Florida vaccine supply to jump to nearly 450k first doses next week

Continued increases in the federal supply of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 combined with a continued surge in Moderna vaccines means Florida will receive 450,000 initial doses the week beginning March 1. The data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday shows about 30,000 more doses of Pfizer over this week’s allotment. An equal number of second doses for each of the two vaccines has also been allotted, with first doses usually arriving from Monday-Wednesday each week. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Orange County approves $2 million to diversify economy amid COVID-19 recovery

Orange County commissioners agreed Tuesday to spend nearly $2 million to stimulate and diversify the local economy as Central Florida seeks to emerge from a pandemic that exposed the tourism-dependent region’s vulnerabilities. Mayor Jerry Demings described the strategy as both an economic “diversification initiative“ and an investment in “social entrepreneurship.” More from the Orlando Sentinel.

The St. Joe Company reshapes the Panhandle

One of Northwest Florida’s largest landowners was once focused on trees for it’s paper mills. But over the last 25 years the St. Joe company found a new business strategy – reshaping the Panhandle. The centerpiece of the initial campaign involved the company successfully lobbying to move Bay County’s airport to West Bay. Its vision, which it shared with the public and the media at the time, was that a new airport, in the right place would lead to massive growth for the region. More from WMBB.

Miami starts celebrating 125th birthday

At a press conference on the steps of Miami Senior High School, the City of Miami announced this month the beginning of a countdown leading up to the 125th anniversary of its incorporation on July 28, 1896. The six-month celebration is co-chaired by Mayor Francis Suarez and Larry Gautier, senior vice president at NAI Miami, who is a direct descendent of one of the city’s founding families. More from Miami Today.

Jacksonville officials, stakeholders talk riverfront development

Jacksonville public officials held a public workshop Feb. 23 with Downtown stakeholders to respond to public criticism that there’s a lack of planning for the St. Johns Riverfront. In a presentation at the Jacksonville Main Library, Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer used the agency’s Downtown Jacksonville Conceptual 2025 Redevelopment Master Plan to show how she sees proposed riverfront private and public space development being planned to compliment each other. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

National heart leader | Moving health forward

Susan, who had a valve replacement, knows not all heart surgery is equal. She trusts Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute, a Florida leader in heart surgery that consistently ranks among the elite programs in the United States and Canada. For more than 10 years, Memorial has achieved high ratings for patient care and clinical outcomes from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in healthcare. [Sponsored report]