Redistricting impasse leads to more finger-pointing

Who is to blame for the latest legislative impasse over redistricting? The finger-pointing began quickly last week as Florida lawmakers adjourned their second special session on redistricting and faced the prospect of another court-ordered map. [Source: Times/Herald]

See also:
» Florida's redistricting process causing some worry among elections officials
» Florida lawmakers ponder new redistricting methods
» Editorial: Redistricting failure signals time for independent panel

Hardest Hit Fund helping people buy houses while existing homeowners struggle

As a scathing report recently found, thousands of Floridians struggling with their mortgages have been denied help or are still awaiting assistance from the federal Hardest Hit Fund. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Why organizations don’t learn

Virtually all leaders believe that to stay competitive, their enterprises must learn and improve every day. But even companies revered for their dedication to continuous learning find it difficult to always practice what they preach. [Source: Harvard Business Review]

Attorney General won't ask court to block pot measure

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi isn't going to fight a measure to legalize medical marijuana. The Supreme Court is reviewing the proposed amendment. The court must decide whether or not the ballot initiative is misleading. [Source: A P]

Banking woes ground some charter flights to Cuba

Companies that need to transfer money to Cuban accounts to pay for flights, hotels, guides and rental cars complain that since the rapprochement between the United States and Cuba, their wire transfers to Cuba have slowed to a snail’s pace [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› All Aboard Florida names Miami-Orlando train "The BrightLine" [Palm Beach Post]
All Aboard Florida officials said their express train service connecting Miami to Orlando would be called Brightline. Officials say the trains will have five distinct colors: red, orange, green, blue and pink. They also will have yellow locomotives. See a photo gallery of designs for Brightline trains here.

› Roundup of news from "Inside Florida Tech" [Sponsored]
Headlines include:
• Buzz Aldrin Space Institute Launched
• Collaboration with Georgia Aquarium Yields New Dolphin Data
• Lightning Research Deepens Understanding of Sprite Formation
Read each news brief here.

› Fake patients help teach UCF students [Orlando Sentinel]
"Standardized patients," as these patients are called, are given scripts and act out different medical and social situations. They help providers-in-training learn bedside manners, medical-history documentation and critical-thinking skills.

› Brevard, Harris push governor's economic incentive plan [Florida Today]
Harris Corp. and the Brevard County Commission both are pushing for the Florida Legislature to support Gov. Rick Scott's efforts to provide additional financial incentives to attract companies and jobs in Florida — and keep them here.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Tech takes off at Fort Lauderdale boat show [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
There's a boom in apps and websites for boaters at this year's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Many take their cue from hotel, restaurant and airlines industries, aiming to give boaters the kind of search, reservations and booking conveniences common for years in hospitality services.

› car2go slashes prices in 1-month promotion [Miami Herald]
The car-sharing service car2go recently expanded its territory and included free tolls and parking to better compete with popular ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft in the Miami area.

› Jacksonville aircraft manufacturer lands contract to build six Super Tucano planes for Lebanon [Florida Times-Union]
Embraer Defense & Security along with Sierra Nevada Corp. announced in a prepared statement Monday a new contract with Lebanese government officials to purchase six new A-29 Super Tucano turbo-prop aircraft.

› U.S., China conduct joint drills near Florida naval base [UPI]
The United States and China have been conducting joint naval exercises in the Atlantic Ocean amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.