DeSantis says ‘grim reaper’ will come for businesses that disregard coronavirus rules

Florida bars and restaurants that violate the state’s social distancing and capacity guidelines could lose their alcohol licenses, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday. DeSantis said during a news conference in Orlando that Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears, whom DeSantis called “the grim reaper for business licenses,” will be cracking down on violators. More from WESH, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Orlando Sentinel.

Citizens Insurance expects to top 500,000 policies

After years of a relatively stable number of policies, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. expects to see an increase to more than 500,000 policies this year, according to a report President and CEO Barry Gilway is slated to present to the Citizens Board of Governors on Wednesday. Citizens is projected to have about 517,000 at the end of 2020, the first time since 2015 that it has topped 500,000 policies, the report indicates. [Source: CBS Miami]

UF ranked No. 1 nationally in innovation impact

The University of Florida is the most productive large university in the country at leveraging its research funding into new companies, new jobs and new ideas, according to a report released last week by the George W. Bush Institute and the Opus Faveo Innovation Development consulting firm. A team of economists and business development experts ranked 195 universities for innovation impact, purely on volume, using data from the Association of University Technology Managers and other sources. [Source: UF News]

What to expect when Central Florida theme parks reopen

This summer, you can look forward to something that’s never happened before: when Epcot reopens on July 15, it will feature pieces of two of its most popular festivals, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Show and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The new “Taste of Epcot International Food & Wine Festival,” starting on July 15, will feature 20 signature global marketplaces spaced around the park. And because the Flower and Garden Show was cut short, elements of that festival — including the new Remy topiary at the France pavilion — will make an appearance. [Source: Apalachicola Times]

Survey: COVID-19 fears cloud local support for Republican National Convention in Jacksonville

Nearly 60 percent of 600 Jacksonville residents who were surveyed said they do not want the Republican National Convention in their city in August because they fear it will accelerate the spread of COVID-19. According to the June 17-18 RABA Research poll commissioned by Republican Voters Against Trump, 59 percent of those surveyed oppose President Donald Trump delivering his nomination speech before 15,000 people in VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, the highlight of a three-day GOP gathering expected to draw 50,000 people from around the nation. [Source: The Center Square]

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» Will Florida's major events be affected by uptick in coronavirus cases?

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tampa businesswoman Kathleen Shanahan resigns from Hillsborough transit board [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa businesswoman Kathleen Shanahan resigned this month from Hillsborough’s transit board, citing disagreements over procurement policies and the process of hiring a new chief executive officer. Shanahan was appointed to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority board in 2014 by then-mayor Bob Buckhorn.

› Gulfstream Goodwill hiring dozens of positions across South Florida [WPTV]
Gulfstream Goodwill Industries is hiring and looking to fill dozens of open positions across the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. At a time when the retail industry is undergoing a major shift, several retail stores in South Florida are reporting a sharp increase in customers shopping for discounted merchandise.

› Orlando Pride withdraw from NWSL Challenge Cup [Orlando Sentinel]
The Orlando Pride will not participate in the NWSL Challenge Cup after six players and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19 Monday morning. A club source indicated some of the test results were inconclusive and could later turn out to be negative. However, the Pride had to quarantine such a large group of athletes and staff that they could not field a team to compete in the NWSL tournament.

› Selby Gardens to present Roy Lichtenstein exhibit in 2021 [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Following successful exhibitions built around the art work of Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol, Paul Gauguin and the current Salvador Dali, Selby Botanical Gardens will next turn to the comic book imagery of Roy Lichtenstein in an exhibit scheduled to begin in February.

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› Human-trafficking ring busted in Hillsborough after three-month investigation [Tampa Bay Times]
Detectives made six arrests and rescued five victims during an undercover human trafficking investigation that lasted three months, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. Chronister dubbed the six suspects the Sinful 6, and said their ring leader was Bradford Alan Pugh, 43, of Tampa. Pugh was being held on $1.03 million bail on seven charges of human trafficking and two racketeering charges, according to jail records. He was arrested Feb. 7.

› Miami metro among most ‘intensely gentrified’ in U.S., study says [Miami Herald]
Gentrification is changing the Miami metro more rapidly than in most other U.S. regions, according to a recent study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. The Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach county area had the fourth-highest “intensity” of gentrification in the U.S. between 2013-2017, the report found.

› Disney World workers start petition urging theme park to delay reopening [Orlando Sentinel]
Some Disney World workers are pleading with theme park executives to reconsider plans to reopen in July, following days of record-number cases of COVID-19 infections that have pushed the statewide total past 100,000. Reopening would mean bringing back tens of thousands of workers who were furloughed April 19 and since then have struggled to navigate Florida’s broken unemployment system. Still, workers who signed the petition said it’s too soon to welcome back guests.

› County chosen for COVID-19 remote jury trial pilot program [Business Observer]
The Lee County Clerk of Courts was recently selected to participate in a pilot program to evaluate how to conduct civil jury trials remotely. The initiative, according to a statement, is designed to help reduce jurors’ exposure to COVID-19 while serving.