SHARE:
Thursday's Afternoon Update:
What you need to know about Florida today
State gets another bump in tax revenues
Florida budget writers got some good news Wednesday, as general-revenue tax collections topped expectations for September by 15.7 percent, due in part to people continuing to spend down savings amassed during the COVID-19 pandemic. But savings stockpiled since early 2020 by Floridians might be returning to a pre-pandemic normal. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve issued a statement Wednesday indicating it will start reducing monthly bond purchases, indicating a shift in focus from trying to boost the economy to dealing with inflation. More from the News Service of Florida.
Kroger is taking on Publix in Florida without opening a single grocery store — and building a blueprint for its future
Kroger wants to attract tens of thousands of new customers in Florida — and it plans to do that without opening a single grocery store. Instead, the supermarket operator is relying on a giant warehouse of robots that help retrieve such products as bananas, milk and meat, and a fleet of delivery drivers that drop off online grocery orders at people’s doors. The automated warehouse — big enough to fit nearly eight football fields — is a pricey bet for the grocer and an illustration of its e-commerce ambitions. More from CNBC.
Sarasota finds itself at the top of another best places to retire list
Sarasota has found itself named again as one of the best places to retire in the United States after last month landing at the top spot on the U.S. News & World Report's annual list for the second year in a row. The most recent accolade Sarasota earned comes from WalletHub, which ranked the best places to retire in Florida. Sarasota scored 6.5 points more than its nearest competitor of Fort Myers. Other cities in the top five were Boca Raton, Miami and Orlando. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Two storm tax 'holidays' proposed
Sales tax “holidays” to help people buy gear to prepare for storms and other disasters would be held at the start and during the heart of next year’s hurricane season, under a proposal filed Wednesday. The measure (SB 808), filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, would be the first time that storm-preparation tax breaks would be split into two periods. More from the News Service of Florida.
Florida governor calls for election police force
Citing unspecified examples of election fraud, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday pledged to create a law enforcement agency to investigate election crimes as part of a new package of voting laws. Speaking at an event in West Palm Beach, the Republican governor announced a series of election law proposals for lawmakers to take up during next year’s legislative session, including new restrictions on ballot drop boxes and strengthened penalties for ballot harvesting. More from the AP.
Florida Dining
Dessert shop, ‘oyster room’ among restaurants set for Water Street Tampa
Four new food and drink concepts — including an artisan chocolate shop and an oyster-focused tavern from the team behind Ocean Prime — are coming to Water Street Tampa, developers announced Wednesday. Three of the restaurants will line the ground floors of the $3.5 billion development’s two new residential towers, Cora and Heron, while the fourth will open at nearby Sparkman Wharf.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Entertainment
Snowcat Ridge, Florida’s first snow park, reopening
Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park is preparing to open next week for its 2021 winter season. The park opened last year and features a number of winter activities, including snow tubing, an arctic igloo and an alpine village that you won’t find anywhere else in Florida. Officials announced the addition of two new attractions this season: the Eskimo Outpost and the Crystal Ribbon, an outdoor ice skating area.
» Read more from Click Orlando.
In case you missed it:
