Florida TaxWatch finds $855M in budget ‘turkeys’
It’s turkey season in Tallahassee, and the turkeys are thriving. This year, Florida TaxWatch, a taxpayer watchdog group, found 450 budget projects totaling $854.6 million they deem to be “turkeys” — more commonly known as pork barrel spending or member projects. That’s a 43% increase over last year, when the group found $598.7 million in turkeys. More from Florida TaxWatch and Source.
Miami-Dade seeks millions to build a regional tech research team
Miami-Dade County is rushing to compete for up to $160 million in federal support of a to-be-formed regional coalition of researchers, institutions and companies to conduct technological research that solves problems that impact the economy and society. The funding would come from a National Science Foundation award for Regional Innovation Engines. More from Miami Today.
Citizens gives approval to $5.5 billion reinsurance strategy
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has unveiled its $5.5 billion reinsurance strategy for 2024, designed to manage the increasing property exposure in Florida and adapt to evolving reinsurance market dynamics. Florida’s property exposure is anticipated to climb to $3.6 trillion in 2024, marking a 9.3% increase from $3.3 trillion in 2023. More from Insurance Business Magazine.
Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite internet to generate dozens of launches from Space Coast
Expect ecommerce giant Amazon to quickly become a major player in the Space Coast's commercial space industry when it begins building its Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation. "Our satellites, we're making all those in-house in Kirkland, Washington. We're going to have the capability, when that's up and running at full capacity, to make up to five satellites a day. And then they'll be shipped here," Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy and community engagement, told the National Space Club Florida Committee. More from Florida Today.
South Florida isn’t likely to face as many steep rent hikes, study says
Rents are no longer soaring in South Florida: While costs remain high, a drastic surge in rental prices is not expected any time soon, according to a recent study. The study, from researchers at Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Alabama, illustrates how rent growth in South Florida and other major cities in the state fell below the national average. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Freezing out joint pain with iovera°
At least 1 in 6 adults in every state in the U.S. has arthritis. About 25% of the population in Florida is affected with doctor-diagnosed arthritis –that’s over 4.1 million adults in just this state. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease that predominantly affects knees, hips, and shoulders. This condition often results in debilitating symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and a reduction in mobility. [Sponsored report]
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Event
Florida Man Games seeks contestants for second year
St. Augustine native Pete Melfi created the Florida Man Games, which debuted this past February with sumo-styling wrestling, evading the police, weaponized pool noodle mud duel and other events straight out of a Floridian fever dream. Following the success of the first Olympic-style games, which drew more than 5,000 spectators, Melfi and his team plan to bring back the games at a new venue on March 1, 2025.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Transportation
Fast ferry
Spain’s Balearia Group made its name moving people, cars and goods from the mainland to Mallorca and the rest of the Balearic islands off the southeast Spanish coast. It grew to serve the Canary Islands, north Africa and the south of France. Then it leapt across the Atlantic in 2011 to Fort Lauderdale to run a fast ferry to Freeport and, as of 2019, Bimini in the Bahamas.
» Read more from Florida Trend.