The presidential election in Florida: Polls show Cubans matter

Republican nominee Donald Trump may have lost ground Thursday among a crucial voting bloc in the key swing state of Florida after allegations surfaced of illegal business dealings in Cuba in the 1990s. Read more at the International Business Times, Politico and Newsweek.

See also:
» Marco Rubio 'deeply concerned' about possible Donald Trump Cuba business
» Focus turns to early voting in key states
» Democrats distressed about Hillary Clinton's ground game in Florida
» Google prompts a Spanish language spike for ‘register to vote’ — especially in Florida

Business Florida
Economic development contacts in Florida

No matter what part of Florida your business is in, you will want to know where to find help. This list will give you a good head start: economic development contacts by region and county, with addresses, phone numbers and websites.

Hurricane Matthew whips Caribbean Islands as Category 2; too early to tell if it will affect Florida

It wasn't yet clear if the season's latest hurricane would aim toward Florida, but the hurricane center's 5-day forecast track projects the storm will travel west toward the central Caribbean Sea before turning northeast of Jamaica as a hurricane. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Central Florida News.

Florida doctors have mixed opinions about medical marijuana

As Florida voters weigh their decision to create a state-regulated medical marijuana industry, an obvious question emerges: Where do doctors stand on pot? The answer is complicated. The medical establishment dismisses weed as scientifically untested, but some individual doctors are breaking ranks to back Amendment 2. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

Space Florida launches new space tourism campaign

Space Florida wants to make "Vacationauts" out of everyone who visits the Sunshine State. The company created to make Florida a global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce has launched a marketing campaign targeting a new kind of tourism: space tourism. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› No slowdown seen in South Florida's commercial real estate [Miami Herald]
The commercial real estate market outlook for Miami-Dade: Sunny, as long as more mass transit is on the horizon, said industry experts on Thursday at the Building Owners and Managers Association of Miami-Dade’s 2017 Commercial Real Estate Outlook event.

› CEO of Jacksonville-based Stein Mart resigns [News Release]
The Jacksonville-based department store chain announced Thursday that Dawn Robertson submitted her resignation, effective Tuesday. She had held the position for six months.

› Darden shareholders balk at measure to curb antibiotics in meat supply [Orlando Sentinel]
A push to get Orlando-based Darden Restaurants to scrap the routine use of antibiotics in its meat supply chain failed a shareholder vote Thursday.

› Game-changer for student businesses at UF [UF News]
Two student-run companies have acquired high-traffic retail space in the Reitz Student Union for a full academic year. The companies, Atheris Games and Raw Moment Studios, were selected through an innovative business planning competition.

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› Court reverses 2014 judgment against BBX, Alan Levan [News Release]
BBX Capital in Fort Lauderdale said it has won its appeal in an action brought against the company and former chairman Alan Levan by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

› Secret rocket motor fuel company gets Space Florida backing [Florida Politics]
In a deal dubbed “Project Swanson,” Space Florida has agreed Wednesday to front money for $4 million worth of construction and equipment so an undisclosed Canadian company can build a small solid rocket motor fuel manufacturing site in north Brevard County.

› Federal Reserve's Dennis Lockhart tells Florida leaders rate hike coming 'before long' [Tampa Bay Times]
The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta sees the Fed starting to hike interest rates "before long" as the economy continues improving, but also foresees long-term problems ahead without better workplace training.

› Florida businesses brace for workers' comp rate hike [WCTV]
State regulators have approved a 14.5 percent increase in the cost of business insurance to protect injured workers, but the hike will have different impacts on different industries.
» See also: Jeff Atwater urges legislative action to tackle workers’ compensation