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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida tops the nation in attracting high-income households
Florida attracted the most high-income households — those making over $200,000 a year — in the U.S. between 2020 and 2021, a new study finds. Despite the cost of living rising in the Sunshine State, the number of high-earning households continues to grow steadily. The state saw a net increase of 27,500 high-income households — after subtracting the 12,567 that moved out from the 40,134 that moved in, according to financial technology company SmartAsset. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Florida Trend Exclusive
The evolving workplace: Office optional
A March 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center found that about one-third of workers with jobs that can be done remotely were exclusively working from home — a drop from 43% in January 2022 and 55% in October 2020. Of those working remotely, 41% do so on a hybrid schedule. More from Florida Trend.
With ‘mission accomplished,’ Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust dissolving
In 1988, a group of young Collier County professionals who were concerned about the rapid pace of development in the county started the nonprofit Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust to explore buying land for conservation purposes. Fast-forward to 2023, and the current board of the SWFLPT (Land Trust) is ready to declare “mission accomplished” on the Gordon River Greenway and dissolve the organization. More from WINK News and Gulfshore Business.
Pinellas argues it doesn’t owe Pasco taxes. It just paid them anyway.
For nearly a decade, Pinellas County’s government has argued that it shouldn’t have to pay taxes on land it owns in Pasco County. The county still believes it’s immune from taxation, and the dispute between the counties is still waiting on a ruling from the Florida Supreme Court. But Pinellas has paid the taxes anyway: As of last week, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano said, Pinellas has paid off back taxes on its 12,400 acres of north Pasco ranchland. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Moonbound astronauts check out their ride at Kennedy Space Center
There were no tires to kick, but the quartet of astronauts on the Artemis II mission that aims to fly around the moon next year got their first look at the spacecraft that will take them there. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen flew into Kennedy Space Center to view the Orion capsule that will take them on the roughly nine-day mission. It’s still on track to fly in late November 2024. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
In Memoriam
Space buff Ozzie Osband, the 'father' of Brevard's countdown 321 area code, passes away
Back in September 1998, colorful space-launch aficionado Robert "Ozzie" Osband proposed a novel idea during a Florida Public Service Commission meeting in Orlando: Give Brevard County a 321 area code to mimic NASA's countdown sequence. PSC officials agreed. And the Space Coast's signature phone prefix debuted in November 1999, splitting from Orlando's 407 area code. Osband even successfully requested and received the phone number 321-LIFTOFF for his cell phone.
» More from Florida Today.
Business Profile
Improving Aviation
Air travel and cargo transport are major contributors to carbon emissions. To address the challenge, innovators are starting small. Advanced electric-powered aviation technologies, such as drones, combined with geospatial mapping and artificial intelligence, can be used to modernize the industry. The technologies also can predict and track wildfires, monitor water quality and deliver supplies to remote areas, says Tampa entrepreneur and aerospace engineer Rocio Frej Vitalle.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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