SHARE:
Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
2020 Democrats converge in Miami for 1st night of debates
Ten presidential candidates, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, will converge on the debate stage on Wednesday on the first night of Democratic debates to offer their pitches to voters and attempt a breakout moment for their campaigns. For many of the White House hopefuls, it will be the highest-profile opportunity yet to offer their vision for the country and, if for just two hours, chip into a political news cycle often dominated by President Donald Trump. Read more from the Associated Press.
South Florida has 7% wage gap with nation
South Florida wages are 7% below those of the nation as a whole, a new federal report issued last week shows. The South Florida mean wage is $23.19, while the national mean is $24.98. That’s a hair better than the same report issued a year earlier, which showed the gap at 8%, with the South Florida average at $22.48 and the national mean at $24.34. Read more from Miami Today.
Are credit unions the new community banks?
Credit unions, nationally and especially in Florida, are diving into a new form of expansion: buying banks. A pair of billion-dollar area credit unions lead the way in the buy-to-grow strategy. More from the Business Observer.
Rays owner says shared season with Montreal is best option
The principal owner of the Rays says it’s unrealistic for his team to play full time in the Tampa Bay area, and a shared season with Montreal is the best option. “I don’t see it happening in St. Petersburg and would be hard-pressed to see it working in Tampa from what I know,” Stu Sternberg said at a news conference Tuesday. “This is not a staged exit. This is about Tampa Bay keeping its hometown team and Montreal having one, too. I believe strongly in the sister-city concept. We’re asking for open minds.” More from the Associated Press.
African dust hovers over Florida, acting as hurricane shield for weeks: report
A huge amount of African dust is hovering over the sky of the Sunshine State, and that’s a good thing, according to an article by Florida Today. The massive plume of beige dust, known as the Saharan Air Layer, is a cluster of dry, dusty air that forms around late spring, summer and early fall off the coast of Africa and typically moves west into the Caribbean Sea, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sponsored Report
Florida Transportation Industries Take Off with Natural Gas
Nearly 30% of total U.S. energy consumption is in the transportation sector — mainly fuels used for automobiles, rail, aircraft, ships and barges. Most of these fleets can use natural gas to reduce costs, lower emissions and strengthen resiliency. And in Florida, many do.
» More from the Peoples Gas.
Native Content
The drive-in offered a first taste of freedom
Drive-in movie theaters were a cultural staple of mid-20th-century America. Every community of any size had at least one drive-in movie theater. These were big, often garish places with giant screens and bright paint. In DeLand, it was the Boulevard Drive-In, mostly just called the “drive-in.” No one who grew up in DeLand in the 1960s does not remember the drive-in.
» More from the West Volusia Beacon.
In case you missed it: