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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Trend Exclusive
Fixing the Everglades — A New Report Card
Twenty years into a state-federal plan spending billions to re-engineer the Everglades, the Everglades remain vulnerable to continuing degradation. Projects finished to date — just one of the original 68 plan elements has been fully completed — are disconnected from each other leading to “limited detectable” response of the environment on a systemwide scale. Invasive plants and animals are well-established. Rising seas and changing climate threaten. The re-engineering effort is falling short on science and monitoring to inform construction and operations. People along Florida’s estuaries won’t see relief — at least from the plan — from the water flows that bedevil their communities and waterways. More from Florida Trend.
Revamp of Bright Futures scholarships gets moving after rewrite, party-line vote
Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley’s plan to revamp the state’s bright futures scholarship program is moving again after a significant rewrite of the bill. The proposal ties funding to academic programs the state determines lead to jobs, but instead of completely cutting off funding to students who don’t choose majors from a state approved list — the bill reduces the scholarships. Yet, even with the modifications, the bill is still drawing opposition. More from WUSF.
CSX CEO: Railroad expects to outpace GDP growth in 2021
The pandemic has altered the way railroads plan and prepare for the future. It has also illuminated the path CSX Corp. plans to take after the once-in-a-century event is a thing of the past. CSX CEO Jim Foote said as much Tuesday morning in an online discussion for the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference. The head of the Jacksonville-based railroad continues to project that 2021 growth will surpass the country’s gross domestic product. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.
Southwest Florida unemployment picture brightens, tourism and hospitality still struggle
The five-county region of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties has added 473,700 jobs from a year ago. That means the jobs lost number has fallen from almost half a million to 23,000, according to the January employment report released Monday by Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity. Southwest Florida construction jobs climbed by 1,900 from a year ago, according to the data analyzed from the state report by CareerSource Southwest Florida. More from News-Press.
3 cities in Tampa Bay ranked among best to live in America
Niche — which analyzes public data and reviews to create rankings, report cards and more for schools, colleges and neighborhoods — recently released its annual Best Places to Live report, and several Tampa Bay cities got some recognition. Tampa landed at No. 40 on its Best Cities to Live in America list. The city got an overall A grade and high marks for its diversity, weather, nightlife, and outdoor activities. But it received a C grade for crime and safety. More from WFLA.
Pandemic Economy
Looking back: Walt Disney World shuts down a year ago, impacting Central Florida economy
One year ago on Tuesday, the magic disappeared. Walt Disney World closed its doors on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotels followed on March 20. The closure resulted in a major blow to Central Florida’s economy. About a month later, Disney announced it would furlough “employees whose jobs aren’t necessary at this time” beginning April 19, a company spokesperson said. But eventually, the magic came back.
» More from WFTV.
Overline
Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay to bring restaurant concept to International Drive's Icon Park
Internationally acclaimed celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay plans to open an Orlando restaurant on International Drive — a bullish investment in the future of the popular tourism corridor that has struggled during the pandemic. Gordon Ramsay North America Restaurant Group plans to open a 2,605-square-foot Fish & Chips in Icon Park, according to a Construction Journal post and SightsonSites.com. Construction is expected to wrap up in May on the restaurant, according to Construction Journal.
» Read more from the Orlando Business Journal.
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