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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
U.S. Supreme Court set to hear Florida-Georgia water battle
After years of battling between Florida and Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court next month will again take up a dispute about water in a river system that links the two states. The Supreme Court last week scheduled oral arguments Feb. 22 in the case about divvying up water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which stretches from northern Georgia to Apalachicola Bay in Franklin County. Florida filed the lawsuit in 2013, though the two states have fought for decades about water in the river system. More from the News Service of Florida.
Florida saw a bigger jump in new residents than every state but one
Florida has seen one of the nation’s biggest upticks in the number of new residents, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. The Sunshine State gained an estimated 241,256 residents from July 2019 to July 2020, the agency reported last week. The coronavirus pandemic may have played a role in the boom, but it is too soon to say exactly how much it drove the increase. More from the Miami Herald.
State considers $15 million land purchase from citrus company
Alico, one of the largest citrus producers in the country, closed out 2020 with a land deal under the Florida Forever program worth nearly $15 million. The agreement, according to a statement, grants Florida the option to purchase about 5,804 acres of Alico Ranch for $14.6 million. If Florida officials exercise the option, closing would be in the third quarter of Alico’s 2021 fiscal year, say company officials in the statement. More from the Business Observer.
Pinellas leaders fight to put science back in the Science Center
When the city bought the Science Center of Pinellas County from the county’s job placement agency last year, CareerSource, the building was fated for a teardown. But there’s a snowballing effort to revitalize the Science Center and transform it back into the hub of extracurricular STEM education — science, technology, engineering and mathematics, sometimes called STEAM if it includes art — for students and teens that it once was, plus an event space. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
With younger Pérez as president, Miami’s biggest developer moves into new directions
Jon Paul Pérez has been groomed for the real estate business literally since he was a toddler. Long before he became South Florida’s biggest condo developer, Jorge Pérez strapped his oldest son into the car to visit construction sites with business associates such as Adolfo Henriques, a banker who then financed many of Pérez’s projects. When the boy was old enough for weekend soccer, he and his brother would come off the field, then head off with their dad to tour projects in progress. More from the Miami Herald.
Industry Trend
Florida wineries face possible closures as business drys up
A Central Florida winery said that the COVID-19 pandemic could set Florida's wine industry back nearly a decade, with some wineries even in jeopardy of being shut down. With this, a state association is now calling on people to support local wineries. For example, Hutchinson Farm Winery in Orange County could close down if things don't turn around soon. Tourists were the cheese to this wine vineyard's success but with fewer people traveling, business is said to have dried up 8 percent.
» More from WOFL.
Entertainment
Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest lets viewers set the schedule
Lindsay Taylor wants people to know that Orlando Fringe is there for them. “The goal was honestly to keep Fringe in people’s minds, to know we’re still doing things to cater to people’s comfort levels,” Taylor, who became the Fringe’s producer in summer 2019, said. “We want people to feel included and don’t want anyone to miss out.” To that end, Taylor designed a festival that would make recordings of the short comedies, musicals and other plays available to those who want to watch from home.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.
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