Tom Urban & Jim Turner | News Service of Florida

The industry has been in a hyper-recovery mode since Hurricane Ian caused massive damage to groves as it swept across the state. Growers have expressed a need for two or three seasons for impacted trees to recover.

All things considered, the state has been relatively unscathed in the highly active storm season, allowing emergency staff in Florida — who also needed to react to wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic — to continue addressing lingering impacts of past storms.

The idea of selling alcohol as part of to-go orders came about during the coronavirus pandemic. This proposal would put it into law.

Laws will take effect next week that will add benefits for first responders who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and impose harsher penalties on...