Only one Florida city to receive direct aid under the $2 trillion federal stimulus

The largest stimulus in U.S. history has money for the unemployed, small businesses, corporate behemoths and scores of other parts of the economy threatened with decimation by coronavirus. But for cities under 500,000 people, there isn’t a dime in direct aid. In Florida, only Jacksonville, which has combined its city and county governments, is eligible under the legislation signed by President Donald Trump on March 27. Even the city of Miami does not make the cut.[Source: Tampa Bay Times]

See also:
» How Miami’s small businesses can benefit from the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill
» Who gets a stimulus check, when and how?
» IRS releases details on how to get your coronavirus stimulus money

Pandemic's tourism impact predictable, but blow to Florida's aerospace industry unexpected

The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic’s fallout on Florida’s tourism economy and workforce was predictable, but the state’s burgeoning aerospace industry has taken a hit few saw coming. London-based OneWeb, a joint investor with European aerospace giant Airbus in a Space Coast satellite-manufacturing plant, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming the stock market crash fostered by the COVID-19 crisis has dried up venture capital, making it impossible to proceed with plans. [Source: The Center Square]

Salmon fishing in Miami-Dade’s Homestead - and no rod required

More than 3 million salmon have been born in Miami-Dade County. They are swimming and leaping as they grow to be healthy 10-pounders — for your dinner plate. It’s all happening at what might be the world’s largest land-raised salmon farm rapidly nearing completion about 30 miles south of Miami. The vision is massive for Atlantic Sapphire, the young company behind the sustainable aquaculture farm rising in former tomato fields in Homestead. [Source: Miami Herald]

Florida stay-at-home-order: What are essential businesses?

A statewide stay-at-home order is set to go into into effect in Florida Thursday night at midnight. The order means people should only leave their homes to obtain or provide essential services or activities. Essential businesses are likely more than you may think, separated into several different categories. More from WESH and WFLA.

See also:
» Florida stay-at-home order: What you can and cannot do now

State workers say they’re stymied in efforts to telecommute

Chaos and confusion continue to reign among state workers over “telework” options during the coronavirus crisis. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged state agencies to encourage employees to work remotely, Tallahassee’s two state representatives have received scores of calls from workers who say they’ve been denied the opportunity. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› New World Symphony keeps its global audience tuned in [Miami Today]
The New World Symphony is creating new platforms to provide available content and curated series of online performances at its initiative to stay connected and continuing to educate its fellows and tuned-in audiences from around the world during the coronavirus battle.

› Miami-Dade hotel occupancy plunges to 19.6 percent. Monroe County down to 7.2 percent [Miami Herald]
Hotel occupancy in South Florida plummeted to new lows last week following closures and restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak. In Miami-Dade County, occupancy was at 19.6 percent from Mar. 22-28 compared to 86.6 percent during the same week in 2019 – a slide of 77.4 percent, according to the latest STR report, which provides analytics for global hospitality sectors.

› Tampa Bay area insurance company acquires Wisconsin industry marketing firm [Business Observer]
AmeriLife Group LLC, a leading insurance and retirement solutions distributor and marketer, has acquired a majority stake in Jack Schroeder and Associates LLC (JSA), an insurance marketing company based in Green Bay, Wis. According to a press release, JSA has been in business for 48 years and specializes in Medicare brokerage.

› Lenders work to avoid another foreclosure crisis in Sarasota-Manatee [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Foreclosure activity in Southwest Florida has shrunk to what is considered a normal level of troubled homeowners. But some worry that home foreclosures could spike in the months ahead as tens of thousands of local workers lose their paychecks in the coronavirus pandemic. For now, a number of lenders have agreed to hold off on filing foreclosures and carrying out evictions, and are offering forms of relief so their financially strapped customers can hang on to their homes during the crisis.

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› Court denies bid to stay CBD class action [IEG Policy]
A Florida federal judge has rejected a CBD company’s request to stay a lawsuit that alleges it overstated the amount of cannabidiol in its products, concluding any action by FDA to regulate CBD is “unlikely to affect the outcome” of the false advertising class action.

› Jacksonville’s own ‘Tiger King?’ Not quite. What to know about Catty Shack Ranch [Florida Times-Union]
A popular new Netflix documentary series is making Jacksonville residents wonder about the city’s local big cat rescue. Catty Shack Ranch, a Jacksonville-based wildlife sanctuary focuses on rescuing big cats like tigers, lions, pumas and leopards. The non-profit launched in 2000.

› As grocery store shelves empty, Tampa Bay farmers and markets find new customers online [Tampa Bay Times]
Things are looking different at the Saturday Morning Market. There are no musicians playing, and no one is dancing. There are no parents pushing strollers, no dogs, no children. There are no lines queued around the empanada stand. In fact, there is no empanada stand at all. Though it might look very different, St. Petersburg’s popular weekly farmers market is still there.

› United Arts campaign takes on new urgency [Orlando Sentinel]
Through the economic gloom of the coronavirus there is one bright spot for cultural organizations: The Collaborative Campaign for the Arts is ahead $335,000 from the same time last year. Run by United Arts of Central Florida, the annual campaign is the biggest fundraiser for local arts groups.