The 20-year fight against citrus greening in Florida has farmers and researchers exhausted

The farmers on Florida's remaining citrus acres are frustrated by the continued losses and lack of solutions to greening after pouring in millions toward research investments from their box taxes over the past 10 years. Millions more in Florida tax dollars have been directed by the legislature in an attempt to combat greening. Some farmers and others are now questioning both the research spending and the state’s outdated citrus policies. [Source: WUSF]

Experts discuss the facts, and fiction, of Florida's seaweed problem

Forget "Jaws." If you want a beach-themed scare this summer, look no further than the real-life horror show unfolding on the East Coast: a monstrous mass of seaweed the size of North America drifting toward the Florida coastline just as millions of Coppertone-slathered Americans plan their own descent on the Sunshine State. But according to retired University of Maryland Associate Professor Patrick Kangas, the eye-grabbing headlines coming out of Florida are old news—by 533 years. [Source: Phys.org]

Gov. DeSantis says insurance market improvements won’t ‘happen overnight’

Gov. Ron DeSantis says the insurance market will improve at some point, but is cautioning that those changes wouldn’t “happen overnight.” DeSantis pointed to the positive effects of legislation passed in December’s Special Session that discouraged moves to “incentivize lawsuits” that worked to “cause insurers to leave the state.” “People are really excited about that,” DeSantis said of the law change. “I think that you’re going to start to see capital deployed in response to that.” However, when that capital will be deployed is anyone’s guess, DeSantis added. [Source: Florida Politics]

Florida rejects, amends many social studies textbooks

The Florida Department of Education announced Tuesday it has rejected 35 percent of the social studies textbooks submitted by publishers, a year after a messy math book adoption cycle. The social studies books were expected to be more contentious than the math ones, as their topics are potentially more divisive in the current political climate. The state has banned teaching of several ideas, including the notion that “equality of treatment under the law is not a sufficient condition to achieve justice.” Critics argue that Florida is attempting to whitewash history. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida likely to require E-Verify for private companies

Under the legislation, many workers who were previously compliant with documentation standards will now face termination and employers that do not comply will face fines of $1,000 day until they comply. The measure, which would go into effect July 1 if signed by DeSantis, also permits random audits of employers suspected of hiring unauthorized immigrant workers. [Source: Construction Dive]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Public records case over Florida-funded migrant flights gets a hearing [WLRN]
A panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal will hear arguments June 13 in a battle about whether Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration violated state law by not properly providing public records about a plan to fly migrants from Texas to Massachusetts last year. The Tallahassee-based appeals court issued an order Monday scheduling arguments in the DeSantis administration’s appeal of a ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh.

› New ‘anti-woke’ law raises legal questions for banks, financial institutions in Florida [Tampa Bay Business Journal]
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ crusade against corporate activism and “woke” investing reached a major inflection point last week when he gave his stamp of approval to a sweeping law with new rules for banks and financial institutions in Florida. The law, HB3, grants Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis enforcement authority over banks and financial institutions and sets legal penalties for those that discriminate against customers based on political and social beliefs.

› Planning to travel in Florida this summer? Here are some tips [Click Orlando]
Summer is almost here, and AAA says travel is surging. According to a new AAA travel survey, 83% of Floridians will travel this year and 57% of them will take a summer vacation, so it’s recommended to start planning soon if you are among them. Of those traveling this summer, 40% are going to beach destinations, 37% to theme parks, 27% to cities or major metro destinations, 25% to all-inclusive or multi-amenity resorts and 22% to national or state parks.

› Just 35% of Florida's older foster youth got federal help moving on. A new law could change that [WLRN]
A bill recently passed in the Florida Legislature could help address a key shortfall highlighted in a new national report about foster youth ages 14 to 21. The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a data brief this week titled "Fostering Youth Transitions 2023." it focuses on those older foster youth, especially as they prepare to transitioned to living on their own.

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› St. Petersburg creates a new position: chief equity officer [Tampa Bay Times]
St. Petersburg on Monday announced a new role at City Hall: chief equity officer. The job: Create and carry out policies and practices that put everyone on the same playing field, in and out of City Hall, and make sure equity and inclusion are baked into City government policies, procedures and practices. The goal is to work with the community to oversee and advance racial equity and inclusion within city government.

› United Arts of Central Florida surpasses $6 million fundraising goal [Orlando Sentinel]
United Arts of Central Florida surpassed its goal of raising $6 million for local arts, science and history organizations in its annual Campaign for the Arts, which ended April 30. The largest fundraiser for the region’s cultural groups, which runs for three months each spring, provides operational and programming funds for dozens of organizations, as well as grants for individual artists.

› Walmart-owned Sam’s Club fits the description of Project Crystal [Jacksonville Daily Record]
While Jacksonville is dealing with a code name for Project Crystal, the description of the deal it matches Sam’s Club, the wholesale membership club division of global merchandiser Walmart Inc. The city proposes a five-year $1.5 million Recapture Enhanced Value Grant based on 50% of the increase and real and tangible property taxes for the project.

› Disney World is making changes to its park reservation rules [Tampa Bay Times]
Walt Disney World, which has stood alone among Florida’s theme parks in keeping many of its pandemic-era restrictions, on Monday announced it will be relaxing some of its rules on advanced park reservations. Plus, it’s bringing back the popular Disney dining plans and is working on a way to simplify its new fast pass system known as Genie+.