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Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Covid-19 changed consumer, dining habits — and permanently reshaped commercial real estate
The lines between traditional retail and industrial have blurred, with soaring e-commerce sales bolstering demand for warehouse space faster than the market could supply real estate. While that surge has since tapered off, experts who track retail trends and in commercial real estate believe certain trends will be permanent. More from the Business Journals.
988 crisis helpline arrives this week. Florida mental health advocates hope they’re ready
A new number arrives this week that is meant to be a 911 for behavioral health crises. The nationwide 988 hotline goes active July 16. When people call the number for help with suicide prevention or a mental health or substance abuse crisis, they’ll reach trained call-takers who can refer callers to behavioral health providers, or send a mobile response to help de-escalate the crisis and provide further services.
The lifeline will also utilize a system to provide translation services for people who don’t speak English or Spanish. More from Click Orlando.
Opinion: New space photos reveal secrets of the universe
On Monday, President Joe Biden and NASA revealed the deepest and sharpest infrared image of our universe that has ever been taken. It's just one of the first full-color images captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope -- the largest space telescope ever built. Put simply, Webb will give humanity a new view of space and fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe. More from CNN.
Solutions needed to help Lakeland's South Florida Avenue accommodate growth, safety
Even outside of rush hour, the traffic on South Florida Avenue near downtown Lakeland buzzes by almost constantly. The urban artery, which Lakeland's Planning & Transportation Manager Chuck Barmby calls the "spine of the city," connects the north side of town to the south one. But the spine is buckling under the recent pressures of growth. More from ABC Action News.
Black-owned fintech Ready Life celebrates launch, announces sponsorship of Denny's Orange Blossom Classic
"As a Black-owned fintech, our mission is deeply personal. Ready Life is a financial services solution built on the technology of the future to address a problem as old as this country itself: the struggle of Black families to build real generational wealth," Ashley D. Bell, founder and CEO of Ready Life, said. "We're going to make it possible for families to buy their first home no matter their credit and for small businesses to scale their operations no matter their zip code." More from Florida Trend.
Food Events
Disney Springs' 'Flavors of Florida' returns for the end of the summer
As the sun beats down during the hottest time of the year, guests can experience not only the wrath of Florida at Disney Springs but the taste of it, too. Disney Springs has brought back the Flavors of Florida event to its many restaurants and stores. These limited items will be available from July 5 through Aug. 14 in the form of refreshing drinks, new flavors of Dole Whip and the sandwich born in the Sunshine State: the Cuban.
» More from the Orlando Weekly.
Economic Backbone: Florida Law
Raising the Bar
Attorney Gary S. Lesser of West Palm Beach is the new president of the Florida Bar Association. Lesser, who took office in June, recently outlined for Florida Trend his goals for the yearlong term.
Goals: “I have two primary goals for my presidency and one of them is establishing a statewide mentoring program aimed at younger lawyers, specifically those in solo practice or practicing in small firms of three or four attorneys.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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