Can $50 oil make the U.S. economy great again?

The most powerful oil rally in seven years pushed crude prices above $50 a barrel on Thursday, a level that eases pressure on producers while being low enough to keep consumers happy at the gas pump. More from the Wall Street Journal, the AP, and Fortune.

Florida has only half of mosquito traps needed for Zika fight

Florida has less than half of the special traps that will be part of the frontline for detecting the Zika virus in mosquitoes because of a backlog at the manufacturer. [Source: AP]

Auto insurance rates rise as gas gets cheaper, economy improves

Florida's economy has improved dramatically since the 2008 global financial crisis caused a prolonged downturn, but a recovering job market and lower gas prices have had a downside: more traffic crashes and higher auto-insurance rates. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Tropical system in Atlantic expected to develop

The Hurricane Hunters will be getting a jump on the 2016 tropical storm season with a Friday flight to investigate a brewing storm northeast of the Bahamas. [Source: AP]

A third way? How Libertarians might scramble the Florida race

Despite polls showing record unfavorables for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton -- numbers likely to grow -- the idea of a third-party candidate has fizzled partly because of restrictive ballot access laws in many states. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› $62 million in contracts prevent layoffs at BAE [Florida Times-Union]
BAE Systems received two large contracts this month that will hold off some of its announced layoffs. In January, the company announced it would lay off up to 300 of the approximately 700 employees at its two Jacksonville facilities because of lack of work.

› Florida Supreme Court says web-based florist must pay taxes [AP]
The Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state can impose a sales tax on a web-based florist for flowers sold to out-of-state customers and delivered outside of Florida.

› Tourism bureau joins bids for X Games [South Florida Business Journal]
Broward County's tourism bureau is bidding to host the widely popular X Games, potentially drawing 100,000 more visitors to South Florida. If South Florida is chosen to host the Summer X Games, the CVB estimates an economic impact of $74.1 million.

› Global leadership summit headed to Miami for the first time [Miami Herald]
A global conference on city leadership is coming to Miami, organizers announced this week. The fourth annual CityLab Summit, presented by the Aspen Institute, The Atlantic and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will be held October 23-25 at the InterContinental Miami hotel.

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› Florida lands three on Dr. Beach best beaches in the U.S. list [Orlando Sentinel]
Three beaches in the Sunshine State made the 26th annual Top 10 Beach List from Stephen Leatherman, the Director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research. The beaches are: Siesta Beach on Siesta Key near Sarasota, Grayton Beach State Park in the Panhandle and Caladesi Island State Park near of Tampa.

› NASA hits snag while inflating new room at space station [Florida Today]
NASA hit a snag while releasing air into an experimental inflatable room at the International Space Station on Thursday and put everything on hold for at least a day.

› Ranch, once planned as shooting resort, is sold [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
What was once one man's dream for a world-class “shooting resort” for gun enthusiasts from across the country has been sold to a Tampa businessman.

› Rising Seas Push Too Much Salt Into The Florida Everglades [NPR]
Because of climate change and sea level rise, the ocean is starting to seep into the swampland. If the invasion grows worse, it could drastically change the Everglades, and a way of life for millions of residents in South Florida.