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Tropicana Field’s remarkable rise from the ashes to the World Series [Tampa Bay Times] - This October, the Rays have returned triumphs to a stadium in tatters only two years ago. Where the confetti accumulated, there were once remnants of the Trop’s shredded roof. From all angles, the view in October 2024 was apocalyptic. Hurricane Milton had ripped the top off the Trop, littering its interior with fiberglass scraps and leaving the team’s longtime home on the ropes.
USF research funding hits record $775 million in 2026 - The University of South Florida secured a record $775 million in research funding during fiscal year 2026, up 3% from the previous year and 42% over the past five years. Federal agencies provided $387 million, accounting for half of the university’s research funding. Awards from the National Institutes of Health increased 38% from fiscal year 2025, including $185 million in grants to faculty at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. More from Tampa Bay Business & Wealth.
Public AI firm moves to secure nearly 20% of Tampa health care company [Tampa Bay Business & Wealth] - Philadelphia-based Datavault AI is seeking a 19.9% ownership stake in Tampa-based DataMEDS AI in exchange for expanding a technology licensing agreement that would give the health care company access to additional artificial intelligence capabilities. The two publicly traded companies announced a nonbinding letter of intent Thursday, Oct. 22, that would also give Datavault AI the opportunity to collect royalties from the commercialization of its licensed technology and appoint a director to DataMEDS’ board.
Florida renters may pay more in rent if Amendment 3 passes, study finds - Landlords who rent out properties – which are not homesteaded because they’re not owner-occupied – could see their property taxes hiked to fill budget holes. If that happens, landlords are likely to pass on their inflated tax bills to tenants in the form of higher rent, said Jared Walczak, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Tax Foundation and president of Walczak Policy Consulting, who last month prepared a study about Amendment 3’s impact on Florida renters. [Source: Miami Herald]
Hurricane Isaias claims top $580 million - Insured losses in Florida from Hurricane Isaias so far approach $582 million as claims start to roll in from the Oct. 9 storm, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation. As of last week, nearly 55,000 claims linked to the storm have been filed across the state, with the majority from the western Panhandle. More than 26,000 claims have been filed in Santa Rosa County, nearly 17,000 in Escambia County, about 5,200 in Okaloosa County, more than 2,000 in Walton County and almost 2,000 in Bay County. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Who’s running in Florida’s Cabinet races? - Florida’s three Republican Cabinet members are vying to keep their seats in the Nov. 3 general election, while their Democratic challengers hope to break the grip the GOP has had on the Sunshine State for the past four years. A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide election in Florida since 2018, when Nikki Fried — now the chairperson of the Florida Democratic Party — became commissioner of agriculture. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
NASA to give Artemis moon missions update from Florida - If you were enthralled by the Artemis II mission that in 2026 sent four astronauts on a trailblazing journey around the moon, get ready for more lunar excitement in the years ahead. In fact, those eager to know where things stand with NASA's campaign to send humans back to the moon for the first time in decades can tune into a news conference today. More from Florida Today.
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