Hurricane watches issued for Florida ahead of possible Category 3 storm
Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches have been issued for portions of Florida's Gulf Coast as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine takes aim at Florida, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. The storm that is expected to become a hurricane Wednesday could become a Category 3 hurricane with 115-mph winds by the time it makes landfall Thursday. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the Pensacola News Journal, and the Orlando Sentinel.
Illegal sleeping? These new Florida laws go into effect Oct. 1
More than 30 Florida laws will be enacted on Oct. 1. While many of the bills from the last legislative session that were signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis went into effect in July, dozens will go into effect on Oct. 1. The most controversial law of the bunch is one that effectively bans homeless people from sleeping in public. The law also promises more resources for those who are homeless, but critics are skeptical. More from WGN and WFLA.
Deeper corals may help shallow reefs recover in the Florida keys
Since the 1970s, coral reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) have experienced catastrophic declines in coral cover, with as much as a 50% reduction between 1998 and 2011 alone. Although coral reefs within the FKNMS have been heavily studied, research in the mesophotic zone, which extends from about 100 to 500 feet deep, has historically been more limited in this region. [Source: Phys.org]
Marijuana companies donate another $6 million to promote Amendment 3
A political committee leading efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to allow recreational use of marijuana raised slightly more than $6 million from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13 and has raised $100 million since being formed in 2022, according to a newly filed finance report. The Smart & Safe Florida committee raised $6,001,782 during the weeklong period, while spending $9,333,207. [Source: Health News Florida]
Keeping electric vehicle charging services strong during hurricane season is key in Florida
In a state like Florida, which is prone to hurricanes and other extreme weather events, electric vehicles – and the public charging services that power and sustain them – are becoming increasingly important. A new study from the University of Florida’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, which was published mid-hurricane season in the Journal of Management in Engineering, highlights the urgent need to bolster the resilience of these services. [Source: UF News]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Orange County likely to sell proposed Pulse museum property
Orange County has decided it doesn’t want to keep the West Kaley Street property that leaders of the now defunct onePulse Foundation had envisioned as the site for a museum to honor the victims, survivors and legacy of the mass shooting at the Orlando nightclub. The county will offer up the 1.7-acre site for sale through sealed bids if commissioners adopt a proposed resolution Tuesday.
› Miami coworking space 61% cheaper than office, report says
A modestly sized company in Miami can save an average of $70,129 a year by securing space in a coworking location instead of leasing an office, a new report shows. According to a report from Coworking Cafe, Miami is among the 20 U.S. cities where it's cheaper to become a member of a coworking space, as opposed to leasing an office.
› Tampa Bay tech startup hub announces fall accelerator cohorts
Last week the Tampa Bay Innovation Center in Pinellas County announced the ninth iteration of its accelerator program for early stage B2B startups. The goal is to provide the founders of nine different companies specific training and mentoring in customer discovery, product strategy, investor readiness and market validation.
› Bomb testing resuming at site in Ocala National Forest
The United States Navy will continue bomb training exercises within the Ocala National Forest this week. Live and inert bombing will take place at the Pinecastle Range Complex within the forest beginning on Tuesday, September 24. According to a statement issued by the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, both live and inert bombs will be tested from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then again from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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› Strange seagrass from the Indian Ocean found in Biscayne Bay. Could there be a silver lining?
A few months ago, a worker at Crandon Marina on the northern tip of Key Biscayne noticed a strange-looking seagrass on the floor of Biscayne Bay. When Florida International University marine scientist Justin Campbell got a look at it, he identified it as strange indeed — a nonnative species from the Indian Ocean called Halophila stipulacea.
› There’s a new baby rhino in Tampa, and fans get to vote on a name
Busch Gardens has announced the birth of a bouncing baby white rhino. The 100-pound girl was birthed by an experienced mother, Kisiri, and fans are invited to vote in a naming contest online. The names under consideration are based on the Swahili language, with options of Azizi, which means “precious treasure,” Zahara, meaning “flower,” and Zina, which translates to “secret” or “beautiful.”
› Cape Canaveral National Cemetery to inter ashes of unclaimed veterans dating back to WWI
Unclaimed by relatives, the cremated ashes of a WWI U.S. Army sergeant remained all but forgotten for the past 66 years. Same for a WWII Army veteran who passed away during President Jimmy Carter's administration, back in February 1978. The formerly abandoned cremains of these veterans and more will finally receive their long-overdue interment — with formal recognition commending their military service.
› A $15.6 million federal grant will help get second boat for the St. Johns River Ferry
The St. Johns River Ferry will get a second boat, but it won't be your grandfather's vessel. JTA landed a $15.6 million federal grant for the purchase of a ferry that will operate on a hybrid mix of diesel and battery power when it starts taking vehicles across the river sometime in 2028 or 2029.