THE TOP STORIES LAST WEEK
Bring Rays to Orlando
Chris Carmody,
Swing and a miss — That was the sound coming from Ybor City on Tuesday when the Tampa Bay Rays organization announced that it would not finalize a $900 million stadium deal. This all but guarantees the Rays play at Tropicana Field until their lease expires in 2027. Why should you care? Orlando is poised for big moves in the sports tourism industry. Our community has already proven that we can support two major sports franchises. Why not the boys of summer in 2028? Here’s hoping our leaders get in the batter’s box and take a swing at this. After all, we have the best lineup to offer: multiprong industry base, world class airport and convention center and rabid sports fans. Let’s load the bases and bring the Rays to Orlando.
Safe holiday driving
Rudolph C. Cleare,
Living near the Florida Mall means contending with the gradual upsurge of motor traffic on roads surrounding and adjacent. Some holiday shoppers wander aimlessly, craning their necks to see if there really is a Best Buy store beneath the sign. Others hurtle headlong, aiming to zip across lanes and between other vehicles with reckless abandon. Still others lose themselves in the glow from device screens while idling, only to startle to attention at the blaring of an irate car horn. Watch the roads. Drive with great care. Keep holiday driving safe for you and others. Please.
Disrupting or being disrupted?
John L. Evans Jr.,
Business people cannot take 5 steps without hearing the word “disruption.” One quick example: Have you heard of Kodak lately? The photography company was disrupted and done in by digital cameras. Disruption happens in business, and in relationships, when we don’t pay attention to who matters most. I had dinner recently with a renowned futurist, Salim Ismail of Google-oriented Singularity University, who asked me point blank: Is your business disrupting, or being disrupted? “Because it’s one way or the other.” Hmmm. Quite a question for us Central Florida business people for 2019 and beyond.
Good news for SunRail
Jane Healy,
It’s not hard to find gloomy news about SunRail because its ridership has not increased much since its inception. But now there’s a piece of good news that bodes well for its future. A state study shows that property values around the commuter rail’s stations have boomed. Each station has not only attracted new development, but most have seen property values outpace surrounding areas by 23 percent. That all means that a lot of people want to work or live near a SunRail stop. That is partly because many of the SunRail stops are smartly aligned with major employers like hospitals and downtown Orlando businesses. It’s way too early to give up on SunRail.
A.I. in the workplace
J. Matthew Knight,
Walmart is the largest private employer in 21 states including Florida, with over 100,000 employees in the Sunshine State alone. That’s why it caught my eye when “Flippy,” an autonomous robotic kitchen assistant, made its debut at Walmart’s Arkansas headquarters. Powered by artificial intelligence, Flippy aims to cut down on food waste and preparation time, all while never asking for a raise or paid days off. Walmart is also testing “EMMA,” an autonomous floor scrubber, and previously deployed shelf-scanning inventory robots to its stores in the fall. The A.I. labor revolution is here: How humans adapt is up in the air.
Stahlman’s impact
Shelley W. Lauten,
Imagine my surprise while reading Monday’s Sentinel to see that Orlando leader Marni Stahlman is ending her tenure at Shepherd’s Hope! Shepherd’s Hope has been providing free medical visits and patient services to Central Florida’s neediest since 1997 and under Marni’s leadership has made great strides to care for those who need it most. I congratulate Marni on her newest adventure with the Make-A-Wish foundation … and look forward to the impact she will have on the lives of children and their families.