Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Florida’s consumer confidence hits new post-recession high
Consumer confidence among Floridians rose two points in July to 84, hitting another post-recession high for a second consecutive month, according to a new University of Florida survey. More from UF News and the Gainesville Sun.
See also:
» U.S. consumer confidence surges in July
Florida Trend Exclusive
Grocery wars in Florida: Publix vs. Walmart
Walmart and Publix go toe-to-toe for grocery shoppers in Florida and other markets where the two compete. In Florida, the clear winner is Publix, but outside the state, Walmart holds a commanding lead. There are by-the-numbers comparisons, profiles of the founders of each company, and a look at who owns Publix stock. Access full article.
Florida’s working poor fall into Affordable Care Act ‘coverage gap’
About 800,000 Floridians who are stuck in the so-called “coverage gap,” in which they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to be eligible for federal tax credits under the ACA. [Source: Miami Herald]
Boatyards get boost in workers' comp bill
Smaller boatyards would save tens of thousands of dollars a year on workers' compensation insurance under a bill passed by the U.S. House on Tuesday — a long-awaited boost for a big industry in Florida. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Study: Delinquent debt levels high in Florida
More than 35 percent of Americans have debts and unpaid bills that have been reported to collection agencies, and that number is even higher across much of the South, in Florida and the Tampa Bay metro area. More at the Tampa Bay Times and McClatchy.
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida Virtual School changes its policy on collaborative projects [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Virtual School long has required its students to participate in collaborative assignments under the idea that in the business world, people need to have the ability to work with their peers.
› Delray to raise fees for businesses that can't provide enough parking [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Delray businesses that can't physically fit the number of parking spaces the city requires on their property pay a penalty fee that goes toward putting up parking spaces elsewhere.
› Crayola plans attraction in Orlando [Tampa Bay Times]
Crayon manufacturer Crayola is building a family attraction in Florida similar to the one it operates in its home state of Pennsylvania.
› Girls trained for science and technology fields [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
20 Broward County girls are participating in a program called Girls Who Code, an effort to combat the lack of women in science, technology, engineering and math fields.
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› PGT buys rival window maker for $111 million [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
In one of the largest business acquisitions by a Southwest Florida company since the Great Recession, impact-resistant window and door maker PGT Inc. is buying a competitor for $111 million.
› LPGA to start 2015 season in Florida [The Sports Network]
The LPGA Tour announced the addition of the Coates Golf Championship on Tuesday and that the event will kick off the 2015 season.
› A guide to Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday [Orlando Sentinel]
It's time for back-to-school shopping, and Florida families will get a break on sales tax this weekend when they buy clothing, supplies and computers.
› Audi tests driverless car on Florida expressway [Computer World]
Audi this week tested a self-driving car on a Tampa expressway that had been recently designated as an automated driving and connected car test bed.