Florida pension reform faces hurdles despite budget surplus
Lawmakers have proposed a bill to restore the 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to the Florida Retirement System. Proponents argue that the COLA is necessary to keep pace with inflation and ensure retirees can maintain their standard of living. Opponents cite concerns about the cost of the proposal and the need for fiscal responsibility. Bills addressing the COLA issue have been filed in seven of the last nine sessions. None have passed. More from Florida Today.
Fundings of female-founded startups rose in South Florida last year
Funding rounds in female-founded companies in South Florida rebounded in 2024. That’s the good news, and there’s more: It was the third-highest year on record, after 2021 and 2022. However, by percentage share, female fundings in the region only slightly exceed the national findings, which continue to be dismal. More from Refresh Miami.
How Tallahassee businesses adapted and thrived after COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses in Tallahassee to adapt, with some thriving while others closed. Many businesses had to reduce their workforce or completely transform their business model in order to survive. Five years later, businesses are seeing a return to pre-pandemic trends, such as longer lease agreements and a desire for in-person office environments. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
How may a Seaboard Master Plan change Venice's first industrial area?
Venice leaders have unanimously approved an ambitious plan to remake an industrial waterfront area near the city's downtown. Consultants Dover, Kohl & Partners showcased their Venice Seaboard Master Plan for the City Council on March 11 and received unanimous approval of the concept. The plan suggests a way to redevelop a portion of the city east of the Intracoastal Waterway that would include mixed-uses and residential development and make the area more pedestrian friendly. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Orlando arts leaders find spotlight on national stage
Arts leaders have been representing Central Florida on a national scale in recent weeks, with appearances showing the rest of world the region’s cultural vitality. In January, Open Scene executive director Thamara Bejarano addressed the New York Congress of ISPA, the International Society for the Performing Arts, which attracted hundreds of delegates. In February, Orlando Family Stage artistic director Jeffrey Revels served on a panel at BroadwayCon, the popular convention for Broadway professionals and fans, also in New York City. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Out of the Box
Most successful lottery winner ever? Florida man won 7 jackpots in his lifetime
Richard Lustig of Orlando could be considered the luckiest lottery winner − ever. With seven state-sponsored lottery wins to his name, the odds are in his favor that he'll hold that title. Lustig gained fame for his string of lottery wins from 1993 to 2010.
» More from St. Augustine Record.
Florida Enviroment
A quest to protect Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve while chasing turkeys
Mike Elfenbein loves to hunt turkeys, which is one of the reasons he is so committed to protecting the Big Cypress National Preserve. So the opening weekend of the spring turkey season in South Florida was a perfect combination for him. Elfenbein, who grew up in Miami and now lives in Englewood on Florida’s west coast, is the executive director of the Cypress chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America (www.iwla.org), a 102-year-old conservation organization.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.