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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida's COVID-19 deaths rise as it leads in hospital rates
Florida’s health officials say the number of COVID-19 deaths jumped significantly from 600, reported in the previous week, to more than 1,000 reported this week. The new deaths tallied by the Florida Department of Health raise the total coronavirus death toll to 40,766. Last summer, the state reported seven-day averages of about 185 deaths per day, whereas the average on Friday stood at 153. But the state continues to lead the country in rate of hospitalizations. [Source: WTVT]
Georgia wins fresh ruling in water war with Florida
A judge has ruled that a federal agency doesn’t have to revise its plans for how it operates dams along the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. It's another win for Georgia in its struggles with Florida and Alabama over the water that flows into the Apalachicola River. It’s the second win for Georgia after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida’s effort this spring to cap how much water Georgia could use. [Source: WXIA]
‘Vaccine passport’ ban hampers some Florida businesses
Florida officials are fighting two legal battles involving the cruise industry, and one could impact the way all companies do business. The state sued the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April, arguing it didn’t have the authority to impose restrictions on cruise lines that effectively shut the industry down for 15 months. Florida’s early success in that case has allowed cruise lines to return to Florida waters without requiring vaccinations, as prescribed in the CDC’s Conditional Sail Order. But for businesses that want to require vaccines, a Florida law based on an executive order by Governor Ron DeSantis stands in the way. [Source: WFLA]
Tropical Storm Grace shifts west with most of Florida out of cone
Southwest portions of Florida including Naples and the Florida Keys are in the potential forecast track of Tropical Storm Grace as it shifts farther toward the the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, raising concern for the northern U.S. Gulf Coast. By mid to late week, heavy rain could hit parts of Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida. Grace, which became the seventh named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to strengthen some but may weaken as it moves over the mountainous terrain of Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Monday. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
South Florida gyms pump it up, bucking the national closure trend during COVID-19
Gym rats and exercise buffs are sustaining fitness centers in South Florida as the industry adds muscle during the pandemic at a time when many workout spots across the country have thrown in the towel. For some, business is so good they say the time is right to expand, with one owner saying it’s ‘COVID-resistant.’ [Source: Miami Herald]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Masked fans, cosplayers return to MegaCon a year after pandemic cancellation
Organizers estimated about 100,000 people would attend MegaCon, a four-day affair and one of the largest pop culture events in Orlando. The thousands who entered the convention center’s west concourse, many of whom cosplaying as their favorite pop culture characters, were welcomed by a public address announcement that encouraged attendees on a periodic loop to follow mask guidelines.
› Maurice R. Ferré’s firm making ‘humanoid’-like surgery robots acquired for $1B value
That makes three unicorns. Dr. Maurice R. Ferré has helped mint the third $1 billion company with the announcement Friday that Memic, a robotic surgery company that he chairs, has been acquired by a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, at a 10-figure valuation.
› Tampa chain Ford’s Garage to expand nationally, add 15 franchises by 2023
Ford’s Garage wants to be Tampa’s next Outback Steakhouse. The burgers-and-beer restaurant chain has announced ambitious plans to expand nationally, adding 15 franchise locations by 2023. The company already has development deals in place for 11 of those franchises, including restaurants in New York, Texas, Ohio and Kentucky. After that, owners hope to add 10 to 15 new franchises per year.
› Boeing Starliner problems force rollback of spacecraft, could delay launch to 2022
A valve problem on the Boeing CST-100 Starliner ahead of a launch attempt earlier this month proved too difficult for teams to solve at the launch complex, so now the spacecraft is being rolled back to Boeing’s factory to figure it out. The Aug. 4 attempt from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was called after teams cycled through pre-launch testing and found that 13 of the 64 valves in the propulsion system were in the incorrect position.
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