Home Sizes Expand, Along With Prices

The size of new homes rose last year, suggesting Americans’ love of space remains strong but making new homes less affordable for a bigger swath of buyers. That isn’t necessarily a sign of strength in the housing market, however. Home sizes have grown lately because new construction has been tilted toward the high end. [Source: Wall Street Journal]

See also:
» Tampa Bay homes sales surged in 2015, but what's next?
» Home sellers in control as prices rise in December

Social media key in propelling Florida tourism

Florida has broken tourism records for four consecutive years, and that's a trend the state's tourism agency, Visit Florida, intends to maintain. Keeping that momentum means local tourism groups need to continue working together and evolving, if the state wants to reach its goal of $100 billion in visitors spending by 2020. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

Business meetings meet the spa

Visiting a spa might sound like an indulgence incompatible with a business meeting. But spas get plenty of bookings these days from corporate clients and organizations, whether for team-building, wellness education or even “manicure meetings.” [Source: AP]

Florida's unemployment rate continues to nudge down slightly

Florida's unemployment rate inched down to 5 percent in December, keeping pace with the national economy. That was a slight decrease from November's revised unemployment rate of 5.1 percent, the Department of Economic Opportunity said Friday. More from the AP and the Times/Herald.

See also:
» Florida, First Coast December unemployment rates fall below national figure
» State, Southwest Florida jobless rates edged down in December
» Keys again have Florida's lowest jobless rate

Florida leads U.S. in new HIV cases after years of cuts in public health

Florida leads the nation in new HIV infections, but it's not being treated as a crisis by Gov. Rick Scott or the state's top health officer, Dr. John Armstrong. Miami-Dade and Broward were Nos. 1 and 2 in the U.S. in new HIV infections in 2014 per 100,000 residents, according to state and federal data. [Source: Times/Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Lenders balk over Staples-Office Depot loan [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Investors are threatening not to back a $2.75 billion loan for Staples Inc. to buy Office Depot of Boca Raton, according to a media report.

› Wildlife service to end ultralight-led whooping crane migration to Florida [AP]
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it will stop supporting the use of ultralight aircraft to help young whooping cranes migrate from Wisconsin to Florida each fa

› Florida Gulf Coast to refund freshmen tuition for future grads [Fort Myers News-Press]
Snagging a job within six months of graduating could really pay off for Florida Gulf Coast University students, as qualified graduates could earn back the money they paid in tuition fees during freshman year.

› Agricultural research vital to Panhandle’s future [Tallahassee Democrat]
The same weather that makes Florida a great place to grow fruits and vegetables and to raise cattle also makes it an ideal breeding ground for bugs. Unchecked, bugs can destroy an economy along with a crop.

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› New tax prep service based in St. Johns County seeks to disrupt industry with low fees [Florida Times-Union]
Tax season is upon us and tax preparation companies are charging more and more to their customers for filing with the IRS. But a First Coast entrepreneur says he has the answer to those increasing tax preparation fees.

› Tesla electric cars growing in popularity [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Don't be surprised to see a $70,000 electric car in your rearview mirror. Tesla's luxury electric vehicle is growing in popularity, and the recent opening of a charging station in Plantation is an indication.

› Orlando airport aims for greener environment [Orlando Sentinel]
With its ravenous appetite for energy, water and other resources, and as a prodigious contributor to greenhouse gases that scientists fear will bring disastrous warming of the planet, Orlando International wants to make its environmental footsteps greener.

› Concerns grow over Charter Communications' planned purchase of Bright House [New York Times]
Comcast's proposed $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable collapsed last year under pressure from regulators, who found that the combined company would have had both the power and incentive to inhibit the future of streaming video.