Florida's thoroughbred breeding industry still struggling

In the past decade, breeding of racing thoroughbreds continues to consolidate in Kentucky, leaving other states, including Florida, to fight over a smaller piece of a shrinking pie. And for the first time in decades, the number of mares bred in Florida fell below 2,000 and stallions dropped below 100. More from the Ocala Star Banner and the AP.

Florida hemp production still a cloud of smoke

Florida’s latest agricultural craze, growing hemp plants for industrial and consumer products, faces one big obstacle: It remains illegal under state and federal laws. Florida and other states have jumped on the commercial hemp bandwagon after the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill permitted hemp research and the last year’s Farm Bill reclassified it as an agricultural commodity. [Source: Lakeland Ledger]

Florida's legislators expected to focus heavily on water this session

Florida water advocates have hoped for several years that lawmakers will address water quality issues plaguing the state. For years, environmentalists deemed each annual legislative session to be "the year of water." Lawmakers promised to clean Florida’s polluted waters by securing funding, finishing restoration projects and addressing pollution sources. Yet — aside from the EAA reservoir in 2017 — each session has ended with few major changes. [Source: TCPalm]

Florida arts groups lobbying for more money after big cuts

Members of the Florida Cultural Alliance want lawmakers to give millions of dollars more in grant funding for arts and cultural programs throughout the state after years of declining contributions. Former Florida Gov. Rick Scott slashed state grants for arts and culture programs last fiscal year to about $2.7 million, down from $43 million a few years earlier. [Source: WLRN]

Historic SpaceX launch Saturday may signal the return of astronaut missions from the U.S.

It’ll be a moment the Space Coast hasn’t witnessed in nearly a decade, when a capsule outfitted for astronauts takes a ride to the cosmos. The early Saturday morning launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule won’t have crew inside for now, but if it’s successful, the liftoff will clear the way for the first astronaut-piloted launch from the United States since the shuttle program was shuttered in 2011. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida Bar investigating Rep. Matt Gaetz for Cohen tweet [WPLG]
The Florida Bar is investigating Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz after his threatening tweet Tuesday night about President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen. Francine Andía Walker, the group's director of communications, said the Florida Bar received a number of calls and emails regarding the tweet after it posted.

› Tampa Bay was the No. 1 destination in Florida for HireAHelper moves last year [Tampa Bay Times]
If you’re moving to Florida, there's a good chance you’re headed to Tampa Bay. A new "migration" analysis by moving company HireAHelper found that Tampa Bay is the top destination for its customers moving to or within the state.

› Visit Florida gives grants to help boost tourism in hurricane-affected cities [Panama City News Herald]
The president and CEO of Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing corporation, visited Bay County this week to assess Hurricane Michael damage. The visit comes after Visit Florida recently decided to give Panama City and Panama City Beach each a $250,000 grant to help attract more tourists this year and keep their economies humming after the disaster.

› Winter Park tech company invited to SXSW pitch event [Orlando Sentinel]
A Winter Park startup technology company that specializes in 3D printers will pitch at the popular South by Southwest conference next month. The company Millebot was started by University of Central Florida graduate Andy Tran and builds 3D printers that produce large-scale items.

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› Art Smith, known for fried chicken and famous friends, brings his Southern flair to Tampa [Tampa Bay Times]
The native Floridian was Oprah’s personal chef for years, and has cooked for Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama. Being a personal chef for famous people has allowed him to focus on food projects he is passionate about, like Common Threads, a healthy cooking program for at-risk kids that’s celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

› Sarasota Orchestra proposes Payne Park for new concert hall [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Sarasota Orchestra, which has kept its supporters guessing for years about the possible location of a new concert hall, made a pitch to Sarasota city commissioners Tuesday night to build a new performance, administrative and education facility in the city-owned Payne Park.

› Florida's top environmental leader to keep job [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The unanimous vote by the Cabinet — Attorney General Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis — supported Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recommendation to keep Valenstein as secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Former Gov. Rick Scott first appointed Valenstein to the $151,000-a-year job in May 2017.

› How much is tourism worth? More than $600 million in Pasco, study says. [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida’s Sports Coast now knows the numbers it has to beat. Pasco County’s tourism industry provided a $615 million impact to the local economy, including $436 million in direct spending from the 965,000 people who visited Pasco in 2018.