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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Supreme Court tosses school vouchers lawsuit
The Florida Supreme Court is preserving the state’s largest private school voucher program and ending a bitter legal battle over them. The court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that the state’s main teacher union had filed against a program used by nearly 98,000 school children. More from the AP and the Times/Herald.
Osceola high-tech center gets new name: BRIDG
An emerging high-tech research facility near Kissimmee announced a new name Tuesday night BRIDG, while the surrounding development is rebranding as NeoCity. The facility is aimed at developing new advanced semiconductor designs for microelectronics, nano-electronics, sensors, fiber optics and photonics. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Port Everglades to explore cruise, export opportunities with Cuba
Port Everglades plans to sign an agreement with Cuba designed to generate job opportunities locally and revenue for both the port and its Caribbean counterpart, according to a letter by Port Director Steven Cernak inviting business leaders to the signing on Jan. 26. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sierra Club challenges FPL's nearly $1 billion electric rate hike
An environmental group is challenging a rate hike for Florida's largest electric utility. The Sierra Club on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to reject an $811 million hike that was approved last year for Florida Power & Light More from the AP.
RV industry gears up for record crowd at Tampa show
The RV industry is considered a good measure of consumer confidence in the economy. RV buyers range from millennials shopping for light trailers that haul behind their cars to working-class families searching for mid-sized campers to business executives designing their multimillion-dollar luxury suites on wheels. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
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M.J. Soileau
M.J. Soileau: former vice president for research and commercialization at the University of Central Florida; researcher and professor of optics, physics and engineering, Orlando, age 72. “Like any Cajun man, when I cook, there has to be a lot of people around to eat. I cook a wicked gumbo and a wonderful sucking pig,” says M.J. Soileau.
Out of the Box
Homesick Candle
How would you describe the smell of Florida? Now you can find out with the "Florida Homesick Candle." According to HomesickCandles.com, the scent, "includes a hint of orange, a touch of sea mist, and a bit of driftwood."
» Read more from First Coast News.
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