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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Special legislative session off to rocky start
Lawmakers have 19 days to work out their differences but the opening-day dispute does not bode well for a Legislature that failed to agree on a congressional redistricting plan in August. The dispute is: Should all senators, whose districts get redrawn, face reelection in 2016? The House says yes, whereas senators say their four-year terms are constititional. An impasse appears likely. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Miami Herald.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Rebuilding I-4
The Florida Department of Transportation and a private consortium of contractors this year broke ground on a project they have dubbed “I-4 Ultimate” — a $2.3-billion bid to alleviate chronic congestion on the highway that today is the backbone of central Florida’s transportation network. Access full story.
Lack of 2016 wage increase in Florida surprises some
Each year, the state determines what the minimum wage will be, for the coming year, by Oct. 15. The decision was not made by Gov. Rick Scott, but by a formula that ties minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index. Given the fact that unemployment rates are falling, some people expected the minimum in Florida to go up again this year. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Gas prices beginning to slide again
The average price dropped about 5 cents nationwide during the previous week to $2.26 per gallon of regular gasoline. In Florida, the price was down 1 cent to $2.18. [Source: Gainesville Sun]
The orchid connections: Aspects of a floral business
In Florida, where orchids once grew abundantly in the wild, they remain a serious business. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida has the largest number of commercial orchid growers of all states producing $100,000 or more in annual sales of potted orchids. [Source: Miami Herald]
› Doral student debt relief company under scrutiny
A growing industry is promising to help deal with escalating student loan debts. The amount of debt nationally is immense — about $1 trillion — and consumer advocates say that makes current and former students prime targets for dubious debt relief operations.
› Q&A with Jacksonville's Preston Haskell, a titan in the design and build industry
It has been 50 years since Preston Haskell started the business that bears his name. It than time, he’s built all kinds of buildings all over the United States and the world. It has also been one of the leaders in the growing design build industry.
› French e-security firm with big Plantation presence set to expand
A Paris-based global systems security firm with some 400 employees in Plantation is growing, acquiring a Silicon Valley firm to expand its U.S. operations.
› Brevard County seeks power to regulate plastic bags
On Tuesday, Brevard County commissioners will be asked to support a proposal before the Florida Legislature to give local communities more of a say in regulating plastic bags, through what's known as "home rule."
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