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Thursday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/14/2017

Skilled worker shortage could leave hurricane victims with a long road to home reconstruction

For anyone who needs to repair or rebuild a home or business, the back-to-back hurricanes coincided with a national shortage of carpenters, electricians, drywall installers and other skilled workers. Many construction workers left the industry after the housing bubble burst a decade ago and haven’t returned. More from the Daily Commercial and the AP.

Florida Trend Exclusive
Grants: Funding Florida's Research

Find out which Florida institution receives grants and the dollar amounts, here.

The National Science Foundation, which supports research and education involving science and engineering in non-medical fields, and the National Institutes of Health, the largest biomedical research agency in the world, provide funding for a number of projects statewide. Full story here.

» This article is part of Florida Trend's annual look at research and innovation in the Sunshine State, Research Florida.

HLB causes Florida citrus production to fall behind California

The devastation of the deadly tree disease huanglongbing has caused Florida to fall behind California in total citrus production for the first time in decades. The Golden State produced 3.9 million tons of citrus fruit in the 2016-2017 season compared to 3.5 million tons from Florida, according to a National Agricultural Statistics Service report. [Source: Capital Press]

How will Florida's restaurants regroup after Irma's devastation?

Florida is home to 39,000 restaurants that employ more than 1 million people and generate nearly $42 billion in annual sales. From small cafes in Little Havana to legendary steak houses in Tampa, they're all focused on getting back on their feet. [Source: Wine Spectator]

Businesses far from the devastation can feel storm's impact

Small businesses with customers or suppliers along the Gulf Coast and in Florida are feeling the financial impact from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Sales have dropped off as people and businesses prepared for the hurricanes, and are still down as everyone assesses and deals with the devastation left by the storms. [Source: AP]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› $25 million in federal funding approved to repair Florida roadways [FOX4]
Governor Rick Scott has announced that the Federal Highway Administration has approved a $25 million Emergency Relief Quick Release Grant to repair Florida's roads and transportation systems.

› Sarasota Fairgrounds becomes mini city for electrical workers [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
“We want them out there, so we’ve got on-site sleeping arrangements for them and food, everything they need, so they can spend more time out in the field.” More than 21,000 electrical workers descended on Florida in the past week, part of the largest storm deployment of electrical workers in U.S. history, according to Florida Power & Light spokesman David McDermitt.

› More than $2 million raised for Florida First Coast Relief Fund [Jacksonville Daily Record]
Jacksonville’s business and philanthropic community has pledged more than $2 million to help with recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The money will go to Florida First Coast Relief Fund, established in 2016 in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

› Window firm launches Naples assistance center [Business Observer]
PGT Innovations, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of residential impact-resistant windows and doors nationwide, has opened an assistance center in the Naples area to provide essential supplies, including generators, chainsaws and water, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

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