Florida Trend Exclusive

Florida Infrastructure: Critical strategies the Sunshine State can implement to manage the state's anticipated growth

The pandemic has been accompanied by an influx into Florida of people from California, Illinois, New York and other states. Tops on the list of motivations for the moves: Taxes, quality of life, business-friendly policies, school choice, economic opportunity and more attainable housing. The question is how well all those hold up if the state adds the 2.5 million people it’s projected to attract by decade’s end. [Source: Florida Trend]

Controversial solar changes going to governor

The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would make major changes in rules for rooftop solar energy, after weeks of attempts by the solar industry and environmental groups to head it off. Senate sponsor Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the current system is “regressive,” as it leads to the vast majority of utility customers subsidizing rooftop-solar owners. The bill would lead to gradual changes — what lawmakers call a “glide path” — that eventually would prevent subsidies. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Publix ranks among world’s most admired companies, according to Fortune

Shopping at Publix really is a pleasure — at least according to Fortune. The Lakeland grocery chain has once again made the magazine’s list of the world’s most admired companies, published in February. Publix ranked No. 42 on the list, and is the only Florida company to make the top 50. That’s up from No. 48 last year. Another 10 Florida companies made the unranked portion of the list, including St. Petersburg’s Raymond James Financial. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Officials: 2018 hurricane debris fueling Florida wildfires

Emergency crews in the Florida Panhandle have been battling two massive wildfires throughout the weekend, and they say debris from a hurricane that hit the area nearly three years may have fueled the fire. Almost three million acres of timber fell in Hurricane Michael, so officials said they aren’t surprised that a fire this large erupted. Officials said the timber is also contributing to how fast the fire has been spreading. [Source: WJTV]

AARP launches statewide voter education campaign

AARP Florida on Monday announced the launch of a statewide campaign to dispel confusion on voting rules among older adults. “Americans 50-plus are our nation’s most powerful voters — and they will be the deciders in the 2022 elections. Voter education and access have never been more important,” AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson said. [Source: Florida Politics]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› HMO company to lease two floors at SkyCenter One tower at Tampa airport [Tampa Bay Times]
For the second time in a month, a major new tenant is coming to the new SkyCenter One office building at Tampa International Airport. Simply Healthcare Plans, a health maintenance organization, or HMO, that works with those enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, will relocate its Tampa office to the tower, developers VanTrust Real Estate announced Friday. The company will occupy the seventh and eighth floors of the nine-story building, a lease of approximately 63,000 square feet.

› Jacksonville charity helping women veterans to be featured at The Players   [WJXT]
The featured nonprofit for this year’s Military Appreciation Day at The Players Championship is Northeast Florida Women Veterans. The group will be honored as the golf tournament salutes the military and supporting agencies Tuesday. The group helps female veterans get on their feet after getting out of the military. The organization gets them the mental health help they may need and links them with valuable resources to save money, get a career and potentially buy a home. The services are free to the veterans.

› Legislature backs expanding secrecy around executions [News Service of Florida]
The Florida Senate on Monday passed a measure that would more broadly cloak information about people and businesses involved with state executions and the drugs used for lethal injection, positioning the proposal for action by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Current law includes a public-records exemption to shield information about people such as executioners and the prescribers of drugs for lethal injections. The proposal would broaden that to cover people or entities involved in any step in the execution process.

› Two manufacturing companies repurpose former newspaper printing plant [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
When Angus Martin and Shane Powell were both looking to expand their businesses, the former newspaper production plant at 1800 University Parkway in Sarasota seemed like the perfect location. Martin’s company, AM Design and Cutting, manufactures apparel, most notably uniforms for Pop Warner football and cheerleading through its subsidiary Apparel Forge. It also prints designs for fabric pieces used by Powell’s company, Pascale Engineering – a wholesale manufacturer of trade show exhibition booths.

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› Broward schools may crack down on unruly behavior — of adults [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Parents and visitors may soon have to be on their best behavior when they visit schools or School Board property or else face such actions as a “public admonition” or a trespassing charge. The School Board plans to discuss a proposed new “respect and civility” policy during a Tuesday workshop, tentatively set for 2:30 p.m. Although the policy includes students, the focus appears to be on unruly behavior by adults.

› Solar advocates push for last-minute changes to net metering bills [Palm Beach Post]
With mere days until the end of the state legislative session, a bill that opponents fear will hobble the Sunshine State's burgeoning solar industry is all but certain to head to the governor’s desk. The legislation seeks to phase out Florida’s net metering program, established in 2008, which allowed for excess energy produced by renewable energy, mostly rooftop solar, to be sold back to the power grid at the retail rate.

› JaxPort lands Sea Lead Shipping’s first U.S. East Coast container service [Jacksonville Daily Record]
According to a JaxPort news release, Sea Lead will use the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island Marine Terminal as a last port of call on the company’s Asia East Coast rotation. Sea Lead’s rotation will connect JaxPort to four locations in Asia with arrivals every two weeks, the release says. The first will be May 7, with the 6,661-TEU container ship Hakuna Matata.

› Tampa Theatre family series to include sing-along ‘Moana’ [Tampa Bay Times]
What can they say except, you’re welcome? The Tampa Theatre has announced the return of its family classics series, and it includes a sing-along version Moana and a rare animated silent movie. The Disney hit Moana, with songs by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, will be shown on April 3 with lyrics bouncing across the screen.