ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ TO CLOSE SOON
Less than a year after opening, the notorious immigration detention center in the Everglades may soon close its doors. Governor DeSantis stated: “I said from day one that this would be temporary. At some point, we will obviously dismantle it. That has always been the goal. ”
His statement comes shortly after a New York Times article detailing the cost of Alligator Alcatraz to Florida taxpayers—more than $1 billion a year. While the federal government and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) eventually agreed to help fund the facility by granting a subsidy to Florida, the state never received it.
Furthermore, the state is being sued by several Everglades advocacy groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Everglades, as well as the Miccosukee Tribe. Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, stated: “This dark chapter in the history of the Everglades cannot end soon enough. Until then, we won’t let up the pressure. The only acceptable solution is the closure of Alligator Alcatraz and full restoration of the damage caused.”
BOATING ACCIDENT STATISTICS
Boating accidents are on the rise in Florida in 2025, but the number of fatalities is declining. According to the FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) report, there were 694 accidents in 2025 compared to 659 in 2023. The number of boats is increasing in Florida, with 1.03 million registered vessels and up to one million unregistered vessels actively using Florida’s waters.
The report notes 51 deaths in 2025 (compared to 81 in 2024), half of which were due to drowning, as well as falls overboard or collisions with fixed objects. It is worth noting that most boaters involved in fatal accidents were 35 years of age or older, and that 14% of them were under the influence (of alcohol or drugs).
Collisions with personal watercraft were the cause of 12 of the deaths in 2025. Personal watercraft account for 17% of registered vessels in Florida and 23% of total accidents.
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: EXPECTED ECONOMIC IMPACT
Hotels, restaurants, and retail: the seven soccer matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are expected to generate between $650 million for the local economy, according to Oxford Economics, and $1.3 billion, according to FIFA.
According to Visit Fort Lauderdale, each major match is expected to generate $110 million for the region, and $70 million for the less significant matches. It is the Colombia-Portugal match that is really getting fans excited. Resale tickets for this match are already selling for more than the average price of a Super Bowl ticket.
The city of Miami will invest $12 million to organize events and pay for overtime for law enforcement and firefighters.
Miami-Dade will spend $46 million, half of which will go directly to the FIFA Host Committee.
Good to know: as of Monday, May 18, the official FIFA store has opened its doors at 1006 Lincoln Rd in Miami Beach.
Four other retail locations are expected to open before the tournament begins.
GASOLINE: SIGNIFICANT DAILY PRICE FLUCTUATIONS
This is the reality for drivers right now: being surprised by gas prices that rise or fall overnight. It’s hard to predict, but overall, prices continued to rise in May.
In Fort Lauderdale–Boca Raton–West Palm Beach, the price of regular gas rose by 36 cents in one month and by about $1.30 compared to May 2025, reaching $4.375 per gallon in Fort Lauderdale and $4.497 in West Palm Beach.
Article translated with Deepl.
