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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Is organized sports betting coming to Florida? Tallahassee is talking about it.
It may be the ultimate legislative session wild card, but House and Senate leaders confirmed Monday they are engaged in an effort to reach a deal with the governor that would update Florida’s gambling laws by allowing organized sports betting and bring in new revenue from the Seminole Tribe. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald.
Super Bowl week has begun in Miami, and local officials are already looking forward to the next one in South Florida
Super Bowl week is finally here. We’re six days away from the record 11th Super Bowl in Miami, and game officials are ecstatic about this week’s events and activities leading up to Sunday’s grand spectacle. They’re even excited the experience they provide locals and visitors this week could lead to another Super Bowl in the area in the next five to seven years, too. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
As South Florida warms, a cold-blooded invader takes over
Snowbirds—a sometimes-affectionate, sometimes-derisive term for transplants from colder climates—have populated Florida for decades, seeking its warm weather, verdant golf courses and generous lack of income tax. Iguanas have been doing the same, at least for two of those reasons. With increasingly rare winter cold snaps, the reptilian menace has multiplied, threatening the native wildlife of Florida and carrying lethal bacteria such as salmonella [Source: Bloomberg]
Gas prices in Florida take a tumble
After three weeks of erratic and unusually high gasoline prices from the start of the year, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline tumbled over the past week. According to AAA — The Auto Club Group, this week is beginning with gas costing an average of $2,45 a gallon in Florida, down 8 cents since last week. And the decline is expected to continue over the next couple of weeks, following an unusually high spike in gasoline prices at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020. [Source: Florida Politics]
Industry calls on Florida lawmakers to reform lawsuit abuse
Florida lawmakers are considering a number of insurance-focused issues over the course of the 60-day 2020 Legislative Session that started Jan. 14. At the top of the list for industry and consumer advocates are reforms to curb what they say are abuses of the state’s legal system that are hurting insurers’ bottom line. The issue is of particular importance to industry stakeholders in light of recent news about financial issues in the state’s insurance market. [Source: Insurance Journal]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Water wars: Supreme Court gives Georgia, Florida 45 days to respond
Justices appeared Monday to lay the groundwork for what would be a second round of oral arguments before the Supreme Court in Florida’s long-running water rights case against Georgia. The court issued a notice granting both states 45 days to respond to a recommendation recently issued by the case’s expert adjudicator, New Mexico-based federal Judge Paul Kelly, as well as time to counter one another’s arguments in subsequent legal briefs.
› Fort Myers artificial intelligence-focused firm buys marketing and PR agency
Vectra Digital, a marketing and web design agency, has completed its acquisition of iPartnerMedia, Inc., a digital marketing firm and public relations agency. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. "We're very excited about this winning combination and the future of digital marketing,” says Vectra Digital CEO Matt Bernhardt.
› Jacksonville’s Cecil Spaceport is counting down to ‘liftoff’
The plans for Cecil Spaceport have long been in the making, but there’s been little visible progress of space operations at the former U.S. naval air station on Jacksonville’s Westside. But 2020 promises to be a threshold year, according to officials overseeing the development.
› New COO of Sarasota restaurant group brings lessons from entertainment giant
For many, Thanksgiving means enjoying a combination of turkey, family, cranberry sauce, football, stuffing and a post-meal nap. For Michelle Schlingmann, COO of Sarasota-based American Dreams Restaurant Group, last Thanksgiving involved something entirely different. That day, she showed up ready to work at the restaurants the company operates, including Duval’s Fresh Local Seafood, Element Modern Grill and Plaza Bistro 'n' Tavern.
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