Lower gas prices juicing Florida's economy

So much for a new era of conservation. New data shows that when gas got cheaper, Floridians drove more, for good or ill. Total vehicle miles traveled in the state increased 5.5 percent between 2014 and 2015 compared with 3.5 percent nationally, according to the Federal Highway Administration. "Low gas prices not only encourages more driving but helps juice the economy as well," said Ken Kolosh, manager of the Statistics Department of the National Safety Council. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

For the Florida Bar, bad lawyers are more than a punch line

Every year, the Bar gets thousands of complaints about lawyers; this fiscal year alone, it has opened 4,613 new cases. Florida's highest court can impose a range of punishments, including relatively minor ones like a public reprimand. The most serious penalties are a five-year disbarment and permanent disbarment. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Related, from Florida Trend:
» Find Florida's top lawyers, as voted by their peers, in Florida Legal Elite.

SpaceX’s explosion reverberates across space, satellite and telecom industries

The explosion of a SpaceX rocket last Thursday will have an impact across the space industry, far beyond the losses on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral. The private space launch company, led by the entrepreneur Elon Musk, has a generally solid safety record until recent setbacks. [Source: New York Times]

See also:
» Statements and updates from SpaceX on the "Anomaly"
» SpaceX blast threatens to leave NASA in a bind
» Satellite owner says SpaceX owes $50 million or free flight
» SpaceX to shift Florida launches to new pad after explosion

State, feds offer conflicting spins on 2017 Obamacare rates

It's time for the dueling messages from the state and federal governments about prices for next year's Obamacare plans, with the state saying premiums will increase an average of 19.1 percent. Similar releases from the state in recent years have sought to leave an impression of soaring Obamacare rates and steep out-of-pocket cost increases. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Florida theme parks look to virtual reality to fake us out

Get ready for goggles in theme parks. Virtual reality, with its computer-generated sights and sounds that surround users, soon will transport parkgoers to places impossible to build. That can give new life to fading attractions, experts say. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Power struggle? Tallahassee, state at odds in storm recovery [AP]
The big question in Tallahassee is whether you have power, and whether you think local officials are to blame for the grinding pace of restoring electricity following Hurricane Hermine. The rising anger is playing out on social media and in the political sphere, with state and local leaders trading accusations about the slow pace of recovery.

» Related: Gov. Rick Scott: Additional utility resources standing by to help Tallahassee

› Large Florida land firms reel in recognition [Business Observer]
Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate and Eshenbaugh Land Co. have been ranked as “America’s Best Brokerages” in a leading land-oriented real estate trade publication.

› Need groceries, wine or business delivery? New services have launched in South Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Pretty soon, you may never have to leave your home. Or your office. With the tap of a mobile app or an online order, you can receive groceries, liquor or business supplies.

› Lake Nona opening doors to healthy smart home [Orlando Sentinel]
Lake Nona is unveiling a smart home highlighting innovations designed to improve health and well-being -- from a vitamin C shower to an alarm clock that lights up to simulate dawn.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› UCF, FIT scientists part of OSIRIS-REx mission [Florida Today]
If all goes well, a 4,650-pound spacecraft will arrive at asteroid Bennu in 2018 and bring a minimum two-ounce sample back to Earth in 2023. After seven years of designing, building and testing, professors and alumni from Central Florida, including Humberto Campins, are excited to unlock “all the secrets the asteroid has for us.”

› Disney World’s Golden Oak neighborhood draws more permanent residents [Orlando Sentinel]
The Walt Disney Co. has been surprised by how many home buyers have put down roots at Golden Oak, a gated collection of multimillion dollar mansions first announced in 2010.

› What's up at Duke Energy? Looks like its 2017 electricity rates, soaring above its peers [Tampa Bay Times]
Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric and Florida Power & Light this week all filed new rate requests, based on their expected costs of fuels used to run their power plants.

› Private nonprofit to take over primary care from health department in Sarasota [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
When Sarasota County leaders learned from the state last spring that they would have to stop offering primary care services at the county health department, they didn’t take the order lying down.