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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
As Florida weighs reopening, public invited to chime in through online portal
Florida officials opened an online portal Saturday for the public to weigh in on reopening the state amid the coronavirus outbreak that has now shuttered schools and businesses for more than a month. In making the announcement, the governor's office said “public feedback will be a critical component” in the work of the Re-Open Florida Task Force, a panel charged by Gov. Ron DeSantis to help guide him in deciding whether to lift certain restrictions put in place to limit the spread of the virus. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
See also:
» Re-opening Florida will start with ‘a very small step,’ DeSantis says
» ‘I’m not in a rush.’ DeSantis says no theaters or sports venues yet. Florida will reopen in phases
Florida marijuana dispensaries buck national trend with sustained sales spike
Medical marijuana sales surged nationwide during the first few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, but have tailed off since mid-March, according to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. Not so in Florida, where the state’s 239 dispensaries, including three scheduled to open Monday to coincide with since-canceled “4/20” celebrations nationwide, are experiencing sustained brisk sales. [Source: The Center Square]
SpaceX already prepping for next crew mission to ISS ahead of May test run
SpaceX is already looking past next month’s planned landmark mission of its Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. Currently slated for May 27, the mission from Kennedy Space Center will be the first time astronauts will launch from the United States on any mission since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Theme parks’ post-pandemic world: 5 changes to expect
Change is barreling toward Orlando’s theme parks and attractions, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Adjustments will be made in many ways — perhaps in every way — experts and analysts say. Visitors should brace themselves for alterations, for example, in how to buy admission tickets, for spread-out seating arrangements aboard park rides and in restaurants, and in just how we wait, they say. In short, expect less touching. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida insurance chief: Pandemics not covered under most business interruption policies
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier delivered some good news and some bad news Friday to business leaders planning the state’s post-pandemic recovery. The good news, he said, is businesses may not see employee health insurance premiums increase because, with the health care system almost exclusively focused on combating COVID-19, insurers are seeing fewer claims in other areas. The bad news is financial losses attributed to pandemics are not are covered under most “business interruption policies." [Source: The Center Square]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Supersonic aircraft facility, 675 high-paying jobs coming to Space Coast
Aerion Supersonic, an aerospace company focused on high-speed flight, will construct a new, state-of-the-art campus, called Aerion Park, in Melbourne that should be up and running in 2026. The campus would be used to construct the company’s new AS2 Supersonic Business Jet that could fly at speeds up to 1,000 miles per hour.
› AutoNation agrees to return PPP funds
AutoNation said Friday it would return $77 million in aid it acquired through the federal Paycheck Protection Program. The Fort Lauderdale-based company said the aid was procured legitimately. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that AuoNation, which employed 26,000 employees in 18 states prior to the coronavirus outbreak, used separate tax identification numbers assigned to dealerships across the country to apply for at least $266 million in funds.
› Miami-based movie theater chain files for bankruptcy amid coronavirus economic crisis
A Miami-based movie theater chain with locations at Dolphin Mall, Brickell City Centre and throughout South Florida has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid the economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus. CMX Cinemas, which acquired Cobb Theatres in 2017, operates about a half dozen movie theaters in Miami-Dade County, including the CinéBistro theatres at Dolphin Mall and CityPlace Doral. The company runs theaters in 12 states, including across Florida.
› Staying alive means getting creative for Clematis businesses
Hard times are everywhere on Clematis Street, long the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, but some businesses are using their imaginations to keep themselves and their employees afloat amid the coronavirus downturn.
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