SHARE:
Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Average annual consumer confidence at record low in Florida
Consumer sentiment among Floridians fell slightly four-tenths of a point to 64 from November’s revised figure of 64.4. On the contrary, national sentiment rose nearly 3 points. Among the five components that make up the index, three increased and two decreased. Floridians’ opinions about current economic conditions were more optimistic in December. Views of personal financial situations now compared with a year ago increased slightly by seven-tenths of a point from 53.9 to 54.6. More from UF News.
Pot initiative petition numbers grow
Nearly 150,000 valid petition signatures have been submitted to the state as part of an initiative to legalize recreational use of marijuana, according to the Florida Division of Elections website. The initiative totaled 148,418 submitted signatures as of Tuesday evening, up from 49,692 at the end of November. The Safe & Smart Florida political committee, which is leading the initiative, would need to submit 891,589 signatures to get on the 2024 ballot. More from the News Service of Florida.
Gun seizures at Florida airports up ‘approximately’ 26% higher than 2021, TSA says
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is going through its end the of year security and travel numbers, and while not completely verified, new data shows how things changed from 2021 to 2022. In mid-December, the TSA reported that there had already been 815 guns seized from passenger carry-on bags at federalized Florida airports. Compared to the year before, the number had gone up significantly. 666 guns were seized in 2021. More from WKRG.
Florida cruise ships pick up refugees at sea
The joys of holiday cruising in the Caribbean have quickly given way to feelings of concern and just how fortunate vacationers are as massive luxury ships scooped up seaborne refugees seeking to escape failing economies and political repression in Cuba and elsewhere in the region. Early Tuesday morning. the Celebrity ship “Beyond” arrived at Port Everglades with not only its full complement of passengers but 19 Cuban refugees who had been rescued from their makeshift boat off the Florida coast. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Deadline for Hurricane Ian disaster loans fast approaching
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding Florida residents and business owners that there is just a little more than a week left to apply for federal disaster relief for damage caused by Hurricane Ian. The agency issued a statement Tuesday, Jan. 3, strongly encouraging “businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to apply for a disaster loan before the Jan. 12 deadline.” More from the Business Observer.
Out of the Box
Homes on holiday-named streets worth less in South Florida, study suggests
There might not be much holiday spirit in South Florida after all. For homeowners who live on a street with the word “holiday” or “holly” in it, their homes might be worth significantly less than a home on normal-named street, an analysis from Zillow, an online real estate marketplace, found. “If you love the holidays enough to live on a holiday-themed street, you may be disappointed to hear that the Grinch stole your home values along with Christmas,” the report noted.
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Entertainment
Private Tampa track will let car owners zoom around at 168 mph
Called The Motor Enclave, the 200-acre site, which cost $150 million to complete, will offer a 1.6-mile, 32-foot-wide winding paved track where cars can drive as fast as 168 mph on straightaways, four off-road courses spanning 100 acres, a 37,000-square-foot events center and 240 units that owners can build out however they desire.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
In case you missed it:
