Florida restaurant industry seeing increased costs, other major shifts
Restaurants in Florida are experiencing some major shifts in the industry, such as spending more of their money on the weekends compared to the middle of the week during the COVID pandemic. While weekends are now once again becoming peak dining out times post Covid, having a positive bottom line remains difficult. Restaurants in Florida are also experiencing changes to labor costs, payroll, and consumer preferences this summer. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]
Florida Trend Exclusive
Critical shortage
A lack of large animal vets is creating challenges for Florida's livestock industry — and there's no simple fix. Factor in Florida’s residential boom and the distance between ranches, farms and boarding barns created a perfect storm exacerbating the shortage of those who specialize in large animal medicine. [Source: Florida Trend]
The past, present, and future of Florida's citrus industry
Oranges were introduced to Florida by Spanish explorers in the early 16th century. The first recorded planting dates back to around 1565 in St. Augustine. Florida’s commercial citrus began to take shape all the way back in the mid 19th century, and by the late 1800s the industry expanded significantly when railroads made it easier to transport citrus fruits to northern markets. [Source: WGCU]
Biden approves disaster declaration for Florida after severe weather
President Biden approved a disaster declaration for Florida counties that were affected by the severe storms and tornadoes on May 10. Floridians will now receive federal funding for state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in hard-hit areas like Leon County. Federal funding on a cost-sharing basis for debris emergency work and repair is also available for Baker, Gadsden, Hamilton, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. More from WJHG and the News Service of Florida.
Florida abortion ‘financial impact statement’ ruling remains on hold
An appeals court Monday kept on hold a ruling that would require a revamped “financial impact statement” that will appear on the November ballot with a proposed constitutional amendment about abortion rights and refused to fast-track the issue to the Florida Supreme Court. The 1st District Court of Appeal approved the state’s request for a stay of a ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper and rejected a suggestion by the Floridians Protecting Freedom political committee that the dispute be sent to the Supreme Court. [Source: News Service of Florida]
The power of concrete block
In the long list of decisions when building or buying a home, one often overlooked factor can make a monumental difference: the choice of building materials. In the realm of home insurance, where costs in Florida are soaring and risks loom large, opting for concrete block is a game-changer, as affirmed by Tom Cotton of Hugh Cotton Insurance. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› How Black Miami professionals see Juneteenth as an opportunity for cultural education
For many Black Americans, Juneteenth is a day to remember their ancestors being freed from slavery and to celebrate the progress that has been made since then. Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved people in the U.S. were notified that they were freed on June 19, 1865. Three Black Miami professionals spoke to the Miami Herald about what Juneteenth means to them and the ways in which they are celebrating it.
› Sarasota County saw tens of thousands of gallons of sewage spill during recent flooding
Sarasota County had a wet and wild day courtesy of tropical system Invest90L last week. Amid the downpours and subsequent flooding, county staff discovered an overflowing manhole at 7208 Pine Needle Road, where about 73,200 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled. Between the Riverview, Linwood, and Sam's Seltzers Lift Stations, about 41,000 gallons of untreated wastewater were spilled.
› Downtown Fort Lauderdale population, development on the rise
Developers continue to build thousands of new residences in downtown Fort Lauderdale as the urban area's population surpasses 26,000 people, a recent report stated. According to a newly released report from the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority, the downtown area's population increased 35.4% between 2020 and 2023 to 26,083 people. It's projected to rise another 28.1% between 2024 and 2028.
› Tallahassee and Gainesville among best U.S. cities for college grads to begin careers
Florida has two of the hottest job market cities for new college graduates, according to a new study by LinkedIn. The analysis recently published by LinkedIn provided a ranking 10 cities with the highest year-over-year change in the share of new hires. Tallahassee and Gainesville ranked second and third on the list, respectively.
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› These 3 Florida airports make list of worst to fly out of in US
Have you taken off for your summer vacation yet? While we tend to be a tourist destination ourselves, Floridians love getting out into the rest of the country and the world. But travel can be a hassle, with disruptions from weather, delays, cancellations, overbooking and lost or damaged luggage.
› Miami’s 1st AI hackathon stokes the spirit of innovation
Engineers, developers, designers, and others joined forces under one roof to solve real-world problems in 48 hours. This was the result of HackinMiami’s first AI-focused hackathon in the city. The two-day event took place June 15th-16th at The Hub @ Office Logic and showcased and elevated Miami’s local tech talent.
› Trailer Bridge expands to Europe, hiring exec with Jax connection
In the wake of getting a piece of a multimillion-dollar federal contract, Trailer Bridge is expanding to Europe. The Jacksonville-based transportation provider announced Thursday that it was establishing its European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. Trailer Bridge Europe plans to focus on end-to-end supply chain work for both commercial and government shippers working closely with the company’s U.S.-based Government and International Divisions.
› Alachua County completes $3.8M purchase of West End Golf Course property in Jonesville
The sale of the West End Golf Course in Jonesville to Alachua County has closed, according to a new release from Coldwell Banker Commercial M.M. Parrish Realtors. Alachua County commissioners voted unanimously on May 28 to take over a purchasing contract for the property held by Viking Companies, the owner of Celebration Pointe, which filed for bankruptcy in March.