Despite freeze and disease, Florida citrus growers see positive trends
The 2025-2026 Florida citrus season came to a close with mixed results. A damaging freeze cut into production, particularly for Valencia oranges, but even so, growers saw something different this season. Improved tree health, better fruit quality, and encouraging results from greening therapies seemed to raise hopes across the board. At the outset of the season, sentiment was generally positive. [Source: Central Florida Ag News]
Business Beat - Week of July 10th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by associate editor Brian Hartz.
Jobless applications down over holiday period
First-time unemployment claims in Florida slowed heading into the Independence Day holiday weekend. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 4,337 initial unemployment applications were filed in the state last week, down from 5,733 the week ending June 27. The latest figure marks the fourth consecutive week the numbers have declined, but this also comes as state offices were closed Thursday and Friday for the holiday. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Strengthening El Niño could signal early end to Florida's rainy season
Florida's summer rainy season could wind down earlier than is typical as a strengthening El Niño begins to exert a greater influence over global weather patterns. The latest observations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicate that the current El Niño event is moderate in strength, with sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific running more than 1-degree Celsius above average. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]
Florida news outlets seek ‘serious sanctions’ against OpenAI in copyright suit
The South Florida Sun Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, The New York Times and other media outlets are asking for “serious sanctions” against OpenAI, saying the company destroyed evidence and intentionally hid its ability to locate copyrighted news stories in training data and responses to ChatGPT users, according to a new motion filed Thursday. More from the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida’s talent crisis
Florida's population has expanded significantly in recent years, as families and retirees continue to choose the state for its quality of life and economic opportunity. But this growth brings a challenge that is becoming impossible to ignore: Florida's talent needs are expanding faster than its workforce. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Tampa more than halfway to goal of planting 30,000 trees, mayor says
In a sunbaked field on Tampa’s northern edge, volunteers and city staff planted tree after tree after tree. Some 3,500 of them, Mayor Jane Castor said at a news conference on Thursday, pushing the city more than halfway toward its goal of planting 30,000 new trees by 2030. “We’ve all heard that the best day to plant a tree was yesterday,” Castor said. “So tomorrow, we’ll all be saying we were geniuses today.”
› Orlando sweetens deal to attract Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy firm downtown
Orlando has increased its incentive offer to attract TMRW Sports — the company co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — to relocate its headquarters downtown. On July 13, the Orlando City Council will consider a Strategic Targeted Recruitment Incentive for Valued Employment (STRIVE) award of up to $341,250 for the company. The incentive would be paired with a High Wage, High Value Job Creation Program award of up to $390,000 through the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, bringing the total potential incentive package to $731,250.
› Sarasota County moves to block large AI data centers
The Sarasota County Commission directed staff to implement a one-year moratorium on accepting any application for large-scale data centers while updating county codes to prohibit such developments. The unanimous decision came July 8 after a presentation on how other areas were treating large-scale data centers by Michelle Norton, the assistant director of the planning and zoning division for Sarasota County and several comments from the public.
› Will rail ever expand across Miami-Dade? New report says not without higher taxes
With its transit system already short on cash, Miami-Dade’s ambitious blueprint for expanding rail service countywide no longer looks viable without higher taxes, according to a memo from Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Citing cuts in Florida’s transit grants, soaring construction costs and the county’s own financial challenges, the memo states the 2016 transportation blueprint known as the “SMART Plan” needs billions of extra dollars that likely would need to come from new taxes.
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› Miami area startups attracted $832M in VC in Q2
South Florida startups attracted nearly $2 billion in venture capital in the first two quarters of this year, according to PitchBook’s data. In Q2 only, Miami metro area startups attracted at least $832 million, PitchBook reports. While results did slow down In Q2, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area retained its position as a top 10 US VC hub for deal count.
› USAA backs Wounded Warrior Project financial program with $5M investment
With the help from one of the largest insurance providers for the current and former military, the Wounded Warrior Project is aiming to mitigate something many veterans are vulnerable to when they leave enlistment: financial turmoil. Financial services company USAA and Jacksonville-based nonprofit for veterans Wounded Warrior Project are launching Warrior Secure Start, a program built around helping veterans reach financial stability after doing their service.
› Fort Myers warehouse that launched Michelob Ultra sells
The Fort Myers warehouse where Michelob Ultra was first named and launched changed hands for $17.65 million. George Cibula, a longtime part-time Bonita Springs resident whose brother owns Doc's Beach House restaurant, has built his career developing and leasing industrial buildings in the Chicago area.
› Boca Raton’s Town Center mall could see nearly 400 homes, a hotel and more to replace former Sears building
A mixed-use development with homes, a hotel, restaurants, shops and more is proposed for the Town Center mall in Boca Raton. Currently, the former Sears building and a parking lot occupy the space Simon Property Group wants to turn “into a transformative, vibrant, walkable and high-density environment where residents and visitors can live, work, play, stay and shop within a single, cohesive campus.”