‘Fake Florida’ has starred in $500 million worth of film, television productions

Just because fewer productions are choosing to film in Florida doesn’t mean the Sunshine State has been absent from the silver (or small) screen — it just means another state has stepped in to the role of fake Florida. Among the billions in lost business are 20 or so projects that were set in Florida, allowing other states to depict Florida to the world. Those projects account for $500 million in lost business, or nearly half of the potential economic impact Florida has ceded to other states since the last state-backed film program lapsed. More from Florida Politics.

Wild Fork Foods is growing in South Florida, but its parent company is under fire

Wild Fork Foods, a meat lover’s delight, is growing in South Florida, but its parent company finds itself in the crosshairs of two U.S. senators, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. The Republican Rubio and Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey are pushing for a federal investigation of JBS USA and its Brazilian counterpart, JBS. They have raised concerns about the company’s powerful influence on the nation’s meat market. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida’s first-ever state resilience officer is in listening mode

In 2019, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed the state’s first-ever chief resilience officer. In the midst of her initial meetings with local officials, Julia Nesheiwat shares the lessons she brings to the position from her time in the military and academia — and the time she created a federal bureau from the ground up. More from WUSF and WJCT.

Whither Weeki Wachee? Iconic Florida roadside attraction, city and river on verge of change

Change could be coming to Weeki Wachee -- to the river, the state park, the city and the roadside attraction that bear its name and have drawn people to this natural wonder and iconic mermaid show since 1947. The most pressing issue at hand, many believe, is preserving and restoring the Weeki Wachee River after years of recreational overuse. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

The stock market soared in 2019. Not all Miami-area public companies kept up

The longest bull market in recorded history turned a year older in 2019 as stocks soared thanks to strong corporate profits, low unemployment, and low inflation. That kind of rising tide tends to lift most corporate boats. And indeed, many of the large, publicly traded companies that call Miami-Dade and Broward home kept up with the broader market gains. But not all. More from the Miami Herald.