Florida’s economic boom giving way to steadier pace
Florida’s population growth is expected to continue growing over the next decade, but at a slower pace than in recent years as more residents begin to leave the state amid rising costs and economic pressure, according to a new economic forecast released Thursday by Florida TaxWatch. The Florida Economic Forecast report projects Florida’s population will grow by about 2.3 million people, from 23.4 million in 2025 to 25.7 million in 2034. But net migration is set to decline. More from Florida's Voice and The Capitolist.
Miami startup raises $1M to help small businesses look like big brands
Most small business owners know the pain of social media. Posting consistently takes hours, design tools can be clunky, and hiring an agency is often out of budget. That frustration is what Miami-based SocialPost.ai set out to fix. And in just three months, the startup has already gained msore than 600 paying subscribers. Now the company has raised $1 million in seed funding to scale its platform. More from the Refresh Miami.
Winter Park hikes electric rate to pay for undergrounding lines
The yearslong effort by Winter Park to bury power lines spared most residents from outages last October when Hurricane Milton roared through the region. Now the city is moving to finish the job. With about 81% of lines underground, city commissioners Wednesday unanimously adopted a $233.2 million budget for fiscal year 2025-26 that increases a portion of residents’ electric bills to keep the work on track to finish by 2030. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Blue Origin to expand in Titusville with light manufacturing facility employing 100 workers
Blue Origin plans to expand in Titusville by developing a light-manufacturing facility near Space Coast Regional Airport — and the company's months-delayed second New Glenn rocket may launch by late October. The Titusville manufacturing facility is slated to occupy the former Eckler's warehouse, distribution and trucking hub off the west side of Grissom Parkway. More from Florida Today.
Clearwater launches initiative to become first autism certified city in Florida
On Thursday morning, Clearwater community leaders launched an initiative to become the first autism certified city in Florida and the second in the country. It’s a partnership between local leaders, Amplify Clearwater, the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards and Learning Independence for Tomorrow (LiFT). They say the city is committed to inclusivity and setting a precedent for other cities nationwide. More from WTVT.
Business Beat - Week of September 26th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Entertainment
Suwannee Hulaween: Music festival brings jam bands, DJs, art to Spanish-moss draped forest
It’s impossible to talk about Florida’s jam band and music festival scene without bringing up the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, a forested site steeped in lore and legend in North Central Florida. The 800-acre plot of land plays host to 20,000 festival attendees each October when the park’s largest annual festival, Suwannee Hulaween, returns with an expansive array of art and music on five stages. With Spanish moss that resembles cobwebs and a festive Halloween atmosphere, the festival has a gravitational pull that brings back devotees year after year.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.