State Revenue Grows by $2 Billion

State economists increased general revenue projections by $2 billion for the current fiscal year and next year.

A panel of economists said about half of the projected increase is tied to anticipated earnings on historically high state investments receiving favorable interest rates.

The projections replaced estimates issued in January and will be updated before lawmakers return for the 2025 session, which begins March 4.

Disney Fights Lawsuit with Fine Print

Disney is trying to get a widower’s wrongful death lawsuit tossed out by pointing to the fine print included in a trial subscription for the Disney+ streaming service.

Jeffrey Piccolo is suing both Disney and the Raglan Road pub for more than $50,000 on behalf of the estate of his late wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, who died from a fatal allergic reaction at the Irish pub in Disney Springs. 

Disney lawyers argue Piccolo had agreed to settle any lawsuits against Disney out of court through the arbitration process when he signed up for a one-month trial of Disney+ in 2019. 

Disney said Wednesday that it is “deeply saddened” by the family’s loss but stressed the Irish pub is neither owned nor operated by the company. An Oct. 2 hearing has been scheduled on Disney’s motion.

List: Top Cities for Foreign Tourists

Florida has two of the five most popular U.S. cities for international travelers, according to online booking platform Luxury Link. 

The Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall ranked No. 2 among the top 15 cities, attracting nearly 14% of the 31 million visitors who came to the U.S. in 2023.

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford ranked No. 4, with 3.5 million visitors, or 11.2% of U.S. overseas visitors.

Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach also made the list, coming in at No. 13, with 749,000 visitors from other countries. See the full list here.

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➤ Miami: Temple Israel, one of the oldest Jewish temples in South Florida, announced this week it will close next summer. (See Details)

➤ Hollywood: A local man was arrested for fraud and fraud investment after allegedly posing as a stock investor and conning people out of over $250,000. (Watch Video)

➤ Lakeland: Anne Kerr officially retired from Florida Southern College this week after serving 20 years as president. The private school has over 3,000 students. (More)

➤ Orlando: “Significant issues,” including the omission of a $6.3 million expense, were found in a financial audit of not-for-profit Visit Orlando, which manages a budget exceeding $100 million annually. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay: 97 local businesses rank on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private businesses in the U.S. (See List)

➤ Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville (HabiJax) is appealing to city leaders to secure more donated land through the city’s Property Surplus Donation Program. (More)

➤ Jacksonville saw a 22.3% rise in international tourism last year but still trails other Florida cities, according to an analysis from Luxury Link. (See Report)

➤ Tallahassee-born Wally Amos, founder of Famous Amos cookies, died Wednesday at age 88. (Watch Video)

➤ Tallahassee: An appeals court said this week it will hear arguments next month concerning Florida lawmakers being shielded from testifying in lawsuits. (See Details)

➤ Miami Marlins third baseman Jake Burger’s streak of consecutive games with a home run ended on Wednesday. Burger still hit two singles, extending his hit streak to seven games. (More)

➤ Jacksonville Jaguars star receiver Christian Kirk is dealing with a minor calf injury that may keep him out of Saturday’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (More)

➤ The Orlando Magic have unveiled a new team slogan “Make it Magic,” replacing the previous slogan “Magic Together” which had been used since the 2020 NBA season. (More)

Yesterday’s results: MLB

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➤ Clearwater-based FlyUSA ranked #45 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. (More)

➤ New rules on how real estate agents get paid go into effect Saturday, prompted by a series of antitrust lawsuits filed against the National Association of Realtors. (See Details)

➤ Fort Lauderdale’s historic Pier Sixty-Six Resort hotel announced it will reopen in November after a $1 billion renovation. (See Details)

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➤ The founder of Running 4 Heroes, Zechariah Cartledge, made his 1,801st run Wednesday to honor Master Deputy Bradley Link, who was killed this month in an ambush in Eustis. (Watch Video)

➤ Meanwhile, wounded veterans in Summerland Key have a new mission helping to save Florida’s endangered coral reefs. (Watch Video)

➤ The 5th Annual Space Coast Wing Battle will take place Saturday in Melbourne from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets include unlimited wing samples and beer. (Get Tickets)

➤ Meanwhile, here’s a list by Authentic Florida of the best Florida restaurants for chicken wings. (See List)

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Do you have a favorite chicken wing recipe? 

1. Yes
2. No
3. I like all kinds 
4. I don’t like chicken wings

Thursday’s Results:

Do you think Florida’s law regulating social media content violates First Amendment rights?

1. Yes: 21.9%
2. No: 47.8%
3. Undecided: 30.3%

Where in Florida was Frank Sinatra’s movie Lady in Cement filmed?

Show me the answer