Tuesday's Daily Pulse
The future of Florida gambling
Florida's gambling future could be as simple as this: Nearly every Floridian could soon be within a two-hour drive of a casino that contains slot machines. That was just one of the many scenarios consultants hired by state legislators said could happen, depending on what steps legislators take in the next few months. More from the AP and the Orlando Sentinel.
See also:
» Report says Florida can easily absorb more gambling
» A Guide To Florida Gambling And How New Laws Could Change The State
Related Florida Trend Archived Content
» Mixed hand: Poker rooms and the pari-mutuel industry
» Running the numbers at Dania Jai Alai
 Tom James, in his own words. [Photo: Mark Wemple] |
Florida Trend Exclusive
Tom James is a 'Florida Icon'
The chairman of Raymond James Financial tells us:
» Back in ’74, when times were really tough and it looked like we were going broke, I had a written plan for how to shut the business down over a three-month period. Boy, we were close.
» How do I relax? Well, the answer is I don’t. I’m an activities-driven person. I fill up time. If I go on vacation, I have a schedule for every minute almost.
Workforce agencies get set to 'rebrand'
After state research showed a lack of awareness and clarity about the workforce centers' services, employment agencies are getting ready to change their names, but some local leaders worry about the loss of the brand and potentially, local control. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Hooray for Bollywood: Indian filmmakers are Florida bound
Next summer, some 30,000 stars, producers, directors and writers of Indian filmmaking, plus fans from around the world, will travel for the industry’s annual awards ceremony weekend — to Tampa, the first U.S. city to host the event and only the second in North America. Full story.
Fewer support staff In Florida public schools
An analysis of jobs in Florida public schools shows that while full-time staffing is almost back to pre-recession levels, one group of employees hasn’t come back: the support staff. Since the recession began, Florida’s public school budgets have been hit with more than $2 billion dollars in cuts from state and federal funding. [Source: StateImpact Florida]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Lawmakers to consider changes to 'Stand Your Ground' [South Florida Sun-Senitinel]
For a month this summer, protesters enraged by the acquittal of George Zimmerman turned the normally sleepy Florida Capitol into center stage of a contemporary social-justice showdown. The movement made a mark.
› State's second largest insurer agrees to pay fine [AP]
Florida's second largest property insurer is paying a fine of $1.26 million. Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty announced Monday that Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company has agreed to pay the fine and change its business practices.
› Arrival of giant cranes ushers in new era at PortMiami [Miami Herald]
Resembling giant metallic birds with their booms outstretched like wings, four super-post-Panamax cranes from China glided into Government Cut on Monday to prepare for the day when PortMiami welcomes some of the world’s largest ships.
› Gas prices continue to fall in Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Gas prices dropped in Florida and nationwide, with the average price for regular unleaded gasoline dipping to $3.31 a gallon from $3.35 a week ago, $3.68 a month ago and $3.68 a year ago, AAA in Tampa said Monday.
» Related: Government crisis linked to falling prices at the pump
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Stores, grocers eat restaurants' lunch [Orlando Sentinel]
A little more bad news for restaurants: Visits to grocery and convenience stores for prepared lunches spiked 29 percent since 2008, while visits to restaurants for the noontime meal have declined 1 percent, according to a new NPD Group report.
› Hialeah awards millions of dollars in no-bid contracts [Miami Herald]
To speed up the construction of the new Milander Auditorium, the city of Hialeah granted more than $2 million in no-bid contracts to dozens of companies to finish the interior build-out, complete the kitchen and even buy curtains.
› Florida pushes new plan to remove non-citizens from voter rolls [Orlando Sentinel]
What a difference a year makes. Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner told 20 state elections supervisors Monday that Florida has a new plan to purge non-citizens from the voter rolls, one that he said would not replicate the "mistakes" of a 2012 effort that was rife with errors and blasted as a partisan attempt to eliminate minority and Democratic voters.
› Tobacco Companies Rejected by U.S. High Court in Florida Case [Businessweek]
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the tobacco industry’s appeal of a Florida ruling that may help thousands of smokers sue cigarette makers over smoking-related illnesses.
» Florida Still Using Tobacco Money, 13 Years Later
» Will The Tobacco Suit Replay?