Monday's Afternoon Update

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program offers $15M to help with Helene impacts

Businesses in a number of counties impacted by Hurricane Helene are eligible to apply for a portion of $15 million via FloridaCommerce's Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Helene. Interested applicants can apply now through November 24, or until all available funds are expended. More from WUSF.

Pinellas County government, transit authority both reduce taxes

Pinellas County will have a $4.3 billion budget next year while relying on a lower property tax rate. Instead of assessing over $4.73 per $1,000 of a home's value, Pinellas will instead have a countywide general fund millage rate of 4.5947. It's the third time in four years that the county has reduced property tax rates amid a period of soaring property values. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Carnival lifts annual profit forecast for the third time as demand soars

Carnival Corp raised its annual profit forecast for the third time on Monday, buoyed by continued strength in demand for cruise vacations as well as higher pricing. The Miami, Florida-based company's shares were up 2% in premarket trading. The company now expects 2024 adjusted profit per share to be about $1.33, compared with an earlier forecast of about $1.18. More from Reuters.

Loctek cites distribution focus and state law in relocation from Jacksonville

A Loctek Ergonomic Technology Corp. executive says the company sold its newly built unoccupied North Jacksonville warehouse and moved from leased space near the airport to a Savannah, Georgia, warehouse it is renting and began construction on a new center there. She gave two reasons: location and state law. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Why Darden switched gears on delivery and opted for Uber Direct

Orlando-based Darden Restaurants Inc. — with more than 1,800 restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant company — has for years declined to add home delivery service. However, during a Sept. 19 investor call, Darden CEO Rick Cardenas explained the company's decision to partner with Uber Direct, a dedicated white-label service that gets customers their food faster than Uber Eats. More from the Orlando Business Journal.

Outside general counsel: Deepening your legal bench

How can your organization deepen its legal bench, without adding personnel costs and H.R. headaches to the in-house legal department? For many, the answer is found with outside counsel. Outside counsel can bring experience, independent thought and objectivity that might not be found by staff counsel. [Sponsored report]