March 19, 2024

Monday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 2/20/2017

Kennedy Space Center back in launch business — this time for business

A SpaceX Falcon rocket blasted off on Sunday from a Florida launch pad once used to send NASA astronauts to the moon, a step forward for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and his company’s goal of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station. More from Reuters, Universe Today, Florida Politics, and the Wall Street Journal.

Florida scientists defend invasive species programs

Florida is a prime breeding ground for invasive species that can threaten the state’s ecology and economy. For every lionfish or Burmese python that’s captured, thousands remain. And the sheer scope of the problem is pushing some lawmakers to ask how much of a difference state funding actually makes. [Source: WUSF]

Florida House, Senate on different gambling tracks

A new House proposal would ban the expansion of slot machines and prohibit wildly popular card games at the state's pari-mutuels, putting the House at odds with a gambling industry-friendly plan floated by Senate Republican leaders. [Source: WUSF]

Florida commerce with Cuba totals $65 million even as governor tries to limit trade expansion

Humanitarian shipments, frozen chicken parts, chocolate bars, empty beer kegs from the U.S. Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay, medicine, even a traveling Bible exhibit. These items and more have flowed through the state’s ports and airports headed to or returning from Cuba. [Source: Miami Herald]

See also:
» Tampa cruises will add millions to Cuban economy

Trump's Florida visits puts small airport in tailspin

President Donald Trump wants small businesses to thrive, but his frequent Mar-a-Lago visits have flight schools and other companies at a nearby airport in a financial nosedive. [Source: AP]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Greater Miami wants businesses' input for resiliency plan
Businesses and entrepreneurs, it's your chance to shape greater Miami's future. That's the message of chief resiliency officers from Miami-Dade, Miami Beach and the city of Miami, as they put together a plan to address challenges from affordability to Zika.

› Northeast Florida recognized for golf-related tourism
According to a report by the Florida Sports Foundation, golf-related travel and tourism resulted in more than $480 million in economic impact to the First Coast and Flagler County, and employed 3,365 people in 2016.

› Tampa parent of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's can't stem loss of customers
Bloomin' Brands, Tampa's beleaguered parent of such big-name restaurant chains as Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill, must feel like it's been wandering the casual dining bog in search of solid ground for years.

› Orlando tourism leaders back Visit Florida, but some observers differ
Gov. Rick Scott is squaring off with top lawmakers who want to eliminate Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida. Reactions in Central Florida, the nation’s top tourism and convention destination, are mixed.

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