Consumer confidence remains stable in Florida

Consumer confidence remained stable among Floridians in January despite some growing concerns over their personal finances. The University of Florida’s Consumer Sentiment Index was unchanged from December’s revised figure of 99.4, the third straight month with no movement in the overall measure. Confidence was up by 1.3 points over the year. More from UF News and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Opinion: Millionaire movie moguls don’t need tax breaks to make films in Florida

There probably aren’t many Florida voters calling on politicians in Tallahassee to pass special-interest tax breaks for highly profitable companies. But just like always, there are lawmakers in the state capitol trying to do just that. This time it’s a bill to offer handouts for movie and TV production in Florida. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Developers pitch ideas to transform downtown Jacksonville’s riverfront into housing and retail destination

Grassy lots that housed Jacksonville’s old city offices and the county courthouse until 2012 could shift into multi-use brownstones with local art installations, swimming pools and retail shops as soon as 2022. Tuesday morning, two developers pitched different ideas to a review committee with plans to transform the city’s riverfront. One touted shops and a glass pedestrian bridge while the other offered less visuals but an invitation for community collaboration. More from the Florida Times-Union.

City of Miami bond wave will target parks, culture spending

By April or May, the list for the next round of projects under the City of Miami’s $400 million general obligation bond could be sent for commission approval, with climate projects sitting out this round. At last week’s meeting of the Miami Forever Bond Program Citizen’s Oversight Board, staff from the city’s office of capital improvements, which is managing the bond, updated board members with the progress of the first wave of bonds and gave additional details on what kind of projects could be chosen and the timeline of the upcoming bond issue. More from Miami Today.

Hernando County signs on to Weeki Wachee River restoration dredge

As a project to deepen and widen the Weeki Wachee River channel appears to be getting closer, Hernando County commissioners approved a license agreement last month to give the dredging contractor access to various county sites. The Southwest Florida Water Management District is working with state Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, to secure an estimated $6 million in state funding for the river restoration, officials said. More from the Tampa Bay Times.