The Issues, People and Ideas that Define Florida Business

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The DAILY PULSE

FCAT writing benchmarks lowered
The Florida Board of Education on Tuesday decided to significantly reduce the FCAT writing proficiency benchmark -- from 4.0 to 3.0 on a 6-point scale. But it's for this year only. Click for more including editorials, video.

New Citizens customers may see much higher bills
If Citizens Property Insurance Corp. moves forward with a controversial plan to uncap rates for new customers, the price to join state-run insurance will increase by an average of 30 percent next year.

Florida Trend Business Profile
Bal Harbour Shops: A swanky space
Just north of Miami in the tiny village of Bal Harbour, you'll find one of the most successful luxury malls in America. And they're ready to expand.

Tampa Bay is the most 'financially distressed' metro in U.S.
Miami is the third-most financially distressed metro.

Florida Blue to add 200 jobs in Jacksonville
The insurer buys a company that outbid it for the Medicare contract, bringing jobs to Florida after all.

Also around Florida:
• Column: Look who's deciding the future of your water
• Florida Citrus Mutual appeals revocation of OJ ‘dump' order against Brazil
• Universal Florida seeks 1,000 seasonal workers
• Cardinal Health ends DEA inquiry with settlement | • More news ...


Who said that?

	South Florida's current economic problems are like "one of those pythons found in the Everglades that goes through a period of digestion."