Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 4/1/2016

UF, FSU to merge

After decades of bitter rivalry and heated competition, the University of Florida and Florida State University are merging to create a single school that will build on the two universities’ strengths while bringing peace and harmony to households from Pensacola to Key West. Read the full story and see videos here and read more from UF News and FSU News.

U.S. gains 215,000 jobs in March, unemployment rises

U.S. employers notched another solid month of hiring in March by adding 215,000 jobs, driven by large gains in the construction, retail and health care industries. Despite the jump, the Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent from 4.9 percent. More from the AP, CNBC, and NPR.

Meaningful jobs that pay very well

It seems like there are only two options when it comes to choosing a career: We can either pursue a meaningful job and make next to nothing, or we can pull in a pretty penny working insanely long hours in an uninspiring, high-pressure role. But we've got some good news for you: There's a third option. More from Business Insider.

Hundreds in Sarasota line up to order a Tesla Model 3 they haven't seen

Auto industry analysts say the Model 3 is the most serious test yet of 13-year-old Tesla's ability to go from a niche player to a full-fledged automaker. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

New Florida law expands patients' access to physical therapists

Patients now have greater access to physical therapists without having to get a doctor's prescription, thanks to a new state law. Patients in Florida have been able to go to physical therapists without a doctor's prescription since the early 1990s, but only for 21 days. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida Dining
Reel Florida: A Look at Fishing Villages

For Florida diners, good fishing luck is finding a real fishing village. They are rare, but they do exist. Unlike the picturesque imitation of chain restaurants and theme parks, the town of Cortez in Manatee County is busy with sea-worn boats, forklifts and trucks feeding local and wholesale customers — and endless shorebirds.

» Access full story.

Out of the Box
Micromansion

Frank McKinney, the real estate entrepreneur known for building oceanfront palaces in Palm Beach County, now has a new venture: the "micromansion." McKinney said wealthy buyers still covet luxury homes, but they want smaller properties that are easier to maintain.