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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
COVID-19 deaths, infections continue to fall in Florida
Florida’s fever may have finally broken. New COVID-19 infections continue to fall, dropping to about 8,000 cases per day. And for the first time in 10 weeks, the number of coronavirus deaths has fallen. Infections in Florida fell to 56,325 over the most recent seven-day period of Sept. 17-23. That’s about 8,000 cases per day, according to data released by the state on Friday. It’s the lowest weekly infection rate in the state since early July. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida’s major theaters mount comebacks, but with COVID-era guest policies enforced
Last week, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa’s Straz Center were two major theater venues in the Sunshine State to announce new COVID-19-era guest policies. Fellow performing arts theaters are following and finalizing plans to keep shows on, all the while noting the persistent dangers of the coronavirus — namely the highly contagious delta variant. [Source: Miami Herald]
Hurricane Sam has strengthened to a Category 4. It hasn’t made a major turn yet
As predicted, Hurricane Sam now blows with Category 4, 145 mph winds according to the National Hurricane Center. It still should miss Florida after it turns. But, as that hasn’t happened yet, the U.S. East Coast should still pay attention to Sam. Sam and a disturbance are in the Atlantic Ocean. More from the Miami Heraldand the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
DeSantis hikes surgeon general salary by 72%, as other agency heads get increases, too
Florida’s new surgeon general received a pay raise of 72% compared with his predecessor, as leaders of several state agencies under Gov. Ron DeSantis saw their paychecks grow last week under a hike approved by the Legislature this year. The biggest increase was for Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the new surgeon general who also runs the Department of Health. Scott Rivkees, the last person in the job, received $145,000 a year, but Ladapo will earn $250,000. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Afghan refugees could resettle in South Florida soon
In the coming months, South Florida may be an unlikely landing place for an unknown number of Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban regime. It’s more common for Afghan refugees to resettle in areas with more affordable housing and more robust public transportation, according to local refugee assistance organizers. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Puerto Rican startup Amasar works to expand distribution of breadfruit-based products to Florida
While Marisol Villalobos was living in Italy after her husband Jesús Martes got relocated for his job in the pharmaceutical industry, they were able to receive care packages with all sorts of Puerto Rican items, but one. That’s when the idea of the company Amasar was born. “My confirmation godmother sent me a huge package to Milano and inside that package there was a breadfruit,” Villalobos said, “because over there I got everything except breadfruit.”
› Miami’s arts are back. Here’s how they’ve changed because of the pandemic
Finally, the unplanned 18-month intermission for arts and culture in South Florida has drawn to a close. With season openings staggered throughout the fall, dancers and actors and musicians will share indoor theater spaces with audiences eager to become part of the communal thrill of a live performance. After a digital-ascendant 2000-2021 season, arts groups and cultural organizations have planned, revised and tweaked 2021-2022 lineups aimed at a return to normal — whatever “normal” may now mean.
› Tampa Bay groups got $38M in MacKenzie Scott grants. How will they spend it?
The last thing Jessica Muroff expected about a year into her tenure as CEO of the United Way Suncoast was a call saying one of the world’s wealthiest women wanted to give her $20 million. “My fraud flag was waving so high,” Muroff said. “I was like, ‘What do you mean somebody wants to give us $20 million and I can’t talk about it?’”
› Cinemark executive: Jacksonville ‘a fantastic movie town’
A Cinemark Holdings Inc. senior executive says Jacksonville likes its flicks. “You guys are a fantastic movie town,” said Chanda Brashears, senior vice president of investor relations, public relations and corporate communications. “We have really loved serving the Jacksonville movie-goers. They are eager to go to the theater,” she said Sept. 16 as the 14-screen Cinemark Jacksonville Atlantic North and XD opened at northwest Kernan and Atlantic boulevards.
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