The Gulf of Mexico is record hot. Here’s what that means for hurricanes, wildlife.
During July, average water surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico ran nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. That’s the highest on record, according to an analysis provided by Matthew Rosencrans, the lead hurricane season outlook forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some parts of the gulf are running hotter than that. In the world of hurricanes, every degree counts. So when water is super-heated, forecasters pay attention — especially when we’re nearing the height of storm season. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida drivers, get ready for sharp increases in auto insurance rates
As homeowner insurance premiums skyrocket, Florida drivers are getting an extra nasty surprise this year: Sharply increased auto insurance renewal rates. If it makes you feel any better, auto insurance charges are going up nationwide, experts say, to catch up with post-pandemic inflation in repair and parts costs, increases in crashes as we drive more carelessly, and higher vehicle prices. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
First by sea, now by air: What the numbers tell us about illegal immigration in Florida
Thousands of undocumented migrants from Haiti and Cuba have packed into overloaded, unsafe vessels to attempt the voyage to Florida this year, but were turned away before making it to shore. Now immigrants from those countries, and many others, are instead presenting themselves to authorities at Florida airports and seaports to seek entry into the United States, rather than attempt the dangerous journey by sea amid heightened enforcement. [Source: Gainesville Sun]
Rehearing sought in Florida sports betting case
Owners of two Florida pari-mutuel facilities have asked a full Washington, D.C. appeals court for a hearing after a three-judge panel upheld a deal giving the Seminole Tribe control of sports betting throughout the state. A federal judge in 2021 ruled that the deal violated federal gambling laws, siding with owners of Magic City Casino in Miami-Dade County and Bonita Springs Poker Room in Southwest Florida. But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in June overturned U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich's decision and gave a go-ahead to the sports-betting plan. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Florida insurance market continues to grow, regulator says
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has issued an update showing positive signs of growth in Florida's insurance market. This announcement comes in the wake of several reforms aimed at strengthening the state's property insurance market. On Aug. 11, the OIR approved Mainsail Insurance Company, a property and casualty insurer based in Texas, as the second company to be authorized as a domestic insurer for property and casualty following the passage of HB 837 earlier this year. More from Insurance Journal and Insurance Business Magazine.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida expands lawsuit on release of FDA records related to Canada drug imports
The state filed a revised lawsuit Monday adding to allegations that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not properly provided records about Florida’s attempt to get approval for a program to import prescription drugs from Canada. The filing expanded a lawsuit the state filed in April alleging the federal agency violated the Freedom of Information Act. The revised lawsuit includes allegations that the FDA did not properly respond to a records request submitted in May.
› Al Capone’s mansion in Miami Beach has been demolished. Why wasn’t it saved?
A century-old mansion in Miami Beach that was gangster Al Capone’s final residence has been demolished, despite the efforts of local preservationists to save it. The home at 93 Palm Avenue was torn down last week, eliminating hope for those who had pushed for it to be saved ever since demolition plans were announced in 2021. Nearly 26,000 people had signed an online petition to preserve it.
› Jacksonville chooses Sidley Austin for 'stadium of the future' negotiations
The Chicago-based Sidley Austin LLP law firm will represent the city in negotiations with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the team seeks a stadium renovation. The Office of General Counsel announced the selection Aug. 15, saying it was made in consultation with Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration. The negotiations will include lease negotiation and other real estate development in the stadium area, which is owned by the city.
› Opioid settlements to fund overdose prevention in Orange County
Orange County will use its large share of national settlement agreements with pill-makers and pharmacies that profited off prescription painkillers to fund the 407-RECOVER hotline and other initiatives to expand treatment access, aid patient recovery and prevent the epidemic from worsening. The national settlements, estimated at $54 billion, ended lawsuits filed by Florida and other state governments to force drug-makers and pharmacy chains to pay a share of ongoing costs of the crisis.
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› Jacksonville eviction numbers on the rise even as rental costs hold steady
Neighborhoods in Jacksonville are changing fast, and not always by choice, in a competitive rental market. Eviction filings are on the rise around the country, according to a report from Eviction Lab. Jacksonville is above average across the board for the number of people evicted in the last year. More than 2 million evictions have been filed since the start of the pandemic in the 10 states and 34 cities the Eviction Tracking System follows, which includes Jacksonville.
› State hits Orlando abortion clinic with $193K fine
Health regulators Monday ordered an Orlando abortion clinic to pay a $193,000 fine for violating a law that requires women to wait 24 hours before having abortions, nearly three times the fine recommended by an administrative law judge. The state Agency for Health Care Administration issued a final order requiring the Center of Orlando for Women on Lucerne Terrace to pay a $1,000 fine for each of 193 violations shortly after the law took effect in April 2022.
› Boca Raton private equity firm buys food and industrial manufacturer
Sun Capital Partners has purchased a longtime Wilmington, Massachusetts-based food and industrial processing company with over 700 employees. The Boca Raton-based company bought Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) from its private-owned parent company Koch Engineered Solutions for an undisclosed amount.
› Clearwater anti-poverty nonprofit appoints two new board members
Clearwater-based Eckerd Connects says it appointed two new board members: David Bennett of Washington, D.C., and Michael Goodwin of Scottsdale, Arizona. The new board members join Eckerd Connects and its new chairman, Eric Beck, the SVP of Marsh McLennan Agency. The updated board will help Eckerd Connects in its nonprofit fight against poverty, the organization says.