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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Jobless claims fall more than expected after holidays
Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. declined last week from a six-month high, indicating firings remain low following the volatility typically associated with post-holiday staff adjustments. More from Bloomberg and the AP.
Guest workers, legal yet not quite free, pick Florida's oranges
A small army of "guest" workers now pick most of Florida's citrus crop. Employers are allowed to bring in such seasonal farm workers from other countries using a category of visa called H-2A. More from KNPR, or listen to the story here:
Health Czar to visit Florida as insurance deadline nears
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell is planning Thursday to visit a West Palm Beach enrollment location along with the mayor and local officials. Sunday is the last day to buy health insurance to avoid paying a penalty of $695 or more when filing federal income taxes. More from the AP.
Disney plans new venue at ESPN Wide World of Sports
Walt Disney World plans to build a 286,000-square-foot venue at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, according to documents it has submitted to the state. The plans filed with the South Florida Water Management District don't say what the sports venue would be, and Disney would not provide details. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida court dismisses cases against Carnival over sunken Costa Concordia ship
A Florida state appellate court ruled Wednesday that lawsuits filed by a group of predominantly foreign passengers aboard the Costa Concordia cruise ship when it sank off the coast of Italy in 2012 can’t try their case in Miami-Dade — or anywhere in the U.S. More from the Miami Herald.
Out of the Box
Bear-resistant trash can
It was an experiment that ended well for all concerned. The bear-resistant trash container in question proved to be bear-resistant. And Billy, the North American black bear at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, “was given extra love and snacks” for giving it his best shot.
» More from the Florida Times-Union.
Data Privacy Day
How to protect yourself from cyber creeps and data crooks
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
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