St. Petersburg seeks $50 million loan to float hurricane recovery costs
The City Council on Thursday approved taking out a $50 million loan as it awaits reimbursements from insurance and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay for debris removal and repairs to facilities and equipment following two hurricanes. City officials told a council committee Thursday morning it makes “economical sense” to borrow the money, rather than pay out of pocket. After analyzing different options including taking out a line of credit, officials said a short-term loan with Truist Commercial Equity would be best. Council members voted unanimously to go that route without much discussion. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
DCF sued over ‘Baker Act’ data
An organization that advocates for people with disabilities filed a lawsuit this week alleging that the Florida Department of Children and Families has not gathered data and issued required reports about use of a law known as the Baker Act. Disability Rights Florida wants a Leon County circuit judge to order the department to collect Baker Act data from mental-health facilities and produce reports. The Baker Act allows for people with mental illness to be involuntarily held and treated at such facilities under certain circumstances. The lawsuit alleges, in part, that the department has not complied with a 2007 law that requires publishing reports and data about use of the Baker Act. More from the News Service of Florida.
Florida Museum closing date pushed back after funding restored
Just weeks before the Florida Museum of Natural History was set to close, officials announced the museum will remain open for several more months. On Friday, officials announced the original scope of a planned expansion is now restored after a funding cut was reversed. The museum, initially set to close on Jan. 5, 2025, will now close to visitors on March 24, 2025. All exhibits, including the Butterfly Rainforest, will be open until the new closing date. More from WCJB.
Chilly sea turtles from New England flown to Florida Keys to warm up
Twenty critically endangered sea turtles are getting some much needed TLC. The Kemp's ridley sea turtles, the smallest species in the world, touched down in South Florida after suffering from what is known as a "cold stun" in the waters of New England. Cold stuns are a hypothermic reaction to cold water exposure that causes the turtles to stop eating and swimming. (Other reptiles, including South Florida's rampant invasive iguanas, can also suffer from this phenomenon when temperatures get too cold.) More from NBC Miami.
DeSantis, Cabinet consider land deals
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet could be poised to approve spending more than $318 million to buy conservation land and enter other deals that would shield rural properties from development. State staff members have recommended that DeSantis and the Cabinet approve 20 proposals totaling 86,819 acres in 15 counties, from Santa Rosa County in the Panhandle to Glades and Martin counties along Lake Okeechobee. DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet Tuesday. More from the News Service of Florida.
Business Beat - Week of December 13th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Hospitals
The organ donor unit
Brooke Dawkins was a 19-yearold University of Central Florida sophomore, middle child of three and a former cheerleader. In 2014, when she died due to a brain aneurysm and injuries from a traffic accident, her parents Chris and Laura followed Brooke’s wish to authorize life-saving organ donations, including a kidney, her heart, pancreas and eyes.
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