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Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida lawmakers to decide on unemployment, marijuana and more
Coronavirus, budget questions, anti-riot legislation and an attempt to reign in large technology companies will be among issues lawmakers will take up in their 60-day session that begins Tuesday. There have been more than 2,500 bills filed ahead of session ranging from tweaking a law that makes it illegal to ride bicycles without seats to bills that would protect businesses and health care facilities from COVID-19 lawsuits. More from WFLX.
DeSantis joins GOP governors, says $16 billion in federal relief to Florida is unfair
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package pending before the U.S. Senate would give Florida state and local governments $16 billion in one-time aid, more than enough to wipe out the state’s $2 billion shortfall, but Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday said the funding formula is unfair to Florida because it is tied to unemployment. More from the Miami Herald.
Publix sales soar to $44.9 billion in 2020, with COVID-19 shopping key
Driven by the coronavirus pandemic, Publix’s sales in 2020 jumped to $44.9 billion, the Lakeland-based grocery chain revealed Monday. The company reported that its sales for the fiscal year ending Dec. 26 were up $6.8 billion, or 17.7%, from $38.1 billion in 2019. It estimated sales increased about $4.6 billion last year because of the pandemic, which has people eating at home more as many restaurants have reported slumping sales. Early on in the crisis, people also panic-bought toilet paper and other supplies. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Key West voters limited cruise ship traffic. State lawmakers will consider overruling them
In November, Key West voters changed how the island will deal with the cruise ship industry. They capped the number of passengers that can disembark each day to 1,500, limited mooring to ships with a capacity of 1,300, and gave docking priorities to cruise lines with the best health and environmental records. But state lawmakers this year could cancel out those election results. The 2021 legislative session starts Tuesday, and the cruise ship issue is in the Capitol. More from the Miami Herald.
Florida authorities tell Brightline to lock down Orlando-Tampa passenger-train plan by mid-summer
Florida transportation authorities on Monday gave Brightline what appears to be a final deadline of mid-summer to iron out agreements with local and state governments for the extension of passenger rail service from Orlando’s airport to Tampa. In late 2019, the state Department of Transportation first awarded the South Florida-based company rights to negotiate for securing leases along a route that is slated to include a station at Disney Springs. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Event
Deep-fried and strawberry goodies are coming to Florida Strawberry Festival
The Florida Strawberry Festival opens on Thursday for an 11-day run in Plant City without its signature lineup of headlining music acts. But the midway will be stocked with deep-fried and unusual fair food, including a Jolly Rancher Slush, deep-fried eclairs and a strawberry-infused pickle. With no booze, tobacco or other vices, the Florida Strawberry Festival has been both a quaint piece of Americana and the second-most attended fair in the state.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Business Profile
TeBella Tea Co.
Soon after Abigail StClair opened her tea shop, a man who worked at the real estate office next door walked in and said, “So let me get this straight — this is going to be a tea shop, and you plan to make money at this?” The same man came back a couple of years later and said: “Abigail, I think I underestimated you. I watched you grow to multiple stores, and I’ve seen how many people come here every day.” Since she founded it in 2010, StClair, 40, has led the growth of TeBella Tea Co. from one to four retail stores in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota that sell loose-leaf tea and tea accessories.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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