Florida orange crop at 76-year low

The lowest since 1942. At 31 million boxes, that’s the level for Florida’s orange crop following damage from Hurricane Irma, a state citrus group said Tuesday. [Source: Bloomberg]

» Commissioner Putnam announces preliminary Florida agricultural damages due to Hurricane Irma total $2.5 billion
» Citrus growers reeling from Hurricane Irma

Florida Trend Exclusive
A low-key approach: Lila Jaber helps other women succeed

About 10 years ago, attorney Lila Jaber went to a meeting with a client at a Cabinet-level state agency in Tallahassee. As she arrived, her male co-counsel, whom she hadn’t met previously, asked her to get him a cup of coffee. If he had done his research, he would have known Jaber — the lone female lawyer in the room — was nobody’s administrative assistant. Today, Jaber oversees Gunster law firm’s Orlando, Tallahassee and Tampa offices. She makes a point of being civically engaged — she’s a past chair of Leadership Florida and a former board member of Workforce Florida. Full story here.

Also from Florida Trend:
» Rolling with the punches: Clean energy advocate Susan Glickman’s fortunes ebb and flow.
» More profiles of women leaders in Florida: Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Carol Craig, Marsha Powers,Val Demings, Pam Iorio, Nadine Smith, Shelley Broader, LauraGonzalez-Estefani, Wendy Link, Debbie Calder and Hilarie Bass.

Florida Legislature looks at combating opioid epidemic

Despite having spent years investigating drug crimes and slayings in Philadelphia, a Florida sheriff told a state Senate committee on Tuesday that he hasn't seen anything like the current opioid epidemic in Florida. Combating opiate addiction will be a major priority of the Florida Legislature when next year's session begins on Jan. 9. [Source: AP]

Earlier:
» State lawmakers making opioid abuse session priority

Florida crews on standby for western wildfires

When wildfires get out of hand, crews have to call in for backup, and California has lost nearly 60,000 acres already. They haven’t recruited help from Florida yet, but fire volunteers here are no stranger to helping their crews out west. [Source: WCJB]

Florida survey on gun control in Sunshine State shows big divide

A survey on gun control in Florida, taken about about two months before the Oct. 1 massacre in Las Vegas, shows a noticeable divide on gun restrictions in the Sunshine State. More from Florida Today and the Tampa Bay Times.

Quick poll
» Finish this statement: Florida's laws on gun control, or gun restrictions, are...

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Shark Tank’s Hungry Harvest arrives in South Florida to battle food waste [Miami Herald]
It’s hard to see food go to waste when people are hungry. And a company that battles both food waste has arrived in South Florida. Hungry Harvest, a to-your-door fresh-produce delivery service, held a launch event for its South Florida division in September at the Wynwood Yard.

› Gov. Scott in Washington on Wednesday for hurricane recovery briefing [Tampa Bay Times]
Gov. Rick Scott will meet Wednesday with members of the Florida House delegation regarding hurricane recovery efforts. The Republican governor has drawn both praise and criticism for his handling of the storms.

› Three Southwest Florida cities rank among fastest-growing in country [WFTX]
An analysis of economic growth in 515 American cities by a well-known personal finance website shows that Lee County is a hub of activity in the country, with 3 of the top 15 cities located in Southwest Florida.

› State lawmakers target stadiums on public lands [WUSF]
A ban on professional sports franchises building or renovating stadiums on publicly owned land is ready to go to the full Florida House, after speeding through only one committee in advance of the 2018 legislative session.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Florida Lottery warns of email scam involving Mega Millions game [NBC Miami]
Florida Lottery officials are warning players about an email scam targeting people by using the Mega Millions game. Officials say an email has been circulated by scammers saying they may have won $1 million even though they haven’t bought a ticket for the game.

› New Boynton business to help people obtain medical marijuana cards [Palm Beach Post]
Once home to a Waffle House, a new business is emerging on Boynton Beach Boulevard that’s part of the growing medical marijuana industry in Palm Beach County and the state.

› Foreclosure threat eases in Southwest Florida over year [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Fewer homeowners in Southwest Florida are in danger of tumbling into foreclosure than last year. But the number of delinquent mortgages crept up in July from the month before.

› Tampa firm nets $10M in financing for cancer therapies [Business Observer]
Intezyne Technologies, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing anti-cancer therapies, closed an oversubscribed $10 million Series A Preferred financing round led by existing investor Gaston Capital Healthcare Fund.