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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Six issues teed up for Florida's November ballot
With the state Supreme Court this week signing off on ballot initiatives about abortion rights and recreational use of marijuana, Floridians in November will vote on six proposed constitutional amendments. Passage of each proposal would require support from at least 60 percent of voters. Here are brief descriptions of the six issues. More from the News Service of Florida.
PortMiami expanding to double freight rail
“The rail as you see it today, the FEC [Florida East Coast Railway] intermodal yard, was opened here in 2014,” said Hydi Webb, PortMiami director and CEO. “We have 9,000 feet of track, and … it goes from the port here, it connects to their rail yard in Hialeah, and then it goes up to Jacksonville." More from Miami Today.
Before rasing rates, JEA threw $70K holiday party with appetizers and drinks from open bar
JEA paid about $72,000 to throw a holiday season party for its employees at "A Night of Magic" celebration that featured magicians, tables of food platters and an open bar that served beer, wine and some cocktail selections at no cost to attendees. The party in December at the Florida Theatre was a way to thank employees for work they'd done to manage the cost of providing electricity to customers in the face of volatile fuel prices and other expenses that factor into electric bills, according to the utility. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Moffitt to incorporate AI, machine learning into fighting cancer
Fighting cancer isn't just complex scientifically. It's complex in the business administration, the coding and the production of reams of documentation. So Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa says it will work with NVIDIA, Oracle and a Deloitte subsidiary on an initiative aimed at "revolutionizing cancer care delivery through advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies." More from the Business Observer.
Central Florida Musicians’ Association celebrates 100 years of making music for Orlando
When Kathy Thomas moved to Orlando back in 1994, she made joining the Central Florida Musicians’ Association a priority. She was far from the first: The local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians already had been around for 70 years. It follows then — do the math — that this year, local chapter 389 of the national musicians’ union celebrates its 100th year. Festivities include two open-house parties for the community. Expect music, of course. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
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Out of the Bo
Nation’s most haunted restaurant is found right here in Florida. Here’s why it’s so spooky
From its highways to its cemeteries, Florida has plenty of spooky tales to keep you up at night. However, this Central Florida tavern isn’t just the spookiest in the state — it’s considered the most haunted restaurant in the country, according to research by Smoky Mountains. The study says that Ashley’s Tavern in Rockledge generates a lot of buzz online, with over 800,000 search results dedicated to its “mysterious hauntings.”
» More from Click Orlando.
Profile
At a Florida psychiatric home of last resort, one woman works her “dream job”
Barbara Lee has worked at Florida's only all-psychiatric nursing home for 42 years, first as a housekeeper, now as activities director. Her work is bringing moments of joy to patients with severe psychiatric disorders. She insists it's her "dream job."
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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