Florida’s $1.3 billion medical marijuana industry could nearly double by late 2022
Florida is set to nearly double the availability of medical marijuana over the next 18 months, pocketing millions in new license fees and tax revenues from an industry already generating $1.1 billion in Sunshine State sales. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is expected to issue up to 19 new medical marijuana treatment center (MMTCs) licenses under the state’s vertically-integrated regulatory scheme this year. Florida has issued 22 MMTC licenses. Fourteen are active with eight awarded via lawsuits and likely for sale, where the bidding starts at $40 million. [Source: The Center Square]
Forecast: July 4th holiday road travel could set record in Florida, nation
AAA, the Auto Group, is predicting a record-breaking 43.6 million American road trips this holiday weekend. If the prediction holds true, it would be a 5% jump from the previous July 4th weekend record set in 2019. In the Sunshine State, 2.4 million people are expected to hit the highways for the long weekend. That’s despite the highest Florida gas prices since 2014. [Source: WJCT]
$99 million in unspent rental aid meant for Floridians in affordable housing returned to the state
About $99 million in unspent rental assistance meant to help Floridians living in affordable housing was returned to the state after the agency overseeing the program struggled to disburse the money. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation, which was established by the Florida Legislature to help develop and support affordable housing, received $120 million in federal funding for rental assistance last year as part of the CARES Act. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Tropical Storm Elsa forms in Atlantic with Florida peninsula in potential path
Tropical Storm Elsa has formed over the tropical Atlantic on Thursday morning and is expected to cause heavy rains that may lead to isolated flash flooding and mudslides in the Caribbean. Elsa is the earliest fifth named storm on record, beating out last year’s Eduardo which formed on July 6, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. [Source: AP]
Some gas stations seeing outages ahead of busy July 4 travel weekend
Just days before travel ramps up for the July 4 holiday, drivers are finding bagged pumps and outages at some gas stations, as the fuel delivery industry contends with an ongoing tanker driver shortage. The temporary delivery issues have been reported in the Florida Keys and other parts of the country. Pumps have been bagged, indicating an outage, for between 12 to 48 hours, industry watchers said. [Source: NBC News]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Cruise lines to sail from Florida with more than 12 ships in 2 months, but Port Canaveral getting late start
Business isn’t booming yet for cruise lines out of Florida, but it’s not dead silent either like it has been for the last 15 months. This past Saturday marked a milestone in the cruise industry as Celebrity Edge sailed from Port Everglades to mark the first revenue sailing of any major cruise line from a U.S. port since March 2020.
› CarParts.com to create 150 jobs at Northwest Jacksonville distribution center
CarParts.com Inc., based in Torrance, California, announced June 29 it will open a 180,000-square-foot distribution center in Northwest Jacksonville and create 150 full-time positions. The center will open in the first quarter of 2022 at 6610 Pritchard Road, Building 300, in Crossroads Distribution Center.
› The Tampa Arts Alliance wants to unify the city’s arts community. Can it?
When it comes to the Peninsularium, an immersive art and culture campus planned for Tampa’s Ybor Heights neighborhood, Neil Gobioff doesn’t want to overpromise. The project, which will include a building housing a brewery and a new home for the art space Tempus Projects, is coming ... sometime.
› Could Lincoln Road be the next hot spot for tech firms? Miami Beach is betting on it
How would a business district look beside the popular Lincoln Road? City of Miami Beach officials aim to find out. The City of Miami Beach Commission is seeking proposals to add office space just steps away from Lincoln Road Mall, which stretches from Alton Road to Washington Avenue, according to a press release.
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› Florida enacts private right of action for telemarketing and text marketing violations
On June 29, 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed CS/SB 1120, a bill on telephone solicitation effective July 1, 2021, that will dramatically impact businesses that engage in text message marketing and telemarketing to Florida residents. CS/SB 1120 requires all sales telephone calls and text messages to have the receiving consumer’s prior express written consent if the call will be made using an automated machine to select or dial the recipient’s telephone number.
› Allegiant to begin flights between Sarasota-Bradenton and Washington, D.C.
Allegiant Air on Tuesday announced new service to airports in Sarasota-Manatee and Charlotte counties. The Las Vegas-based airline said that it will begin service between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., Dec. 18.
› Walt Disney World bringing back in-person marathon, half-marathon running events beginning this November
Running events are returning to Walt Disney World in November more than a year after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The theme park resort revealed its four race weekends for the 2021-2022 season on Wednesday after more than a year of virtual races.
› Florida-based property insurer placed under state supervision
Gulfstream Property & Casualty Insurance Co., a Sarasota-based company that was ordered in May to terminate 20,311 policies, has been placed under state supervision to protect policyholders as it dissolves. “The purpose of the administrative supervision is to facilitate an orderly wind-down of the company. At this time, Gulfstream is not writing new policies or renewing policies,” said Alexis Bakofsky, spokeswoman for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.