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Tuesday's Afternoon Update

Gov. DeSantis says Florida is better prepared for a recession

As state economists warn that the economy is slowing, Gov. Ron DeSantis believes Florida is better positioned for a recession than it was a decade ago. Speaking at the Florida League of Cities' annual conference, the Republican governor pointed to the state continuing to hold top-line credit ratings and receiving positive media comparisons to Northeastern states for its “fiscal plans,” and for having amassed a sizeable reserve amid a record $90.3 billion spending plan for the current fiscal year. More from WJCT and FOX 35.

South Florida maker of protective combat gear faces fines for deficient worker protection

A Miami Lakes business named The Protective Group faces $92,820 in fines after a federal agency said the business didn’t protect its workers from amputation and breathing hazards, the Department of Labor has announced. The Protective Group is one of the brands under the umbrella of Point Blank Enterprises, a Pompano Beach company that makes protective equipment and attire for military and law enforcement. More from the Miami Herald.

Waymo will test autonomous cars in Florida downpours

Waymo announced Tuesday it will bring a few of its self-driving cars to Florida within coming days to test their abilities during heavy rains, but with a human doing the driving to collect data on how the cars perform. The cars, loaded with radar, optical and lidar -- or laser -- instruments, will be easy to recognize on highways between Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers, and Miami. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Report on Beckham stadium site shows soil contaminated by unsafe levels of arsenic

The proposed site for a Major League Soccer stadium and mall in Miami is far more toxic than previously expected, with arsenic contamination levels reaching more than twice the legal limit and surface-level soil samples containing debris that poses a “physical hazard.” More from the Miami Herald.

Sanford airport to host Thunderbirds in first air show since 1994

Orlando Sanford International Airport will host its first Thunderbirds air show in 26 years in fall 2020, sending the U.S. Air Force’s high-powered air squadron and other aircraft rumbling through the Central Florida sky. Lockheed Martin said Monday that it would sponsor the event to showcase some of the programs the company supports with its Central Florida workforce of more than 8,000. The show will take place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2020. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Trend Mention

Mention ImageFlorida Energy and Climate Summit

Join us September 4-6 for the 2019 Florida Energy and Climate Summit at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. From climate change in the agriculture sector to how sea-level rise is affecting coastal communities to energy efficiency and renewable energy in low income communities, learn about unique collaborations and innovations in Florida’s energy sector. Register here.

In Memoriam
Del Ackerman 1936-2019

 The Southwest Florida community lost a long-time Naples entrepreneur who earned a reputation for caring for his fellow man while providing customer service rarely found anymore. Del Ackerman passed away Aug. 15, following illnesses that pulled him away from the long-running convenience store that he loved and bears his name, Del’s 24-Hour Food Store, in Naples. He was 83.

» More from the Business Observer.

 

Entertainment
'On Becoming a God in Central Florida'

floridaThe Sunshine State’s presence is right there, front and center in the title of Showtime’s new dramatic comedy “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” which stars Kirsten Dunst as a scrappy inhabitant of an Orlando-adjacent city in 1992. But even before the twisty plot begins unfolding with the premiere episode at 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, producers of the 10-installment series have a little secret to share. It wasn’t shot in Florida. It was shot in New Orleans.

» Read more from NOLA.com.