Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 8/15/2018

From swamp to store: The dying business of wild alligator skins

Starting Wednesday, thousands of hunters will trek into Florida’s steamy swamp, with snatch hooks and spotlights in hand, searching for a top predator: the American alligator. But the bottom has dropped out of the wild alligator market. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

From Florida Trend
» Big business in alligator egg poaching

Sarasota manufacturer acquires distributor for $26 million

Helios Technologies, the parent company of Sarasota-based Sun Hydraulics, acquired the shares of Australian fluid power distributor Custom Fluidpower for approximately $26 million. Custom Fluidpower serves markets including mining, material handling, agriculture, construction, energy/oil and gas. More from the Business Observer.

Mote begins testing experimental red tide killer

Mote Marine Laboratory is conducting an experiment using ozone to kill millions of red tide cells and toxins in the water at The Dams canal in Boca Grande. The Mote-patented technology was first used in a 25,000-gallon pool before being upscaled to 500,000 gallons for this experiment. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Seminole commissioners unanimously reject controversial River Cross project

In a chamber packed with hundreds of residents, Seminole County commissioners Tuesday unanimously rejected plans for a mega-development of hundreds of homes in the county’s rural area just east of the Econlockhatchee River. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

St. Pete wants to get tougher on single-use plastics, polystyrene

Food trucks, grocery stores, restaurants and any business that serves food and drink in the city could face some big changes in the way they use plastic and polystyrene products in the coming years. Imagine paying 5 cents for each plastic bag at a grocery store. Or restaurants no longer automatically giving out straws unless requested. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

What's In A Name?
Clearwater moving company says national company using its name, giving them bad reputation

Clearwater-based Spartan Van Lines claims it is losing business after a national company started using its name and ripping off customers across the country. "Business has definitely declined, especially over the past year, and a lot of it is, I assume, over trust," said owner Josh Hall.

» More from WFLA.

Sports Business
Marlins face an ‘uphill’ battle proving foreign ownership in Miami fight

The Miami Marlins lost their bid to stay out of a local courthouse in a fight over profit-sharing with Miami-Dade County, as a federal judge tossed the case back to Circuit Court with a warning that Derek Jeter and partners “face an uphill battle” proving foreign ownership in the case.