Thursday's Afternoon Update
States' open data is open for business
States, cities, counties and the federal government are encouraging entrepreneurs to take raw government data posted on "open data" websites and turn the information into products the public will buy. More at USA Today.
In Remembrance Don Zimmer,
Zimmer was still working for the Tampa Bay Rays as a senior adviser when he died Wednesday at a hospital in nearby Dunedin. » Read more from ESPN and the Tampa Bay Times and see our Florida Icon Interview with Don Zimmer. |
Job seekers more picky as employers compete for talent
South Florida job hunters are gaining the power to be picky. Consequently, employers now have to compete more for talent. Wednesday's job fair at the BB&T Center in Sunrise attracted 6,000 people, and job seekers were actually getting interviews. Some were even hired on the spot. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Fidelity makes push into Florida
Atlanta's Fidelity Bank is launching a big expansion in Florida. Fidelity said Thursday it will acquire $200 million in deposits and five branch offices from CenterState Bank of Florida. More at the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Column: Florida should refocus on skills to handle higher-pay work
Where is Florida's economy heading this year? The state's 6.2 percent unemployment rate should drift lower over the coming months but at a slowing pace as we start to settle into the historical range of unemployment typical of a growing economy. More at the Tampa Bay Times.
Floridians urged to clean up to prevent new mosquito-borne viruses
Florida public health and mosquito-control experts are calling on homeowners to clean up to prevent the spread of dengue, and of another painful, mosquito-borne virus that is rapidly spreading across the hemisphere. More at the Miami Herald.