Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Florida bowl games continue 80-year economic push
Florida is hosting eight of the 38 postseason games in college football – more than any other state. State and local governments will get an economic boost as those fans flood theme parks, beaches and other attractions. More from the Bradenton Herald and WLRN.
See also:
» At ESPN Bitcoin Bowl, push is on for football — and cryptocurrency
Everglades restoration cleared another hurdle Tuesday when the chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed off on chronically stalled work needed to move water south through the central wetlands and Florida Bay. [Source: Miami Herald]
Ratings say banks are healthier
The banking industry is slated to begin the year in its healthiest state in eight years. That's according to the final 2014 report from BauerFinancial, a Coral Gables-based banking industry analyst. [Source: Lakeland Ledger]
South Florida housing market nearing stability
South Florida's housing market is steadily improving and closing in on a benchmark stable range, according to a national report released Tuesday. The index measures four key factors in housing: home loan applications, affordability, mortgage loan delinquencies and employment. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Year in Review: Biggest hirings and firings of 2014
Florida's job growth has been sunny this year, but the state has had some ugly layoffs too. See a report on some of the biggest hirings and firings in Florida this year from the South Florida Business Journal.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› How population growth affects Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
From congressional representation to federal highway money, Florida's increased population has a number of effects on the state and its residents. Read a rundown of what a bigger Florida could mean in the coming years.
› Medical marijuana supporters pushing for new ballot initiative [Bay News 9]
It's only been eight weeks since an amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Florida failed at the polls, but already supporters are vowing to put a new amendment on the ballot in 2016. The signature gathering for the new ballot initiative could begin as early as next month, and this time it appears lawmakers are taking note.
› Aquarium could anchor downtown Jacksonville's riverfront [Florida Times-Union]
The image is striking: A giant, blue and white manta ray, wing tips up, about to soar over the St. Johns River. That’s the vision right now for an aquarium in downtown Jacksonville.
› ADT plans partnership with Google’s Nest [South Florida Business Journal]
ADT Corp. is looking to connect its Pulse system to Google's Nest products, further expanding its smart-home business. The Boca Raton-based security company is leading a surge in home automation.
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› SunRail late train hopes for Magic boost [Orlando Sentinel]
SunRail's inaugural late-night train run carried about 100 passengers Monday, a fairly typical load for the commuter system.
› Hertz Stock Surge After U.S. Rental-Car Price Increases [Bloomberg Businessweek]
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. raised prices for rental cars to be picked up Jan. 1 or later, blaming the decreasing value of its cars. The stock had its biggest intraday gain of the year.
› Florida Forever Program Confirms 2015 Priority List [WUFT]
Florida’s Acquisition and Restoration Council, the ARC, approved the state’s 2015 priority list last week. The 119-item list contains over 2 million acres of properties sprinkled throughout the state.
› Plans detail Embraer's $76M Melbourne expansion [Florida Today]
Documents detailing Embraer's $76 million expansion at Melbourne International Airport are moving through City Hall channels under the code name "Project Summit."