Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida Trend's 2024 Floridian of the Year: The new company housing
Housing affordability is an issue across the nation, though a relatively newer issue in Florida. The state once enjoyed an edge over other parts of the country when it came to home prices and rent. A decade ago, the ratio of median home price to median income was better in Miami than in New York, Boston and Seattle. That advantage has disappeared. Higher rents and house prices are not only hard on renters and home buyers but also impact employers in recruitment and retention. High housing costs form a barrier to Florida’s economic growth, the Florida Council of 100 business executive group said in a January report. [Source: Florida Trend]
As RSV levels rise in Florida, vaccine levels remain low
As temperatures cool down, at least one respiratory virus is ramping up activity. Nationally and locally, the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is showing more signs of activity. In Orange County, the virus was found in high concentrations within county wastewater throughout November, according to wastewater treatment plants. The Florida Department of Health also noted a 10% increase in emergency department visits regarding RSV for children 5 years old and younger in Central Florida. While cases have gone up, vaccine levels have not. [Source: WUSF]
'Dramatic changes' at NASA: What Jared Isaacman's leadership would mean for Artemis, agency
Amid the backdrop of newly announced Artemis moon-mission postponements, analysts expect potential NASA administrator Jared Isaacman to shake up the agency from a private-businessman and private-astronaut perspective — "NASA needs to be prepared for dramatic changes." Isaacman is the 41-year-old billionaire founder and CEO of Shift4 who partnered with Elon Musk's SpaceX to command and finance the groundbreaking Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn commercial astronaut spaceflights. In September, he became the first private citizen to conduct a spacewalk in orbit during that latter mission, which launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. [Source: Florida Today]
Farmworker housing issue is teed up in Tallahassee
After Gov. Ron DeSantis in June vetoed a proposal aimed at providing housing for migrant farmworkers, a Republican senator has reintroduced the issue for the 2025 legislative session. Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, this week filed a bill (SB 84) that would prevent local governments from inhibiting construction of farmworker housing on agricultural land if the housing meets criteria set by the state. The bill is nearly identical to a measure Collins sponsored in the 2024 session that drew unanimous support in the House and Senate. But DeSantis vetoed the measure, saying it lacked enforcement related to illegal workers. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Commentary: Indian River Lagoon showing progress now bring your questions
After eight years of hard work the taxpayer-funded effort to clean up the Indian River Lagoon is finally showing some progress. You can get up-to-date reports from the experts by attending Lagoon Straight Talk, a free public forum, this Tuesday at the Eau Gallie Civic Center at 1561 Highland Avenue in Melbourne. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition, a non-profit lagoon advocacy organization, has been presenting Straight Talk forums ever since the cleanup campaign began in 2016. Tuesday is the 8th event in the series. [Source: Florida Today]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› St. Petersburg’s ‘Hometown Haulers’ earned over $1.5M from storm cleanup
While they may have lacked dump trucks and heavy machinery typically used to collect storm debris, St. Petersburg’s “Hometown Haulers” provided a much-needed assist following hurricanes Helene and Milton.
› Airport board approves $91M contract for Airside D's next phase
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board has approved the next phase of its design-build contract with Colorado-based Hensel Phelps to build the $1.5 billion Airside D project at Tampa International Airport.
› About half of Miami’s native trees at risk from rising temps. What should we plant now?
About half of Miami’s signature native trees — including the live oaks that line the streets of Coral Way and towering sabal palms that are the state’s official tree — might not be able to handle the rising temperatures caused by climate change.
› Big Storm Brewing president departs as craft beer firm faces uncertain future
The son of the Clearwater businessman at the center of an FBI investigation into missing trust fund money has stepped down as president of Big Storm Brewing.
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› Private equity giant to open Miami Beach office
Ares Management Corp. (NYSE: ARES), a publicly traded private equity firm with $463.8 billion in assets under management, recently secured space in Eighteen Sunset, a Class A commercial building in South Beach.
› Land trust serving 5 counties changes name
A land preservation organization serving Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties has changed its name. The Osprey-based nonprofit previously known as the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast will now be called Big Waters Land Trust.
› President of Tyler Perry Studios killed in Florida plane crash
The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios died Friday night when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died.
› TooJay’s Deli brings the Big Apple to Florida with a special winter menu of New York comfort foods
TooJay’s Deli has assembled a special selection of beloved New York-y items. The menu, called “Winter in New York,” offers casual comfort foods not usually available at the restaurants’ 20 Florida locations.