March 29, 2024

Thursday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 8/18/2022

State budget projections jump by $5.3 billion over two years, but economists see troubling signs

State economists this week bumped up Florida’s projected general revenue by about $5.3 billion, despite concerns about an economic “downshift” this fiscal year and an anticipated slowdown in the raging housing market. The revised projection means state lawmakers will have more money to play with as they draw up a budget during the 2023 legislative session. But economists, acting as the state Revenue Estimating Conference, acknowledged significant forecasting challenges as they pieced together the latest estimates. [Source: News Service of Florida]

What's the status of online sports betting in Florida?

Football season starts in just a few weeks and a lot of fans may want to put some money down on games from their phone, but don’t expect to do so in Florida for at least a couple more seasons. In November 2021, bettors placed the first legal online sports bets in the state, and if you took the “under” on the platform lasting two months, you would've won. [Source: WTSP]

Hurricane season heats up earlier and earlier. New study suggests climate change is why

Although this season has been rather quiet so far, a study released Tuesday shows that the first storms of the Atlantic hurricane season have been firing up about five days earlier per decade since 1979. Traditionally, the start of the hurricane season is June 1. The study also found that the first named storm to make U.S. landfall has been trending earlier, by about two days per decade since 1900.. More from Weather Tiger and Miam Herald.

Supersonic travel may be making a comeback to Florida

American Airlines on Tuesday announced an agreement to acquire up to 20 supersonic aircraft from Boom Supersonic that are expected to transport passengers across the Atlantic Ocean at twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial airliners. Boom Supersonic’s Overture planes are being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers and fly more than 600 routes around the world in just half the time, according to American Airlines, the largest airline at Miami International Airport. More from the Miami Herald and Click Orlando.

Scientists seek to develop hybrid coral reef off of Miami

Scientists and students from the University of Miami dove into the dark waters a few miles off the shores of Miami this week as part of an effort to develop hybrid reefs. The team from the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science was on a mission to collect eggs and sperm from spawning staghorn coral, which they hope to use to fertilize other strains of staghorn corals in a lab. [Source: AP]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Uber launches charter service to hail a bus or van for group trips in South Florida
Ride-share company Uber is teaming with US Coachways so people in South Florida can reserve vans or buses through Uber’s app for group transportation. With the new Uber Charter service, Uber users can book rides for destinations in Miami and across the tri-county area for groups of six to 55 people. US Coachways will provide the vehicles, and the trips need to be reserved at least three days in advance of pickup. The cost will be based on group size, trip distance and the availability of vehicles.

› Port Canaveral projects massive cruise year to push revenue past $150 million in 2023
Port Canaveral is approaching a record fiscal year for revenue driven by the return of the cruise industry in a big way, but it doesn’t hold a candle to what officials expect for 2023. The 2022 fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, and the port is projecting to bring in more than $122 million in revenue, mostly driven by more than $94 million from cruising. The port’s previous record was set pre-COVID in 2019 when it brought in more than $106 million, so already the port is setting the bar higher.

› Jacksonville-based Newfold Digital registers 38 brand names with the state
Jacksonville-based Newfold Digital, which creates websites for businesses worldwide, registered 38 brand names with the state the second week of August. From Aug. 9-12, Newfold registered the fictitious names that range from “339 222 5132” to “yourwebhosting” with the state Division of Corporations. The phone number connects with Buydomains.com, another name registered by Newfold Digital.

› Tampa health tech company named to Inc. 5000 list
Tampa-based Gale Healthcare Solutions has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing U.S. companies, coming in at No. 931 in the rankings. Led by serial entrepreneur Tony Braswell, who in June was named Ernst & Young LLP’s Florida Entrepreneur of the Year, Gale Healthcare Solutions has developed a mobile app aimed at ending the nationwide nursing shortage.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

Tags: Daily Pulse

In case you missed it:

Florida Trend Video Pick

Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

Ballot Box

Should Congress ban the popular social media app TikTok in the U.S.?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Need more details
  • What is TikTok?
  • Other (Comment below)

See Results

Florida Trend Media Company
490 1st Ave S
St Petersburg, FL 33701
727.821.5800

© Copyright 2024 Trend Magazines Inc. All rights reserved.