Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Thursday's Daily Pulse

Florida reacts to final presidential debate

The third and last presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The stakes were high for both candidates as they debated debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and "fitness to be president."

Florida Primary 2016

See a roundup of debate reaction and analysis from politicians and citizens in Florida:

» Southwest Florida reacts to final presidential debate
» Central Florida residents weigh in on final debate
» Divided States: Florida Voters Roundtable
» Quick takes: What Tampa Bay Times editorial writers and columnists thought of the final presidential debate
» Election rigged? This could be Florida's fairest yet
» Winners and losers from the final presidential debate

Zika updates: New cases in Miami Beach; Zika virus found in donated blood in Florida

Despite increased surveillance, spraying, and testing, Florida is still experiencing signs of widening Zika virus transmission. From the Florida Department of Health, 10/19/2016: "There are two new non-travel related cases today. Both are in Miami-Dade County and are linked to the Miami Beach investigation." More alarming though, is that blood donated in Florida has tested positive for the Zika virus. CBS12 reports:

U.S. Health officials have confirmed a few units of donated blood in Florida have tested positive for the Zika virus. The FDA would not say exactly how many units tested positive, or when and specifically where in Florida those donations were collected. We do know that the blood did not make it's way into the donation supply.

Read more updates from the Florida Department of Agriculture, here. Also read more at CIDRAP

See also:
» U.S. health officials create color-coded Zika zones in Florida

Florida sees surge in new voters after week-long registration extension

The extra week of voter registration in Florida has produced nearly 37,000 new voters and the surge will continue in the coming days as the state sets an all-time record for the total number of voters. [Source: Times/Herald]

Florida student loan debt falls, bucking national trend

Student-loan debt decreased in Florida in 2015, even as the national debt load for new college graduates increased, according to a new national report released this week. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Virgin Cruises sets sail under new moniker "Virgin Voyages"

Virgin Voyages' first ship will arrive at PortMiami in 2020, hosting more than 2,700 sailors and 1,150 crew members. Virgin Voyages is the first major cruise line to partner with Climeon, a world-renowned clean energy innovator. [Source: Florida Trend]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› ‘Ballers’ will stay in South Florida, but with a catch
“Ballers,” the HBO football comedy that is set in Miami and stars Dwayne Johnson as a former linebacker-turned-financial adviser, won’t be leaving South Florida despite the lack of state-funded tax incentives.

› Land sale helps boost Orlando-based Tupperware profits
Tupperware Brands continued to capitalize on emerging markets and selling local property to boost sales and earnings in the third quarter.

› State seeks ways to build Miami River freight capacity
A state-sponsored study of using multiple modes of transportation to ease congestion and support freight transit along the booming Miami River launched Monday. The objective is to target viable ways to improve intermodal freight movement.

› Florida International Air Show returns in force
In 2013, USA Today rated the Florida International Air Show as one of the top 10 best air shows around the world. By 2015, there was no more air show, to the dismay of thousands of fans.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Law firm goes against grain, moves HQ to Miami's Wynwood
Law firms are synonymous with offices in downtowns and regal-looking buildings, but AXS Law Group has gone against the grain by moving its headquarters to Miami’s Wynwood Arts District.

› South Florida leaders gather to discuss how to expand middle class
South Florida leaders got together this week to come up with ideas to "build, elevate and sustain" the middle class. A big task, but one that's not impossible, they say.

› The murky politics of overhauling Florida’s voter registration data
There might be a solution to Florida’s perennial double-voting problem — but it comes with its own set of costs.

› Panel Setting Bandwidth For Florida Telehealth
Protecting sensitive medical records from hackers, licensing out-of-state doctors, policing Medicaid fraud. Those are just a few issues Florida’s Telehealth Advisory Council is about to tackle.