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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Gov. DeSantis asks Legislature to make employers use e-Verify
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that cracking down on the hiring of undocumented workers is a top priority for the 2020 legislative session, a move in line with one of his most-repeated campaign promises and comments he made last month at a press event. More from the Orlando Sentinel, the Miami Herald, and WOFL.
Florida prison guards take on new role: immigration agents
Florida is poised to deputize state correctional officers as federal immigration agents at a state-run prison as part of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program. The move by Florida has been “reviewed and approved” by a federal advisory board, and the state is now “awaiting official notification of the Memorandum of Agreement from ICE,” the Florida Department of Corrections confirmed. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the Tampa Bay Times.
Millions to hit Florida roads this week
Get ready for gridlocked roads and crowded airports. With Florida tourism already booming, this week’s holiday will see some of the highest Thanksgiving travel volumes on record, according to AAA -- The Auto Club Group. More than 55 million Americans plan to travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, AAA said. Nearly 2.9 million of those travelers are Floridians. [Source: Palm Beach Post]
SunPass: Inspector general faults state, contractors for toll failures
An investigation by Florida’s chief inspector general blamed state transportation officials, private contractors and Conduent State & Local Solutions for the disastrous takeover of the SunPass toll system last year. The report into one of the most expensive and disastrous state contracts in recent memory detailed how Conduent’s system broke down when it started processing state tolls last year, and how state officials failed to heed warning signs. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
White Castle returns to Florida after 50 years away
White Castle is giving Orlando residents something to get excited about. The burger chain announced plans to open up the first brick and mortar restaurant near Disney World after more than 50 years away. The company has been around since 1921 when founder Billy Ingram decided to start selling the iconic square burgers in Wichita, KS. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Small Business Saturday allows Southwest Florida businesses to bring local shopping 'movement' to light
Ever since American Express started the annual "holiday" in 2010, it has spread across the country and rallied communities to shop at small businesses in their area on the Saturday during Thanksgiving week. Following the frenzy of Black Friday, this year's celebration will take place on Nov. 30.
› Coalition to challenge ‘Make It Legal Florida’s’ marijuana legalization ballot measure
A coalition of “hundreds of statewide and community-based organizations” has formed a political action committee and will oppose "Make It Legal Florida’s" prospective November 2020 ballot measure seeking to legalize adult recreational marijuana. Floridians Against Recreational Marijuana filed incorporation papers with the Florida Division of Elections and announced its intent to battle the “mega-marijuana corporate interests” behind Make It Legal Florida’s petition-drive effort.
› Bill would ban pets in restaurants, bars, lounges in Florida
A new plan would ban people from taking their pets inside restaurants in Florida to protect the "welfare of the public." If passed, the measure would ban non-service animals from "traveling through or remaining in indoor portions of a public food service establishment" in order to "protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public."
› Dengue virus is surging in Latin America. That’s bad news for Miami.
Dengue virus is surging in Latin America at an inopportune time for Miami, with infections in those countries spreading rapidly just as many foreign-born South Florida residents are preparing to travel to their home countries for the holidays, public health experts are warning. That increases the likelihood that travelers will bring the disease back to South Florida when they return.
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