Need to catch up on business news in Southwest Florida? No problem. Here are the top stories of the week pulled from our daily newsletter, Gulfshore Business Daily.
Friday, December 6
COLLIER AMONG MOST GIVING FLORIDA COUNTIES
Collier County ranked No. 2 in SmartAsset’s “Most Generous Counties – 2019 Edition Florida” list. The financial technology company dug into IRS data to find the places where residents were giving the most. The study measured how much people donate as a percentage of their net income and the proportion of people in a given county who make charitable donations. Collier County received a Donation Index of 37.8, Contributor Index of 59.9, and Most Generous Places Index of 60.2. For more information on the study, including the methodology and infographic, click here.
Thursday, December 5
FIRST OIL SPILL NRDA GRANT AWARDED IN SWFL
The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) has been awarded the first Deepwater Horizon oil spill NRDA (Natural Resource Damage Assessment) project award in Southwest Florida. The project was approved for funding by the Florida Trustee Implementation Group (FL TIG) in the Final Restoration Plan 1 and Environmental Assessment (RP1/EA) finalized in March 2019. The CHNEP submitted the proposed project for the funding in collaboration with the South Florida Water Management District, who coordinates the Charlotte Harbor Flatwoods Initiative (CHFI)—the larger hydrological restoration effort that this project will support. The FL TIG then selected the Lower Charlotte Harbor Flatwoods Hydrologic Restoration Planning Project as one of the 23 preferred projects in the FL TIG’s RP1/EA—the first NRDA project in Southwest Florida. The CHNEP recently entered into a funding agreement to accept the funds and now is in the procurement process to initiate the project. For more information about the CHNEP, visit https://www.chnep.org.
Wednesday, December 4
‘MIGHTY MUSSELS’ BASEBALL TEAM DEBUTS IN FORT MYERS
The Fort Myers Miracle baseball team changed its name to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, effective Tuesday. Andrew Kaufmann, CEO and owner of Zawyer Sports, which owns the team, announced the name change Tuesday during a VIP event at Hammond Stadium attended by elected officials, community and business leaders, corporate sponsors, media and baseball fans. Mussel Man, a hulk of an animated clam, will share mascot duties with Sway, the lovable, oversized palm tree that’s been pumping up fans at Hammond Stadium since 2015. The Mighty Mussels will remain a Class-A Advanced Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and play home games at CenturyLink Sports Complex. The franchise began in 1926 as the Fort Myers Palms, a name that paid tribute to the city’s stately royal palm trees.
Tuesday, December 3
SBA OFFERS DISASTER ASSISTANCE AFTER HURRICANE DORIAN
Low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to Florida small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private nonprofit organizations affected by Hurricane Dorian from Aug. 28-Sept. 9. Acting SBA Administrator Christopher Pilkerton made the loans available in response to a letter from Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 6, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers counties including Collier, Hendry, Lee and Glades. Eligible entities may qualify for loans up to $2 million. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug. 13, 2020. For more information, visit www.sba.gov.
Kylen Moran
