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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Where are groceries most expensive in the country? Florida is near the top in food costs
While the average U.S. family spends about $270 for groceries every week, families with kids tend to spend an average of $331, 41% more. In Florida, that number goes even higher. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, you can expect to spend an average of $287.27 a week on groceries in Florida, the fifth most expensive state in the nation after California, Nevada, Mississippi and Washington. With children in the house, Floridians spend, on average, $341.40 a week. More from the Daytona Beach News-Journaland the Naples Daily News.
Fort Lauderdale recovers $1.2 million it sent to romance scammer posing as construction company
To Fort Lauderdale, the criminal enterprise was a trusted construction company the city had hired to build its new police headquarters. To the unknowing victims who received the city’s $1.2 million, the “sinister actor” became the man or woman of their dreams. The city managed to recover all of the money it sent to the romance scammer posing as Moss Construction in September, officials announced Thursday, and just in the nick of time — the next step for the criminals would have been to either convert the money to cryptocurrency or send it to China. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Northeast Florida housing markets in 2024: ‘A bit more stabilized’
If interest rates drop as predicted in 2024, Northeast Florida’s residential real estate market could see more sellers as well as buyers as both sides see greater incentive to do deals. Affordability will be another key factor as prices fluctuate. Northeast Florida Association of Realtors data shows the median price of a single-family home rose more than $23,000 from January through December 2023. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
HCA Florida North Florida Hospital extends shutdown of most surgeries for one more week
HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, which shut down surgeries abruptly last week over concerns about sterilized operative room equipment, is suspending all non-emergency surgeries for for another week as it grapples with issues that could lead to serious patient infections, surgeons said. The surgical schedules at North Florida Hospital in Gainesville have fallen into chaos since its decision last week to suspend all elective procedures, according to surgeons inside the hospital. More from the Gainesville Sun.
Tampa Bay startup accelerator program aims to transform climate technology
The Tampa Bay Innovation Center says it is launching its next startup accelerator, which will focus on innovations in climate technology, sustainability and resilience. The center says it will be working with early-stage tech ventures as it develops new products "that unlock the environmental and economic potential of clean-tech and climate-tech innovation." More from the Business Observer.
Business Beat - Week of January 26th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Natural Resources
Florida state park reports a record number of sea cows gathering: "I think the manatees know they are safe", says expert
Manatees are typically solitary animals, but this week they've gathered in record-breaking numbers at a Florida state park. Nearly 1,000 of the gentle sea mammals, also known as sea cows, were counted at Blue Spring State Park earlier this week, as first reported via the park’s Facebook page. That's a jump from the last record gathering on New Year's Day 2024 when park rangers observed 736 of the beloved animals in the same space.
» Read more from the BBC.
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