Updated citrus forecast shows good news for Florida’s growers
Citrus growers in Florida received some positive news Thursday with forecast production increases for the current season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture posted slight increases in the yields for the current growing season for oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and the specialty fruits tangerines and tangelos. Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and CEO Matt Joyner said, “growers have a long history of meeting adversity with resilience.” More from News Service of Florida.
Another record sargassum seaweed year predicted for Florida beaches
Florida's East Coast braced for another sargassum onslaught as the thick, stinky seaweed began lapping up and in places like Cocoa Beach this week. Scientists at University of South Florida, using satellite data, have been finding record masses of sargassum seaweed floating in the waters near Florida in recent years, way beyond what early Spanish explorers likely saw. Coastal pollution and climate change help fuel the excess growth. More from Florida Today.
Is the Tampa Bay cruise port proposal dead?
Despite mounting political opposition to a proposed cruise port in Manatee County — which as of last month now includes Florida’s governor — the company pursuing the project hasn’t said whether it’s still moving forward. Gov. Ron DeSantis last month joined state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, at a news conference to sign a bill into law that they have signaled would deal a death blow to the port. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Jacksonville ranks No. 5 in US for high credit card debt levels. Why?
A new report finds Jacksonville ranks fifth in the nation for residents with high credit card debt. Nearly one-third of Jacksonville cardholders owe at least $10,000, which is above the national average. Experts attribute the rising debt to a mix of inflation, higher interest rates, and discretionary spending. Several other Florida cities, including Miami and Tampa, also have high rates of credit card debt. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Miami pauses $20M for housing, parks as officials haggle over pot of developer money
The city of Miami has paused the distribution of funding for nearly $20 million worth of projects as commissioners argue over how to divvy up a pot of money generated from developer fees that they just recently learned about. On Thursday, the Miami City Commission deferred voting on two commissioners’ requests to fund affordable housing and parks in their districts after officials quarreled over which areas in the city have the most pressing needs, an argument that cut to the core of the wealth divide in Miami. More from the Miami Herald.
Business Beat - Week of April 10th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Ring the bells
Stetson University has reopened Hulley Tower, a 92-year-old campus landmark that was partially disassembled in 2005 because of hurricane damage that made it unsafe. The DeLand institution has dedicated the rebuilt monument to the memory of three students who died in a 1979 avalanche while studying abroad in Austria.
» Read more from Florida Trend.