Campaign contributions from Florida businesses under microscope

In the last few weeks, a groundswell of interest into campaign contributions to Florida politicians has been growing. The interest stems, in part, from the resistance to support NRA-backed politicians, but there are many other reasons too. Publix, Florida’s favorite grocery chain, is being targeted for a boycott for donating to gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam, who is pro-NRA. Florida’s four major investor-owned utilities have donated tens of millions of dollars through a combination of campaign finance and lobbying expenditures, in part because of opposition to rooftop solar. Agricultural interests, including Florida Crystals, have donated more than $100,000 to support three candidates running for Florida agriculture commissioner. And the Miami Herald reports Florida lawmakers accepted more than $1 million from nine opioid manufacturers over the past two decades.

See also:
» Publix responds to criticism over political donations

Florida ranks #1 as 'Best State for Military Retirees'

With May being Military Appreciation Month and significant military pension changes taking effect this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst States for Military Retirees to go along with its Memorial Day Facts infographic. More from WalletHub, here.

Florida Trend Exclusive
Traffic attack - CitiMoov app encourages carpooling

Nearly 80% of Miami commuters drive to work alone. A tech group wants to encourage them to carpool, take ride-sharing services like Lyft or Uber or use mass transit by offering rewards through an app. Full story here.

» Coming tomorrow in our series on transportation: Northwest Florida gets a boost as two more aerospace companies move in.

Florida finds peach fruit flies in 2 places

Two peach fruit flies were found in Palm Beach County on successive days earlier this month, the second time the pest has been found in the state. The peach fruit fly is widespread in south Asia from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. It has been detected numerous times in California since 1984 where an eradication program was conducted in 2013. More from Growing Produce.

Is that trouble brewing in the Gulf of Mexico? It's not even hurricane season yet

With 10 days between now and the official start of hurricane season, meteorologists are eying another disturbance moving toward the Gulf of Mexico. Though there is nearly no chance of the system developing into a cyclone during the next couple of days, it likely will bring heavy rain to Florida and Cuba. [Source: Miami Herald]

See also:
» High flood risk this week; Florida stuck in 'tropical highway'
» Rainy Season Arrives in Full Force in Sunshine State

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Orlando set to receive $1.5M from federal government to fight terrorism [Orlando Sentinel]
Nearly two years after the Pulse night club shooting, the city of Orlando will receive $1.5 million from the federal government to fight terrorism, U.S. Rep. Val Demings’ office announced on Monday.

› Commentary: Florida, the autonomous vehicle capital of North America [Naples Daily News]
Almost overnight, Florida has arguably become the autonomous vehicle capital of North America. Just look at the headlines for the past three months. While some may wonder why these sophisticated companies are choosing Florida, to the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Autonomous Florida program the reasons are clear.

› Florida Virtual School teachers dropped from class schedules [Click Orlando]
Friday was D-day for an estimated 12 Florida Virtual School teachers and support staff who received calls from the Orlando school officially placing them on paid administrative leave “effective immediately.”

› Appeal courts sides with Florida ban of inmate magazine [Orlando Sentinel]
Invoking Oscar Wilde, an appellate court brushed aside First Amendment concerns and sided with the Florida Department of Corrections in a long-running dispute about a monthly magazine targeted at inmates.

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› Tampa Bay Times alleges Georgia company owes $204,000 [Florida Record]
The Tampa Bay Times is suing a Georgia corporation, citing alleging refusal to apply payments of more than $204,000 and unjust enrichment. Times Publishing Company, doing business as Tampa Bay Times filed a complaint May 4 in Pinellas County Circuit Court against Inform Inc., alleging failure to pay the agreed amount of a business transaction.

› The Villages setting torrid economic pace [Villages Daily Sun]
The Villages metropolitan statistical area tells the tale of Florida’s economic turnaround better than anywhere else. And the latest report on gains in annual state and local personal income only amplifies the success.

› The most expensive ZIP code in Florida is not in Miami or Palm Beach [CNBC]
The median home value in Florida is $220,500, just above the national average of $213,146. But in some parts of the Sunshine State, average home values can get far higher than that. And, according to financial website GOBankingRates, the state's most expensive ZIP code might not be exactly where you think.

› Publix, Blue Cross settle brain cancer insurance lawsuit with Brevard employee [Orlando Sentinel]
A Publix employee has settled his lawsuit accusing Publix and Florida Blue of failure to cover an expensive treatment for his brain cancer called proton beam radiation therapy – which was approved by the FDA in 1988, and for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement in 1997.