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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Sportsbooks cashing in big on younger audiences across Florida
Nicotine and alcohol are the current kings of addiction on college campuses, but there may soon be a challenger to the throne. The multibillion-dollar industry of sports betting has been grabbing the attention of college students at an alarming rate — creating one of the trendiest compulsions among young adults. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
These 19 Florida restaurants have been added to the Michelin Guide
Though the James Beard awards are considered by many the Oscars of the culinary world, the Michelin Guide is arguably the most well-known and respected restaurant ratings system, known for garnering international accolades and recognition for restaurants that get star ratings. While the most stars a restaurant can receive is three, snagging any stars at all is considered a major success in the industry. More from WFTV and the Tampa Bay Times.
In Florida snowbird country, insurance rates are driving away would-be buyers
Florida’s southwestern coast — long one of America’s fastest-growing regions — is losing some of its boomtown swagger as a home-insurance crisis and other soaring costs make homes unaffordable. Homeowners from Sarasota south to Naples, known for its eight-figure waterfront mansions, are having a tougher time selling their properties, and the buildup in inventory has caused home prices to fall at some of the fastest rates in the nation. More from Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg.
Mystery company seeks to build Florida hybrid electric plane facility with 1,500 workers
By 2030, a mystery company wants to open a major manufacturing facility employing 1,500 workers at an undisclosed Florida location and start building about 150 hybrid electric planes per year, Space Florida agenda records show. This unnamed company — which bears the secretive code name Project Louis — seeks conduit financing to build and equip the future 500,000-square-foot electric-plane factory, which would have airport runway access. [Source: Florida Today]
Lawmakers could scrap China-linked investments
The Florida House on Wednesday rolled out a proposal to divest an estimated $277 million in state pension-fund investments in Chinese state-owned companies. The proposal, approved by the House State Affairs Committee, would require the State Board of Administration to develop a plan for selling holdings tied to Chinese companies by Sept. 1 and complete divestment within one year. The State Board of Administration invests state money, including in the pension fund. [Source: News Service of Florida]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Mickey Rourke coming to Tampa Bay to play Zeus in a movie
Mickey Rourke, known for his roles in “9½ Weeks,” “Angel Heart,” “The Wrestler” and “Iron Man II,” will be in Tampa Bay next week to play Zeus in his next movie, “Mother Nature and the Doomsday Prepper.” The 14-day shoot spans Feb. 21 to March 12 and includes six days in Cashmir’s 12,000-square-foot Litewave Studios in St. Petersburg, where they will recreate Mount Olympus through sets and an LED wall that projects virtual worlds during the filming.
› MLB Spring Training begins across the Palm Beaches, Treasure Coast
Mid-February across Florida means the migration of professional baseball teams to the state. The Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast are home to multiple Major League Baseball spring training camps. Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties are home to three sites where MLB teams will train for the next few weeks in preparation for the 2024 MLB season.
› Drug packaging firm in Tamarac lays off 88 people, closes manufacturing plant
A Tamarac company in the pharmaceutical packaging business is laying off 88 of its workers and permanently closed its manufacturing plant, according to a filing with the state. The layoffs at New Vision Pharmaceuticals were effective last Friday as was the shutdown of its manufacturing facility and headquarters.
› One of Sarasota, Bradenton's biggest annual music festivals permanently canceled
As we head into the biggest weekend of the year for live events in Sarasota and Manatee counties, one of the region's longest running music festivals has been permanently canceled. The Bradenton Blues Festival, which debuted on the Riverwalk in 2012 and took place there again this past December, will not return. Realize Bradenton, the nonprofit organization that has produced each of the festivals, issued a statement on Wednesday.
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