March 19, 2024

Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 4/11/2014

Florida's leading indicator up slightly

Florida’s leading indicator — a measurement of economic activity in the state compiled by Durham, N.H.-based e-forecasting.com — increased in February by 0.1 percent after an increase of 0.1 percent in January. The February data is the most recent available. More at the Orlando Business Journal.


Big earners, home workers face new tax rules

High-income taxpayers are paying higher taxes. Married same-sex couples have a new filing status. And it’s simpler to deduct a home office – but harder to write off medical expenses. These are a few of the changes facing taxpayers and tax preparers as they approach the Tuesday deadline for filing 2013 taxes. More at the Miami Herald.


Company turning Alachua County's scraps into fertilizer

Business Profile

WishClouds

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You can find out "who" your favorite TV stars are wearing — and where to get that outfit or something similar — on WishClouds, a website and app developed in Boca Raton.

Celebrities from Nickelodeon, MTV and other TV networks are fashion "tastemakers" for the site, picking their favorite clothes and accessories for browsing by shoppers.

» Full story from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

An Alachua County company hopes to turn residents' yard scraps — all of the scraps — into fertilizer. Watson C&D's roots in construction date back to 1976, and the company's 200-acre landfill site in Archer for disposal of construction debris opened in 1988. More at the Gainesville Sun.


Mosaic phosphate company mines happy employees

For employees, working at Mosaic isn't just about mining potash and phosphate and turning it into fertilizer. It's about feeding a growing population and helping farmers reap more food from every acre of finite crop land. "The world needs us,'' goes the corporate mantra. More at the Tampa Bay Times.


Medical marijuana could be good for business in Florida

The medical marijuana industrial-complex is in full swing in Florida. With the question of legalizing medical marijuana apparently heading to voters on the Nov. 4 ballot, entrepreneurs are popping up in an effort to get in on the ground floor of the movement. More at the Florida Watchdog.

Environment
At-risk cities could drive solutions to climate change

erosion It is already taking shape as the 21st century urban nightmare: a big storm hits a city like Shanghai, Mumbai, Miami or New York, knocking out power supply and waste treatment plants, washing out entire neighborhoods and marooning the survivors in a toxic and foul-smelling swamp. Now the world's leading scientists are suggesting that those same cities in harm's way could help drive solutions to climate change.

» Full story from the Guardian


Tags: Daily Pulse

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