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What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Trend Exclusive
2023 Florida Legislature priorities
As Florida’s population surges and the state posts a record surplus, there are common causes for Republican and Democratic legislators convening March 7: Defending against natural disasters and water shortages, upgrading infrastructure and providing for affordable housing and workforce needs. Read more at Florida Trend and see also:
» Legislature 2023: Health Care Lingering Effects
» Legislature 2023: Insurance Headwinds
Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida Icon: Jenson Van Emburgh
The Paralympian tells us: "To the people who have a disability, I just want to say don’t feel bad about yourself. Find something you love to do, a sport you love, or find something you’re passionate about. Life is so much better when you’re doing something you love. I was lucky I found table tennis." [Source: Florida Trend]
DOJ sues to block JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines, saying it will curb competition
The Biden administration sued on Tuesday to block JetBlue Airways' $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, saying the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers. The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options than they can find on JetBlue and other airlines. [Source: AP]
Local utilities could see more state regulation
Florida House and Senate members last week filed proposals that would increase state regulation of many municipal electric utilities. The proposals would ramp up the Florida Public Service Commission’s regulation of municipal utilities that serve electric customers outside of city boundaries. While the commission has oversight of certain issues for municipal utilities, it does not regulate their rates. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Fastest in Florida: Brightline train zooms up to 130 mph between Orlando and Cocoa
Brightline officials say their trains are the fastest in the Southeast after a test run accelerated up to 130 mph along the private company's rural 35-mile rail corridor between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport. And within a couple weeks, Brightline trains may start Brevard County test runs reaching speeds of 110 mph between Post Road in Melbourne and the cement plant north of Gus Hipp Boulevard in Rockledge, said Katie Mitzner, company spokesperson. [Source: Florida Today]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida pulls out of voter registration group
Secretary of State Cord Byrd said Monday that Florida is ending involvement in a multistate effort to exchange voter-registration data because of perceived partisanship. Byrd said in a prepared statement the decision to withdraw from the Electronic Registration Information Center, known as ERIC, stemmed from ERIC’s rejection of proposals by a working group to eliminate “potential partisan leanings.”
› Meals on Wheels volunteers urgently needed in Palm Bay area
Since late 2020, Aging Matters in Brevard, the agency that oversees the nutrition program on the Space Coast, has paid drivers to deliver meals on 10 routes in South Brevard. The cost has been covered by a grant from CareerSource Brevard, and was awarded to help Aging Matters provide hot, nutritious meals to Palm Bay-area seniors while the COVID pandemic raged. Money from that grant, however, ends March 31.
› Leading talent acquisition platform The Bridge lands in Miami for U.S. expansion
Talent is increasingly global. And The Bridge, a leading tech-powered talent acquisition platform, is expanding to the US, with Miami as its launchpad, in an attempt to help companies find the best talent to fit their needs. When British-Brazilian Bernardo Carvalho Wertheim returned to Rio de Janeiro after a stint working and studying in the UK, he had one mission in mind. “I wanted to modernize the talent ecosystem,” The Bridge’s CEO told Refresh Miami.
› Pinellas gave $500,000 to a TV movie that has yet to air
Three years ago, Pinellas County decided to get into the production industry. The idea was to partially fund and help make productions that double as tourist videos by including plots, locations and dialogue that promote the area. So far, there have been mixed results.
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