Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

Federal pandemic loans flow to Florida health providers

More than 4,600 health-care providers in Florida received at least $1.7 billion in interest-free federal loans meant to prevent massive job layoffs, a News Service of Florida review of data released by the federal government shows. The loans, which went to providers ranging from pediatricians to pharmacists to hospice providers and nearly everything in between, helped keep 200,000 jobs. More from WUSF.

Cybersecurity firm, despite pandemic challenges, posts 25% growth in Q2

KnowBe4, a cybersecurity company whose platform helps combat phishing, saw its second-quarter sales rose by 25% compared to the same period last year. According to a press release, the Clearwater-based firm’s payroll has also increased substantially, despite challenges brought by the COVID-19 crisis. KnowBe4 now has nearly 1,000 employees as it attempts to keep up with the “hypergrowth” it’s experiencing as more and more clients adopt its security awareness training services. More from the Business Observer.

Bradenton tourism marketing under review after ‘make a break’ ad appeared in Miami

The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is rethinking its efforts to attract visitors to the area in the face of the exploding coronavirus pandemic. In early June, the CVB launched a promotional campaign aimed at several large Florida cities, which are considered part of the drive market for Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key beaches. More from the Miami Herald.

SeaWorld Orlando rolling out event with drive-in movies, fireworks

SeaWorld Orlando is putting a new spin on old-school entertainment. The theme park will launch a three-night drive-in movie event in its parking lot that's preceded by a fireworks show, beginning July 10. Tickets to “Flicks & Fireworks” will cost $50 per carload of people, staring with “Shark Tale” on Friday. There’s a 20 percent discount for SeaWorld annual passholders. Admission to the theme park is not included. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

South Dade could be home to Amazon warehouse even bigger than the one in Opa-locka

South Miami-Dade could soon be the site of an Amazon warehouse bigger than the e-commerce giant’s distribution center in Opa-locka. Miami-Dade County commissioners will decide Wednesday whether to sell land in the Naranja area near the Homestead Air Reserve Base to Amazon. The sale would allow the company to build one million square feet of warehouse space and is expected to provide 325 permanent jobs with salaries of at least $32,000. More from the Miami Herald.

Profile
Timucuan Preserve’s storytelling ranger retires but will still be around

 Craig Morris spent some 33 years telling the many stories of Jacksonville’s national park, traipsing through its sandy trails, paddling its winding waterways and occasionally running from its curious alligators. So he didn’t expect to spend June 26, the last day of his career as a park ranger, sitting at home, rather than out in that wilderness he loves so much. But life has a way of throwing out challenges that upset your plans, and Morris — a popular ranger who spent his entire career at the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve — has faced more than his ration of challenges lately.

» More from the Florida Times-Union.

 

Out of the Box
Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters: the latest coronavirus shortage

floridaNow that the coveted hand sanitizer and elusive toilet paper have reappeared on store shelves, what’s the next coronavirus-related dearth? You probably didn’t see this one coming: Coins, as in quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Signs have gone up at businesses around Tampa Bay recently, warning shoppers of a scarcity of pocket change across the country. “Due to the national coin shortage, exact change, whenever possible, is appreciated!” read a sign posted on the door of a South Tampa Dollar Tree.

» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.