Florida consumer sentiment slumps for third month as tariff uncertainties intensify
Consumer sentiment among Floridians declined for the third consecutive month, dropping 1.8 points in April to 77 from a revised figure of 78.8 in March. This decline was smaller than the 4.8-point drop observed in national sentiment. “Consumer sentiment in Florida has been on a downward trend over the past three months, largely driven by declines in Floridians’ expectations about future economic conditions,” said Hector H. Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. More from UF News.
Miami-based Kiwi takes on Latin America’s $60 billion healthcare gap
Kiwi, a healthcare financing platform, officially launched this week with $10 million in seed funding. Backed by investors including HFD and MVRK Capital, Kiwi is starting its rollout in Peru with plans to expand to Mexico and beyond – all from Miami. The goal? To build an entirely new financial foundation for the region’s healthcare system. More from Refresh Miami.
Central Florida's SunRail at a junction: Are its benefits worth the cost of expansion?
SunRail began operation in May 2014. In August of last year, with the opening of a station in DeLand, the Florida Department of Transportation completed its full 61 miles, running north and south through Orlando. Now FDOT is in the process of handing ownership and funding responsibilities over to local governments. At the same time, they’re exploring a possible expansion called the Sunshine Corridor. For some, questions remain about whether that expansion is worth the cost.
More from Central Florida Public Media.
See also:
» SunRail extension to Orlando airport, theme parks moves ahead
Don't tread on our lagoon: Indian River Lagoon advocates remove tires to save marine life
This is where the rubber meets the river. Here, along a tiny island off Cocoa Beach, a half century ago some well-meaning folks lined the banks with spent tires to keep their beloved islet from oozing into the Indian River Lagoon. Whether or not tires saved the island — some doubt it — today's lagoon advocates no longer are willing to live with the potentially lethal legacy of all the countless waste tires dumped in the lagoon. More from Florida Today.
SMH cuts ribbon on new center for medical and clinical innovation
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System unveiled the Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute on April 23, giving physicians, staff and philanthropists a sneak peek inside the new, 82,000-square-foot hub for medical and clinical innovation. The $75 million, 5-story facility on Sarasota Memorial’s Sarasota campus will house Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s clinical and graduate medical education programs, clinical research division and a simulation center for advanced hands-on training. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Retail Trends
It’s not Publix or 7-Eleven. This hybrid grocery is coming to South Florida
Much smaller than a Publix and about the same size as a 7-Eleven, Chicago’s Go Grocer is about to make its Florida debut. It’s not a supermarket. But it’s not a gas station mini-mart, either. So, what makes it different? It’s a hybrid grocery and convenience store found in walkable urban neighborhoods.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Entertainment
May is packed with festivals in Northeast Florida
If you are a serious fan of festivals, May 3 is going to be a problem for you. That's peak Festival Day in Northeast Florida, the day you'd have to choose between fests celebrating shrimp, the arts, the 1990s, beer, whiskey and history. The good news is that some of those fests run for more than one day. Even better news is that every other weekend in May has good festivals, too.
» Read more from the Florida Times-Union.