SHARE:
Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Home Sizes Expand, Along With Prices
The size of new homes rose last year, suggesting Americans’ love of space remains strong but making new homes less affordable for a bigger swath of buyers. That isn’t necessarily a sign of strength in the housing market, however. Home sizes have grown lately because new construction has been tilted toward the high end. [Source: Wall Street Journal]
See also:
» Tampa Bay homes sales surged in 2015, but what's next?
» Home sellers in control as prices rise in December
Social media key in propelling Florida tourism
Florida has broken tourism records for four consecutive years, and that's a trend the state's tourism agency, Visit Florida, intends to maintain. Keeping that momentum means local tourism groups need to continue working together and evolving, if the state wants to reach its goal of $100 billion in visitors spending by 2020. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Business meetings meet the spa
Visiting a spa might sound like an indulgence incompatible with a business meeting. But spas get plenty of bookings these days from corporate clients and organizations, whether for team-building, wellness education or even “manicure meetings.” [Source: AP]
ICYMI: Funding higher education:
Florida's unemployment rate continues to nudge down slightly
Florida's unemployment rate inched down to 5 percent in December, keeping pace with the national economy. That was a slight decrease from November's revised unemployment rate of 5.1 percent, the Department of Economic Opportunity said Friday. More from the AP and the Times/Herald.
See also:
» Florida, First Coast December unemployment rates fall below national figure
» State, Southwest Florida jobless rates edged down in December
» Keys again have Florida's lowest jobless rate
Florida leads U.S. in new HIV cases after years of cuts in public health
Florida leads the nation in new HIV infections, but it's not being treated as a crisis by Gov. Rick Scott or the state's top health officer, Dr. John Armstrong. Miami-Dade and Broward were Nos. 1 and 2 in the U.S. in new HIV infections in 2014 per 100,000 residents, according to state and federal data. [Source: Times/Herald]
› Lenders balk over Staples-Office Depot loan
Investors are threatening not to back a $2.75 billion loan for Staples Inc. to buy Office Depot of Boca Raton, according to a media report.
› Wildlife service to end ultralight-led whooping crane migration to Florida
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it will stop supporting the use of ultralight aircraft to help young whooping cranes migrate from Wisconsin to Florida each fa
› Florida Gulf Coast to refund freshmen tuition for future grads
Snagging a job within six months of graduating could really pay off for Florida Gulf Coast University students, as qualified graduates could earn back the money they paid in tuition fees during freshman year.
› Agricultural research vital to Panhandle’s future
The same weather that makes Florida a great place to grow fruits and vegetables and to raise cattle also makes it an ideal breeding ground for bugs. Unchecked, bugs can destroy an economy along with a crop.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
In case you missed it:
