Florida wildfires shattering records amid long drought
It’s been decades since Florida experienced a fire season as busy as this one, amid severe drought conditions. Local fire officials and Florida’s Forest Service, which responds to fires statewide, say more than three times the fires have ignited this year versus the same period last year. And the blazes have been more severe and burned longer, a trend that likely won’t slow as the state approaches peak season in June. More from Tampa Bay Times.
Florida gas prices fall to just over $4 a gallon, but could climb again, AAA says
Florida gas prices have fallen back more than 20 cents in the last 10 days, according to the weekly AAA assessment of prices at the pump released Monday, but that decline could be short-lived, the organization warned. The price still remains $0.30 cents higher than a month ago and $0.89 cents higher than prices this time in 2025. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Culinary Institute of America alum says plans in motion for campus in Jacksonville
Amid speculation that the city of Jacksonville is preparing incentives to attract the Culinary Institute of America to the Downtown riverfront as part of a proposed hotel, an alumnus of the New York-based private school said April 10 that the initiative is in motion. Dennis Chan, who graduated from the CIA in 2000 after two years of study at its main campus, said institute President Michiel Bakker met with city leaders and local alumni over the past several months to explore opening a site in Jacksonville. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Leon County lost $368M in federal aid after last census
Leon County missed out on $368.5 million in federal aid as a direct result of the 2020 Census undercount, an issue state economists say cost the state billions of dollars, according to the Florida Chamber Foundation. They're sounding the alarm now ahead of the next U.S. Census that's constitutionally required to take place in 2030. Keith Richard, vice president of research for the Florida Chamber Foundation, said this didn't happen in the 2010 Census count. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Fetii, the Uber for groups, launches in Miami
Welcome to Miami’s traffic-clogged slice of paradise, Fetii. With $7.35 million in support from investors that include Mark Cuban and Y Combinator, Austin-based on-demand ride-share company Fetii has arrived in the Miami area. But Fetii’s offering is different from the rest of the pack. It offers ride-share service only to groups in vans for up to about 14 or 15 passengers. It’s for any group that needs to get from point A to point B, the startup says, such as for friends’ outings, corporate shuttle service, and big events. More from Refresh Miami.
Florida Dining
Business leaders choose iconic Tampa steakhouse as No. 1 place to celebrate
Dramatic, extravagant and steeped in old-school charm, Tampa’s iconic Bern’s Steak House tops the list of places where Florida’s business executives go to celebrate career wins, a new poll found. Financial media company MarketBeat released findings Thursday from a survey of more than 3,000 business leaders statewide who revealed their favorite places to take colleagues for a celebration.
» More from the Business Observer.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Amplifying impact
Joan Marie Godoy’s Miami-based venture helps nonprofits and their leaders magnify their influence through coaching, coalition building, community engagement and more. The social impact accelerator has worked with South Florida nonprofit leaders and founders who innovate in education, fight youth sexual abuse, spread the arts to low-income communities, clean up the oceans, battle climate change, tackle the local affordability crisis in creative ways, and much more.
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