Why tourism councils could be on the chopping block in Florida
Florida hit another tourism record in 2024, with 142.9 million visitors. Despite that, there are concerns among local tourism leaders that their positions could be in jeopardy. New legislation that passed two committees in Tallahassee this week would kill all tourist development councils in the state. “Trying to stop the model that is fueling the number one economy in the state is the wrong approach," said Discover the Palm Beaches CEO Milton Segarra. More from WPTV.
Miami-based Exowatt secures $70M Series A to solve a big AI problem: power
AI technology demands energy, lots and lots of it. Fortunately, Exowatt has a solution for that. The Miami-born company announced new funding to produce and deploy its next-generation renewable energy product. Exowatt closed a $70 million Series A round. The round was led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Felicis. The new round brings Exowatt’s total amount raised to $90 million so far. Exowatt was founded in 2023 by Hannan Happi and Atomic CEO Jack Abraham. More from Refresh Miami.
UF Health, UnitedHealthcare end contract dispute, reach multi-year agreement
After months of negotiations, UF Health and UnitedHealthcare have reached a multi-year agreement that will restore network access to those enrolled with the insurance company. The previous contract dispute involved UHC pushing back against proposed price hikes by UF Health. UHC patients will regain in-network access to UF Health facilities and physicians starting May 5. More from the Gainesville Sun.
FIS seen as winner in deal adding credit processing business from Global Payments
Fidelity National Information Services Inc., or FIS, paid $43 billion to buy Worldpay Inc. in a 2019 deal that turned sour. While it won’t receive all of its money back, analysts said Jacksonville-based FIS is the winner in its deal to sell off its remaining 45% interest in Worldpay as part of an asset swap with Global Payments Inc. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Tamiami Angel Funds invests in climate tech firm
Angel investors from the Naples-based Tamiami Family of Angel Funds invested an additional $1.05 million in Kind Designs, a South Florida-based climate-tech company that manufactures environmentally friendly Living Seawalls to protect coastal communities from rising sea levels. With the most recent investments, Tamiami Angel investors are now the largest backers of the company. More from Gulfshore Business.
Recreation
This ‘urban oasis’ in Florida ranks as the No. 1 park in the U.S. Why it’s special
A Florida park is an “urban oasis” — and ranks No. 1 in the United States, a new report finds. Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland tops a list of the nation’s most-beloved public parks for relaxing and playing, according to results published April 16. It turns out, another Florida destination wasn’t far behind in the rankings. Lake Eola Park in Orlando landed at No. 4 on the list from USA Today’s 10Best.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Profile
The bigger picture
Growing up in Quincy, a small town about 25 miles west of Tallahassee during the 1960s and ’70s, Alma Littles “witnessed a lot of illness and death.” Routine preventative care, the kind most people enjoy, could have helped save those lives, she says. But Littles doesn’t remember seeing a family doctor. The school nurse took care of her, including providing her childhood vaccinations. Those experiences set her on a path to becoming a doctor, helping to care for those underserved communities, including her hometown.
» Read more from Florida Trend.