Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Florida manufacturers eye growth
Florida's manufacturing sector could be poised for growth as more companies seek to export goods to Central and South America via the region's seaports. South Florida already has the largest manufacturing base in the state, and with three ports the region is in a strong position to attract new manufacturers and spur the construction of warehouses [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
» Exports on the Hoof
» Jump Start - Port Canaveral Expansion Begins Early
Florida Trend Exclusive
Venture capital bounce
Florida venture capital industry boosters took heart from second-quarter numbers. According to the MoneyTree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, Florida companies attracted $156 million in the quarter, the best three-month investment tally since the third quarter of 2007, before the recession. Full story.
Mad scramble is on to roll back flood insurance rates
Florida's top elected officials scrambled to try to roll back big flood insurance rate hikes Tuesday as insurance companies began enforcing the new rules. Congress missed the Oct. 1 deadline to stop the premium increases from becoming law and many state leaders are concerned that the new flood rates could be a major drag on the real estate industry. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Tampa Bay Times.
Related:
» Senator: Flood insurance bill blocked by politics
Businesses worry about a prolonged shutdown
As the government's partial shutdown enters a second day, most companies across the country are doing business as usual. Yet concern is rising that a prolonged shutdown would cause some work at private companies to dry up and consumers to lose faith in the U.S. economy. [Source: AP]
See also:
» Tourists, workers turned away as shutdown hits South Florida
» Florida State Parks Open Despite Government Shutdown
Florida asks US Supreme Court to stop Georgia water use
Florida charged ahead Tuesday with a lawsuit against the state of Georgia that accuses its northern neighbor of consuming too much fresh water from a river system that serves three Southeastern states. More from the AP and Reuters.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› State regulators approve nuclear power charges [AP]
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved charges sought by Florida Power & Light Co. to cover $43.4 million in costs associated with existing nuclear reactors as well as two proposed reactors.
› Despite tourism boom, passenger count dips at Orlando airport [Orlando Sentinel]
Despite record amounts of tourists flocking to Central Florida, the number of passengers flying in and out of Orlando International Airport is falling for the second year in a row, as more visitors opt to drive here.
› Officials shoot down reports that Blue Jays move is a done deal [Tampa Bay Times]
A senior Toronto Blue Jays official and a Palm Beach Gardens spokesman Tuesday shot down a media report that implied the Jays' move from Dunedin to a new spring training home on Florida's east coast is a done deal.
› AutoNation CEO criticizes Washington dysfunction [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Mike Jackson, chairman and chief executive of AutoNation, was sharply critical Tuesday of what’s going on in Washington, calling it dysfunctional and saying he’s never seen it as bad as it is today.
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› Walmart matching BOGO deals from Publix, other grocery stores [Tampa Bay Times]
Walmart, in its battle for more grocery business in Florida, is going after one of Publix's top selling points: BOGOs. The world's largest retailer is now matching buy-one-get-one-free sales from Publix and other grocery chains at its Walmart stores in Florida.
› Shoppers less in the mood to party this Halloween [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
New chain stores and pop-up retailers have moved into Southwest Florida well before the start of October, as the push for holiday sales around Halloween begins even earlier this year. But early shopping prognostications do not bode well for the "spooktacular" season.
› Gainesville Chamber explores ways to boost city restaurants [Gainesville Sun]
Innovation Gainesville is not just about software and biomedical companies. The blueprint for Alachua County’s economic development efforts includes restaurants as contributing to the qualify of life.
› Buyer of Sweetbay grocery chain plans public stock offering [Tampa Bay Times]
Bi-Lo Holdings, parent company of the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie grocery stores and the buyer of Tampa's Sweetbay supermarket chain, plans to go public with an initial public offering of stock under the name Southeastern Grocers LLC.