White House looks at domestic travel restrictions as COVID mutation surges in Florida

The Biden administration is considering whether to impose domestic travel restrictions, including on Florida, fearful that coronavirus mutations are threatening to reverse hard-fought progress on the pandemic. Outbreaks of the new variants — including a highly contagious one first identified in the United Kingdom, as well as others from South Africa and Brazil that scientists worry can evade existing vaccines — have lent urgency to a review of potential travel restrictions within the United States, one federal official said. [Source: Miami Herald]

A pandemic plus: Florida suicides plummeted. Experts worry it won’t last

The coronavirus pandemic has clearly stressed out countless Americans. But in Florida at least, one mental health barometer actually improved — fewer people killed themselves in 2020 than in any time in recent years, newly released statistics show. Despite the strains of sheltering at home, economic uncertainty and political turmoil during the pandemic, experts say the drop in suicides was not unexpected. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Foodservice workers hope to be included in next phase of Florida’s vaccine rollout

As more vaccine sites set to open up across the state through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, essential workers are wondering when they’ll have a shot at getting vaccinated. People who work in the food service industry hope to have some priority in Florida’s next phase. Servers, bartenders, cooks, and other food service employees work in close quarters with maskless guests enjoying food and drinks every day. [Source: WFLA]

Controversial union dues bill backed in Florida Senate

With unions and business groups squaring off, a Senate committee Wednesday backed a controversial proposal about the process for deducting union dues from the paychecks of public employees. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill (SB 78), which appears to be moving quickly toward a vote by the full Senate after the 2021 legislative session starts in March. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, would, in part, add a new step in which government employers would have to confirm with workers that they want dues taken out of their pay before the deductions could start. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Florida National Guard continues pace after unprecedented year

In a regular year, members of the Florida National Guard can expect to attend scheduled monthly weekend drills, a two or three week annual training and perhaps a deployment of a couple weeks in response to a hurricane. The past year has tested the Florida Guard with more unexpected and longer-running missions than in prior years. It presented challenges for members who have full-time jobs or are full-time students, but guardsmen interviewed by the Tampa Bay Times said it’s what they signed up for. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Visit Orlando launches $2.2M ad campaign to lure tourists from the South [Orlando Sentinel]
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic crippled Central Florida’s tourism industry, Visit Orlando has launched a full-scale advertising campaign outside of Florida to help bring back tourists. With $2.2 million in advertising, Visit Orlando’s “Wonder Remains” campaign includes buying TV, social media and digital ads targeting nine Southern states, including Texas, Georgia and the Carolinas.

› Free concert series coming to former Jacksonville Landing site in April [Florida Times-Union]
A free concert series is coming to the former Jacksonville Landing site in April. The Jax River Jams series is planned for Thursday evenings on the site, officially known as Riverfront Plaza. They are scheduled for April 8, 15, 22 and 29. No performers were named, but Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision, said national acts will headline and local and regional musicians will open the shows. He said the shows will be themed, with country, rock and hip-hop nights planned.

› Sarasota County asks Legislature for local control if recreational marijuana is legalized [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Sarasota County commissioners have asked the Florida Legislature to preserve local government control over recreational marijuana use in their area should it become legal. While the resolution passed 4-1, several county commissioners emphasized that their stance was not a formal board opinion on whether they would reject a statewide legalization effort.

› With cruises halted, PortMiami keeps it head above water [Miami Today]
As the pandemic rages on, passenger ships remain harbored at PortMiami. Cruise companies have canceled sailing plans through at least the first third of 2021. But according to Managing Port Director Andy Hecker, internal savings, strong cargo traffic and favorable financing will allow PortMiami to continue operations and cover costs, including debt service on bonds, without tapping its savings through the end of the fiscal year.

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› Homestead salmon farm goes Publix – all 818 Florida stores [Miami Today]
Publix shoppers in Florida may have spotted a new product among the store’s seafood offerings this month: Bluehouse Salmon, grown and prepared in an indoor Homestead facility poised to possibly be the biggest of its type in the world. As of Feb. 1, all 818 Publix locations in Florida now carry GMO-, antibiotic- and hormone-free fish filets from Norway-founded parent company Atlantic Sapphire.

› Airline adds new flights from Tampa Bay area to trio of destinations, including North Carolina [Business Observer]
Allegiant Air has announced a series of new flights to and from a trio of area airports. At the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the Las Vegas-based carrier will begin offering a nonstop flight from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, in Little Rock, Ark., on May 27. The seasonal route will fly twice weekly, according to a statement.

› Orlando home prices are rising. Builders say it will be a while before construction slows that trend. [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando’s tight housing inventory and growing demand prompted home prices to jump by almost 10% last year, but experts say buyers hoping new construction will bring some relief can expect to wait. “It will be a while for things to come back into balance,” said Aldo Martin, president and CEO of Bellavista Building Group. Martin, a developer in the region since 1988, says longer permitting times, increased competition among developers and construction costs are preventing enough new inventory to slow home value appreciation.

› A Florida company recalls three sauces for a potentially dangerous shellfish problem [Miami Herald]
Tarpon Springs company Delicae Gourmet jumped into the stream of packaging mistakes that create food allergy dangers and recalled 19 batches of three sauces. The problem with these batches of Thai Peanut Sauce, Panang Curry Sauce, and Spicy Red Curry Sauce is shrimp. Sauce with shrimp went out in packaging that didn’t list shrimp as an ingredient. Not a problem for those without a shrimp allergy. A possibly lethal problem for those with a shrimp allergy.