Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2018

The platoon of power professionals working to get electricity restored in the Florida Panhandle has jumped to 4,400 according to Gulf Power, the region’s major utility company. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Michael, more than 400,000 utility customers in Florida were without power, and about a third of those were Gulf Power Customers. The […]

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2018

Panhandle utility company Gulf Power announced Thursday night that it has started making progress in its power restoration and rebuilding process in Panama City, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Michael. The company has restored power to more than 32,000 customers overall — an increase of 7,000 from its Thursday afternoon update — […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 11, 2018

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is heading back to Tallahassee from Tampa after seeing his wife, Katie, through breast cancer surgery. The two were at Moffitt Cancer Center as Hurricane Michael ravaged the Florida Panhandle, including Panama City Beach where the couple and their children live. “To say I’m a little overwhelmed is an […]

Drew WilsonOctober 11, 2018

Utility company Gulf Power said Thursday that it’s already restored power to 25,000 customers affected by Hurricane Michael, but nearly a quarter of its 457,000 customers are still waiting for their lights to come back on. Gulf Power said between its own workers and personnel flying in from across the country, it has 3,000 boots […]

Drew WilsonOctober 11, 2018

Gulf Power, which has more than 460,000 customers in the Florida Panhandle, said it’s preparing for the possibility that system will have to be rebuilt in the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Michael, delaying power restoration efforts. Hurricane Michael made landfall on the Florida Panhandle near Panama City on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 […]

Peter SchorschMay 31, 2018

Florida is in the crosshairs of two brewing storms. On the one hand hurricane season is already threatening (thanks Alberto), and on the other is the political storm of election season (thanks, Rick and Bill). Now those two are crashing together – and it seems like something the people of Florida, and for sure the […]

Michael MolineNovember 30, 2017

Pay rates for insurance adjusters jumped by up to 30 percent as Citizens Property Insurance Corp. scrambled to respond to claims following Hurricane Irma, the carrier’s Consumer Service Committee learned Thursday. The hikes were prompted by competition for trained adjusters with Texas, still recovering from Hurricane Harvey when Irma hit Florida on Sept. 10. Texas […]

Peter SchorschSeptember 27, 2017

The Florida House of Representatives graphics team has done it again, putting together an uplifting 5-minute clip about the state’s recovery after Hurricane Irma. The video opens with ominous music and titles that read “They said we were divided … That we were hopelessly at odds … That in an hour of need … Americans […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 19, 2017

A Tampa-based medical marijuana company said it will donate a chunk of the total sales of a new vaporizer pen to Hurricane Irma relief efforts. Surterra Wellness is one of the largest marijuana cultivators in the blooming Sunshine State medical marijuana industry, and among its products are a series of vaporizer “pens” – devices similar […]

Michael MolineSeptember 18, 2017

State regulators have received notice of more than 335,000 insurance claims since Hurricane Irma hit Florida, mostly concentrated in Central and South Florida, with losses nearing $2 billion. The bottom line as of 4 p.m. Sunday was 335,347 claims, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation. Total estimated insurance losses were $1,954,947,889. The data were […]

Tag: disaster recovery

Gulf Power says 4,400 power pros working 24/7 on Panhandle restoration

Gulf Power has restored power to 4K customers in Panama City

Jimmy Patronis reveals his wife’s battle with breast cancer

Gulf Power restores power to 25K customers, but there’s a long way to go

Gulf Power expects to rebuild as it restores power to the Panhandle

West Virginia case sheds light on Florida disaster contracting controversy

Citizens paid premiums to entice adjusters after Hurricane Irma

Florida House goes Michael Bay with Irma recovery video

Medical marijuana provider Surterra to pitch in on Irma relief

State: Insurance losses post-Irma near $2 billion