Rising cost of home insurance shows alarming trend: an increase in owners not insuring their homes

“They don’t want to pay, you know, 10,15 $20,000 for homeowners’ insurance,” insurance agent with Brightway Insurance Matt Carlucci Jr. said. Carlucci said not having a home insurance policy is not a recommended course of action, which is only available to people who have paid off the existing mortgage on their house. “Everybody’s, you know, getting renewals, and very expensive,” Carlucci said. “And they’re wondering how they can afford it.” [Source: WJXT]

Officials say Florida faces health care provider shortage

Health care shortage problems are worsening as population grows older and larger at the same time. The Florida House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee met Wednesday to discuss the healthcare workforce in Florida. Dr. Emma Spencer, Director at the Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management within the Florida Department of Health, gave a presentation on the physician workforce in the Sunshine State. Spencer stated that according to the 2022 Physician Workforce Annual Report, the largest group of physicians in the Sunshine State are between ages 50 and 59, with an average age of 53. [Source: The Center Square]

New College of Florida asks state for almost half a billion dollars over next five years

The college said it needs a "minimum" of $400 million over that span to achieve the goal it set forward to the Florida Legislature of becoming "a world-class classical liberal arts educational institution," according to the plan. Corcoran's business plan for New College has previously been criticized for not being financially viable, according to business experts from the University of Florida. [Source: Sarasota Herald Tribune]

2 more endangered Florida panthers struck and killed by vehicles

Two endangered Florida panthers have been struck and killed by vehicles, officials said. A 2-year-old male panther's remains were found Monday near the Spirit-of-the-Wild Wildlife Management Area in Hendry County, and a 3-year-old female panther was found dead a day later near the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area in Glades County, wildlife officials said. [Source: FOX News]

Florida Supreme Court hears arguments over recreational marijuana amendment

The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday about whether a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow adults to use recreational marijuana should go before voters in 2024. Lawyers for Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office and the Florida Chamber of Commerce argue that the amendment is misleading to voters and fails to address a single subject as required under state law. [Source: WTVJ]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Port Canaveral, one of Florida's biggest economic engines, running short on space as key players keep growing [WOFL]
Port Canaveral is running out of space. Cruise, cargo, and space operations are growing rapidly, and the port can only fit so much into 1,100 acres. In 70 years, Port Canaveral’s gone from a small slice of the Space Coast to an economic engine.

› Hispanic-owned businesses get bigger share of SBA 7(a) loans in Central Florida [Orlando Business Journal]
Some minority business owners are better served by the Small Business Administration here in Central Florida than they are nationally. The SBA shows a greater percentage of Hispanic-owned businesses received funding through the SBA 7(a) Loan Program than the national trend — twice as much, in fact.

› Miami airport has shortest security wait time in Florida, ranks 6th in the US: study [WTVJ]
As many across the United States gear up for holiday travel -- they might also be dreading crowded airports and expected delays. But some South Florida travelers might not run into too much of a headache with Thanksgiving coming up, as Miami International Airport reportedly has the shortest average security wait time in Florida, according to a new study.

› Florida special session ends: Resolutions, bills passed in support of Israel [WPBF]
The special legislative session in Tallahassee has wrapped up and among the measures passed were several in support of Israel and ones that stand against a rise in antisemitism.

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› These South Florida startups have raised the most funding so far in 2023 [South Florida Business Journal]
South Florida startups continued to rake in multimillion-dollar funding rounds in 2023, despite a tough year for the technology industry. However, fundings have declined significantly from pandemic-era highs.

› Airbnb reveals Florida's most popular rentals, including waterfront stays starting at $107 a night [WOFL]
Some of Florida's most cherished vacation rentals are now at your fingertips thanks to a new feature added to Airbnb's website that showcases the most popular stays in any area. "Guest Favorites" is Airbnb's new way of letting travelers find the most popular homes, based on ratings, reviews and reliability, according to a news release.

› A bear stole a Taco Bell delivery order from a Florida family's porch — and "then he came again for the soda" [CBS News]
A fast-food loving bear stole a $45 Taco Bell order from the front porch of a home in the Orlando suburb of Longwood moments after the Uber Eats driver delivered it, an Orlando television station reported. The criminal was a black bear estimated to weigh 300 to 400 pounds

› SWFL broker Adam Palmer in line to lead international real estate group [Gulf Shore Business]
Adam Palmer, a Southwest Florida commercial real estate broker with almost two decades of experience, is on the path to becoming president of CCIM Institute, one of the nation’s largest collections of commercial real estate brokers. Palmer’s election as first vice president of CCIM, effective 2024, puts him in line to become president in 2026.