March 28, 2024

Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/23/2019

New tax law expected to save Floridians millions

Governor Ron DeSantis signed a tax bill Wednesday, that is estimated to save Florida families nearly $47 million, with two sales tax holidays. Another part of the same bill is expected to save commercial real estate renters more than $64 million, by reducing the tax rate. The new law also grants refunds of sales tax paid on materials and motor fuel used in relation to Hurricane Michael, and raises the reduction of a traffic fine when a driver attends traffic school from 9 to 18 percent. More from WUSF.

See also:
» Hurricane supplies you can buy tax-free during Florida sales tax holiday

What’s missing from the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame? Women.

This year, all four inductees to the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame were men. They are pillars of the Tampa Bay business community, with long records of doing good. They deserve the kudos. But it was another year without a woman. In fact, four of the five previous hall of fame classes were made up entirely of men. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Many Florida growers want to know when they can plant hemp

How much longer until we can plant? Prospective hemp growers are emailing and calling the Florida Department of Agriculture to ask that question after lawmakers passed a bill permitting and regulating the plant’s growth, earlier this month. The governor still needs to sign the bill, which he is expected to do. After that— it becomes law July 1. More from WPTV.

Some Florida cities to hit 100 degrees during Memorial Day heat wave

A dangerous heat wave will hit the southeast this Memorial Day weekend with near 100-degree temperatures or higher forecast for Jacksonville and inland areas of North Florida. Jacksonville meteorologists are forecasting record-breaking highs for the city on Memorial Day with 99 degrees expected to be the daytime temperature. Gainesville could also reach 99 degrees. Some interior areas, such as Alma, are forecast to reach 101 degrees on Memorial Day and 102 degrees Tuesday. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

With Cape launch, SpaceX plans to enter Internet business with a suite of 60 satellites

Elon Musk calls it “one of the hardest engineering projects” he’s ever seen. The vision: thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit that could provide lower-cost Internet connectivity across the globe, including areas where high-broadband Internet service is sparse or expensive. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Transportation
Tampa's port gains two more major cargo shipping deals

 Earlier this year, Cosco Shipping Lines of China started sending its container cargo ships to Port Tampa Bay, where container traffic was already up 55% from 2017 to 2018. The port subsequently announced that French shipping company CMA CGM will begin delivering cargo from Asia to Tampa this month. The CMA CGM ships, which can carry up to 9,500 20-foot-long containers, will be the largest at the port.

» More from Florida Trend.

 

Florida Dining
Teak Neighborhood Grill chosen as “World-Class Burger” for Florida

floridaTeak Neighborhood Grill is Central Florida’s celebrated haven for the best, award-winning, unique and delicious burgers, and now the country has taking more notice. In the recent Travel Channel article “50 States of Burgers”, Teak Neighborhood Grill earned the coveted nod as the destination for the entire state of Florida to find a “world-class burger."

» Read more from Florida Trend.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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