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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Eight months after Hurricane Michael, many fear a mental health crisis
As another hurricane season begins, the devastation and the slow pace of recovery are instilling a sense of despair among many of the region’s residents who are still struggling to find housing or fulfill basic needs. Many are living in tents or campers outside ruined homes while they wait for contractors or for state or federal assistance. The strain is starting to show among many of the Panhandle’s children, as school officials in Bay County are fearing that a full-blown mental health crisis may be taking root. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald.
WalletHub study: Florida ranked 38th worst state for working dads in the U.S.
Fatherhood is a tough job, and according to WalletHub Florida may not be so great for working dads. The Sunshine State ranked as the 38th worst place for fathers in all 50 states. Wallethub looked at 22 key indicators of friendliness toward working fathers while making their list, including the length of an average work day, child-care costs and the percentage of men in good health. More from WalletHub and WJXT.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Orlando's Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center planning new $35 million facility
The Florida Legislature has cut spending on arts and cultural grants more than 90% over the past five years, from $43 million in 2014 to $2.6 million this year. The Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center, a small museum in suburban Central Florida, was hit hard. The center, which had qualified for a grant of up to $90,000, got just $5,961 from the state this year — 32% less than a year ago and 89% less than it received in 2014. More from the Florida Trend.
Florida crackdown on anacondas spurs legal fight
Owners and dealers of anacondas have launched a legal challenge after the state largely banned the snakes amid a struggle to control damaging invasive species. An administrative law judge is scheduled to hold a hearing July 1st in the case, which targets a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rule that took effect in May and added a series of animals, ranging from anacondas to meerkats and flying foxes, to a list of “prohibited non-native species.” More from CBS Miami.
Little Havana is at risk of disappearing. Could this plan reverse the trend?
Miami’s success is threatening one of its defining neighborhoods. Known for its cafecito windows, live music and passion for dominoes, Little Havana and its residents are being pushed out by lifestyle shifts and an increasing appetite for property close to the downtown core. That’s the warning from urban experts, conservationists, public officials and civic activists who have been studying the shifting neighborhood. More from the Miami Herald.
Out of the Box
Wanted: Teen to keep tabs on $165 million
Would you trust your kid with $165 million? Hollywood would. Officials are on the hunt for a local student to take on a watchdog role overseeing how the city spends $165 million in bond money. Hollywood commissioners — who never set an official age or GPA requirement for the student appointee — say they’re not looking to appoint a fifth-grader, but rather someone more mature.
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sports Business
Women's Final Four helped Hillsborough set a tourism record
Hillsborough County set new records for tourism in April, with an assist from women’s college basketball. Visitors in April brought in $3.3 million in tourist taxes, according to the Hillsborough County Tax Collector's Office, up nearly 6 percent from the same month last year. That made April the fourth month of record-breaking tax collections from hotel stays this year, according to Visit Tampa Bay.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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