Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 8/30/2018

Citrus leaders 'start from scratch' after Florida's gubernatorial primaries

With concerns about both winners for Florida's gubernatorial primary, citrus executives reflect on how the industry will pivot. It's the latest hurdle for an industry that has seen production plummet as a result of hurricanes, urban encroachment, invasive pests and the diseases of citrus canker and greening. More from TCPalm.

Publix building more stand-alone GreenWise stores

One of the newest grocery store concepts in Florida isn’t really new at all. In fact, it’s coming from a company that knows how to sell food to Floridians probably better than anyone. Publix will build four new, standalone GreenWise Market stores, with plans to open three in Florida and one in South Carolina within a year. These new stores will be in addition to three GreenWise stores already in Florida - in Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Tampa. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Best small cities to start a business: 2 of the top 5 are in South Florida

Entrepreneurs looking to start a small business in a small city have some of the best options for locations right here in South Florida. Weston ranks No. 2 in that category nationally, according to a new report by Verizon Business, while Delray Beach came in at No. 5. Lauderhill was No. 13 on the list, with Homestead at No. 38. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Miami-to-Orlando train wins right to issue $1.75 billion in bonds

All Aboard Florida got the go-ahead from a state board to issue $1.75 billion in federal tax-exempt bonds for its Brightline passenger-rail system, as officials and residents from the Treasure Coast and Central Florida fought over a planned northern extension to Orlando. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Sarasota County recreational marijuana ban would outlaw sales, cultivation, but not use

The county’s proposed ban of recreational marijuana would not prohibit residents from using the product should it become legal statewide, Sarasota County commissioners stressed on Wednesday. The commission is considering outlawing the cultivation, processing and sale of recreational marijuana — not the use of the product. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Event
Collier 2021

Trading on the success of last year’s Collier 2020 panel discussion, the Naples Chapter of SCORE, in partnership with Hodges University, is pleased to announce its sequel, "Collier 2021, The Secrets of growing a Small Business in Collier County." This year’s event will again be held at Hodges University on Friday, September 21, from 8:15 to 10:00 AM, with registration beginning at 7:45 am.

» More information, and the lineup of panelists, here.

Florida Trend Innovation Feature
Pump alert

A Tallahassee-based biotechnology company, DiaTech Diabetic Technologies, which makes a fluid pressure sensor for insulin pumps, recently won a first-place grant of $15,000 during TechGrant Pitch competition at Innovation Park.