Friday's Daily Pulse

› St. Petersburg residents to pay more in water, wastewater rates [St. Petersburg Times]
St. Petersburg residents and businesses likely will pay 5 percent more for water and wastewater starting in October. A City Council committee approved the rate hike proposal during a Thursday meeting. The full eight-member board will vote on the increase at two public hearings, Sept. 8 and 22. A main reason for the increase is that the cost of buying water from Tampa Bay Water is expected to climb $948,787 next year.

› Bumps and bruises part of the deal for women at Fort Lauderdale roller derby camp [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
If military basic training is hell, then what went on Thursday at War Memorial Auditorium was hell on wheels. An intensive four-day camp for women who take part in roller derby leagues — or want to — got under way with agility exercises, speed drills and body-checking practice that had skaters tumbling to the floor and even veterans wondering just how bruised and battered they might be by Sunday. "We get hurt all the time," said Annette Perez, 34, a hospital coordinator from Coral Springs also known as Annihilating Annie when she takes the track for the Gold Coast Derby Grrls. "Bruises, bumps, cracked ribs are normal. But there's nothing you can do about it, so just shut up and skate."

› Sawgrass starting packaging service [Miami Herald]
Shoppers at Sawgrass Mills now have an alternative to dragging around big heavy bags. The Sunrise outlet mall and entertainment destination is starting a program that will allow both local customers and tourists a variety of options for bag storage and shipping. The mall has teamed up with Bags To Go Enterprises, which handles off-airport check in and baggage delivery, to start the first mall-based program.

› UF president announces plan on doctoral education [Gainesville Sun]
University of Florida President Bernie Machen used his state of the university speech Thursday to highlight problems with doctoral programs and announce an effort to improve them. Machen presented the results of a report he commissioned to show UF lags behind the nation's top research universities in doctoral education.

› Tampa International Airport CEO backs off on business-class travel for executives [St Petersburg Times]
The boss at Tampa International Airport has withdrawn his proposed policy change that would have allowed airport executives to fly business class on domestic flights. Last week, CEO Joe Lopano introduced a revision to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority's travel policy that would allow himself, vice presidents and authority board members to ride in business class for any flight longer than two hours.

› Volunteer club helps novice investors during turbulent times [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The roller coaster of a stock market has made South Floridians nervous about their plummeting investments and 401k retirement accounts. An all-volunteer group wants to help out by offering a series of eight monthly seminars this fall and spring to educate people about the stock market and how to invest wisely in quality corporations. The nonprofit Southeast Florida Chapter of Better Investing will hold its first seminar -- on computer-aided stock analysis -- Saturday, Sept. 10.