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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
A key portion of the Florida Wildlife Corridor will remain undeveloped
What has been called one of the most vital "missing links" in the Florida Wildlife Corridor is going to be preserved forever. The state has agreed to protect an area along Fisheating Creek in Highlands County. It's called the Lightsey Family Ranch, 12,085 acres that is surrounded on all sides by previously preserved lands. Among its neighbors are Archbold Biological Station, a renowned research center, and Fisheating Creek, the only free-flowing river into Lake Okeechobee. More from WUSF.
Florida gas prices climb and they’re likely to keep rising
AAA said Florida saw a slight climb in gas prices last week. On Sunday, a gallon of gas settled at $3.34, about 3 cents higher than a week earlier. The auto club said motorists can expect that trend to continue, as refineries move away from producing winter-blend gasoline. “Florida gas prices ... are likely to get even more expensive either this week or next,” AAA’s Mark Jenkins said. More from WFTV.
JetBlue and Spirit are ending their $3.8 billion merger plan after a federal judge blocked the deal
JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines are ending their proposed $3.8 billion merger weeks after a federal judge blocked the the deal, saying it would hurt consumers who depend on Spirit’s lower fares. JetBlue said Monday that even though both companies still believe in the deal, they were unlikely to meet the closing conditions required in the agreement before a July 24 deadline. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
'Big, big deal': JU law school gets provisional accreditation, letting grads take Bar exams
About a year and a half after classes began, Jacksonville University’s College of Law has received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association, the school said Monday. The approval means graduates will be able to take Bar exams required to practice law and can be considered for clerkships or other jobs requiring a degree from an accredited school. More from the Florida Times-Unionand the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Tampa Bay architects: High interest rates remain big obstacle
High interest rates will slow down real estate development in Tampa Bay, according to an annual survey of regional architects, often the first sector to begin work on development projects. But this is Florida. There will be growth: The survey also says Tampa Bay will see "modest" real estate development. More from the Business Observer.
Out of the Box
NASA space photo shows odd-looking sky holes near Florida
Earlier this year, NASA's Terra satellite was zipping over the Gulf of Mexico when one of its instruments snapped a photo of some odd-looking clouds. The clouds looked like someone had taken a hole punch to the sky. This unusual phenomenon isn't new. Researchers have been documenting it since the 1940s, according to NASA. But it wasn't until about 15 years ago that scientists finally found an explanation.
» More from Business Insider and Live Science.
Florida History
Tallahassee's origins are on display at the Florida capitol museum
Two hundred years ago, on March 4, 1824, the state’s territorial Governor William Duval announced that the seat of Florida's government would be in Tallahassee. But the town’s story began well before then. Now the historic capitol museum is out with a new exhibit called “Becoming Florida’s Capitol” which sheds light on the region's past and new context for the town.
» Read more from WFSU.
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