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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s hospitals show signs that coronavirus may be waning. For now, at least
Hospitalization rates, the most timely indicator for how severe the COVID pandemic is in Florida, are showing signs that the state finally may have the virus more under control. While people still are arriving at Florida hospitals struggling for breath, they are coming in fewer numbers than just three weeks ago, when new hospitalizations for the coronavirus hit a high in the state. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
See also:
» Florida is only now passing its COVID-19 death peak. Here’s how it compares.
Spike in Florida homeowners falling behind on mortgage payments
Thousands of Floridians who've recently lost their jobs now fear they'll lose their homes. According to a leading real estate tracking firm, nearly one in 10 homeowners in the state are behind in their mortgage payments by 90 days or longer. More from WPTV.
Tampa Bay area entertainment giant breaks six Guinness World Records
Monster Jam, produced by Palmetto-based Feld Entertainment, has broken six Guinness World Records. The record-breaking stunts were featured on Discovery Channel's "Diesel Brothers: Monster Jam Breaking World Records," which aired Aug. 8. It is now available on Discovery GO, according to a press release. More from the Business Observer.
Jacksonville won't repay feds to allow Shad Khan's development on Metropolitan Park
Jacksonville City Hall will abandon its attempt to repay a $1.7 million federal grant that it used decades ago to purchase land that is now Metropolitan Park in order to allow Shad Khan to develop the waterfront property. It's unclear whether the plan would have even worked, as state officials have essentially told the city they cannot simply repay the grant to escape its promise to preserve the land as a public access point to the St. Johns River. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Despite pandemic, parts of Southwest Florida's real estate market are thriving
Many sectors of Southwest Florida's real estate market are still cooking, despite the coronavirus pandemic. That's one of the biggest trends Randy Thibaut, founder, owner and CEO of LSI Cos. in Fort Myers, finds the most "remarkable" across the industry. More from the Naples Daily News.
In Memoriam
Truck driving Fruitville Grove co-founder Luella Mae Crofut
Truck driver philanthropist Luella Mae Crofut, the matriarch of Sarasota’s popular Fruitville Grove organic farm, passed away on Aug. 1 after a brief illness. At age 90, this child of the Great Depression will likely be remembered for, among other things, turning dirt and castoffs into treasure.
» More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Out of the Box
Rare albino alligator babies hatched at Wild Florida
What’s cuter than a baby alligator? An albino baby alligator! Four of these adorable little creatures were born Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Wild Florida in Kenansville, located about an hour from Melbourne. Officials at the drive-thru safari and alligator park claim this is the first attraction in the world to successfully breed albino alligators.
» Read more from Florida Today.
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