Halloween scares up big business for Florida stores

No matter the size of the store, Halloween scares up big business for retailers. The Florida Retail Federation is projecting record-breaking sales this year, with the average customer spending just over $86 compared with almost $83 last year. Nationally, Halloween spending is expected to reach an all-time high of over $9.1 billion dollars. [Source: Daytona Beach News Journal]

Why the tropics bear watching this November

With sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean as much as 5 degrees above normal in late October, hurricane experts warned that 2017’s fertile Atlantic hurricane season may extend into Thanksgiving. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

Giant robots can pick strawberries. What does that mean for humans?

The robots have arrived. And they'll be picking crops in Florida fields soon. Robots can do things humans can't. They can pick all through the night. They can measure weight better. They can pack boxes more efficiently. They don't take sick days, they don't have visa problems. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Weirdness returns to Key West after Hurricane Irma

Fantasy Fest - one of Key West's major tourist draws of the year - is in full swing. And that's a relief for Florida Keys business owners trying to weather the economic storm that hit after Hurricane Irma battered the middle stretch of the tourism-dependent island chain. More from the AP and the Miami Herald.

Cuba announces new measures to make travel to the island easier for Cuban Americans

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez announced a series of measures Saturday that could ease travel to the island for Cuban Americans. As of Jan. 1, those born in Cuba but living abroad will no longer need a habilitación (qualification) stamp in their passports before they can travel to the island. [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Brevard Sheriff Ivey bets big on social media to fight crime [Florida Today]
When it comes to using social media to fight crime and promote the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, nobody outguns or outspends Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

› Florida Chamber of Commerce urges congressional delegation to find DACA solution [Miami Herald]
The Florida Chamber of Commerce called on federal legislators earlier this month to find a solution to the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, citing the economic damage of lost workers and business should recipients of the program lose their ability to work and study in the country.

› Kelly Slater to bring man-made waves, surf ranch to Florida [AP]
Surfing legend Kelly Slater is building a man-made wave park in Florida. Palm Beach County officials recently greenlighted the surf ranch in his home state.

› Orlando firm puts augmented reality to educational test [Orlando Sentinel]
Alfred Espidol had a tough time reading and writing while growing up with dyslexia, with his parents spending thousands of dollars on special classes to help him learn how to read. Now 26, the tech entrepreneur works in augmented reality and hopes to help others learn to read.

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› Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2017: Yachts trigger high tide of cash business [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
You see them lining Fort Lauderdale’s many canals, puttering up the New River and dry docked on Marina Mile: graceful behemoths, the pinnacle of the maritime world with the most lavish, high-end amenities and systems on board.

› Florida Democrats hope Trump factor boosts them in 2018 [AP]
Florida Democrats are counting on Republican President Donald Trump to drive voter turnout for their candidates in a critical 2018 election year.

› Tech Data spending $156 million to buy its buildings [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa Bay's largest public corporation by revenues, Clearwater's Tech Data Corp., has decided to stop leasing its headquarters and some other properties across the country and will buy them instead.

› Hurricanes make Central Florida housing shortage worse [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando theme-park worker Daisy Hernandez was struggling to find an affordable rental even before Hurricane Irma squeezed Central Florida housing options and Hurricane Maria pushed Puerto Ricans to the mainland.