Despite minimum wage increase and growing Florida economy, many workers are struggling

While Florida is posting near-historic low unemployment rates and strong job growth, experts say that's not the full picture. Wages for common Florida industries, including leisure and hospitality, are lagging, said Julia Goldman, who studies cost-of-living trends in the greater Tampa Bay region. “Unemployment is low right now, and there are lots of jobs, that's great,” she said. “But if the basic costs are increasing faster than wages – which they are – that's a huge problem.” [Source: WUSF]

Florida turtle nests are making a big comeback

Green sea turtles had an exceptional nesting season on Florida’s beaches in 2023, with volunteers counting more than 74,300 nests, according to preliminary data. That beats the previous record, from 2017, by a staggering 40 percent. “The increase is an explosion” and a welcome surprise, said Simona Ceriani, a research scientist who coordinated the annual survey for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state agency that regulates and manages wildlife. The count will continue through Oct. 31. [Source: New York Times]

I-4 corridor is Florida's fastest growing region, but with that comes successes and challenges

The price of living in Paradise is about to go up as more people move to Florida – the fastest-growing state in the nation. The anticipated and continuing rise in population comes with some positives like a boost to the local economy; and some challenges impacting everyday costs, such as your daily commute and potential access to resources. [Source: WTSP]

Florida hurricane season outlook: Landfall free September leads to October uncertainty

In late September, hurricane season undergoes an abrupt key change. Though there are no medium-term threats to Florida or the continental U.S., the eastern Main Development Region is in mid-season form just as the early late season should begin, and elevated activity looks to continue into October. More from the Tallahassee Democrat and Accuweather.

A 'pink wave' could spell good news for American Flamingo conservation in Florida

Days after Hurricane Idalia blew through Florida in August, people began sighting flamingos in unusual spots. The birds were spotted as far north as Lake Michigan beach, Wisconsin. One of those fly-ins was “Peaches" who was found in deep water off Florida's Gulf Coast. Now the bright-pink bird is being tracked by a pair of researchers searching to see if wild, breeding populations may return to the state since they went locally extinct in the early 1900s. [Source: WLRN]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› A Miami supermarket chain is expanding in Florida. Where are the new locations? [Miami Herald]
Meet the new Presidente. The Miami-based supermarket chain opened a new store in West Palm Beach earlier in September, its third Florida opening this year. And there are new locations to come in Miami-Dade and Pompano Beach. See what to know about the expansion.

› A year later, Volusia rebuilds but still shows scars from hurricanes Ian, Nicole [Orlando Sentinel]
Ken Meister isn’t giving up on coastal living as work continues on his oceanfront home heavily damaged by hurricanes Ian and Nicole a year ago. But some of his neighbors are selling their oceanfront properties in the wake of damage that Volusia County officials estimate at more than $850 million. A year later, the hurricanes’ wrath is still evident in Volusia, particularly along the hard-hit stretch of sand from Daytona Beach Shores to Wilbur-by-the-Sea, an unincorporated community of about 2,000 people.

› Clearwater firm buys five senior living facilities decade after exiting sector [Business Observer]
Just a bit over 10 years ago, in August 2013, TJM Properties made an announcement. It was selling 15 of its senior living communities. The decision, at the time, was part of the Clearwater firm’s move away from the segment and into hotels. TJM’s goal is to hold on to properties long term, growing them organically and seeing what the market brings.

› South Florida bank deposits shrink by billions for the 1st time in decades [South Florida Business Journal]
Banks in South Florida reported a $17.4 billion drop in deposits, signaling the first year-over-year decline since the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. began conducting deposit market share reports in 1994. As of June 30, the 85 banks with market share in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties held a total of $334 billion in deposits, according to the FDIC's annual market share report released Sept. 22.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Delaware company to acquire Florida City Gas from FPL's parent in $923 million deal [Florida Today]
Florida City Gas â?• the natural gas company that serves Brevard County and seven other Florida counties â?• will be getting a new owner. Delaware-based Chesapeake Utilities said it has reached a deal to acquire Florida City Gas for $923 million from NextEra Energy, which also is the parent company of Florida Power & Light. The cash deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

› Florida to receive $58.5 million in federal funding for rail projects, including Brightline [South Florida Business Journal]
Florida is slated to get $58.5 million for rail projects as part of a $1.4 billion federal infrastructure funding investment announced Sept. 25 — including money for South Florida and the intercity passenger rail Brightline, which began service from Orlando to South Florida on Sept. 22.

› After a stormy tenure, Miami-Dade’s Animal Services director officially forced out [Miami Herald]
The stormy tenure of Bronwyn Stanford as Animal Services director in Miami-Dade County came to an end Tuesday with a resignation letter she said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava requested nine weeks after suspending the administrator with pay. A lawyer and former child-welfare official for Florida, Stanford was hired by Levine Cava to oversee the county’s overwhelmed pet shelter in Doral in 2021, at a time of surging dog surrenders and stray canines in Miami-Dade and across the country.

› Tampa Bay home sales have slowed. Is now a good time to buy? [Tampa Bay Times]
It’s been a tough year for would-be homebuyers in the Tampa Bay region. Rising mortgage rates and steep asking prices have made the dream of buying a home unattainable for many. Though the market has cooled considerably since 2021 – when historically low interest rates caused a flood of new sales – the slowdown hasn’t given buyers the big boost that some were hoping for.