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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› High-tech ‘smart gym’ concept debuts in Jacksonville
The “smart-gym” Exercise Coach debuted Wednesday in Jacksonville at 13546 Beach Blvd #32. Chris Stanley of Ponte Vedra Beach said he plans to open three locations over the next three years in the greater Jacksonville area. Outfitted with high-tech computerized machines instead of traditional equipment, The Exercise Coach offers personalized programs optimized for efficiency in two 20-minute workouts per week.
› Miami Beach latest South Florida city to say no to plastic straws, stirrers
Visitors and residents to Miami Beach won’t be able to use plastic straws and stirrers when sipping their drinks and coffee at cafes and marinas in the near future. On Wednesday, city officials unanimously passed an ordinance that bans the use of single-use plastic straws and stirrers throughout the city. The initiative, which expands a ban on plastic bags on the beach, kicks in July 2020.
› Sarasota County ends library fines
Your public library wants you to bring your overdue books back, and check out plenty more. So the system, after a unanimous vote by Sarasota County commissioners this week, is doing away with fines. Charging fees for the late return of books discourages people from signing up for library cards, according to a presentation on Aug. 28 by Sarabeth Kalajian, the director of county libraries and historical resources, who is retiring at the end of the month.
› State sues to get back cash from anti-violence program championed by Florida Rep. Kimberly Daniels
A nonprofit that a Jacksonville lawmaker helped land a $1 million state contract to run a youth program against gun violence is being sued for not delivering on its commitment. And completely separately, that lawmaker, state Rep. Kimberly Daniels, is being sued by a former aide who says the nonprofit’s leader was Daniels’ boyfriend and wielded undue influence in her office.
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