SHARE:
Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida workers got sick after Deepwater Horizon. They want BP to pay.
More than a decade after the disaster, cleanup workers are still reporting cases of respiratory illnesses, skin disorders, dizziness and other medical issues they say were caused by the spill. Their health struggles are documented in more than 5,000 lawsuits filed against BP in federal courts in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, with some workers reporting illnesses diagnosed as recently as 2020. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida abortions increased by thousands in 2022, fueled by out-of-state patients
The number of abortions performed in Florida last year exceeded the two years prior — despite additional restrictions — as people from neighboring states increasingly traveled for care. In 2022, 82,192 abortions were reported in Florida, according to state Agency for Health Care Administration data. This is about 2,000 more than the year before and 7,000 more than 2020. More than 6,700 of the people who got abortions in Florida last year came from out-of-state, a 38% increase from 2021. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Rural developments threatening wetlands spark concerns over sprawl around Jacksonville
A development in rural Northwest Jacksonville offered to bring up to 3,000 housing units, commercial opportunities and recreation to the area. Jacksonville City Council approved the land use unanimously – but environmental advocates remain concerned about the impact on the area’s wetlands. The 1,480-acre undeveloped parcel, located between Acree, Plummer and Old Kings roads, is bordered on three of four sides by conservation areas and a mitigation bank. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Boca Raton a top neighborhood in U.S. for co-working spaces
Boca Raton residents aren’t really working with their coworkers, per se. The city was ranked as the suburb with the sixth-highest number of co-working spaces in the nation, according to a study published by CoworkingCafe. The study defined a suburb as any city except the largest one in a particular metro area. The renters run the gamut: shoestring startup owners, crypto traders, car-part suppliers, an Invisalign competitor, and real estate agents, to name a few. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Virginia cybersecurity firm expands to Tampa, will create 30 jobs
A cybersecurity company based in Tysons, Virginia, has announced plans to open an office in Tampa’s Westshore business district and will create 30 jobs over the next couple years. In a news release, Ridgeline International says it has leased office space at 4010 W. Boy Scout Blvd. The company is a government contractor and being in Tampa will give it greater access to MacDill Air Force Base, home to the U.S. Special Operations Command, as well as the area’s large military and veteran population. More from the Business Observer.
| Trend Mention |
|
Business Beat - Week of February 17th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Out of the Box
Miami Boat Show features largest superyacht shown in North America. Take a look inside.
The Miami International Boat Show has broken a record: the Ahpo, docked at Watson Island, is the largest superyacht ever displayed at a boat show in North America. The 378-foot Ahpo comes with eight spacious staterooms for 16 guests and there are 36 crew members to attend to everyone’s needs. Although the massive yacht seemingly blends in with the hulking cruise ships on the horizon that commuters see while crossing the MacArthur Causeway, it’s singular in size and price tag among the display of yachts at the annual show running through Sunday.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
In case you missed it:
