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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Poll shows Graham, DeSantis lead Florida governor's race
Democrat Gwen Graham and Republican Ron DeSantis have established themselves as the clear front-runners in their respective gubernatorial primaries, according to a new Mason-Dixon Florida poll released today. Graham has opened up a 9-point lead over top Democratic challenger Philip Levine. On the Republican side, DeSantis has opened a double-digit lead over Adam Putnam. The primary election will be held in one month, on August 28, 2018. [Source: Florida Today]
Jack Latvala cleared of criminal charges by state prosecutor
Former state Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater will not be charged with a crime. Tallahassee-area state attorney Jack Campbell said Thursday there was not enough evidence to charge Latvala with a quid pro quo scheme of trading votes for sexual favors from lobbyist Laura McLeod. Latvala said, "I'm appreciative of serious law enforcement people who put political considerations aside to look at the law. They drew a conclusion based on the facts and the law, as opposed to the kangaroo court the Senate put forth." Read more at the Tampa Bay Times. Also see Campbell's letter about the case to the FDLE, here.
New Miami civil courthouse site selected with construction set for 2020
A new Miami-Dade County civil courthouse will rise on a half-acre west of the historic Flagler Street building despite Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s push to build next to the Children’s Courthouse. Five development teams are in play for construction set to start in July 2020. [Source: Law.com]
Farmers turn to 'agri-tourism' to stay relevant in Florida
Carl Frost and his wife, Diane Cordeau, own and manage Kai-Kai farm east of Lake Okeechobee. Together, they cultivate about 80 different crops, most requiring care that industrial-scale farms can't provide. Frost and Cordeau are clearing their own path in the state's "agri-tourism" sector, a hybrid industry that combines hospitality and farming. They are also dependent on "value added" offerings: farm-to-table dinners; live music at the farm; premium prices from chefs who want local produce on their menus. Read more of this "Florida Voices" profile at Treasure Coast Newspapers.
Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law scrutinized again
Since 'Stand Your Ground' first passed in Florida in 2005, similar laws have been adopted by dozens of other states. Under Florida's stand your ground law, a person in fear for his or her life is justified in using deadly force to stop an attack. Since its inception, the law has caused dispute, even civil unrest, in many cases, including the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin, and now the death of Markeis McGlockton in Pinellas County last week. [Source: NPR]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› At Guy Fieri's new Disney Springs eatery, everything is under $8
The Mayor of Flavortown's new fast-casual restaurant -- Chicken Guy! -- will be opening in Disney Springs in in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in August. Fieri promises that every menu item at the new restaurant will be under $8.
Florida Trend Regional Report
› Extreme research: IHMC studies how to extend a human's ability to survive in extremes
For nearly three decades, the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition has conducted advanced research in artificial intelligence and robotics. More recently, IHMC co-founder Ken Ford has begun building a team to search for ways to extend the capabilities and resilience of humans in extreme environments. Plus, business briefs and people in the news for Northwest Florida.
› Florida state parks get a record 85,795 acres of prescribed fire, an area larger than Orlando
The Florida Park Service is finding that lighting its woods on fire is making it less difficult to light more woods on fire. That positive feedback is behind the service breaking its record recently for the amount of prescribed burning done in a year, having taken a torch to a combined area of forest and prairie larger than the city of Orlando.
› Miami Beach doubles down on its fight against Airbnb-like rentals with new tool
In its continuing, contentious battle against illegal short-term rentals, Miami Beach is now arming its property owners with a new tool to screen potential tenants. If the applicant tenant is a serial short-term renter, he or she would pop up on the city’s new “Check Your Renter” tool. The first-of-its-kind, searchable database mines the list of people or companies previously fined for illegally renting short-term in Miami Beach.
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