Tuesday's Daily Pulse
Florida business owners ponder health care law
As the Legislature decides whether Florida will implement certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act, businesses of all sizes are also grappling with the impacts of the law. It doesn't help that the state has avoided making certain decisions, one business owner told a Senate panel on Monday. [Source: Times/Herald]
See also:
» Florida lawmakers ponder state’s move into Obamacare
» It's decision time on federal health care plan
» How much will federal health law cost employers?
Column: It’s not too late for financial resolutions
With the start of a New Year, now is an excellent time to set some financial goals for 2013. After all, it’s difficult to achieve a secure retirement, purchase a new home or save for a child’s education without taking steps to put your plan into action. To help get the year off to a positive start, here are 10 New Year’s resolutions that can improve your financial situation [Source: Miami Herald]
Scott and Legislature to examine school security
Lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott are looking at ways to improve security at Florida public schools following the tragic school shooting in Connecticut, but the scope and cost of those improvements remain unclear. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
 The Apalachicola River is a source of water for the population in the growing Atlanta area - but also for marine life in Apalachicola Bay, which supplies 10% of the nation's oysters. Story here. [Photo: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/MCT] |
Low flow - Apalachicola River's falling water levels
For decades, northwest Florida’s seafood industry has worried about falling water levels in the Apalachicola River, which originates in north Georgia and winds south into Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Channel widening, dams and increased development around Atlanta, for which the river is a major source of water, have all resulted in less flow down the channel. Full story...
Now that crowds in Florida shopping malls have thinned following holiday buying sprees, lines are forming at the credit counseling agencies. With new credit card bills arriving in the mail at households already swamped with debt, many consumers are facing holiday hangovers. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
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In case you missed yesterday's chat (1/14/2013) with Jonathan Hage, you can read the transcript here. |
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› SunPass evolves: It's leaner but does less [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Like cellphones, computers and iPods, SunPass, too, is evolving and getting leaner. But unlike the others, it offers fewer functions.
› Miami Dolphins unveil $400 million plan to renovate stadium [Miami Herald]
The Miami Dolphins unveiled a roughly $400 million renovation plan of Sun Life Stadium on Monday, and asked taxpayers to fund up to half of the project.
› Being a top growing Florida community brings challenges [Crestview Bulletin]
An influx of neighbors arriving with military reassignments from North Carolina, Texas and Alaska has boosted the population of Crestview and propelled the city into the University of Florida’s top 100 growing cities in the state.
› Upscale golf clubs see renewed interest [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
At least two of Southwest Florida's luxury golf clubs that debuted during the housing boom have seen a sharp turnaround in new memberships in the past year — after a prolonged recession that kept sales in the bunker.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Florida lawmakers plan comprehensive gambling review [AP]
The chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee says the Florida Legislature will conduct a comprehensive review of all forms of gambling. Sen. Garrett Richter, a Naples Republican, said the objective over the next two years will be to determine how gambling regulations and revenues benefit Floridians before changes are made.
› 2012 ends with a flurry of raw land sales [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Builders and developers from across the region and across country loaded up on Southwest Florida land in December. They spend more than $60 million on 1,238 acres of raw land and 294 building lots from Lakewood Ranch to Punta Gorda.
› Early support in Florida Senate for expanding early voting [Tampa Bay Times]
More than two months after Florida's election system drew national scorn for its long lines and tardy vote tabulation, state lawmakers said Monday they supported reforms in hopes to avoid a repeat performance.
› Central Florida's economy poised for comeback [Orlando Sentinel]
Having slogged through the Great Recession and its not-so-great recovery, forecasters are hopeful 2013 will bring modest, but meaningful, economic growth.