March 19, 2024

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 11/12/2019

Manufacturing in Florida isn’t dead. Far from it.

Florida has never relied as much on manufacturing as other states, especially those in the Steel Belt along the Great Lakes. The state’s 20,600 manufacturing businesses still make everything from yachts to food flavorings to fire suppression equipment. They just don’t need as many workers as a few decades ago. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Florida’s building code doesn’t take sea rise into account. That could change this year

The last time the Florida building code changed, it required any new construction along the coast to elevate buildings a whole foot. Just three years later, that doesn’t look like enough. There’s a call to go up yet another foot. More from the Miami Herald.

Orlando City Council has concerns with scooter plan, but vote to move it forward

Orlando commissioners plowed forward with a pilot plan to allow electric scooters in the city while lodging worries about their safety and the potential for clutter. The proposed ordinance would allow companies to launch fleets of 200-400 electric scooters, capping the total number in the city at 1,800. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Selby Gardens a ‘cautionary tale’ for other institutions that want to expand

Sarasota city commissioners’ decision last week to reject Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ controversial redevelopment plans caused other arts and cultural institutions to take notice. That’s because earlier this year, city commissioners thwarted the Sarasota Orchestra’s plans to build a 2,500-seat concert hall on seven acres of Payne Park. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Production is coming back to the former home of Telemundo Studios after a $5.65M sale

A company that packages and distributes coffee bought the former Telemundo Studios. And it’s one of several stakeholders helping bring video production activity back into the space. Miami saw its film and television glory days about 20 years ago. Between 1994 and 1996, an average of 15 feature-length films were shot in the Magic City each year. More from the Miami Herald.

Out of the Box
Arcade machines made out of whiskey barrels highlight Orlando Maker Faire

 When Darrin Yesbeck went to the mountains of Tennessee to visit Dollywood with his daughter, he spent a good deal of time with her over a Pac-Man video game machine. He enjoyed it so much, he decided to make his own. The 45-year-old Orlando resident now takes used whiskey and wine barrels, cleans them, airs them out and then repurposes them as stand-up video game machines.

» More from the Orlando Sentinel.

 

Business Florida
Beyond imagination

floridaEncompassing seven counties, East Central boasts some of Florida’s natural best: 118 miles of Atlantic coastline on one side, a chain of nearly 1,000 lakes on the other. But for all its organic beauty, this is more than just another pretty place. With a workforce of 1.9 million, four commercial airports, one seaport and a spaceport, East Central means business.

» Read more from Business Florida.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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