SHARE:
Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida ranked second deadliest in nation for pedestrian deaths, study
Florida is great for its weather, beaches, dining, and lest we forget, theme parks in the middle of the state. You know what's not great for - crossing the street.
According to a new study by smartgrowthamerica.org, Florida is number two in the nation when it comes to pedestrians being struck and killed by vehicles. The group's "Dangerous By Design" report looked at dangerous walking areas between 2016 and 2020. Among the top twenty most dangerous metropolitan areas, seven are in Florida.
Daytona Beach ranked number one as the most dangerous place to walk in the nation. Albuquerque, New Mexico came in at number two followed by Memphis, Tennessee. More from CBS News.
Florida finalizes a land deal in Santa Rosa County for the state wildlife corridor
Florida has closed on a $9.47 million deal to buy just over 3,600 acres that will be part of a state wildlife corridor in Santa Rosa County.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday it finalized the acquisition, which will link Blackwater River State Forest and state-owned conservation lands buffering Whiting Field Naval Air Station.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, approved spending the money to buy the land on May 29. More from WUWF.
New report shows Florida's seaports are well-positioned for global trade route realignment
Strong investments in Florida’s 15 seaports have well-positioned Florida to answer supply chain demands, and take advantage of a realignment in global trade routes, a new report shows. The Seaport Mission Plan, Florida Ports: Open for Business, released by the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council (FSTED), provides an analysis on the health and capabilities of Florida ports, as well as trends on the horizon.
The report comes as 29 West Coast ports are working without a negotiated labor contract, and many shippers have already changed lanes to reroute to East Coast ports in fears that 2022 labor negotiations could lead to similar strikes, lockouts and slowdowns that occurred in 2002, 2008, 2012 and 2014. More from the Florida Ports Council.
USF expands hospitality and tourism program to meet booming industry demand
The University of South Florida’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is expanding its program to create more talent and meet growing industry demands.
“Tourism is the number one industry in Florida,” said Cihan Cobanoglu, dean of USF’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. It’s growing quickly.
“It is the lifeline of the state,” said Cobanoglu. More from ABC Action News.
Novavax COVID-19 shot option OK’d by FDA
The U.S. is getting another COVID-19 vaccine choice as the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday cleared Novavax shots for adults.
Novavax makes a more traditional type of shot than the three other COVID-19 vaccines available for use in the U.S. -- and one that’s already available in Europe and multiple other countries.
Nearly a quarter of American adults still haven’t gotten their primary vaccinations even this late in the pandemic, and experts expect at least some of them to roll up their sleeves for a more conventional option — a protein-based vaccine. More from AP News.
Travel
Disney’s newest cruise ship grants pricey Wish
The Disney Wish, the first new ship in the Disney Cruise Line in 10 years, heads out of Port Canaveral for its first trip July 14 — a sold-out cruise to the Bahamas. The tricked-out ship will ferry families on three- and four-day excursions on a cruise full of theme park innovations.
Since the Disney Magic debuted in 1998, the cruise line’s ships have won numerous awards for best family cruising. With its many kids clubs, free sodas, elevated food and fireworks nights, the Disney cruises charge a premium. They tend to cost two to four times more than mainstream cruise lines like Carnival or Royal Caribbean, according to the consumer travel site Points Guy.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Filmmakers
Noise litigation attorney Mark Bentley's Beatles passion project debuts at Florida Film Festival
Attorney Mark Bentley of Tampa turned his passion for the Beatles into a documentary that kicked off the Florida Film Festival in Orlando. Pre Fab! shares the story of drummer Colin Hanton, who is also the custodian of John Lennon’s childhood home and wrote a book of the same name. Hanton and John Lennon formed the Quarrymen with their friends in the 1950s, which later evolved into the Beatles.
Bentley, of Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, is a longtime Beatles memorabilia collector and music afficionado. He was the film’s executive producer but touts the project as a team effort. His extensive knowledge of rock 'n' roll also helps in his legal practice — Bentley specializes in noise litigation, having participated in a wide range of cases that stem from bars, restaurants and even the amphitheater at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
In case you missed it:
