The Sunshine Economy

The home insurance market is broken with companies collapsing or leaving — raising costs and risks for homeowners.

Property insurance rates are skyrocketing and Florida lawmakers promise action.

The battle between Gov. DeSantis and Disney CEO Bob Chapek is a rare public display of big business and hard knuckle politics.

The child care industry is pivotal for parents being able to work and for children's early learning. It struggles to compete for workers.

The Russian war in Ukraine has brought focus — again — to sources of energy. Climate activist Bill McKibben talks about how he hopes the war will reshape the developed world's relationship with fossil fuels.

Delaney Reynolds and Bill McKibben are from different generations and live on opposite ends of the East Coast. Both have committed themselves toward fighting climate change and rallying politicians and people, while increasingly focusing on finance.

WLRN has been following three businesses for more than a year as the regional economy recovers from COVID-19.

The unemployment rate has plunged while the inflation rate has soared, hurting consumer confidence.

COVID-19 cost them one business, but Jamila and Akino West used their pandemic pivot to reinvest and reinvent their entrepreneurial ambitions.

War has broken out in Eastern Europe. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is felt here with higher gasoline prices, but it also impacts countries with close ties to South Florida.

First it was the virus, now small firms are dealing with new challenges like inflation and finding workers.

The latest Tallahassee Takeover podcast from WLRN News explores the building friction over business and local rules. The battle over booze in Miami Beach may be its first test.

Virgin Voyages hopes to stand out in the cruise ship business with its rock-and-roll attitude and adults-only cruises even as the CDC still advises travelers to avoid cruising because of COVID.

The escalating unaffordability of housing for local workers threatens competitiveness and quality of life, and worries housing experts.

After years of shrinking, the state taxpayer-backed property insurance company Citizens has been growing as private insurers lose money in Florida.

The second year of COVID-19 could cost $50 million for health insurance company AvMed.

A Miami company has attracted big investors and is reshaping the restaurant industry.

How inflation is affecting South Florida businesses from furniture to food, new cars to even Tonka toy trucks.

Florida Republican lawmakers said employees need protections against being fired for not getting vaccinated. Democrats called it political theater casting doubt on COVID-19 vaccines.

The demand for home health care has increased even while the supply of workers has been squeezed thanks to how most of the care is paid for.

Norwegian Cruise Line requires all its passengers and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and has been fighting in court to continue its mandate.

Parts of Florida consistently rank as some of the most unaffordable places to live with the combination of low incomes and high housing costs.

Thousands of people have dropped out of the job market even as the economy continues rebounding. From hotels to health care, companies are looking to hire.

COVID-19 has highlighted how older Americans are cared for, the special vulnerabilities they face, and the challenges families have to confront when making caregiving decisions.

Medical products maker Demetech moved into masks early during the pandemic, but now is left holding millions of them.

The South Florida economy has been growing, but it remains far from its pre-pandemic condition. Meantime, the virus continues spreading.

A billion-dollar deal for five South Florida hospitals brings a new operator to the region. Steward Health Care is the largest physician-owned hospital network in the country and bought several facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Jorge Pérez built Related Group into one of the leading condominium and apartment developers in the region, reshaping the South Florida skyline — especially along the waterfront. Now his two oldest sons have taken over the day-to-day running of the company after the Surfside collapse and during a pandemic.

The job market is strong in South Florida. Offices are reopening and COVID-19 vaccines are available. So what pandemic policies are companies putting in place?

It’s a multi-billion dollar question for the South Florida economy — when will cruise ships set sail again with passengers? PortMiami's boss says: "We're ready."

For months the Sunshine Economy has been following three businesswomen navigating the pandemic economy. The baker, banker, and cleaner have been growing in their optimism even as each of them have had trouble finding new employees.

In 2015, the Sunshine Economy asked a group of Miami technology leaders to imagine what the industry could look like in 2030. Six years, a global pandemic and one viral tweet later, the five people are even more convinced that Miami’s tech movement has arrived now.

COVID-19 shut down South Florida’s arts economy. Performances, concerts and productions came to a stop for artists and behind-the-scene workers. But, slowly, the curtain is rising again.

"Florida is a very important place for French investors," said France's Ambassador to the U.S. Philippe Étienne, during a visit for the launch of a French crew member from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station.

It has been more than a year since a cruise ship sailed from the U.S. with paying passengers. So when does Royal Caribbean International hope to be able to shove off from South Florida ports?

City National Bank of Florida was one of the most prolific lenders of government rescue money during the pandemic.

One year after the pandemic took hold of the economy, shutting down the hospitality industry and costing thousands of jobs, these business owners are fighting their way back. And in some cases, the future looks brighter now.

The state government pushed local school districts to reopen classrooms last fall sooner than elected school board members thought was safe. Some see it as the state standing up for parent choice, while others interpreted it as the state undermining local decision-making.

More than a million public school students in Florida are going to school through a screen. That may cost them and the U.S. economy in the decades to come.

During this special Class of COVID-19 edition of The Sunshine Economy, superintendents of South Florida school districts detail how they're trying to find thousands of students who aren't going to school — and what the consequences will be if they don't.

With the state facing a budget crunch thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, what has been the impact of the virus on the finances of local colleges and universities? Can schools keep tuition in check?

Star chef Marcus Samuelsson was determined to open a new restaurant in South Florida, even during a recession.

Millions of cruise ship passengers have been missing from PortMiami during the pandemic, but parts of the port are busier than ever.

After more than 25 years, Cuba is doing away with its dual currency system and getting rid of the Cuban Convertible Peso. What does the change mean for Cubans and for Cuban-Americans trying to help family and friends on the island?

The global search for COVID-19 vaccines has included South Florida as drug companies use clinical research companies here to find, manage, and follow local volunteers.

COVID-19 vaccines may be coming, but there remains big demand for personal protective equipment like masks, especially N95 masks. South Florida manufacturer Demetech has pivoted during the pandemic to compete in the global mask market.

Since September, the Sunshine Economy has been following how a baker, banker and bartender have been finding their way through the pandemic economy for themselves and their businesses.

For months, since the pandemic started, South Florida has been ranked one of the most food insecure areas of the country. About a half million people report sometimes or often not having enough to eat, and most of them report losing income, according to U.S. Census Bureau surveys.

The clock has been ticking for months on whether or not Congress will find a compromise on another round of federal government stimulus spending, and whether or not local governments could see some direct help.

As the battle against COVID-19 wears on, what’s the new normal? How could the pandemic reshape work and wages? How could it influence health care and the tourism industry?

The political rhetoric this election is red hot and often downright rude. But is there a business cost from incivility? Research shows rudeness is contagious. What is the effect on commerce?