Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/21/2014

Good grades = bigger bucks

Researchers analyzed data from more than 10,000 Americans, and found that a 1-point increase in high school grade point average (GPA) was associated with higher annual earnings later in life -- 12 percent more for men and 14 percent more for women. More at WFLX and the Washington Post.

How real estate figured into Darden’s Red Lobster sale

Darden Restaurants Inc.’s sale of its Red Lobster business includes a $1.5 billion agreement dealing with what some argue is one of the company’s most valuable assets: its restaurant properties. More at the Orlando Business Journal.

UF College of Journalism and Communications launches Innovators Series

Editor's Column

Miami's New World Symphony is finely tuned

The New World Symphony trains the next generation of top classical musicians while experimenting with ways to broaden the reach of the music itself. As an infrequent consumer of classical music, I was vaguely aware of the New World Symphony, but until a recent trip to Miami, I didn’t know how dynamic an institution it is and how creatively it approaches its mission.

» Access Mark Howard's full column

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications today announced the launch of The Innovators Series, a project that will introduce students to lectures from thought leaders who are developing breakthrough ideas in media. More at UF News.

Port Canaveral hoping to use trains to expand cargo business

The Canaveral Port Authority is hoping to use trains to help grow its cargo business. They said connecting rail to Port Canaveral will create 5,000 jobs within five to seven years and up to 15,000 jobs in 10 to 15 years. More at Bright House Networks.

Sanford-Burnham, Japanese firm to study metabolic drugs

Scientists at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona are teaming up with a Japanese pharmaceutical company to develop drugs to fight the pandemic of cardiovascular-metabolic diseases that lead to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, peripheral artery diseases and other killers. More at the Orlando Sentinel.

Transportation
Orlando to get nation's first floating magnetic train line

Florida approved plans this week for construction of a privately funded electro-magnetic suspension rail line in Orlando, the first of its kind in the United States. The first phase will be a 13.8-mile elevated track to be constructed at cost of $300 million between Orlando International Airport and the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center.