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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Forecasters sounding 'alarm bells' for supercharged 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
Months before the official start of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season the news is not good. And that's even before the National Hurricane Center, AccuWeather and Colorado State University have issued their first, early predictions for what the season will hold. The reasons are two-fold: the return of La Nina and record high ocean temperatures. Neither are good news when it comes to hurricanes and especially not when they work together. More from the Gainesville Sun, the Pensacola News Journal, and the Fort Myers News-Press.
Raising JEA lines over shipping channel will take a year longer than anticipated
JEA estimates the project to raise the power lines over the St. Johns River won’t be completed for at least three years, with construction work not starting until 2025. Although initial hopes were to have the project wrapped up in 2026, JEA's timeline has work extending into 2027. During the State of the Port event last week, Jaxport CEO Eric Green told attendees that construction would begin later this year and wrap up in early 2026. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.
Sarasota Police report zero homicides, lower crime rates in 2023, following national trend
In 2023, Sarasota did not record a homicide for the first time since the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration, the Sarasota Police Department announced at Monday’s City Commission meeting. The decrease from 7 homicides in 2022 was in line with a 16% decrease in “Part 1 Crimes,” which include aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, rape, and robbery. SPD representatives credited the reduction in this type of crime – the city’s largest since 1999 – to proactive policing. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Miami Beach goes shopping for $6.5 million oceanfront house
Miami Beach is to buy a single-family home for $6.5 million. The site at 7605 Collins Ave. is surrounded by city-owned land on three sides and is the missing piece needed to complete a city-owned oceanfront block with no use yet decided. The city commission discussed its decision to buy the property this month and is acting again to finalize the buy. More from Miami Today.
Orlando park beneath I-4 has a final design and a new name: “The Canopy”
The long-planned park beneath the massive highway bridges of Interstate 4 in downtown Orlando has a new look and a new name. City officials Wednesday released the final designs for “The Canopy,” as the previously dubbed Under-I plan will now be known, nodding to the greenery and tree-like artwork throughout the 10-acre space spanning about four city blocks. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Entertainment
Behind the scenes as Cirque du Soleil prepares for St. Petersburg event
The world-famous Cirque du Soleil is returning to St. Petersburg for the first time in seven years. They are performing a monthlong series of shows called “Bazzar” under a huge big top in the Tropicana Field parking lot. The show opens Thursday night and runs through March 24, using the company’s famous blend of traditional circus acts with thematic storytelling and stylish athleticism. “Bazzar” launched in Mumbai in 2018, and this is its first tour of North America.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Infrastructure Trends
Road doctor
As an engineering student, University of Central Florida Professor Necati Catbas studied structural damage caused by earthquakes. He wanted to learn how buildings could be made more resilient and safer. But his focus changed while studying for his doctorate at the University of Cincinnati. America built the first national transportation network, he thought, but those roads and bridges were nearing the end of their 50-to-75-year life spans. What happens next? How could engineers better monitor their structural integrity?
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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