March 19, 2024

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 4/19/2017

Florida House, Senate pass rideshare legislation with overwhelming support

Today, House Bill 221 passed the Florida Senate with overwhelming, bipartisan support following the unanimous passage of the bill last week in the House of Representatives. The legislation establishes a statewide set of standards governing and authorizing ridesharing services and transportation network companies. The proposal received the backing from Uber and Lyft. Now the bill is headed to Gov. Scott's desk for his signature. Full news release, here. Also see text of HB 221, here.

See also:
» Bill protecting Uber and Lyft heads to Rick Scott's desk after four years of fighting

Farms are booming in North Central Florida

Following the market crash of 2008, many Americans were forced out of their jobs and ultimately changed career paths. Surprisingly, the financial crisis, along with other key variables, actually helped to trigger growth in the local farming movement. More from the Gainesville Business Report.

Office Depot sells off more of its international business

Office Depot Inc. has entered into a deal to sell its operations in Australia and New Zealand to a global investment firm. The Boca Raton-based office supplies retailer earlier this year completed the sale of its European operations. More from the South Florida Business Journal.

Florida tests bacteria-infected mosquitoes to kill off bugs

Thousands of bacteria-infected mosquitoes were released in the wild Tuesday near Key West, testing a new way to kill mosquitoes that carry Zika and other viruses. More from the AP.

Gambling giant Genting wins Miami-Dade joint development

Miami-Dade’s County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved joint development at the Omni bus terminal with access to the Adrienne Arsht Center Metromover station for Resorts World Miami LLC, which is planning a 300-room hotel over the bus terminal. More from Miami Today.

Tourism
Take your dog to Tampa Bay

florida As if Tampa Bay's beaches weren't enough to draw in tourists, a travel website has ranked the area as the No. 1 spot to take a vacation with your pet. Yes, the Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater region of the Sunshine State is considered the most pet-friendly city in the country, according to RewardExpert.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Out of the Box
Trash containers going underground in Florida city

florida originalsDumpster divers, beware. Trash is going underground in an Orlando suburb. Officials in Kissimmee, Florida on Wednesday are unveiling the city's first underground waste containers.

» Read more from the AP.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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