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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Big Florida businesses urged to continue plans to install COVID vaccine mandate
Amid the flurry of legal changes to the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses with more than 100 employees, managements should stay focused on following the directive until the courts rule on its validity, legal experts say. Prior to the legal maneuvering, it appears that most Florida companies have tried to steer a narrow path by encouraging employees to get their shots instead of mandating them, while imposing other safety measures in the workplace such as mask wearing and social distancing. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Beyond Disney, Lake Nona lures businesses with $364 million in tax breaks, grants
Driving east, Lake Nona appears out of the wetlands surrounding Orlando as a city of the future. The swoop of the roof of the VA Medical Center, the curvy lines of the Wave hotel and the shiny newness of the buildings all give the master-planned community the feel of a high-tech wonderland. Another big boost to the neighborhood happened this summer when Walt Disney Co. announced it would be building a new campus there, bringing in up to 2,000 new employees. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Recreational pot initiative tops $300,000
A political committee backing a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana use raised $307,522 in October, with $250,000 coming from the medical-marijuana company Trulieve, according to a newly filed finance report. The committee Sensible Florida, Inc. had about $314,000 in cash on hand as of Oct. 31, the report posted on the state Division of Elections website said. The committee is proposing a ballot initiative that would allow people 21 or older to grow and use marijuana, with a cap of 18 plants per household. More from the News Service of Florida.
An Amazon supermarket in West Boca? Building nearing completion for a grocery store
No checkout lines. Customers being guided by Alexa assistants. It’s all part of Amazon’s vision for its nationwide grocery chain, which is coming to South Florida. Amazon Fresh, the company’s new supermarket chain, appears to have plans to open its first Florida location in West Boca — with construction nearing completion of a grocery store building at the massive Uptown Boca shopping complex by Glades Road, a short distance east of State Road 7. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Ready to pay more? FPL customers could face higher natural gas costs
Florida Power & Light on Tuesday sought approval to collect an additional $810 million from customers in 2022 as high natural-gas prices continue to drive up costs for electric utilities. The request, filed at the state Public Service Commission, would push up FPL customer bills that were already slated to increase next year. Costs for natural gas and other power-plant fuel are generally passed through to customers. More from the Miami Herald.
Legal Trends
Should Tampa Bay’s strip club dancers be employees, not contractors?
The Tampa Bay area has long been known for its lucrative strip club business, both near where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play and region wide. Now comes a lawsuit that gives a glimpse into the inner workings of the unique business model of strip clubs, asking this question: Should dancers be treated as wage-earning employees and not independent contractors working for tips?
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Profile
The wild life and times of Ron Magill. How the face of Zoo Miami became an international star
Magill is Miami’s Dr. Doolittle. Over the decades, he’s become much more than a wildlife expert. He’s an animal advocate, prize-winning photographer, Emmy-winning TV and radio star, founder of his namesake conservation organization, the tallest Cuban in Miami (according to his friends) and one of South Florida’s most recognizable and beloved personalities. He’s an international celebrity.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
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