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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Did crackdown on ‘pill mills’ open the door to a new opioid crisis?
It looks as though Florida may have had more opioid deaths in 2016 than at the height of the "pill mill" crisis. The crisis sweeping Florida today is rooted in a decade-old problem that officials had promised was getting better. After the state worked to close pill mills from 2010 - 2013, those addicted to the shrinking supply of prescription painkillers searched for alternatives -- and found heroin, fentanyl and synthetic offshoots. Some shocking statistics: Florida's on track for a 36% spike in overdose deaths from 2015 - 2016 after a 33% spike from 2014 - 2015. More from the Times/Herald.
Amazon plans mega warehouse in Opa-locka, will hire 1,000
Amazon plans to open its first mega warehouse in South Florida next year, an 850,000-square-foot facility staffed with robots and more than 1,000 workers in a tax-subsidized development deal with former congresswoman Carrie Meek’s foundation. See the announcement from Amazon, here. Also read more at the Miami Herald.
Tesla ride shares, micro units set for Lake Nona project
Work is about to start on what may be the Orlando area’s first apartments with “micro” units with Tesla ride shares. Tavistock Development on Thursday unveiled plans for the fourth apartment community at its Lake Nona development in southeast Orlando. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Miami Beach lost $200K in World OutGames debacle; now city is rethinking large grants
Of the more than $1 million collected and apparently spent by organizers of the ill-fated World OutGames Miami, one contribution is well-documented: $200,000 from Miami Beach taxpayers. It was public money spent on an event that floundered for months before organizers in the 11th hour canceled most of the events. More from the Miami Herald.
Sarasota to consider banning medical marijuana dispensaries
In an abrupt about-face, Sarasota leaders will now consider banning medical marijuana dispensaries entirely within city limits. City planners and police have been considering new rules to regulate and allow dispensaries in Sarasota, in certain limited circumstances, since before voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Awards
Florida SBDC Performance Excellence Award Winners
The Florida SBDC Network's Performance Excellence Awards recognize top personnel, volunteers, and partners for their contributions to the network's mission of helping the state's small businesses grow and succeed. The Florida Resource Partner of the Year Award was presented to Florida Trend Magazine. » Full story, with photo gallery, here.
Florida's 350 Biggest Companies 2017
Gold Standard
Last year, in a move little noted outside the beverage industry press, Coral Gables-based liquor maker Bacardi shifted most of its national distribution, $1-billion worth of business, to a longstanding Miami wholesaler known as Southern Wine & Spirits. Today, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, No. 3 on the Biggest Private Companies in Florida list, is the nation's largest wine and spirits distributor. » Access full story.
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