Gov. DeSantis calls special legislative session to deal with illegal immigration, more
Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling lawmakers back to Tallahassee later this month for a special session to help boost President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. DeSantis said his call for a special session will also seek legislation on condominium relief, hurricane relief and reforms to the citizen initiative process to amend the state constitution. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the News Service of Florida and Florida Today.
Three months after hurricanes Sarasota's St. Armands Circle bouncing back for business
The business owners on St. Armands Circle had a difficult year as the low-lying barrier island experienced multiple floods in 2024, including after an unnamed storm system in June dumped record rainfall on the city. That was followed by Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton just a couple weeks later. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Boca Raton's Mizner Park performing arts venue plan officially dies - what went wrong?
Days before a scheduled appearance with Boca Raton council members, the group behind The Center for Arts and Innovation in Mizner Park ended its agreement with the city. The proposed performing arts center was supposed to be a transformation of the Mizner Park Amphitheater into a multi-stage performing arts and events venue. A lease agreement for it was approved by the Boca Raton City Council in late 2022. More from the Palm Beach Post.
Blue Origin scrubs debut launch attempt of New Glenn rocket
Blue Origin ran into problems trying to send up its New Glenn rocket on its debut launch from the Space Coast early Monday and ultimately scrubbed the attempt. Teams reset the countdown clock several times during the 1-4 a.m. window with the 321-foot-tall rocket looking to fly on the NG-1 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Miami's 1st medical marijuana dispensary opens after multi-year battle
Although Florida voters legalized medical marijuana use in 2016, Miami city officials spent years blocking those businesses from operating within city limits. The stonewalling continued even as dispensaries opened across Miami Beach and unincorporated parts of Miami-Dade. More from the South Florida Business Journal.
Retail Trends
Will your Florida supermarket do that for you? Here are 5 secrets at the grocery store
At the grocery store, it doesn’t have to be “what you see is what you get.” Some grocery stores in South Florida will allow special requests for you to customize what’s on your shopping list. But you have to ask for what you want because supermarkets are not ones to shout out what’s possible.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Arts Business
At this Florida ballet company, the priority is dancers’ mental health
Azara Balllet addresses a gap in the dance world: the need for spaces where people who have autism, A.D.H.D. or other conditions that fall under the broad term “neurodivergent” can freely experience the art form. Evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, suggests that there’s a deep connection between dance and these neurological conditions. This relationship has become an area of increased focus for researchers, artists and performing arts organizations in recent years.
» Read more from the New York Times.