Even as US job market picks up, unemployed face frustration

The pace of job growth over the past three months was the fastest in 17 years. The gains spanned nearly every industry, and some employers have finally had to dangle higher pay to attract or retain top talent. And yet millions of job seekers still can't find work. [Source: AP]

Florida's water worries prompt look at recycling

Highly processed sewage, which water experts call indirect or direct potable reuse, is becoming more of a reality here as providers scramble to find enough water to meet current and future demand. But public perception and the unknown are two major hurdles. [Source: USA Today]

Mexican border now a major entry point for Cuban migrants

Although a homemade raft overloaded with desperate people is the most enduring image of the decades-long migration to the U.S. from Cuba, that is not the way most Cubans without visas now arrive. Most walk across the Mexican border. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Meet Melissa Sellers, a force for Rick Scott behind the scenes

The most powerful, unelected person in state government is a stranger to most Floridians, and that's exactly the way Melissa Sellers wants it. Gov. Rick Scott's chief of staff is a 32-year-old practitioner of brass-knuckled politics who gets wide leeway. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Valentine’s + Presidents’ Day weekend = full restaurants, hotels

Valentine’s Day is still a week away, but couples who haven’t booked reservations for Cupid’s annual snugglefest may find themselves out in the cold. Blame the calendar. With Valentine’s falling during Presidents’ Day weekend, visitors have an extra incentive to come to South Florida. [Source: Miami Herald]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Got $25 million to spare? USF would like a moment of your time [Tampa Bay Times]
The University of South Florida's ambitious plan to erect a new 12-story medical education, research and treatment center downtown faces two final hurdles. Both involve money.

› Entrepreneurs get a taste of 'Shark Tank' styled encounter [Tallahassee Democrat]
Aspiring entrepreneurs like Jason McIntosh and Mitch Nelson convened one night recently at Tallahassee Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. On Tuesday, a dozen entrepreneurs had 12 minutes to pitch business plans or concepts on “Shark Tank” night.

› Insurers, contractors debate who should be allowed to pursue claims [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Charges that home repair contractors and attorneys are teaming up to pad claims submitted to insurers will be the focus of debate for a third straight year in Tallahassee.

› Zombie foreclosures create problems for sellers [Orlando Sentinel]
Overall, Florida dominated the nation with 35,903 owner-abandoned foreclosures in late January. Those numbers had declined 35 percent from a year ago. Nationally, zombie foreclosures were down 6 percent during that time.

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› University of Miami students pull all-nighter for charity [Miami Herald]
Most college students are well-versed in the art of pulling all-nighters. More often than not, their sleep deprivation is in the name of looming paper deadlines and final exams, but some have used this acquired skill-set for a more altruistic reason.

› Potential merger raises antitrust questions [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Some 1,700 Office Depot headquarters employees in Boca Raton are likely to keep a careful watch on news from Washington, D.C., in the coming months. They know their futures could be shaped by whether the Federal Trade Commission allows their company to merge with rival Staples.

› SeaWorld Entertainment makes management changes [Orlando Sentinel]
SeaWorld Orlando Park President Terry Prather is becoming SeaWorld Entertainment's senior vice president of operations in a series of management changes announced Friday afternoon.

› Fresh eyes on Tampa Bay startup scene assess area's promise, pitfalls [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa Bay's economy is pushing forward on an abundance of opportunities lately, even as one observer this past week publicized our chronic regional differences. Consider four recent and upcoming events.