GrowthSpotter.
› Public hearing set for controversial Captiva resort rezoning
The owners of the South Seas resort — and those opposing it — will go before the Lee County Commission on Aug. 6 after a county Hearing Examiner recommended approval of a zoning application for the nearly $1 billion redevelopment July 11. The ownership group wants to build 435 hotel rooms across two hotels on the property. To allow for this, the owners are looking to rezone 120.5-acres of the property to mixed use planned development.