March 29, 2024

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/16/2023

As Florida eyes illegal casinos, history shows cracking down isn’t easy

As Florida’s new Gaming Control Commission begins to crack down on illegal neighborhood casinos, many industry watchers are reminded of the state’s past attempts at stamping out such businesses. They haven’t stuck. Adult game rooms first appeared in Florida in the early 2000s, mostly featuring desktop computers that simulated slot-machine-like games. Operators skirted vague laws by awarding prizes indirectly. Others exploited a law allowing sweepstakes. When some of these arcades closed, others would pop up, finding new loopholes to keep the gambling going. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

See also:
» Slot machines are illegal. And they’re everywhere in Tampa Bay.

South Florida’s rainy season is off to a dry start. Here’s what to expect.

South Florida’s rainy season arrived Monday with a dry start, but you can soon expect storm chances each day. The rainy period, during which the region receives about 70% of its annual rainfall, will run through Oct. 15 — marked by thunderstorms and scattered showers nearly every day. The rainy season is categorized by three different periods. The first, which goes from mid-May to early June, typically has the most storms, with historically the highest chances for frequent severe thunderstorms. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

In New Tampa, what’s next for closed golf course? Neighbors have ideas

They’ve tussled before county commissioners considering an environmental clean-up plan and in front of a Hillsborough Circuit Court judge hearing allegations of defamation and attempts to quash public participation in a government zoning case. Monday night, residents of Pebble Creek in northern Hillsborough County’s New Tampa area finally got their say before a hearing master in the first step of a two-part rezoning process to determine the future of the shuttered Pebble Creek Golf Club. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Is a Tesla dealership coming to Tallahassee? Proposal gives insight on plans

Tesla drivers and fans in the Big Bend could get their wish with a dealership landing in Tallahassee, a first for the region and a lot closer than the nearest one in Jacksonville. Truett Realty Group, based in Delray Beach, Florida, has developed Tesla dealerships across Florida. Tesla has 14 dealership locations in Florida, according to its website. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.

Red Lobster is making money again, key investor says

Red Lobster shareholder Thai Union says the Orlando-based seafood chain turned a profit again in the first quarter of this year, and the company doesn’t plan to sell the brand even as challenges remain. The Thailand-based seafood supplier reported it had a “share of profit from operations” for Red Lobster in the first quarter of this year, improved from a loss in the same period last year. “I want to manage your expectation,” said Thai Union group CFO Ludovic Garnier on a May 3 earnings call. “We still have a lot of work to be done.” More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Legal Trends
Did a clothing-optional resort in Key West discriminate against a woman?

A Florida Keys woman alleges that Island House, a decades-old resort in Key West’s Old Town, discriminates against cisgender women, transgender people and those who identify as non-binary by keeping a men-only policy for patrons. During two days of commission hearings in April, the resort’s owner and attorneys defended Island House, saying its business does not discriminate against anyone based on sex or gender.

» More from the Miami Herald.

 

Business Profile
Popular Sarasota flower shop rebrands, plots expansion to new markets

After 37 years, Sarasota-based Beneva, formerly known as Beneva Flowers, decided it was time for an upgrade. So the company rebranded. The change started about a year ago, and David Shuel, the company’s president and CEO, says it was needed. “Everybody just thought we were a flower shop,” he says. “We do so much more than just florals.”

» Read more from the Business Observer.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

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