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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Slammed by staff shortages and ‘desperation,’ some Florida prisons to shutter
The Florida Department of Corrections will soon close multiple prisons in North Florida, a last-ditch effort to grapple with severe staff shortages. Prison officials plan to shutter Baker Correctional Institution and New River Correctional Institution in the coming weeks, said Jim Baiardi, the president of the Corrections Chapter of the Police Benevolent Association. Cross City Correctional Institution, which has been closed due to flooding damage, will continue to be closed for an indeterminate amount of time. Some work camps, including Gainesville Work Camp, and smaller prison annexes in other parts of the state may also close soon. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
How Florida logistics companies are growing through tech
The past year and a half have been a period of turbulence for America’s logistics industry: Shifting supply chains, new customer habits, turmoil in the flow of goods from overseas and more. But it was also a time of opportunity. As the pandemic shaped and reshaped the movement of goods from factory to households, many First Coast trucking companies responded by leaning into technology, finding new ways to connect with clients and drivers, track packages and get things moving. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.
A new car share service is on its way to Florida. ‘Hitch’ a ride.
A car service called Hitch wants you to use its app to dial up a ride to take you around Florida. Hitch’s pitch: They do long trips for less. The service, already a hit for intrastate travel in Texas, is starting up in Florida on Monday. Initially, it is offering routes from Miami to West Palm Beach — the only other South Florida destination so far — plus Orlando, Tampa, and a few other cities. More from the Miami Herald.
Nine companies in Southwest Florida vying for statewide recognition as a 'Company to Watch'
The results are in. Nine businesses in Southwest Florida have made the cut as finalists for the honor of "Company to Watch," a designation that recognizes stand-out companies across the state. The annual awards program is run by GrowFL, in cooperation with the Edward Lowe Foundation, whose mission is to leverage entrepreneurship as a strategy for economic growth and community development. More from the Naples Daily News.
James Taylor, Jonas Brothers to require proof of vaccination at Jacksonville shows
Fans planning to see shows by James Taylor, the Jonas Brothers or Counting Crows in Jacksonville this fall may have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to get through the door. It is unclear how that will work with Gov. Ron DeSantis' Executive Order 21-81 that bans businesses in Florida from "requiring patrons or customers to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business." More from the Florida Times-Union.
Business Beat - Week of August 27th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Business Profile
Cruise Car
Sarasota-based Cruise Car recently expanded its factory space from 15,000 to over 50,000 square feet, following a major sales increase. The company’s sales have increased five-fold over the past two years. The company attributes its growth to the affiliation with Moke America. Cruise Car is the exclusive North American assembler and distributor for Moke vehicles. The electric, open-air vehicles started as an invention for the British army in the late 1950s.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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