SHARE:
Tuesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida seeks tourism boost after Alberto blows through
As winds and rains let up from Subtropical Storm Alberto, Florida officials began discussing ways to draw tourists to areas that may have missed out on Memorial Day crowds. State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Gov. Rick Scott expressed a need for Visit Florida to emulate post-Hurricane Irma promotional efforts for the Panhandle and other parts of the state. “This weekend should have really been the second busiest weekend of the whole year,” said Patronis. More from the Bradenton Herald.
How South Florida fares when it comes to cybersecurity
A metro area that includes West Palm Beach is among the “most vulnerable" in the U.S. to cyber attacks, according to a new study. The region was compared to 55 communities across the country and is the No. 8 least cyber secure region for small and medium-sized businesses. More from the South Florida Business Journal.
Is NAFTA hurting Florida's farmers?
Florida’s next agriculture commissioner likely will back White House efforts to change the North American Free Trade Agreement as a way to help the state’s farmers. Worried about the impact on Florida farmers, state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has been a frequent critic of the 24-year-old trade deal between the United States, Canada and Mexico. More from WJXT.
STEM and R&D employment growing in Tampa Bay area, big on Florida’s Space Coast
With affordable housing and the highest percentage of workers employed in "advanced industries" of any Florida metro, the Space Coast has a shot — and not necessarily something as difficult as a moon shot — to become the next Silicon Valley. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Seminole County tax roll jumps by 8 percent thanks to economy, population growth
A growing economy along with more residents moving into Seminole helped boost the county’s tax roll by more than 8 percent this year, according to Property Appraiser David Johnson. The increase is larger than last year’s 7.5 percent jump from 2016. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Out of the Box
Artificial reef in Florida will honor lost US submarines
An undersea monument off Florida’s Gulf Coast will honor more than 4,000 officers and crew members who have died while serving aboard American military submarines since 1900. The On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef will be installed on the ocean floor about 9 miles (15 kilometers) from Sarasota.
» More from the AP.
Industry Trends
Miami used to be a textile powerhouse and could be again
Entrepreneur Jason Prescott's Apparel Textile Sourcing show May 21-23 gave Miami's newly resurgent fashion scene a boost. The three-day convention saw 1,800 attendees from more than 42 countries descend upon the Mana Wynwood Convention Center to exchange ideas and make connections in the textile and fabric sourcing world.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.
In case you missed it:
