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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Some workers who rebuild homes after hurricanes are refusing to go to Florida
Immigrant workers from across the US raced to Florida to help rebuild after Hurricane Ian devastated the region. But now, nearly a year later and days after another major hurricane hit, some of those workers say this time they’re staying home. Saket Soni, whose nonprofit Resilience Force advocates for thousands of disaster response workers, says there’s one clear reason behind the shift: Florida’s new immigration law. More from CNN, the New York Times, and WFTS.
UNF survey: North Florida economy contracting, but outlook is improving
A monthly survey of Jacksonville manufacturers by the University of North Florida’s Local Economic Indicators Project showed contraction in the local economy, but also brought some positive signals. Meanwhile, a new quarterly survey by Jacksonville-based Dun & Bradstreet found optimism for growth in the global economy. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
If you catch this fish in Florida, researchers will give you $50
Researchers in Florida want to pay you $50 if you catch a cobia. No, really. The FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute just put a bounty on the fish to help researchers "collect valuable information by sampling harvested cobia’s reproductive organs to determine if and where they spawn along Florida’s coasts," the organization wrote on social media. More from WOFL.
Fort Lauderdale residents might get sticker shock when they see water bills
Like any big city, Fort Lauderdale has big bills to pay. And if you live here, you’re helping pay them. Here’s the scoop on what you can expect to pay next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. Mayor Dean Trantalis says residents might have “sticker shock” when they see their monthly water bills over the coming years. But the money will help pay for a modern new water plant that will deliver fresh, clear water to homes, hotels and other properties. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
How the next decade will shape Tampa’s skyline
While many other metro areas felt a dip during the pandemic, downtown Tampa is experiencing an explosion of growth. Economic development experts say it’s long overdue. At least 10 projects in the pipeline will stretch 27 stories or more, according to data collected by the Downtown Partnership. The projects, if they avoid pitfalls, will fill out Tampa’s skyline and add thousands of residential units to a downtown that’s still evolving from business district to vibrant city center. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Out of the Box
Florida loves flamingos. Will they stay and breed, or will they go home?
Flamingos are finally here, stretched across the Sunshine State like pink-and-gray confetti in the wake of Hurricane Idalia. Though they've long been associated with everything Florida, a debate has raged for decades whether or not the slinky avians actually lived in south Florida in the past.
» More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida History
Stores in Miami used to look like that? See early photos of Burdines, Sears and others
Downtown Miami had them. The malls and strip centers still do, though not as many. The department store. A place to shop for clothes or glassware or towels and sheets. A place to get an ice cream sundae and check out the TVs. So many are now gone. Burdines. Jordan Marsh. Mervyn’s. Richards. Gold Triangle. Treasury. J. Byrons, W.J. Grant, Kress, most Sears stores.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
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