Florida Trend Exclusive
Economic backbone: Proton power
Next year, Baptist Health Cancer Care’s Lynn Cancer Institute in Boca Raton will open a $64-million proton therapy center, part of a near doubling of that type of tumor treatment center in Florida. In addition to the Lynn center at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, four other new centers have been announced in Florida. The state already hosts six. The proliferation signals three developments: Researchers have found more types of cancer that can be treated with proton therapy. The treatment is becoming more regionally available. Also, the cost of building centers has declined. [Source: Florida Trend]
Florida gas prices rose from last week: See how much here
LOCAL Florida gas prices rose from last week: See how much here USA TODAY Network SKIP State gas prices rose for the second consecutive week and reached an average of $3.14 per gallon of regular fuel on Monday, up from last week's price of $3.11 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The average fuel price in state has risen about 14 cents since last month. According to the EIA, gas prices across the state in the last year have been as low as $2.93 on Jan. 22, 2024, and as high as $3.54 on May 6, 2024. [Source: Florida Today]
Florida approves more than 10 new insurance companies for growing property market
The state of Florida will see new property and casualty insurers after Commissioner Mike Yaworsky approved more than 10 companies to enter the market. The commissioner said the insurers have been added since historic legislative reforms, bringing in nearly $300 million in policyholder surplus to support Florida’s tremendous property growth. [Source: WFLA]
Winters are warming in Florida, despite the recent cold snap
It didn't feel like it last week, but data shows winter is warming quicker than any other season in Florida. And out of 10 cities analyzed across the state, Tampa's winter is getting hotter fastest. The nonprofit Climate Central looked at federal temperature data since the 1970s. Kaitlyn Trudeau, the lead analyst, said Florida's winter has warmed by 2.9 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 55 years. [Source: WUSF]
Own a home in Florida? Don’t want it stolen? There are safeguards, but more are needed
Title theft, or deed fraud, is a growing problem in Florida and nationwide. It’s the criminal practice of forging documents to steal another person’s home or other real estate property. State lawmakers recently added safeguards to help prevent it, but experts say they’re not enough. Today, homeowners and deed holders of other real estate properties can register for free property alerts to shield themselves from fraud. [Source: Florida Politics]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Tampa developers ordered to pay millions in damages to Miami's Related Group
A Tampa development firm has been ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages to Related Group, helmed by Miami's "condo king" Jorge Perez. Related Group, the developer of several high-profile projects around the Tampa Bay region, sued Tampa-based Convergent Capital Partners in 2018, accusing Convergent of abuse of process for two legal actions Convergent took in 2015 and 2016.
› New Brazilian coffee concept heading to Orlando
A new coffee concept with “Brazilian DNA” is heading for the Orlando area. Kitanda Coffee and Acai has plans to open three new stores starting in March, expanding outside of the Pacific Northwest for the first time, according to GrowthSpotter. “We have about 10 stores in Seattle, and we want to open in Orlando because of the demographics of Orlando with the Brazilian community. It very fast became the number one in density for Brazilians in North America,” said Luis Conde, managing director of Kitanda.
› Can Miami Executive Airport become spaceport?
Florida legislators will be asked to designate land at and near Miami Executive Airport in West Kendall as a spaceport territory, which could create economic benefits including tax incentives for aerospace-related businesses in the area. County commissioners voted 10-2 to seek the designation two days after President Donald Trump promised to send spacecraft and astronauts to Mars.
› World’s first pickleball stadium opens in Florida
The world’s first pickleball stadium is open in Fort Lauderdale, just north of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. According to a media release, The Fort spans nine acres and features 43 courts, including 14 weatherproof courts, a lakeside entertainment complex, dining and retail. The Fort will host fundraising events and provide pickleball equipment and training to every Fort Lauderdale public school.
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› In an ‘impressive’ rescue, more than 1,200 sea turtles saved from cold Florida waters
As Floridians reveled in a rare snowfall last week with snowmen and sledding, a team of Florida wildlife experts was busy mounting a sweeping rescue just offshore of the Panhandle. In one of the state’s largest cold-water rescues over the past decade, biologists say they saved a whopping 1,200 stunned sea turtles from the frigid St. Joseph Bay area over five days.
› Judge dismisses lawsuit that claimed yacht brokers colluded to inflate commissions
A group of yacht sellers failed to prove their claim that members of the yacht brokerage industry colluded to exclude sellers who refuse to pay 10% commissions, a federal judge in Miami has ruled. But the ruling in U.S. District Court in Miami does not necessarily end the matter.
› Baptist Health plans $190M ER and patient tower in Jacksonville
Baptist Health plans to build a four-story emergency and patient tower for its flagship campus on the Southbank, which currently houses Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. About 87,000 patients visited the ERs at Baptist Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, according to the health system's fiscal year 2023 records.
› 100-square-mile red tide bloom lurks off Southwest Florida coast
A large-scale red tide bloom, roughly 100 square miles in size, is floating in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles off the Southwest Florida coastline, stretching from Charlotte Harbor to beyond Marco Island. Scientists say the bloom started in Tampa Bay after Hurricane Milton and has been slowly drifting south, fueled by nutrient-rich storm runoff.