Nikki Fried pulls ahead in race for Florida’s agriculture commissioner

The Florida governor’s race is heading to a machine recount and the U.S. Senate race will face a lengthier manual recount after returns from Broward County on Thursday pushed Democrats Andrew Gillum and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson closer to their Republican opponents. At the same time, Democrat Nikki Fried took the lead over Republican Matt Caldwell. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Miami Herald.

Related
» Rick Scott sues elections supervisors over vote count, orders FDLE probe
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» Florida’s provisional ballots may lean Democratic — but there aren’t many
» As Florida recounts loom, Broward County results reveal questionable voting patterns
» Your turn: Which ballot recount are you most interested in? (quick poll)

Florida TaxWatch releases '2018 Governor's Transition Decision Handbook'

In October, Florida TaxWatch and former Governor Bob Martinez released a handbook to help guide the next state governor. This Handbook is aimed at easing overwhelming demands on Florida’s Governor-Elect and contains thoughts and advice from many former governors. Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said:

“The input we have received from governors, reaching all the way back to Farris Bryant, is invaluable and we hope that Florida’s next governor takes both their suggestions and advice to heart, as well as the policy guidance that this Florida TaxWatch research report offers as they prepare for their first term as governor.”

See the news release from Florida TaxWatch and read the Handbook here.

Florida citrus forecast down from last month, but growers remain hopeful

Last month, the 2018-2019 Florida citrus season officially kicked off on a positive note thanks to a somewhat surprising crop forecast from USDA. Initial estimates were indicating a haul of 79 million boxes of oranges — a whopping 76% increase over last season’s Hurricane Irma-influenced final output of 44.95 million boxes. The latest citrus crop forecast from the government agency, however, shows a slight change. Read more from Growing Produce and the Fort Myers News-Press.

Florida Trend Exclusive
Jack Levine is a 'Florida Icon'

The child and family advocate and founder of 4Generations Institute tells us, "You have to realize that partisanship is not necessarily the only way to get things done in Florida. I know that sounds kind of wild and naive because there’s so much passion and money in partisan politics. But we have 616 babies born in Florida every day and not one of them is a Republican or Democrat." [Source: Florida Trend]

Horizontal launches could be coming back to the runway that once hosted the space shuttle

The state’s spaceport authority, Space Florida, has been cleared to fully operate Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility, giving it the ability to attract horizontal launch companies to the Cape. The Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space issued the operating license Thursday following a multiyear effort from Space Florida to secure use of the 15,000-foot-long runway. See the full announcement from Space Florida and read more from the Orlando Sentinel.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Beach access debate lands in Pinellas court [Tampa Bay Times]
Two homeowners are suing their town over beach access, highlighting ongoing confusion sparked by a new state law making it harder for local governments to guarantee public rights to Florida’s sand.

› Anheuser-Busch brewery in Jacksonville ending tours in December [Florida Times-Union]
Anheuser-Busch’s Jacksonville brewery will end tours of the facility and close its gift shop Dec. 23. The brewery offers free tours as well as a multiple types of guided tours for a fee several days a week, as well as a tap room and gift shop. Those tours will continue through Dec. 23.

› Cuban-themed care-package company Abuela Mami branching out with new coffee brand [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Abuela Mami, the Miami-based subscription company that mails a box of Cuban-themed treats and goodies each month to customers, is expanding with its own coffee brand. It will be called Abuela Mami Coffee, an online-based business that will launch early next week.

› Industry vets join Orlando-based National Center for Simulation's board [Orlando Sentinel]
The National Center for Simulation has elected a new board of directors, adding a 20-year tech industry veteran and a longtime simulation expert who specializes in human performance technology. Simulation is one of Central Florida’s more-robust industries, with the region annually hosting one of the largest trade shows in the world.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› No, Wynwood Yard isn’t closed. It’s open until spring 2019 — then it’s moving to Doral [Miami Herald]
When news broke in September that two beloved Miami institutions — The Wynwood Yard and O Cinema Wynwood — would be displaced by a giant apartment building, even some of their most faithful clients assumed the businesses had closed.

› Man captures record-setting 17-foot python in Florida [CBS Miami]
A massive snake was captured in South Florida earlier this week. The record-setting catch is moving the South Florida Water Management District’s Python Elimination Program closer to another significant milestone.

› Orlando-based student tech education group Tech Sassy Girlz lands Amazon grant [Orlando Sentinel]
Tech Sassy Girlz, which started its educational program in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields about six years ago, will try to expand the use of a mobile lab that can be taken on the road.

› Tampa Bay’s Kiran Patel joins New York investment firm as advisor [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa Bay philanthropist Kiran Patel has yet another feather in his hat. Patel, who made his fortune selling HMO WellCare Health Plans, was appointed senior advisor to New York investment firm BelHealth Investment partners, the firm said in a release.