Monday's Daily Pulse
Consumers feeling best about economy since recession
Consumer sentiment among Floridians climbed to a post-recession high in January as gas prices fell further, the University of Florida reported. UF's monthly consumer confidence survey shot up almost six points from December's reading to 93.3, the university reported. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the AP, and UF News.
Cuban migrants flow into South Florida at highest rate in 10 years
More than 20,300 Cubans without visas sought to arrive or arrived in the United States during fiscal year 2014, according to figures compiled by el Nuevo Herald. It is the highest number of unauthorized Cuban migrants to land on South Florida beaches, cross the Mexican border or board boats headed for Florida in 10 years. [Source: Miami Herald]
Consumers fuel steady U.S. economy as rest of world struggles
Nearly six years into the recovery from the Great Recession, the economy has finally gone from straining just to grow to posting consistently solid gains. The gains have come even though many households continue to struggle without much of a financial cushion. [Source: AP]
Medical costs rise as retirees winter in Florida
Medical testing is a huge industry in the United States, with prices that are highly variable in different parts of the country. And while Medicare strictly regulates the price of tests and procedures, doctors who treat seniors can increase revenues by simply expanding the volume of such services and ordering tests of questionable utility. [Source: NY Times]
More farmers plugging into social media
Younger people have grown up immersed in the technology, so who better to educate attendees of the 2014 Florida Ag Expo about social media than students from the University of Florida’s Food and Resource Economics Department? [Source: Growing Produce]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› FDOH urges Florida residents to get vaccinated against measles [Local 10]
The Florida Department of Health said it is working with other state and federal officials to monitor individuals who may have been exposed to measles cases across the state. Four cases of measles have been identified and reported among travelers in the past two weeks with unknown or no measles vaccinations who visited Florida, health officials said.
› Florida ranchers seek more funding to market beef [AP]
The Florida Beef Council and Florida Cattleman's Association are lobbying for a $1 assessment on the sale of each head of cattle in the state. The money would go to improve marketing of beef to Floridians.
› Nonprofit Titusville group strives to teach kids science [AP]
The Titusville-based U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum is using a $100,000 donation to help launch a new science education program.
› Disney technology workers lose jobs in restructuring [Orlando Sentinel]
Disney informed employees of the restructuring three months ago. The company said it is eliminating some positions and replacing them with others that will help the company reach more long-term technology goals. Disney is also outsourcing some information-technology jobs.
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› Long-distance medicine: Florida Hospital using ‘tele-ICU’ [Daytona Beach News-Journal]
The doctor will see you — from 1,000 miles away. Florida Hospital Flagler recently became the first hospital in the area to use video cameras and off-site doctors to monitor patients in its intensive care unit.
› Florida Democrats review dismal year, plan for future [AP]
Florida Democratic Party leaders gathered Saturday to begin dissecting a miserable year and to try to figure out what it can do going forward to win elections.
› Arts-center crowds help fill downtown Orlando restaurants [Orlando Sentinel]
Restaurants downtown have been enjoying the spoils since the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts opened in November, and last Thursday was a rare double dose of big-league sports and top-tier theater downtown.
› Black enrollment at UF takes a hit [Gainesville Sun]
Enrollment of black freshmen dropped more than 50 percent between 2007 and 2013, with a high of 910, or 14 percent of 6,441 freshmen in 2007, compared with 395, or 6.2 percent of 6,370 freshmen in 2013.