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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida sweetens pension pot, hoping to retain public employees
Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers are gambling that an expansion of government employee retirement benefits that take effect Saturday will keep veteran teachers, firefighters, police and other crucial public employees from leaving their jobs. The expansion of the Deferred Retirement Option Program could prove lucrative for career government workers and educators, who will be able to draw pensions while continuing to work for eight to 10 years instead of the current limit of five years. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida insurers close nearly 200K Ian claims ‘without payment’
Florida’s insurance companies have rejected tens of thousands of claims in the wake of Hurricane Ian. New data shows that three out of ten claims have been closed without payment. So, are homeowners getting a fair shake? Now, nine months later, the state’s top insurance chief, Commissioner Michael Yaworsky has released new claims data online. It shows insurance companies have closed the majority of claims—nearly 86%. [Source: WFLA]
Proposal to protect rare whales: Should ships slow down in Gulf of Mexico habitat?
Should ships in the Gulf of Mexico slow down while crossing the habitat of one of the rarest whales on earth? That’s the question swirling around a new proposal to protect the roughly 50 Rice’s whales left in existence. Scientists and ocean advocates say it’s a no-brainer: There’s evidence that boats have struck and killed the whales. On the other side of the debate, Florida ports fear a speed limit and night-time travel restriction would cripple the state’s shipping industry, which saw record-high cargo last year. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida is taking sick kids off Medicaid months before planned
Florida purged about 300,000 residents from its Medicaid rolls in April and May, after the end of a COVID-era policy that banned states from dropping people from the program for low-income children, families and young adults. The Department of Children and Families published a plan earlier this year vowing to postpone Medicaid redeterminations for medically complex kids under 21 until the end of the Medicaid unwinding in Spring 2024. But that isn’t what happened, according to some providers and advocates. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida joins handful of states to make diapers more affordable
In May, Florida joined a growing number of states that are banning sales taxes on diapers to make them more affordable for older adults and families with young children. Florida is one of the United States’ top three destination states for retirees, with about 21% of its residents aged 65 or older. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Miami Beach tells developer who hired Miami mayor to stop unpermitted construction
The city of Miami Beach has issued a violation for unpermitted construction and ordered work to stop immediately on a project by Rishi Kapoor, a developer under scrutiny for hiring Miami Mayor Francis Suarez as a consultant and whose business dealings are the subject of multiple investigations. The stop-work order was posted one day after the Miami Herald inquired about apparent construction underway at the site, including parts of the foundation and columns.
› Tampa Bay stars in Dean Cain movie about a robotic dog, now streaming
Superman actor Dean Cain is the marquee name in “R.A.D.A.R.: Adventures of the Bionic Dog,” but Tampa Bay also stars in the family-friendly comedy movie that is now available on Amazon’s Prime Video and other streaming services. Radar the dog is played by Beck, a Belgian Malinois from Plant City. St. Petersburg’s Paul Wilson and Tampa’s Ricky Wayne steal scenes as the cartoonish bumbling bad guys. And Dunedin prominently serves as the backdrop of the movie made there in 2022.
› Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is latest Orlando chain to land new CEO
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice has appointed a new CEO to run the chain of 116 shops, the latest Orlando-based company to have a new face in charge. Michael Keller was revealed as Jeremiah’s new CEO and president in a news release Tuesday. Keller’s experience includes working as CEO and president of Pearson Candy Company as well as chief marketing officer of International Dairy Queen, the release said.
› GRU reduces electric fuel rates ahead of summer heat
Gainesville Regional Utilities announced Monday it will reduce electric fuel rates on July 1, saving the average residential GRU customer $12 a month. In March, GRU ranked first in the state for high electric bills, with averages teetering around $185. Earlier in June it was reported the average GRU electric bill has dropped $20, placing it less than $10 different from Newberry, Ocala and Tampa. The upcoming fuel charge drop will likely bring these figures even closer.
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