March 19, 2024

Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 3/31/2023

Development, sea level rise means loss of valuable land in Florida and retreat from the coast

The languid creep of sea level rise and rapid growth of South Florida’s population could gobble up more than 700,000 acres of land in less than two decades with nearly 103,000 people forced to flee encroaching saltwater, according to a recent state study. Research by the University of Florida and 1000 Friends of Florida combined population estimates through 2040 with a predicted 10 inches of sea level rise to see what parts of the Sunshine State will be lost to the ocean and development. More from the Gainesville Sun.

VyStar Foundation: Grants available for nonprofits that support youth, military, community

Jacksonville-based VyStar Credit Union has launched a philanthropic arm that will distribute grants to nonprofits supporting youth, military members, veterans and the communities it serves. VyStar Foundation is "dedicated to doing good and leading by example," according to the credit union. "VyStar Credit Union’s purpose is to 'Do good,'" said Patricia McElroy, senior vice president of the credit union and president of the foundation. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Sarasota shelter for migrant children caught in the middle of immigration battle

POLITICS Sarasota shelter for migrant children caught in DeSantis battle against immigration policy Jesse Mendoza Sarasota Herald-Tribune Hear this story The Dream Center in Sarasota is caught in the middle of the political battle between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Joe Biden's Administration over federal immigration policy. The situation sheds light on how the department has implemented, and potentially bungled, directives under Gov. Ron DeSantis to deny licenses to organizations that accept federal contracts to house unaccompanied immigrant children who cross the Southwest U.S. border illegally and seek to be resettled in Florida. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Revamping the land around South Florida’s Swap Shop: Lauderhill’s big plans to attract restaurants and redevelopment

Bargain hunters who head to the Swap Shop — the unusual decades-old shopping destination in South Florida — may start seeing its surrounding neighborhood spruced up with a string of redevelopment projects. Lauderhill is eyeing properties around town, preparing to buy real estate, bring in food markets for lower-income areas and clean up a deteriorating part of the city. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue to send most animals to Arkansas

Big Cat Rescue, the Hillsborough County sanctuary that became internationally famous as part of Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary series, will send most of the animals in its care to an Arkansas refuge, its proprietors announced Monday. A few will live out their days at Big Cat Rescue, which will eventually be sold. Howard Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue with his wife, Carole Baskin, presented the move as a step toward victory in the fight against big-cat abuse. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Business BeatBusiness Beat - Week of March 31st

Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.

 

Sports Business
Forget pickleball: Tech CEO launches national pingpong league in Naples

Pickleball has been netting scores of headlines of late, with millions of dollars of investment and courts and clubs popping up from Tampa through Naples. The list of new entities includes a Naples-based national pickleball league for players ages 50 and up, co-founded by the onetime president of NBC News’ Strategic Initiatives Group. Now a new national league centered on a sport with a net and paddle — pingpong or, more officially, table tennis — has joined the scene.

» Read more from the Business Observer.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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