Home buyers flock to Florida cities devastated by Hurricane Ian

Less than a month after Hurricane Ian caused widespread devastation to southwestern Florida, investors and other buyers are scouring for housing deals in a region where home prices have soared in recent years. Demand remains strong from both locals and out-of-staters, according to residential real-estate agents in Naples, Fla., and other areas near the path of the Category 4 storm. They say they have received numerous inquiries from people still interested in relocating to the Sunshine State, or hoping to pick up distressed properties. More from the Wall Street Journal and MSN.

Smallest Florida orange crop forecast since the 1931-1932 season

According to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services statistics, prior to Hurricane Ian, the initial forecast for the growing season showed overall citrus production down by 31.8%. The new forecast would represent the smallest orange crop since 24.9 million boxes were filled in the 1931-1932 season. [Source: Fresh Plaza]

State draws challenges over pot license

Weeks after state health officials selected a Suwannee County man to receive a long-awaited medical marijuana license earmarked for a Black farmer, applicants who lost out on joining Florida’s growing cannabis industry are challenging the decision. A 2017 state law made a license available to people with ties to class-action litigation — known as the “Pigford” litigation — about lending discrimination by federal officials against Black farmers. [Source: News Service of Florida]

What are the latest dates hurricanes have struck South Florida?

Hurricanes have struck South Florida this late in the hurricane season, but only a handful of times in the 171-year period of record. The last time a hurricane hit our area in late October was Hurricane Wilma back in 2005, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on October 24th just south of Marco Island. Prior to Wilma, you have to go all the way back to 1935 to find a hurricane that struck South Florida after October 19th, when an unusually strong Category 2 hurricane moving from the northeast hit Miami Beach (near present-day Bal Harbour) on November 4th. [Source: WPLG]

Florida’s voting laws are ‘broken,’ felon advocates say following fraud arrests

A Florida voting rights group is calling on state officials to fix what it says is a “broken” Florida voting system after videos of felons being arrested on charges related to voting illegally in 2020 went viral this week. The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which led the 2018 effort to allow Floridians with felony convictions to vote, is also urging people to sign a petition for state and local prosecutors to “immediately stop arrests” of people with felonies on their records for voting. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the& Miami Herald.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Sanibel Island causeway washed out by Ian reopens early [Orlando Sentinel]
The causeway washed out by Hurricane Ian that links Sanibel Island to the Florida mainland reopened with temporary repairs on Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced. The 3-mile causeway was badly damage by the Category 4 hurricane, with initial predictions that repairs could take months. Instead, the span reopened just three weeks after the storm blew ashore Sept. 28.

› Spirit shareholders approve $3.8 billion JetBlue takeover [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The marriage proposal that Spirit Airlines originally rejected from JetBlue Airways was approved by the South Florida carrier’s shareholders on Wednesday. Spirit announced the outcome after a brief meeting, which was held online Wednesday. Spirit said only that the JetBlue deal was supported by a majority of shares voted; it promised an exact count within four business days. Two shareholder advisory services, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass, Lewis & Co. had recommended that investors accept JetBlue’s $3.8 billion offer.

› Miami tourism outlook upbeat after a strong month [Miami Today]
With great emphasis to “keep the momentum going,” the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau celebrated its annual meeting at the Arsht Center with more than 600 guests, including elected officials, industry leaders and media representatives. Miami-Dade weekly demand for hotels is up 14.2% since 2019, with 283,500 bookings as of Oct. 1. On Sept. 3, demand surpassed 45% change since 2019, according to STR.

› Ribbon-cutting set for Pinellas County’s first bus rapid transit system [Business Observer]
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority on Thursday will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $44 million SunRunner, the region’s first bus rapid transit (BRT) system. First announced in August 2020, the SunRunner will connect downtown St. Petersburg to the Pinellas County beaches. Buses will travel in dedicated lanes and make stops at new raised platforms along the 10.3-mile route.

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› La Tropical, the first beer brewed in Tampa, is back in the area [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Brewing Company had a unique marketing strategy for the launch of its La Tropical beer in 1896. “They said you can drink as much as you want and not get drunk because the spring water they used was so pure,” said attorney Dale Swope, whose law firm restored and is located in the brewery’s former Ybor City headquarters. “That theory got blown apart on the first day of sales, when two guys got drunk and a fight turned deadly.” With a laugh, he said he hopes La Tropical’s official Tampa relaunch goes better.

› Port Miami sees 3% rise in rail cargo [Miami Today]
Rail cargo volume at PortMiami has decreased slightly during the 2022 fiscal year, although it’s still the second largest ever recorded, trailing only last year. For the 2022 fiscal year, beginning October 2021 and ending in September, Florida East Coast Railway cargo volumes at PortMiami have slightly decreased by 1.2% from last year. Despite the decrease, this year’s volumes were the second largest ever recorded at PortMiami.

› Has Churchill’s Pub played its final song? Storied Little Haiti music venue draws bidders [Miami Herald]
Buyers are lining up at the chance to buy Churchill’s Pub, the legendary music venue in Little Haiti. Some of those include developers wanting to change the site. Several offers are on the table for the single-story popular pub at 5501 NE Second Avenue, since it landed on the market in early October for $4.6 million, owner Mallory Kauderer said. He hopes to sell by January to relieve his financial squeeze.

› PGT Innovations expanding into garage door market with latest acquisition [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
PGT Innovations, Inc. has moved into the garage door business with its acquisition of a Utah manufacturer. Venice-based PGT, which manufactures impact-resistant windows and doors, said this week that it has acquired Martin Door Holdings, Inc., of Salt Lake City, for $185 million. PGT entered into a new, five-year, $250 million revolving credit facility to fund the transaction, extend maturities and create liquidity; cash was also used in the purchase.