Florida Trend Exclusive

When it comes to cars, how fast can Florida really go electric?

Sales of electric vehicles are growing in Florida, but EVs still amount to less than 1% of registered vehicles, cost about a third more than gas cars, and charging stations are far from universal. How fast can Florida really go electric? As of January, there were more than 120,000-plus light-duty electric (or hybrid) vehicles on Florida’s roads — nearly double the number from two years ago, according to vehicle registration data, and nearly two-thirds (63%) of them were Teslas. [Source: Florida Trend]

Florida adds 32,981 COVID cases, highest weekly jump in 2 months

COVID-19 infections in Florida continue to climb. Average daily cases have reached 4,711 for the most recent seven-day period from April 30 to Friday. That’s a 24-percent increase from last week and the highest point since Feb. 21. It’s the seventh straight week that cases have gone up, but the growth rate is starting to slow. Hospitalizations are climbing, but also at a slower pace than in previous weeks. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida’s disputed voting laws likely in effect this year after appeals court ruling

A federal appeals court panel has temporarily reinstated a Florida voting law that a federal judge recently declared unconstitutional for its limits on drop boxes, “line warming” activities at polling sites and third-party voter registration efforts. In March, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee struck down large parts of Senate Bill 90, passed by Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year. [Source: Miami Herald]

Florida pension fund sues Elon Musk and Twitter to stop buyout

Elon Musk and Twitter were sued on Friday by a Florida pension fund seeking to stop Musk from completing his $44bn takeover of the social media company before 2025. In a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in Delaware chancery court, the Orlando police pension fund said Delaware law forbade a quick merger because Musk had agreements with other big Twitter shareholders, including his financial adviser Morgan Stanley and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, to support the buyout. [Source: The Guardian]

Gas, diapers, essential items will be tax-free in Florida

From gas to diapers to hurricane supplies, dozens of expensive and essential items will be tax-free in Florida over the next few months. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed the "largest tax relief in the history of the state of Florida," a $1.2 billion plan that's designed to provide relief for Floridians from the highest level of inflation in 40 years. One of the biggest benefits will be during the entire month of October, when gas will be tax-free. [Source: WFTX]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tallahassee Starbucks becomes the first Florida location to unionize [WUSF]
A Tallahassee Starbucks became the first Florida location Tuesday to unionize. Employees voted 16-1 in favor of unionization. The location will work alongside other stores across the country that have also voted to unionize, but each store will bargain individually with the international coffee chain.

› Sloppy Joe’s is celebrating 85 years on a Key West corner. This bar’s story is even older [Miami Herald]
On an island filled with famous watering holes and charming backstories, one bar stands out as a Key West classic. This year, Sloppy Joe’s Bar is celebrating 85 years of doing business at 201 Duval St., where it anchors a corner at Greene Street and each year hosts a contest to find someone with the beard and the bulk to double as Ernest Hemingway.

› Superyachts closer to a bigger home as Fort Lauderdale starts Las Olas Marina project [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
As much as Fort Lauderdale has always welcomed luxury vessels to the city’s vast network of waterways, the “yachting capital of the world” often has been a tough place for a captain of superyachts to find a place to dock. But now, the space issue is closer to easing as the city started construction last week of the Las Olas Marina, which would provide helmsmen with 7,000 new linear feet of dockage, a three-story marine services building and a 15,000-square foot, two-story upscale restaurant with outdoor dining.

› Salvation Army cuts services as Sarasota-Manatee nonprofits struggle [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
From the start of the pandemic through the current housing crisis, area nonprofits have been a lifeline for a deluge of residents struggling to stay afloat through illness, job loss or skyrocketing rents. But now – after successive waves of hardships hitting both the people they serve and their own employees – nonprofits are taking on water, too.

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› Draken International laying off 247 — 100 locally — after losing military contract [Business Observer]
Draken International, an aerospace and defense company, is laying off 100 employees in Lakeland after losing a contract with the U.S. Air Force. The layoffs will begin May 20, according to a letter sent to the state to meet federally mandated Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act requirements.

› Jaguars name development team for Shipyards development [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The Jacksonville Jaguars on May 6 announced the development team for its estimated $321 million Downtown Shipyards project, anchored by the Four Seasons Hotel Jacksonville. The Jaguars and its development arm, Iguana Investments Florida LLC, named Orlando-based PCL Construction as the project’s construction manager.

› Bahia Mar developer files $10 million countersuit against boat show [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The ugly feud between the boat show and its Bahia Mar landlord shows no sign of fizzling anytime soon. First the organizers of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show sued developer Jimmy Tate and his partners in March over a gag order they say limits their right to free speech. Now Tate and company have filed a countersuit seeking more than $10 million in damages.

› SeaWorld, Ice Breaker coaster voted top honors [Orlando Sentinel]
SeaWorld Orlando and its new Ice Breaker roller coaster came out on top in two categories of the latest 10Best Awards for 2022. SeaWorld was voted best theme park in North America, while sister park Busch Gardens Tampa Bay finished fifth. No other Florida attractions made the top 10 of the poll. A panel of experts and 10Best editors picks 20 nominees in each category, and then winners are determined by popular online vote.