Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/26/2017

Port cancels signing of pact with Cuba after Gov. Scott threatens to cut funding

After Gov. Rick Scott threatened to financially cut off Florida ports that do business with Cuba, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale canceled its plans to sign an agreement with Cuba. Scott’s funding threat came a day after the first legal cargo from Cuba in more than 50 years arrived in Port Everglades. More from the Miami Herald.

Millions spent to fix beaches critical for Jacksonville area tourism

Residents living away from Duval County beaches may have wondered why City Council was so quick to approve $7.5 million last fall to restore dunes damaged by Hurricane Matthew. But experts say healthy beaches are essential to Florida’s tourist economy. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Office Depot lays off undisclosed number of workers at Boca Raton headquarters

Office Depot said Wednesday it laid off workers at its Boca Raton headquarters, but declined to disclose the number of workers affected. The office supply retailer employs about 2,000 at the headquarters. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

VR finds niche at Pro Bowl fan experience in Orlando

The NFL has brought its Pro Bowl show to Orlando and, for some, it means taking virtual reality for a spin for the first time. The fan fest runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, then from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Tampa snags major defense industry event from Austin

After five years in Austin, the Department of Defense Innovation Summit is moving to Tampa. The summit, expected to draw more than 2,000 people, is an opportunity for Tampa Bay entrepreneurs and innovators to showcase their companies and technology. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Research
Restoring Great Tomato Flavor

What’s wrong with the supermarket tomato? Consumers say they lack flavor, so a University of Florida researcher led a global team on a mission to identify the important factors that have been lost and put them back into modern tomatoes.

» More at Florida Trend.

Out of the Box
Google Doodle: Aviatrix Bessie Coleman

Trailblazing aviatrix Bessie Coleman, who lived in Orlando in the 1920’s and thrilled crowds with daredevil aerobatics, was honored today as the Google Doodle of the day.