Monday's Daily Pulse
Medical marijuana and CBD sales rise sharply during COVID-19 pandemic
Florida is seeing a surge in sales of medical marijuana and CBD hemp products as more people turn to them to treat their anxiety, insomnia and pain during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise in demand, wait times at dispensaries in some instances rose from what used to take only 10 to 15 minutes — even without an appointment — to backlogs of dozens of patients at any given time, potentially lasting hours. Sales have risen significantly when compared with last year. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The economic impact of a rebounded and revitalized space program on Florida's Space Coast
From 1981 to 2011, the Space Shuttle Program brought in a mix of engineers, technicians, logisticians, specialists, and more to the Space Coast region and supported the creation of numerous other jobs indirectly related to the space program. The infusion of NASA spending into the local and state economy generated an overall economic impact of more than $4.1 Billion in 2008, translating into 40,802 jobs, $2.1 billion in household income, and $103 million in state and local taxes. [Source: Florida Tax Watch]
Florida voters already casting ballots in presidential race
Voting has already begun in Florida, whose 29 electoral college votes will be critical in the presidential election. The Department of State reported Saturday that more than 6,600 vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned and more than 5 million others have been requested. That could put Florida on a pace to double the number of people who voted by mail in the 2016 presidential election. Voters have until Oct. 24 to request a vote-by-mail ballot. [Source: NBC Miami]
Stage, screen and everywhere between: Fall delivers rich and unique arts season
As the strangest, most unpredictable new season in memory is about to begin, signs of the pandemic’s ongoing cultural tsunami are everywhere. Of necessity, optimistic scheduled performance dates keep getting pushed later and later as arts leaders grapple with safety issues, economic fallout, and uncertainty over when and how audiences will feel comfortable returning to live cultural experiences. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida is leaving the state’s exonerated inmates penniless
A state law allows exonerated people who demonstrate their innocence to receive $50,000 for each year of incarceration, with a cap of $2 million. But there is a catch. The law excludes those who have prior felony convictions. That caveat makes Florida unique among states that compensate those who are exonerated. “Innocent people are innocent people,” said Seth Miller, executive director of the Innocence Project of Florida, a legal organization that works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. “When the state takes away someone’s liberty and wrongfully incarcerates them for three or four decades, they deserve recompense for that.” [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Emergency bridge loans available for small businesses affected by Hurricane Sally [Pensacola News Journal]
The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program was activated this week by the state for Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. The program is meant to provide quick cash for businesses so they can get back into production until they can secure a longer-term financing option such as an insurance payout. It's a one-year 0% interest loan, typically for $50,000, said Kelly Massey, director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of West Florida.
› TECO seeks approval for charging station plan [News Service of Florida]
Tampa Electric Co. asked state regulators Friday for approval of a four-year pilot program that would lead to installing about 200 charging ports for electric vehicles. The pilot would involve charging stations at a variety of types of locations such as workplaces, retail businesses and government buildings.
› Venice MainStreet hopes Classic Evenings will draw patrons downtown [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Venice MainStreet will host Classic Evenings on the Avenues, from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 8 and 22, in an effort to bring shoppers downtown. The nonprofit, which is tasked to enhance and promote the downtown business district, has been unable to stage Wine Walks and other events designed to encourage people to visit the island of Venice, because the city has suspended all event permits.
› Tampa Bay tourism report card: Where the industry stands more than six months into the pandemic [Tampa Bay Times]
Hotels across the Tampa Bay area are still hovering below half full with industry analysts reporting about 45 percent occupancy rate at the end of last week. That’s about on par with what local hotels saw across all of August, according to tourism analyst STR, Inc, and not far off from the nationwide average last month.
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› DeSantis Order Would Allow Florida Theme Parks to Operate at Normal Capacity [Bay News 9]
On Friday Gov. Ron DeSantis said as part of Phase 3, theme parks have the ability to increase capacity and return to normal operations with social distancing protocols. Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and Walt Disney World have been open for months, but are currently limiting the number of guests that come through their gates. Kevin Murphy, a professor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, said the Friday announcement is big news for the economy.
› Hazouri extends JEA investigative committee deadline and Rory Diamond resigns from panel [Florida Times Union]
The Jacksonville City Council's expansive investigation of last year's attempted sale of JEA will get a new deadline of Dec. 31 after City Council President Tommy Hazouri gave it a three-month extension so "no stones will be left unturned."
› Longtime director of Miami Beach Convention Center Norman Litz dies at 89 [Miami Herald]
As a kid, Steve Litz could rattle off facts about the Miami Beach Convention Center as if he were the facility’s director. Of course he wasn’t, but his father, Norman Litz, was. Norman Litz, the longtime director of the convention center and a community leader, died at 89 of lung cancer on Tuesday, his son’s 54th birthday. “Miami Beach was really lucky to have a guy like Norm Litz,” Steve Litz said about his dad.
› After 40 years, Skipper’s Smokehouse owner looking to sell [Tampa Bay Times]
Skipper’s Smokehouse’s long, strange trip is coming to an end. Owner Tom White announced Friday that he’s looking to sell his beloved Tampa concert venue and mullet shack, effective at the end of this weekend’s 40th anniversary celebration.
"It was nerve wracking, to say the least."
Derek Jeter watched the Miami Marlins clinch their first playoff spot in 17 years from a distance.
The franchise’s CEO was back in Miami on Friday night as the Marlins defeated the New York Yankees, a team he played with for all 20 years of his Hall-of-Fame career, to secure a postseason berth.
The Marlins celebrated at Yankee Stadium, six years to the day after Jeter hit a walk-off single in his final home game as a player.
Jeter, three years into the Marlins’ rebuild that he has had a heavy hand in creating, could take some time to reflect even if it was from a distance.
Read more at the Miami Herald