Helene forecast to grow into hurricane with 150 mph gusts before Florida landfall
Tropical Storm Helene gained strength Wednesday and is forecast to become a hurricane later in the day as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico where the National Hurricane Center said it will intensify into a major Category 3 storm. As of the NHC’s 5 a.m. advisory, Helene was located about 45 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico and 120 miles southwest of the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as it heads northwest at 9 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 175 miles from the center. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the AP.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Energy: ‘The technology is here'
More businesses are investing in solar, while inflation and interest rates are slowing residential installations. Doug Herrick is the founder and owner of Pensacola-based SunFarm Energy, a solar power contractor. He spoke with FLORIDA TREND recently about the growth of solar energy in Florida and some of the challenges facing the industry. [Source: Florida Trend]
The effort to contain mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses in Florida
This year, the Florida Department of Health has issued mosquito-borne illness advisories in several counties for diseases like West Nile virus and dengue. With mosquitoes abundant in Florida, some counties have been practicing mitigation strategies against the bugs. [Source: WUSF]
Florida's top colleges, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings
The state of Florida has been ranked No. 1 for higher education by U.S. News & World Report for eight consecutive years. But this year’s Best Colleges rankings, released early Tuesday, saw dips for some of the state’s top schools. The University of Florida slipped from sixth to seventh among public universities, two years after back-to-back top 5 rankings. Other schools made gains. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Business Journal.
Special Report: Florida's seaports by the numbers
Florida ports have experienced significant growth, partly due to nearshoring, which encourages companies to relocate production closer to the U.S. This shift has boosted trade with Latin America and the Caribbean, increasing cargo volumes. Florida’s strategic location and efficient infrastructure make it an attractive hub for businesses seeking reliable, shorter supply chains. [Source: Orlando Business Journal]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 launch moved back to Saturday under looming threat of Hurricane Helene
The astronaut crew has arrived and the SpaceX Dragon was on the launch pad Tuesday, but ever-strengthening Tropical Storm Helene is not cooperating. NASA's Crew-9 target launch date has been moved back from Thursday afternoon to no earlier than 1:17 p.m. EDT Saturday.
› Southeast Orlando gets cops and firefighters in $1.8 billion city budget
City leaders signed off on a $1.82 billion spending plan Monday that adds dozens of public safety personnel for the fast-growing southeastern section of the city. It also calls for property owners to pay $6.65 per $1,000 of taxable value for the 11th consecutive year, though due to rising property values, that rate will result in about $17 million higher collections for City Hall.
› Influencer marketing company opens Miami headquarters
Miami is a hot spot for content creators and social media influencers. That's a draw for Humanz, a creator marketing platform that chose the Wynwood Arts District for its new headquarters. The company, originally founded in Israel, matches online influencers with major companies to help those ventures market their brands.
› Hundreds of Sarasota vacation rentals still need to register with city officials
Earlier this year the Sarasota City Commission expanded its vacation rental registry to include property on the mainland, while also increasing the annual fees and setting a Halloween deadline for mainland property owners to register their rentals inside city limits.
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› Iconic Tampa restaurant Goody Goody to close, again
After a valiant attempt at revitalizing a childhood favorite, restaurant maestro Richard Gonzmart will close the iconic Tampa-based burger chain Goody Goody. The 1905 Family Of Restaurants, owner of Ybor City’s 119-year-old Columbia Restaurant among many others, is not renewing the lease for Goody Goody Burgers in Hyde Park Village.
› New digital CSX headquarters signs set for Q1 2025 installation
Nine months after the Downtown Investment Authority board gave a green light, new signs for CSX are in permitting review at a project cost of $2.4 million. The city is reviewing permit applications for four signs – two each facing north and south – on top of the 17-story railroad company’s headquarters at 500 Water St., along the Northbank of the St. Johns River. Each sign carries a job cost of $600,000. Jacksonville-based Taylor Sign & Design Inc. is the contractor.
› Fort Myers airport sees uptick in passengers
The number of passengers traveling through Southwest Florida International Airport was up in August and has been trending up overall this year, officials say. In August, the airport in Fort Myers accommodated 614,531 passengers, according to the Lee County Port Authority. This was an increase of 2% compared with August 2023.
› New real-time sensors show open parking spots in Delray Beach
A new parking system went into effect in mid-September in Delray Beach. It’s meant to provide guidance to drivers looking to park along State Road A1A and in the downtown area with the use of sensors offering real-time information on available parking spots, according to the city.