Hurricane center tracking first tropical wave of 2022

It may only have been Mother’s Day and not yet hurricane season, but the National Hurricane Center started tracking the first tropical wave of 2022. In its Monday morning tropical update, forecasters said the first tropical wave of the season emerged off the west coast of Africa. moving west at almost 12-17 mph. Hurricane season officially starts on June 1, but in the past seven years there have been named storms in May – including Anna last year and Arthur and Bertha in 2020. The first named storm of the 2022 season will be called Alex. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

New money: South Florida startups raised more than $200M in April

South Florida was stacked with strong funding deals in April after raising more than $1 billion in the first quarter of 2022. Businesses in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Bech counties attracted more than $220 million in capital last month, according to South Florida Business Journal reports and regulatory filings. That's a sizable number for a single month by most midsize regional standards. More from the South Florida Business Journal.

State officials aren’t doing enough to protect Weeki Wachee River, advocates say

Any day now, a dredging company is expected to begin a multimillion-dollar restoration of the Weeki Wachee River after intensifying public use in recent years has eroded the river banks, denuded sand bars and made the river more shallow and wide. Last month, the river’s most vocal advocate filed a formal complaint with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection arguing that the agency, which operates the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park at the headwaters of the river, is not doing enough to protect the waterway and the dredging investment approved by state lawmakers. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Veho shipping company opening e-commerce last-mile delivery station in Jacksonville

San Francisco-based Veho, a shipping company that provides last-mile e-commerce deliveries to national retail customers, is building-out at Southbound Distribution Center at Powers Avenue east of St. Augustine Road. Veho says it is “built for e-commerce,” technology-driven and partners with brands, creating a 20% increase in customer repurchase. A review response letter with the permit identifies Warby Parker and Hello Fresh as examples of Veho’s retailers. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Video game company Iron Galaxy to add at least 50 employees in downtown Orlando

Iron Galaxy, a company that helps other video game makers adapt their products to different platforms, is planning an expansion in Orlando with at least 50 more jobs on the way. Iron Galaxy, which was founded in Chicago and opened an Orlando studio in 2012, has more than 130 employees in Central Florida. The company plans to add 50 jobs, with a median annual wage of $70,000, in the next five years, according to city documents for an incentive program. More from the Orlando Sentinel.