March 19, 2024

Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/29/2015

Florida sees solid job growth in all sectors in 2014

Florida experienced the highest job growth since the recession during 2014, adding 230,000 nonfarm jobs and bringing the state's four-year job creation total to 710,200 nonfarm jobs. The latest period from December 2013 to December 2014 was the state's strongest in year-over-year job growth and was the third-largest in the nation, following only Texas and California. Read the full Florida TaxWatch report.


Florida could allow drones to be used in agriculture

A company could use drones as part of its agriculture program, after having its permit approved by the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month. The company would use drones as part of a precision-agriculture program, which requires extensive data to make farm-related decisions. More at the Jacksonville Business Journal.


Cuba trade backers in Senate take small steps first

Business Profile
Brothers launch company selling socks designed by kids

title
Ever since he was a baby, Sebastian Martinez loved socks. He collected socks of all kinds, with different colors, patterns and styles.

About two years ago, his mother, Rachel Martinez, asked him if he wanted to design his own.

» More from the Miami Herald

A bill to end all travel restrictions for Americans who want to visit Cuba will be introduced Thursday on Capitol Hill, marking the opening salvo in a fight that’s brewing over whether Congress should further open Cuba to travel and trade. More at the Miami Herald.


Insurers may be using drug costs to discriminate

Insurance companies, perhaps more than previously thought, may be charging the sickest patients extra for drugs under the federal health law, in an effort to discourage them from choosing certain plans, according to a study released Wednesday. More at the AP.


St. Petersburg ranks as No. 1 millennial draw in Florida

For those who still think of St. Petersburg as luring retirees to hang out in "God's waiting room," the younger generation is poised to make its move. St. Petersburg has been singled out by credit card promoter NerdWallet as the best city in Florida for drawing in millennials. More at the Tampa Bay Times.

See also:
» Southwest Florida isn't luring millennials, report says

Out of the Box
Pink robot could save space industry millions

cameras Each rocket launch unnecessarily scrubbed can cost upward of $1 million. So NASA needs as much real-time weather data as possible. But lightning makes launching weather balloons a bit dicey. For decades, specialists at the Air Force station's weather balloon facility would brave blustery or otherwise bad conditions to release large white weather balloons by hand. But when lightning was too close, no balloons got launched. Now, a hot-pink robot built by local high school students is rolling to the rescue.

» More from WMAZ

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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