Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

Red tide raises the stakes for Small Business Saturday

It’s been a tough couple of months for businesses up and down the Gulf Coast. Red tide has made things incredibly difficult for retailers, restaurants, hotels and motels and countless others, forcing many to cut hours and even staff, in some cases. But this weekend, when over 164 million people will be out and about with money to burn, we have a reminder to show small businesses some love. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

See also:
» Red tide’s grip on Southwest Florida broken, scientist says
» Clams released into Sarasota Bay to reduce red tide toxins

Tampa Bay trade mission to Chile nets more than $3M in export sales

Global Tampa Bay, previously known as the Tampa Bay Export Alliance, hosted a trade mission in October to Santiago, Chile, that has produced $3.35 million in future sales and economic activity for participating companies. See the announcement from Global Tampa Bay and read more from the Business Observer.

Hurricane Michael: FEMA offering jobs in Florida

In Florida communities recovering from Hurricane Michael, FEMA is seeking applicants for job openings meant to be “opportunities for survivors to help other survivors.” The offer is open in Tallahassee and other parts of the state affected by the storm. More from AL.com.

FPL parent to acquire underwater transmission cable system for $1 billion

A subsidiary of NextEra Energy on Monday announced it has agreed to acquire a San Francisco Bay-area underwater transmission cable system for about $1 billion. NextEra is the parent company of Florida Power & Light Co. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Brightline-Virgin rail service from Tampa to Orlando has estimated cost of $1.7 billion

Leave it to the arrival of a visionary investor like Sir Richard Branson to help flesh out the vision for Brightline’s proposed Tampa-to-Orlando passenger train service. That day, Virgin Trains USA filed notice of a common stock offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission giving more detail for Brightline’s proposed Tampa expansion. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Arts Business
Florida cities hit by massacre get $1 million art grant

 The Florida cities hardest hit by February’s high school massacre are receiving a $1 million grant to create artwork aimed at community healing. Bloomberg Philanthropies announced Tuesday that it is making the grant to Parkland and Coral Springs for their project, “Inspiring Community Healing After Gun Violence: The Power of Art.”

» See the full announcement from Bloomberg and read more from the AP and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

 

Tourism
When will tourists be able to return to the Florida Panhandle?

floridaThe Panhandle, known for its postcard-quality beaches and charming seaside towns, is a year-round destination. And the final stretch of 2018 — including Thanksgiving weekend and the upcoming holiday break — would ordinarily be no exception. But following Hurricane Michael, the most severe storm in the history of the Panhandle, some mainstays in and around the “Emerald Coast” will not be able to welcome their usual crowds, a major financial hit for local homeowners and establishments.

» Read more from the New York Times.