Friday's Daily Pulse
Local, independent retailers fare better than national retailers
Santa delivered for many national and local retailers, after a lackluster early holiday season gave way to a post-Christmas surge. Twenty retailers reported that revenue at stores open at least a year — a figure that indicates a retailer's health — rose an average of 4.5 percent in December compared with a year ago. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Everglades restoration projects start moving
Everglades restoration projects, which have been in the planning stages for a decade and may cost well over $8 billion, are moving forward in 2013, and more than $2 billion of ecological projects are either under way or approved for this region. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press]
State inks deal to privatize South Florida inmate health care
Gov. Rick Scott's administration announced Thursday the state has signed a contract with a Pennsylvania company, Wexford Health Sources, to outsource medical care to more than 15,000 inmates in several South Florida prisons. [Source: Times/Herald]
Private company developing commercial lunar lander
A private company that hopes to land paying customers on the moon has hired the builder of the first human landers to start designing a modern version. Boulder, Co.-based Golden Spike Co., headed by former NASA executives, will work with Northrop Grumman Corp. on the preliminary design for a commercially flown lunar lander. [Source: Florida Today]
Red tide has tourism industry on edge
Uncertainty is hovering over tourism businesses across Southwest Florida as prime season kicks off with a large red tide bloom lingering offshore from Tampa Bay to Naples. Scientists say there is no way to predict whether the toxic algae bloom will stick around for months and sour tourism or quickly vanish. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Six Pillars growing as a resource and a template for building strategy [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
In October, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance announced Broward County was an official "Six Pillars" region, an effort developed by the Florida Chamber Foundation to set goals and measure progress for a growth strategy for the next two decades.
› Python purge: Florida contest turns public loose in Everglades [FOX News]
The Sunshine State is hosting a month-long “Python Challenge" beginning Jan.12 with cash prizes of up to $1,500 for the biggest snakes caught. Wildlife officials urge caution, but beyond the online course and the fee, there are no other requirements to hunt down the Burmese pythons, which can reach nearly 18 feet in length and have devastated much of the southern Florida ecosystem.
› Police teach businesses to be alert for bomb-making plots [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Anyone who wants to make a bomb can find instructions on the Internet. But local law enforcement says it's trying to prevent access to the components and chemicals a terrorist would need to inflict such mayhem.
› Orange County tourist-tax collections rise for November [Orlando Sentinel]
Orange County said it has collected $14.9 million from its tourist-development tax for the month of November, an increase of 5.4 percent compared with the same month a year ago.
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› Florida hitting population milestone in January [Jacksonville Business Journal]
Sixteen states — including Florida — are expected to hit population milestones in January, based on new estimates by On Numbers.
› No. 2 executive at UM medical school stepping down [Miami Herald]
UM announced the chief operating officer is stepping down at the medical school as faculty continue to express anger about restructuring and layoffs.
› Wind industry tax credit extended in fiscal compromise [Palm Beach Post]
A one-year extension of an energy tax credit passed this week is a relief to the wind industry and is likely to benefit wind giants from NextEra Energy Resources to a smaller company planning a wind farm in western Palm Beach County.
› Florida regulators ramp up Medicaid provider terminations [South Florida Business Journal]
Florida regulators ramped up their terminations and re-enrollment denials of Medicaid providers last year as it axed those accused of violating the rules.