Saharan dust invades Florida, Gulf Coast, expected to linger through the week
Florida and the Gulf Coast will remain under Saharan dust plumes through Thursday. While concentrations won't be as high as over the weekend, they could still reduce air quality and produce vivid, hazy sunrises and sunsets across the region. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell captured video of a hazy sunrise over Miami Beach on Friday morning. More from FOX Weather.
'Operation Southern Slow Down' cracks down on speeding drivers in Florida
A weeklong campaign targeting speeding drivers launched Monday in Florida and four other southern states. "Operation Southern Slow Down" runs through July 18, with officers increasing patrols on highways and interstates. The effort is conducted in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, covering Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. More from NBC Miami.
Florida Small Business Owners Display Higher Optimism than National Average
The National Federation of Independent Business released its second "State of the States" report, showing Florida's small business Optimism Index at 100.3 versus 98.5 nationally. The state outperforms the country on real sales expectations by 16 points while managing insurance cost headwinds. Florida's tax climate remains a major advantage for small business owners, according to NFIB's Florida Executive Director. More from NFIB.
When is Labor Day 2026? When summer ends, school starts in Florida
Labor Day weekend falls on Sept. 5–7, 2026. For Florida parents, the 2026–27 school year begins in about a month — preceded by the state's back-to-school sales tax holiday, which lasts one month. The astronomical last day of summer is in late September; the meteorological last day is Aug. 31. More from TC Palm.
Bright Futures Scholarship Opens Path to Student's Success
UCF senior Myesha Rahman earned the Bright Futures Scholarship as valedictorian of her graduating class in Lake Worth Beach, allowing her to attend UCF debt-free. She graduated with an electrical engineering degree, completed a Texas Instruments internship and accepted a full-time product marketing engineering role at the company's Dallas headquarters. More from Florida Trend. [Sponsored]
Feature
Florida's 350 Biggest Companies
Florida Trend's annual ranking of the state's 125 biggest public companies and 225 biggest private companies, ranked by revenue.
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Agriculture
Florida citrus season tops forecasts, improves from last year
Florida citrus growers expressed optimism as the recent growing season topped the forecasts and ended slightly ahead of the prior season, with orange production up nearly 6% from April estimates and grapefruit up 8%.
» More from NBC Miami.