Florida households increasingly struggle to pay for necessities, major report shows
Nearly half the households in Florida are struggling to make financial ends meet, according to a closely watched report by the United Way. The nonprofit charity fundraiser organization produces the annual ALICE report — which stands for “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed” — to track the number of households that fall above the federal poverty level but make less than what it takes to live comfortably in a local community’s economy. [Source: WUSF]
Last year’s heat was deadly for Florida corals. Scientists hope this year will be different
Last year’s historic marine heat wave turned Florida’s coral reefs into bleached boneyards. And with temperatures rising this summer, scientists worried 2024 could be a repeat disaster for the fragile underwater ecosystems. But the latest data show that lower-than-expected temperatures and recent storms may give Florida’s reefs a fighting chance this summer. [Source: Miami Herald]
State tax collections top estimate
State general-revenue tax collections in May were 4.2 percent higher than expected, according to a report released Tuesday by the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research. The report said net general revenue during the month totaled about $4.48 billion, $182.4 million more than expected when a forecast was issued in January. [Source: News Service of Florida]
The entire country is getting involved in the campaign in Florida over abortion
Florida may no longer be a battleground in the presidential race, but a new political fight over abortion is drawing interest from around the country and taking center stage in the Sunshine State. Donors — both in Florida and nationally — are putting tens of millions of dollars behind a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion up until fetal viability, generally understood to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy. [Source: Miami Herald]
National and local leaders urge small businesses to prepare for hurricane season
National organizations and local leaders are working to prepare small businesses for hurricane season. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience spoke Wednesday morning at the National Entrepreneur Center in Orlando. It has been nearly two years since Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic flooding in Orlando and other parts of Central Florida. Business owners and residents alike felt the impacts. [Source: WFTV]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› St. Pete-Clearwater Airport to undergo expansion, with mixed reactions
The number of passengers per year more than doubled from 1 million in 2013 to 2.5 million in 2023, and the airport recently announced a $110 million expansion to accommodate the increase in traffic. The expansion will include the addition of a second floor and extra gates, which could bring an up to 20% increase in capacity, according to an airport report to Pinellas County.
› Miami-Dade plans for future with 30-member Vision Council
County Commission Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert III wants to create the equivalent of a United Nations of Miami-Dade organizations – from labor, business, health, education, culture, recreation, government – to plot a positive course for the county’s next 30 years.
› Clearwater cybersecurity firm closes deal, passes 2,000 employees
KnowBe4, a cybersecurity company specializing in security training for IT teams and an anti-phishing platform, officially closed on their acquisition of Egress, a cloud email security firm. The acquisition was announced earlier this spring and includes full integration of approximately 300 employees, putting KnowBe4 staff at just over 2,100 people.
› Orlando lines up job incentives to draw New York public company
The city of Orlando may provide job incentives to draw a New York-based public company to a city airport. Orlando City Council on July 15 will consider providing $100,000 over eight years through the city's Strategic Targeted Recruitment Incentive for Valued Employment (STRIVE) incentive for an entity connected to White Plains, New York-based Sky Harbour Group Corp.
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› 50-year-old Pinellas County health care group closing, cutting 245 jobs
Diagnostic Clinic Medical Group, a 50-year-old health care organization based in Pinellas County, is closing its doors and laying off 245 people. The company notified state officials Tuesday in a letter saying that it will be shutting down its four local offices Sept. 3 and that employees had been notified.
› 'Needs to be a wow factor': Bartow dreaming big as it considers new aquatics center
Bartow will either retrofit its existing swimming pool or build a new one as an aquatics program for city residents inches closer to the finish line. Through tours and study of current aquatics programs across the county, city leaders realized simply fixing an existing swimming pool seemed inadequate.
› CareerSource Brevard, Flagler and Volusia unite to expand services to employers and jobseekers
CareerSource Brevard and CareerSource Flagler Volusia have consolidated their workforce boards. The new name is CareerSource Brevard Flagler Volusia offering career centers in the tri-county area located in Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, Orange City, Titusville, Rockledge, Patrick Air Force Base, and Palm Bay.
› Industry veteran receives state approval to launch South Florida bank
BankMiami plans to make its debut in the third quarter of this year after its application received the green light by state regulators. Mary Usategui, a banking veteran who has served in C-suite roles for Professional Bank and Seacoast Bank, told the Business Journal that the bank application for her Miami-based bank was approved by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation.