Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 2/21/2019

Gov. DeSantis wants to import drugs from Canada

Florida's governor on Wednesday proposed bringing cheaper, Canadian prescription drugs to Florida as a way to cut health care costs. Gov. Ron DeSantis said that he wants to create an importation program that brings Canadian prescription drugs to the Sunshine State. More from the AP, WINK News, and the Tampa Bay Times.

Foreign investment in Cuba might be at risk if U.S. allows lawsuits over confiscated property

Cuba’s efforts to attract foreign investment to boost its ailing economy were limping along even before the Trump administration raised the possibility that it might allow lawsuits in U.S. courts against foreign companies that do business on the island using properties confiscated from Americans or Cubans who later became U.S. nationals. More from the Miami Herald.

Businesses, insurers target ‘phantom' health costs

A Florida House panel Wednesday heard two hours of testimony about how health-care costs and a spate of court rulings have affected insurance premiums, though it also drew criticism for focusing on the wants of insurers and other businesses. More from WJXT.

Florida prisons are in terrible shape. Wardens themselves just said so.

State prison wardens pleaded with Florida senators Wednesday to adequately fund the Department of Corrections and help alleviate a variety of dire conditions in their facilities, from maintenance deficits to gang violence epidemics. Low salaries, frequent overtime shifts and poor working conditions have created a statewide epidemic of correctional officer and prison staff turnover, wardens said. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Tampa-based Masonite to close Largo door factory, eliminating 35 jobs

Tampa-based door manufacturer Masonite is eliminating 35 jobs and closing its factory in Largo amid a series of company-wide moves to cut costs and make its plants more efficient. Masonite, which has operations on four continents, expects to continue to employ all workers at the plant through April 16. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Around the State
Hospital upheaval in Southwest Florida

Jonathan Ellen, president, CEO and physician-in-chief at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, resigned in December, less than two weeks after a Tampa Bay Times investigation revealed that the mortality rate at the hospital’s heart institute tripled between 2015 and 2017.

» More from Florida Trend.

Florida 500
David Odahowski

David Odahowski, one of the founders of the Florida Philanthropic Network, says philanthropy “is the product of the free enterprise system and its creation of employment, community economic impact and wealth creation.