Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Floridians more confident than most Americans
Floridians' consumer confidence remains this month nearly as high as it has been in four years since the Great Recession began, according to a monthly University of Florida index released Tuesday. "The current consumer confidence for Floridians is only a point below the post-recession high of 78," said Chris McCarty, director of UF's Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. Read more from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and UF News.
Florida Trend's RNC Roundup
At a luncheon sponsored by the Poynter Institute on Tuesday, MSNBC anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski shot down the notion that political conventions have outlived their usefulness. Full story from Florida Trend. Full RNC Roundup below:
» Schedule for Wednesday at the Republican National Convention
» Florida delegates miss the bus
» RNC more bust than boom for downtown Tampa restaurants
» Webcast to tout Southwest Florida sports tourism
» In smaller rooms, convention’s heart
» GOP convention not boom for Tampa merchants
» Who’s who in the Florida GOP
» As RNC gets underway, Tampa gets solid reviews
Feds spotlight South Florida’s mental health clinics
No area of the country cheats Medicare quite like South Florida. Consider this nugget in a new federal report: A Broward County mental health clinic billed the taxpayer-funded program for a patient who lived in Hawaii — 4,000 miles away. The vast majority of the nation’s mental health clinics with “questionable billing” were concentrated in South Florida and other metropolitan areas of Texas and Louisiana. [Source: Miami Herald]
Foreclosures down, but Florida still No. 2 in United States
The number of completed foreclosures dropped last month, according to CoreLogic’s National Foreclosure Report. There were 58,000 completed foreclosures in July, the report said, down from 62,000 in June and 69,000 in July 2011. California led the way with 119,000 completed foreclosures, followed by Florida (92,000). [Source: Florida Times-Union]
Storms, school closings provide ultimate workplace flexibility test
As Floridians set out frantically buying storm supplies this past weekend, one announcement created almost as much panic as the threat of high winds: public schools would close on Monday. For working parents, the news triggered a mad scramble for child-care solutions, particularly when most businesses chose to stay open. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Gibraltar Homes facing problems [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Faced with slumping sales, Gibraltar Homes LLC appears to be having the kinds of difficulties many residential builders weathered three years ago.
› Many Tampa Bay job seekers lack education required [Tampa Bay Times]
It has been a common refrain from bay area employers, be it in manufacturing, high-tech or other fields: It's hard to find workers with the right training and educational background, despite the persistently high unemployment rate. A report released today by the Brookings Institution drilled the point home.
› Orlando bars to try smoke-free Thursday nights [Orlando Sentinel]
Rinil Patel is a smoker, but when he goes to bars and clubs, he wants a smoke-free environment. "I don't like to smell like an ashtray," said the 25-year-old Patel, who puffed on a Marlboro Light on a recent weekday while walking along Church Street in downtown Orlando. Starting this week Patel and a host of non-smokers will get their wish.
› Miami aviation company to move to Broward [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
AeroTurbine Aviation, a Miami aviation supply company, said Tuesday it will expand to a new 264,000 square-foot building in Miramar, creating 75 new jobs. The lease is the largest industrial lease completed in Broward County in the past five years, according to the announcement by CBRE Group, a real estate services firm.
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› Younger workers likely to leave jobs after 2 years [LA Times]
At a time when many laid-off workers have to take a pay cut to land a new job, members of the millennial generation are jumping ship from their companies after just two years, according to new studies.
› Workers-turned-entrepreneurs creating jobs [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Several South Florida workers who climbed the ranks of big technology companies have become entrepreneurs and are now creating jobs in the region. The entrepreneurs say their transition from corporate life to company owner has been both challenging and rewarding. While they know technology, they've needed help with marketing, financing and networking to build their businesses.
› Harris stock rises on new deals, dividend increase [Orlando Sentinel]
Riding a month-long surge, Harris Corp.'s stock price hit a new 52-week high for a second straight day Tuesday, even as some defense-related stocks struggle to find traction.
› Gator fans to find sleeker, more modern stadium Saturday [Gainesville Sun]
From grass to graphics, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has undergone a makeover this summer. The changes come after the struggles of the football team and economy helped snap a 137-game sellout streak last season.