Are legislators 'hijacking' the will of voters or injecting common sense?

Florida's experiment in direct democracy is being tested this year in the state Legislature. Five amendments to the state Constitution relating to the environment, solar power, education, redistricting and medical marijuana are getting a rewrite as lawmakers — mostly in the House — attempt to revise what voters approved with their own ideas of how the amendments should work. [Source: Times/Herald]

More convenience store chains make the leap to Florida

Florida has become a desirable target for region-hopping convenience-store chains. Texas retailer Buc-ee’s Ltd. will open a location in Florida, its first c-store outside of the Lone Star State, in 2018. Virginia-based Uphoff Venture will open an Uppy’s c-store in Florida later this month. [Source: CSP Daily news]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Wealth management in Florida: Money tips and advice from the experts

With a new administration in Washington, Florida investors are watching for changes in policies and laws. Research shows most Americans headed into 2017 with financial concerns about retirement. Even with uncertainty, there are ways to manage income and accumulate wealth. Financial experts around Florida offer their strategies. Access full story.

Your turn:
» Do you have financial concerns about retirement? Gauge your level of concern in this quick poll.

Florida officials: Arson wildfires are on the rise statewide

Florida officials say the number of arson wildfires has increased nearly 70 percent compared to last year. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Friday there have been more than 240 separate arson wildfires so far this year. [Source: AP]

See also:
» Fire risk ramps up in Florida following warm, dry winter

Florida is ahead of the curve in gender diversity of head coaches

When it comes to gender diversity in its head coaching staff, Florida is ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the SEC. But as a league, the SEC is behind the rest of the country when it comes to the balance of male and female head coaches. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› FSU institute to play major role in deep space exploration [Tallahassee Democrat]
Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute and the Florida A&M University–Florida State University College of Engineering are joining a major multiuniversity project funded by NASA that will focus on developing technologies crucial to human exploration in deep space.

› Central Florida buyers bidding as home listings shrink [Orlando Sentinel]
In just a year, home listings in the core Orlando market shrank by 20 percent while sales climbed 12 percent, a new report shows. Those dueling forces helped hoist prices up by $12,000 during the year-long period to reach a median of $217,000 in March.

› Florida lawmakers want manatees listed as 'endangered' [Miami Herald]
Some Florida lawmakers want manatees back on the endangered species list. Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the large marine mammal was now considered "threatened" instead of "endangered" because its population had increased.

› Airbnb sues city of Miami for targeting hosts after meeting [AP]
The home-sharing platform Airbnb is suing the city of Miami, where officials threatened to crack down on hosts who publicly protested regulations prohibiting short-term rentals.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Spirit Airlines latest carrier to cut back on Cuba flights [AP]
Low-cost Spirit Airlines is the latest carrier to cut flights to Cuba. The Miramar-based airline began serving Havana on Dec. 1 with twice-daily flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

› It's peak time for port-of-call ships sailing into Port Canaveral [Florida Today]
Port Canaveral is being filled with cruise ships making port-of-call stops this week and next week, giving the local tourism sector an added boost.

› NASA to highlight next Florida launch with 360 video [News Release]
NASA has plans to bring viewers face-to-face with a rocket at Launch Complex 41 at its next launch. The space agency announced Friday that the launch, scheduled for 11:11 a.m. Tuesday, will take place under the eye of a 360-degree camera. Find details about how to watch the live 360 video, here.

› Decisions loom as time grows short to get the new St. Petersburg Pier built on time [Tampa Bay Times]
Construction of the multi-million dollar landmark is supposed to begin in May. A diesel impact hammer is supposed to start driving test piles deep into the bottom of the bay in June. But the city has several hurdles to cross before it can start, and finish, the project by its December 2018 deadline.