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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Unpaid prison labor continues to power Florida
In a given year, some 3,500 unpaid prisoners make up Florida’s shadow economy. State road crews and “community work squads” incarcerated by the Department of Corrections subsidize local governments from the Panhandle to Miami-Dade: powering waste and public works departments, grooming cemeteries and school grounds, maintaining and constructing buildings, treating sewage and collecting trash. Read more from the Florida Times-Union and the Gainesville Sun.
The economics (and politics) behind Florida’s Israel trip
A Florida trade delegation led by Gov. Ron DeSantis embarked Sunday on a mission to figure out how to make the state’s economy blossom with Israel’s help and solidify its bonds with one of the only democratic nations in the Middle East. The trip includes a historic but much criticized state Cabinet meeting at the newly relocated U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, which DeSantis had a hand in moving while a member of Congress. It also includes a meeting with recently re-elected prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
Red tide threat still low, but state finds more signs in latest report
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently observed low concentrations of the algae forming in the northwest and southwest coast of Florida, after the first sign of red tide algae were found two weeks ago. This is the first time they’ve detected background concentrations of Karenia brevis, the red tide causing phytoplankton organism, in the Northwest Florida region with two samples below 1,000 cells per liter collected from St. Joseph Bay—around 40 miles from Panama City Beach—in Gulf County. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Privately-funded space race sparks economic liftoff for one Florida town
As billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk compete in launching rockets to outer space, they are fueling a revival of Cocoa Beach, a coastal Florida city where their respective businesses, Blue Origin and SpaceX, are based. Located on the Atlantic Coast, just south of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach was slammed by the 2009 recession and the end of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s space shuttle program, the Wall Street Journal reported. [Source: The Real Deal]
Why a booming economy is both good and bad for Florida's farmers
Florida’s economic fortunes have been bright since the rebound from the Great Recession of 2008. But, in the back of everyone’s mind, the question lingers: How long will the good times and growth roll? With nearly 1,000 people moving into Florida every day, residential and commercial development is booming. That can be both good and bad for Florida’s specialty crop growers. [Source: Growing Produce]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Calvin Klein opening first-of-its-kind store at Orlando outlet mall
Calvin Klein has opened its very first Calvin Klein Men’s store in Orlando. The new store at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets replaces the old Calvin Klein Accessories store near Tommy Hilfiger. The store carries men’s apparel, suits, shoes and accessories.
› Bonita Springs businesses rebounding after red tide, owners say
Dolphins stranded on Southwest Florida beaches last year. Gunky blue-green algae covered the Caloosahatchee River. Red tide lurked in the Gulf of Mexico, washing thousands of dead fish to the shore. It was enough to push some businesses to the brink or beyond, said locals whose livelihoods center on visits from seasonal residents and tourists.
› Tampa International Airport unfazed by Amazon’s move to Lakeland
Amazon will move its cargo flights from Tampa International Airport to Lakeland by early 2021, but Lakeland's win isn't exactly Tampa's loss. The move comes as a result of the Lakeland City Commission's vote last week to lease Amazon more than 47 acres at Lakeland Linder International Airport so that the online retailing giant can build a $100 million air cargo complex covering 285,000 square feet.
› Hotel rooms going fast as prices spike for Super Bowl LIV in Miami
Know anyone who needs a hotel room for next February’s Super Bowl extravaganza? They better hurry. It’s getting late and expensive, even with the landmark game nearly eight months away. The game, which kicks off Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium, is expected to draw tens of thousands of out-of-state visitors who will need a place to bunk and eat in the days leading up to the event.
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