March 29, 2024

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 3/16/2021

DeSantis says Florida will open vaccines to all adults before May 1

Florida lowered the age limit to get vaccinated Monday. Now, anyone over the age of 60 in Florida is eligible to get the vaccine. Gov. Ron DeSantis said he thinks Florida will drop the age to 55 later this month. And DeSantis said he thinks Florida will beat President Joe Biden’s deadline to open vaccine eligibility to any adult who wants it by May 1. More from WUSF.

Florida lands among Top 10 states for capital investment in 2020

Even though COVID-19 put a huge pause on many activities in Florida during 2020, the state still managed to have an increase in capital investment. Focusing on the real estate and economic development industries within the rankings of the states that saw the most investment projects last year, Florida was ranked within the top 10. More from the St. Petersburg Area EDC.

‘Exodus from the Northeast’ continues to hit Central Florida, Tampa Bay

Juliana Boselli-Neves of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association calls it the “exodus from the Northeast.” Ellie Lambert of Greater Tampa Realtors observes that “folks are just flooding in here on a daily basis.” They continue to see the same result: high housing demand, low supplies, increasing prices, and multiple offers for the same home. The coronavirus pandemic remains a contributor to the phenomenon, as people working from home in often-brutal northern climates escape to Central Florida and Tampa Bay. More from Bay News 9.

Legal experts: Florida employers can require employees to get vaccinated

With more people able to get COVID-19 vaccines and businesses taking steps to bring operations back to normal, can an employer require workers to get vaccinated? And what happens if an employee refuses? The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance saying that generally, yes, "employers can mandate a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they comply with all federal EEO laws." More from WTVT.

Bill would speed up Everglades restoration north of Lake Okeechobee

Florida lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at addressing toxic algae by speeding up Everglades restoration north of Lake Okeechobee, in the Kissimmee River basin. The project includes 80 wells designed to store water underground, using technology that has generated some concerns. The ASR wells are aimed at addressing one of the biggest problems of Everglades restoration: Where to store the vast amount of water needed to revive the river of grass. More from WMFE.

Bottled Water Business
Companies bottle and sell Florida’s spring water. Should the state get paid?

Bottled WaterWhen water managers decided last month to let a private company pull nearly a million gallons a day from Ginnie Springs for a plastic bottling plant, environmentalists were outraged. Some said they plan to file a lawsuit. Their novel argument is to ask, essentially: What’s in it for us? The multi-year controversy over the permit application in High Springs has invigorated activists who say businesses are overusing the aquifer, to the detriment of the state’s sparkling rivers and springs. If private companies profit off Florida’s water, they say, then Florida should at least get paid.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

 

Women in Leadership
Firm helps businesses encourage more female leaders — with benefits to top-line growth

 After 15 years at St. Pete technology manufacturing giant Jabil, the last two in the C-Suite as chief talent officer, Audrey McGuckin, with her own business, has focused on helping companies with leadership development, talent management and organizational design. Her firm, St. Petersburg-based McGuckin Group, also does a lot of work with clients on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion.

» Read more from the Business Observer.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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