Florida farmers try to sort out hurricane damage

A week after Hurricane Ian stormed across Florida, farmers and ranchers continue waiting for flood waters to recede to get a full picture of the destruction to citrus groves and cattle operations. The storm killed at least 200 cows at a dairy farm in Myakka City, while beef cattle counts remain uncertain until herds can navigate back from swamps and hills where they went to ride out the storm. “About 42 percent of our Florida cow herd, our cattle population in the state was affected by this storm,” Florida Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Jim Handley said. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Business Beat - Week of October 7th

Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.

Silenced Florida voters: Races for Congress, Legislature decided before voting even begins

Even before any one of millions of Floridians casts a vote in this fall’s pivotal congressional elections, the outcome is almost a foregone conclusion. In the race to represent Floridians in Congress, only two of 28 contests – at least on paper – appear competitive: District 27 in Miami-Dade County and District 15, in Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Most of the other districts heavily favor Republicans, with a handful of remaining districts dominated by Democrats. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida Icon: Penelope Bodry-Sanders

Penelope Bodry-Sanders, the founder, and former executive director of the Lemur Conservation Foundation/Reserve tells us: "Art creates empathy. It makes you feel, so art has been a vital part of the Lemur Conservation Foundation since day one. A lot of the art that I make now is lemur art, but I also paint other underloved, underappreciated animals." [Source: Florida Trend]

‘Marsy's Law' arguments postponed again

For the third time, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday postponed arguments in a high-profile case about a 2018 constitutional amendment known as “Marsy’s Law.” The court last week scheduled arguments on Nov. 3 but agreed Thursday to a request to reschedule the hearing. That request, in part, stemmed from two attorneys in the case having plans to travel internationally from Oct. 18 to Nov. 2, according to court documents. [Source: News Service of Florida]

The ripple effect of workplace culture

A well-defined organizational culture is essential to building a quality workforce, service offering, and stakeholder relationships. Common benefits include increased retention, productivity, reputation, and team member satisfaction. In addition to those benefits, a well-crafted workplace culture can be the catalyst for lasting societal impact — effectively helping to strengthen relationships, communities, and the overall quality of life for many people. [Sponsored report]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Muriel Siebert & Co. moving NY headquarters to Miami Beach [Miami Today]
A financial institution founded by the first woman to purchase a seat on the New York Stock Exchange is relocating to Miami Beach, thanks to the city’s job creation incentive program. Muriel Siebert & Co., which offers investment and other financial advice, portfolio management, and personal and commercial insurance, was founded in 1969 and its current headquarters is in New York City, with 13 other offices nationwide, including Boston, Dallas, Beverly Hills and Tampa.

› Education Foundation of Sarasota County establishes Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Fund [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County has established a Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief & Recovery Fund to accept monetary donations to support Sarasota County Schools and its 5,000-plus employees. The ferocious hurricane caused widespread damage with areas in South Sarasota County receiving the district’s worst impact. Full assessments of damages to schools are underway, a spokesperson said, and will be ongoing as district officials access campuses and receive updates from teachers and school support staff.

› Winter Park’s Hagles are headed back to space, this time inviting kids to watch [Orlando Sentinel]
One taste of space was not enough for Winter Park couple Sharon and Marc Hagle, so they are headed back on a future launch of Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. This time, though, they’re handing out tickets to come see the spectacle. “It’s a great opportunity to have a second chance, a second peek at space,” Sharon Hagel said. But, she added, she is just as enthusiastic to work with the local nonprofit she founded in 2015 — SpaceKids Global — to arrange for eight children to come out to “watch the launch up close and personal.”

› Times Festival of Reading returns in person [Tampa Bay Times]
After two years as a virtual author event, the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading will celebrate its 30th anniversary by returning in person on Nov. 12. It will be a slimmed-down festival in a new location, St. Petersburg’s historic Palladium. But it will bring back the live author talks and book signings and sales that have always been the heart of the festival.

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› Tropical Storm Julia expected to form Friday [Orlando Sentinel]
Tropical Storm Julia is expected to spin into formation Friday morning as the National Hurricane Center braces for the season’s next tropical depression. At 11 a.m. the NHC released information on “Potential Tropical Cyclone 13″ which currently has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and a forward motion of 15 mph. The potential depression is 150 miles east-southeast of Curacao.

› Flagstar Bank moving to Deerwood [Jacksonville Daily Record]
Flagstar Bank is building-out offices at 8800 Baymeadows Way W. in Deerwood Center for its residential mortgage loan servicing center. Susan Bergesen, vice president of corporate communications and media relations for the Troy, Michigan-based company, said Sept. 26 that Flagstar previously leased two floors, totaling about 27,000 square feet of space, at 532 Riverside Ave. but used only one. She said the lease expired. That building is the Florida Blue structure.

› Prime destination for arts, dining set to expand in Gainesville  [Gainesville Sun]
What happens when the whine of electric sanders and the smell of sawdust give way to screaming guitars and the wafting aroma of wood-fired pizza? Hoch Shitama is betting that it will translate into the sweet sound and smell of success. As part of an effort to convert Gainesville's old Baird Center compound — recently rebranded as South Main Station — Shitama will take his business, Akira Wood, and relocate it across the street to a yet-to-be-built facility on South Main Street.

› Hillsborough transportation sales tax debate heads to the courthouse [Tampa Bay Times]
The road toward a transportation sales tax in Hillsborough County is detouring to a circuit courtroom. A decision on whether the ballot question on the proposed 1% sales tax for transportation continues to voting booths next month will fall to Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe. She is scheduled to hear arguments Monday in the case of Karen Jaroch vs. Hillsborough County over the planned referendum for a 1% sales tax for transportation.