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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Federal judge blocks Florida's new social media law targeting ‘big tech' companies
Calling it “riddled with imprecision and ambiguity,” a federal judge blocked a new state law targeting social-media behemoths such as Facebook and Twitter that can strip politicians and other users from their platforms. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction as he sided with online-industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, which filed the lawsuit challenging the measure pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and approved by Republican lawmakers this spring. More from the News Service of Florida and the AP.
Tropical Storm Elsa speeding through Atlantic basin, could affect South Florida by early next week
Tropical Storm Elsa continues speeding its way across the Atlantic basin at 25 miles per hour, and the National Hurricane Service is projecting it could affect South Florida by early next week. But the NHC added there is “significant uncertainty” in the forecast track three to five days from now. Elsa, which is expected to accelerate in the next 24 to 36 hours, formed early Thursday and is the fifth-named storm of the season. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Kennedy Space Center gets first woman director, Janet Petro, after Bob Cabana promoted to NASA
Janett Petro stepped in as acting director for Kennedy Space Center in May, after Bob Cabana, who had led the center since 2008, was promoted to associate administrator at NASA. On Wednesday, NASA administrator Bill Nelson announced that Petro would be KSC’s new permanent leader, making her the first woman to lead the center since it was established in 1962. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Boring Co. proposes tunnel to Fort Lauderdale beach
Talk of an underground tunnel from downtown Fort Lauderdale to the beach is about to get real. Mayor Dean Trantalis on Wednesday announced what he called a game-changer of a proposal from Elon Musk’s Boring Co. to build an underground transit loop between downtown and the beach. Fort Lauderdale would be the first city on the East Coast — and only the second city in the world — to benefit from The Boring Co.’s technology, Trantalis said. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Port Canaveral CEO details latest cruise ship restart plan, but says 'nothing is for certain'
Port Canaveral officials are setting their sights on July 31 for the restart of cruises with paying passengers from Brevard County's seaport. But they know a lot can happen in a month. Like the last-minute cancellation of the planned "test cruise" on Tuesday of the Disney Dream from Port Canaveral, which was called off after five crew members had false positive results on their COVID-19 tests. More from Floriida Today.
Event
Special events for Miami’s 125th birthday
The City of Miami is getting ready to celebrate its 125th Birthday with a weeklong of special events and programming. Starting July 26, the City of Miami 125th Anniversary will kick off with a series of events focused on the many milestones and people who have shaped the community’s rich history and tell the story of Miami’s development from an outpost at the onset in 1896 to the gateway to Latin America and beyond.
» More from Miami Today.
Business Profile
The pandemic could have doomed this Tampa chocolate shop. How did it survive?
Jennifer Hill opened her Peterbrooke Chocolatier shop in the middle of the pandemic. “I signed the lease to this location on Thursday. On Friday, the entire city of Tampa shut down,” she said. “The pandemic didn’t care.” By the time the coronavirus crisis was in full swing, she’d already paid her fees and lawyered her papers for her prime location at (what had been) a busy downtown corner. There was no turning back.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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