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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
The new snowbird: Young, and working remotely to wait out the pandemic
There’s a new generation of snowbirds flocking to Florida this season. They’re young, mobile and working remotely because COVID-19 has closed their offices. All they want is good weather and decent WiFi. Many are in their 20s, 30s and 40s and lived in New York and New Jersey until the pandemic made them think twice about life in the big city or its suburbs. Call them snowchicks, the offspring of our beloved seasonal snowbirds. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Florida coronavirus cases again spiking with no end apparent
Florida’s coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have climbed dramatically over the last two months and some epidemiologists fear those numbers could soon hit or exceed levels reached in the summer when the pandemic was at its peak. After a dramatic three-month decline that began in July, Florida’s confirmed cases began rising again in October, two weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis removed nearly all capacity restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses and barred cities and counties from fining violators of local mask ordinances. [Source: AP]
Opinion: Florida should start collecting sales tax on internet purchases and recoup $400 million
The pandemic has shifted the buying habits of Floridians who don't want to expose themselves to crowds of shoppers. In response, Florida must finally shift the way it taxes commerce on the internet. Under current law, a relic of the Sears catalog era, remote sellers who have a "physical presence" in Florida – think of those Amazon warehouses – must charge sales tax on those orders. Internet retailers who don't have buildings and employees in Florida, however, don't need to charge sales tax on their orders (though some are). [Source: Daytona Beach News Journal]
Florida senators seek to make COVID-19′s booze-to-go rule permanent
Two state senators have uncorked separate proposals to make permanent a coronavirus emergency order that has allowed restaurants and other food establishments with liquor licenses to include alcohol with “to-go” orders. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, filed measures that would allow a business holding a state alcohol license to sell or deliver spirited beverages by the package for off-site consumption. The proposals would require the liquid to be in a sealed container and to be part of a food order. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
A flooded Everglades: Boon for birds but high waters threaten some species
Water is the lifeblood of the sprawling Everglades ecosystem, but its wetlands, prairies, forests and hammocks thrive on a seasonal cycle of rainy springs and summers and dryer falls and winters. Extremes either way can create major ripple effects, good for some species but damaging for others. And 2020 has definitely been extreme, topped by late season Tropical Storm Eta dumping up to 16 inches of rain in some spots in South Florida. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Winter Park's Breakthrough Theatre rebrands, but Christmas tradition endures
Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park has gone through big changes this year: In June, the company gave up its longtime home on Fairbanks Avenue. During the next few months, it transitioned to an online-only company, dropping the “Winter Park” from its name and rebranding as Breakthrough Theatre Company. But owner Wade Hair wasn’t about to change Christmas.
› Key West scales back New Year’s Eve because of coronavirus
The city of Key West is scaling back its normal New Year’s Eve celebrations following recent surges in the spread of coronavirus. Key West Mayor Teri Johnston signed an emergency order Friday that sets an island-wide curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m., running Thursday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 3. The curfew does not apply to unincorporated Monroe County, which includes the remainder of the Florida Keys, said county mayor Michelle Coldiron.
› GoFundMe efforts help Will’s Pub in Orlando avoid last call
Jeannine Gage’s late husband, Dave, was a fixture in Orlando’s music scene for many years, and one of the last things he did as cancer closed in, was plan the bill for the tribute he knew would happen once he passed. Bands that hadn’t played together in years reunited for the event, which took place at Will’s Pub. Musicians got together and did a set of Gage’s songs, which they had to learn and rehearse. The pub hosted a benefit and silent auction to help raise money for their daughter’s college fund as she wrapped up her first semester at the University of Florida.
› Tampa airport resuming flights to Cuba, Montreal, Panama City
Nassau, Toronto and Cancun are happening. Havana, Montreal and Panama City are up next. Over the next month or so, Tampa International Airport plans to double its international flight offerings, giving Floridian travelers their most destination options outside America since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
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