Why Florida’s toxic algae crisis is worse than people realize

Florida’s phosphorus problem is so acute that it has created a divide between the agriculture industry in the center of the state and tourism hubs on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Reaching a solution will be politically challenging. Many experts say tougher monitoring and regulation of agricultural runoff is necessary, but the agriculture industry has resisted regulation. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida reports another jump in new coronavirus patients with 1,371 more cases

At least 2,801 people in Florida have died from the new coronavirus pandemic, state health officials reported Wednesday. Overall, it’s a rise of 36 reported deaths over the previous day across the state. The Department of Health says almost 1.3 million people have been swabbed for COVID-19, and 67,371 have tested positive. That’s about 5.3%. This data shows an increase of 1,371 cases recorded in the last 24 hours. There have been more than 1,000 new cases recorded in seven out of the last eight days, records show. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Interior to push drilling in Florida waters after November election

The Trump administration is preparing to open the door to oil and gas drilling off Florida’s coast — but will wait until after the November election to avoid blowback in a swing state whose waters both parties have long considered sacrosanct, according to four people familiar with the plan. More from Politico and the Orlando Sentinel.

Voter registration in Florida plunged amid the coronavirus pandemic

The number of voter registrations in Florida plummeted in April compared to prior presidential election years as the threat of the coronavirus curbed tactics used to reach potential new voters. Slightly more than 21,000 newly registered voters were added to Florida’s rolls in April, a 60 percent decrease compared to the April before the 2016 presidential election, according to data provided by Florida’s Division of Elections. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida law on dietary advice feeds constitutional fight

Weighing arguments about the First Amendment and government regulation, a federal appeals court Thursday will take up a dispute about the constitutionality of a Florida law that restricts unlicensed people from giving dietary advice. Panhandle resident Heather Kokesch Del Castillo, backed by a national libertarian legal group, challenged the law after the Florida Department of Health cited her in 2017 for getting paid to provide dietary advice without being a state-licensed dietitian or nutritionist. [Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Busch Gardens owes contractors more than $2.5 million for bills due during pandemic [Tampa Bay Times]
Busch Gardens and its parent company Sea World owe a slew of vendors and contractors a total of more than $2.5 million for bills that came due during the pandemic, according to liens filed against the entertainment group in Hillsborough County.

› Developer of microbial products manufactures, donates hand sanitizer [Business Observer]
Osprey Biotechnics, a developer of microbial products for environmental, industrial and agricultural applications, has temporarily shifted some operations at its Sarasota facility to manufacture hand sanitizer. It is donating hand sanitizer to local institutions, frontline workers and essential workers in the U.S. food supply chain, according to a press release. Osprey is a division of Phibro Animal Health Corp.

› As Miami-Dade beaches open after coronavirus closure, people hurry to hit the water [Miami Herald]
As visitors to the newly liberated sands of South Beach stepped onto the public beach Wednesday, they were asked if they had a face covering and if they wanted to rent a chair. The ambassadors, provided to the city of Miami Beach by the beach concessionaire Boucher Brothers, worked as gatekeepers on the first day back on the beach for residents after 12 weeks of coronavirus closures.

› Venice council adopts plan for donation requests [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Venice City Council adopted a policy Tuesday to deal with requests for special events, capital campaigns and nonprofit partnership funding, such as when the Venice Theatre asked for $150,000 as part of its capital campaign and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium asked for help in its sea turtle monitoring.

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› Hard Rock Hollywood, Other South Florida Seminole Casinos Set to Reopen Friday [NBC Miami]
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood and the rest of South Florida's Seminole casinos will be reopening Friday after months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Hard Rock, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Classic Casino are all set to open at noon on Friday. A number of safety and social distancing measures will be in place at the casinos.

› Disney World reveals ‘enhanced’ cleaning standards for resort hotels [Orlando Sentinel]
Disney World on Wednesday released its plan to make sure its resort hotels are clean as they reopen for guests amid the coronavirus pandemic. So far, Disney has announced that it will begin to reopen some Deluxe Villa Resorts and the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground starting on June 22, ahead of the parks’ official openings in July.

› New group celebrates Pride Month with socially distanced events in Sarasota [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Pride Month will look very different this June, as celebrations that can draw crowds of thousands such as St. Pete Pride have been put on hold due to COVID-19. Yet a new Sarasota LGBTQ organization still plans to commemorate Pride with numerous socially distanced events. Project Pride SRQ, which launched earlier this year, will host a Pride car parade in downtown Sarasota, virtual shows and a Taste of Pride collaboration featuring area restaurants, with events starting this week.

› Simon calls off Taubman deal, leaving Tampa mall with its current owners [Tampa Bay Times]
International Plaza may not be taken over by the country’s leading mall operator after all. Simon Property called off a $3.6 billion merger with rival Taubman Centers, which runs just over two dozen U.S. shopping centers including International Plaza.