All-Stars come to Florida with sport struggling in the state

As the All-Star Game comes to Florida for the first time, the Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays continue their perennial struggles with attendance, raising the question: Does major league baseball belong in the state? Like the Marlins, the Rays are last in their league in attendance and battling the kind of chronic fan apathy that has plagued both franchises since they were founded in the 1990s. [Source: AP]

See also:
» Miami All-Star gear is plentiful and fashionable (but not all that cheap)
» Is Miami the worst place to celebrate the MLB All-Star game?
» South Florida becomes center of the baseball world
Quick poll: » Does major league baseball belong in Florida?

Florida Gov. and House speaker seeking end to lottery tussle

Gov. Rick Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran are trying to end their tug-of-war over the state-run Florida Lottery. Lawyers for both sides told an appeals court on Friday they had entered "good faith negotiations" to resolve a lawsuit over the lottery. [Source: AP]

Whole Foods bringing value-oriented '365' chain to Florida

Organic grocery giant Whole Foods is bringing its Millennial-focused “Whole Foods Market 365” concept to Florida with plans to open the smaller-scale store in Delray Beach in early 2019. “We’re excited to bring the first Whole Foods Market 365 location in Florida to Delray Beach,” said Juan Núñez, president of Whole Foods Market’s Florida Region. Read more at the news release or at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida agrees to make prisons more accessible for inmates with disabilities

The state has agreed to a major settlement with a statewide disability advocacy group to address complaints and set a timeline to bring its facilities into compliance with federal laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Eighth Amendment.

“There are thousands of people with physical disabilities in Florida’s prisons who will benefit from this settlement,” said Randall C. Berg, Jr. of the Florida Justice Institute, who represented Disability Rights Florida. “This comprehensive settlement agreement requires the 3rd largest state prison system to provide equal access to programs, services, and activities for physically disabled inmates.”

See the news release from Disability Rights Florida, here. Also read more at the Miami Herald.

Mote’s shelf survey could help scientists improve red tide forecasts

Mote Marine Laboratory’s shelf survey is a research project conducted every eight weeks at 14 stations within the West Florida Shelf, where scientists believe the red tide bloom originates. Red tide is infamous for its effect on Florida beaches, marked by a bad smell, dead fish that wash up on shore and serious respiratory irritation in people. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

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