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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Gillum-DeSantis gubernatorial debate descends into a personal brawl
The final debate in the Florida governor race devolved into an extraordinary, highly personal brawl on Wednesday night when Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum traded accusations over race and ethics in a showdown that revealed two candidates who really seem to dislike each other. More from the Washington Post, WESH, the Tampa Bay Times, and the AP.
See also:
» Five takeaways from Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis’ final gubernatorial debate
Watch the full debate below, or click here for a larger version.
Florida blueberry growers fielding rise of the machines
There is a general consensus that mechanical harvest is the way forward for the Florida blueberry industry to remain competitive with escalating costs and an uncertain labor situation. Last season’s influx of Mexican imports in Florida’s market window only heightened that awareness. [Source: Growing Produce]
Florida Trend Exclusive
Acquisition: Synovus buys Florida Community Bank to move into South Florida
Formed in 2009, Bond Street Holdings raised $740 million and became the most acquisitive buyer of failed Florida banks in the years after the Great Recession, scooping up eight banks and a ninth that hadn’t failed. It took one of those failed banks, Florida Community Bank, an $800-million asset institution that went under in 2010, and folded all its Florida acquisitions into a new Florida Community Bank based in Weston. [Source: Florida Trend]
NASA delays Space Coast launch to explore the atmosphere between Earth and space
The unusual mid-air launch of a NASA satellite destined to explore Earth’s upper atmosphere has again been delayed, this time for at least a week. The satellite, NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, known as ICON, was scheduled to launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket early Friday morning. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida-based caviar producer damaged by Hurricane Michael
Sturgeon Aquafarms, which produces caviar and sturgeon meat at its farm in Bascom, Florida, suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Michael, forcing a reduction of its production of beluga caviar in advance of the 2018 holiday season. [Source: Seafood Source]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Business booming in St. Johns County as area continues to grow
It's no secret that St. Johns County is one of the fastest growing communities in Florida. A new population study released by the University of Florida shows the county has grown by a quarter over the last eight years.
› Broward wants to reduce traffic. Will voters approve a 30-year tax to do it?
Broward wants to reduce traffic, and the county is asking for more taxpayer dollars to do it. Voters will decide on a 30-year sales tax increase to finance countywide transportation projects like road improvements and new bus routes.
› Florida joins settlement requiring Aetna to divest individual prescription drug plan business
The state of Florida has joined four other states and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in a settlement requiring Aetna to divest its individual prescription drug plan business to Florida-based WellCare due to anti-competitive concerns regarding the $69 million Aetna/CVS merger.
› Miami incomes have climbed 43% over the past 20 years. But there's bad news
The median household in the Miami metro area now makes $53,775. That’s a 43-percent increase from where the area was in 1998, not adjusted for inflation. It seems like solid growth—until you realize that the median South Florida home value has soared 172 percent over the same 20-year period.
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