Here’s what forecasters predict for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season
After years of predicting above-normal hurricane seasons, meteorologists are anticipating a slightly below-average 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. But they added these important caveats: There’s still plenty of uncertainty in the forecast, and all it takes is one storm to turn a hurricane season from calm to chaotic. Colorado State University, which has a renowned tropical weather and climate research team, is predicting 13 named storms, of which six will become hurricanes and two will reach major hurricane strength (with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or higher). More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
Business Beat - Week of April 14th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Column: Nature is coming for Florida’s barrier islands. Should we give some over?
Rewilding, an adaptation to change, is a solution that allows us to take action before nature rewilds barrier islands for us. Rewilding the barrier islands can make Florida’s mainland more resilient to sea rise and other threats from climate change. Mangroves and native vegetation absorb the force of powerful waves and winds, acting as our first shield against deadly floods. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel]
As Publix opens more locations across Florida, the grocer just entered another state
Publix continues its march across Florida. The newest location in the state is a 50,000-square-foot store in Sarasota that opened in March. But the company is making inroads in other states as well. The Florida company is moving into Kentucky for the first time. And the grocery chain just announced a second Lexington location is in the works. No opening time frame was announced for the 46,000-square-foot store. [Source: Miami Herald]
First new insurance company moves into state, as rates continue to climb
In early April the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved a new company to begin issuing policies in the state, the first company to enter the state since lawmakers held two special sessions and set aside $3 billion for reinsurance. HCI Group filed with the state to start issuing policies under with anew company called Tailrow, This represents the first company to come into the state since Florida closed off many avenues of insurance litigation in an effort to attract more companies and shore up a failing market. [Source: WFTV]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Fort Lauderdale’s unprecedented 26 inches of rain could break state and national records
An astounding 26 inches of rain fell in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, with most of that falling in just seven hours, according to the National Weather Service. The shocking deluge could break multiple state and even national records for rainfall, once all is said and done. “It was an unprecedented event,” said Shawn Bhatti, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
› Orlando among Florida cities with the most self-employed workers in the nation
Whether they’re delivery drivers, influencers or copywriters, there are 16 million self-employed workers among more than 156 million workers in the United States. A number of Florida cities landed among the top of ChamberofCommerce.org's list of cities with the most self-employed workers, and the top three were all located in South Florida.
› Downtown Jacksonville on cusp of 10,000 residents. Is it enough to be an all-hours place?
Take a drive around downtown Jacksonville and you'll find cranes, bulldozers and dump trucks at sites that vary from brand-new construction on the riverfront to full-scale restoration of abandoned buildings that previously looked like they belonged in the "The Last of Us" television series. A total of 24 residential projects have either opened since 2018 or are under construction. They are delivering downtown's best run of housing growth since the city set a goal some two decades ago for 10,000 residents in downtown.
› Greater Miami Chamber to survey employers’ workforce needs
The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is rolling out a workforce survey directed at a large sample of businesses in the county to analyze what are they seeking in their employees. The community-wide survey would be a snapshot of the workers needed today and how the current workforce is performing, said Alfred Sanchez, CEO of the chamber, which is South Florida’s first and longest-sustaining business development organization. The survey will go out by the end of April and results are to be ready around September or October, Mr. Sanchez said.
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› SRQ sets record for busiest month with over 500K passengers
As predicted by airport officials, March proved to be a busy month for the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The airport — yet again — set a new record. There were 514,889 passengers that traveled through SRQ, the airport’s call letters. Not only was that number 16% higher than March 2022, but it was the busiest month ever recorded in the airport’s history. With last month’s numbers, the airport has seen 4.04 million passengers over the past 12 months.
› Melbourne-born female pilot nicknamed "Mad" to fly A-10 in Cocoa Beach Air Show
Born in Melbourne, Lindsay Johnson left the Space Coast as a little Harbor City Elementary kindergartner when her father took a U.S. Army assignment in Virginia. She's back — and she's got the call sign "Mad." A U.S. Air Force captain, Johnson is commander and pilot of the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, which swooped into Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon in advance of this weekend's Cocoa Beach Air Show.
› To beer or not to beer: New Jacksonville theater group debuting with 'ShakesBeer' shows
A new professional theater company, Lumen Repertory Theatre, is holding a series of "ShakesBeer" performances at Jacksonville breweries to introduce itself. Five actors from the company will visit breweries, bringing along a big spinning wheel with the names of scenes from William Shakespeare's classic works. Spin the wheel and do the scene.
› Will Tampa’s historic Floridan Palace Hotel get a new name?
One of downtown Tampa’s oldest skyscrapers may soon be known under a different name. The new owner of the Floridan Palace Hotel — South Florida investment firm 1754 Properties which also owns St. Pete Beach’s TradeWinds Resort — filed an application last month for a historic preservation tax exemption that details some of the renovations to come when they bought the property in 2021, city records show. And one of the biggest changes? Renaming the nearly century-old landmark to Hotel Flor.