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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Highway Patrol dealing with trooper shortage
The number of speeding tickets issued by the Florida Highway Patrol has dropped for three straight years as the agency deals with a shortage of troopers. The agency has lost 993 troopers - or about half of its workforce - to retirement or resignation since 2010. More from the AP, the Times/Herald and WTSP.
South Florida IT industry gets a boost from new training bootcamp
Miami-Dade County Public Schools and a local nonprofit organization are teaming up to increase the talent pool of South Florida’s information technology industry. More from the South Florida Business Journal.
Tampa International Airport morphing into a mini-city unto itself
By the end of the 2026, Joe Lopano wants Tampa International Airport to function as its own little city. By then, airport officials would have spent more than $2 billion on improvements and new amenities in the terminals and around the airport property as part of a master plan overhaul. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Belmont Stakes pre-show to feature Orlando game firm's work
If you plan to watch coverage leading up to the Belmont Stakes next month, be ready to see some content produced in Orlando. The game development studio Third Time will take predictions made by NBC show hosts and create a visualization of how the 1.5-mile race will play out. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Amazon executives fill in details on jobs and shipments coming to Jacksonville
The two new Amazon fulfillment centers in Jacksonville will employ more than 2,500 people and ship hundreds of thousands of boxes every day when they’re fully operational. The jobs range from management and human resources to software engineers. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Out of the Box
New Cruise Line to Focus on Fitness
A new cruise line project in the works in Miami wants to be unlike anything else afloat. That means no buffets, no shuffleboard and no slot machines. In recent years, the wellness trend has taken off at sea on cruise ships.
» More from the Miami Herald.
Florida Dining
Skewered in Florida
Shish kabobs of modern taste trace their origins to Greece and Turkey and into western Asia. Depending on the dressings and marinades and the meat or fish — beef, lamb, chicken, shrimp, tuna, octopus — it’s a world-beater of many flavors. And Florida has almost every kind.
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