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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida gets first-ever FDA approval to import drugs from Canada
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved Florida’s plan to import certain prescription drugs directly from Canada, the first time a state has ever been allowed to do so. The approval marks a major shift in U.S. drug policy, and comes despite fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry, which is likely to sue. The FDA has also raised safety concerns about importing drugs from outside the U.S. because it can’t guarantee their safety. More from The Hill, Click Orlando, and the AP.
Florida abortion amendment gets enough signatures for 2024 ballot
Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would undo Florida’s restrictive abortion laws have surpassed the required number of petition signatures to get on the 2024 ballot, according to data from the Florida Division of Elections. But Floridians Protecting Freedom still faces the hurdle of state Supreme Court approval. Attorney General Ashley Moody has asked the Florida high court to disqualify the amendment from the ballot, saying the language could mislead voters. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
This tiny Kendall grocery was the heart of Miami’s Indian community.
When he opened his tiny Indian store almost 40 years ago in a West Kendall strip mall, Suresh Sheth knew he wanted to do more than sell groceries. He wanted to offer strangers hope — and a sense of home in Miami. So while they loaded up on lentils and rice, curries and chutneys, impossible-to-find Indian spices and vegetables at the Indo American Store, immigrants from India and Pakistan and Bangladesh could fulfill other needs, too. More from the Miami Herald.
What could new Rays stadium be like in St. Petersburg? Look at Atlanta.
At the Battery, there’s something for everyone: restaurants, entertainment and retail on the bottom; high-end apartments, hotel rooms and offices on top, all fanning out toward Truist Park, the Braves’ home. The district attracted 10 million visitors two years ago, a county official said. And the crowds keep coming. The Battery is a model for what St. Petersburg city leaders, the Rays and development partner Hines say is possible by replacing Tropicana Field and redeveloping the vast expanse of surface parking around it. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
onePulse sheds employees, website and social media pages amid surprise Dec. 31 shutdown
After raising millions but making only halting progress to build a memorial in honor of the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre, the onePulse Foundation has quietly folded as it works to redistribute its programs and pay off debts. onePulse spokesperson Scott Bowman said the nonprofit organization ceased all of its normal operations on Dec. 31. While the onePulse board had announced in November its intention to dissolve, no date had been disclosed previously. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Business Beat - Week of January 5th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Florida Dining
Famous French pastry chef to open kitchen near Orlando’s Packing District
A new Orlando-based commercial kitchen, backed by an internationally renowned pastry chef, is set to open soon across from The Packing District in Orlando. Award-winning French pastry chef Olivier Saintemarie is behind the business appropriately named La Maison Du Macaron. The 5,800-square-foot facility, which will produce macarons and other French pastries for wholesale clients such as theme parks, restaurants, and other businesses, will open this month.
» Read more from Orlando Sentinel.
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