March 29, 2024

Tuesday's Daily Pulse

What You Need to Know About Florida Today

Will Short Gorham | 2/15/2011

› Fight Over Feeding Homeless Goes to Court — Again
Is sharing food with the needy a constitutional right? That's the question lawyers will debate before a panel of judges in Atlanta on Tuesday in the possible culmination of a years-long battle over Orlando's handling of the homeless. The arguments before the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals come more than four years after the Orlando City Council restricted how often people may feed large groups in parks around downtown. Businesses and residents had complained that frequent group meals at Lake Eola Park drew the homeless into the neighborhood. A loose-knit group of anti-poverty activists and a church with a largely homeless congregation sued the city. In the ensuing years, the case has slowly tilted back and forth. A federal judge sided with the homeless advocates, but the majority of a three-person panel of appeals judges overturned that ruling. That probably would have been the end, but the homeless advocates are getting one more shot today. The appeals court agreed to toss out the ruling from its own three-person panel and allow the full court to reconsider the case.

› Marion County Approves 'Horse Resort' District over Objections
In recent meetings to complete details of Marion County's primary land-use plan, the County Commission appeared to answer the prayers of anti-sprawl activists by rejecting, changing or never considering proposals that potentially meant more growth in rural Marion. With one exception. Those concerned about urban development in the farm communities couldn't defeat the "horse resort." Commissioners late last week voted unanimously to insert into the comprehensive plan a concept for planned retail development that would cater to the horse industry — one that some local equine enthusiasts themselves wanted torpedoed for being too invasive in rural Marion. The commission's decision created the Equine Commercial Support District. The district primarily encompasses 160 acres near the Florida Horse Park between County Road 475A and Interstate 75. Commissioners, however, may one day tag other areas in Marion County with the label.
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› TIA Would Face Barrier to Cuba Flights with Rubio Amendment
On track for federal approval to launch new flights to Cuba, Tampa International Airport has hit a political speed bump. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio last week proposed an amendment to a Federal Aviation Authority funding bill that would prohibit any additional flights between the United States and countries, such as Cuba, designated as "state sponsors of terrorism'' by the State Department. The amendment, the Republican freshman's first in the Senate, is designed to counter changes the Obama administration announced last month that loosened travel restrictions for college students and religious and cultural groups, Rubio said.

› 'American Greed' Will Feature Scott Rothstein Next Week
CNBC's "American Greed" will feature Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein on Feb. 23 at 10 p.m. The "American Greed" crew appears to have gotten some previously unseen footage of Rothstein, who pulled off the largest fraud in South Florida history. Those featured in the preview include Fort Lauderdale attorney Jeffrey Sonn, Rothstein's defense attorney Marc Nurik and Sun-Sentinel reporter Peter Franceschina.
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› Winter Haven Hospital's Project to Improve Care Is Paying Off
Winter Haven Hospital officials didn't like what they were hearing about their emergency department. Eight percent, roughly 1 in 12 patients, walked out before being treated in 2003. Patients' satisfaction with the department was in the bottom quarter nationwide in spring 2006, according to a national database. Patients said emergency department waits were unacceptable. And, they wanted more information from emergency department employees. Everyone from the emergency department staff to the hospital administration and community board of trustees took a collective gulp. Stung by the criticism, they embarked on a project in March 2007 to improve wait times and to make the department more efficient and caring. "Wait time and clear answers to questions are the things we try to work on every day," said Jenny Blank, assistant vice president of emergency services. "We need to be sure people ≠are updated through their stay on what's going on." Reform centered on the emergency department, but it rapidly developed into a hospital-wide process of evaluation and changes.

› Record Revenue, Profit for Universal Thanks to Potter
Just half a year of Harry Potter was enough to lift Universal Orlando's full-year attendance by 20 percent, the resort said Monday. Universal said it drew 11.2 million visitors in 2010, an increase of nearly 2 million from 2009, as huge crowds descended on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opened in mid-June in the resort's Islands of Adventure theme park. It was Universal's highest attendance since 2004, when it drew 12.1 million people, and third-best in the resort's history. The two-park resort recorded even bigger gains in other categories. Annual revenue leapt 41 percent to $1.1 billion, as tourists paid higher prices for tickets and then plunked down cash for magic wands, chocolate frogs and other Potter-themed souvenirs and food. Operating profit soared 79 percent to $267 million. Both were all-time bests for Universal.

› St. Joe's Largest Shareholder Turns Against Management
After supporting the company for several months while other investors attacked it, The St. Joe Co.'s largest shareholder is turning against its management. In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing today, Bruce Berkowitz and Charles Fernandez of Fairholme Capital Management said they resigned from St. Joe's board of directors. The two representatives of Fairholme, which controls 29 percent of St. Joe's stock, had joined the board in January. The filing said the two sent an e-mail to the board today saying "we will not stand for re-election [to the board] except as part of a board where a majority of the directors are committed to shareholder value, pay for performance and effective corporate governance. After working with the current board over these past weeks, we have concluded that the current board is not in a position to propose such a slate of directors." But Berkowitz apparently intends to hold on to his investment in St. Joe.

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Facial recognition cameras in Florida city spark privacy concerns
Facial recognition cameras in Florida city spark privacy concerns

New security cameras in downtown Lakeland are raising concerns about privacy. The Lakeland Downtown Development Authority has begun installing 13 new security cameras on streets, sidewalks, and alleyways, and there are mixed feelings about them.

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