Why Florida electric bills were so high in 2025
Florida residents were stunned by their electricity bills this year, particularly during the hottest months. Across housing types, income levels and neighborhoods, many Floridians questioned why their bills had risen to new heights despite no change to their daily routines. The answer lies in a combination of recently imposed hurricane recovery charges, record heat and hikes to base rates that coalesced into big increases More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Private train, public cash: How Brightline has been buoyed by taxpayer dollars
Despite the company’s claim to be the country’s “first new privately funded passenger rail service in a century,” the luxury train has been boosted by nearly a half-billion taxpayer dollars, an investigation by the Miami Herald and South Florida NPR member station WLRN found. Reporters identified $486 million in public money directed to Brightline-related projects, a figure that includes funds for Brightline itself as well as money granted to state and local agencies. More from the Miami Herald.
Plan to prevent a water shortage in Central Florida gets key approval
A twenty-year water supply plan for the Central Florida region is one step closer to the finish line, following the St. Johns River Water Management District’s approval of the plan Wednesday. Two other water management districts are expected to approve the plan this month. The plan is a collaborative effort from the Central Florida Water Initiative, which aims to sustainably manage water resources for a region where the boundaries of Florida’s three largest water management districts come together. More from Central Florida Public Media.
Citrus County hotels lose 10% in revenue amid visitor slump
Citrus County saw deep declines in hotel occupancy numbers from September 2024 to September 2025, falling faster than the state average and many neighboring counties. Local occupancy dropped from 52.2% to 47.9%, a year-over-year decline of 8.3%, according to newly released figures presented Wednesday at the Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting. The county’s average daily rate (ADR) — the average price per room — fell slightly from $103.59 to $101.58, down 1.9%. More from the Citrus County Chronicle.
Morgan & Morgan drops ‘Steamboat Willie’ lawsuit against Disney
Morgan & Morgan dropped a lawsuit against Disney on Wednesday that asked a judge to rule the law firm could use an adaptation of the nearly century-old “Steamboat Willie” cartoon in one of its ads. The Orlando-based personal injury firm asked a federal court to dismiss the suit without prejudice, meaning another legal action could be filed in the future. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
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Out of the Box
Creator of Tampa’s 50,000-item viral felt grocery store to return with new shop
The last time British artist Lucy Sparrow came to Tampa Bay in January 2022, she had quite a bit of baggage. Specifically, 50,000 handmade felt replicas of real groceries for “Tampa Fresh Foods,” a pop-up market at Water Street that went absolutely bonkers on TikTok. Nearly four years after “Tampa Fresh Foods,” the artist has announced a new concept at the FloridaRAMA immersive art museum in St. Petersburg: “Lucy Sparrow’s Quick Shop.”
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Trend Exclusive
The book business
Florida bookstores, school stores and newsstands will generate $2.6 billion in revenue this year, according to market intelligence firm IBISWorld. It reports 5,996 Florida book sellers, up 2.8% from 2020. The firm projects 5.2% growth through 2030. In 10 of the 12 years from 2008 to 2019, total bookstore revenue in Florida fell. Of late, brick-and-mortar retail outlets, both chains and indies, have had success against Amazon and their e-commerce foes by focusing on local community interests, the sensory experience, author visits, coffee shops, community gathering and book clubs.
» Read more from Florida Trend.