Recreational pot in Florida? Constitutional amendment filed for 2024 ballot

Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2016 to broadly legalize medical marijuana, and nearly 800,000 patients have been authorized for the treatment. While past recreational-marijuana initiatives in the state have failed, supporters of the new proposal say they’re confident it will satisfy Florida Supreme Court requirements to make it onto the ballot and will gain support from voters. [Source: News Service of Florida]

SpaceX keeps rocket pace going with Starlink launch tonight

SpaceX continues its record pace for 2022 with what would be its 35th launch of the year aiming to send up another 52 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center tonight. Liftoff from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A is targeted for 6:57 p.m. with a backup opportunity set for 6:36 p.m. Wednesday. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Tropical depression could form in Atlantic by midweek, hurricane forecasters say

Hurricane season has gotten off to a slow start over the past couple of months, but now forecasters are tracking a disturbance that could become a tropical depression by midweek, the National Hurricane Center said. The next named storm to form will be Danielle. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last week updated predictions for activity this hurricane season. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

The short-term rental market took off during the pandemic’s real estate boom, but at what cost?

Needing places to either work from temporarily or vacation as they escaped pandemic restrictions, COVID fleers made South Florida one of their top destinations. And with them came an increased need for short-term housing, or vacation rentals. “It appears mostly in the Sunbelt states, particularly in Florida, in South Carolina, where we have beachfronts and parts of Texas,” Ken H. Johnson, real estate economist at Florida Atlantic University. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Parts of Florida to see daily tidal floods by 2100, experts say

Parts of Florida will be flooded by incoming tides every day, according to the latest tide predictions coming from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Experts at NOAA Tuesday released their forecast for high tide flooding days at various locations around the country. Nuisance flooding can cause everything from flooded roads to backed-up septic and sewage systems to crumbling infrastructure. Those scenarios are the intermediate predictions, and NOAA didn’t release data for high-range predictions. [Source: AP]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Sarasota distributor grows by over 50 employees through acquisition [Business Observer]
A Sarasota irrigation, golf and grounds equipment distributor recently acquired a 110-year-old company. A press release from Wesco Turf states the acquisition of Hector Turf, Deerfield Beach, went into effect Aug. 1. Both companies are distributors for Minneapolis-based The Toro Co.

› Pensacola, UF teaming up to host Climate Smart Floridians Program [WKRG]
In an attempt to better educate its citizens on climate change, the City of Pensacola is teaming up with the University of Florida IFAS Extension to host the Climate Smart Floridians Program. The program was developed by the University of Florida IFAS Extension to provide citizens with information about climate change and teach them how to reduce household expenses and personal greenhouse emissions.

› UK-based cryptocurrency mining hardware supplier announces Jacksonville facility [Jacksonville Daily Record]
Lake Parime, a London-based supplier of cryptocurrency mining equipment, plans to open a North Jacksonville repair and manufacturing facility. JAXUSA Partnership announced Aug. 8 the company will redevelop a former manufacturing site and will create 50 jobs in the project’s first phase. The Jacksonville facility will focus on high-performance computer servers used in crypto mining, JAXUSA said in a news release.

› Tampa firm leads $50M funding for Jake Paul’s sports betting startup, Betr [Tampa Bay Times]
Jake Paul has launched a sports betting company that just raised $50 million in funding. And a Tampa investment firm led the way. Florida Funders invested $5 million into Betr, a Miami-based mobile betting company co-founded by the YouTuber-turned-professional boxer and wrestler. Not only was it the largest investment in Betr’s $30 million Series A round — alongside investments from rapper Travis Scott, pro football players Ezekiel Elliott, Richard Sherman, Dez Bryant and more — it’s Florida Funders’ largest single investment to date.

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› Affordable housing trust fund proposal passes Brevard's Charter Review Commission [Florida Today]
Brevard County voters will soon have their chance to decide whether affordable housing is a priority for the county as part of a ballot measure in November. Members of the Brevard County Charter Review Commission formally approved a proposal Thursday from commission member Jordin Chandler to include a section in Brevard’s charter for an affordable housing trust fund.

› Clearwater tech firm launches investment arm [Business Observer]
Clearwater-based KnowBe4 Inc. (NASDAQ: KNBE), a provider of security awareness training and a popular simulated phishing platform, has launched KnowBe4 Ventures, a venture-capital investment arm that will focus on early-stage startups that aim to enhance the human layer of cybersecurity — raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics.

› Where are the most reported cases of monkeypox in Florida? A change in Miami and Broward [Miami Herald]
Miami-Dade has surpassed Broward as the county with the most confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox in Florida amid the U.S. outbreak, state data shows. The preliminary data shows Miami-Dade has recorded 367 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox, a disease that is known to cause fever and painful pimple-like rashes. Broward has recorded 330 confirmed and probable cases.

› Busch Gardens taking visitors behind scenes of coasters [Orlando Sentinel]
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park is offering behind-the-scenes tours of four of its roller coasters for a four-day period beginning Saturday. The experiences are tied to the upcoming National Roller Coaster Day, which is set for Aug. 16. Park visitors will be able to see area not typically seen by the public, including maintenance areas, and they will be involved in Q&As with coaster workers.