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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Floridian of the Year
Miami - 'The Most Exciting City in the World'
Our Floridian of the Year, the city of Miami, captured the trends — and then some — that drove Florida in 2014. Tourism increased, with records set on all fronts. Real estate continued a strong recovery, with 11 straight quarters of price appreciation. Unemployment fell and construction employment increased. Access full story.
 Miami: Florida Trend's pick for Floridian of the Year [Photo: Nick Garcia/Blind Light Studio] |
AP's top business stories of 2014: U.S. grows, world slows
This year showed how sheltered the U.S. economy is from geopolitical and health crises around the world. The global economy sputtered, but the U.S. powered ahead. Employers are finally hiring enough to lower unemployment. A plunge in gas prices and a rising stock market has Americans feeling richer and spending a bit more. [Source: AP]
See also:
» Tampa Bay Times presents: Top 10 stories of 2014
» Five trends reshaping Tampa Bay economy in 2014
» 2014 brought financial boons for savers, borrowers
» In 2014, US economy began shaky, finished strong
» 2014: The year that was for South Florida business
Medicaid expansion effort in Florida could get sunnier in 2015
Florida so far has resisted calls and significant financial incentives to expand Medicaid eligibility for nearly all poor adults—a move that could offer health coverage to 670,000 or more currently uninsured people in the state. [Source: CNBC]
Turbulent voyage: the Cuban baseball pipeline
The clandestine journey from decaying ballparks to major league stadiums can be treacherous, degrading and expensive for Cuban baseball players who risk their lives on sea crossings only to be auctioned off by smugglers demanding an exorbitant cut of their contracts. [Source: Miami Herald]
Officials seek $5 million to promote business climate
State economic development officials are again seeking a pot of money to create a brand for Florida's big-money business recruitment efforts. The plan is being spearheaded by the Department of Economic Opportunity, which wants $5 million to promote "Florida as a prime business location, and branding the state as such." [Source: Naples Daily News]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida comes in No. 5 for small business policy friendliness
Florida has the fifth best public policy climate for entrepreneurship and small businesses among the 50 states, according to the 2014 Small Business Policy Index.
› After strong 2014 rebound, marine industry upbeat on 2015
Recreational boating, one of the last industries to recover from the financial crisis, rebounded strongly in 2014 and stands poised to make up even more lost ground in 2015.
› Hotel occupancy swings a fact of life for Lee County
Lee County hotels still grapple with some big swings in occupancy. Driving that home: a December report from travel research company STR Analytics ranking the county as the fourth-most-seasonal market in the nation.
› UWF's entrepreneurial effort is a work in progress
With the steel framework for the first building project by the University of West Florida's Business Enterprises Inc. now rising at the school's East Campus entrance, 2015 looms as a challenging year.
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