Florida citrus: Hope despite the challenges

What’s going on with Florida citrus? Recent news items paint a rather contradictory picture. It has been widely reported that the Florida citrus crop for this year, at 44.5 million 90-pound boxes, is expected to be the smallest since the Second World War and 16.5 percent smaller than the previous year. Yet in some areas, citrus plantings are on the rise, and some growers are starting to see them as a viable alternative to row crops. [Source: Produce Bluebook]

Column: Why Florida should legalize marijuana

Cannabis has been poorly legislated, stifling the growth of an industry that could bolster our economy. To power economic growth, we must continue our push toward legalization. It is time for Florida to establish a robust free-market regulatory approach that encompasses both medical and adult-use marijuana. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

For Florida’s ailing manatees, a “historic” $27 million

Florida lawmakers included $27 million for manatees in the state budget this session. Advocates say the funding is historic but not enough to solve the long-term problems that have led to an unprecedented die-off. Most of the money will go toward rescue and rehabilitation programs at SeaWorld and other aquariums and zoos that are taking in ailing manatees. [Source: WMFE]

One Florida couple's small business journey during the pandemic

The business journey for Jamila and Akino West began in a parking lot of the now-closed Johnson and Wales University in North Miami. Akino made a presentation in class that day and Jamila approached him in the parking lot afterward. Nine years later that relationship has grown professionally and personally, even as their entrepreneurial journey in South Florida's hospitality industry has been shaped by the global pandemic. [Source: WLRN]

Carnival Cruise Line’s choppy start becomes profitable 50-year voyage

Carnival Cruise Line has come a long way since its first cruise: On March 11, 1972, the Carnival Mardi Gras left port in Miami on the line’s maiden voyage, packed with passengers, press and crew. It didn’t make it far though. The Mardi Gras ran aground on a sandbar off Miami Beach. It took 24 hours for the ship to be pulled free. “The ship was stuck on this sandbar and everyone was like, ‘This is never gonna work,’” said Peter Ricci, director of Florida Atlantic University’s hospitality management program. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Bob Buckhorn goes from Tampa’s mayor to ‘sherpa’ for big urban projects [Tampa Bay Times]
When they run into him over lunch at Ybor City’s Casa Santo Stefano — or recognize him in his shamrock green pants at the St. Patrick’s Day fest he created while in office — people still call Bob Buckhorn “mayor.” But these days, Buckhorn is busy getting ensconced in his new private-sector role as an economic and urban development advisor with a 28th floor downtown view of the city.

› Palm Beach International Boat Show is back with plenty of superyachts, battery-powered speedsters, but no Russian behemoths [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
This year’s Palm Beach International Boat Show, which starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, will feature a plethora of superyachts, battery-powered watercraft and even an “eco-conscious” yacht with no leathers or plastic beverage bottles allowed. You won’t find any vessels owned by Russian oligarchs however.

› Norwegian Getaway ship drops planned Russian itinerary, to move to Port Canaveral in June [Florida Today]
With the Russia-Ukraine war continuing, Norwegian Cruise Line is redeploying ships scheduled to sail this year to St. Petersburg, Russia, including the Norwegian Getaway, which instead will be sailing from Port Canaveral starting in late-June. Separately, the cruise line on Tuesday canceled a second seven-night sailing of the Norwegian Escape out of Port Canaveral that was scheduled to depart on Saturday.

› Sarasota's privately run parking lots can issue parking tickets [Sarasota Herald-Tribune ]
Nichell Delvaille’s evening in downtown Sarasota began with a vegan pizza dinner at Lucile Pizza & Wine Bar. It ended with an unpleasant and expensive lesson on Sarasota parking, after her car was towed and she was handed a citation from a parking management company. The Florida attorney general has stated that companies that provide public parking may issue citations, according to the city of Sarasota. But they can’t force customers to pay the citation.

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› Orange County Comptroller’s online auction nets taxpayers $910,000 [Orlando Sentinel]
Switching to online auctions of surplus inventory continues to pay off for Orange County taxpayers. The most recent virtual auction, which ended Feb. 2, pulled in more than $910,000, a record haul for the used property sale. Bidders bought more than 160 items — including five dozen vehicles — during the week-long auction.

› Inside Gibsonton’s new $100M flour mill, relocated from downtown Tampa [Tampa Bay Times]
If all goes well, Tampa Bay’s Cuban bread will taste the same. So far, the flour coming from Ardent Mills’ new $100 million plant in Gibsonton is essentially the same product that came from the downtown Tampa facility that’s been supplying it to bakeries across Florida for decades. Over the last two months, production at the new plant has ramped up and the old plant has wound down, a shift that has not only modernized flour production in Tampa, but also cleared the way for even more development downtown.

› ‘Prohibited tourism:’ Miami judge deals major blow to cruise companies that traveled to Cuba [Miami Herald]
In a consequential ruling Monday night, a Miami federal judge said four major cruise lines with South Florida ties — Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises — engaged in “prohibited tourism” and “trafficking activities” by carrying passengers to Cuba and profiting from the use of Havana port facilities confiscated by the Fidel Castro-led government, the first decision of its kind that could affect similar lawsuits.

› Kennedy Space Center offers virtual sessions about space exploration [Orlando Sentinel]
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is offering new virtual sessions as part of its KSC Club Discovery program next month. They are designed to help children — specifically those in third grade through sixth grade — understand space exploration and interplanetary travel. The three-hour programs are conducted live and guided by a visitor complex educator.