Is a loop back to Florida still possible after damaging its Gulf Coast? New Hurricane Idalia's track
The forecast path for Hurricane Idalia over the next 96 hours has the storm, which made landfall Wednesday morning in Florida's Big Bend, now has the storm heading east toward the vicinity of Bermuda. On Tuesday afternoon, one of the reliable models used by hurricane watchers identified a high-pressure zone in the mid-Atlantic region. That development, the model said, could have steered Idalia back toward the eastern Florida coastline over the long Labor Day weekend. More from the Palm Beach Post, the Washington Post, and the Pensacola News Journal.
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» Assessing the damage after Hurricane Idalia
As property premiums rise, should state-run Citizens be charging more?
Given the amount of risk it has taken on in the past few years, there is an argument being made that Citizens Property Insurance Corp. should be charging higher premiums more in line with private insurers. Over the past few years, as Florida’s insurance market has faced a daunting crisis, Citizens has gone from the last resort to, often, the first choice. Yet it is limited in how much it can raise rates, creating concerns about what happens in the case of multiple natural disasters. [Source: Business Observer]
Hot Florida construction market poised to keep heating up
An already-hot construction market is heating up in Florida, with more than 20% of state construction companies expecting an increase in the number of employees over the next six months, according to the most recent Business Trends and Outlook Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau. This forecast is much higher than the national figure, where 14.2% of companies expect to add employees in the near future — but the trends for Central Florida alone could be even hotter. [Source: Orlando Business Journal]
The Florida health system competing with tourism — and still winning workers
During the pandemic, many health systems cut their employee offerings as a method of cost containment. The battle to build a workforce extends beyond the healthcare industry. That's especially true in hospitality-saturated Florida, where hotels, restaurants, theme parks and retail chains are all tapping from a similar pool of nonclinical workers. [Source: Becker's Hospital Review]
$29M Medicare overbilling settlement largest ever for health fraud in the region
A Florida-based company has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve a whistleblower complaint pursued by federal authorities in overbilling Medicare for oxygen equipment provided to patients with respiratory ailments. The agreement with Lincare Holdings Inc. was announced Monday in Spokane by U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref, who said it was the largest-ever health care fraud settlement in eastern Washington. Lincare does business at its satellite offices in East Wenatchee and Omak. [Source: The Center Square]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Miami-Dade wages soar far faster than nation’s
Wages in Miami-Dade rose far faster than the national average in the year’s first quarter, a new report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, with an average gain of 9.4% here over first quarter 2022 but a national gain of only 6.6%. As businesses battled to fill open jobs, especially in service occupations, the rise of wages here was well into the upper quarter of the 361 largest counties, with Miami-Dade 81st in gain percentage.
› Beyond Halloween: Falling into fall at Orlando’s theme parks
There’s more to the fall season than Halloween at Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions. As we dive into September, here’s a chronological roundup of upcoming happenings. Expect more details and activities to be announced, particularly for year-end holidays. For instance, we’d assume Epcot will again host Candlelight Processional, but no dates (or celebrity narrators) have been revealed yet.
› Mega-job fair in Sunrise on Thursday looks to fill 3,000+ positions
More than 50 companies will be looking to fill 3,000 positions at a mega-job fair in Sunrise this week. The companies are hiring for positions in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. The event is taking place Thursday, August 31st, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, formerly known as the BB&T Center, you know where the Florida Panthers play.
› JaxPort receives $30 million for new cranes
Florida legislators presented a $30 million check to JaxPort during the port’s monthly board of directors meeting Aug. 28. The money will be used to buy two new container cranes for the Blount Island Marine Terminal. A news release from JaxPort said the money was appropriated by the state Legislature under the leadership of House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo with support from the Duval Legislative Delegation.
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› U.S. Realtors group hosts Miami summit amid leadership shakeup after president resigns over harassment claims
Less than 24 hours after the abrupt resignation of its president amid sexual harassment allegations, the National Association of Realtors kicked off its planned two-day real estate innovation opportunity conference called iOi Summit at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Hotel on Tuesday.
› German cruise line to establish North American office in South Florida
A German cruise line is establishing a North American office in Fort Lauderdale, a company executive told the Business Journal. Hamburg, Germany-based Sea Cloud Cruises will move to the downtown area by the end of the year. The location is still being finalized, said Mirell Reyes, Sea Cloud Cruise's newly appointed president of sales, marketing and communications in North America.
› Total Distribution leases 1 million-square-foot Florida Gateway Logistics Park building in Jacksonville
Total Distribution Inc., a third-party logistics company, has leased the 1,000,400-square-foot warehouse developed at Florida Gateway Logistic Park in West Jacksonville. Total Distribution, formerly known as Grimes Companies, is part of Peoples Services Inc., based in Canton, Ohio. Total Distribution already has about 900,000 square feet of warehouse space among three locations in West and North Jacksonville.
› Brevard County Bar Association Young Lawyer Division names new president
Alexa Moia recently was installed as the 2023-2024 president of the Brevard County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Division. Other officer installments were Chris McMaster, president-elect; Taylor McDermid, secretary; and Jessica Honeycutt, treasurer. Installed as members at large were Isam Alsafeer, Ozzy Diaz, Christel Lawrence and Tiffany Troutt. Moia is a Brevard County native, born to Dr. Frank and Christine Filiberto.