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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite
Less than 2% of active Florida Bar members practicing in Florida appear among the exclusive Florida Legal Elite. Now in its 17th year, Florida Legal Elite presents the state’s top licensed and practicing attorneys selected by their peers. Florida Trend invited all in-state members of the Florida Bar to name attorneys whom they highly regard or would recommend to others. Voters were also asked to name three “up and coming” attorneys, and outstanding attorneys working in the government and non-profit sectors. [Source: Florida Trend]
Florida takes step to protect coast from rising sea levels
Further acknowledging that climate change is a growing concern in his state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a measure requiring public coastal construction projects to first be reviewed for impacts on the state's fragile seashore because of rising sea levels. The signing was hailed by environmentalists as an important step in addressing the encroaching ocean in a state with more than 1,300 miles of shoreline and where two-thirds of the 22 million residents live along the coast. [Source: WTVT]
See also:
» Gov. DeSantis signs environmental bills, adds penalties to polluters
Tech Data completes $6 billion sale to private equity firm
Tech Data is a public company no more. After more than two years of bids and counter-bids, the Largo-based technology distribution company has finally closed its $6 billion sale to New York private equity firm Apollo Global Management. “As a result of this acquisition and the resources we can bring to bear ... the Tech Data team will have the strategic and financial flexibility to invest in new technology, expand services and pursue transactions that we believe will drive long-term value creation,” Matt Nord, co-lead partner of the private equity said in a statement. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida elections official face 'dynamic and changing' situation
Face shields, temperature checks and disposable pens are just some of the safeguards Florida officials plan to employ to combat COVID-19, as they brace for elections in August and November. Collectively, Florida’s 67 county supervisors of elections have decades of experience responding to disasters. They’ve combatted hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires and even the historic Bush v. Gore meltdown in 2000. But the coronavirus pandemic presents a calamity of a different kind, posing an unknown threat that’s forcing elections officials to plan for a continuum of possibilities. [Source: Jacksonville Business Journal]
Cirque du Soleil says Orlando show will be among its first to return after restructuring
Entertainment company Cirque du Soleil, best known for its mesmerizing shows that fuse acrobatics with performance art, has filed for protection from creditors in Canada. While it develops a plan to restart its business, which has been shuttered since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, the company said people should hang on to their tickets to the new show that was slated to open at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› High-end hotel executive leaves Florida Keys to run Tampa Bay area resort
TradeWinds Island Resorts named industry veteran Bob LaCasse Managing Director. LaCasse brings over 25 years of experience in resort management to his new position at the St. Pete Beach property. Prior to joining TradeWinds, LaCasse was Managing Director of Cheeca Lodge Resort and Spa in Islamorada and its sister property Tranquility Bay in Marathon.
› Lakewood Ranch Women’s Club’s SMART Barn Drive raises over $8,500
On June 27 Lakewood Ranch Women’s Club (LWRWC) held an innovative, safe and successful Barn Drive Fundraiser in the LWR Town Hall parking lot that raised over $8,500 in cash and in-kind donations for Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy (SMART). The unique fundraiser permitted social distancing with no contact via drive-up donations.
› Florida Black-owned bridal shop sees surge in support
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something Black-owned. In an industry that historically struggles with diverse representation, and at a time when people are looking to support Black-owned businesses, one Gainesville bridal shop has seen a surge in customer support.
› Crayola Experience reopens July 1
Crayola Experience, the crayon-based attraction inside Orlando’s Florida Mall, will reopen to the public on Wednesday. It has been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. As at other attractions, Crayola Experience has implemented new protocols, including a limit on attendance to 50 percent of capacity, a face-covering requirement for visitors, temperature screenings and a timed-ticket entry system. The company is encouraging reservations.
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