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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Tampa’s oldest cigar family in fight with FDA for survival
Tampa was once known as "Cigar City" -- with more than 150 cigar factories, but that was a long time ago. There is only one still in business, the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Ybor City. The company dates back 119 years. Newman’s 130 employees use old machines from the 1930s to produce thousands of cigars every day. Those are shipped to all 50 states and 81 countries. Proposed regulations from the Food and Drug Administration could end that, though. Essentially, the FDA proposes treating cigar manufacturers the same as cigarette giants. Read more from Tampa Tribune.
Lakeland's Draken International aims high with Navy contract
Tucked inside a hangar at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is a fleet of tactical jets that rivals that of many small countries. They belong to Draken International, which is vying for a potentially game-changing contract with the U.S. Navy. "It's over 3,000 hours a year of flying, and right now we only do a fraction of that," said vice president Sean Gustafson. "This would make us a huge player globally, and it would definitely take us to the next level of working for the government." [Source: Lakeland Ledger]
See also
» Drone technology shown off at Southwest Florida chamber meeting
 A 2012 New Zealand-West Indies match was one of only two international competitions to be held at the stadium. |
Southeast Roundup
Sticky wicket in Broward County
Broward County's $70-million regional park includes a $10-million cricket stadium. So far though, the cricket stadium hasn’t attracted international matches it intended.
This story is part of a regional roundup and includes people and companies in the news in Southeast Florida. Access Florida Trend story
Biotech firm attracts $15 million in financing
The first Scripps Florida spin-off has attracted $15 million in financing from a Brazilian company. West Palm Beach-based Tyrogenex is developing a once-a-day pill for patients with age-related macular degeneration. The company's initial studies are showing that the drug is better tolerated by patients at higher doses than existing drugs, which can affect heart and kidney function. [Source: Sun Sentinel]
Waste Management expands use of natural gas trucks
This week Waste Management marked the grand opening of a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in West Melbourne, another step in a company-wide effort to reduce operating costs by using energy-efficient, environmentally cleaner vehicles. Compressed natural gas costs between $1 and $2 per gallon, and trucks that use clean energy are cheaper to maintain. [Source: Florida Today]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Child migrant crisis growing in South Florida
Central American community leaders are on a campaign to make the region aware of the growing number of migrant minors arriving South Florida – where a third of all undocumented kids in detention are from Honduras – and how to better protect them.
› Crist releases 10 more years of tax returns — but not his wife’s
Prodded by a pointedly personal TV ad by Gov. Rick Scott, Charlie Crist released a decade’s worth of tax returns Thursday, but it was old news that mainly reinforced Crist’s frugal reputation.
› Wood storks no longer endangered; reaction is mixed
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday that it is down-listing the wood stork from endangered to threatened, a move that prompted swift criticism from environmentalists and praise from home builders.
› Gainesville VA under review, VA secretary confirms
The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is one of many in the country currently undergoing an inspector general review into scheduling and wait list issues.
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