business and development

With the state gaining back more than half of the jobs lost since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.4% in August.

Bars throughout Florida are opening their doors this week for full service. In an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the state government had limited bars without a restaurant license to serving alcohol for off-premise drinking only. That rule has been repealed, but getting by in the meantime has been hard for a few Tallahassee establishments.

Innovation Park in Leon County is a step closer to building a new 40-thousand square-foot building that will eventually serve as a high-tech business incubator.

After many establishments were closed for months amid the coronavirus pandemic, Florida’s top business regulator believes bar and craft-brewery owners will do a better job this time of self-enforcing state safety restrictions.

State officials sounded the foghorn Monday to let bars serve on premise alcohol again, but Blaise Gainey reports for many Florida establishments, it wasn’t much of a change. Bars throughout Leon County have been using a work around that allowed them to operate as restaurants.

Tallahassee could be getting a new trail that connects the city to Monticello.

For the next three years, Spin and Veo will be the only e-scooter rental companies allowed on Tallahassee streets. The city is drafting arrangements with vendors to move from a pilot to a full-fledged micro-mobility program.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is backing Visit Florida's decision to encourage in-state tourism. The agency is hoping its new marketing campaign will boost local economies hit hard by the coronavirus.

Some shops in the Railroad Square Art Park will be extending their hours this Friday and encouraging people to browse their wares. Business owners hope this unofficial First Friday will help them stay afloat amid struggles caused by the coronavirus.

State general revenues came in just above a forecast amount in July, but the coronavirus pandemic continued to hammer sales-tax collections.