SHARE:
Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida's jobless claims at pre-pandemic level
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he anticipates “pretty good” July unemployment numbers, as a federal report Thursday showed that first-time jobless claims last week in Florida were at a level not seen since before the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated that 4,381 new unemployment claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Aug. 7, down from a revised count of 7,718 claims in the week ending July 31. The estimate for last week is the lowest number since 3,807 claims during the week that ended Dec. 28, 2019, more than two months before the pandemic started causing massive jobs losses in March 2020. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Business Beat - Week of August 13th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Floridians show bipartisan support for environmental policy issues, USF survey finds
The majority of Floridians — regardless of political affiliation — support widespread environmental reform, according to a survey conducted by the University of South Florida. Nearly two-thirds of sampled residents agreed that Florida needs more government action to protect the environment. Most also favored policies advocating for carbon taxes, reforestation and stricter regulations on agricultural fertilizers. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
DeSantis says reporting local COVID data on daily basis ‘may not be a bad idea’
After weeks of hesitance from the state to release more detailed coronavirus case data, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signaled a willingness to reverse Florida’s stance. Cases and hospitalizations are skyrocketing across the state, but the trends are uneven, the governor said. Jacksonville has long gotten the worst of this summer’s surge, for example. Other areas in the state are reporting more sick patients, but some are nearer to their peaks than others, he said. [Source: Miami Herald]
See also:
» More than 800 Florida physicians implore Gov. DeSantis to allow local school mask mandates
» Florida and Texas are seeing more kids under 18 hospitalized with COVID-19 than any other state
Citizens Insurance Tops 661,000 Policies
Continuing to add thousands of customers a week, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. had more than 661,000 policies at the end of July, according to newly posted data on the insurer’s website. Citizens had 661,150 policies as of July 31, up from 638,263 on June 30. It has seen a large influx of policies since early 2020 as private insurers have dropped customers and sought double-digit rate increases. [Source: News Service of Florida]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Hillsborough tourism numbers outpace record year of 2019
Hillsborough County’s tourism industry had a big start to the summer season. Tourist tax collections for June were one-third higher than the record-setting year of 2019, according to data shared Thursday with the Tourist Development Council. “It’s a little bit of a relief to see we’re doing better than I thought,” said Commissioner Pat Kemp, who chairs the tourism board.
› Lauderdale-By-The-Sea’s BugFest brings home lots of lobsters
Every lobster mini-season Lauderdale-By-The-Sea rolls out the red carpet for bug hunters to attend the annual BugFest By The Sea. After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the city officials gave the green light to resume the popular event to much fanfare. Bug hunters, as they are affectionally known in the sport of lobster hunting, would not be denied another opportunity to show off their skills. There were 100 divers who registered for the weeklong festivities.
› This Orlando hotel room goes for $17,000 a night. Its biggest perk: Service
The Royal Suite on the 16th floor of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando isn’t just the largest suite in Orlando. It doesn’t earn its $17,000 per night price tag with its crystal chandelier or views of Walt Disney World. For the clients who rent it, the real allure is the service. “We’re here to anticipate the guests’ needs,” said hotel manager Greg Viaud. “We keep ahead of the game.”
› Port Manatee receives $1 million federal grant
Port Manatee has received a $1 million grant from the federal government to help boost its security measures. The Tampa Bay deepwater seaport received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency to upgrade its wireless security network, complete a perimeter fencing project and boost protection against cyberthreats, according to a Thursday press release.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
In case you missed it:
