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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Businesses are open, but more unemployed file for help in Florida after 2-week drop
Initial unemployment claims in Florida climbed the past week to more than 93,000, suggesting a full economic recovery remains out of reach. The latest figure of 93,394 for the week ending June 20 from the U.S. Department of Labor, reported Thursday, is an increase of 5,246 from the prior week’s figure of 88,148. The figure had been falling for two straight weeks. More from the Bradenton Herald and the Miami Herald.
SpaceX delays its 10th launch of Starlink satellites
SpaceX is set to launch its 10th batch of Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on Friday afternoon, delayed twice this week, as part of a long-term mission to send up to orbit thousands of satellites around Earth that can power high-speed, affordable internet for even remote areas of the globe. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
South Florida diners push back on restaurants’ coronavirus rules
South Florida restaurant workers are waging a daily battle with their diners, who are fresh out of lockdown and not eager for social distancing. The stress level is mounting as cities and counties create new rules for restaurants to stem the growing numbers of coronavirus cases. Some customers are resisting the restrictions and taking out their frustrations on restaurant staffers, who must police violations to avoid citations and possible closure. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Florida still deadliest state for lightning as storms roll into busiest time of year
While Florida is referred to as the Sunshine State, it could also go by the name of electric reaper given its status as the deadliest state for lightning strikes. It’s National Lightning Safety Awareness week, and with July around the corner; the month with the highest annual recorded cloud-to-ground lightning flashes, it might be a good time to appreciate how spectacular but dangerous lightning can be. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Tampa Bay Comic Con is canceled this year
There will be no Tampa Bay Comic Convention this year. The organizers announced Wednesday on Facebook that the annual convention celebrating all of nerdom will not be held as scheduled July 10-12 at the Tampa Convention Center because of the pandemic. The decision was made due to the rising number of confirmed coronavirus infections and after consulting with city officials, the organizers said. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Profile
Andre Spivey
Andre Spivey is a big thinker. He brought professional basketball to Sarasota through his ownership of the Sarasota Manatee basketball team of the American Basketball Association. He’s developed several educational apps for children with autism. Through his company, Tampa-based Spivey Land & Finance Group, he owns land in such places as Florida, Indiana, Texas and Michigan. His next idea isn’t just big — it’s the size of a town.
» More from the Business Observer.
Out of the Box
At home, two furloughed Disney World musicians keep playing and playing and playing ...
Disney World was supposed to shut down for only two two weeks. It was mid-March. Kathy and Jeff Thomas, a married pair of professional musicians with long ties to Orlando and Disney, decided to start playing from their Davenport home. The world was “wigging out,” Kathy said. So they put on wigs and costumes to join in. They spontaneously played a quick song together and streamed it on Facebook Live for their friends, family and colleagues to watch. And then they kept playing, and playing, and playing. They have played a song every night through the pandemic, still going three months later.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.
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