Florida Keys to reopen to visitors this weekend, ahead of schedule

The Florida Keys will officially welcome back visitors as early as Sunday, nearly a full three weeks ahead of its original schedule. The reopening is due to a major need to support businesses in the area that rely mostly on tourism – their number one industry. More from the Miami Herald, CBS Miami, and the AP.

See also:
» Florida Keys seafood industry begins gear recovery after storm

Florida Trend Exclusive
Supply side: A Gainesville company supplies natural gas to utilities in 15 states

Infinite Energy supplies natural gas to 15 states, including Florida. You could say they are a middle man in the energy markets. The company searches the commodities markets daily for the best prices on natural gas and arranges for delivery through any of 27 pipelines. Local utilities then deliver the gas to homes and businesses. Part one of a three-part series on energy in Florida. Full story from Florida Trend, here.

Hurricane Irma insurance claims in Florida keep increasing

Hurricane Irma-related property-insurance claims continue to mount in Florida, nearing $3.6 billion in estimated insured losses as of a weekend count, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. See updated storm claims data on the FLOIR website, here. Also read more at the Orlando Sentinel.

Gas prices declining steadily in Florida

Floridians are getting a break at the gas pump as prices continue sliding after reaching three-year highs because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Prices surged when Harvey struck refineries along America's Gulf Coast and remained elevated as demand spiked in the southeastern U.S. following Hurricane Irma. More from WTXL and the Florida Times-Union.

Check prices:
» You'll find gas prices for your Florida neighborhood at this GasBuddy map

Puerto Rico's allies in Florida push for aid

Top lawmakers in New York and Florida are rushing to champion aid for Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria's devastation — a sign that even as the island territory lacks power in Washington, its diaspora wields growing political clout in major states. [Source: Politico]

See also:
» Puerto Ricans could flee to Central Florida, state rep says

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Eight refueling jets from Arkansas, 250 people heading to new home at MacDill [Tampa Bay Times]
The number of KC-135 refueling jets at MacDill Air Force Base will grow from 18 to 24 with the return of a squadron that once called Tampa home. The 50th Airlift Squadron, with eight jets and some 250 personnel, is headed to MacDill from Little Rock Air Force Base.

› Thrasher gets raise as FSU moves up in rankings [WJCT]
With Florida State University moving closer to becoming a top-25 public university, the school's trustees have bumped up President John Thrasher's salary by seven percent and awarded him a $200,000 bonus.

› Florida special election evokes Trump, 'The Apprentice' [AP]
Florida Democrats are facing a test to see whether anti-President Donald Trump politics will give them a boost ahead of a critical election year and perhaps signal a turnaround after two decades of Republican dominance in the Legislature.

› JaxPort names Eric Green chief executive officer [Press Release]
Eric Green is the new chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Port Authority. The agency’s board voted 7-0 Monday morning to select Green, who had been interim CEO since Brian Taylor resigned from JaxPort’s top job in March. also read more at the Florida Times-Union.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Downtown Hollywood to welcome first new hotel in decades when the CIRC opens in February [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Downtown Hollywood is on the cusp of a hotel renaissance as it is poised to welcome its first newly built hotel in several decades — the CIRC. The 111-room boutique hotel, which is scheduled to open in early 2018, is nearing completion.

› TaxSlayer donates 5,000 bowl tickets to military [Florida Times-Union]
The title sponsor of Jacksonville’s bowl game announced on Monday during a news conference at the Veterans Memorial Wall near Everbank Field that 5,000 tickets to the game on Dec. 30 will be made available free to military members and their families.

› Orange, Lake, Seminole, Osceola to get free roof aid [Orlando Sentinel]
Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties have been added to a free federal program offering roofing assistance to homeowners suffering roof damage as a result of Hurricane Irma, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

› Florida ethics board to hear Go Hillsborough complaint against Buckhorn, Hagan, Murman [Tampa Bay Times]
Two years after complaints accused Tampa and Hillsborough County elected leaders of steering a transportation contract to a politically connected firm, the state’s ethics police will finally hear the case.