What you need to know about Florida today
Florida is becoming a growing hub for medical research
Florida is widely known for its beaches, tourism, and major role in the U.S. space program. But alongside rocket launches and rapid population growth, another industry has been expanding across the state: medical research. As healthcare systems grow and digital technologies reshape clinical studies, Florida is becoming an increasingly active hub for medical innovation. [Source: Space Coast Daily]
Florida braces for record ‘sargassum summer’
Sargassum seaweed provides essential habitat for marine life but is a nuisance for tourism due to its smell and appearance. Scientists forecast a record amount of sargassum will wash ashore in Florida this year, fueled by pollution and climate change. The rotting seaweed can release hydrogen sulfide gas, which may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. [Source: Florida Today]
Florida personal property carriers book $1B underwriting swing
Florida-domiciled personal property specialist carriers booked close to $1 billion in underwriting gains in 2025, a turnaround from a $132 million underwriting loss recorded just two years earlier, AM Best said in a new report, pointing to the state’s tort reforms and a quiet hurricane season as the main drivers. The rating agency described the swing as evidence of market stabilization and more manageable operating conditions, while warning that underwriting discipline remains essential going forward. [Source: Insurance Business Magazine]
The U.S. indicted Raúl Castro. Will they bring him to Florida to be prosecuted?
Whether Castro ever stands trial for murder in Miami will determine whether Wednesday’s announcement was more than a symbolic measure and pressure tactic to bring the communist regime to heel. But there were no hard commitments on Wednesday to make sure that Castro, who turns 95 next month, will ever make it into a U.S. courtroom. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida’s ‘most interesting’ python is breeding faster than scientists thought possible
A nearly 13-foot Burmese python in Florida is forcing scientists to rethink how quickly the invasive species can multiply. The snake, named Harriet and described by researchers as the “most interesting Burmese python on the planet,” laid eggs far more often than experts once believed possible, USA Today reported. More from The Cool Down and USA Today.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida clears two carriers to absorb 40,000 Citizens policies
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has cleared two property and casualty carriers to assume as many as 40,000 policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., extending the state’s depopulation drive aimed at shrinking the size of its insurer of last resort. The approvals build on earlier action by the regulator in March, when four carriers received the green light to assume as many as 190,000 policies from Citizens’ book.
› Labor shortage in Central Florida could lead to project delays and higher costs
Central Florida’s rapid growth is fueling a surge in construction projects across the region, from new apartment complexes and subdivisions to expanding roadways and infrastructure. Industry leaders warn there may not be enough skilled workers to keep pace with the demand. New census estimates show the Orlando region added nearly 38,000 new residents in just one year, making it one of the fastest-growing large metro areas in the country.
› First public money of Rays $2.3 billion stadium funding approved
The $2.3 billion baseball stadium sought by the Tampa Bay Rays has reached first base politically with a vote approving a preliminary financing plan including millions of public dollars by the Hillsborough County Commission. The panel voted 5-2 Wednesday in favor of the non-binding plan, which next goes to the Tampa City Council on Thursday. If the proposal passes there, a new round of negotiations will begin on a final plan that would require future votes.
› Seminole looks to new indoor events complex to lure visitors
With hopes of cashing in on sports tourism, Seminole County commissioners took a major step this month toward building a new indoor events complex near the Orlando Sanford International Airport by agreeing to search for architectural and engineering firms. The proposed 178,000-square-foot facility, estimated to cost up to $175 million, is to sit on an old cow pasture and citrus grove west of East Lake Mary Boulevard and north of Moore’s Station Road.
More stories …
› Mexican authorities block Royal Caribbean’s new ‘Perfect Day’ project
Royal Caribbean’s hopes of opening a Perfect Day destination in Mexico were dashed this week after Mexican authorities responded to growing concerns about the environmental impacts of the plan. “Royal Caribbean’s ‘Perfect Day’ project will not be approved,” said Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of environment and natural resources (SEMARNAT), during a news conference Tuesday.
› UF interim president expected to get $2 million payout
He’s not a finalist for the permanent University of Florida presidency, but getting snubbed isn’t all that bad for Donald Landry. Thanks to an unusual clause in his one-year contract, UF owes Landry, the school’s interim leader since September, a severance payment worth $2 million. That’s on top of his $2 million base salary and up to $500,000 in performance bonuses.
› Sarasota snubbed in new Florida best places rankings
Despite consistently being ranked among the best places to live and visit in Florida — while also boasting a world-famous beach — not a single community in Sarasota County, or neighboring Manatee County, made a recent list of the top spots to live in the Sunshine State. U.S. News & World Report recently published its “2026-2027 Best Places to Live rankings,” evaluating U.S. cities, with 22 Florida communities appearing on the list.
› Amazon air cargo hub taking off at JAX
Referred to as Amazon Air KJAX, the city issued a permit May 20 for a project to make tenant improvements for the internet retailer’s air cargo facility at Jacksonville International Airport. PCL Construction Services Inc. of Orlando is the contractor for the $700,000 project to renovate a 50,000-square-foot warehouse.
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