March 28, 2024

Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 6/5/2023

The price of plenty: Florida's hidden backbone

Florida is home to one of the richest phosphate deposits in the world. For about 140 years, the state has housed a secluded and powerful industry that mines one of three essential nutrients for the global fertilizer market. Today, wheelbarrows have given way to mammoth machinery. But there are still two sides to the white-gold coin. A century ago, Florida’s phosphate industry sacrificed miners. Today, the sacrifices involve the environment. More from WUSF.

As workers protest, First Coast construction execs worry about impact of new law

Paul Bertozzi had a busy day on Thursday. As CEO of one of Jacksonville's fastest-growing construction companies with work spanning nine states, he was keeping an eye on projects across the region. But his mind was on Florida — specifically on the 80 or so workers who had walked off jobs at Live Oak Contracting projects across the Sunshine State, part of a statewide protest against an immigration law set to go into effect next month. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Billions more added to taxable value in Sarasota and Manatee counties

Property values in Sarasota and Manatee counties have continued their dramatic increases, with the latest property tax roll figures underscoring the meteoric rise with another year of double digit growth, according to property appraisal records submitted to local governments. Each year the elected property appraisers' offices submit the total taxable property value in each municipality, county and district to local government officials. The data is then used to craft budgets for services and building and maintaining roads and other infrastructure and levying taxes to pay the costs. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

'These are hard times': Central Florida restaurants plead for community's support to stay open

The COVID-19 pandemic may be in our rearview mirror, but its lasting effects are still hurting some Central Florida businesses. A few recently closed their doors for good. Crews at two restaurants are using social media to plead for the community's support so they can stay open. "Things were just really slow lately and we were trying to figure out how to fix that," Shelly Richards said who is a server at Pom Pom's Teahouse & Sandwicheria. The business has been serving handcrafted teas and sandwiches in Orlando for 17 years. More from WESH.

Norwegian Epic cruise ship to sail out of Port Canaveral in late shift from Europe

Norwegian Cruise Line is deploying the Norwegian Epic to Port Canaveral for the 2023-24 winter season. The ship will sail seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries out of Port Canaveral, starting on Dec. 17, and running through April 2024, the cruise line and the port said. The Epic currently is sailing from Italy and Spain on Mediterranean cruises. More from Florida Today.

Event
Going to Florida Supercon 2023? Here's everything you need to know, including who can you meet there

Florida fans of "Star Wars," "Our Flags Means Death," "Chainsaw Man," and more can soon meet their favorite celebrities while cosplaying their favorite characters. Florida Supercon 2023 is headed to Miami, providing the largest convention in the state for attendees to nerd out on their favorite shows, movies, comics, and video games.

» More from the Naples Daily News.

 

Out of the Box
Playa Largo Resort and Spa

Florida has many fine restaurants where you can dine by the water. This might be the only one where you can eat in the water — table, chairs, feet all in the clear, warm waters of Florida Bay. A four-star resort that is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection of hotels, Playa Largo is among the upscale resorts that have made Key Largo a popular destination for those who want a taste of the Florida Keys without driving another 100 miles to Key West.

» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.

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.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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