Gov. DeSantis targets vaccination ‘tourism’

Gov. Ron DeSantis is working on guidelines meant to stop COVID-19 vaccination “tourism” in Florida. Appearing at two news conferences Tuesday, DeSantis said he wants to make sure the state’s COVID-19 vaccine supply is being directed to Florida residents. “That can include people who live here half the year, but it’s not for people just visiting,” the governor said during an appearance in Rockledge. The effort came after media reports about people from outside the state coming to Florida to get vaccinated. [Source: WJXT]

See also:
» Vaccine Tourism: People flocking to Florida to get COVID-19 vaccine
» Could Vaccine Tourism Be a Double-Edged Sword for Florida Investors?

Florida has more known cases of highly infectious ‘UK variant’ than any other state

The more state and federal health officials look for a mutated and highly-contagious strain of the COVID virus in Florida, the more they’re finding it. Even with relatively scant monitoring for evolved strains of the virus, known as “variants,” federal officials say Florida now leads the country in known cases of the so-called “U.K. variant,” or B.1.1.7, with 46. More from the Miami Herald and WFLA.

See also:
» Concern grows in Florida over more contagious COVID strain

Opinion: Florida faces a bright future, but sea-level rise must be solved

As part of its series “The Business of Climate Change,” which highlights the climate views of business men and women throughout the state, The Invading Sea spoke with Joe Chase, a business and corporate attorney with Gunster Law Firm. He says, "Frankly, if we don’t manage this problem, South Florida will become a much less attractive place to live and do business. This is a problem that can be managed, but we have to take it seriously. It requires investment. It requires regional solutions." [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Office Depot rejects Staples’ $2.1 billion buyout offer

Office Depot’s parent company rejected a $2.1 billion buyout offer Tuesday from the investor group that controls rival Staples. But the Boca Raton company, which has been cutting costs and reshaping its strategy to appeal more to businesses, said it would entertain other possibilities that would avert tough regulatory scrutiny. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Northwest Florida's economic outlook for 2021

Regional business leaders talk about the outlook for the year ahead, plus demographics and statistics. Ali Green, Associate Dean/Associate Professor, University of West Florida’s department of Global Hospitality & Tourism Management says: “For the tourism industry in Northwest Florida there is no playbook at this point for dealing with the pandemic. I would say that those business owners that have developed a plan to be as flexible, creative and transparent as possible are coming out ahead." [Source: Florida Trend]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tallahassee takes aim again at no-fault automobile insurance [News Service of Florida]
The latest effort to end Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system will get its first Senate hearing next week. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Jan. 26 will take up a proposal (SB 54) introduced late Friday by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills. The proposal seeks to replace the requirement motorists carry personal-injury protection coverage, which is key to the no-fault system, with mandatory bodily injury coverage.

› Sarasota County to consider 10,000-acre Hi Hat Ranch development plan [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Hi Hat Ranch in east Sarasota County has been a fixture for so long that it’s easy to assume its rustic, wide open spaces will be around forever. Think again. Jim Turner, one of the 10,000-acre, family-owned ranch’s heirs, will ask the Sarasota County Planning Commission on Thursday to OK a blueprint that will outline the vision for the property that stretches north from Clark Road all the way to Fruitville Road.

› PGA Tour golf tournament is moving from Mexico to Manatee County next month [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Sarasota-Bradenton area will host a major PGA Tour golf tournament next month, an event that has been moved to Florida from Mexico because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual World Golf Championships-Mexico Championships will take place Feb. 25-28 at The Concession Golf Club in eastern Manatee County at 7700 Lindrick Lane.

› DIA to start search Jan. 20 for firms to design park at former Jacksonville Landing site [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The Downtown Investment Authority will issue a request for proposals Jan. 20 for public park space designs at the former Jacksonville Landing, according to CEO Lori Boyer. The Professional Services Evaluation Committee of the city Procurement Division approved the DIA’s plan Jan. 14 to select three firms that will submit designs for a minimum 4.5-acre riverfront park/plaza.

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› Online sales tax collection proposal goes to Florida Senate committee [WJXT]
A proposal that would require more online sellers to collect Florida sales taxes and turn the money over to the state will appear Monday before the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee. The proposal (SB 50), filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, for the upcoming legislative session has gained support as state revenue has taken a massive hit amid the coronavirus pandemic.

› Side hustle to day job: this Miamian is launching premium rum with help from Mr. Killa [Miami Herald]
When he was 24 years old, Omar Sow began distributing bottled water in the Caribbean as a side gig to his corporate job in sales. Two years later, Sow matched his corporate salary and ditched his day job. Today, at 33, he runs beverage management company Caribbean International, which imports more than 200 wine and spirits brands from 31 suppliers in 11 countries into PortMiami and sends them throughout the Caribbean.

› Norwegian Cruise Line, sister lines cancel sailings through April amid coronavirus pandemic [Orlando Sentinel]
The date any cruise line will return to service in the U.S. continues to push further into the calendar year, with Norwegian Cruise Line announcing the latest round of cancellations for it and its sister lines. Parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. announced Tuesday that NCL, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas won’t sail at all until at least May, and that’s across the globe.

› Bruce Fafard named permanent MOSH CEO [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The Museum of Science & History announced Jan. 19 Bruce Fafard was named the organization’s permanent CEO. According to a news release, the MOSH board of trustees confirmed Fafard’s appointment Oct. 15, more than three months before the official announcement. Fafard became the nonprofit museum’s interim CEO on Aug. 5 after former President Maria Hane told the MOSH trustees she was stepping down.