Thursday’s Afternoon Update

Florida jobless claims inch up

Florida had a slight increase in new unemployment claims last week, while the national total dropped after a one-week spike. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,919 first-time unemployment claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Sept. 13, up from a revised count of 5,803 during the week that ended Sept. 6. This year, Florida has averaged 6,364 initial claims a week. More from the News Service of Florida.

Will $2.5 billion Poinciana road project actually help solve Osceola traffic?

Poinciana residents and environmentalists remain conflicted over a proposed $2.5 billion expressway that promises to revolutionize Osceola County travel at the price of slicing through a wildlife corridor. Tuesday’s public hearing at Liberty High School marked one of the final steps before the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s governing board decides the fate of the Southport Connector project, which if approved would to extend from the Poinciana Parkway to Pleasant Hill Road and continue east to Florida’s Turnpike. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Tampa Bay Rays sale to close in next two weeks

The Tampa Rays say the sale of the team to a group led by Jacksonville home builder Patrick Zalupski is expected to close in the next two weeks. The news of the pending completion of the deal was disclosed in a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing that the Ray’s two top executives — presidents Matt Silverman and Brain Auld — are leaving their roles once the new owners take over. More from the Business Observer.

Palm Beach County isn’t lowering tax rate despite a push by some commissioners

Palm Beach County will keep its tax rate the same for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year — despite some commissioners’ efforts to reduce it and give taxpayers some relief. During a public hearing on Sept. 9, county commissioners voted 5-2 to keep the rate at 4.5000, with most of the commissioners saying that lowering it could threaten and reduce the quality of essential services. On Tuesday, the county commissioners finalized budgetary approvals during the last public hearing before it goes into effect on Oct. 1. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Sarasota County opens $30M for developers to build affordable housing with hurricane funds

Sarasota County will allow housing developers to bid for $30 million to build multifamily affordable housing as part of its Resilient SRQ hurricane recovery program. The housing would be targeted toward low- and moderate-income households—those making less than 80% of Sarasota County’s area median income. Eligible applicants include for-profit and non-profit housing developers, public housing authorities, non-profit organizations, and municipalities. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Florida Trend Mention

Florida Rural Economic Development Summit 2025 We’re thrilled to invite you to the upcoming 2025 FREDA Rural Summit, where this year’s theme – Rural Florida: The Future is NOW! – sets the tone for forward-focused conversations, cutting-edge strategies, and meaningful collaboration. You do not want to miss what has become Rural Florida's Signature event! Register for the event at Rural Summit Registration.