No comments:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024

Good Morning! On this day in 1948, musician and record producer Jim Ed Norman was born in Fort Myers. He is known as a producer and former president of Warner Brothers Records, Nashville, where he played a significant role in shaping the careers of artists like Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, and Faith Hill.

Manatees, beloved residents of Florida’s waters, have returned, marking a positive highlight this week. Learn more about their migration journey here. Additionally, cooler temperatures are expected, so it may be time to bring out your long-sleeved shirts.

Check out your last chance to invest in this up-and-coming robotics company with today's sponsor, Miso Robotics.

New Storm Is Brewing in Atlantic

The National Hurricane Center in Miami is tracking an "area of active weather" west of the Cabo Verde Islands in the Atlantic, with a 60% chance of development in the next week. It is currently designated AL94.

As the storm moves westward, warmer waters and changing environmental conditions could increase the likelihood of it developing into a tropical depression.

Another broad area of low pressure will likely develop over the southwestern Caribbean Sea by the middle or latter part of the week. If the system remains over water, further development is possible.

The next tropical storm to form in the Atlantic will be named Nadine.

Milton’s Impact Lingers as Floridians Return to Near-Normal

While some residents are still without power, dealing with flooded streets, and managing debris, progress has been notable.

Power companies have restored electricity to 93% of the 3.4 million homes affected, students are either back in school or preparing to return, and long lines at gas stations have nearly disappeared.

Internet service is spotty or down for many, with less than 200,000 Florida customers without services as of Tuesday. About 2,000 Spectrum technicians and engineers are working with local power companies to restore internet and cable services.

A major concern is how Milton and Helene will impact insurance premiums. Damage in Florida is estimated to be between $8 billion and $14 billion for the two hurricanes combined.

According to industry experts, insurers and reinsurers will likely face elevated losses due to the densely populated areas affected, which could result in rate hikes.

Florida Citrus Growers Hit Hard

Florida's "citrus belt" took a direct hit from Hurricane Milton as farmers prepared for harvest. Citrus farmers are still assessing the damage, and orange juice prices are up 270% compared to three years ago.

The state’s five largest citrus-producing counties, which accounted for 69% of last year's production, were directly in Milton’s path.

Farmers were hoping for a rebound this season after Hurricane Ian damaged crops in 2022. It typically takes two to three years for trees to recover from significant damage.

Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual the state’s largest industry trade organization, said what he has seen and heard from growers is not promising.

Ending Friday: One Giant Leap for AI

The move from prototype to commercial product is a critical step for any startup. It’s a sign that they’ve proven their tech, their customers want it, and they can now start making money. That’s exactly what’s happening with Miso Robotics. And unlike most successful startups that make this transition, you can invest in Miso at this pivotal moment.

Miso’s honed Flippy, their AI-powered kitchen robot, at the fry station of some of the world’s top fast food brands, including White Castle and Jack in the Box. Backed by 150,000+ hours of training data in live kitchens and collaborations with Nvidia and Amazon, Miso just launched the commercial-ready Flippy Fry Station robot. It’s smaller, faster, and smarter than its predecessor, making it tailor-made for today’s fast food kitchens. That’s why its first production run just sold out in only seven days. And this sellout is just the start. White Castle even announced interest in rolling Flippy out to 100 locations.

Now Miso’s ready to begin selling to 170 brands and 100,000+ fast food locations in desperate need of an automation solution. That’s a $4B recurring revenue opportunity for Miso. Invest in Miso before the Friday deadline.

➤ Pinellas County: Students returned to school today after a week-long shutdown following the storm. Staff returned to work yesterday to finalize building preparations. (See Video)

➤ Meanwhile, in Hillsborough County, 100 schools remained closed on Tuesday due to power outages, with some still dealing with standing water. Officials aim to restore power today. (More)

➤ Miami-Dade County: The public housing waiting list opened yesterday, offering 5,000 applicants a chance at safe, affordable housing. (See Details)

➤ Hernando County: The Withlacoochee River continues to rise with historic flooding near and along its banks due to Hurricane Milton. Residents are being urged to evacuate the area. (More)

➤ St. Lucie County: Sunnier Palms Nudist Park will likely remain closed for months after a tornado destroyed the 55+ mobile home community during Hurricane Milton. (See Video)

➤ Pasco County: Residents got to talk with local officials and FEMA reps about everything from displacement and rental assistance to when payments from approved claims could be expected at a town hall-style meeting on Monday. (More)

➤ Florida is ranked No. 21 in the nation in the preseason AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll. (See Rankings)

➤ The Jacksonville Jaguars traded defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks for a sixth-round draft pick. (More)

➤ Florida quarterback Graham Mertz is out for the season after tearing his ACL in Saturday’s overtime loss to No. 8 Tennessee. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | NHL

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Your key to virus removal. Save time and money by cleaning computer viruses yourself. With a FixMeStick, you don’t have to replace your computer. By using FixMeStick once a month, you keep your computer, files, and privacy. (See It Here)

➤ Austin-based Chuy’s is relocating its headquarters to Orlando following the completion of its $605 million acquisition by Darden Restaurants Inc. (More)

➤ Capogna’s Dugout, a Clearwater family-owned restaurant and destination for more than half a century, will remain closed after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, compounded by a tough economy. (More)

➤ Fishermen have delayed setting their stone crab traps due to damage from Hurricane Milton, which could impact the supply of the highly sought-after crustacean and potentially drive up prices this season. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Hale Breathing Aid is like a contact lens for your nose—it instantly opens up your nasal passages and is virtually undetectable to those around you. Unlike toxic medicines or sprays, Hale corrects the structure of your nose without the need for invasive surgery. (See It Here)

Remember When Humans Did That?

Working the local burger joint’s fryer is a tough job. Between the grease burns and long hours, it’s getting harder and harder for fast-food restaurants to staff their kitchens. In fact, around 3M jobs are expected to go unfilled in the U.S. alone.

Miso has a solution: its AI-powered robot, Flippy, has mastered the deep fryer. It’s already logged 150k+ hours of training data in real-world kitchens for brands like White Castle and Jack in the Box. Now, Miso just released the newest Flippy Fry Station, which is their smallest, smartest, and fastest fry station robot yet. The industry buyers are excited, too—the first production run sold out in just 7 days.

With 170+ fast food brands in need of automation, there’s a $4 billion annual revenue opportunity there for the taking. Invest in Miso before Friday’s deadline.

^{This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.}

➤ Nearly 100 animals that were evacuated from Hillsborough County during Hurricane Milton arrived in the Philadelphia area this weekend. (See Video)

➤ Rescue animals and prison inmates have a chance to bond at Monroe County Sheriff's Office Animal Farm. (See Video)

➤ The final leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will kick off in South Florida on Friday. Ticket prices have skyrocketed. (See Video)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Never lose your reading glasses again! With ThinOptics®, you’ll always have your reading glasses handy! These thin, incredibly durable, and comfortable glasses stick right to the back of your phone, keeping them safely tucked away until you need them. (See It Here)