Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida and the COVID-19 recession: Looking ahead

Along with taking a toll in human lives, the COVID-19 virus — or more precisely, the attempt to contain it — has shredded the state and national economies. Some perspective: Since the end of World War II, there have been 12 recessions (including this one). The shortest, at the beginning of 1980, lasted about six months; the longest — about 30 months — was the Great Recession from December 2007 to June 2009. So, six months — or much longer? [Source: Florida Trend]

Florida prepares for unique hurricane season

If Florida experiences the misfortune of a hurricane on top of an epidemic this year, the encounter will be unlike any previous confrontation with the powerful storms. If you lose power, it may take longer to get it back. If your house is damaged, the in-person insurance adjuster could be replaced by a phone app that will allow you to send your insurance company photos of the damage. At shelters, workers will conduct health screenings and temperature checks. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Why didn’t tourist capital Orlando have more coronavirus cases?

Orlando had all the makings to become a coronavirus hot spot. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando attract millions of people from across the globe to make the city the nation’s most visited. The city’s international airport is among the nation’s busiest. Today, more than nine weeks since the first show canceled at the Orange County Convention Center because of the then-building pandemic, Orange County is better off than every other major population center in Florida. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

How Florida slowed coronavirus: Everyone stayed home before they were told to

Why didn’t Florida see an explosion of cases? While Florida’s politicians debated beach closings and stay-at-home orders, residents took matters into their own hands. By the time each county shut down, there had been large reductions in activity, the cell phone data shows. People in the worst-hit counties were overwhelmingly staying home weeks before DeSantis’ order went out — and even before the much-earlier orders issued by local governments. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida farmers hoping second round of federal disaster loans save small agriculture businesses

Florida’s farmers and ranchers say their business disappeared almost overnight as COVID-19 restrictions shuttered bulk buyers like restaurants. Researchers are now trying to discover how big a bite the virus took as the industry aims to rebound. No one is certain how extensive the damage is just yet. Initial numbers show decreased demand already cost Florida’s second-largest industry more than half a billion dollars. [Source: WPTV]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Here are the barbershop, salon rules for reopening in Florida on Monday [Orlando Sentinel]
Barbershops and salons must operate by appointment only and allow 15 minutes between appointments to sanitize their work stations, according to rules released by state officials. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday added salons and barbershops to those that could reopen under his plan to restart the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. But he waited until Saturday morning to release the executive order and guidance to shop owners in the form of a Q&A.

› UFC 249′s opening bout revives Jacksonville sports scene [Florida Times-Union]
At 7:09 p.m., Ryan Spann swung a punch into the body of Sam Alvey, striking the first blow inside the octagon of UFC 249 and reopening the sports calendar on the First Coast. Jacksonville sports are back in session. Inside a near-empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, shut off from would-be spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic, the UFC event ended a virus-enforced drought that had halted major sports for nearly two months.

› Panama City Port Authority seeks $3 million grant [Northwest Florida Daily News]
The Panama City Port Authority got support from Bay County Commission Tuesday for a $3 million grant application to the Triumph Gulf Coast board. If the application is approved, it will be combined with another $1.5 million in port authority funds to complete site work and other infrastructure improvements at the Port Panama City’s Intermodal Distribution Center.

› As Orlando tech firms adapt to remote working, Electronic Arts is still hiring [Orlando Sentinel]
As coronavirus and work-from-home orders swept across Florida and the rest of the U.S., companies had to quickly determine how to continue their work with as little disruption as possible. For some, it meant creating support systems that would build a more remote working culture. But for others, like the video game company Electronic Arts, it meant understanding that the more that people stay home, the more they will play their company’s games.

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› MLS reportedly eyes hosting games in Orlando [Orlando Sentinel]
Major League Soccer has joined the NBA in evaluating ESPN Wide World of Sports on Disney World property as a potential location to host games in isolation without fans. MLS is considering moving some or all 26 of its teams to Orlando for a summer relaunch after shutting down all matches and training sessions due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by the Washington Post’s Steven Goff.

› St. Petersburg approves bus stop for service to Jacksonville [Tampa Bay Times]
Low-cost bus service to Orlando and Jacksonville could be coming to the Tampa Bay area. St. Petersburg City Council on Thursday approved a bus stop for FlixBus, a German low-cost bus brand that carries passengers between city centers aboard coach buses. The bus company already operates in 23 U.S. states, plus Washington D.C., servicing 55 routes, city officials said. It also operates in Europe.

› Company behind Florida's reemployment site responds to backlash [WESH]
State numbers show more than 1.2 million Floridians have filed for unemployment benefits but a little less than 500,000 have received any money. Gov. Ron DeSantis has often stuck much of the blame on the reemployment website that came online during Sen. Rick Scott’s time as governor and the company that built it, Deloitte.

› Nordstrom to close some stores, including two in Florida. The retailer isn’t alone [Miami Herald]
Nordstrom, the service-focused fashion retailer founded in Seattle in 1901, plans to permanently close 16 of its full-line stores later this year — including two in Florida. Business Insider reported the planned Nordstrom closings earlier this week and they include the Dadeland Mall location in Kendall and the Waterside Shops store in Naples.