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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Not yet in effect, Florida’s new immigration law already being felt
The new immigration law, signed by Governor DeSantis which goes into effect July 1st , requires private employers with 25 or more employees to confirm workers’ immigration status through a system known as E-verify. Employers who fail to do that would be subject to audits and face fines of up to $1,000 (a day), if found to have violated the law. Some construction workers say they are losing their jobs because employers fear Florida’s new immigration law. More from WINK News, KUOW, and WUSF.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Research trends: Beating the heat
A new compound tested by an FAMU-FSU engineering team can withstand extreme temperatures. A team of FAMU-FSU College of Engineering researchers at the High-Performance Materials Institute in Tallahassee has conducted experiments that prove a compound of boron nanotubes can withstand temperatures up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The discovery has applications in everything from heat shields in space to medical delivery systems and specialized circuit boards. [Source: Florida Trend]
Florida gas prices may have peaked for the year, AAA says
AAA says Florida may have hit the peak for this year’s gas prices. It said the only thing that could possibly change things is a major hurricane affecting refinery operations along the Gulf Coast. Drivers are paying around $3.41 per gallon of gas at the pump. The cost is only up about a penny from last week. [Source: WFTV]
Is Florida's biggest property insurance company ready for hurricane season?
In just two days, hurricane season begins. After last year's devastating losses, many homeowners are preparing. As are insurance companies. "Don't wait until the forecast shows a potential storm is heading toward our state. This is the time to prepare," the Insurance Information Institute's Mark Friedlander said. [Source: WESH]
Hurricane center tracks Gulf system headed to Florida
Hurricane season doesn’t officially begin until later this week, but forecasters are already keeping an eye on a patch of rough weather moving toward Florida’s west coast that has a small chance of developing into a tropical system, the National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday afternoon. Whether that happens or not, Tampa Bay is likely to feel the effects of the system – largely rain and some gusty winds – beginning on Wednesday. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Small town, big turmoil: What’s going on in Kenneth City?
In a town defined lately by its instability, Barbara Roberts was a constant. Aside from one year off due to term limits, she had served on the town council since 2014 — the same year it reformed its archaic government and hired a town manager. By May 10, though, Roberts believed there was nothing more she could do to help her town. Less than two months after winning reelection, she announced her resignation.
› Gainesville places 1st in national water conservation competition
Gainesville has made a splash in the National Mayor’s Challenge, securing first place in the population category for water conservation. The win comes after Gainesville residents pledged to reduce their energy and water waste and consumption. Gainesville took the prize for having the highest percentage of its population take the pledge, edging out Miramar, Florida, Surprise, Arizona, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Greeley, Colorado, according to a press release from Gainesville Regional Utilities.
› Miami, Tampa top housing price hikes
Miami and Tampa continued to top other metro areas nationally in home-price increases in March when compared to a year earlier, according to a report released Tuesday. Miami remained atop the list for the eighth consecutive month. Miami and Tampa were the only Florida markets included in the analysis.
› ‘Wait, What Happened?’ TV game show features Orlando-based episodes
Did a Missouri woman accidentally pick up a porcupine or a bobcat? This is just one of the strange, true stories turned trivia question in the new game show, “Wait, What Happened?” The first (of four) Orlando-based episodes is available for streaming beginning May 31 on the free Very Local app from Hearst Television, the parent company of WESH 2 News.
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