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Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida ethics overhaul will leave corruption unchecked, watchdog groups warn
A bill approved by the Florida Legislature could undermine the state’s ethics laws and allow corruption to go unchallenged by making it “almost impossible” for the public to file a complaint, government watchdog groups are warning Gov. Ron DeSantis. The measure (SB 7014) would require a person to have “personal knowledge or information other than hearsay” to file a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics. It also would bar local ethics commissions from self-initiating investigations, a prohibition already in place for the state’s ethics commission. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin just donated $50M to Baptist Health. What it means for patients
Billionaire, philanthropist and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has donated $50 million to go toward research and care at Baptist Health South Florida for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. Griffin’s gift, the largest single donation in Baptist Health South Florida’s nearly 65-year history, is expected to help the not-for-profit hospital system expand research capabilities at its Miami Neuroscience Institute and improve patient care, hospital and Baptist Health Foundation leaders say. More from the Miami Herald.
Potential cyberattack against Pensacola knocks out non-emergency city phone system
City spokesman Jason Wheeler notified media outlets over the weekend that there had been "a potential computer network security incident" that had taken out the city phone systems but had not affected the police and fire departments. Other critical city departments, such as the Port of Pensacola and the Pensacola International Airport, are operating normally. The ongoing incident follows a similar pattern to the ransomware cyberattack that compromised the city's computer systems in 2019. More from the Pensacoola News Journal.
New major music festival to debut in Sarasota-Manatee
Soon after the announcement that one of Sarasota-Manatee's largest annual music festivals will not return this year, a new event featuring the former festival's artistic director has been announced. The inaugural Lakewood Ranch Blues Festival will take place 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 7 at Waterside Park in Lakewood Ranch's Sarasota County development Waterside Place. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Orlando sports commission ramps up efforts to draw Olympic-level events
Jason Siegel remembers getting the call that Orlando would be named the Sports Business Journal's top city among the Best Sports Business Cities for event hosting. Once he got the news, his first call was to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and his second was to Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. Now, Siegel said the Greater Orlando Sports Commission will continue to focus on multiple key areas, including amateur and youth events. He's also looking at growing international events. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Out of the Box
Ybor City will host a Cuban sandwich speed-eating contest
Ybor City’s last operating cigar factory — the industry once most-associated with Tampa culture — will host a contest to see who can eat the most Cuban sandwiches, the food most associated with Tampa culture. The event will feature two of the world’s top professional eaters.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Development
Main street metamorphosis
Coconut Creek, a city of 57,000 in northwest Broward that calls itself the “Butterfly Capital of the World,” has been known for years as a bedroom community, agriculture spot, and home to a Seminole Tribe casino and car dealerships. But the citizenry and its leaders have recognized for decades the need for a slightly more urban and pedestrian-friendly core as agriculture gives way to rooftops. A shopping, theater and dining hub called The Promenade opened in 2008.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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