Florida regaining economic steam

After falling harder than most states during the Great Recession -- the result of double-digit unemployment and housing values cut in half in many areas -- the Sunshine State has regained lost ground in the categories of jobs, visitors, housing, manufacturing and other key sectors. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

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Homeowners tapping equity as prices rise

Higher home values have restored hope to thousands of South Floridians, particularly those who owed more than their properties were worth. Now many are tapping newfound equity to finance home repairs, college costs and other major expenses. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

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Miami a leading luxury capital of the world

A cosmopolitan playground for the world’s wealthy, South Florida is increasingly synonymous with luxury in all its many manifestations: multimillion-dollar real estate, exotic cars, yachts, high-end watches, designer apparel. [Source: Miami Herald]

See also:
» Floridian of the Year: Miami

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Florida is popular again with retirees and workers

Florida is growing again with nearly 300,000 new residents making the Sunshine State their home last year. For Florida, which surpassed New York in population, that means more people buying homes, paying taxes and demanding additional goods and services. [Source: Florida Today]

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Changes in social media marketing for 2015

Until now, social media — at least the “big boys” of business-centric social media world (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) — have been essentially free to those businesses that proactively worked these platforms for messaging to their businesses target audiences. Things are changing, though. [Source: Florida Today]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Gas prices continue to drop in Florida [Miami Herald]
The average price in Florida is $2.23 a gallon. A year ago, the price was $3.39 a gallon. Nationally, gas costs $2.14 a gallon, 7 cents cheaper than last week, according to AAA.

› PACE Loan program for home energy improvements stalled [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
By now, the innovative loans were expected to be flowing in Broward and Palm Beach counties, letting homeowners make energy-saving improvements without spending a dime of their own money up front.

› White House's top economic adviser trumpets Tampa Bay's job growth [Tampa Bay Times]
With his State of the Union speech less than two weeks away, President Barack Obama has been stressing how well the economic recovery has gone so far and rolling out new initiatives to keep it going

› Push for medical pot in Florida resumes [Pensacola News-Journal]
Proponents of medical marijuana began an encore campaign for legalization Friday, filing a rewritten ballot measure just two months after one narrowly failed to pass.

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› Florida water credits would fight pollution [Orlando Sentinel]
An essential cure for Florida's ailing rivers and lakes is to prevent pollution related to sewage, storm water and other sources that make harmful algae grow wild. The task is painstaking and expensive, which is why Florida wants to go statewide with a new approach.

› New airline coming to St. Pete-Clearwater Airport [Tampa Bay Times]
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport enjoyed its second-best passenger year ever in 2014. Airport director Noah Lagos is set Monday to reveal the identity of a new carrier that could help the airport do even better in 2015.

› New chief at Norwegian helm [Miami Herald]
In a shakeup at Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, president and CEO Kevin Sheehan has abruptly resigned. The board of directors of the world’s third largest cruise ship company said Friday that they had appointed cruise industry veteran Frank Del Rio to replace Sheehan.

› Tourism photo company hiring 55 for new HQ [Orlando Sentinel]
Tourism photo company Magic Memories is establishing its U.S. headquarters in Orlando as it begins hiring about 55 people to work at the Orlando Eye.