Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/18/2018

Money comes from far and near in Florida governor’s race

With money streaming in from across the country, Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum raised more than $2.7 million during the first week in September in their clash to become Florida governor. As a sign of the high-profile nature of the campaign, both candidates hauled in contributions from across the country — often from small donors. More from the Ocala Star-Banner.

Researchers may have found a new way to learn how to fight citrus greening

Research to solve the greening disease devastating citrus groves, which produce Florida’s biggest money crop, might be taking a "significant step forward." Early-stage research has shown promise in rapidly culturing and reproducing in a laboratory the pathogens and microbes that cause citrus greening and other diseases affecting a variety of crops. More from TCPalm.

Brightline buys private rail line connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas

Brightline’s newly launched rail service in South Florida is losing money and struggling to lure passengers, but its owners are optimistic enough about the concept that they just bought the private train route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. More in this news release from Brightline. Also see the Palm Beach Post and WPLG.

Legal fight over Miami Beach minimum wage could have far reaching impacts

The City of Miami Beach is in a battle with the state that could impact hundreds of Florida municipalities. It’s about home rule and the city’s ability to set its own policy when it comes to wages. Miami Beach leaders voted two years ago to approve a higher minimum wage than the state. See the full story from WFSU.

Red tide may be sending tourists to beaches on Florida’s east coast

Toxic red tide and the air-fouling stench from hundreds of dead fish aren’t exactly good for tourism on Florida’s beaches. But the bad news plaguing the Sunshine State’s west coast may be sending more travelers to the eastern side, local tourism officials say. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Business Profile
Leasecake

The team behind a young company in Orlando has plenty of good reasons to be confident in its ability to build a new business. In fact, it has about 125 million reasons. Leasecake is a new platform for small business landlords being built by former early employees of Channel Intelligence, an Orlando area tech company bought by Google for $125 million in 2013.

» More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Out of the Box
A Palm Beach hotel has hired a ‘manager of fun’

Fun is serious business for The Colony’s Rickey Kalinowski. That’s because it’s his job at the pink hotel on Hammon Avenue – manager of fun. It says so right there on Kalinowski’s Colony business card, which he says usually prompts the comment from guests, business colleagues and friends: “I want that title!”