New forecast says brace for major hurricane to strike the U.S.

A leading hurricane seasonal forecast is predicting an above active season with higher than normal chances for a major hurricane to strike the U.S. Colorado State University’s early-season forecast was released Thursday morning. It’s calling for 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and three major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher. A normal season, which runs between June 1 and Nov. 30, has 12 named storms, including six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Miami Herald.

Florida, feds brace for 'perfect storm of fraud opportunities'

Several local Florida law enforcement agencies have issued alerts regarding hucksters in white lab coats and masks impersonating federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workers, knocking on doors and offering free COVID-19 tests in exchange for personal information. The state’s attorney general’s office is warning about criminals impersonating U.S. Census workers and going door-to-door to fraudulently collect personal information while also canvassing for empty homes to rob. [Source: The Center Square]

NASA brings back old logo for upcoming SpaceX Commercial Crew mission

SpaceX is going retro with its upcoming crewed test mission as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket slated to be used to bring astronauts back to the International Space Station from U.S. soil for the first time since 2011 is now sporting a logo that NASA used in the 1970s known as “The Worm." [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida will soon offer paper applications for unemployment benefits

You'll soon able to mail in paper applications to file for unemployment benefits in Florida. Ken Lawson, the Executive Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity, confirmed on Thursday that the state will soon offer paper applications for unemployment claims. The announcement comes after many Floridians reported having issues with the unemployment filing process. Many of those complaints were centered around not being able to access the state’s CONNECT website or phone system. [Source: WTXL]

Federal health officials inspecting Florida’s long-term care facilities

Federal health inspectors Tuesday arrived in Florida to evaluate how long-term care facilities are responding to the spread of the new coronavirus. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services surveyors “have been on site in a handful of counties where they are in full PPE,” Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew said Tuesday, referring to personal protective equipment. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Attorneys seek to question Gov. Ron DeSantis in beach closure lawsuit [Florida Times-Union]
A suit filed by two north Florida attorneys to force Gov. Ron DeSantis to close Florida beaches during the coronavirus pandemic is moving forward in Tallahassee — with DeSantis potentially in a witness chair.

› Developer claims Miami city officials, rival conspired to block big Overtown project [Miami Herald]
Four years after walking away from a major redevelopment in Miami’s struggling Overtown neighborhood, prominent developer R. Donahue Peebles is now alleging he was pushed out of the project in a “conspiracy” cooked up by city Commissioner Keon Hardemon, a relative, other city officials and a competing developer.

› Bourbon hunters flock to Tampa restaurant to buy elusive bottles and food kits [Tampa Bay Times]
While drinkers in Florida can no longer belly up to a bar for a burger and an Old Fashioned during the coronavirus crisis, a Tampa restaurant is packaging hard-to-find bottles of bourbon with bags of fresh groceries and a roll of toilet paper.

› JEA board will consider lowering bills for customers [Florida Times-Union]
The JEA board will vote Friday on applying credits that will lower customers’ bills for the portion of the bills covering the utility’s cost of buying fuel for electric generating stations. JEA uses a pot of money called a fuel stabilization fund to even out the ups and downs of the utility’s costs of purchasing that fuel.

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› Struggling with effects of coronavirus, Orlando museums furlough staff [Orlando Sentinel]
With their doors closed and ticket booths empty, several Central Florida museums have put employees on unpaid furloughs as the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic deepens. Across the community’s nonprofits and arts community, “we employ a significant number of people,” said Debbie Komanski, CEO of Winter Park’s Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Garden. “We’re an important part of the Central Florida economy. It just shows how every level is being impacted with what’s going on right now.”

› Jacksonville issues permit for Mayo Clinic Florida’s $65 million addition [Jax Daily Record]
The city issued a permit April 1 for Mayo Clinic Florida’s $65 million addition at its San Pablo campus. Batson-Cook Co. is the contractor for the Mayo North addition, described on the permit as a six-story, 120,000-square-foot building, with a two-story link between the Mayo and Cannaday Buildings.

› Weekiwachee Preserve closed after groups violate social-distancing rules [Tampa Bay Times]
The Southwest Florida Water Management District closed the Weekiwachee Preserve to the public on Thursday after repeated reports that people were gathering in groups of more than 10 on the property. The closure is in effect until further notice.

› Bok Tower to stream its Easter sunrise service [Orlando Sentinel]
Bok Tower Gardens will stream its traditional sunrise service on Easter Sunday via Facebook Live, the Polk County historical attraction has announced. Participants can tune in at 7 a.m. on April 12. The service will include sacred music from the famed Singing Tower and its carillonneur Geert D’hollander and a message from Rev. Tim Nunez, rector of Lake Wales’ Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd,