Hurricane sales-tax holiday isn't drawing crowds

In the midst of a nine-day sales-tax holiday that allows residents to stock up on hurricane-season essentials, it appears that relatively few shoppers are taking advantage of the savings. "The level of excitement is nothing like the back-to-school sales-tax holiday," said John Fleming, spokesman for the Florida Retail Federation. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

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Florida is No. 3 in nation for layoffs

Even as Florida's employment grows, companies based in Florida still reported 12,767 layoffs in the first five months of 2014 – 65 percent of which took place in May. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

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Why Moms Are Successful Entrepreneurs

From 1997 to 2013, the number of woman-owned businesses increased by 59 percent. That’s a pace one-and-a-half times faster than the national average. Many of these businesses are run by a new breed of “mompreneurs” who are juggling the needs of the business with the needs of their family. [Source: FOX Business]

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Florida teachers union appeal merit pay ruling

Florida's teacher union is appealing a recent ruling that upheld the state's contentious teacher evaluation law. A federal judge in May concluded the 2011 law was unfair but stated there was no legal reason to overturn it. [Source: AP]

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Here’s where all those middle-class jobs went

A new study details the types of jobs that have been disappearing and validates the job stress many workers have been feeling. Between 2001 and 2011, both low-skill and high-skill jobs rose as a percentage of the total labor market, while the percentage of middle-skill jobs fell by about 10%. [Source: Yahoo Finance]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Uber's Orlando arrival raises questions, criticism [Orlando Sentinel]
As it has in other areas, car service company Uber is facing some criticism and scrutiny for its launch in Orlando without permits. The Uber app went live in Orlando Wednesday, for its UberX service. It allows smart phone users to order rides from local drivers who qualify under Uber’s criteria.

› Huge celebrity chef restaurant, market coming to St. Petersburg [Tampa Bay Times]
St. Petersburg has hit the culinary big time, one filled with the heady smells of lobster pot pie and caviar parfait. For the first time, the Tampa Bay area will be home to a bona fide celebrity-chef-owned restaurant.

› Carnival now offering on-site healthcare at Doral headquarters [Miami Herald]
Carnival Cruise Lines is known for its ships, but this week the company was promoting a land-based amenity: the new Carnival Care Center for employees in Doral.

› Florida Sues for Access to VA Facilities [NBC Miami]
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday against the Department of Veterans Affairs to gain access to inspect VA hospitals in Florida.

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› Florida leads U.S. in inmates released without supervision [Tampa Bay Times]
The Pew Charitable Trusts conducted a state-by-state analysis of so-called "max-outs," or the number of inmates who serve their full sentences and are released to the community with no monitoring programs in place.

› Angel investor group widens its reach with Knight grant [Miami Herald]
Accelerated Growth Partners, a Miami-based angel investment group, will expand its offerings and create a more-organized network of early-stage investors in South Florida with a $211,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

All New for 2014: At this website: Innovations in hydrogen as fuel, plus Q & A's with research scientists in Florida.

› Orlando Hosting Marijuana Business Convention Friday [WMFE]
Medical marijuana advocates are gathering in Orlando Friday for a convention on the business of marijuana. CannaBiz Day Orlando runs all day at the Royal Caribe Hotel and features presentations by lawyers, activists and cultivators.

› Brazil’s XP Securities opening office in downtown Miami [Miami Herald]
XP Securities, the largest independent investment broker in Brazil, is the latest high-profile firm to establish a foothold in Miami since the Miami Downtown Development Authority began a campaign to lure hedge funds and other financial companies to the city.