Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

Nearly 2 million Floridians have already voted, with GOP holding slight edge

On Tuesday, the the state Division of Elections said more than 665,000 Republicans have cast ballots compared to more than 658,000 Democrats. Nearly 251,000 voters with no party affiliation have voted. More from the CBSMiami and the AP.

JAXPORT

Views from a crane at JAXPORT. Go to story.

Jaxport sets record for cargo, revenue

A record amount of cargo moved through Jaxport in the past year. During the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the equivalent of 968,279 20-foot containers passed through the port. The previous Jaxport record was 936,972 in 2014. Full story here. Also read more at the Florida Times-Union.

Orlando-based Olive Garden expands online check-in nationwide

By the end of the week, the Orlando-based Italian-style restaurant chain says customers at all of its 843 locations in the United States will be able to go online and put names on wait lists. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

How Florida could increase voter turnout, but isn't

Many states require employers to offer two or three hours off for employees to vote. In some states, those employers only have to offer it if the employee’s shift doesn’t allow time off the clock during polling. Florida has no such provisions. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

The realities of sea-level rise in Miami's low-income communities

Middle- and low-income households tend to be less resilient to shocks such as flooding, and they also run the highest risk of being forgotten in the rush to save the millions of dollars in real-estate investments on the waterfront. More from CityLab.

Workforce Training
Florida Technical College develops workers for in-demand careers

floridaA diverse talent pipeline that responds and even anticipate markets’ demands is a key element for a healthy and prosperous economy. But understanding those needs and preparing skilled workers that will fulfill them isn’t an easy task. It requires constant monitoring of market trends and idiosyncrasies, as well as the ability to adapt and appropriately respond to changes. [Sponsored report] Read the full report here.

Out of the Box
Underwater pumpkin carvers

underwater pumpkins Some of the divers at the International Drive attraction have worked up a skill that includes carving out designs of turtles, sharks and other sea life to create ocean-themed jack-o'-lanterns while submerged in Sea Life's Indian Ocean habitat.

» More from the Orlando Sentinel