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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
DeSantis pushes to ease travel restrictions to aid tourism industry
Gov. Ron DeSantis supports lifting federal COVID-19 restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom and Brazil to help Florida’s struggling tourism industry. With advances in rapid testing and airline cleaning protocols, DeSantis said relaxing rules about travelers would help Central Florida, particularly entertainment venues that have also stepped up efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
Military absentee ballots may be critical to 2020 election: 1 in 5 went to Florida
The number of service members voting by absentee ballot is surging in 2020, and could become a critical factor in Florida, where one out of every five military absentee ballots were cast in the 2016 presidential election, according to data analyzed by McClatchy. Military voting advocacy groups are worried, however, that the combined pressures of the pandemic and strain on the U.S. postal system will delay those votes. More from the Miami Herald.
New downtown Orlando container park will showcase live music, art
When Orlando city staff put out an open call for proposals for a new city park on a patch of green space in the Central Business District, they got loads of ideas – everything from a meditation space to a dog park. The selection committee opted to go with something a bit more rock and roll, choosing a container park concept from Ascend Studios that creates a gathering space at a key downtown intersection and showcases the firm’s expertise in video installations, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Meet Tampa Bay’s newest oyster: the LoCo, from Lost Coast Oyster Co.
Oyster farming in Tampa Bay is novel: Lost Coast Oyster Co. is the first aquaculture oyster farming operation of its kind in the area. The oysters are farmed through a method known as off-bottom oyster cultivation, where the bivalves are suspended in floating cages, which protects them from predators while producing a high-quality oyster. With the decline of wild oyster landings across the Gulf Coast, it’s a practice that has grown increasingly popular the past couple of years. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Miami-Miami Beach ferry service ‘at one-yard line’
Poseidon Ferry LLC, soon to offer daily waterborne commuter transportation between Miami and Miami Beach, will officially launch with an evening Music Cruise on Nov. 6, said CEO Johnathan Silva. The company’s core business, commuter service – still in the doldrums of permitting – should follow soon. “We’re at the one-yard line right now,” he said. More from Miami Today.
Florida Law
Florida-Georgia moot court going virtual
The annual Florida-Georgia Hulsey-Gambrell Moot Court Competition is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 30, with a new format because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, instead of appearing at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse, the students will compete remotely, presenting their arguments via Zoom before a panel of federal judges. The competition between students from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and the University of Georgia School of Law is convened on the eve of the Florida-Georgia football game and is a tradition in the Jacksonville legal community.
» More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Business Profile
CPR with JR Inc.
After years working in law enforcement and running a business that trained healthcare providers on basic life-support skills, Jenny Robles, 46, opened CPR with JR Inc. in 2015. Robles offers certified training in CPR, basic first aid, emergency response and other courses, including specialized courses for teen babysitters. She partners with businesses, government agencies and schools to provide on-site classes and recently has added virtual training. On occasion, she calls on two other trainers to work with her in classes.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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