Florida forecasters, state aware of ‘skittishness’ following three years of big storms

After going more than a decade without a direct hit, Florida has taken severe blows during the past three years, with Hurricane Matthew skirting the East Coast and Hurricane Hermine knocking out power in the Tallahassee area in 2016, Irma barreling through much of the state in 2017 and Michael devastating Bay County and eastern parts of the Panhandle last year. More from the Panama City News Herald and the Gainesville Sun.

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» Hurricane speak: Leaders seek to save lives by shifting tropical storm language

Nearly $40 million was spent to lobby Florida lawmakers in the first three months

Lobbying the Legislature is big business. During the first three months of the year, companies, local governments and other clients paid an estimated $37.4 million to lobbying firms for legislative work, according to state numbers. Lobbying firms are required to file quarterly reports that offer a picture of how much they get paid. The numbers aren’t exact because firms largely report their income in ranges, though specific information is available about payments of $50,000 or more. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Florida's Cannabis Director says hemp permits could be issued before the year is out

Florida’s Director of Cannabis has only been on the newly-created job a few months, but is already helping architect the foundation for a state hemp program. The state hemp program, given the green light by Florida legislators this session, is still waiting on a signature from Governor Ron DeSantis. But plans are already in motion to have grower permits issued, potentially before the year is out. [Source: WFSU]

Hit-or-miss hauls end another unpredictable Florida stone crab season

It was a strange boom-or-bust season for stone crabbers on Florida’s west coast, and to an extent, for the consumers who yearn for that sweet, flaky and oh-so-pricey claw meat. The effects of a long-lasting red tide that persisted since the previous season left crab traps woefully uncrowded from Marco Island north to Tampa Bay, said Ryan Gandy, research scientist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida farmers struggle to compete with Mexican imports

Florida farmers are struggling to compete with cheaper, foreign imports from countries such as Mexico. Farmers worry unfair trade practices endanger the state's agriculture industry. Subsidies, along with lax labor standards and farming regulations, mean it’s incredibly cheap to grow produce in Mexico. [Source: WJCT]

Natural gas is driving Florida forward

Nearly 30% of total U.S. energy consumption is in the transportation sector — mainly fuels used for automobiles, rail, aircraft, ships and barges. ­­ 
Most of these fleets can use natural gas to reduce costs, lower emissions and strengthen resiliency. And in Florida, many do. Read the full sponsored report here.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Federal judge orders top Carnival executives — including chairman Arison — to court [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
A federal judge ordered top Carnival Corporation executives, including chairman Micky Arison and president Arnold Donald, to appear in court on June 3. The Miami-based cruise company, the largest in the world, is charged with violating its probation.

› Florida gas prices reach lowest since March [Apopka Voice]
Gas prices continued their unseasonable downward tear last week, making for the lowest Memorial Day weekend gas prices in two years and the lowest state prices since March. According to AAA, the Auto Club Group, Florida gas prices were $2.60 on average Monday, down 3 cents over the week.

› Scooters have arrived on Tampa sidewalks, and there are ‘growing pains’ [Tampa Bay Times]
Electric scooters descended on the city Saturday, with people taking several thousand trips during Memorial Day weekend. But problems have already arisen. The latest transportation fad is solidly in place in several cities, but Tampa has taken its time launching the one-year pilot program, which allows up to 2,400 scooters to operate around town.

› SeaWorld will buy back $150 million in shares [Orlando Sentinel]
SeaWorld Entertainment, an Orlando-based company that runs 12 theme parks across the country, will buy back about 5.6 million shares worth about $150 million from an affiliate of Pacific Alliance Group, the company said in a new SEC filing Tuesday.

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› Manatee builder moves from million dollar homes to affordable housing [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Steve Rinehart’s career path changed one day in a kitchen, during a conversation with a first-time homeowner. After his company had just finished building a home for a lady who was retiring after 40 years working for the same employer, she told him this would be the first home she had ever owned in her life. It was at that moment Rinehart, a successful custom home builder in the area, knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his career: Build affordable housing.

› Coral Gables among top U.S. cities to start a small business [Miami's Community Newspapers]
A new report confirms the City of Coral Gables is committed to empowering and expanding its entrepreneur community. Verizon’s partner company, Go.Verizon.com, just released its 2019 Best Small Cities to Start a Small Business report which ranked Coral Gables the third top small city in the country to start a small business.

› St. Pete to consider boosting LGBTQ small business contracts [Florida Politics]
The city of St. Petersburg is taking steps to increase the number of LGBTQ-owned businesses it contracts with. Next week St. Pete City Council will consider an ordinance enhancing business partnerships with majority-owned or -operated LGBTQ businesses.

› After a slow start, Home Share project ramps up in Sarasota [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Home-sharing networks have existed informally in the local retirement community for years. And several co-sharing initiatives — where unrelated adults live in intentionally designed residences — have been pursued, only to fizzle because of financial reasons.