Author: Owen E. Richason IV
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Foreclosure activity is rising across the United States, and Florida has emerged as the hardest-hit state. According to real estate analytics firm ATTOM Data, one in every 1,829 homes in Florida faced foreclosure in October 2025, the highest rate in the country. Tampa ranked first among large metro areas, with one in every 1,373 housing…
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The City of Tampa began accepting applications Monday for a new program offering financial recovery assistance to homeowners affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program provides up to $30,000 to eligible residents for home repairs or reimbursement of hurricane-related expenses. The city allocated $2 million from its general fund for the…
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Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is no longer Florida’s largest property insurer for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a significant shift in the state’s insurance market. The state-backed insurer has reduced its policies by more than 900,000 from a peak of 1.4 million two years ago. The reduction stems from an aggressive…
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The Florida Department of Health has confirmed a case of Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, in Polk County — the county’s first reported case in 2025, according to state health data. Details about the case are confidential, health officials said. As of Nov. 13, Florida has logged 31 cases statewide this year, with…
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Foot Locker will no longer relocate its corporate headquarters to St. Petersburg following its $2.4 billion acquisition by Dick’s Sporting Goods, according to a memo sent to city council members Wednesday. The company informed the city it had “reevaluated its corporate strategy and decided not to move forward with relocating its global headquarters” after the…
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The Walt Disney Company’s Parks and Experiences division achieved record-breaking operating income of $10 billion for fiscal year 2025, marking an increase of $723 million over the previous year. The division’s fourth-quarter performance was particularly strong, with revenue reaching $8.77 billion, a 6% increase from the same period last year, and operating income rising 13%…
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Home insurance premiums are rising dramatically across the central United States, driven largely by increasingly destructive hailstorms that cause billions of dollars in property damage, according to recent federal reports and industry data. In June 2024, softball-sized hail struck Cozad, Nebraska, a town of 4,000 people, causing an estimated $100 million in damage. Nearly every…
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Construction is underway at Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina as part of a $43.5 million reconstruction project that aims to modernize the facility used by charter boats, tour companies, and fishermen. The project will add 165 new boat slips, ticket kiosks, a marina walk and an updated fuel office. Pinellas County is contributing $7.5 million toward…
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Rising costs and declining availability of home insurance are fundamentally changing communities across the United States as climate-related disasters become more frequent and expensive. The crisis, which was once concentrated in hurricane and wildfire-prone regions, has now spread to areas previously considered low-risk. Between 2018 and 2022, home insurance costs increased approximately 8% faster than…
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Tampa has been named the second-best city in the United States for military veterans, according to a new report released for Veterans Day by the financial website WalletHub. The study compared the country’s 100 largest cities across 19 key metrics, including employment opportunities, income growth, housing affordability, healthcare access and community support. Austin, Texas, claimed…
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St. Petersburg’s Albert Whitted Airport remains without replacement hangars more than a year after Hurricane Milton destroyed three structures that housed dozens of tenants, prompting city council members to push for faster action on rebuilding. The hurricane’s 100 mph winds destroyed 32 storage units, and the airport has lost approximately $275,000 in rental revenue to…
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As skyrocketing home values squeeze Florida’s middle-class families, Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers are ramping up efforts to overhaul the Sunshine State’s property tax system. With the 2026 legislative session looming, proposals to phase out property taxes are gaining traction, promising relief for homeowners while raising alarms about funding essential services. But how would…
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ARK Invest and Ellison Development have announced plans to launch two investment funds that would raise money for a proposed $6.8 billion redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site in St. Petersburg, Florida. The firms submitted an unsolicited bid in October to transform the 95-acre Gas Plant District site into a mixed-use development featuring housing, hotels,…
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Pinellas County has experienced 685 bicycle crashes so far this year, resulting in 10 deaths, according to the sheriff’s office. The crashes are part of a broader trend across Florida, where more than 8,000 bicycle crashes occurred in the first 10 months of 2025, including 156 fatalities. Of those deaths, 38 occurred in the Tampa…
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The City of St. Petersburg will soon start accepting applications for a nearly $160 million federal grant to help homeowners recover from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant is available to homeowners affected by Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Hurricane Helene in 2024 who earn 80% or less…
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Florida homeowners are challenging Citizens Insurance’s use of an administrative hearing process to resolve coverage disputes, claiming the system is unfair to policyholders. Nicholle Kvocka of Ruskin had her fire-damage claim from Hurricane Helene denied by Citizens Insurance, despite engineers confirming the damage. Her case was sent to Florida’s Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), where…
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The Florida Public Service Commission has approved a rate hike for local utility provider Tampa Electric that will take effect in January, resulting in an approximately $5.50 monthly increase for customers. Tampa Electric customers have already been paying higher costs over the past year to cover storm recovery expenses. These storm-related charges will continue through…
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Tampa Electric Company has requested approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to temporarily raise electricity rates, citing storm recovery costs and infrastructure improvements. If approved, residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours monthly would pay approximately $8.88 more per month, a 5.3% increase bringing bills to $176.89. Commercial and industrial customers would see increases of 2%…
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Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has moved approximately 350,000 Florida homeowners to private insurance companies as part of its ongoing policy reduction efforts or depopulation program. The state-backed insurer has dramatically decreased its policy count from 1.4 million policies a couple of years ago to 482,570, reducing financial exposure for both Citizens and Florida residents who…
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The Beachcomber hotel and adjacent Jimmy B’s Beach Bar will reopen Thursday evening, more than a year after sustaining severe damage from Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The 102-room hotel features two heated pools, beach amenities, and a boardwalk-style bar with live music open to the public. Jimmy B’s is hosting a four-day welcome back…
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State Senator Mack Bernard, a West Palm Beach Democrat, has introduced five property tax relief proposals as Florida lawmakers continue debating how to reduce the tax burden on homeowners. One proposal, SJR 270, would exempt seniors aged 65 and older from paying the non-school portion of property taxes if they have maintained a homestead exemption…
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The Indian Shores Town Council held its Oct. 14 meeting with several unanimous votes, including the recognition of a longtime police retiree, approval of board reappointments, and the expansion of paid parking throughout the town. The council passed a resolution recognizing Florida City Week, observed statewide Oct. 20–26, to promote civic education and volunteerism. In…
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Forward Pinellas, a transportation planning organization, was awarded a $320,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The funding will support a comprehensive road safety action plan to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities across the county. The initiative will focus on analyzing crash data to pinpoint high-risk corridors…
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Clocks will fall back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 2, marking the end of daylight saving time for 2025, despite years of legislative efforts to make the time change permanent. Over the past seven years, 18 states have passed legislation or resolutions supporting year-round daylight saving time—a movement called “lock the clock“,…
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Florida State Sen. Don Gaetz has filed legislation to expand the Florida Public Service Commission from five to seven members and impose new restrictions on electric utility companies. The bill, SB 126, would cap electric utility returns on equity at the national average and require PSC orders to include adequate support and rationale for their…
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A new bill in the Florida House of Representatives would require students in grades 2-5 to learn cursive writing, with the mandate taking effect in July 2026 if passed. House Bill 127, introduced by State Representative Toby Overdorf, a Republican from Palm City, would require students to demonstrate proficiency in both reading and writing cursive.…
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that Progressive auto insurance will provide nearly $1 billion in rebates or credits to its Florida policyholders, citing reduced litigation costs following state insurance reforms. The average rebate for Progressive customers across Florida will be approximately $300, which may be distributed as either a check or bill credit depending…
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The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about a new scam called “ghost tapping” that secretly charges payment methods through tap-to-pay technology. The scam exploits Near Field Communication technology used in tap-to-pay systems, with fraudsters targeting victims in crowded spaces or distracting situations. Scammers may bump into people while secretly charging their tap-enabled cards or…
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Florida legislators are considering a bill that would allow exemptions to the state’s minimum wage law, which increased to $14 per hour in September. The proposed legislation, introduced by Republican Representative Ryan Chamberlin of Marion County, would permit individuals to voluntarily request lower pay for internships or similar positions. Supporters say the bill would create…
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Fort Lauderdale has been named the sixth least safe city in America, according to a recent WalletHub report that analyzed safety conditions across more than 180 U.S. cities. The personal finance website compared cities across three key dimensions: home and community safety, natural disaster risk, and financial safety to determine where Americans can feel most…
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Pinellas County residents affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton can now apply for recovery funds through the People First Hurricane Recovery Programs, which began accepting applications Monday. The initiative provides assistance to homeowners, renters, and landlords with home repairs, repair reimbursements, home buyer assistance, and disaster-related expenses including rent, mortgage, and utilities. At least 70…
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St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a $147,451 contract with Jacobs Engineering Group on Sept. 24 to study the installation of flood gates that could protect multiple neighborhoods from tidal and storm surge impacts. The proposed system would place flood gates at two bridges along Canal #7 in Shore Acres, the city’s lowest-lying neighborhood, at…
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Pinellas County will begin accepting applications next week for hurricane recovery programs aimed at helping vulnerable, lower-income residents affected by recent storms. The programs are funded by an $813 million Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development—the largest federal storm recovery grant awarded to any local government in Florida…
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A Florida state representative has filed legislation that would provide $1,000 annual payments to qualifying homeowners for five years as property tax relief. State Rep. Jeff Holcomb, a Republican from Spring Hill, filed House Bill 71, which would begin distributing checks in 2026 to homesteaded homeowners with properties valued between $100,000 and $450,000. The proposal…
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Treasure Island has completed removing more than 128,000 tons of storm debris following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck the area in close succession one year ago. The cleanup process took approximately six months and cost just over $2 million, according to Assistant Public Works Director Jeffrey Agrall. The city spent $136,544 after Hurricane Helene…
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Hillsborough County is hosting a panel discussion on post-disaster recovery on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Miller Park and Life Center in Tampa. The meeting is part of the county’s effort to increase storm resiliency following hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck the area late last year. The recovery plan focuses on expediting repairs,…
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Tropical Storm Jerry formed over the central Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was located about 1,315 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and is the 10th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Jerry is predicted…
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Some Florida homeowners who participated in the state’s My Safe Florida Home program are reporting higher insurance premiums after completing storm-resilient upgrades, despite expectations of savings. The program, which relaunched in 2022, covers up to two-thirds of costs for hurricane-protection improvements, with a maximum grant of $10,000 per household. State officials have promoted the initiative…
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Florida regulators began a two-week hearing on Monday to consider Florida Power & Light’s request to raise rates for its approximately 12 million customers. FPL is seeking approval for a four-year rate plan that would increase the average household bill by about $2.50 per month starting in 2026, with increases continuing through 2029 to reach…
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Cushman & Wakefield announced plans to develop an air taxi vertiport in Tampa, partnering with VertiPorts by Atlantic to establish facilities for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across major U.S. metro areas. The proposed vertiport would service passenger aircraft designed for short trips around the Tampa Bay Area, comparable to typical ride-sharing distances.…
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The St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a $147,451 contract with Jacobs Engineering Group on September 24 to study the installation of flood gates that could protect multiple neighborhoods from tidal and storm surge flooding. The project focuses on Shore Acres, the city’s lowest-lying neighborhood, but would benefit several interconnected areas, including Edgemoor, Placido Bayou,…
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More than two dozen new laws go into effect in Florida on October 1, 2025, addressing public safety, housing, and criminal justice issues. Criminal Justice and Public Safety: “Trooper’s Law” creates criminal penalties for restraining and abandoning dogs outside during natural disasters. The “Tristin Murphy Act” provides funding for programs diverting individuals with mental health…
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The City of Tarpon Springs is waiving fees for “after-the-fact” building permits through December 31 to help residents bring storm-damaged properties up to code following last year’s storms. The initiative, coordinated with Pinellas County’s similar program for unincorporated areas, allows homeowners to obtain permits for repairs already completed or underway. City staff will assist residents…
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