Legislative drought? Just 1 bill heard in committee before '25 session
A bottleneck of bills seemingly stuck in the drafting department at the Florida Legislature may be one sign that lawmakers are stepping out from the shadow of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Three weeks away from their annual 60-day regular legislative session and only a fraction of the number of bills usually debated are ready for consideration. Just one bill has actually cleared a committee in the pre-session committee weeks that lead up to session. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Gas prices soar 10 cents in Florida and even more in Miami
Gas prices have increased an average of 10 cents in Florida and 15 cents in the Miami area since last week. It’s a yo-yo change from the week before, when gas prices decreased by that amount. Several North Florida areas are averaging less than $3 a gallon as the region remains the cheapest to get gas in the state, in some places about 25 cents cents less per gallon than South Florida. More from the Miami Herald.
Industrial growth is booming in Santa Rosa and 2025 will bring more
Santa Rosa County Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree is calling 2025 the year of the reload. After several years of pushing to fill the industrial development space it has on hand, the county is edging towards succeeding in doing just that. And while that's a good problem to have, Ogletree looks west and sees Escambia County struggling to find the land it needs to lure companies to the region. More from the Pensacola News Journal.
Cocoa makes another try at landing $47 million federal grant for Brightline station
The city of Cocoa is making a new pitch for a federal grant that would help pay for construction of a $80.96 million Brightline passenger train station in the city. Cocoa and the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization are seeking a $47.21 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration for the project, after being rejected for a similar-sized federal grant last fall. More from Florida Today.
Vanderbilt offers first glance at proposed West Palm Beach business school campus
Vanderbilt University, which hopes to raise $300 million to help fund a business school project in downtown West Palm Beach, served up a small portfolio of renderings Monday that shows how 7 acres of donated public land would be used for the project. Last fall, commissioners for the City of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County each voted to grant the Nashville, Tennessee-based university 2 and 5 acres respectively that would be the South Florida home of Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
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Business Profile
New St. Pete clay business looks to break the mold at Florida State Fair
The Florida State Fair is much more than rides, food, and games. It’s a chance for local businesses and artists to get their faces and names out there in front of a whole new group of people. St. Pete Ceramics has been around for less than a year, so getting the opportunity to put their talents on display in front of thousands could be a game changer for artists like Ethan Fielder.
» More from WFTS.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Manatee viewing season
They’re slow, they’re quiet and they don’t do much but roll around in the water and eat. But viewing Florida manatees in the wild remains a popular winter activity for residents and tourists alike. Crystal River has dubbed itself the “Manatee Capital of the World.” The winter months offer the best viewing opportunities as the manatees seek warmer inland waters to avoid a condition similar to frostbite.
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