Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Monday's Afternoon Update

Florida's workforce ended the year larger than New York's for first time ever

New York employed fewer workers than Florida for the first time in decades as the Great Migration continues to sap the Empire State. Florida boasted 9,578,500 nonfarm jobs at end of 2022 — 2,000 more than New York’s 9,576,100, according to Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job numbers represent the first time that Florida has more workers than New York since at least 1982. More from Bloomberg, Florida Insider, and the New York Post.

Florida gasoline prices down in past week

Prices at the pump in Florida dipped during the past week, a trend expected to continue in the short term after increases in January. The AAA auto club said the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline Monday in Florida was $3.49, down seven cents from a week earlier. The national average Monday was $3.47 a gallon. The Florida average was 2 cents higher than a year ago. More from the News Service of Florida.

Tampa insurtech startup continues to acquire policies from rivals

Slide, an insurtech startup founded by former Heritage Insurance Holdings CEO Bruce Lucas, has acquired exclusive renewal rights for more than 91,400 Florida homeowners insurance policies, representing $292 million in annual premiums, from UPC Insurance, which has ceased operations in Florida. In March 2022, Slide acquired $400 million worth of premiums from Orlando-based St. Johns Insurance Co., which ceased operations after a ratings agency downgraded it. More from the Business Observer.

Recent UF graduates break into space industry with innovative, low-cost business model

LOCAL Recent UF graduates break into space industry with innovative, low-cost business model Ron CunninghamCorrespondent Hear this story A pair of recent graduates from the University of Florida have found themselves in uncharted territory now working in tandem with the country's newest military branch − and it somehow started with a bottle of hot sauce. Working with the U.S. Space Force was never something Logan Ritten and Austin Keatley ever dreamed of. After all, the branch didn't even exist until December 2019. But their work could one day save lives. More from the Gainesville Sun.

Princess Cruises reveals more details for Florida-bound Sun Princess

With a year to go before its debut, Princess Cruises revealed more details for the biggest ship its ever built. Bringing back the popular name Sun Princess, the 175,500-gross-ton, 21-deck vessel is headed for Port Everglades after a summer season sailing in the Mediterranean in 2024. Because of the size, familiar spaces among the cruise line have a bigger footprint to work with, while the line is embracing bigger designs for the ship theater and a three-deck main dining hall. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Out of the Box
LunaLite aiming to fly high in Miami doing drone shows for corporate clients

LunaLite cofounder Adrian Allen has been captivated by technology and how he could use it to tell unique stories for decades. Running the only registered drone show company in South Florida, he plans on using drones in a unique way to make it happen. “The foundation of our business is storytelling,” Allen said. “For two decades, we’ve been telling stories in the entertainment space. Drones have been a part of that storytelling. LunaLite will be focused on telling stories in the sky.”

» More from the Miami Herald and Refresh Miami.

 

Entertainment
Circus Sarasota marks 25 years of fun and thrills under the big top

When they launched Circus Sarasota 25 years ago, former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performers Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs wanted to preserve the spirit of live circus in a town that had become synonymous with the art form. Over a quarter of a century, it has become so much more than an annual winter show under a one-ring big top.

» Read more from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.