When does Florida typically get its last tropical threat?
As the 183-day Atlantic hurricane season approaches its end in November, the odds of being struck by a tropical system often fade well before the calendar says the season is over. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 16 tropical cyclones have come within 30 miles or less of the Florida coastline during November since records began in the mid-1800s. More from Jax Today.
New tariffs raise costs for Southwest Florida builders
The Southwest Florida building industry is navigating the federal government’s shifting tariffs on construction materials and a softening residential housing market. New federal tariffs began Oct. 14 that in effect raise the cost of imported Canadian lumber from 10% to 45%, the National Association of Home Builders reports. Canada is a major supplier of lumber used to build, remodel and repair homes in Florida and across the U.S. More from Gulfshore Business.
Jacksonville’s industrial fast lane: Aviation, auto and infrastructure moves heat up
Big money continues to land in Jacksonville’s industrial corridors — and much of it is tied to planes, pipes and pickup trucks. The First Coast’s aviation and automotive sectors are drawing a fresh wave of capital investment, as Signature Aviation gears up for a $14.5 million expansion at Jacksonville International Airport, Duval Ford eyes a new fleet conversion hub off Interstate 10, and a New York real estate firm drops $4.5 million on a local foam manufacturing site. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.
$175 million boost coming to resurgent Overtown, Miami’s original Black neighborhood
Just a few short years ago, the historic heart of Overtown, Miami’s original Black neighborhood, lay desolate and lifeless just steps from Biscayne Boulevard and downtown. There were few if any shops, few homes, not a single grocery store, but lots of vacant lots, the result of decades of demolition, disinvestment and abandonment. Today, the change along the six blocks of Northwest Second Avenue and its immediate vicinity is nothing short of dramatic. More from the Miami Herald.
Brevard County transportation officials optimistic about funding for Cocoa Brightline station
Last year Brevard County's hopes of getting its own passenger rail Brightline station in Cocoa hit a setback when a $47.46 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration was denied. This year, however, transportation officials are more optimistic that the needed federal money will come through. Transportation officials plan to reapply for a federal grant by January 2026, seeking an amount similar to the previously requested $47.46 million. More from Florida Today.
Event
Central Florida chefs unite for food education at The Kitchen House
“What better time of year to have an outdoor party?!” Pam Brandon wonders aloud. It’s hypothetical, of course. Local food writer Brandon, a legendary Disney cookbook author (and a primary planner of the dearly departed Field to Feast shindigs at Long & Scott Farms), knows a thing or two about throwing outdoor bashes. The eighth annual A Fall Fête fundraising dinner — colorful and communal — is one heck of a garden party.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Business Profile
As stone crab season begins, a beloved Florida seafood spot starts a new chapter
In Miami’s Flagami neighborhood, the stone crab magnet is the family-owned Catch of the Day. For 27 years at the modest restaurant on busy Le Jeune Road near the airport, owner Miguel “Mike” Ferreiro served all sorts of seafood, including the crabs Miami craves, to locals and tourists alike. But earlier this year, Catch of the Day’s future was uncertain.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.