From home improvement to home building, shortages causing major delays — and cancellations — for builders and contractors

Contractors, builders and manufacturers across Florida — and the country — are seeing prices for materials, particularly lumber, continually rising while simultaneously becoming scarce. That's led to a perfect storm of obstacles that, in turn, has led to high anxiety among builders and contractors. The fear? Continually rising prices and material and labor shortages will crater their industry, just as they are counting on an economic rebound. [Source: Business Observer]

Business Beat - Week of June 4th

Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.

Mediation fails to settle cruise line lawsuit between Florida, CDC

Mediation has failed to settle the case between the state of Florida and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the reopening of the cruise industry. Taryn Fenske, communications director for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, issued a statement Thursday, saying the state filed a response to the CDC’s request for more time to relitigate the case. It’s not known when District Court Judge Steven D. Merryday will announce the next step in the case. [Source: Click Orlando]

New Florida jobless claims continue to fall

New jobless claims in Florida continued to slow last week, as the state moves to scale back unemployment assistance for people out of work during the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated Florida had 7,291 first-time unemployment claims filed during the week that ended May 29, down from a revised count of 9,882 the prior week. The department had initially estimated 8,864 claims were filed during the week that ended May 22. [Source: News Service of Florida]

DeSantis announces Burmese Python hunting contest in Everglades

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday the state’s annual contest for catching Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The contest will run from July 9 to 18 and will include prizes for profession python hunters and novices. In both categories, there will be a $2,500 prize for catching the most pythons and $1,500 for the longest. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Zombie foreclosures, abandoned homes haunt Tampa Bay region [Business Observer]
Clearwater, St. Petersburg and some other nearby towns have a zombie problem. Not The Walking Dead kind, but the foreclosure kind. That’s because Pinellas County, according to a report from real estate analytics firm Attom Data Solutions, had the fourth-highest rate of so-called zombie foreclosures among large counties nationwide in the second fiscal quarter.

› Jaguars owner Shad Kahn proposes Four Seasons, football performance center [Jacksonville Daily Record ]
The Jacksonville Jaguars and the team’s affiliated real estate development entity of Iguana Investments Florida LLC, announced their latest proposal June 3 to build a Four Seasons Hotel and Residences development at the Shipyards and a city-owned football performance center near TIAA Bank Field. Jaguars owner Shad Khan, President Mark Lamping released the two-phase plan during a media event at the Lower East Club at TIAA Bank Field.

› Crypto exchange Blockchain announces move to Miami, with plans to create 300 jobs [Miami Herald]
A major cryptocurrency exchange is joining the move-to-Miami moment. Blockchain.com, whose digital platform lets users buy, sell, and trade Bitcoin and other forms of digital payment, said it would be moving its U.S. headquarters from New York to the Magic City. In doing so, it said it hoped to create as many as 300 jobs over the next 18 months paying an average salary of $110,000.

› Orlando startup Kismet grows as it develops virus-fighting disinfectant for hospitals [Orlando Business Journal]
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, Christina Drake and the team at Kismet Technologies LLC thought the firm’s spray solution would be most applicable as a general surface disinfectant. However, they found the spray worked against a wide array of bacteria and viruses, potentially making it suitable for fighting hospital-acquired infections.

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› Environmental Conservancy of North Port raises funds for lot preservation in 25 days [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
It took 25 days for the Environmental Conservancy of North Port to raise $5,000 through a bingo-style fundraiser to purchase a conservation lot as habitat for gopher tortoises and the Florida Scrub-Jay. The quick response both surprised and pleased the nonprofit’s organizers.

› SAVOR SoFLO Festival bringing chefs, grand tasting village to Hollywood Beach [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
SAVOR SoFLO wants people to feel the breeze at its new oceanfront festival, which will bring unlimited food, wine and beer tastings this weekend to Hollywood. The sister event of Cocoa Beach Uncorked and Savor St. Pete, the event will be one of South Florida’s largest food festivals since the start of the pandemic.

› Daytona International Speedway to lift all COVID-19 restrictions for Coke Zero Sugar 400 [Orlando Sentinel]
Daytona International Speedway will soon be back to its old self, allowing full capacity and the freedom to roam at the iconic track. Track officials on Wednesday lifted remaining COVID-19 restrictions for the Aug. 27-28 Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend.

› Coffee giant opens community-focused shop — one of only 19 nationwide [Business Observer]
This is isn’t your typical Starbucks. The ubiquitous Seattle coffee chain has opened a renovated shop on Fowler Avenue and 15th Street about a mile west of University Mall. What makes this one unique is that it’s just one of only 19 community stores in the country and only the second in Florida.