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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s property insurance crisis prompts DeSantis to call another special session
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the Florida Legislature will be called back for a second special session in May. The property insurance session will be the second special session called by DeSantis this year. The governor said he will sign a proclamation this week with more specifics — the same week the Legislature will meet for a special session on congressional redistricting. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the News Service of Florida.
Housing lotteries grow popular as homes go up for grabs in Florida. Feeling lucky?
When people sign up for lotteries, they usually do so in the hopes of winning millions. But with the scorching housing market, people are signing up for lotteries in the hopes of spending millions. As the demand for luxury properties in South Florida reaches unparalleled highs, gated communities are using lotteries as a way to create a semblance of order when listing new homes on the market. These lotteries have become especially commonplace in southwest Palm Beach County, which has quickly transformed as a hot spot for upscale home developments due to the wide swath of available farmland. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
A USF survey reveals Floridians’ opinions on COVID-19, Ukraine, Biden and DeSantis
Floridians are still divided politically, despite some agreement between Democrats and Republicans on key issues. That’s according to researchers from the University of South Florida, who polled 600 people from around the state on the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, presidential/gubernatorial job approval, and COVID-19. The economy also supplanted COVID-19 as the most important issue to Floridians. [Source: WUSF]
Central Florida a finalist in Space Force search for training command center
Florida's Space Coast is again on the hunt for a major U.S. military command. Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County is a candidate to host the U.S. Space Force’s Space Training and Readiness Command Headquarters, according to the U.S. Air Force. Known as STARCOM, it's used to educate and train space professionals, for program testing and evaluation and teaching "warfighting doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures." The Air Force will begin site surveys for STARCOM headquarters in late April or early May. [Source: Orlando Business Journal]
Florida airports lead pandemic recovery as Miami capacity surges
Miami International Airport saw the biggest increase in passenger seat capacity from pre-pandemic levels amid a surge in domestic tourism in the Sunshine State. Airport capacity in Miami rose 23% in April from the same month in 2019, according to a report from OAG Aviation Worldwide Ltd. that examined the world’s largest hubs. [Source: Bloomberg]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Sharks cause delay in East Coast Dog Surfing Championships in Cocoa Beach
Standing paw-tiently on her padded surfboard, and staring into a sea of spectators while awaiting her second wave, Lily likely didn’t notice a couple of curious sharks who had invaded the shoreline on Easter Sunday. But, after a 30-minute shark timeout, the soon-to-be 7-year-old yellow lab conquered a field of eight talented dogs, a nagging undercurrent and, of course, any fear of sharks to win her second consecutive East Coast Dog Surfing Championships at Lori Wilson Park.
› Some of Gainesville's highest-paid employees receive pay bump
Gainesville's city commissioners voted to increase the pay of two of its charter officers, while four others remained at their same rate of pay. The increases in pay were based on annual evaluations given by the city's elected leaders and a pay study that compares similar jobs around the state.
› The first Miami Beer Week is here and local breweries made a new beer to celebrate
Adrian Castro, a confessed lover of locally brewed beers, asks the question though even he doesn’t know the answer: How many breweries are in Miami? As little as five years ago, you could count them on both hands with fingers left over. Now, with more than 20 and new microbreweries popping up almost every month, it’s harder to keep track. And that’s why Miami Beer Week exists.
› New musical makes world premiere in Sarasota
The creative team behind Ragtime is familiar with shows about life in America at the turn of the 20th century. It’s the setting for their hit show that opened on Broadway in 1998, and it’s the setting for a new musical they are debuting April 23 in Sarasota. Knoxville will have its world premiere at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, reuniting the Tony Award-winning Ragtime team for the first time.
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