SHARE:
Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Mass layoffs in Central Florida increase to highest level in 8 years
More Central Florida workers lost their jobs in mass layoffs in 2018 than any other year since 2010, part of a startling nationwide trend even as the economy grows and unemployment plummets. More than 2,000 people in Orange, Osceola, Lake and Seminole counties were laid off this year, according to reports to the state under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida reports all-time high graduation rate
For more than a decade, Florida officials have made a concerted effort to increase graduation rates from when they hovered near half of high school students. The effort has succeeded through a combination of actions, ranging from changing requirements to the advent of credit recovery options. More from the Tampa Bay Times and WTSP.
In one Florida community, it's Christmas every day
On Christmas Day 1837, a group of soldiers came to Central Florida to build a fort during the second Seminole War, which is how the town got the name Fort Christmas. But after the first post office opened in 1892, the word "Fort" was dropped and the community became known as Christmas, Florida. [Source: WKMG]
FPL plans to offer 'solar subscriptions' to homeowners, commercial customers
Whether you’re a South Florida homeowner, renter, business or government agency, there may be an opportunity coming your way to subscribe to solar energy. Florida Power & Light Co. plans in March to file a petition with state regulators to sell solar subscriptions where consumers can reduce their bills by sharing in the cost for additional solar energy centers and fields. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
How do you make it snow in Tampa Bay? Big money, big machines and a guy with a dream
Snow is magical, especially in the minds of children and adults who have never had to shovel it. This is why people in the Tampa Bay area still talk with wonder about 1977, the last time the region got a light dusting of snow. It’s also why there’s an industry and a craft around fake snow. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Brandon brewing company looks to help California fire victims
Bootleggers Brewing Company in Brandon is brewing the Resilience IPA in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Brewing to help fire victims in California. Bootleggers Brewing has committed to brewing five batches to benefit all victims with 100 percent of all proceeds going toward the fund.
› Magic Leap offers prescription lenses for first mixed reality product
Magic Leap says it now has prescription lenses available for its wearable computer called Magic Leap One, the mixed reality company's first product. The Plantation-based startup, which introduced its first product a year ago and began shipping in August, has partnered with Austin, Texas-based FramesDirect to provide prescription lenses for its goggles.
› Storms scrub SpaceX launch. New attempt set for Saturday.
Thunderstorms and a tornado watch issued for Brevard County dampened SpaceX’s hopes of launching a major Air Force GPS satellite Thursday, marking the third consecutive scrubbed launch this week. SpaceX set the next attempt for Saturday at 8:55 a.m. when the weather is expected to be 80 percent favorable for launch.
› Business owners, Fort Walton Beach squabble over parking spaces
Business and property owners’ concerns over lack of parking downtown were heightened last week after lease negotiations for a 30-space parking lot reached an impasse. The city was paying $250 a month under the previous lease. The new lease reflects a 560 percent cost increase.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
In case you missed it:
