Thursday's Daily Pulse
Boycott Florida movement grows
Florida's $67 billion tourism industry could take a hit if opposition to the state's Stand Your Ground law picks up steam. Over the past 24 hours, a movement called "Boycott Florida" has emerged on social media sites, encouraging a boycott of all businesses and products made in the state until the law is repealed. Read more from Action News Jacksonville and see also:
» Worries over a Florida boycott
» What boycotting Florida might include
» Florida Orange Juice Boycott? It's A Possibility
» Tourism experts monitoring calls for Florida boycott
» Day 2 of sit-in at the Florida Capitol
Report: Water woes could hurt power plants
The future of the nation's power plants was called into question by a new report, prepared by the Union of Concerned Scientists. It cites rising temperatures and worsening droughts as obstacles to keeping generators in operation. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida leaders want to state to develop its own test
Florida legislative leaders are calling on the state to draw up its own test for new standards that will soon be in place. House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz on Wednesday wrote a letter requesting that the state withdraw from a national consortium drawing up tests to measure common core standards. [Source: AP]
Florida ranks low on new America's Top States for Business list
CNBC recently released its annual state-by-state rankings of America's Top States for Business, with input from leading business voices such as the National Association of Manufacturers. You have to scroll all the way down to No. 30 to find the Sunshine State, behind such high-tax, high-regulation rust-belt stalwarts as Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio. When you're 30th out of 50 in anything, you're looking pretty mediocre. Read more from the Tampa Bay Times and CNBC.
Wage debate delays guest worker visas for states
Industries crucial to state economies rely on the H-2B program, which issues up to 66,000 seasonal visas a year. These workers fan out to the crab-picking industry on Maryland's Eastern Shore, ski resorts in Colorado, shrimp processing plants in Louisiana and beach resorts in the Carolinas. They clean hotel rooms, take your dinner order, coach at your kid's soccer camp and labor on construction sites across the country. [Source: USA Today]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Golden Mouse Awards recognize women in ecommerce [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Women in South Florida who drive business over the Internet on a variety of platforms such as content and email marketing, surveys, online research and direct mail, are being recognized by the Florida chapter of Women in Ecommercewith the second annual 2013 Golden Mouse Awards.
› 1st SunRail car soon on its way to Sanford [Orlando Sentinel]
A rail car with all the official decals and splashes of yellow, blue and orange paint is about to depart the upstate New York plant where it was assembled. First local stop: Sanford.
› Third strike coming for ballpark retail [Miami Today]
Three strikes is the number to remember when it comes to Marlins Park parking. Only three of the retail slots in the city-built and -owned parking garages outside the baseball stadium have been leased, and the City of Miami is now being forced to seek its third property management company for the space.
› Spiny lobster season set to begin [AP]
The 2013 recreational and commercial spiny lobster seasons will open soon. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that the two-day recreational season is July 24-25. The regular commercial and recreational lobster season starts Aug. 6 and runs through March 31.
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› Versace manse set for bankruptcy auction [Miami Herald]
The former Versace mansion is set for sale in a bankruptcy auction later this summer as one-time owner Peter Loftin prepares to end his stormy tenure at the famed Ocean Drive property that got caught up in the Scott Rothstein scandal.
› Port Canaveral officials eye location for new cruise terminal [Florida Today]
Port officials have zeroed in on a site within the Cove entertainment district to build a new cruise terminal that could handle the largest cruise ships. The proposed $75 million cruise terminal and parking garage project could open as early as November 2014, port officials said
› Universal, Coca-Cola renew sponsorship deal [Orlando Sentinel]
Universal Parks & Resorts said Wednesday it has renewed a key sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola Co., keeping the beverage giant's namesake cola as the "official soft drink" at Universal theme parks in Florida and California for the next decade.
› Jackson budget shows modest surplus, challenges ahead [Miami Herald]
Employee compensation exceeded budget at Jackson Health System in June while patient revenues fell below projections, stretching the books at Miami-Dade County’s safety net hospital system dangerously thin and emphasizing the need to attract more insured patients.