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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida prepares to pass a massive criminal justice bill
A 350-page Florida criminal justice bill that touches on subjects ranging from selling horse meat for human consumption to raising the threshold for felony theft from $300 to $750 could get passed in the final days of the legislative session. Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes said it would be the largest criminal justice package to come out of the Legislature in decades. More from the AP.
Florida ranks as a Top 10 state for robocalls
According to YouMail, a voicemail provider that tracks the number of robocalls and also offers a blocking service, Florida residents are some of the top targets of robocallers. Robocalls are prerecorded messages that can be sent out to thousands of phones at once. Some are from politicians or businesses conducting them for legitimate reasons, but a large part of them are illegal or are from outfits trying to scam people. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida blueberry growers in battle for survival
Some Florida blueberry growers are singing the blues at the end of a moderately profitable season. The funk stems from the fact that the industry’s long-term outlook remains glum, if not outright dire. The Florida blueberry industry “is going to get smaller,” said Bill Braswell, an Auburndale grower with about 60 acres and a Polk County commissioner. “The factors that affect us in Florida are outside Florida. We’re not in a position to control our own future.” More from the Lakeland Ledger.
Florida's Space Coast sees entrepreneurial growth
Florida’s Atlantic coast is experiencing a resurgence of space enthusiasm, but this time it’s driven by Pacific coast billionaires with thick wallets and brainy entrepreneurs asking for cash. Big companies have helped attract technical talent and nearby colleges are graduating a steady stream of engineers. But the private space tech ecosystem is still young, and local officials are trying to boost the fledgling startup scene. More from Axios.
Lee County tourism numbers up despite water quality issues
Tourism is crucial to Florida’s economy, it’s the number one industry in the state. And in Lee County, one in five people are employed by tourism related jobs. More than 58 thousand jobs, which is 21 percent of Lee County’s employment are due to tourism. More from WFTX.
Profile
Dean Grandin
When Dean Grandin arrived in Orlando 20 years ago to lead the city's planning division, there was no Mall of Millenia, Baldwin Park was a gated military base and Lake Nona was, in his words, "a bunch of cows." Grandin, who is retiring Friday, took time to reflect on his legacy as city's planning director and contributions so important that he will be recognized by the American Institute of Architects with the 2019 Award of Merit.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Out of the Box
Skycraft Surplus in Winter Park plans to move and sell its UFO- and rocket-adorned building
Rocket- and spaceship-adorned Skycraft Parts and Surplus in Winter Park plans to sell its building of 45 years and move into a nearby warehouse. Those icons won’t make their way to the new building, at least not in present form. Municipal code prohibits such signs, but Skycraft was grandfathered in at the present location. That means they won’t be at the future location as signs.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.
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