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Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Seminole Tribe launches campaign to fend off challenges to Florida gambling pact
After nailing down a deal that gave it control over sports betting in the state, the Seminole Tribe is trying to clinch its status as Florida’s “800-pound” gambling gorilla by squashing two proposed constitutional amendments backed by potential competitors. And with billions of dollars at stake, the tribe is prepared to spend “whatever it takes” to secure its position. The Seminoles have poured millions of dollars into advertising to pump up its deal with the state and could bankroll even more to stymie ballot initiatives supported by some national gambling powerhouses. More from the News Service of Florida.
Some Florida beaches see record year for sea turtle nests
Biologists were taken by surprise by a record number of leatherback turtle nests found along some South Florida beaches this year. The 79 nests laid by endangered turtles along beaches in Broward County this year is nearly double the previous record, the South Florida SunSentinel reported. The previous record was 46 in 2012, and the record low for leatherback nests was 12 in 2017. More from the AP.
Publix’s sales grow to $11.9 billion in third quarter
Sales at Publix reached $11.9 billion in the quarter ending Sept. 25, up from $11.1 billion at the same time last year. Comparable store sales were up 6.3%, the company said Monday. The Lakeland-based grocer’s sales for the nine months so far this year were $35.4 billion, an increase from $33.7 billion last year when grocery business spiked as the coronavirus pandemic kept people eating at home instead of going out. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Tampa Bay’s gotten $38.7 billion in federal pandemic relief. Here’s a breakdown.
How much federal aid has flowed into Tampa Bay since the start of the coronavirus pandemic? It’s a hard question to answer. Since the United States government started passing $5 trillion worth of pandemic relief and stimulus packages in March 2020, agencies have made attempts to show where that money is going. Some have done better than others, delivering online trackers and data listing specific awards. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
JEA headquarters developer preparing for $17 million build-out
A year after breaking ground, Ryan Companies US Inc. is preparing to start the interior build-out of JEA’s new corporate headquarters. The city is reviewing Ryan’s permit application for the $17 million tenant improvement job for the seven-story office building at 225 Pearl St. Minneapolis-based Ryan owns the 1.54-acre Downtown site. The city-owned electric and water utility will lease the completed building. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Out of the Box
'If you like me, you'll love my twin sister': St. Augustine pair land at same clinic as therapists
At Brooks Rehabilitation's World Golf Village outpatient clinic, physical therapists Ashley Spears and Lindsey Augustine often consult with each other on their cases. That requires meeting each other's patients. Those meetings, however, sometimes go awry — at least for the first few moments — as patients try to figure out who they're talking with. Spears and Augustine are identical twins.
» More from the Florida Times-Union.
Arts Business
Jorge Pérez’s foundation gave a $3.2 million boost to 25 Miami arts organizations
Since March of 2020, Miami arts organizations have struggled to stay alive and relevant in an economically devastating pandemic. Now, help is on the way for some of them. The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation has announced its second round of CreARTE grants, which will disburse $3.2 million — more than double what was given in the initial round of grants in 2019 — to 25 cultural organizations in Miami.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
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