Florida vacations popular for holidays amid no lockdowns

Cooped-up tourists eager for a taste of Florida’s sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and warmer climates are visiting the Sunshine State in droves, topping pre-pandemic levels in recent months. Miami is one of the top search destinations on travel websites and statewide, Florida had 32.5 million travelers from July to September of this year, exceeding the number of visitors during that period in pre-pandemic 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis said recently. [Source: AP]

In a time of 'exponential everything' Florida's old planning laws could help fight climate change

Earl Starnes became Florida's first planning director in the 1970s after the state passed a suite of new laws designed to manage growth, prevent sprawl and protect wetlands, springs and other resources. As threats from climate change and over-development once again remind Florida of its precarious place, those who loved and worked with Starnes say his vision for urban planning, and the rules he tried to put in place, are worth remembering. [Source: WLRN]

The skinny: Iconic Publix Super Market scales could be a thing of the past

If you are still shy about checking your weight on the iconic scale at Publix, you might want to step on the green machine before it vanishes. Those big historic and industrial looking scales at the front of Publix Super Markets could land on the scrapheap of supermarket history one day, because the scale manufacturer stopped making them, a Publix Facebook post recently reported. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations drop

The number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 dropped during the past week, according to data posted online Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The data showed 1,228 inpatients with COVID-19, down from 1,351 a week earlier. The data Monday also showed 239 COVID-19 patients in intensive-care units, down from 243 a week earlier. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Florida residents including Omarosa, Maurice Jones-Drew, owed unclaimed funds. What about you?

What do Maurice Jones-Drew, Omarosa and Derek Trucks all have in common? They're Jacksonville residents that are owed money from the state's treasury. Records show it's from unclaimed checks, refunds and escrow funds that may have been forgotten along the way. And you might be on the list, too. The Department of Financial Services says Floridians are collectively owed $2.5 billion in unclaimed funds, $115 million of that is from the Jacksonville area alone. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› International hotelier has big plans for lot with a long history of big plans [Business Observer]
Anyone one familiar with downtown Tampa knows the vacant lot. It’s on Ashley Drive, between Whiting and Broein Streets, right on the Riverwalk. The CapTrust Building sat on the north side for years before being demolished about two years ago. And it was once proposed to be the site of Trump Tower Tampa, a 52-story condominium complex that was never built. Another 50-story development was later planned for the site, Riverwalk Place.

› Florida drivers expected to see relief at the pump [The Capitolist]
Florida drivers could soon experience relief at the gas pump, according to the Auto Club Group (AAA). Following weeks of political posturing over rising gas prices, Floridians should soon see deep discounts at the gas pump after crude oil prices were slashed on “Black Friday.” In a Monday press release, AAA noted that crude price cuts were sparked by concerns about the latest COVID-19 variant and the implications it could have on future fuel demand.

› Florida House’s first redistricting maps give GOP advantages [Miami Herald]
The Republican-controlled Florida House on Monday released its first set of redistricting maps, and they were immediately criticized by elections experts for violating state redistricting rules and derided by Democrats as “a fully-baked cake” that lacked transparency.  

› Masks? Vaccine cards? Your guide to COVID-19 rules at Southwest Florida entertainment venues [Naples Daily News]
Wear a mask. Don’t wear a mask. Make sure you socially distance. Sit as close together as you want. Bring a negative COVID test or a vaccination card. Never mind, don’t worry about it. The COVID rules are all over the place at Southwest Florida theaters, concert halls and other entertainment venues.

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› Company known for cutting edge office life shifts to remote [Business Observer]
A St. Petersburg-based travel insurance comparison company, founded in 2003, has decided to go fully remote, setting aside plans to build a new, cooler office space in a 23,000-square-foot converted church after employees voted to work from home permanently. In doing so, Squaremouth becomes an interesting case study in how office life has evolved over the years and how, as those young workers attracted to hip spaces mature in their personal and professional lives, work is again changing.

› Full Sail could get $1.3M from property tax exemption crafted specifically for the university [Orlando Sentinel]
Full Sail University could benefit from more than $1.3 million in property tax breaks next year thanks to a new exemption created specifically for the for-profit school near Winter Park. The exemption, approved at the last minute by the Republican-led Florida Legislature earlier this year, exempts property used by private schools with more than 500 students that specialize in teaching movie production skills.

› Universal Orlando’s holiday celebrations have begun, here’s what to know before you go [Tampa Bay Times]
Universal Orlando has unwrapped its holiday merriment with a big parade, live entertainment, decorated streets and sugar-laden food offerings. Last year amidst the background of the pandemic, the parade was presented as a simple selfie opportunity with floats parked as a socially-distanced photo opportunity.

› Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport sees busy holiday travel season [WJHG]
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is hustling and bustling with the arrivals and departures. “Last night our 6 a.m. flight got canceled, and we had to scramble and get a new flight on a different airline. It was hard to figure out, but we figured it out,” Harry Gleim, who’s visiting from Bellows Falls, Vermont, said. Glimm says he ran into trouble trying to travel this holiday season, but some did not have these issues.