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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s weekly jobless claims decline to 173,191, but it was the worst month ever for the unemployed
Florida ended its worst month ever for unemployment filings as jobless workers wracked up 173,191 claims — a decline from the previous week — to close out April reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The state report represented a significant drop from the 433,103 claims filed the previous week. Since March, the overwhelmed Department of Economic Opportunity has been submitting estimated claims figures to the U.S. Department of Labor as it struggles to weed out duplicate and incomplete claims that continue to clog its system. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Complaint website set up to report Florida businesses not following guidelines
Florida has entered phase one of reopening and a complaint website has been set up to report Florida businesses not following the guidelines. The website can be found here and was posted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The site reminds businesses any restaurant or retailer has to follow social distancing guidelines and limit indoor occupancy to no more than 25 percent of the building occupancy. More from Click Orlando.
Hundreds evacuated as wildfires rage in Florida Panhandle
Florida is now dealing with a second disaster unfolding amidst the pandemic: A wildfire raged out of control in Santa Rosa County late Wednesday in the Panhandle, destroying homes, forcing emergency evacuations and shutting down nine miles of Interstate 10. “This is a rapidly evolving situation,” Santa Rosa emergency management officials said in a statement. “If you do not feel safe in your home, you should leave. Take your pets with you.” More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
See also:
» St. Pete Fire-Rescue sending help to Pensacola as wildfires spread
South Florida resorts change how they cater to guests
The Boca Raton Resort & Club is known for catering to its customers, but soon their requests will look a lot different. "We’re calling you at home, or emailing and texting you, servicing your way. How many time do you want your room clean? We are doing seals on the doors, paperless check-in, contactless check-in," said John Tolbert, the president of the resort and a member of Governor Ron DeSantis’ reopening task force. More from WFLX.
Annual Bench & Bar Conference sees an attendence increase
The Jacksonville Bar Association and its Judicial Relations Committee presented the second annual Bench & Bar Conference on Feb. 26 at the Duval County Courthouse. The conference was the brainchild of former committee chair Adina Pollan, who has since taken her talents and experience to the JBA’s board of governors. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Q&A
Singh: BankUnited’s commercial clients are ‘cautiously optimistic’
Measures to contain the spread of coronavirus are still shifting by the day — and so are responses by investors, developers, builders, banks and buyers. To track the impact in real-time, RE|source Miami is asking area business leaders and real estate professionals in various sectors for on-the-ground reports. Today we hear from Rajinder P. Singh, chairman, president & CEO of Miami Lakes-based BankUnited.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Profile
Tourism CEO takes career detour with new venture
He could have taken a year off, heck, maybe even retired. Or he could have pursued any number of other job opportunities he was likely offered. But Keith Overton, who led St. Pete Beach-based TradeWinds Island Resorts for 25 years — until the prominent property was sold in October for $81.4 million to Miami-based 1754 Properties Group — defied expectations by launching a new hospitality venture. The entity, Pioneering Resorts, focuses not on lavish, beachfront high-rises but on quaint, lakeside RV parks and cottages.
» Read more from the source.
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