Officials worried about complacency as Matthew nears Florida

Hurricane Matthew's slog toward the East Coast has government officials worried about complacency, especially in South Florida, which hasn't seen a major hurricane in 11 years.

Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have been issued for Florida’s east coast and large portions of the interior part of the state too. President Obama postponed a campaign stop to the state and will instead visit FEMA headquarters. The U.S. hasn’t had a category three or stronger hurricane make landfall since Wilma hit Florida in 2005. More from the AP, the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Tampa Bay Times.

See also:
» Airlines cancelling flights to Caribbean and Florida as Hurricane Matthew nears
» Stores begin stocking up on water, hurricane supplies
» Port Canaveral closing to ships, business on Wednesday
» Hurricane Matthew poses a significant threat to Kennedy Space Center
» Obama cancels Florida trip because of Hurricane Matthew
» Orlando's theme parks keep wary eye on Hurricane Matthew
» Hurricane Watch extended northward to Fernandina Beach

You'll find these, and more links, at our Hurricane Matthew Update page.

Do you have a link that should be added to the update page? Email it to news@floridatrend.com.

Household spending in Florida has jumped more than anywhere else in the country

Household spending jumped 5 percent Florida last year, the biggest surge in the country, according to government data released Tuesday morning. The next-highest increases came in Oregon and Colorado, both up 4.9 percent. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Thousands of Florida residents may be eligible for Affordable Care Act premium tax credits

This week,the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released data showing that 153,000 Florida residents who currently purchase off-Marketplace individual market coverage may qualify for tax credits if they shop for 2017 coverage through the Marketplace. [Source: Florida Trend]

Disease that can infect humans, livestock, pets, found in Florida

New World screwworm, a devastating disease that can infect livestock, wildlife, pets and humans, has been confirmed in Key deer from a wildlife refuge in Big Pine Key. It’s the first infestation in the U.S. in 30 years, and the first in more than five decades in Florida. Left untreated, the disease can be fatal. More from the Palm Beach Post, the AP, and WLRN.

Regulator OKs removal of additional Citizens Property insurance policies

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved the removal of up to 95,465 personal residential policies and 1,925 commercial non-residential policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation for December. [Source: South Florida Business Journal]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Moran Institute seeks to help established Jacksonville small businesses in expansion [Florida Times-Union]
Established small businesses in the Jacksonville area are eligible for a new program designed to help those companies expand and grow. Startup businesses have gained a lot of traction through burgeoning efforts to help them get off the ground in recent years in Jacksonville.

› Tampa International Airport has landed another international flight: Reykjavik, Iceland [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa International Airport is adding a fourth European flight to its growing line up: Reykjavík, Iceland. IcelandAir will offer nonstop flights to Keflavík International Airport near Reykjavík, Iceland's largest city and capital, twice a week to and from Tampa International Airport beginning Sept. 7, 2017.

› Northeast Florida pilot program hopes to diminish addiction stigma [Health News Florida]
In the first half of last year alone, 174 died of opioid overdoses in Duval, Nassau and Clay counties. Stigma continues to deter some addicts from seeking help, but a new Northeast Florida partnership is seeking to change that

› Column: Deeper Jaxport will produce more business, improved local economy [Florida Times-Union]
Amazon. GE Oil & Gas. Saft Batteries. Havertys. Coach. Volkswagen. These are just some of the household names locating and expanding in our region during recent years.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Dimension Design acquires Jacksonville-based Media Works Inc. [Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville-based Media Works, Inc., has been acquired by Dimension Design. Media Works joins the Dimension Design fold in developing approaches for trade shows and large-scale events.

› Brookings calls Tampa Bay an 'American middleweight' [Tampa Bay Times]
A new Brookings analysis identifies Tampa Bay as one of 16 "American Middleweight" metros that make up a global mix of 123 large cities.

› Florida Overtakes Texas As Third Most Popular State For The Exclusive Forbes 400 Club [Forbes]
Last year billionaire hedge fund manager David Tepper held the title of New Jersey’s richest. But he has since moved (along with his $19 billion firm) to Florida, a state with no estate or personal income tax.

› Weston-based Ultimate Software buys San Francisco company [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Weston-based Ultimate Software has acquired San Francisco technology firm, Kanjoya, which specializes in helping companies collect and act on employee feedback.