Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 12/30/2013

Florida loses out on drone development, testing

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday the sites where researchers will develop and test drones to fly safely in the same skies as commercial airliners. Congress ordered the agency to establish the test sites as part of a goal to have unmanned aircraft share the skies with passenger planes by the end of 2015. More at Florida Today, Bloomberg News and the AP.

Small Business Success Begins Before the Business Plan

What’s the first thing to do when considering starting a small business? Ask more questions. That may seem like a rather flip response, but it’s true. Success in small business hinges on gathering as much information as possible in order to make sound, informed decisions. More at the Gainesville Business Report.

Florida still ranked fourth in state population

Business Profile

Push

Push works hand-in-hand with restaurants, dreaming up branding campaigns to make them stand out. Now, the Orlando-based company is taking things a step further. Push has come up with its own restaurant concept — Hubbly Bubbly, a falafel eatery in the Orlando neighborhood of College Park.

» Full story from the Orlando Sentinel

Florida still trails New York as the fourth most populous state in America, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Monday morning. As of July 1, 2013, Florida had 19,552,860 residents, compared to 19,651,127 people in New York. More at the Tampa Bay Business Journal and USA Today.

Florida should better fund school construction and maintenance, leaders say

Over six years, local funding for Florida school construction and maintenance needs has fallen by $1.5 billion, from a high of $3.46 billion in 2007 to a projected $2.005 billion for the coming year. State education leaders are calling for a reversal, as growth returns in some areas and ignored repairs are taking their toll on several districts. More at the Tampa Bay Times.

Experts give advice on year-end donations to charity

Hoping to lock in a final tax write-off for 2013, more Americans are expected to make charitable contributions Monday and Tuesday than at any previous point in the year. But whether you're a big fish in the donor pond or a little guppy, wise-giving experts warn that some homework and a dose of caution will help get you the most bang for your hard-earned charitable buck. More at the Orlando Sentinel.

Out of the Box
Scream guitars

If you’ve been to a fundraiser lately, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Scream guitar. Built by a Florida company, the distinctive guitars have been auctioned off or awarded as prizes at Cape Coral’s Coconut Fest and Zombifest and at fundraisers for groups such as the Harlem Heights Foundation, the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Lee Memorial Health System and the American Cancer Society.