Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 8/21/2018

Why bamboo might be worth the climb for Florida farmers

Bamboo represents a $60 billion global industry that is growing. The U.S. is the largest importer of bamboo products, accounting for 95% of its current consumption. To fill the current import demand for bamboo shoots in the U.S., growers would need to plant 26,000 acres of the crop. Florida is considered a prime locations for planting. More from Growing Produce.

Orlando homes in foreclosure rise for third straight month

Foreclosures on Metro Orlando homes are up 23 percent from July 2017, according to a real estate data analyst, though the numbers are still well below the peak of the recession, and local sales agents say there’s not much impact in the market yet. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Contaminated land? No worries. Developers aren’t shying away in South Florida

More developers and municipalities are now opting to take on remediation, amid a shortage of affordable land to build on, increasing incentives to clean up the property and a growing confidence from lenders to help fund development on brownfield and superfund sites. More from the Real Deal.

More manatees have died in Florida so far this year than in all of 2017

The number of manatee deaths in Florida this year has already exceeded the total for all of 2017. Blame Red Tide, which is suspected of killing more than 100 of them. So far, 554 manatees have died in 2018, with four months left to go. Last year’s total was 538. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Nixing Plant Vogtle project could save JEA hundreds of millions

Canceling the controversial Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project could save JEA between $345 million and $727 million, according to a previously confidential analysis prepared last year for utility lawyers, one of the most detailed financial estimates exploring how deeply tied Jacksonville ratepayers are to the floundering construction effort. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Health
Babies in Florida: The healthiest and unhealthiest counties for infants

Women who live in rural, lightly populated counties in Florida are more likely to have babies compared to the state average. Women in the state’s two college town counties, Leon and Alachua, had some of the lowest birth rates. For every 1,000 women ages 15-44 in Florida, there are 60 live births.

» More from Florida Trend.

Public Safety
Florida no longer has the worst drivers in the nation

After coming in at number one two years in a row, Florida has been dethroned — no longer holding the title of "the worst drivers in the country." According to a survey compiled by SmartAsset, a personal-finance company, Florida has dropped to eighth place for the most unsafe drivers in the country.