Long campaign ends as it began, with Florida too close to call

After dozens of campaign visits and more than $115 million spent on TV ads in Florida, the state is essentially tied, and remains the biggest swing state prize of the election. Florida is exactly where political analysts predicted 18 months ago, 12 months ago and six months ago it would be on the eve of the election. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the St. Augustine Record.

See also:
» What issues are motivating Florida voters?
» Florida: 6 million votes cast amid a push for more
» Florida Supreme Court won't invalidate solar ballot question
» Latino voting surge rattles Trump campaign
» Will 'fair districts' in Florida lead to a fairer outcome?
» 2nd try at medical pot amendment gains support in Florida

Janet Reno, former Miami-Dade state attorney and U.S. attorney general, dies at 78

Janet Reno was a prosecutor, a politician and a pioneer — a brainy South Floridian who grew up barefoot among peacocks and alligators and rose to the highest levels of government as the nation's first female attorney general. Read the full obit from Reuters, here. Also see more at the Times/Herald and the AP.

Related Florida Trend Content
» "Florida Icon" interview with Janet Reno

Cost of necessities has Florida's poor living on a razor's edge

While unemployment and poverty rates have declined over the last five years, 3.1 million Floridians remain trapped in poverty with few ways to get ahead. The poor spend a disproportionate amount of their income on rent, child care, food and other necessities and are more at risk of debt, late fees and predatory loans than higher income people. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Workers from all over U.S. collaborate on Florida screwworm outbreak

Since news broke last month of a New World screwworm outbreak in the Lower Keys, aggressive efforts have been taken to fix the crisis. Behind the scenes are workers from state and federal agencies who have traveled to the Lower Keys from all over the United States. [Source: Keys News]

» Earlier: See the screwworm update from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, here.

Opinion: Enterprise Florida not only needs funding but answers

Gov. Rick Scott plans to ask the 2017 Legislature for $85 million for the state's lead economic development agency. Scott requested $250 million for Enterprise Florida during the previous legislative session, but was rebuffed by the state House. His new request might suffer a similar fate. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› South Florida workforce could improve their skills, CEOs say [Miami Herald]
The U.S. is experiencing a national shortage of skilled construction workers. The Miami Herald asked South Florida business leaders: "In your field, what skills, training, education or professions do you think are hardest to find and hire in South Florida’s workforce?"

› Mississippi firm buys Jacksonville’s Dixie Egg Co. [Florida Times-Union]
Jacksonville’s Dixie Egg Co. has a new owner. Jacques Klempf, whose father founded the company 68 years ago, sold it Cal-Maine Foods, a Mississippi-based company also in the egg business.

› Naples company takes top prize at VentureTech Showcase [Naples Daily News]
Catalyst OrthoScience LLC, which has developed what it describes as a "breakthrough product" for shoulder-replacement surgery, beat out 13 other contenders to be crowned the "best growth stage" company in Florida.

› Software business sold to Milwaukee company, but headquarters staying in Weston [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Weston-based Auction123 has been acquired by Milwaukee, Wis.-based online marketing company ARI Network Services. Auction123, which has 19 employees, will maintain its headquarters in Weston, the acquiring company said.

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› Panama Papers: ‘Secret’ deal for Little Havana pharmacy sparks lawsuit [Miami Herald]
A small piece of a scandal stretching from the halls of power in Buenos Aires to a secretive law firm in Panama City to an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands has wound up in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

› At Fort Lauderdale boat show, small merchants thrive in the shadows of the superyachts [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Plenty of small businesses from South Florida and beyond set up booths each year at Bahia Mar Resort and Yachting Center, Broward County Convention Center and other boat show locations hawking boating-related goods and services.

› Central Florida accelerators help first-time business owners learn ropes [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando's Starter Studio and other local programs like VentureScaleUp that train entrepreneurs on business ownership have hosted dozens of companies during the last several years.

› Trouble in biotech: Years after Jeb Bush tried to kick-start the industry in Florida, has it made much progress? [Tampa Bay Times]
All is not well in Florida's biotech industry, a business whose future as a key player in the Sunshine State remains perilously unclear. The latest controversy is now being played out in Orlando's 650-acre, once highly touted health and life sciences park called "Lake Nona Medical City."