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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida is the No. 2 state for startups
Florida took the No. 2 spot in a recent report about the best states in the U.S. to launch a startup. The report examined which states offered a more positive environment to grow a business. It looked at several factors, including new business applications, business survival rate, rate of new entrepreneurs, corporate tax rate, share of college-educated population, labor cost and the cost of living index. More from the Business Observer.
Florida environmental fines dip by half in a decade
Florida's environmental cops fine fewer than half as many polluters today less than half as much than they did a decade ago, before former Gov. Rick Scott took office and shifted state regulators to a more pro-business posture, state data shows. DEP holds that the lower figures prove the success of the agency's mission to help businesses, utilities and other polluters to clean up their acts. But the agency's critics say the steep drop in fines reflects an ever-softening stance on environmental enforcement and permitting in Florida. More from Florida Today.
New executive will work to close Jacksonville's leadership gender gap
The JAX Chamber and Jacksonville Women’s Leadership Coalition want to increase the number of women in leadership positions, so they are creating a chamber executive position to do it. The position, announced Dec. 12, is vice president of Elevate Women. It will be part of the JAXUSA Partnership, the JAX Chamber’s economic development division. The chamber has yet to hire for the position. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
You can bring your dog — but not your kids — to Miami Beach’s new adults-only hotel
A new hotel on Miami Beach, built on the foundation of a historical landmark, is ready to welcome its first guests. Just leave the kids — even the teenage ones — at home. The 91-room Greystone Miami Beach, a boutique hotel at 1920 Collins Ave. is now taking reservations for stays beginning Jan. 30, 2020. More from the Miami Herald.
How an Orlando strip club sparked a fight for civil rights in Florida
What do the policies of an Orlando strip club have to do with anti-discrimination protections in Pinellas County, Tampa and Dunedin? A whole lot, it turns out. Attorneys for those three governments joined a statewide effort to protect local anti-discrimination ordinances after an Orange County Circuit Court judge ruled in May that Florida’s anti-discrimination laws overrule local ordinances. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Dining
Keto bakeries in Florida? They’re popping up all over
For people who follow keto -- which is a high-fat, low-carb diet -- satisfying your sweet tooth can be next to impossible. Even the most dedicated may not feel satiated at the end of a meal and crave a delicious, sugary dessert. Thankfully, there are Florida bakeries, ice-cream shops and cafes that have started offering low-carb options to help scratch that sweet itch.
» More from the Lakeland Ledger.
Business Profile
Mother Kombucha
Tonya Donati and Joshua Rumschlag, co-founders of Mother Kombucha in St. Petersburg, say they make kombucha for people who think they don’t like kombucha. Kombucha, for the uninitiated, is a carbonated beverage made from fermented tea gaining traction as a healthful alternative to soda and other sugary drinks.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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