Covering All Things Florida
Hooters, the iconic Clearwater-founded restaurant chain known for its chicken wings and distinctive “Hooters Girls,” has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing comes as part of a strategic plan to restructure the company and facilitate a sale to a group of franchisees, including some of the original Clearwater, Florida founders.
For the large contingent of retirees in Florida, manufactured homes have often been one of the few remaining choices of affordable living options. But now, even affordable trailer parks are fading fast as Florida housing costs rise.
Effective April 11, 2025, Canadians planning to stay in the United States for more than 30 days will be required to register with U.S. immigration authorities.
SpaceX is planning to launch the privately-crewed Fram2 mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon tomorrow evening from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is set for 9:46 PM ET.
(The Center Square / Steve Wilson) – Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez wants to cut the state’s sales tax rate, saying it would be the largest cut in the state’s history.
In The Villages, Florida, a legal dispute has emerged between local drone operators and the community’s developer over the use of drones to document construction projects. Don Wiley, a Sumter County Commissioner and licensed commercial drone pilot, has been at the center of this controversy. A law firm says Wiley’s use of his drone runs afoul of Florida’s drone law. Wiley vehemently disagrees, citing both legal precedent and his First Amendment rights.
It’s dry in a great deal of Florida — too dry. While warm, sunny days are perfect for beachgoers and theme park guests, a drought is bad for farmers and others who need regular rains to maintain their businesses and way of life. It’s also bad for wilderness areas of the state, with lower water levels in rivers, lakes, and aquifers, impacting water supplies while increasing the risk of saltwater intrusion and algae blooms in the water supply.
Florida lawmakers are what might become a new Florida law, Senate Bill 1782 (SB 1782), a measure aimed at imposing stricter penalties on drivers who engage in extreme speeding, commonly referred to as “super speeders.” The bill, introduced by State Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D) Hollywood, seeks to deter reckless driving behaviors that have become increasingly prevalent on Florida’s roadways. Pizzo’s district covers parts of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
AAA reports that after a period of stability, the national average for a gallon of gasoline has risen by approximately 4 cents over the past week, reaching $3.12. This increase comes despite crude oil prices remaining below $70 per barrel. Fortunately, some parts of Florida are still well below the national average.
Florida legislators are considering a bill that would require motorists to display license plates on both the front and rear of their vehicles. The proposal, introduced by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), seeks to enhance the identification of vehicles involved in hit-and-run incidents. Gruters emphasized that many cameras capture only the front of vehicles, making rear-only plates insufficient for identification purposes.
A planeload of New York-bound passengers had a close call Thursday morning when a Southwest jet nearly took off from a taxiway at the Orlando International Airport.
You’ve probably never heard of “Orlampa,” Florida, because it doesn’t exactly exist…yet. And if it sounds like a Dr. Suess character, no, not even close. But Orlampa is coming, and its downtown will be in the once-sleepy orange groves of Polk County.
