Small businesses struggling to keep employees

People are quitting their jobs at a faster clip and that's pushing small business owners to work harder to hold onto top talent. As the economy and job market improve, keeping the best employees is becoming vital for small businesses. [Source: AP]

---

Whether it's Rick Scott or Charlie Crist, political dominoes will fall

The choice that Florida voters make on Nov. 4 in the gubernatorial race between Gov. Rick Scott or former Gov. Charlie Crist, will wind up tipping dominoes across Florida’s $75-billion state government. Access full story.

See also:
» Sitting Governors Fight to Keep Their Jobs

---

Home prices rise at slowest pace in 20 months

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home-price index rose 6.7 percent in July from 12 months earlier. That is down from an 8.1 percent gain in June and is the smallest increase since November 2012. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

---

Redistricting case headed to Florida Supreme Court

A Tallahassee appeals court will take a pass on considering the constitutionality of Florida’s redrawn congressional maps, which have been the subject of a lengthy legal battle. More from the Naples Daily News and the Miami Herald.

---

Pace of U.S. factory activity slipped in September

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Wednesday that its manufacturing index fell to 56.6 from 59 in August. Anything above 50 signals that manufacturing is growing. [Source: AP]

---

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Belleview's business boom [Ocala Star-Banner]
A spate of small businesses has contributed to an economic boost in the south Marion County city and the growth shows little sign of ceasing.

› Lockheed Orlando lands $100M cruise missile deal [Orlando Sentinel]
Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Orlando missiles group has landed an Air Force deal potentially worth $100 million to provide logistics, upgrades and other technical support work for next-generation cruise missiles.

› South Florida flooded with million-dollar home listings [South Florida Business Journal]
Blockbuster home sales are becoming routine in South Florida as many cities in the region made Coldwell Banker’s list of most multi-million dollar home listings.

› Affordable talent builds Miami’s Silicon Beach [Miami Today]
Miami as Silicon Beach? For startups and established international tech companies, Greater Miami’s growing tech industry can offer comparable quality talent at a discount of 2 to 2.5 times.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Hopes run high as aerospace grows in Brevard [Florida Today]
There are strong indications of an improving economy, locally and across the United States, so it's not a great surprise to see major aerospace firms building and investing in Brevard County.

› Orlando billboards target Uber, Lyft over safety [Orlando Sentinel]
A group of limousine drivers in Orlando has launched a billboard ad attack on ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft.

› Get ready for Florida community bank sell-off [Tampa Bay Business Journal]
There’s a lot of merger and acquisition activity going on involving community banks in Florida and other southern states, and it shows little sign of slowing, according to federal regulators.

› Hillsborough leaders to form 'working group' on Rays stadium issue [Tampa Bay Times]
If the Tampa Bay Rays ever get permission to look at new stadium sites in Hillsborough County, a small group led by County Commissioner Ken Hagan and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will likely lead discussions.