In rural Florida, the anti-data center movement gathers strength
Momentum is building in opposition of data centers throughout Florida’s sleepier pockets. Floridians of all political stripes are getting organized, many of whom have never led any kind of grassroots campaign before. In these David-versus-Goliath battles, no political party has a monopoly on the anger locals feel. It’s common at anti-data center events for the speakers to not even mention political parties. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
First Coast Expressway providing a road to economic development
A $1.8 billion toll road is reshaping how businesses and developers see Northeast Florida — and construction isn’t even finished. First Coast Expressway, also called Florida 23, is an approximately 46-mile thoroughfare designed to provide contiguous connectivity between Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Fisher Island residents sue to bar county from buying port fueling site
Fisher Island residents sued last week to stop developer HRP Fisher Island LLC from selling the exclusive island’s fuel bunker property to Miami-Dade County, alleging the deal would violate binding agreements with representatives of the residents. The county has been scrambling to keep the site as the port’s sole fueling source and a lifeline to its maritime industry. More from Miami Today.
International routes return to St. Pete-Clearwater airport after three-year absence
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is returning to international travel with three new flights through BermudAir. The airline's new destinations at the local airport are to Belize, Turks and Caicos and Anguilla. The service will begin in the winter and tickets will go on sale Friday, June 5. According to an airport spokesperson, the flights bring international travel options back to St. Pete-Clearwater International for the first time since Swoop Airline stopped its Canadian service in 2022. More from the Business Observer.
Despite recent rain, long-term water supply needs threaten Brevard growth
Central Florida's water supply is a significant concern for future development, including the expanding space industry. Florida is experiencing its worst drought in 25 years, which is straining the region's aquifer and the St. Johns River. Brevard County faces soaring water and sewer costs to fund necessary infrastructure upgrades and meet new quality standards. More from Florida Today.
Nature & Environment
Rare olive ridley sea turtle nest on Florida beach
Wildlife researchers discovered an extremely rare olive ridley sea turtle nest at Jupiter Beach Park — the first documented olive ridley nest ever recorded in Florida. Palm Beach County is already known for large numbers of loggerhead, green, and leatherback turtle nests, but olive ridleys have not previously been recorded nesting as far north as Florida.
» More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Out of the Box
‘Let me see a trick!’: Flair bartenders send cocktails airborne in new South Florida contest, film
"Flair bartending" is having a fresh moment. Not only is it the subject of the new South Florida-set documentary “Shaken & Stirred: The Story of Flair Bartending,” streaming on AppleTV and Tubi, but there’s also a Cocktail Art Challenge starting this weekend at Biergarten Boca Raton.
» Read more from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.