Florida lawmakers OK insurance changes with no help for homeowners

The Republican-led Legislature approved a bill Wednesday that lawmakers say will prop up Florida’s crumbling property insurance market but not provide immediate relief for homeowners faced with exorbitant premium hikes and canceled policies. The House voted 84-33 along party lines to approve the same bill the Senate approved the day before. Two Democrats, Reps. Bruce Antone of Orlando and Alison Tant of Tallahassee, did not vote. The House also voted unanimously in favor of a $750 million disaster relief program that includes property tax breaks for properties damaged or destroyed by natural disasters and a $500 million toll-road discount program for high-use commuters. More from the News Service of Florida and the  Orlando Sentinel.

Florida Trend Exclusive
America's first solar-powered town relies on infrastructure after Hurricane Ian devastation

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, an estimated 2.7 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. For customers of LCEC, which provides electricity to more than 240,000 homes and businesses in hard-hit towns including North Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Marco Island, Pine Island and Sanibel, more than 90% of the utility’s customers lost power. But about 20 miles west of where the storm came ashore, Babcock Ranch, which bills itself as “America’s first solar-powered town,” has a different story to tell. None of its nearly 2,000 homes lost power. [Source: Florida Trend]

Why it’s hard to get Medicaid expansion in front of Florida voters

Leaders of Florida Decides Healthcare, a citizen-led initiative pushing for Medicaid expansion, feel confident that voters would approve it despite Republicans’ years-long rejection. But Jake Flaherty, the group’s campaign manager, said the earliest it would float a ballot measure is 2026, given the enormous financial and logistical hurdles of mounting a campaign in the Sunshine State. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Lawmakers pass hurricane aid, toll breaksLawmakers pass hurricane aid, toll breaks

Florida lawmakers Wednesday approved spending more than $1.25 billion to help homeowners and communities ravaged by hurricanes and to give a break to motorists who frequently use toll roads. Finishing a special session that focused heavily on property-insurance issues, the House unanimously passed measures to provide assistance after Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole (SB 4-A) and to give credits to drivers who rack up miles on toll roads (SB 6-A). Both bills were unanimously approved Tuesday by the Senate and await action by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign them. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Court upholds verdict against cigarette maker

A state appeals court Wednesday upheld a $2.5 million verdict against cigarette maker Philip Morris USA in a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who started smoking as a teenager and died of lung cancer at age 57. A Miami-Dade County jury ruled in favor of the estate of Ulisee Holliman, at least in part based on allegations that Philip Morris and other tobacco companies concealed the health dangers of smoking and that Holliman relied on statements from the industry. [Source: News Service of Florida]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Look over there: A robot delivers food to an Uber Eats’ customer in Miami [Miami Herald]
A small, self-driven vehicle heads across a sidewalk to a person and stops. Then the individual reaches down, opens the hatch and gets out the food he or she ordered. This isn’t a scene in a science fiction movie, rather Uber Eats’ newest mode of food delivery coming for Miami-Dade residents. Uber on Thursday announced a partnership with California technology company Cartken that enables Cartken’s self-driving robots to deliver Uber Eats’ customer orders.

› ‘We have a long way to go:’ Central Florida Zoo receives $43K grant for Hurricane Ian relief [Click Orlando]
Nearly two months after reopening, the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has received a big dose of financial support to help with the recovery effort from Hurricane Ian. Leaders said on Wednesday the zoo received a $43,000 grant from the Rex V. Stevens and Dulciza Stevens Fund at the Central Florida Foundation. CEO Richard Glover said the grant will help the zoo with repairs from Hurricane Ian and offset some operation costs.

› Pinellas approves $38M yacht venture near St. Pete-Clearwater airport [Tampa Bay Times]
Pinellas County commissioners on Tuesday gave a thumbs up to a plan for a $38 million yacht manufacturing facility on a patch of unused land by St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. The commission unanimously approved a plan by Clearwater boat retailer MarineMax to build a new yacht building and storage yard for its Intrepid Powerboats branch.

› A year ago, Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs sold for $1 billion. So what's next? [Florida Times-Union]
A year after its $1 billion sale to a restaurant industry giant, a homegrown Jacksonville sandwich shop chain is going strong with new locations and menu items on the horizon. Founded by now-retired firefighters Robin and Chris Sorensen, Firehouse Subs built its reputation on hearty, freshly made sandwiches. The sandwich chain also is well known for its nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation which provides life-saving equipment for first responders nationwide.

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› Twitter suspends UCF student’s account tracking Elon Musk’s plane [Orlando Sentinel]
A Twitter account created by a University of Central Florida student that tweeted the flight patterns of Elon Musk’s private jet has been suspended from the platform. As of Wednesday morning, visitors to @ElonJet found only the account’s handle and a message stating that it had been suspended. “Twitter suspends accounts that violate the Twitter Rules,” was the only explanation given.

› New Jersey machinery company expanding to Tampa, bringing 30 jobs [Tampa Bay Times]
A New Jersey manufacturer of automation machinery is opening its second national office in Tampa. Norwalt, which makes automated and robotic equipment for packing, packaging and assembly, announced Tuesday that it plans to hire at least 30 local workers as it builds its production in Tampa. The 51-year-old company will lease 10,000 square feet of space in the Palm River industrial offices of beverage company Cirkul, which happens to be a Norwalt customer. Over the next two years, it’ll seek out a space of its own.

› With Kaya, Orlando has its first Filipino fine dining venue [Orlando Sentinel]
Kaya, Orlando’s first Filipino fine dining venue, is now open, accepting reservations in the chill confines of a beautifully reimagined bungalow at 618. N. Thornton Ave. in Orlando. This is the former location of the Dandelion Communitea Room, but save the upright piano, which remains as an homage to the space’s history, it’s practically unrecognizable. With a beautiful brick column at its center, an historic and structural touch unearthed amid renovation, the space is now wide-open with flow that matches that of the beat-laden playlist.

› New community bank opens, CEO will gladly make change [Soutth Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Not long ago, Steve Sanzone, founder and CEO of Evermore Bank, which is opening this week in Fort Lauderdale, was visiting a big regional bank. “In walks this guy. He wanted change of a 20,” he said. But the manager wouldn’t give it to him because he wasn’t a customer. Sanzone pulled out four $5 bills and broke the guy’s $20. Said the grateful businessman: “You should run this bank.” Come Thursday, Sanzone instead will be greeting his first customers at Evermore, a community bank opening at 3696 North Federal Highway.