SHARE:
Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida's economic forecast shows improvement
Florida's overall economy has improved but has not fully recovered as the state continues to rely on tourism amid some lagging economic indicators. Amy Baker, who heads the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, shared an economic overview with more than 200 business leaders. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Florida business leaders warily watch incentives debate
Several hundred business leaders met Thursday in Orlando to talk about job creation across Florida, with a focus clearly on Tallahassee. The kickoff of a two-day “jobs summit” at times painted a bleak picture of the state’s economic future. More from CBS Miami.
Florida employers cut 1,572 jobs in January
Florida’s employers last month cut nearly triple the jobs they eliminated a year ago, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based outsourcing company that tracks work force trends. More from the Miami Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Dog deaths spur push to end greyhound racing in Florida
There are only 19 tracks in the United States that still run greyhounds. Twelve of them are in Florida. Forty states have banned greyhound racing. However, a quirk in Florida law actually encourages the tracks to keep running dogs, despite the fact that many of them lose money on the races. More from First Coast News.
Make sure your personnel promotions, board appointments and civic accomplishments get the coverage they deserve with a listing in Florida Trend’s new weekly Movers & Influencers eNewsletter. Learn How Here.
Lakeland airport sees soaring impact
Eugene Conrad was named director at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in 2010. Since then, he has boosted Lakeland Linder Regional Airport’s economic impact to $300 million — up from $162 million just six years ago. More from the Business Observer.
Out of the Box
Gatorland Alligators Predict Super Bowl Winner
When it comes to predicting a Super Bowl winner correctly, for some, it’s dumb luck. For others, it’s an exact science based on stats and probability. For the alligators at Gatorland, picking between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons comes down to two things — killer instincts and chicken.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida Dining
Cock-a-noodle-do
As the Year of the Rooster dawns, Florida can crow about an array of Asian flavors statewide. The article begins: “You want fish balls with that?” the woman in the lime green uniform asked politely, a strange offer in a Florida shopping center but wholly appropriate when the specialty is pho.
In case you missed it:
