Redistricting session delayed as DeSantis adds AI, vaccines
The session was set to begin Monday, but DeSantis reset lawmakers’ return to Tallahassee to April 28, with the session lasting until May 1. His proclamation also asks lawmakers address two of his key issues that failed to win House support in the 2026 session: a bill expanding vaccine exemptions for public K-12 students; and legislation aimed at protecting consumers’ interactions with artificial intelligence. More from the News Service of Florida.
Freight stocks lead Jacksonville market in overall down quarter
Despite weak freight trends that have been hampering earnings, Jacksonville’s two big freight haulers basically led the local stock market in the first quarter. Railroad company CSX Corp. rose 13% and trucking company Landstar System Inc. rose 12% in the first three months of the year during an overall down market for stocks. The only Jacksonville-based company with a bigger gain was Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc., which jumped 88%. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Spirit Airlines faces liquidation risk amid rising fuel costs
Spirit Airlines’ exit from bankruptcy appears to be in jeopardy amid multiple reports that its liquidation could be near as the result of spiraling war-driven fuel prices. A Wednesday hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York designed to win approval of the airline’s reorganization plan was adjourned until April 23, according to court records. Creditor objections filed before the hearing raise a number of questions about the adequacy of information about the plan, including the budget carrier’s ability to project the impact of higher fuel bills on its finances. More from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Space Coast Town Center plans to become 'neo-urban' hub in West Melbourne
Space Coast Town Center this month announced its first tenants as it plans to transform former West Melbourne cow pasture into a 61-building "neo-urban" complex in West Melbourne. Developers are planning a corporate office campus, retail outlets, hotels and up to 2,445 multi-family homes across 225 acres just south of U.S. 192, along both sides of the St. Johns Heritage Parkway. The development is designed to be a walkable community located miles from major aerospace and defense employers in the area. More from Florida Today.
It’s free, and you can skip traffic: Miami Beach’s water taxi is catching on
Since the water taxi launched in January, there have been more than 1,000 riders a day, on average, according to data the city of Miami Beach provided to the Miami Herald. The boat makes 32 one-way trips per day. The early returns stand in stark contrast to the city’s failed water taxi endeavors in the past. A previous attempt on the Poseidon Ferry was plagued by maintenance issues and low ridership — just 43 people per day during one stint in 2024 — and it cost money to board. More from the Miami Herald.
Event
Big names are coming to Sarasota for this popular speaker series
Ringling College Town Hall announced its 2027 speaker series Tuesday, revealing a lineup that spans broadcast journalism, global politics, Wall Street, artificial intelligence and Olympic competition. The 46th season, which has brought more than 200 world-stage names to Sarasota since its founding in 1981, kicks off in January at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and closes in April with swimmer Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female Olympian in U.S. history.
» More from Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Qui tam on trial
Obscure as they are, the Latin words "qui tam" have the entire health care industry eyeing what started as a run-of-the-mill federal court case in Florida that morphed into a constitutional challenge of the federal False Claims Act. The "qui tam" provision in the Act empowers private citizens to sue government suppliers for fraudulent billing.
» Read more from Florida Trend.