March 28, 2024

Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/3/2014

Florida citrus growers optimistic

Florida’s fresh citrus shipments, and the percentage of overall production fresh represents, keeps declining. Through early December, shipments were down by almost a third on grapefruit and tangerines and by 36% on navels compared to the same time last season. Despite the seemingly bad news, there’s optimism in the groves. [Source: The Packer]


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Pat Geraghty, Florida Blue CEO, is Floridian of the Year

Floridian of the year

Florida Blue CEO Pat Geraghty has staked out a leadership position that is putting his insurance company — and Florida — at the forefront of health care trends.

» Read more

Florida to hire workers to speed unemployment filing

Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity plans to step up hiring to double the number of people who review claims for reemployment benefits and hire additional contact center employees to help unemployed workers with questions. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press]


Housing recovery means more seized homes on auction block

As the recovery in housing prices has helped lenders whittle down a glut of seized homes, they've begun moving more properties to auction and selling them more quickly. In states with the biggest backlogs—those where judges review all home seizures—the pace of new auctions has risen steadily since last July. [Source: CNBC]


» FRIDAY PREVIEW: Coming next week to FloridaTrend.com:

  • Executive Health: Doctors at executive health programs in Florida recommend taking specific actions.
  • Coming to a Head: As craft breweries have gained a foothold in Florida, they're pushing for legal changes that irk big, established beer distributors.
  • Florida Icon: A conversation with Ed Droste, co-founder of Hooters.

» You'll find all these stories first on the Daily and Afternoon Pulse e-mails.


Environment
Mangroves on the move

mangroves From South Florida to St. Augustine, mangroves are making moves up Florida’s Atlantic coast, chewing up salt marshes in the latest indicator of global climate change. But scientists say the ecological consequences may not be harmful. “There are plenty of examples of climate change having a negative impact, but this is something very different,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

» More from the Miami Herald

Tags: Daily Pulse

In case you missed it:

Florida Trend Video Pick

Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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