Monday's Afternoon Update
Facebook report: Confidence is rising among Florida’s small businesses
As the vaccine rollout continues and state case numbers hover near pandemic-era lows, businesses are reporting improved confidence they’ll be able to keep their doors open. Nearly seven in 10 Florida small businesses now believe they’ll be able to stay open for at least the next six months, according to Facebook’s latest “Global State of Small Business Report.” More from Florida Politics.
White House outlines biggest infrastructure needs in Florida
The Biden White House is amplifying the push for its $2.3 trillion infrastructure package with the release Monday of state-by-state breakdowns that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability. The “Need for Action in Florida” fact sheet from the so-called American Jobs Plan said 408 bridges and over 3,564 miles of highway in the state are in poor condition. More from WJXT.
First annual Southwest Florida Black Expo held at Edison Mall
One hundred businesses and nonprofits were on display inside Edison Mall. “Small black-owned businesses are only a small percentage of businesses in the country so once given an opportunity, take advantage of it and know we can provide high-end quality customer service,” said festival vendor Alfonso Bailey Jr. of Bailey Custom Shirts. More from WZVN.
AdventHealth, HCA Healthcare among companies with the most Orlando job openings in April
Altamonte Springs-based nonprofit health system AdventHealth has the most job listings in the region as of April 5, followed by Orlando Health and Nashville, Tennessee-based HCA Healthcare Inc., according to Employ Florida. The state job database uses online job listings to compile its list. In total, the service tracked more than 28,661 job openings in metro Orlando. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Telehealth expansion moves forward but some say it leaves a few important provisions out
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic there have been few silver linings. But health experts say one good thing the pandemic has caused is an expansion of telehealth. A proposal to keep many of the state’s pandemic-era telehealth practices in place is moving forward, but some say a few important provisions aren't including in the legislation. More from WUSF News.
Vaccine News
U.S. colleges divided over requiring student vaccinations
U.S. colleges hoping for a return to normalcy next fall are weighing how far they should go in urging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including whether they should — or legally can — require it. Universities including Rutgers, Brown, Cornell and Northeastern recently told students they must get vaccinated before returning to campus next fall. They hope to achieve herd immunity on campus, which they say would allow them to loosen spacing restrictions in classrooms and dorms. But some colleges are leaving the decision to students, and others believe they can’t legally require vaccinations.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Environment
To ‘The Fellowship of the Springs,’ Florida is selling out an environmental treasure
Thomas Greenhalgh risked his job and career in 2019 when he sued his own employer, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, to challenge the state’s plans to protect Florida’s imperiled springs from increasing pollution. Greenhalgh, a veteran hydrogeologist and expert on the underground flows that feed North Florida’s springs, argued that the sandy soils and porous rock of the region made them especially vulnerable — a position supported by other springs advocates and independent scientists in a long-running lawsuit seeking tougher state restrictions on how surrounding farms and other industries use fertilizer.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.