Florida News – Highlights from around the state – April 15th
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- While Florida has experienced record layoffs in recent weeks Amazon has been the most aggressive company hiring in the state. Amazon has now added 7,000 Floridians over the last four weeks. Amazon had employed 13,500 full-time Floridians prior to the recent hiring spree. The positions hired for pay a minimum of $17 per hour currently.
- Governor DeSantis announced a task force on reopening Florida's economy and schools will be created as early as this week. In discussing next steps DeSantis indicated there may be a significant medical development on the horizon when he stated “maybe there’ll be an antiviral developed”. Governor DeSantis’s current emergency declaration extends through May 1st.
- Publix announced dedicated shopping hours for first responders and health care workers, mirroring the existing model for senior only shopping hours. The dedicated hours will be Thursday evenings from 8pm-9pm and Friday mornings from 7am-8am until further notice.
- Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said the state has successfully procured and deployed the following to local governments across the state: 2 million masks, 500,000 shoe covers, 350,000 gloves, 300,000 face shields,100,000 gowns and 50,000 containers of hand sanitizer. He stated the supply chain has significantly improved with N95 masks remaining the most challenging item to procure.
- In Hillsborough County 26-year-old Joseph Williams was charged with 2nd degree murder one day after being released early from prison due to Hillsbourgh’s decision to reduce the prison population. Quoting Hillsborough’s Sheriff: There is no question Joseph Williams took advantage of this health emergency to commit crimes while he was out of jail awaiting resolution of a low-level, non-violent offense.