Solutions sought for algae woes in Florida’s waterways

Experts looking into toxic algae outbreaks that have exploded in state waterways want to know if anyone has a proven, innovative cleanup strategy that can be used. And they want to know quickly. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is formally accepting information through July 15 on ways to prevent, combat or clean up harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies and estuaries. More from CBS Miami and WPEC.

See also:
» Algae Task Force says stopping new pollution in Lake Okeechobee isn’t enough
» New Blue-Green Algae Task Force looks to farm lands for ways to improve water quality
» The Manatee River is going green. But it’s not a holiday, it’s algae

Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked out 215 of Rick Scott’s appointments, but 157 didn’t go anywhere

More than 150 political appointees rescinded by Gov. Ron DeSantis remain in their posts, possibly without legal authority, months after DeSantis pulled their appointments made by Gov. Rick Scott. The boards and commissions involved range from obscure boards dealing with licenses for trades such as real estate appraisers to high-profile panels like the State Board of Education. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida Department of state gets ready to host events honoring 50th anniversary of moon landing

With July marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida is marking the historic association. The Florida Department of State will host a number of events honoring the moon landing in the coming weeks, kicking them off last week by launching a summer reading program for younger Floridians. See the announcement and list of events here and read more from Florida Daily.

Florida’s stunted customer owned solar grows 76% in 2018

The Sunshine State’s customer owned solar power is growing from a very low base, but it is growing. However, and for good reason, utility scale solar in the state gets the constant headlines, with the state’s investor owned utilities driving a record first quarter in the USA. And it’s going to stay that way for a while. [Source: PV Magazine]

Springs advocates say state funds aren’t being well-spent

When Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new state budget last week that includes $100 million for springs restoration, there was no exuberant splashing of water from advocates of the chilly natural pools from which groundwater emerges. Instead, they said the money will do little good if it continues to be spent as restoration money has for years — focusing on programs that so far have failed to make much of an improvement in water quality — and if stronger measures are not taken. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Orion moon capsule endures intense abort test over Space Coast [Orlando Sentinel]
The Orion spacecraft completed an intense three-minute test flight over the Space Coast early Tuesday, an important step for the craft that one day will take astronauts back to to the moon. The uncrewed test, meant to prove the craft’s ability to save its human inhabitants in the case of an emergency mid-flight, took place right on time at 7 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s launch pad 46.

› Jacksonville tests aquarium-cleaner in ponds to cut food for algae [Florida Times-Union]
Facing algae and water-pollution problems that could cost Jacksonville taxpayers many millions of dollars, scientists are testing a potential solution that’s sold in pet stores. Water treatments that began last week at nine stormwater ponds belonging to the city and the state transportation department are part of a project to measure how much Microbe-Lift, an algae-killing blend of bacteria for cleaning aquariums and koi ponds, can lower nitrogen levels in water that flows eventually to the St. Johns River.

› Florida peaches look ripe for the picking [Growing Produce]
When you’ve got something great, you want to shout it from the mountaintop. That’s just what Florida peach growers have been doing since the alternative crop began stirring interest in the mid- to late-2000s. After a few false starts, growers are fine-tuning production programs, and retailers as well as consumers are beginning to take notice.

› Ironhack raises $4 million to continue training Miami software coders [Miami Herald]
Coding boot camp Ironhack has raised an additional $4 million to continue training software engineers in Miami and abroad, the company announced Monday. “This will be further fuel to continue what we’ve been doing so far,” said co-founder Ariel Quinones.

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› Studies Uncover Unfair Trade Implications for Florida Growers [Growing Produce]
For years, specialty crop growers in Florida have fought against the rising economic pressure of subsidized fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico during the state’s winter production window. Even with NAFTA going away and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) taking its place, nothing appears to be changing for the better.

› Indoor Farmers Market will return to Downtown Orlando after successful test run [Orlando Sentinel]
After an early-June test run that had patrons literally lining up around the block to get in, the Daily City-organized Indoor Farmer’s Market will return later this month to downtown Orlando. “We’re being very calculated in trying to curate and create a market that cares about food, where it comes from and who is selling it," Indoor Farmers Market owner Mark Baratelli said.

› Sarasota’s aging infrastructure is set to be replaced and renewed over the next 11 years [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
A $298.5 million Utilities Master Plan drafted by Sarasota officials to replace aging pipes and other infrastructure may raise the rates on residents’ utility bills by around 50%. The plan consists of 135 proposed projects, most of which include replacing and renewing water pipes and structures that are 30 to 100 years old. The projects would take place over 11 years at around $27 million a year.

› Tampa’s ‘Boom by the Bay’ fireworks show expected to draw at least 100,000 people [Tampa Bay Times]
Anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 people are expected to turn out for “Boom by the Bay,’’ Mayor Jane Castor’s inaugural Fourth of July celebration. “It’s just kind of like weddings and funerals. It all depends on the weather,” Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan said at a Monday news conference about the event.