Construction workers will be in high demand this year in Florida amid shortage

Construction workers, both salaried and skilled, are expected to be in strong demand in 2019. Florida contractors said they anticipate the acute shortage of construction workers in recent years to continue in 2019, even as they plan to add new projects and hire, according to a new survey and 2019 forecast released by Associated General Contractors of America. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Hurricane Michael losses top $4.65 billion in Florida

With claims continuing to increase, estimated insured losses from October’s Hurricane Michael have topped $4.65 billion, according to information posted on the state Office of Insurance Regulation website. According to the latest figures available, 134,656 Michael-related claims had been filed, with estimated losses at nearly $4.654 billion. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Nonprofit staff and tour guides are keeping South Florida national parks clean

In national parks around the country left understaffed by the government shutdown, trash is piling up, bathrooms are overflowing and visitors are running amok. But not in South Florida. Thanks to a small army of nonprofit staffers and the private companies that do business in South Florida’s four national park lands, a handful of visitor centers remain open and garbage is being collected. [Source: Miami Herald]

Ron DeSantis urged to use his influence with President Trump to help Florida farmers

Incoming Gov. Ron DeSantis is being urged to use his close ties with President Donald Trump to bolster efforts to help Florida farmers fend off low-priced crop imports that weren’t addressed in the rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Walmart reveals Florida's top selling item for 2018

 

While the rest of the country wants to — what — clean up, make coffee or color with crayons, us Floridians want to make it even easier to watch TV. Walmart, the retail giant, released its top selling items by state for 2018. And in Florida, that was the Google Chromecast, a device that plugs into a TV’s HDMI port. See the news release and a map here and read more from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Trulieve bringing medical edibles to Florida [Florida Politics]
The leading medical cannabis distributor in the Sunshine State is putting some new product on its shelves. Trulieve, which operates nearly two dozen Florida dispensaries from the Panhandle to South Florida, announced Wednesday that it has signed a deal with a Colorado-based company to provide edible cannabis-infused goods.

› Lawmakers push to ban smoking on Florida’s public beaches [FOX 8]
State legislatures in Florida are pushing to outlaw smoking on all public beaches in the state. The newly introduced bill would fine first-time offenders $25 or 10 hours of community service for violating the law. Currently, the bill doesn’t address vaping.

› Duval has the highest rate of West Nile in Florida [First Coast News]
Duval has the highest rate of West Nile in Florida, according to Alison Hewitt, Director of Communications for DOH in Duval County. There are 13 cases of West Nile that stem from Duval County, with 29 in the whole state.

› First Coast sees record number of visitors in 2018 [Florida Times-Union]
Florida and the First Coast experienced another year of record-breaking tourist visits in 2018, keeping pace with the last half-decade of record-setting visitation numbers. Some figures still need to be collected in the last quarter of 2018, but the first three reporting quarters showed new high levels of tourism

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› Family grocer Wynn's Market still thriving in Naples after 80 years [Naples Daily News]
You might say the success of Wynn's Market is all in the family. The small, independent grocer turned 80 this year — and it's still owned by the same family that started it back in 1938.

› Gas pump skimmer activity increased in 2018 across Florida [Florida Today]
It's unlikely motorists and authorities will be able to leave gas pump skimmers behind in 2018 as the fraudulent devices proliferated yet again this year throughout Florida. State officials said the skimmers are used by con artists to lift credit card information from unsuspecting owners. State and local authorities have worked with gas stations to find the skimmers.

› 'Thanksgiving season was very good for Orange County’s tourism economy,' comptroller says [Orlando Sentinel]
The Orange County hotel tax revenue kept rising in November, jumping about 7.5 percent year-over-year. The 6 percent tax on hotels, motels and short-term rentals generated about $23.5 million, according to the latest numbers released by Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond.

› Free beer is back at Busch Gardens for its 60th anniversary [Tampa Bay Times]
The new year brings free beer back again at Busch Gardens, as part of the theme park’s 60th anniversary celebration. It is based in the park’s roots, when it opened in 1959 as a beer garden that had bird shows and promoted the products of its then-owner Anheuser-Busch.