SHARE:
Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida continues to grow despite losing nearly 500,000 residents
The latest U.S. Census Bureau report shows that despite almost 500,000 residents leaving, the Sunshine State continues to grow. Florida lost about 490,000 people; but those who chose to move didn't go far, with Georgia being the top destination for relocation, with about 51,000 Floridians heading northward. However, Florida still experienced net positive migration. The state gained about 740,000 residents from out of state in 2022. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal and the Orlando Business Journal.
Allure of the Seas joins Port Canaveral lineup as largest ship with twice-weekly sailings
Royal Caribbean International's massive Allure of the Seas sailed into Port Canaveral early Wednesday to start what will be an unprecedented home-port stay there. For the first time ever at any port, a ship that size will sail on a twice-a-week schedule from a single port, rather than one sailing a week. More from Florida Today.
Zephyrhills can soon add cookies and cakes to its claims to fame
Move over bottled water and Sky Dive City because the city of Zephyrhills has a new product to pitch, panettone. The moist holiday cake made with candied fruit and raisins is among the products produced by Bauducco, a company that snagged a $4.4 million economic incentive package from Pasco County on Tuesday. The company, which is based in Brazil, plans to build a new factory on a 72.5-acre site at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Chancey Road near the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Business Observer.
Miami moving to reaffirm its Marine Stadium vows
The city is planning to reaffirm its commitment to rebuilding the aging Miami Marine Stadium by dedicating more than $60 million to it. The Miami City Commission is to weigh a resolution to declare the city’s official intent to issue $61.2 million in special obligation bonds to reimburse itself for expenses incurred concerning capital improvement projects at the stadium. If approved, the money will be used for a new welcome center and museum, upgrading dilapidated structures, boat launches and parking areas. More from Miami Today.
What Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan did on her London trip
A 16-member economic-development delegation that included Mayor Donna Deegan met with more than 75 businesses during their week in London tied to the Oct. 1 Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium. A big focus was creating a direct flight from Jacksonville International Airport to London. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
| Trend Mention |
|
Out of the Box
Tampa pawn shop is closing. Does it hold links to JFK’s death and aliens?
For years, a man pawned a carved metallic object at Capital Pawn Gold & Jewelry Buyers, each time describing it only as an artifact. “He pawned it 15 times,” said Capital Pawn owner Joe Cacciatore. “He always came back for it, until he didn’t.” Cacciatore figured it was a dull knife or letter opener with a handle depicting a person from an ancient culture. But then he showed it to an archeologist. “‘That’s not a knife. It’s a key,’ he told me,’” Cacciatore claims. “I asked to what. ‘Pandora’s box,’ he said. ‘It’s alien.’”
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Infrastructure
A bridge too far
A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling that contractor Skanska was negligent in its response to Hurricane Sally in 2020 when more than two dozen of its barges in Pensacola Bay broke loose from their moorings, causing massive damage to the $400-million bridge it was building. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta unanimously ruled against Skanska’s request to overturn Pensacola U.S. District Judge Lacey Collier’s December 2021 decision that found Skanska could not shield itself under an obscure 19th century maritime law.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
In case you missed it:
