SHARE:
Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
More PPP loans are coming. Here’s how your business can get a second one.
President Donald Trump has signed into law a new $900 billion coronavirus relief and stimulus package. Among its provisions: An extension of last spring’s Paycheck Protection Program, allowing another $284 billion or so in forgivable, federally backed loans for ailing small businesses. The initial program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration, shepherded some $525 billion to more than 5 million recipients but was fraught with loopholes and liabilities that raised countless issues throughout an already complex process. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Politicians of the Year: The Mayors
As the COVID-19 pandemic proved the greatest public health crisis to confront the nation in a century, there was one group of Floridians who stood out among all others in the race to beat the monster. The Mayors. The disaster struck with the deadly daily force of a hurricane — an invisible one that left buildings standing but hospital bed inventories crushed. Worse, it’s a storm that stayed put for nine months, and as a cold front strikes, the winds of death and sorrow appear only to be picking up speed. More from Florida Politics.
Florida government ethics, school bus safety among laws that go into effect this week
A bill dealing with a voter-approved prohibition on public officials and employees using their offices to benefit themselves, their families or employers is among four new laws that will take effect this week. The other bills involve fines for driving past stopped school buses, insurance policy statements, and election equipment used for recounts. Lawmakers passed a bill to help slow the revolving door involving public officials and the private sector. More from WFOR.
‘It was an unmitigated disaster’: Small business owners reflect on 2020, hopes for next year
Small businesses across South Florida have all faced a lot of challenges this year, but many of them have hope for 2021. Four unique businesses offer uncommon goods and services to South Florida. Three owners and a director shared their stories of fear, uncertainty, successes, and triumphs: Rick Medina, owner of Arcade Odyssey, a token-operated arcade in Kendall; Javier Chavez, the associate manager of the Coral Gables Art Cinema; Linda Udell Zakheim, owner of Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour, Restaurant and Country Store in Dania Beachand; and William Chrisant, owner of the Old Florida Book Shop. More from WLRN.
Driverless shuttles spark more interest in St. Petersburg than Tampa
Visitors to downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg this month have had the chance to catch a free ride on shuttles that have neither drivers nor steering wheels. It’s the first time autonomous technology has been readily available to the general public in Tampa Bay. Private partner Beep is behind both pilot programs, which aim to see how receptive people will be to the newest form of transit to hit local streets. But while both projects launched during the fall, and under the same company, their popularity has proven dramatically different. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Nonprofit News
Valor Service Dogs hoping to attain international certification
Carol Lansford was a psychology major, with designs on exploring animal behavior. Her internships put her in close contact with rehabbing dolphins at Dolphin Encounters in The Bahamas, and at Zoo Atlanta. Today, Lansford is the executive director of a small nonprofit called Valor Service Dogs. VSD embodies the surge of interest in the utility of canine behavioral science, in which dogs can be trained for missions as diverse as mobility assistance, seizure response, autism mitigation, and emotional support.
» More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Urban Bookstore
Barnes & Noble sold few Black authors, so Cocoa couple opened Brevard's only 'urban' bookstore
Essence of Knowledge, Brevard County's only bookstore specializing in Black authors and stories, was born out of a market need, a dream and pain. It began with a trip a decade ago to Barnes & Noble, where co-owner Michelle Davis of Cocoa went searching for a book and found only two shelves dedicated to African- American literature. "I was mad," Davis said. "I was embarrassed because I felt like they felt Black people do not write. And there's such a large variety of books from Black authors."
» Read more from Florida Today.
In case you missed it:
