Florida tourism inches up as Canadian travel continues to fall
An estimated 34.339 million people visited Florida between July and September, a slight increase from 34.239 million during the same period last year, according to figures released by Visit Florida. Canadian travel to Florida continued to decline amid ongoing U.S.-Canada tensions. Visit Florida estimated 507,000 Canadians visited during the quarter, down sharply from 597,000 a year earlier. More from WOFL, the News Service of Florida, and Travel and Tour World.
Young manatees died at near-record numbers but 2025 also brought hope
This past year brought mixed milestones for manatees: near-record deaths for young sea cows but also a bit more seagrass for grazing, some new scientific insights and other hints of hope for 2026. While they kept dying in droves, sea cows on the Space Coast — among their most important feeding spots — found more seagrass in the northern Indian River Lagoon. And a landmark legal ruling mandated that Florida’s most popular threatened species will soon swim in cleaner waters and must be fed lettuce to prevent winter starvation. [Source: Florida Today]
Gold, silver surge as Florida considers legal tender law
Gold and silver prices surged to record levels through the end of 2025, despite sharp price swings along the way. Precious-metals dealers in Southwest Florida — along with Gov. Ron DeSantis — attributed the run-up to increased investor demand as a hedge against national and global economic uncertainty. In May, DeSantis cited a weakening U.S. dollar and growing national debt as reasons behind gold’s rapid rise. He made those comments at a news conference in Apopka announcing a proposal that would allow — but not require — Florida businesses and governments to accept gold and silver as legal tender beginning July 1, 2026. [Source: Gulfshore Business]
Florida gas prices rise as drivers head back to work. See the prices
Gas prices are higher this week as drivers head back to work after the holidays. But even with the 7-cent increase, most areas in Florida remain under $3 a gallon, according to an AAA report. And the average price across the country has dipped. North Florida remains the cheapest to get gas in the state. Naples and Palm Beach County are among the most expensive areas. [Source: Miami Herald]
Experts issue warning as devastating conditions threaten Florida farms: 'This could get much worse'
After a hurricane-free season, many Floridians felt relieved to avoid evacuations and storm damage. But for farmers across the state, the lack of major storms has come with a steep cost: a lack of water. Months of missed rainfall have pushed Florida into widespread drought, which has devastated crops, dried pastures, and strained one of the state's key industries. South Florida missed its spring rains in early 2025, and the Panhandle is now enduring its worst drought in more than a decade. [Source: The Cool Down]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Hurricanes punched 2 holes in Gulf Coast beaches. 1 may stay, 1 may go
For decades, Sarasota County leaders have wrestled with the idea of reopening Midnight Pass, an inlet that split Siesta and Casey keys until its closure in 1983. When hurricanes Helene and Milton blew open the pass in 2024, Mother Nature made the decision for them. More than a year later, water quality, clarity and fish populations in Little Sarasota Bay have boomed. County leaders are now committed to keeping the pass open. About 20 miles south, a very different scenario has unfolded.
› Meeting scheduled for vote on Rayonier Inc.'s proposed merger with PotlatchDeltic Corp.
Wildlight-based Rayonier Inc. says it is merging with Spokane, Washington-based PotlatchDeltic Corp. and moving the company's headquarters to Atlanta. The companies said they will maintain “significant regional offices” in Wildlight and Spokane. The deal is structured so that current Rayonier shareholders will own 54% of the merged company.
› Max Space looks to Kennedy Space Center to manufacture space habitats
A company establishing a manufacturing presence at Kennedy Space Center plans to use innovative Kevlar-like materials to build an expandable space habitat for low Earth orbit in a bid to answer NASA's call for a permanent presence on the moon and, someday, even Mars. Max Space, a company establishing manufacturing at Exploration Park in Kennedy Space Center, recently released to the public the concept for its upcoming Thunderbird Station. Unlike other space stations designs, made up of interconnected metal modules launched individually, Max Space is taking a different approach.
› This World Cup match has fans locking in short term rentals in South Florida
South Florida’s short-term rental market should expect to see more Scottish kilts and Brazilian bikinis this year than it has ever seen before. Ahead of the World Cup, which this year is co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, short-term rentals are booming in South Florida — by one measure it’s the second-hottest market among the tournament’s 16 host cities or metropolitan areas. The Brazil-Scotland group stage match on June 24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens is currently the biggest draw for renters seeking lodging of the entire 2026 World Cup.
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› Are invasive iguanas coming to Tampa Bay?
At first, you could only find them in Miami. Now, they scamper across Pinellas County park roads, delighting — or sometimes spooking — tourists. They swim in retention ponds beside Palm Harbor hospice centers, hide in backyard brambles behind Seminole Heights homes and sun themselves on sailboat decks overlooking Clearwater Harbor. Green iguanas are invasive to Florida, and they love its tropical weather and coastal landscape.
› Developer pays $70+M, plans huge entertainment district on blighted site near Disney
In one of the most anticipated and consequential deals of the year, South Florida-based Accesso paid over $70 million for the site of its planned mixed-use entertainment district, Ovation Orlando, propelling a project to redevelop one of Osceola County’s most prominent eyesores. Together with its joint venture partner, Meyers Group, Accesso acquired 76 acres at the northeast corner of Interstate 4 and U.S. 192, the former Orlando Sun resort property. The deal closed on Dec. 30.
› Higher-paid Broward school staff got referendum payments. It shouldn’t have happened, board members say.
A voter-approved tax increase that was pitched as a way to help teachers afford to live in Broward County was expanded to provide supplements of more than $10,000 to some of the highest-paid employees in the Broward school district. A district spokesman said the School Board approved these large supplements as a way to remain competitive with other districts. But several School Board members said they don’t remember approving them for high-paid senior leaders and only learned about them from inquiries from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
› Tampa company to lay off 255 amid business assets sale
A national aesthetics company specializing in laser hair removal is closing its corporate office in Tampa and terminating 255 employees. Ideal Image Development Corp. filed the layoff notice with the state of Florida recently, as required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Layoffs at Ideal Image will begin on Feb. 20, according to the notice.