March 29, 2024

Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/18/2023

Florida moves to shield space companies from lawsuits

A measure now before Gov. Ron DeSantis would extend liability protections to private aerospace companies if crew members are injured or killed in spaceflights. With the state seeing growth in private launches, the bill would cover crew members who are employees or contractors of private companies. The law doesn’t cover ground crew members or change workers’ compensation rules. More from the News Service of Floridaand Business Insider.

NHC tracking tropical wave moving slowly west

The National Hurricane Center is continuing to monitor the first tropical wave of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which is now moving even slower than it did Wednesday. The wave moved off the western coast of Africa earlier this week. No tropical cyclones are expected over the next seven days. More from the Gainesville Sun.

Orlando holocaust museum unveils a new design

A year after releasing the first conceptual drawings of the new $106 million Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in downtown Orlando, the museum board and architects are asking for official city approval for the project, which has been refined and redesigned to address increased security risks. The design team, led by Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB), will go before the city’s Appearance Review Board in June seeking a major certificate of appearance approval for the 44,500-square-foot building slated for the 2.5-acre site. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

South Florida union members say HCA's low staff levels put patients at risk

Caregivers in South Florida have warned that patients are at risk due to "unacceptable" staffing numbers as they negotiate with one of the state's largest health care providers for better working conditions. Union members gathered at rallies across Florida last week, seeking what they call safe staffing levels, increased pay and better protections to help recruit and retain experienced workers. More from WUSF.

'Not trying to be recycling police:' Recycling bin inspections start in Jacksonville

Jacksonville recyclers have four opportunities to learn from “oops” tags attached to their recycling bins in the coming months – or else their bins may no longer be useable. Recycling inspectors will come to all four Jacksonville zones starting May 15, educating residents on what non-recyclable items contaminate their bins. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Profile
‘This is gonna be my third act.’ Miami arts nonprofit leader retires to make his own art

For the last six years, arts nonprofit CEO and president Dennis Scholl has helped shape the careers of hundreds of artists through Oolite Arts’ residencies, awards and programs. Now, he wants to focus on shaping his own artistic vision. Scholl is retiring from Oolite Arts sometime this year to pursue his filmmaking and visual arts practice full-time, the organization announced Wednesday morning. Oolite will conduct a national search to find a new CEO.

» More from the Miami Herald.

 

Redevelopment Trends
Park place

Sarah Combs grew up a farmer’s daughter. From an early age, she harvested crops on the family’s spread in a tiny, tight-knit Colorado town, developed a strong work ethic and constantly engaged with neighbors. It was a long way from north Tampa, an area that over the years has been beset by poverty. Nearly a decade ago, when Combs, executive director and CEO of the University Area Community Development Corp., and her team asked residents what they wanted to see on a blighted property in the center of the neighborhood, she expected to hear suggestions for housing or perhaps a grocery store. But the overwhelming response was a park.

» Read more from Florida Trend.

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Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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