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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida researchers find voters are unhappy ahead of the presidential election
Researchers from the University of South Florida are releasing a series of nationwide surveys shedding light on critical election year concerns like inflation, border security and the role of social media in political discourse. Lead researcher Stephen Neely is an associate professor at the USF School of Public Affairs. He said the goal is to track how public opinion changes as we get closer to the election. More from WFSU.
Tampa Bay among the top metros for economic growth in the nation
A trade publication for corporate site selectors ranked Tampa Bay within the top 10 in the nation in its Hotspots of Economic Growth report. The Tampa Bay area was ranked among 384 metropolitan areas across the U.S., as analyzed by Area Development, a magazine covering corporate site selection and economic development since 1965. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Will a new commuter train line lure riders in car-crazy South Florida?
They say we need commuter rail in South Florida. A mass transit system to get people out of their cars. But do we? A skeptical public has been asking that question for months now as government leaders wrangle over whether to build a bridge or tunnel to get dozens of commuter trains a day across the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Jacksonville approves permit for $4.6 million Mayo Clinic in Florida expansion
The city issued a permit Feb. 2 for Mayo Clinic in Florida to continue its expansion with a three-floor north addition to the patient tower and additional building modifications between the tower and the hospital. The Robins & Morton Group of Orlando is the contractor for the $4.6 million three-floor shell addition and an expanded ground floor at the emergency department. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Federal grant could spark improvement on 6 of Orlando’s most dangerous roads
An influx of federal dollars will help guide safety improvements to some of Orlando’s most dangerous roads, as the city strives toward the lofty goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2040. The city won a federal grant of $606,000 to examine stretches of Kirkman Road, Colonial Drive, Orange Blossom Trail, Orange Avenue, Rosalind Avenue and Semoran Boulevard over the next 18 months. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sports Business
Miami to host 2026 World Cup third place game plus six matches in historic tournament
Miami will host the third place "Bronze" final in the 2026 FIFA World Cup plus a round of 32 and a quarterfinal contest, global soccer's governing body revealed on Sunday. Miami will also host four FIFA World Cup group stage games in 2026 for a total of seven matches. The first round games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will be on Monday June 15, Sunday June 21, Wednesday June 24 and Saturday June 27.
» More from the Florida Times-Union and the AP.
Out of the Box
At the Florida State Fair, what’s it like being an old-school blacksmith?
At the edge of the rollicking Florida State Fairgrounds, with its blaring, jostling, neon midway and its foods fried and served on a stick, there sprawls an unexpected 4 acres of oak-shaded respite. If Cracker Country seems like a simpler time, well, that’s the idea. A living history museum about rural life in Florida more than a century ago, Cracker Country’s buildings include a schoolhouse constructed from local heart pine in 1912, a general store, post office and church — and of course, a blacksmith shop, critical to a community back when you couldn’t get next-day delivery of a hammer from Amazon.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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