Florida prepares for influx from Puerto Rico

From schools to shelters, Florida is readying for an influx of people struggling for food, water and power in hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico. Gov. Rick Scott said Florida doesn’t know how many people will make the trip from Puerto Rico. Also, Scott said it is unknown how many will decide to remain permanently in Florida . More from the Lakeland Ledger, WBBH, and Flagler Live.

See also:
» Florida needs to step up for Maria evacuees, activists urge
» Puerto Rico's new migration to Florida could turn state Democratic

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State to miss deadline for marijuana licenses

The head of the state’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use wrote that his office has “worked diligently to implement” the new law, but that the issuance of five new medical marijuana licenses by Tuesday posed an “extraordinarily challenging deadline.” [Source: Panama City News-Herald]

Struggling Hastings, Potato Capital of Florida, might soon vote town out of existence

In Hastings’ heyday, potatoes and cabbages flooded in from surrounding farms to be processed, packed and shipped by rail or truck across the country. Businesses lined busy Main Street. The Dixie Highway came through town in 1916, paved with bricks and busy with vacationers. Those days are gone. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

Florida Keys reopen, but still need to rebuild

Visitors will soon drive from the Florida mainland to Key West, the iconic westernmost getaway. Businesses along those 113 miles are desperate for them to arrive. Are islanders ready? Do they have a choice? More from the Tampa Bay Times and Forbes.

See also:
» The Keys may have been hit hard by Irma. But a new tourism campaign is about to start

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› More Central Florida women seek a career in beer [Orlando Sentinel]
Since Central Florida’s brewing boom took off about three years ago, the making of local beer has been left mostly to men. Now a small but eager group of Central Florida women are fighting for a piece of the brewing market boom.

› Federal judge blocks Florida abortion law [AP]
A federal judge has blocked a Florida law that would require people and groups that provide abortion advice to register with the state and furnish women with a detailed explanation of the procedure and alternatives.

› NYSE initiates delisting of Fort Lauderdale-based Patriot National [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Patriot National Inc., an insurance industry services provider based in Fort Lauderdale, on Friday announced that it is subject to suspension and delisting by the New York Stock Exchange.

Florida's Movers & Influencers See some of Florida's top executive moves, board appointments, civic accomplishments, and more at Florida Trend's Movers & Influencers. Each profile appears in three places: in a weekly eNewsletter, online at FloridaTrend.com and in a monthly print issue of Florida Trend. Read more here.

› How a Gainesville food company exposed the Gators' fraud scandal [Tampa Bay Times]
Jeremiah Loper didn't plan to make the first report in a criminal investigation hanging over the University of Florida's nationally ranked football program.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Jacksonville’s second Amazon center expected to open this week [Florida Times-Union]
Employees will start work at Amazon’s second Jacksonville facility this week. But hiring still continues for at least three of the company’s locations here, including one on Bulls Bay Highway, which is expected to employ hundreds.

› Puerto Rican migration could impact Orlando jobs, economy [Orlando Sentinel]
Thousands of Puerto Ricans coming to Orlando suddenly will have a definite impact on the economy and jobs market, economists and local officials said. And the issue is not if they will come, but when — and how many.

› Fresh start for Center for Architecture Sarasota [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Under new leadership, the Center for Architecture Sarasota will focus on “socially responsive” architecture for both its fourth annual Architecture and Design Month in October and the remainder of the exhibition season.

› Miami road is the deadliest in all of Florida [Miami Herald]
Miami really topped Florida charts with its deadliest roads. According to a recent study, Miami-Dade County is home to the road with the highest fatalities per mile, the road with the highest fatalities, and the road with the most fatal crashes.