Thursday's Daily Pulse

Posted 12/4/2014

Updated 9 yearss ago

Growth In U.S. health spending lowest since 1960

National health spending grew 3.6 percent in 2013, the lowest annual increase since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began tracking the statistic in 1960, officials said Wednesday. [Source: Kaiser Health News]

Getting low-income students into the corporate workplace

When college students come from a lower-income background, the deck is often stacked against them in graduating to the corporate world. A nonprofit program is teaming up with Florida State College at Jacksonville to help create a pipeline for some of those students to corporate America. [Source: Florida Times-Union ]

Florida teacher pay not competitive in big districts

Florida's large school systems rank poorly on a new teacher pay study that looks at "bang for the buck" in earnings. The National Council on Teacher Quality accounted for cost-of-living differences and then ranked the nation's largest school districts on teacher's earnings over a 30-year career. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

As oil and gas prices sink, effects spread around the globe

Tumbling oil prices are draining hundreds of billions of dollars from the coffers of oil-rich exporters and oil companies. The result could be one of the biggest transfers of wealth in history, potentially reshaping everything from talks over Iran's nuclear program to the Federal Reserve's policies. [Source: Washington Post]

Anti-testing groups help Florida students opt out

“Opt Out” groups are pushing back against what they say is too much standardized testing in Florida. The tests are changing as the state transitions to Florida Standards - an offshoot of the Common Core standards being implemented around the country. [Source: StateImpact Florida]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› U.S. appeals court voids Florida welfare drug testing law [Reuters]
A federal appeals court on Wednesday said a Florida law requiring applicants for welfare benefits to undergo mandatory drug testing is unconstitutional, a decision that could affect efforts to enforce similar laws in other states.

› Lawyers tell immigrants seek counsel on reform [AP]
Start pulling your papers together now. That was the message Wednesday from top immigration attorneys to Floridians living in the country illegally who want to take advantage of President Barack Obama's move to temporarily lift the threat of deportation.

› FIT makes big push for athletic fundraising [Florida Today]
With success in college athletics comes money. If you handle it right. Boosters are more generous and corporate sponsors want to be a part of a winner. That's where Florida Tech is making a move because it thinks the timing is right.

› Sime MIA opens eyes to the power of technology [Miami Herald]
Robot cars, implanted devices, the role of tech in political discourse: These and other topics about the future of technology were in the spotlight at the Sime MIA tech conference.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› FastTrain College accused of falsifying financial aid [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Federal and state authorities have filed a civil complaint against a private, for-profit chain of schools and its owner, alleging submission of false information regarding students' eligibility for federal financial aid.

› Jaxport gains new export business from Acura [JOC.com]
American Honda Motor has selected Florida’s port of Jacksonville to export new Acura MDX and TLX models to the Middle East, further solidifying the U.S. Southeast’s status as a growing region for auto production and trade.

› USF to determine president's bonus [Tampa Bay Times]
The University of South Florida's board of trustees will decide Thursday how big of a bonus to award President Judy Genshaft for the 2013-2014 school year. Genshaft, the longest serving president in school history, can be awarded up to $175,000 according to her contract.

› Creative co-working space Miami Ironside draws Laufen’s U.S. headquarters [Miami Herald]
Miami Ironside is a collaborative workspace for designers, architects, fashion, lighting designers, graphic designers, furniture and fixture suppliers in 100,000 square feet of adapted warehouse space in the Upper East Side.