Tuesday's Afternoon Update
Trade rebounding at Florida ports after pandemic plunge
Waterborne trade fell $14.1 billion at Florida seaports last year as the COVID-19 pandemic initially slowed consumer and business demand and caused supply chain problems, according to an industry report released Tuesday. But Florida port leaders say they have seen cargo trade rebound and see opportunities for growth in what the report describes as the “emerging post-pandemic world.” More from the News Service of Florida.
For heart of hurricane season, drone boats sent from Jacksonville to face storms' fury
The key to making hurricane forecasts suddenly clearer and more accurate might have floated out to sea from Jacksonville last week on something looking like orange surfboards with wings. Maybe. It will take time for federal government researchers to work with data from sensors on the drone boats, looking for insights to help coastal communities stay safe. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance CEO and president steps down
Dom DiMaio, the chief executive officer and president of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, has accepted a new job as president of RITE Technology. The announcement was made Monday by the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. RITE Technology, of Sarasota, since 1989 has provided the Gulf Coast with business solutions, such as copiers and printers, to meet document workflow demands. More from the Business Observer.
Plastic surgeon wants to open new medical school in downtown Celebration
The Center at Celebration, former home to Stetson University’s Central Florida campus, has sold for the second time in less than two years to a doctor who wants to open a medical school there, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. An investment vehicle led by Orlando plastic surgeon John Choi paid $5.9 million for the 36,000-square-foot office building in the heart of the Disney master-planned community. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sarasota and Manatee counties take different approaches to red tide fish kills
Local municipalities are taking a variety of approaches toward cleaning up the dead fish and sea life killed by red tide, an effort that some experts could help stem the effects of of the ongoing bloom on local residents, visitors and the businesses they patronize. Over the past few weeks, a local red tide bloom has killed fish and other marine animals in the Sarasota, Manatee and Tampa Bay region. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Out of the Box
Nudists flock to Pasco as “nakations” boom despite the pandemic
Pasco County has long held the reputation as the nudist capital of the U.S. But it’s not just longtime nudists who flocked to local clothing-optional businesses after COVID-19 subsided. Newer — and younger— visitors started milling about pants-less and proud.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Profiles in Law
Gary Sasso grew up in South Florida, the son of non-college-educated parents who worked for the post office. If not for a high-school guidance counselor, his life probably would have turned out much differently. “I had one gift — I was curious, and I liked to learn,” he says “One day when I was a junior, I was pulled out of class by a guidance counselor. She asked me where I was going to college, and I said, ‘Dade Junior College.’ She said, ‘No you’re not,’ and she put this crazy idea in my head about going to Penn.”
» Read more from Floriida Trend.