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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s outdoor workers want heat safety. Why it’s an uphill battle.
Florida lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have sponsored bills over the past six of seven years that would protect Floridians who work outside in the heat. The bills have stalled each time. People and groups who speak up for Florida workers say they expect the same during this legislative session. And now, a double whammy: Another bill proposed this session would ban Florida cities and counties from implementing their own heat protections. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Uber, Orlando International Airport still battling over passenger fees nearly 7 years after state law took effect
The rideshare giant Uber is taking on Orlando International Airport over fees it considers unfair when compared to the fees traditional taxis pay. Orlando International Airport in October raised passenger pickup fees for transportation network companies (TNC) like Uber and Lyft by 20%, meaning the airport is now charging those companies $7 per trip to operate at the airport. More from Florida Politics.
Project Bobcat seeks a $1.5 million grant to build a $60 million cold storage facility in Northwest Jacksonville
An undisclosed company called Project Bobcat is seeking up to $1.5 million in a city property tax rebate for construction of a $60 million cold-storage facility in Northwest Jacksonville that would create 109 jobs. A city summary of the code-named project describes Bobcat as a minority-owned company that wants to expand its distribution support operations to accommodate continued growth throughout Florida and the Southeastern U.S. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Sarasota manufacturer moves work from Ohio facility to local campus
Sarasota-based engineered motion control and hydraulic cartridge valve manufacturer Helios Technologies recently moved some work from Ohio to Florida. The publicly traded company, which develops, makes, markets and sells customized electronic control systems and hydraulic cartridge valves, says it moved “quick release coupling order fulfillment” previously done in Maumee, Ohio, to a building on its Sarasota campus. More from the Business Observer.
New tower will rise in downtown Fort Lauderdale, but this one will offer short-term rentals
Downtown Fort Lauderdale is getting one more shiny new condo tower, but this one will be nothing at all like your grandma’s condo. The 40-story tower, expected to open in 2028 with 384 units, will be the first turnkey resort condominium property in Fort Lauderdale purposely designed, built and licensed for short-term rentals, says Harvey Hernandez, founder and CEO of Miami-based Newgard Development Group. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Entertainment
Love Your Shorts Film Festival returns to Sanford for 14th year
While most feature-length films average around two hours, some cinematic masterpieces top three hours, such as “Titanic,” “Lord of the Rings” and “Oppenheimer.” But in a world increasingly ruled by quick dopamine hits on social media and limited attention spans, sometimes short is the best way to go. This is the idea propelling the 14th Love Your Shorts Film Festival, which returns to Sanford Feb. 15-18 with 66 films from 14 countries.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Out of the Box
Nuclear crocs in Florida? Yes, not glowing but definitely thriving!
Nuclear crocodiles are real in Florida. No, they don't glow in the dark, but they do spend their lives in the canals outside a nuclear power plant. In Homestead, at Florida Power & Light's (FPL) Turkey Point nuclear power plant, crocodiles – that's right, not alligators – hatch and live in the canals that cool the steam from the plant and in the ponds created for reptiles.
» Read more from the Gainesville Sun.
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