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Thursday's Daily Pulse

Florida posts largest job gain of year in November

Last month, Florida posted its largest job gain of the year, according to payroll processor ADP. The Sunshine State added 19,450 private-sector jobs during November, more than any other state except Texas, which tacked on 28,030 positions, the ADP data released on Wednesday showed. More at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Tampa Bay Business Journal.


Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida Hospitals in 'Expansion Mode'

Baptist/Wolfson Children's Emergency Center
Baptist/Wolfson Children's Emergency Center

Despite uncertainty surrounding the new health care law, hospitals around the state are in expansion mode. Here's a look at some projects around Florida - article includes updates on these hospitals:

  • Jacksonville:  Mayo Clinic, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Baptist/Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center
  • Lee County:  Lee Memorial Health System
  • Orlando:  VA Medical Center in Lake Nona, Poinciana Medical Center,  Florida Hospital
  • Miami:  Baptist Hospital of Miami
  • Martin/St. Lucie Counties:  St. Lucie Medical Center, Tradition Medical Center
  • Hillsborough County:  BayCare Health System
  • Tallahassee:  Capital Regional Medical Center
  • Panama City:  Gulf Coast Medical Center

Full story here.


Florida's high school graduation rate rises again

Florida's high school graduation rate bumped up to 75.6 percent in 2013, continuing a decade-long improvement trend, state officials announced Wednesday. The state's graduation rate has climbed steadily since 2003, when it was 56.5 percent, the report showed. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]


Gift-giving in the workplace: Proceed with caution

This year, only about a third of employers of all sizes plan to give employees holiday gifts, and about a fifth will give non-performance based bonuses, according to a member survey by the Society for Human Resource Management. However, small-business owners may be less generous. [Source: Miami Herald]


No hurricanes, but insurance rate hikes keep coming

This is shaping up to be the most profitable year for Florida's property insurance industry in a long time. The 10 largest Florida-based private insurers collected $283 million in net underwriting profit through the third quarter of 2013. Yet of the rate filings submitted to state regulators through October, 69 percent were for increases. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]


ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Joe's Stone Crab closes in on a century of serving Florida's famed seafood delicacy
What would Joe Weiss think? Would he even recognize it now? When he fried his first fish at his sandwich joint about a century ago customers had to take a boat from Miami to reach the sandspur-covered barrier island. Inside the rickety eatery, sweating profusely, hungry patrons swatted away ferocious sand flies.

› Florida fines unemployment benefits site developer
Florida has recovered $1.5 million in "financial restitution" from unemployment benefits website developer Deloitte Consulting, said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's executive director Jesse Panuccio in an update Wednesday evening.

› Bauer reveals most vulnerable South Florida banks
Fewer South Florida banks were in critical condition in the third quarter according to Bauer Financial’s review of their safety and soundness.

› New investment fund built to support HackerHouse
A second semester of The HackerHouse has come and gone with new startups and developments emerging from the historic Victorian house turned innovation hub in the Duck Pond neighborhood in Gainesville.


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› Audubon Florida objects to military training plan
A leading Florida environmental group on Wednesday officially objected to plans for expanding military training exercises on Panhandle land that includes two state Parks.

› How Florida Blue/Orlando Health deal could affect your business
Orlando Health Physician Partners' deal with Florida Blue won’t just impact those two companies — it could affect your company, too, if you have Florida Blue health insurance.

› Even before first flight, Copa expands capacity on Panama City route
Copa Airlines is just days away from launching the most important international route in years at Tampa International Airport, and passenger demand is already exceeding expectations.

› Report raises more questions about Florida Medicaid reform
A new Georgetown University report is questioning whether Florida's handover of millions of Medicaid patients to managed-care companies will be able to achieve the twin goals of cutting costs and improving health.