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Monday's Daily Pulse

Citrus disease battle unites growers, researchers, entrepreneurs

The citrus greening crisis has prompted a more cooperative and progressive climate in the industry, with growers turning to innovative methods, researchers tackling the disease and businesses introducing new products. [Source: Ocala Star-Banner]

Related video from Florida Trend:
» Jack Payne of UF on citrus greening, GMOs and climate change


As economy improves, the face of hunger doesn't change

While the unemployment rate across the nation has decreased in recent years, many people still struggle with part-time work or low wages. In 2012, the poverty rate across the nation was 15 percent. And many are children. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]


Theme parks add upscale 'experiences' to raise revenue

Theme-park extras are becoming more common, experts say, as the industry tries to squeeze more money from die-hard fans and well-heeled visitors willing to pay prices the more casual visitor might find frightening. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]


Column: Minimum wage debate isn't simple, but the realities are stark

Supporters of raising the minimum wage could cite studies from California-Berkeley and MIT that suggest higher pay means a healthier economy. Critics could produce their own studies that warn a higher minimum wage could result in a smaller workforce. Meanwhile, a generation of workers tries to decide whether it's better to skip the electric or water bill this month. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]


Featured on FloridaTrend.com:
Florida's Heartland
The community portrait of Florida's Heartland includes the counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee and southern Polk.

Deadline looms on funding for U.S. Export-Import Bank

If the U.S. Export-Import Bank isn't reauthorized by the end of the month, the bank will stop providing new financing on Oct. 1 — a development supporters say will hurt U.S. export competitiveness. During its 80-year history, funding for the bank, which must be reauthorized every five years, has generally met with little opposition or stirred much controversy. [Source: Miami Herald]


ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Judge orders Fla. Gov. Rick Scott to stop fighting request for records
A Tallahassee judge this week ordered Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop fighting attempts to allow Google to turn over basic information about the private email accounts used by the governor and his staff to conduct state business.

› In Miami, the Cuban school uniform finds a market
At the Dollarazo discount store in Miami, a row of red-wine colored pants, shorts and jumpers offers a regular customer favorite - near exact copies of the Cuban school uniform.

› Douglas Elliman makes a big push in South Florida
During the past year, Elliman has hired nearly 300 real estate agents in South Florida, increasing its ranks to 430 agents, part of a national network that reached 5,000 agents in July.

› PODS sues U-Haul over its use of the word 'pods'
PODS or pods? The distinction is the focus of a lawsuit between the Clearwater-based moving and storage company, and its rival U-Haul.


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› Seminole County audit tracking job gains, losses at Digital Risk
Seminole County has launched an audit of mortgage-technology company Digital Risk LLC to track whether it is complying with an incentive deal that has already paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to the company, county officials said this week.

› Record bed tax collection for Pinellas County signals strong tourism
Pinellas pulled in $3.18 million in bed tax collections in July. That's up 11 percent from the $2.86 million collected in July 2013. This July was also the best July in county history and the first time Pinellas broke the $3 million mark in that month.

› Is current dip in home-building the calm before the storm?
Last year, Gainesville home builders expressed concern that developers would not be able to create buildable lots fast enough to keep up with rising demand for new homes because of the time it takes to get regulatory approvals and to build roads.

› Restaurant pricing expert weighs on how to offset rising costs
Rising costs of beef, labor and health care mean tight times for fast-food restaurant owners. To maintain profits, many have resorted to revising menus and tweaking prices.