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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Solar industry booming and the Sunshine State finally delivers on its name
According to the latest numbers, a whopping 860 MWdc was installed in Florida during Q1, compared to California’s 538 MW – the first time since 2012 that any state has exceeded California on a quarterly basis. This is stunning growth for Florida, which saw very little activity as recently as a few years ago. Even in 2017 and 2018, Florida’s solar market was less than a third the size of California’s; however the state has now installed in one quarter more than it did in all of either year. See the report here and read more from PV Magazine and Reuters.
Company pays $44,000 for violating overtime pay rules after Hurricane Michael
A Mississippi company in the Florida Panhandle doing Hurricane Michael recovery work flouted basic overtime pay labor laws in paying those who did the work, according to the Department of Labor. Gulf Breeze Landscaping from Gauthier has paid $44,832 in back wages and damages to 11 workers, or $4,075.64 per worker. Read the announcement from the Department of Labor and read more from the Miami Herald.
Citizens Insurance reduces rate hikes
Citizens Property Insurance is scaling back a proposed rate hike after lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved an overhaul that the state-backed insurer has long pursued. Members of Citizens’ Actuarial and Underwriting Committee advanced a plan Tuesday to the full Board of Governors to lower a proposed average residential premium increase from 8.2 percent to 4.7 percent. The board will take up the issue Wednesday. More from the Miami Herald.
Bank expands into Southwest Florida, assembles local leadership
ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of Birmingham, Ala.-based ServisFirst Bancshares, announced its expansion into Southwest Florida with the hiring of five local bankers who will be located in Sarasota. The team will serve the Bradenton-Sarasota-Fort Myers-Naples footprint, according to a press release. More from the Business Observer.
Kiteboarders ride wind in St. Pete
Florida isn’t known for waves, especially on the West Central Coast. Still the waters around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge offer some of the best kitesurfing in the world, according to both locals and international transplants. The shallow depth where the Gulf of Mexico meets Tampa Bay, provides an especially excellent environment for beginners to learn tricks, and a friendlier surface on the bodies’ joints due to the lack of waves. More from 83 Degrees Media.
Around the State
Miami's popular nightclub Club Space is more than a club
In a small area around 11th Street in downtown Miami’s entertainment district, the city allows 24-hour liquor licenses, and the 24-hour Club Space has built its reputation in part on long parties and performances. On a typical weekend, some 3,000 people patronize the nightclub. There aren’t a lot of places where you can “experience the sunrise during a party,” says Coloma Kaboomsky, co-owner of the club.
» More from Florida Trend.
Out of the Box
Florida scientist stumbles on previously unknown species of egg-sucking sea slug
Gustav Paulay was on a field trip to Cedar Key with his University of Florida biology students when he discovered something no scientist had ever seen before. The slug was about the size of a grain of rice, but he knew it was 
something special. He kept saying, "Score! Score! Score!" when he spotted it.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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