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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Assignment of benefits abuse in Florida rises 70% in 15 years
In the state of Florida, abuse of AOBs has fuelled an insurance crisis, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). The III states there were roughly 1,300 AOB lawsuits in Florida in the year 2000. Just three years later, the annual number shot up to 79,000, and by 2018 there were roughly 135,000 AOB lawsuits through November – a staggering 70% increase in just 15 years. More from Insurance Business Magazine.
» Assignment of benefits lawsuits continues to rise for eighth straight year, report says
» AOB lawsuits outpacing population growth
» Florida High Court May Crack Down On Benefit Assignments
FPL announces plan to build the world's largest solar-powered battery
Florida Power & Light Company, one of the nation's cleanest energy companies, today announced a plan to build the world's largest solar-powered battery system – four times the capacity of the largest battery system in operation – as part of an innovative modernization plan that will accelerate the retirement of two fossil fuel generation units. More at Florida Trend.
Office Depot customers who bought some computer support services to get refunds
Office Depot has agreed to pay $25 million to settle allegations it helped trick customers into buying millions of dollars’ worth of computer repair and technical services. A California-based tech repair firm Support.com that was working with the Boca Raton-based retailer agreed to pay another $10 million, the Federal Trade Commission has announced. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Workforce training could be coming to Newtown
A proposed workforce training program could finally create long-term, high-paying jobs in impoverished Newtown if the Sarasota City Commission supports it. The program, championed by Commissioner Willie Charles Shaw, aims to provide 12 individuals from North Sarasota with training in air conditioning maintenance — a trade that pays $40,000 to $45,000 annually for entry level positions. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Orlando’s ITEC expands with new Los Angeles office
The Orlando-headquartered ITEC Entertainment is opening a new office in Los Angeles to help with its projects in Asia and the West Coast, the company announced. ITEC does planning, creative design, entertainment technology and more services for theme parks, mixed-use spaces, retail and other projects. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sylvester: New approaches to battling cancer
From research and discoveries, to educational outreach programs focused on first responders and the underserved, Sylvester is a beacon of hope for many of the estimated 1.7 million diagnosed with cancer in the US last year. [Sponsored report]
Florida Dining
Cuban variations
Five quirky takes on the Cuban sandwich in the Tampa Bay area. Try these spins on Tampa’s iconic sandwich.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Out of the Box
Florida among states with most drunk online shoppers
Oh, Florida... maybe it's time to put down the bottle and the mouse. A new survey says that when it comes to drunk online spending, Floridians rank among the top 10 states in the U.S. The Hustle survey says that drunk shopping is estimated to pull in $48 billion annually for online companies, with $444 spent by each intoxicated shopper.
» Read more from WPLG.
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