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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Tax collections top estimates to end fiscal year
General revenue collections continued to top expectations in June, as the state closed out a fiscal year that saw a jump in tax dollars. A report posted Friday by the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research said the state collected nearly $4.664 billion in general revenue in June, $432.4 million more than had been forecast. It said the state collected about $47.33 billion in general revenue during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, which ended June 30, up from $44 billion in the previous year. More from the News Service of Florida.
Hurricane Ian took Southwest Florida’s mangoes. People still celebrated the mango festival.
Pine Island is Southwest Florida’s largest barrier island, but it’s not a place that tourists generally seek out. There are no sandy beaches or luxury apartments, but it is prized by a local fishing community and loved for another thing — the abundant mangoes featured during the island’s signature mango festival. The festival this year was July 15. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Executives of Orlando's largest marketing firms weigh in on 2022 successes, AI's impact and more
The marketing industry in Central Florida reported strong revenue and billings in 2022 — but may hit a snag through this year. Leaders of some of the region's largest advertising/digital marketing agencies and social media marketing firms shared their insights on past successes, what's trending and the look ahead at what may be a bit of a slowdown, based on Orlando Business Journal research. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Want a job in the Florida Keys that pays $61,000 to $97,000? There’s a rush to hire
Florida Keys schools are searching to fill teacher positions ahead of the academic year, and they are turning to a familiar appeal to attract educators: Come work in paradise. “Picture yourself enjoying the best sunsets in the world every night and using your weekends to finally get some much-needed rest and relaxation,” the Monroe County School District says on its website. “From crystal clear waters to the thriving community to up-close encounters with sea life — living like a local is just better here.” More from the Miami Herald.
Siesta Key vacation rental business launches national company
Some 20 years ago Heather Plampin had a booming home renovation business, especially doing work after Hurricane Charley ripped through Charlotte County. But that business nearly evaporated when the housing market tanked and work dried up. Plampin and her father Roger Van Wie, also in real estate, “both just got wiped out,” she says. That was in 2008. Airbnb had just launched. VRBO was around, but more a niche business than a global vacation rental brand. Yet Plampin dove right in. More from the Business Observer.
Natural Resources
Special report: Where has Florida’s seagrass gone, and can we bring it back?
Between 2011 and 2016, all five of Florida’s major estuaries — Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay, the Indian River Lagoon, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor — suddenly began to suffer catastrophic seagrass die-offs that continue to this day. As a result, manatees are dying of starvation, trophy sea trout are vanishing, aquamarine bays are stained brown. And in the summer, as the water heats up, the stench of dead fish and toxic algae often wafts over high-end waterfront real estate.
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Out of the Box
This Miami artist turns trash into art all over the city. If you find it, you can keep it
David Anasagasti swerves through a Miami Beach park on his bike peering at the grass through his paint-splattered sunglasses. It’s sweltering outside, and he’s very chatty. There’s a lot for him to be excited for. His art project was just commemorated by Miami-Dade County, with more municipalities expected to follow suit. His social media followers clamor to collect his art. His efforts to clean up Miami streets seem to be working. And he’s healthier now than he ever has been.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
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