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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› Human-trafficking ring busted in Hillsborough after three-month investigation
Detectives made six arrests and rescued five victims during an undercover human trafficking investigation that lasted three months, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. Chronister dubbed the six suspects the Sinful 6, and said their ring leader was Bradford Alan Pugh, 43, of Tampa. Pugh was being held on $1.03 million bail on seven charges of human trafficking and two racketeering charges, according to jail records. He was arrested Feb. 7.
› Miami metro among most ‘intensely gentrified’ in U.S., study says
Gentrification is changing the Miami metro more rapidly than in most other U.S. regions, according to a recent study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. The Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach county area had the fourth-highest “intensity” of gentrification in the U.S. between 2013-2017, the report found.
› Disney World workers start petition urging theme park to delay reopening
Some Disney World workers are pleading with theme park executives to reconsider plans to reopen in July, following days of record-number cases of COVID-19 infections that have pushed the statewide total past 100,000. Reopening would mean bringing back tens of thousands of workers who were furloughed April 19 and since then have struggled to navigate Florida’s broken unemployment system. Still, workers who signed the petition said it’s too soon to welcome back guests.
› County chosen for COVID-19 remote jury trial pilot program
The Lee County Clerk of Courts was recently selected to participate in a pilot program to evaluate how to conduct civil jury trials remotely. The initiative, according to a statement, is designed to help reduce jurors’ exposure to COVID-19 while serving.
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