Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Florida sues Georgia over water
A day after federal officials declared Apalachicola's oyster industry to be a disaster, Gov. Rick Scott announced Florida is going to sue Georgia for using too much water and causing the problem. Meanwhile, Florida's two senators blasted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for giving Atlanta's lawns, taps and toilets preference over Florida seafood. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinel and the AP.
Press release from Gov. Scott: Florida Will Take Historic Legal Action Against Georgia in Fight to Save Apalachicola
Entrepreneurship column: Social media: waste of time or must-do?
You have to weigh the benefits against the other ways you would spend your time and money. You may be better off exhibiting at one trade show rather than spending a year on Facebook. But social media is here to stay, and you have to figure out the “digital layer” of your company. [Source: Florida Today]
U.S., Florida seek to block AMR-US Airways merger
The U.S. government and a half-dozen states, including Florida, sued on Tuesday to block American Airlines and US Airways' proposed merger to create the world's biggest airline, saying consumers would end up paying higher fares and fees. The surprising move could also hinder American's corporate parent, AMR Corp., in its efforts to emerge from bankruptcy. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Peak of hurricane season nears
The recent lull in tropical cyclone activity is not expected to last much longer — perhaps ending later this week — with forecasters predicting a hurricane season that started strong will finish in similar fashion. The tropics have been quiet in August after a busy June and July that saw four named storms, above average for early in the season. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Florida hospitals show care improvements in major quality initiative
The more than 100 hospitals that participated in the Florida Hospital Association’s quality of care initiatives showed significant improvements in preventing harm to patients in recent years, according to an FHA-sponsored study. [Source: South Florida Business Journal]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Lauderdale company goes for gold with line of track and field apparel [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
A Fort Lauderdale-based apparel company is making its international debut as track and field athletes sporting the company's clothing race for gold in Russia. World's Fastest Humans has outfitted runners from Puerto Rico who are competing in the 14th IAAF World Championships that began last week in Moscow and run through Sunday.
› Florida Senator proposes year-round daylight-saving time [Florida Today]
Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, will try again to keep the sun shining later in the day year-round in Florida. Soto has reintroduced a proposal (SB 74) that would require Florida to keep the clocks permanently set for daylight-saving time.
› Florida Lottery introduces UF vs FSU scratch-off game [AL.com]
The Florida Lottery introduced a new game Monday, one that pits the Gators against the Seminoles -- as if that rivalry needed more fuel.
› Luxury real estate market takes off again [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Southwest Florida's luxury real estate market has awakened from its prolonged hibernation with a vengeance this summer — the season when activity for high-end home deals is usually at its slowest.
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› SeaWorld plunges to second-quarter loss [Orlando Sentinel]
SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. plunged to a $15.9 million loss during the second quarter of the year, the company said Tuesday, hurt by bad weather and an earlier Easter holiday. It was a sharp reversal for the Orlando-based theme-park owner, which turned a $39.1 million profit during the second quarter of last year.
› New magnet program for tech-entrepreneurship education in the works [Miami Herald]
Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Venture Hive, an accelerator and incubator for technology startups, are teaming up to create TEAM (Tech Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program), a new tech-entrepreneurship magnet program that will offer high school students the chance to intern with top tech startups.
› Economic Development Corp. to move into HuB building [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County announced Tuesday that it plans to move its headquarters to the HuB Building on Fruitville Road at the end of next month.
› Dine Tampa Bay provides sample of culinary landscape for less [Tampa Bay Times]
Across the country, restaurant patronage lags in the summer months. Here in the Tampa Bay area, August and September can be the roughest, requiring the most fortitude and ingenious marketing on the part of restaurateurs. And thus the restaurant week was born.