World’s biggest rocket lifts into space from Kennedy Space Center

It was a stunning success for SpaceX. Just as planned, and despite early concerns, Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center toward a planned orbit of Mars. Falcon Heavy boosted hopes for the future of a space program in Florida and the United States fueled by commercial business. See video of the launch from SpaceX, here. Also read more at the AP, the Orlando Sentinel, and Florida Today.

See also:
» Space Coast hotels, restaurants see business surge from SpaceX launch

Michael Jordan is building a golf course in Florida -- to open in 2019

Michael Jordan is many things to many people: the greatest basketball player of all time, a business and NBA team owner, and a golf enthusiast. And now those passions are about to intersect as Jordan builds his first golf course, dubbed Grove XXIII. See an announcement from Bobby Weed Golf Design about the new course. Also read more at CBS Sports.

Groups warn against "premature" workers' comp changes

The Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and 15 other organizations sent a letter last month to the primary sponsor of the House workers’ compensation bill advising him that any changes the Legislature makes to the system could be “premature and ultimately, inadequate”. [Source: WLRN]

Rubio asks feds to crack down on Florida sober homes, drug rehabs

Sen. Marco Rubio is asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions and two federal agencies to look into "bad actors" at unscrupulous drug treatment centers, citing a series of NBC News reports on kickbacks and deadly overdoses at rehabs in South Florida. See the letter Rubio sent to Sessions, as well as letters to DOL Inspector General Dahl and HHS Inspector General Levinson in Rubio's press release, here. Also read more at NBC News.

Florida Trend Exclusive

International links: Andromeda sees green in its vertical gardens

The Doral-based family business is emblematic of one kind of company gaining ground in Miami-Dade County: A small venture started by immigrants that builds on international links, appeals to upscale clients and hopes one day to go global. See the full story from Florida Trend (part of a news roundup of for Miami-Dade.)

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Publix reverses, will cover HIV prevention drug for workers [AP]
The Southeast's largest supermarket chain says it is changing its employee prescription plan to cover a drug that helps prevent HIV infections, resolving an omission that doctors and gay rights groups said was highly unusual.

› FPL sues nuclear energy industry group [Florida Politics]
Florida Power & Light and three related companies have filed a federal lawsuit against a nuclear-energy industry group, arguing they have been improperly shut out of a database used to help screen workers at nuclear-power plants.

› Fracking ban moves in Florida Senate, stalls in House [WGCU]
Despite early indications that a proposal to ban fracking in Florida would not advance in the current state legislative session, the bill passed its first senate committee Monday. See text of SB 462, "Advanced Well Stimulation Treatment," here.

› At Moffitt, a push to ease cancer’s toll in the workplace [Tampa Bay Times]
Cathy Bishop, a retired teacher and assistant principal in Hillsborough County, is in remission after treating stage IV colon cancer at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. The disease affected key decisions about her career and retirement.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Port Tampa Bay hires Stephen Fry as vice president of finance [Tampa Bay Times]
Port Tampa Bay has hired Stephen Fry as vice president of finance, a new position created to oversee the port’s financial records and reporting requirements. Fry, whose salary is $130,000 a year, also will develop, monitor and manage the port’s annual operating and capital budgets, debt and investment portfolios, grants and risk management program.

› The alert warned that a tsunami was heading for Florida. It was just another mixup. [Miami Herald]
Cell phones and social media went nuts early Monday after a routine monthly test message for tsunami warnings from the National Weather Service for Florida, the U.S. east coast and parts of the Caribbean got recirculated as an official alert.

› St. Petersburg College partners with Clearwater Business SPARK [SPC News]
St. Petersburg College has partnered with Clearwater Business SPARK as its 10th and newest partner. St. Petersburg College will work with Clearwater Business SPARK to provide business-related services, resources and programs, including its Workforce Institute and Collaborative Labs.

› Sharks attacked more than 30 people off Florida in 2017 [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
For the second year in a row, sharks bit more than 30 people in unprovoked attacks off Florida’s waters, according to new data. But the good news is these predators killed no one in 2016 and 2017 in Florida and the rest of the U.S.

See also:
» UF reports 2017 as average year for worldwide shark attacks, deaths