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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida wants more international tourists
Florida is promoting new travel deals to bring in more Canadian tourists. The travel deals come as the number of tourists from Canada — Florida’s top international market — has declined in recent years. Canadians account for 23 percent of Florida’s international visitors and spent $3.6 billion in the state last year. More from the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Politics.
Florida workers' comp rate cut to ease businesses' load
State Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has ordered a 9.8 percent decrease in the premiums businesses pay for workers' compensation insurance beginning next year. Florida businesses paid nearly $3.8 billion in workers' compensation premiums in 2016, up from about $2.8 billion in 2012. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
At least 82,000 guns stolen since 2007 are still missing in Florida
The Tampa Bay Times and Reveal from The Center for Investigating Reporting spent 10 months examining thousands of law enforcement records to chronicle the extent of the stolen gun problem in the state. Those guns turn up in the hands of drug dealers and felons. Some wind up killing people. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Who gets to appoint 3 new Florida justices, Rick Scott or the next governor?
The traditionally staid justices in black robes on Florida’s Supreme Court got emotional and animated Wednesday as lawyers asked them to weigh in on something more intimate than what usually comes before them: their jobs. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida looks at fuel reserves for future storms
Florida could be moving closer to stockpiling fuel for future hurricanes or other disasters. Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, filed a proposal (SB 700) Tuesday that would establish a task force within the state Division of Emergency Management to come up with recommendations for a strategic fuel reserve. [Source: FOX13]
› Sarasota nonprofit aims to raise $1 million for Puerto Rican farmers
Elizabeth Cuevas-Neunder, the leader of a nonprofit group advocating for small businesses in Puerto Rico, is overcoming personal tragedy to help farmers in her native Puerto Rico get back on their feet after Hurricane Maria destroyed their farms.
› Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis will seek four-year term in 2018
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis confirmed Wednesday what has been expected for a long time: He will seek a full four-year term in 2018.
› Loews Hotels planning ‘largest investment so far in Orlando’
Loews Hotels, the company that runs Universal Orlando’s hotels, is preparing to announce its “largest investment so far in Orlando,” CEO James Tisch said recently. Tisch said the announcement will come in the next few weeks.
› Miami’s TheVentureCity launches $100 million fund for tech startups
This summer, when former executives of Facebook, Google, eBay and other hyper-growth companies formed a global “city” based in Miami with everything a tech startup needs to scale internationally, they were missing one key element: the money. But not anymore.
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