‘We got lucky’: How Florida wildlife died — or survived — in the brutal February freeze
The record-breaking arctic blast that hit Florida earlier this month may have sent humans scurrying for winter coats, but it sent wildlife scurrying, swimming and slithering for their lives. Some of those animals were native, some were invasive. Some survived. Thousands of others did not. The benchmark for cold snaps in Florida is the 2010 freeze, which killed manatees, crocodiles, iguanas, thousands of snook and goliath grouper, and caused 50% to 90% of invasive pythons to die in some areas. [Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel]
Here are all of the plans so far to cut property taxes in Florida
The latest Legislative session is underway in Florida, and lawmakers have already filed several proposals for cutting property taxes statewide. These plans come largely in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent calls for property tax reform. That said, there are also a few other amendments being proposed, including some aimed at elections and government structure in the state. Even if any of these amendments gets through the Legislature, though, they will need at least 60% approval from voters in the next general election later this year before they can take effect. [Source: Click Orando]
Study finds Florida hospitals drive $198B in state economic activity
Florida’s hospitals generated $198.6 billion in total economic output in 2023 and supported nearly 977,000 jobs statewide when accounting for indirect and induced effects, according to an economic impact report released on Thursday. The study examined 337 licensed hospitals operating in Florida during 2023. Those hospitals directly employed 348,085 full-time equivalent workers and paid $34.5 billion in wages, salaries and benefits. They reported $97.3 billion in total operating and non-operating revenues and $80.2 billion in operating expenses. [Source: The Capitolist]
Florida lawmakers consider funding for struggling mobile home owners
The Florida House of Representatives is debating a bill that would make it easier for local governments to provide financial assistance to mobile home owners facing rising lot fees. And, as mobile home parks like Sweetwater’s Li’l Abner shutter across South Florida to make way for new developments, the bill requires counties and cities to create contingency plans to assist the people displaced by park closures. [Source: Miami Herald]
Canadian airline dropping all Florida summer flights, what to know
A Canadian airline is canceling summer flights for the 2026 summer season, but just for its only two destinations in the U.S.: Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Air Transat will start gradually winding down services in the spring to better manage its resources, The Canadian News Press reported based on statements from spokesperson Marie-Eve Vallières. The airline flies to 67 destinations, Vallières said, but only two are in the states. She said the Florida flight program for the 2026-2027 winter season will be determined at a later time. [Source: TC Palm]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Southwest Florida ranks high in construction jobs for females. Pay could be better
While Southwest Florida is represented among America's top dozen with the highest percentage of women in construction, it's among the bottom 12 in pay. Efforts are being made to provide more opportunities for females, and a relatively new organization is evidence of the interest in that in Lee and Collier counties.
› Tampa Bay development slows as costs tighten through 2026
Tampa Bay’s development machine is still moving; it’s just not expected to print through 2026. Architects tend to feel those shifts early. They’re hired long before ribbon cuttings, sometimes years before a project finishes. By the time the public sees a building, the costs behind it have already been (re)negotiated, trimmed and occasionally abandoned. The Tampa Bay chapter of the American Institute of Architects’ latest Voice of Architecture survey suggests 2026 will bring continued growth in real estate development – but at a slower pace than the last two years.
› Space Coast Regional Airport lands $15M grant to boost aerospace industry
The Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority has received a $15 million grant to upgrade the infrastructure at the Space Coast Regional Airport. The grant from the Florida Department of Transportation will allow the airport to make improvements designed to make it more attractive to aerospace companies. The grants come under the state's Spaceport Improvement Program and was secured through a partnership between the city of Titusville and Space Florida.
› A new boon for Boca Raton? Community is built next to Tri-Rail station
Construction has begun on a mixed-use project rising right next to Boca Raton’s Tri-Rail station, starting what could become a string of transit-oriented developments that provide the commuter rail with a financial lift. Link at Boca will have an eight-story building with 340 residences, some of which will be workforce housing. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday, with transportation officials and South Florida leaders hopeful about Tri-Rail’s future, despite recent funding concerns.
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› Interest grows in sale of Punta Gorda’s Fishermen’s Village
Several prospective buyers have expressed interest in purchasing Fishermen’s Village, one of Punta Gorda’s most recognizable waterfront destinations, as a renewed marketing effort for the property moves forward. The relaunch of the call for offers follows several turbulent years for the property after its former owner filed for bankruptcy.
› Orlando wants the 2030 NBA All-Star Game. Will downtown's stagnant Church Street corridor be ready?
When representatives from the National Basketball Association toured Orlando last month, they witnessed what many are accustomed to seeing in the downtown corridor – vacant retail fronts along a once-vibrant Church Street district and promises of new development on shrub-covered land surrounded by fencing. There is optimism all that will change by early 2030, well before the NBA potentially brings its All-Star Game and full weekend of events to Orlando for a third time.
› Waterfront restaurant near Sarasota named one of the best in U.S.
One of the best restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton — especially for the winning pairing of waterfront views and fresh seafood — has been named a top dining destination in America. Among 39 establishments from across the country, with only two from Florida, Tide Tables has earned a spot on the 2026 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.
› Can new shade sails lure crowds to Tunnel Top Plaza? Fort Lauderdale is about to find out
Tunnel Top Plaza, the gathering spot on Las Olas Boulevard that sits above the U.S. 1 tunnel, has been a no-walk zone for nearly two months. A mass of metal scaffolding went up in late December, prompting people passing by to wonder why. It’s all to make way for a shady new addition: Beige-colored shade sails. On Thursday, Fort Lauderdale officials said they expected the work to be completed next week. But as it turned out, they finished the work Friday evening.