1st Starliner mission with humans set for historic Space Coast launch tonight
The stage is set for some space history to be made tonight as two veteran NASA astronauts aim to launch in a spacecraft that has never flown with humans before. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will climb aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner capsule and lift off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 10:34 p.m. on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission to the International Space Station. More from the Orlando Sentinel, Florida Today, the AP and the Washington Post.
Florida sees surge in college-educated Americans
Florida has become increasingly popular with college graduates, with metros in the state seeing some of the highest net gains of college-educated Americans, according to research from HireAHelper. Metropolitan areas such as North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Jacksonville and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, were among the most popular destinations for college graduates looking to relocate in 2023. [Source: Newsweek]
No more mockingbird? Florida official wants new state bird
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chairperson Rodney Barreto wants the agency to renew efforts to designate a state bird that is unique to Florida. “The state bird of Florida is the (northern) mockingbird. However, five other states have the mockingbird as the state bird,” Barreto said Thursday during a commission meeting in Daytona Beach. “I’ve got to believe we can find a bird that is different than five other states.” Barreto recalled the agency holding a contest with fourth and fifth grade students about designating a new state bird. “I want to kind of dust that off” with a new process “and come up with something,” Barreto said. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Feds say they can handle permits amid fight
Federal environmental officials have pushed back against arguments by Florida that a legal fight over wetlands-related permitting has put more than 1,000 permit applications into "regulatory limbo." Florida last week asked an appeals court to issue a stay of a district judge’s ruling that rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state. [Source: News Service of Florida]
How to search and claim nearly $2 billion of your money and property held by Florida
Florida has about $2 billion in outstanding unclaimed property —and some of it could be yours. About four million Floridians, or 1 in 5 of Florida’s 20 million people, have property waiting to be claimed. The average return per Floridian is $875, Ryan Walker, spokesman for Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Petronis, said. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Brightline ends monthly passes. What's next for South Florida commuters
Brightline will discontinue its monthly passes, popular with business commuters, by the end of May. The Miami-based high-speed rail company notified customers that it will end its $399 SoFlo Solo Pass, $229 SoFlo Shared Pass and $1,199 All Station Shared Pass in an April 29 newsletter.
› Florida firm tapped to study Sarasota's economic landscape
The city of Sarasota has hired a Pompano Beach-based economic consulting firm to create a market analysis that will serve as the basis for its strategic plan. Sarasota is conducting the analysis to understand current and anticipated market conditions, city officials say. Redevelopment Management Associates will be reviewing economic data as well as conducting site visits in Sarasota, including meeting with residents, business owners and local economic development partners.
› ‘Microschools’ gaining popularity in South Florida
There’s a new trend in education following the pandemic and teacher shortages across the state. “Microschools” have gained popularity. As the name suggests, microschools are small, with each classroom functioning as its own miniature school…with the teacher at the head.
› Study: JaxPort’s economic impact up by nearly $2 billion over five years
The Jacksonville Port Authority’s economic impact has grown by nearly $2 billion over the past five years and the number of regional jobs tied to the port has increased by more than 1,900, according to a new study. Nick Primrose, chief of regulatory compliance for JaxPort, presented the study findings May 3 to the Jax Chamber Downtown Council at the Jessie Ball duPont Center.
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› 'Right to clean water' legal battle seen as accountability issue for Titusville
Well over a year ago, citizens in Titusville mounted a ballot initiative to put the "right to clean water" in their city's charter. Although the measure passed overwhelmingly in a referendum, the charter amendment remains in a legal limbo, with city leaders saying the charter language left the city overly vulnerable to lawsuits. To some residents, though, the city's leaders are just ignoring the will of the people.
› Boutique Boca Raton law firm merges with Northeast law practice
A boutique firm in Boca Raton that helps wealthy clients protect their assets merged with a New Haven, Connecticut-based law practice. The Ellis Law Group officially combined with Wiggin and Dana LLP on May 2. The law firm's four attorneys – Seth Ellis, George Freund, Bill Bromley, and Ashton Malkin – now work for Wiggin and Dana's private client service department.
› Coral canopies? Snail derbies? New money will help find solutions for South Florida’s troubled reef
Coral rescuers working to save Florida’s beleaguered reef ravaged by disease and a sweltering ocean heat wave last summer are getting a $9 million boost from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The money will come from $195 million awarded to the National Park Service earlier this year for climate restoration and resilience work.
› St. Augustine business credits TikTok for revenue boost, says a ban will hurt
A local small business owner is sounding off after President Joe Biden signed a bill that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban. Leila Bedoian owns The Local St. Augustine, a hip retro-style motel on Anastasia Island. “When we were designing and creating the property, we wanted to make it something people were excited to share,” Bedoian said. She says TikTok is critical to their business.