Florida jobless claims rise for second straight week
First-time unemployment claims in Florida increased for a second consecutive week, according to Department of Labor data. An estimated 6,146 initial claims were filed for the week ending April 11, up from 5,584 the prior week and 5,110 the week before that, marking the highest weekly total since mid-January. [Source: Gulfshore Business]
Gas prices have dipped below $4 a gallon in Florida. Check your area
Gas prices in Florida are averaging less than $4 a gallon again. Last week, prices dropped by double digits. And they’re down another couple of cents this week. But that trend could change again with the uncertainty in the Middle East. ”Gasoline prices are likely to rise again in the days ahead, with diesel expected to follow if disruptions persist, and many of the states that exhibit price cycling could see increases in the next 24-48 hours,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. [Source: Miami Herald]
Legislators ‘not quite there’ on budget talks
House and Senate leaders still don’t have a deal on topline budget numbers, although offers continue to be exchanged between the chambers, one top negotiator said Friday. “Close means we’re there. We’re not quite there,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Ed Hooper told reporters. “But I’m optimistic that it’s closer than last session.” Lawmakers ended their regular session on March 13 without agreeing to a spending plan for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. While talks are ongoing, no breakthrough to the logjam has been reached. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Pythons are moving north in Florida
Burmese pythons, one of the state's most fearsome invasive species, have been an established presence in the Everglades for more the 25 years. Scientists thought for years salty water, predators, public hunts or freezes might temper the snake's spread in Florida. But each new study reaffirms this reptile is made of much tougher stuff than what Florida throws its way. Pythons have been spotted in the ocean and near mangroves key bird and fish habitat. In recent years, there have been and increasing number of python sightings in Brevard, a worrying trend, environmentalists say. [Source: Florida Today]
See also:
» Possums vs. pythons: How Florida’s only marsupial became a weapon against invasive snakes
Florida's billionaires are spending millions to build their own elite private schools
Florida's private schools have been receiving an unmanageable inundation of applicants over the last few years, in part due to the rapid spike in population, but also because of a major expansion of the state's school voucher program in 2023. Waitlists for the top elementary and secondary institutions are now the longest they've ever been But, to keep up with demand, hundreds of new private schools have opened their doors.[Source: MoneyWise]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida spot named best hotel bar in the country. Another named Top 10 bar
A glamorous lobby bar in a luxury hotel near Miami Beach was just named the best hotel bar in the country. As part of Food & Wine’s annual Food & Wine Global Tastemakers Awards, Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in Surfside was praised for its style and substance. A glamorous lobby bar in a luxury hotel near Miami Beach was just named the best hotel bar in the country. As part of Food & Wine’s annual Food & Wine Global Tastemakers Awards, Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in Surfside was praised for its style and substance.
› Rising aviation fuel prices hit Central Florida small businesses
When you look up in the sky while you’re relaxing on the beach, you might see planes flying overhead carrying banner ads. Those flights are part of a growing aerial advertising industry. Remy Colin, CEO of Aerial Messages, said his company has grown significantly over the years. Aviation fuel, also known as avgas, is the fuel used in small planes. These aircraft are often flown by private pilots, flight schools, and for jobs like flight training and crop dusting.
› JTA year-over-year ridership flat through two months of fare reduction pilot
Through two months of a fare reduction pilot program, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s ridership remains essentially stable on a year-over-year basis. In response to requests for statistics, JTA reported a 0.02% increase in ridership during February and March 2026 compared with the same two months in 2025. JTA reported ridership of 721,903 in February and March 2025 and 722,044 in those same two months this year, an increase of 141 riders.
› Job-cuts plan for Broward schools criticized as focusing on wrong employees
A proposal to eliminate about 350 filled jobs is drawing scrutiny from some Broward County School Board members and community members, who argue the plan is light on cuts to high-paid administrators. Some board members also say Superintendent Howard Hepburn’s plan, released last week, doesn’t go far enough to meet the board’s directive of cutting 1,000 jobs over the next year as a way to deal with funding cuts caused by declining enrollment.
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› HUD secretary visits Fort Lauderdale to pitch updated Opportunity Zone program
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner paid a visit to Fort Lauderdale to talk up the federal “Opportunity Zones 2.0 Program,” a Trump Administration effort to boost housing and business prospects in distressed communities. Convening with representatives of FloridaCommerce, the Urban League of Broward County, CareerSource Broward, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and developers, Turner said the program is now in better shape than it was at its inception.
› Chicago-based game developer eliminates jobs at downtown Orlando office
A video game studio which was approved for tax incentives to expand in downtown Orlando will cut jobs. Chicago-based Iron Galaxy Studios said in an April 17 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter that it would cut 50 jobs from its offices at 189 S Orange Ave., Suite 1900, in Orlando. The layoffs will be permanent and employees were not represented by a union.
› Edison Awards gala brings global innovators to Fort Myers
The future, at its most glamorous, began to arrive around 6 p.m. April 16 at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers. An international group of innovators mingled in black-tie attire for the 39th annual Edison Awards gala, often dubbed the Oscars of Innovation, where they were recognized for developing technologies shaping the world to come. The gala capped two days in which the River District became a hub for the global innovation industry.
› Jacksonville lawyers give Catholic Charities $100,000 to ease fed cuts
Publicity around the cancellation of federal funds that helped Catholic Charities care for unaccompanied migrant children has prompted a Jacksonville law firm to give the nonprofit another $100,000. “We’re blessed to be able to give,” Seth Pajcic, an attorney at Pajcic & Pajcic, said April 16, adding he hoped others would donate to help continue services for a population he said was particularly vulnerable.