Legislature's ethics bills still have loopholes

Kelli Stargel sometimes must evict tenants from the rental properties she and her husband own in Polk County, a process that can be cumbersome. But it might soon be getting easier - Stargel, in her other job as a state senator, is sponsoring a bill that critics contend would take away rights from millions of Florida renters. Under Florida law, that's not a conflict of interest. And she's not alone. More at the AP.

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Lee County leads nation in job sprawl

The Cape Coral-Fort Myers area leads the nation in job sprawl: the dispersal of employment toward the fringe of the urban area and away from central business districts. That’s the conclusion of a study released today by the Washington-based nonprofit Brookings Institution, which analyzed how jobs migrated in the top 100 U.S. metro areas from 2000 through 2010. More at the Fort Myers News-Press.

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Sarasota Bradenton convention center closed

Business Profile Banking on clean air for business success Going from investment banker to entrepreneur, Mike Freedman leads Airocide LLC, a company that sells filterless air purifiers that use NASA technology. Over the past seven years, the company has sold more than 10,000 industrial air purifiers at about $2,000 to $6,000 each. In March, Airocide began selling filterless air purifiers to consumers for about $800 each. » More from the Florida Times-Union » Company site

The Sarasota Bradenton International Convention Center has hosted its final show. Owner Oscar Parsons has closed the 120,000-square-foot center, a former Sam's Club membership store, saying he could not attract enough business to turn a profit. More at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

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NY firm wants incentives to build Jacksonville facility

Railex USA is seeking more than $8 million in city and state incentives to build a facility in Jacksonville that would create 310 full-time jobs. The Railex facility would create 200 jobs by the end of 2014, and create all 310 by the end of 2018. The average salary would be $47,851. More at the Jacksonville Business Journal.

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AutoNation profits spike; repair rebound lags sales

A recovering auto industry still needs its garages to shake-off the recessionary blues. AutoNation, the Fort Lauderdale-based chain of auto dealerships that is the nation’s largest auto retailer, announced a 14 percent spike in profits Thursday morning, thanks in part to a 12 percent increase in revenue from vehicle sales from the year before. More at the Miami Herald and the AP.

Out of the Box Mohawk ads DeliverLean, Taxes Your Way, Co. and Chinaman Media Network are some of the businesses that have been on Gasmy Joseph's head lately. On his mohawk, to be exact. For a year now, Joseph – better known as Mohawk Gaz – has been a human billboard spray painting his 10-inch high hairdo for South Florida businesses exploring new and adventurous ways to reach customers. He charges from $500 to $2,000 to paint logos or business names on his attention-grabbing mohawk. » Full story from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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