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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
China bought lots of Florida lobster despite tariffs. Keys fishermen paid the price
Chinese importers bought Florida spiny lobsters in what could be near-record numbers this season, despite a 25 percent tariff their government placed on U.S. seafood last July. But some in the industry worry that South Florida anglers and fish houses are overly reliant on China, which could prove dangerous with growing competition worldwide. [Source: Miami Herald]
Space fans descend from around the world for the launch of SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket commands a special kind of awe, the sort that will lure space enthusiasts from behind their computer screens for a taste of the real rumble of a rocket launch. More than 100,000 are expected to come out this weekend, when Falcon Heavy is scheduled to attempt its first commercial launch Sunday evening. More from the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Today.
Commentary: Solar energy - and solar jobs - are on the rise in Florida
It’s time for everyone to put on sunglasses and see the light: Solar is great for the Florida economy. Solar employment in Florida grew by 21 percent in 2018, even though nationally there was a 3.2 percent decline. Florida is now second in the United States for solar jobs after California. Total solar employment in our state grew to 10,358, according to the Solar Foundation’s Solar Jobs Census 2018. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Why Office Depot stock is tumbling
Office Depot said it expected an operating loss of $15 million at the CompuCom division due to lower-than-expected revenue from existing customer projects. The company said it would take several steps to improve performance at CompuCom, including improving service speed and efficiency, and reorganizing its customer-facing staff. More from the Motley Fool, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the South Florida Business Journal.
See also:
» Office Depot is at 'high risk' of becoming a victim of Amazon encroachment: analyst
Miami’s airport is removing automatic tips. Restaurant workers say wages will plummet
The Miami-Dade County aviation department is forcing airport restaurants to get rid of automatic gratuities by April 15, citing a 1975 county code that says airport workers can’t “solicit a tip.” Greg Chin, a spokesman for the airport, said a recent customer complaint spurred the crackdown. But some of the airport restaurants have had the automatic gratuity system in place for years. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida bill adds new restriction on leftover campaign cash
Florida political candidates wouldn’t be able to donate leftover campaign cash to a charity if either they or an immediate family member run the organization under a bill heading to the House floor. The House State Affairs Committee unanimously approved the bill Thursday.
› Alachua bio-tech leader Brammer Bio sold for $1.7 billion
Alachua bio-tech company Brammer Bio, which provides gene therapies based on technology spun out of the University of Florida, is being sold for $1.7 billion to laboratory equipment provider Thermo Fisher Scientific. Brammer Bio’s operation in Alachua County will remain intact, according to Brammer Bio and Thermo Fisher officials.
› Long closed, Jacksonville’s historic Brewster Hospital reopening as offices
Brewster Hospital’s original building survived Jacksonville’s Fire of 1901 and the racial isolation of the Jim Crow era. After years of obscurity, it’s also survived being forgotten. Thursday afternoon, the 19th century structure that was Jacksonville’s first medical center for African Americans will receive visitors at an open house spotlighting its new role housing the North Florida Land Trust.
› Florida Gulf Coast University partners with Mote Marine Laboratory for harmful algal bloom research, education
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to kick off a partnership that addresses the impacts of harmful algal blooms (HAB) to Florida’s environment, economy and quality of life.
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