State revenue tops projection
Florida’s general-revenue tax collections beat expectations in May, with economists saying part of the gain was tied to people buying goods in anticipation of the effects of tariffs. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research on Monday released a report that said Florida collected about $4.56 billion in net general revenue in May, $84.5 million more than the economists forecast in March. More from the News Service of Florida.
Does University of Florida have a permanent ‘interim’ leadership problem?
For several years, Florida’s flagship university has faced top-level turbulence — from Ben Sasse’s short and controversial presidency, to a brief return of longtime leader Kent Fuchs, and most recently, a failed bid to appoint Santa J. Ono, the former president of the University of Michigan. That volatility has rippled through the institution, affecting leadership at every level. More from the Miami Herald.
Tampa cyber giant tops $1B valuation with major investment
Tampa Bay has another cybersecurity unicorn. A-LIGN received a majority investment from global private equity firm Hg that places its valuation at more than $1 billion. The $85 billion London-based firm acquired an ownership stake Warburg Pincus held since it made a nine-figure investment in the Tampa cybersecurity compliance firm in 2021. FTV Capital will maintain a minority stake in the company it purchased in 2018. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Disney World expansion floating along in 3 theme parks
Magic Kingdom visitors making their final pilgrimages to the theme park’s Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America are witnesses to the latest phase of Walt Disney World’s expansion plans. The resort is gearing up that part of Frontierland for new attractions based on “Cars” characters, and there’s also a land featuring Disney villains in the works nearby. Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America — and its Liberty Belle riverboat — staples since 1973, are going away to make room. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Jacksonville child care center 1 of 22 selected for national child care initiative
A Jacksonville child care center is among 22 sites across the country selected for the WeVision EarlyEd Solutions Lab, which is studying what makes the "ideal" child care program. J'Bear Learning Center in Springfield is one of four in Florida that are part of the inaugural lab, funded by the early childhood-focused Bainum Family Foundation in Washington, D.C. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Profile
This 27-year-old founder built a pet insurance giant in Miami
When Trey Ferro compared pet-insurance adoption in 2019, the gap jolted him: nearly 40 percent of UK pet owners were covered, yet only about 2 percent of Americans were. The Chicago-born economist decided the shortfall came down to awareness, and that insight pushed him to launch Spot Pet Insurance in Miami at the start of 2020.
» More from Refresh Miami.
Recreation
Scallop season is under way in Florida: Here’s what to know
Florida’s tiered scallop season has begun, with Gulf-front counties allowing the underwater hunt to begin depending on the health of the estuaries. It began June 15 in the northern Steinhatchee area, and opens in Pasco County for fishers on July 10. The season, which runs through Sept. 24 depending on the zone, is a tribute to efforts to help the bay scallop population bounce back from years of overfishing and habitat damage.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.