Friday's Daily Pulse

Posted 8/26/2011

Updated 1 decade ago

Florida targets "bad actors" in check-cashing business

Florida's chief financial officer wants to crack down on "certain bad actors" in the check-cashing industry. Those stores are cashing checks as part of a scheme to help businesses evade paying insurance and taxes for their workers, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater contends. He says "shell" construction companies let other firms pretend to be insured under their worker compensation insurance policies. When the firms issue payroll and other checks, they are improperly cashed at the stores under the "shell" company's name. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Historic food safety law presented to Florida packinghouses

Quietly amid the more widely covered Washington news over health care, the budget and the economy, President Barack Obama in January signed a historic new law that will affect how food is produced, shipped and consumed across the world.

Find out who made the grade:
Florida's Best Companies To Work For

The top 100 companies in Florida Trend's third annual contest include 31 Best Large Companies, 38 Best Midsized Companies and 31 Small Companies. Besides the lists of winners, there are articles on retention, training, benefits, morale and more.

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 was the first major reform of food safety regulations since 1938, said Mickey Parish, a senior adviser with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which will write and enforce 50 new regulations and guidelines under the law during the next three years. "It established a new paradigm: prevent contamination," Parish told about 70 citrus growers, packinghouse officials and academics at the 50th Annual Citrus Packinghouse Day at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred on Thursday. "Prior to this time, all we could do is react to contaminated food that got on the market." [Source: Lakeland Ledger ]

Developers see opportunity for growth in Miami-Dade

When it comes to retail shopping centers, Miami-Dade County is bucking the statewide trends. Vacancy rates are lower and occupancy rates higher in Miami-Dade than anywhere else in the state, according to a report presented this week by Crossman & Company at the International Council of Shopping Centers Florida conference. Miami-Dade is the only market in the state with occupancy rates above 90 percent and rental rates above $18 per-square-foot. [Source: Miami Herald]

Technical advances tame tropical storm worries

While similar in path and scope to 1999's Hurricane Floyd, one thing noticeably absent from Hurricane Irene's brush with the Space Coast was "panic." You can thank technology for that. Aircraft reconnaissance operations, storm tracking, prediction technology and cyber-forecasting, all tools used by meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, have given an upper hand to officials charged with preparedness and response. [Source: Florida Today]

Scott: Let's compete for $100-million federal grant

Florida plans to compete for $100 million in the federal government's latest Race to the Top program, assuming the Florida Legislature is willing to accept other federal money it had previously rejected. To apply for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, which is designed to improve the care and education of young children, states must be taking part in a federal home-visiting program meant to prevent child abuse. The Florida Legislature had rejected that home-visiting grant money because it is now part of President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul law, which the state's Republican leaders view as unconstitutional and are challenging in court. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Gig as Hugh Hefner look-alike is second career for Fort Myers man [Fort Myers News-Press]
The pipe is empty and the pajamas are polyester but life brings other riches when you look like Hugh Hefner - and George Kane of south Fort Myers certainly does. As if perfect strangers telling him this "80 or 90 percent of the time" when he goes out to dinner weren't proof enough, in Orlando last weekend he plucked the "mirror image award" away from look-alikes who've been working the rooms far longer. And although he may have a good reason to hang out in strip clubs once in a while - impersonating the Playboy founder pays handsomely - at 72, he still doesn't want his mother to know.

› Seafood firm wins as Jacksonville Sharks sponsor [Florida Times-Union]
Mark Frisch, executive vice president of Beaver Street Fisheries, was among the Jacksonville Sharks fans astonished when another fan reached onto the playing field and repeatedly grabbed an opposing team's kick returner in the end zone. Frisch's reaction had another dimension beyond surprise. The encounter occurred directly in front of a padded wall displaying a large logo for Sea Best, the brand name for Beaver Street Fisheries' seafood sold in grocery stores. Every time the fan's tackle was replayed on television, Sea Best was in the background. Frisch the businessman liked it as much as Frisch the Sharks fan did.

› Couple creates "yummy," organic food and meals [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Michael and Karen Stanley of Davie were looking for healthy foods to feed their daughter back in 2008, and weren't satisfied with their choices. After researching organic baby foods, they opened the doors to Yummy in my Tummy in Sunrise in November 2008. Parents come to purchase fruit and vegetable purees, then move up to dried snacks. Today, their business has exploded into catering lunch at dozens of schools in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.

› Hotel offers discounts during hurricanes [St. Petersburg Times]
As Hurricane Irene strengthens into one of the worst coastal threats in years, one South Florida hotel is offering a way to take advantage of the storm. Solé on the Ocean, a resort on Sunny Isles Beach near Miami, now offers discounts pinned to the strength of gathering hurricanes. The deals, lasting through November, are advertised as "a reason to celebrate Hurricane Season." A Category 1 hurricane cuts 10 percent off a room price; a Category 5, 50 percent. Each named storm will carry an extra perk: If Philippe or Sean become active, guests win a free hour of paddleboarding or bottle of champagne.

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› St. Petersburg residents to pay more in water, wastewater rates [St. Petersburg Times]
St. Petersburg residents and businesses likely will pay 5 percent more for water and wastewater starting in October. A City Council committee approved the rate hike proposal during a Thursday meeting. The full eight-member board will vote on the increase at two public hearings, Sept. 8 and 22. A main reason for the increase is that the cost of buying water from Tampa Bay Water is expected to climb $948,787 next year.

› Bumps and bruises part of the deal for women at Fort Lauderdale roller derby camp [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
If military basic training is hell, then what went on Thursday at War Memorial Auditorium was hell on wheels. An intensive four-day camp for women who take part in roller derby leagues — or want to — got under way with agility exercises, speed drills and body-checking practice that had skaters tumbling to the floor and even veterans wondering just how bruised and battered they might be by Sunday. "We get hurt all the time," said Annette Perez, 34, a hospital coordinator from Coral Springs also known as Annihilating Annie when she takes the track for the Gold Coast Derby Grrls. "Bruises, bumps, cracked ribs are normal. But there's nothing you can do about it, so just shut up and skate."

› Sawgrass starting packaging service [Miami Herald]
Shoppers at Sawgrass Mills now have an alternative to dragging around big heavy bags. The Sunrise outlet mall and entertainment destination is starting a program that will allow both local customers and tourists a variety of options for bag storage and shipping. The mall has teamed up with Bags To Go Enterprises, which handles off-airport check in and baggage delivery, to start the first mall-based program.

› UF president announces plan on doctoral education [Gainesville Sun]
University of Florida President Bernie Machen used his state of the university speech Thursday to highlight problems with doctoral programs and announce an effort to improve them. Machen presented the results of a report he commissioned to show UF lags behind the nation's top research universities in doctoral education.

› Tampa International Airport CEO backs off on business-class travel for executives [St Petersburg Times]
The boss at Tampa International Airport has withdrawn his proposed policy change that would have allowed airport executives to fly business class on domestic flights. Last week, CEO Joe Lopano introduced a revision to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority's travel policy that would allow himself, vice presidents and authority board members to ride in business class for any flight longer than two hours.

› Volunteer club helps novice investors during turbulent times [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The roller coaster of a stock market has made South Floridians nervous about their plummeting investments and 401k retirement accounts. An all-volunteer group wants to help out by offering a series of eight monthly seminars this fall and spring to educate people about the stock market and how to invest wisely in quality corporations. The nonprofit Southeast Florida Chapter of Better Investing will hold its first seminar -- on computer-aided stock analysis -- Saturday, Sept. 10.