Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/22/2017

Florida tourism prepares to bounce back after Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma pummeled parts of Florida during the weekend of Sept. 9, causing $58 billion to $83 billion in damage, according to Moody’s Analytics. As locals rebuild their lives, the hospitality industry wants to stop tourists from choosing other destinations. More from Yahoo Finance.

Naples company signs software deal with New York data firm

Naples-based ASG Technologies, which helps large companies manage big volumes of data, has signed a partnership to work with Syncsort, an enterprise software firm. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. More from the Business Observer.

Florida water bottler buys Mississippi plant, adds workers

A Florida water bottler is expanding after buying a Mississippi operation in February. Silver Springs Bottled Water Co. of Ocala, Florida, said Thursday that it's adding 15 workers to 29 now employed at RealPure Bottling Co. in Magee, Mississippi. More from the AP.

Coca-Cola opens new plant in Northwest Florida

The brand new Coca-Cola building in Valparaiso held its grand opening Thursday morning. Business leaders in the area hope it will mean more diversity in the area's economy. More from WEAR.

Perry Ellis executive chairman George Feldenkreis steps down

Perry Ellis International, the Doral-based global clothing retailer, announced it was eliminating the position of executive chairman held by former CEO George Feldenkreis. J. David Scheiner, the former president and COO of Macy’s Florida/Puerto Rico, will replace Feldenkreis in the newly created role of non-executive chairman. More from the Miami Herald.

Public Health
Florida County Cancels Mosquito Spraying After Pushback

Instead of spraying the insects from the air, Clay County agricultural extension office director Brad Burbaugh says crews using two trucks will begin spraying an insecticide along some 1,400 miles (2252 kilometers) of roads.

» More from the AP.

Sports Business
World Rowing Championships

After years of effort and millions of dollars, Sarasota-Manatee’s biggest-ever international sports competition begins Saturday with the opening ceremonies of the World Rowing Championships. Read more from the Sarasota Herald Tribune.