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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
‘They rot in the field.’ Florida farmers face destroying surplus crops
Fresh cucumbers are piled high in trucks at Long & Scott Farms, but a big chunk of this year’s harvest could be in jeopardy because of coronavirus. Nearly a third of the farm’s 400 acres of pickle-variety cucumbers go to places like restaurants, said president Hank Scott, and the virus has destroyed that demand across the state and the rest of the nation. Florida farmers such as Scott are facing challenges getting their products to customers as measures to combat the virus also harm one of the state’s biggest economic engines. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
See also:
» Farmworkers now tagged as 'essential,’ but often they’re not treated that way
37,000 small businesses turned away after Florida closes emergency loan program
Only a tiny percentage of the businesses that applied for assistance through the state’s Emergency Bridge Loan program will see any money, after the Florida Small Business Development Center Network announced Tuesday that no more applications would be accepted or approved. The Department of Economic Opportunity, which administers the program, has received more than 38,000 applications for the bridge loan and approved only 1,000 since Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the program on March 17. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Big Overtown project in limbo as developer countersues rival who claimed conspiracy
Developer Michael Swerdlow, claiming that competitor R. Donahue Peebles sued him over a massive Overtown redevelopment project as a tactic to block him from closing on the deal, has now countersued. In his March 26 complaint, Peebles made a series of incendiary claims with little proof, contending that Swerdlow “conspired” with Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon, a Hardemon relative and other city officials to push him out of the project and hand it to Swerdlow. More from the Miami Herald.
Jacksonville Mayor wants to temporarily hire recently retired first responders
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has introduced emergency legislation to the City Council that would allow recently retired first responders to temporarily return to work in the event of manpower shortages. The City Council will vote on the legislation at its meeting on Tuesday, which would allow retired firefighters, police officers and correctional officers to return to work without impacting their pensions. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Winn-Dixie parent company pays for groceries of health care workers and first responders
The workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic were surprised with a special thank you at the store Monday night: Free groceries at Winn-Dixie and other markets around the Southeast. Southeastern Grocers, the owners of Winn-Dixie and other grocery stores, says they footed the bill for first responders and healthcare workers buying essentials during their designated shopping hour. More from WWLTV and Tampa Bay Times.
In Memoriam
Bernice Bates, the world's oldest yoga teacher
For more than 50 years, Bernice Bates helped people exercise and find their inner peace. She kept it up for so long Bates eventually was recognized by Guinness World Records. Bates died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 10, 2020. She was 99 years old -- and would have celebrated her 100th birthday on June 30.
» More from WTSP.
Out of the Box
Pet therapy team sticks doggedly to nursing home – via Skype
Volunteers with the Humane Society of Greater Miami’s Pet Therapy Team didn’t let the self-quarantine in place stop them from bringing much-needed therapy sessions to a local elderly nursing home. Unable to make their routine in-person visits to nursing homes, courthouse and hospitals, humane society volunteer and head of the therapy sessions Dr. Yair Levy thought of a clever way to virtually provide pet therapy sessions with his 7-year-old cavalier king spaniel, Choco.
» Read more from Miami Today.
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