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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida job growth expected to outpace nation in 2022
Job growth in Florida will outpace the national economy, and unemployment will continue to decline in 2022, according to a new economic forecast for the Sunshine State. Florida’s unemployment rate, which stood at 4.5% in November, is expected to continue falling in 2022, and housing starts will pickup, but not quickly enough to satisfy robust demand in the short run, according to the forecast released earlier this month by the Institute for Economic Forecasting at the University of Central Florida. More from the AP.
It's not just air travel. Cruises are once again facing disruptions because of COVID-19
At least four ocean cruise ships were turned away from ports of call or were prohibited from letting passengers disembark in the Americas over the last week because of COVID-19 cases aboard. Though other cruises have had cases since U.S.-based ships resumed service this summer with vaccine requirements and other measures meant to minimize outbreaks, the rate of cruises forced to alter their itineraries appears to have ticked up. More from WBBH.
Manatees will receive emergency rations of romaine lettuce if starvation looms this winter
Romaine lettuce will be used as emergency food for manatees in an unprecedented intervention to prevent the marine mammals from enduring another winter of mass starvation. A total of 757 manatees died, most from starvation, over the past year around the Indian River Lagoon, where pollution from farms and lawns has killed off seagrass. The deaths pushed the number of manatee deaths statewide past 1,000 for the year. More from the Miami Herald.
Airbnb cracks down on disruptive parties in Central Florida
If you’re planning to rent a home in central Florida over New Year’s Eve, you may be out of luck. Airbnb says potential guests without a history of positive reviews will be unable to make one-night reservations in Orlando and Kissimmee over New Year's Eve, in an effort to crack down on disruptive parties. More from WJXT.
Could the Pinellas Trail become St. Petersburg’s version of the High Line?
The abandoned railway corridor was converted to a public biking and pedestrian route in 1990, according to Pinellas County. It’s long been a popular trail among residents and tourists, but interest skyrocketed during the pandemic. Usage was up 60 percent in 2020, according to data collected from sensors on the trail. Now developers are working to tap into the trail’s potential in St. Petersburg, amid a national trend of former railways being repurposed for pedestrian use. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Sports Business
Miami Hurricanes pull out of Sun Bowl due to COVID protocols
The Miami Hurricanes announced Sunday evening that the team will not be able to participate in this week’s Sun Bowl due to COVID-19 protocols. “We are extremely disappointed that our football team will be unable to participate in the 2021 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl,” Miami’s statement said. UM (7-5) was supposed to play Washington State (7-5) in El Paso, Texas on Friday.
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Business Profile
The Mad Botter,
Michael Dominick, founder and CEO of The Mad Botter, a Plant City technology startup, had high hopes for 2020. In 2018, the company — which specializes in adapting run-of-the-mill consumer electronics, such as iPads and Microsoft Surface tablets, for use in advanced aerospace and military applications — topped $500,000 in revenue. Crossing the $1 million threshold seemed well within reach. Dominick, 33, also sought to grow his staff from five to seven full-time employees. Then the pandemic put an abrupt halt to in-person trade shows, which The Mad Botter relies on to demonstrate its engineering wizardry.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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