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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida sets new record for Affordable Care Act enrollment
A record 2.7 million Floridians have signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act for 2022, a 600,000 increase from last year. The federal program, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, is more popular than ever nationwide, too. A record 14.5 million people signed up for this year, surpassing the previous high by almost 2 million. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Brevard County posts record tourism during fall, sees bright 2022 for more visitors
A key measure of tourism along the Space Coast set records in October, November and December, with momentum strong for 2022, Brevard County's tourism chief reports. Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said tourist development tax revenue during each of those three months was the highest it has ever been during the respective months, breaking records set in 2019. More from Florida Today.
Florida could end court fees for kids. Will election-year politics stop it?
States across the country have stopped assigning court “user fees” for kids, who can rarely afford to pay them. But not in Florida. Despite bipartisan support, bills that would stop courts from fining kids when they enter the juvenile justice system have yet to be heard in committees during this year’s legislative session, scheduled to end on March 11. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Pain at the pump: Gas prices jump 12 cents in Florida
Drivers in Florida are paying more to fill up their gas tanks. According to new numbers released by AAA, gas prices rose 12 cents in the past week. AAA said the state average for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.35, one cent less than last year’s high of $3.36 per gallon. Experts say rising oil prices are to blame for the pain at the pump. So far this year, AAA says the U.S. price for crude oil surged 15% to $87.35 per barrel. More from Click Orlando.
Life in Disney’s Celebration is good, but some worry charm is getting lost in the crowd
More than 25 years after its opening, Celebration has kept its crime rate low and its property values high. But residents say they are feeling encroachment from curious tourists, other Osceola residents and development along the nearby tourist strip of U.S. Highway 192. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sports Business
Forbes estimates Khan’s sports empire at $4.8 billion
Shad Khan became one of the richest people in the world on the strength of his auto parts company, Flex-N-Gate Corp. However, despite a lack of success on the field, Khan’s sports holdings are valuable enough to rank as one of the largest in the world, according to Forbes magazine. Khan’s ownership interests in the Jacksonville Jaguars, English soccer team Fulham FC and All Elite Wrestling are valued at $4.8 billion, making it the 12-largest global sports empire.
» More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Startup Trends
Tampa mental health service Cope Notes wins Startup of the Year prize
Johnny Crowder checked his startup’s website Friday and saw a number that made his day: 96. As in, his Tampa tech startup just notched a subscriber in its 96th country. “That’s amazing,” said Crowder, the founder of mental health text-messaging service Cope Notes. “Once you get up in the 90s, it’s very rare that you hit a new country, because there’s only so many English-speaking countries. That’s really exciting.” It’s been an exciting week overall for Crowder, 29, and Cope Notes, which this week took home a top award at a nationwide tech summit held this week in Tampa.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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