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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Tourists still flocking to Florida in record numbers for now
Tourists are flocking to the Sunshine State in record numbers -- at least for now. Florida Gov. Rick Scott will announce Friday that 57.4 million tourists visited the state during the first half of 2016. State officials say that's the highest six-month total ever and a 4.3 percent increase over the year. [Source: AP]
Forecasters: Brace yourself for this hurricane season to get a lot busier
U.S. forecasters say it's more likely this could be the busiest Atlantic hurricane season since 2012. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's updated outlook predicts 12 to 17 named storms, including five to eight hurricanes, two to four of which could be "major." See the full, revised prediction from NOAA here. Also read more at the AP and the Miami Herald.
Number of locally transmitted Zika cases in Florida rises to 25
The Florida Department of Health has identified three new local Zika cases believed to be contracted via mosquito bite in the Miami-Wynwood cluster, according to a news release from Gov. Rick Scott's office. Scott said the Florida Department of Health (DOH) cleared an additional four blocks in the Southwest corner of the impacted zone in Wynwood, concluding that no local transmissions of Zika are occurring in the newly cleared area. Full statement, with map, here. Also read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
See also:
» Visitors concerned about Zika but still plan to travel to Florida, UF study shows
» Zika virus infects two Wynwood restaurant employees
» Obama administration provides $81 million from other NIH funds for Zika vaccine
Florida bank takes baby step closer to marijuana industry
Regions Bank in Tampa is extending a line of credit to a company called Efftech. It owns a south Florida hydroponics business called The Future Farms. Kim Rivers, CEO of Tallahassee’s medical marijuana dispensary Trulieve, says that’s a good sign, but banking is still difficult for cannabis businesses. [Source: WUSF]
Opinion: Higher education research vital to Tallahassee’s economy
With $200 million plus in research funding flowing into our community each year from our higher-education institutions, why is it that people seem unaware of such a critical part of our economic well-being? I think the answer lies in a common misconception. More from Gary Ostrander of FSU at the Tallahassee Democrat.
› Cushman & Wakefield acquires Taylor & Mathis of Florida
Cushman & Wakefield announced this week that it has acquired Taylor & Mathis of Florida, LLC, a leading commercial real estate company specializing in agency leasing and property management.
› Tech Coast Conference set for Wednesday to be largest in event's short history in Jacksonville
Technology in Jacksonville will be at the center of a conference Wednesday that organizers say could be a pivotal event for the local industry.
› IRS ends eight-year audit of Florida’s Villages without penalty
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has closed an eight-year exam of about $300 million of tax-exempt bonds issued for The Villages, one of the world’s largest retirement communities, without imposing a penalty.
› Tampa’s Odyssey Marine preps to swap treasure hunting for bigger ocean game
Tampa's Odyssey Marine Exploration, still under financial pressure, is trying to reinvent itself as an underwater hunter of ocean-floor minerals, metals and other important commodities.
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