Despite improving economy, Florida officials predict family aid to increase

Despite an improving national economy, Florida officials predict temporary aid to needy families will increase for the next four years due to larger-than-expected program use by immigrants lacking permanent legal status. The data was released by the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, which is the research arm of the Legislature that issues economic and social trend forecasts that affect policymaking, revenues and appropriations. The group holds conferences periodically to brief lawmakers and other state officials. [Source: The Center Square]

Federal judge hears arguments over new Florida law about Chinese ownership of land

A federal judge listened to more than two hours of arguments Tuesday about whether he should block a new Florida law that restricts people from China from owning property in the state. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor asked numerous questions of attorneys for the state and plaintiffs seeking a preliminary injunction against the law. He said he would make a decision as soon as he can but that a ruling would not be “super imminent.” [Source: News Service of Florida]

First-ever statewide cyber fraud enforcement 'will keep Florida citizens safe' against cybercrimes, leaders say

As internet-based crime continues to be one of the fastest-growing security threats people face, the state of Florida is fighting back with a new, first-ever cyber fraud enforcement unit. During a news conference Tuesday in Tampa, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody explained how more than 53 million Americans were affected by cybercrime in the first half of 2022 alone. [Source: WTSP]

Florida's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday to begin July 24

Certain school supplies, clothes and more will be exempt from sales tax through Florida's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which is set to begin July 24. Monday, July 24, through Sunday, August 6, some items will be exempted. The sales tax holiday will also take place January 1, 2024 through January 14, 2024. [Source: WTXL]

The marine heat wave is killing coral reefs. Here's how South Florida is being impacted

South Florida’s coral reefs are in grave danger and the enemy is the water in which they live — It’s just way too hot. “We’re now in the middle of July and we’re looking at temperatures higher than we’ve ever seen before and this includes late summer, August, September, so we are on target for hitting temperatures that we’ve never seen before in South Florida waters,” said Bill Precht, a coral researcher formerly with NOAA. The high temperatures cause corals to bleach, which means they lose the symbiotic algae which give them their color. [Source: NBC Miami]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› 'Operation Southern Slow Down': Florida launches week-long anti-speeding campaign [Tallahassee Democrat]
Drivers who find themselves traveling on the interstate this week — watch your speed. The Florida Highway Patrol has launched their week-long speed enforcement campaign, and troopers will be increasing their presence on the highways. "FHP will specifically focus on detecting and citing drivers for exceeding the posted speed limits across Florida’s interstate corridors," according to a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles press release.

› Airbnb rentals are down in Orlando, but sector not collapsing, analyst says [Orlando Sentinel]
Demand for apartments, homes, rooms and other accommodations, commonly hosted on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo is down across Orlando, even as it remains strong nationwide, an analyst said. While demand is up about 10% nationwide, Bram Gallagher, an economist at AirDNA, suspects it will be down between 5 and 10% in the nation’s tourism capital this summer. “Orlando is definitely different than the nation as a whole and is performing much differently,” he said.

› Miami-Dade has its first $11 billion budget. Why a lower tax rate won’t cut spending [Miami Herald]
A surge in property taxes is helping fund Miami-Dade County’s first budget proposal to top $11 billion, despite Mayor Daniella Levine Cava proposing a 1% cut in the countywide property-tax rate. With real estate values booming and other revenue sources on the rise in Miami-Dade, Levine Cava on Monday unveiled the largest spending plan in county history as she gears up for reelection in 2024.

› New College faculty turnover is ‘ridiculously high’ [Orlando Sentinel]
Amid its broad transformation led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, New College of Florida officials are working to fill 36 faculty positions ahead of the fall semester that starts next month. New College has secured signed offer letters for 15 incoming visiting faculty members as it looks to address what Provost Brad Thiessen called a “ridiculously high” level of turnover compared to previous years. The vacancies account for about a third of the liberal arts school’s total faculty, as the most recently published information on the New College website said the campus had 94 full-time faculty members.

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› Brevard's new construction hitting tax rolls totals $1.55 billion, up 21.8% from year ago [Florida Today]
Commercial and residential construction growth have remained strong along the Space Coast, with $1.55 billion worth of new construction added to Brevard County's tax rolls this year, according to Brevard County Property Appraiser Dana Blickley. The data reflects projects that were completed in 2022, and amounts to a 21.8% increase from the $1.27 billion worth of new construction a year earlier. It also is the third-highest new-construction total on record in Brevard.

› Iconic Orlando building hits the market after sitting vacant for over 30 years [WOFL]
The iconic "Hoods Up" building in Orlando's Milk District is up for grabs after sitting vacant for over 30 years. Atrium Management Company, a real estate firm in Central Florida, announced Monday it has been exclusively retained to facilitate the sale, lease or redevelopment of the property at 2400 East Robinson Street, according to a press release.

› More than 8,000 pounds of abandoned crab traps pulled from Tampa Bay waters [Tampa Bay Times]
All told, more than 100 volunteers from several regional organizations scooped a whopping 260 traps from in and around Tampa Bay, for a debris haul totaling 8,384 pounds. That’s 260 traps around Fort De Soto and Belleair that will no longer lure in, and imprison, marine wildlife like mangrove snappers, juvenile groupers, starfish, pinfish, crabs of course, and a whole mess of other critters vital to life in Florida’s largest open-water estuary.

› Port Charlotte resort to hold five job fairs to fill more than 1,000 spots [Business Observer]
The Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is holding a series of job fairs in coming weeks as it gears up to open in October. The first of the fairs was held Monday at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center in Punta Gorda. Three more events will be held at the site — July 29, Aug. 19 and Aug. 29. There also will be two career fairs, July 27 and Aug. 10, held at Career Source Southwest Florida in Port Charlotte.