Commercial Truck Insurance in Homestead, FL

Amazon.com is seeking an extension from Miami-Dade County officials to create jobs at its Homestead distribution center.

On Sept. 13, the County Commission’s Airport and Economic Development Committee will consider granting the Seattle-based e-commerce giant (Nasdaq: AMZN) a 12-month extension for its Homestead project. It appears Amazon is still moving forward with the $129 million investment in the project, but it's taking longer to open than initially anticipated.

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In 2020, Amazon purchased the 76.9-acre site at 27505 S.W. 132nd Ave. from the county for $22.06 million and signed a development agreement that required it create at least 325 jobs with an average salary of $32,000.

However, by 2022 Amazon had slowed down its development and leasing of warehouses across the country. The explosive growth in e-commerce sales during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic had eased up, plus construction costs increased. Amazon often uses advanced robots in its warehouses.

According to the county staff memo, Amazon obtained a temporary certificate of occupancy for the 1.35 million-square-foot facility in June 2022; however, it has not yet been fully equipped with all the necessary equipment and furnishings to commence operations. Amazon anticipates installing the necessary equipment by spring 2024, according to the memo.

“Amazon has endured delays due to ‘various macroeconomic issues such as industry-wide supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures that have impacted not only this site but Amazon’s entire network of facilities,’” according to a county staff memo.

Under the proposed agreement, the completion date and job requirement deadline for Amazon’s Homestead facility would be extended 12 months to Sept. 18, 2024. It would still need to comply with the deal for 21 years.

"We’re grateful to Miami-Dade County for their partnership on this project and will continue to work closely together to share more as plans progress,” Amazon spokesperson Owen Torres stated.

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Florida lawmakers are pushing forward legislation that could bring businesses from the space industry to Miami-Dade County.

Senate Bill 968 would turn property at the Homestead Air Reserve Base in Miami-Dade into “spaceport territory,” allowing space technology businesses and other space-related companies to conduct research, develop space infrastructure and more on site.

Homestead Mayor Steve Losner is hopeful that if the legislation passes it will benefit South Florida’s economy.

“Certainly it would create jobs and perhaps there would be some tie-in with our high schools, and even Florida International University or Miami Dade College. I think overall it could be a real big positive for the community,” said Losner.

According to state law, a “spaceport” “is intended for public use or for the launching, takeoff, and landing of spacecraft and aircraft.”

And “spaceport territory” is the land designated by the state where spaceports and other space-related activity can exist.

Currently there are six existing spaceports throughout Florida, two of which are the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Kennedy Space Center which are federally owned.

Sponsored by Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, SB 968 would effectively designate property within the Homestead Reserve Air Base and Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County as spaceport territory starting July 1. HB 577 has similar language.

Robert Long, the CEO and President of the state’s aerospace business development authority, called Space Florida, said that although the legislation aims to turn property in Homestead into a spaceport territory, rockets would not be launched from the area for the foreseeable future.

“Cape Canaveral has developed over 70 years, purposely built to do what it does in terms of launching. You need a lot of clear areas and infrastructure, so that’s tough to do in areas that are already somewhat developed like around Homestead,” said Long.

Losner echoed Long’s sentiments that there have been no conversations about launching rockets in Homestead if the legislation passes.

“It stands to reason that it would not ever be a launching site given Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, the bay…. that would be just a real non-starter there,” said Losner.

Long said the legislation would bring businesses to South Florida, and Homestead would act as an area that can help support space activity in the state overall. He said that by expanding the state’s designated spaceport territory, Florida will be able to continue to grow its aerospace industry.

South Florida is an ideal place to make that happen, he said.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunities where any number of aerospace companies can see the value of some of these areas,” said Long. “It could be anything from a satellite manufacturer or an aerospace company or an aviation company that’s making parts for something. It could be maintenance and overhaul as well.”

The state has in place tax incentives to draw in more businesses, as there is a state statute that provides a tax exemption for certain machinery and equipment purchased for new businesses in a spaceport territory.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A bear that was spotted last week roaming around a Homestead neighborhood was captured over the weekend and released in a state forest, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed.

Home surveillance video captured the bear strolling around the Isles of Oasis neighborhood off Pacific Drive and Southwest 147th Avenue around 10 p.m. Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the FWC said the 200-pound male bear was captured around noon Saturday and was released in the Picayune Strand State Forest in Collier County the following morning.

“During this time of year, bears are more active. Juvenile bears are starting to disperse from their mothers and may be seen in unexpected areas as they make their way to other habitats and typically move away on their own,” the spokeswoman, Arielle Callender, said in an email to Local 10 News.

According to a map provided by the FWC, bear sightings in Southeast Florida are rare, however Callender said a bear sighting in a residential area is not necessarily cause for alarm.

“However, it is important that residents secure food attractants so that bears do not linger in the area. If a bear is not able to find food, it will move on,” she said.

FWC officials warn the public never to approach a bear or feed it.

“The worst thing you can do is turn around and run,” Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill said.

Instead, Magill suggests looking as “big as possible,” speaking firmly and loudly yelling at the bear.

“More likely than not, that bear is gonna run away,” he said.

Neighbors in Homestead were happy to hear that the bear has a new home.

“Our kids ride their bikes and so it is great to realize we don’t have to worry anymore about bears roaming through the neighborhood and worry about the kids,” resident Tikealia Williams said.

To learn more about bears and how to avoid conflicts with them, visit MyFWC.com/Bear or BearWise.org.

If you feel threatened by a bear, see someone harming or feeding a bear, or spot an injured, sick, dead or orphaned bear, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

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Trappers were called to capture an 11-foot alligator in Homestead after a man encountered the massive reptile while exercising in the early morning hours.

Bodycam video provided by Pesky Critters Wildlife Control shows the enormous reptile lunging and growling at the trappers who were called out to the Homestead Sports Complex early Thursday morning.

The team was quickly dispatched and after a battle caught on camera, trappers captured the gator at around 3:30 a.m.

The incident comes just days after a man lost his arm to a similar-sized alligator in Port Charlotte.

Pesky Critters warns that alligators are highly active right now and Florida residents need to be aware and alert in grassy areas and near bodies of water.

“Alligators are native to Florida so anywhere that you have freshwater, you have a high likelihood of encountering an alligator so whether that’s a lake, a canal, a pond, a river,” says George Reynaud, an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. “And the most important thing is to learn how to coexist with an alligator. So just because I see an alligator doesn’t mean that it poses a threat, or it has to be removed.”

Much of the agency's job is to get that message out, but they say that sometimes, an alligator can pose a risk if it has lost its natural fear of humans because it was fed illegally.

“In that case, the best thing to do is call FWC, Florida Fish and Wildlife, or we have a program called SNAP which stands for Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, and that program is designed and dedicated to removing alligators that have become a nuisance or have lost that fear of a person and they get removed permanently from that area,” Reynaud said.

In those cases, you can call 866-392-4286 and they will send a team to remove the nuisance alligator permanently.

The FWC says that most bites can be prevented by staying away from places where alligators may be living.

“If you are walking your pet make sure it’s on a leash and that you don’t bring it near the shoreline or let your pet swim in the water because they do resemble the natural prey of an alligator and that’s going to attract the alligator to the pet,” Reynaud said.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swim with an alligator?

The American Alligator

Alligators are some of the largest reptiles in the world. They are apex predators. Adult male American alligators average 10 to 15 feet in length and can weigh up to 1,200 pounds.

Their natural habitats include wetland ecosystems from Texas to North Carolina. They are the official state reptile of Florida.

Due to their predatory nature and diet that includes fish, birds, mammals, and other reptiles, being in the close presence of a gator is highly discouraged. Exceptions to this include enclosed and supervised attractions, like alligator parks.

Everglades Outpost Wildlife Rescue

Similar to an alligator park, Everglades Outpost Wildlife Rescue is a non-profit organization and rehabilitation facility. The rescue is located in Homestead, Florida.

The organization was created in 1991. Its main objective is taking in and rehabilitating injured wildlife to be released back into the wild.

In addition, rescue offers the unique experience of swimming with an alligator with its Underwater Gator Tour.

In any other circumstance, swimming with alligators would be incredibly discouraged. These large creatures are incredibly strong and can move and lunge very quickly when hunting prey.

Because of the dangers typically associated with gator interactions, many people have a fascination with the Everglades Outpost’s Underwater Gator Tour.

Swim with Casper

The Underwater Gator Tour is a 30-minute experience. During the experience, guests will enter a 30,000-gallon aquatic habitat.

There is a protective net barrier separating them from Casper the alligator.

Casper is a 10-foot-long, 250-pound friendly gator. He has been trained by a professional wrangler who also runs the experience, Chris Gillette.

In addition to the protective netting, Gillette is also in the habitat (known as the gator pit) in case anything goes wrong.

Rest assured, in the 5+ years he has been running this tour, everything has gone smoothly.

All in all, at $250, guests visiting Everglades Outpost can experience this unique encounter. It is a thrilling experience where they can swim in the gator pit and get near an alligator.

For more information, check out the Everglades Outpost website.

What should you do if you see an alligator in the wild?

Florida alligators can be found in most bodies of water within the state. Knowing what to do if you encounter one can be important for your safety.

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