March 29, 2024

Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 6/28/2019

Another hacked Florida city pays a ransom, this time for $460,000

Even the phones went down in the government of Lake City, Fla., after hackers launched a cyberattack that disabled the city’s computer systems. For several days after computer systems were paralyzed by a ransomware attack, the staff of the small North Florida town worked with the F.B.I. and an outside security consultant to restore phone lines, email and online utility payments. But in the end, city leaders called an emergency meeting this week and reluctantly approved paying the hackers the ransom they demanded: 42 Bitcoin, or about $460,000. More from the New York Times.

University entrepreneur program enters into exchange agreement with Israeli university

When Sandra Kauanui founded what has developed into the Institute of Entrepreneurship at Florida Gulf Coast University, her goal was for the program to serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurship in Southwest Florida. She would have never imagined two years later she would find herself traveling to Israel with Gov. Ron DeSantis and signing a memorandum of understanding for an exchange and collaboration partnership with Tel Aviv University. More from the Business Observer.

Mom says daughter contracted flesh-eating bacteria on popular Florida beach

It’s a nightmare this mom just can’t believe she’s living. One minute her baby girl is healthy and moving as normal. The next, she’s in the hospital having multiple surgeries and fighting for her life. What was supposed to be a family fun vacation, “going in hopes to have a blast and enjoy the warm weather and the beach,” said mother Michelle Brown. Quickly turned for the worst. More from WFLA.

Florida Trend Exclusive

Largest museums and cultural attractions in Florida

Florida Trend compiled a list of the Sunshine State's largest museums and cultural attractions (100,000+ attendance). See the full list.

VerdeGo Aero and SeaMax to Join Embry-Riddle's Applied Aviation and Engineering Research Hangar

With the addition of two innovative businesses – VerdeGo™ Aero, a hybrid-electric aerospace powertrain firm, and light-sport aircraft maker SeaMax™ – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Applied Aviation and Engineering Research (AAER) Hangar has reached capacity and is primed to expand employment in Volusia County. [Source: Embry-Riddle]

Dining
What makes a good caviar? They went to Bern's to find out.

 In the past 20 years, Bern's caviar menu has doubled. And Matthew Villeneuve knows everything about them all. When high rollers, professional athletes and celebrities order caviar at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, they look to dining room captain Matthew Villeneuve for guidance. The 42-year-old graduate of Leto High School and the University of Florida joined the staff two days after getting a degree in anthropology in 2000.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

 

Wild Florida
First an alligator came crashing through her window. Now what?

 For 77-year-old Mary Wischhusen, an 11-foot alligator crashing through her kitchen window has turned out to be “a fun thing, really.” Sure, the alligator broke her good red wine bottles and countertop glass. It also left fist-deep holes in the wall from swinging its thick tail around, and took a bite out of two chairs. But the police and fire rescue workers who responded to her house early May 31st were cute, Wischhusen said. And nobody got hurt.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Florida Trend Video Pick

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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