2017 hurricane season comes to end but issues linger

Today is the last day of the highly active, deadly and destructive 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, but Floridians will feel its impact for years. The massive hit from Hurricane Irma caused direct physical and emotional impacts in Florida, and ripples continue to come ashore. More from CBS Miami, TBO.com, and UPI.

See also:
» With the hurricane season ending, what's in store for 2018?
» Florida’s Hurricane Irma recovery: The cost, the challenges, the lessons
» So long, 2017 hurricane season, and good riddance
Your turn:
» Biggest take-away from the 2017 hurricane season? (quick poll)

Florida ranks near top of business tax climate rankings

State officials in Florida have something to crow about: the Sunshine State ranks among the Tax Foundation's Top 10 states for business tax climate. Measuring how much tax revenue is generated by state government isn’t an exact science and there are a number of ways to do it. See the story from Florida Watchdog, here, or download the full report (PDF).

Web based system helps Florida strawberry growers ward off deadly pathogens

Strawberry growers in Florida and South Carolina are reaping the benefits of a UF/IFAS web-based system designed to ward off two deadly pathogens, a new University of Florida study shows. [Source: Fresh Plaza]

Florida Trend Business Profile
Waste not: Florida Organic Solutions puts Hurricane Irma's spoils to use

On a typical day, Florida Organic Solutions takes in about 500 cubic yards of yard waste and begins the nine-month process of converting the plant and tree material into nutrient- rich compost. After Hurricane Irma, the Seffner facility started getting 10 times as much yard waste — more than 5,000 cubic yards of debris a day Full story here.

Online job board set up to help employ Puerto Rico evacuees in Florida

A new online job board, LatinoJobsOnline.com, has been established to help Puerto Rico storm evacuees find jobs in Florida following Hurricane Maria. For Robert Newland, president and CEO of Newland Associates Executive Search in Orlando, strong personal ties to the island inspired him to start the initiative. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Forecast: Volusia to be No. 3 hottest housing market [Daytona Beach News-Journal]
A new national report forecasts the “Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach” area will be the third-hottest housing market in the country next year, with sales of existing single-family homes expected to rise 5.5 percent in 2018.

› On Florida coasts, ghost forests serve as stark sign of sea level rise [WLRN]
Among the starkest markers of sea level rise are what scientists describe as ghost forests, coastal thickets left in waste by creeping salt water. Scientists say it’s happening now at a dramatic rate and are working to understand the ramifications for the landscape, wildlife and local community.

› Here’s where bankers see the best chances to grow loans in Florida [Tampa Bay Business Journal]
If the economic recovery in Florida were a baseball game, many of the state’s bankers believe the game is in the middle innings, but there’s a growing number who foresee the recovery drawing to a close.

› Art sales figures may turn around at Art Basel Miami Beach [Miami Today]
Global art sales dwindled for two years, last year totaling about $56.6 billion, down 11% from 2015. However, in June buying picked up, an artwork sold at a record price, and that was all before Art Basel Miami Beach.

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› NASA to reuse SpaceX rocket for next ISS cargo launch [Florida Today]
NASA's next batch of supplies bound for the International Space Station will launch on a used SpaceX rocket, the space agency confirmed Wednesday. The launch from Kennedy Space Center will feature a first-stage Falcon booster that blasted off from the same pad in June.

› Goodwill South Florida makes military uniforms, flags in factory [NBC Miami]
The garment industry is alive and well in South Florida, if you know where to look. Goodwill South Florida runs a huge factory making military uniforms, flags, and much more.

Florida's Movers & Influencers See some of Florida's top executive moves, board appointments, civic accomplishments, and more at Florida Trend's Movers & Influencers. Each profile appears in three places: in a weekly eNewsletter, online at FloridaTrend.com and in a monthly print issue of Florida Trend. Read more here.

› New cruise ship MSC Seaside set for Miami debut [Orlando Sentinel]
The biggest cruise ship debuting in Florida this year is nearly on its way as MSC Cruises took delivery of MSC Seaside at a ceremony in Italy. The new class of ship will begin year-round Caribbean sailing from PortMiami in December.

› Business groups against environmental proposal filed by former Sewall's Point mayor [TCPalm]
An environmental proposal filed by a Treasure Coast resident in the Constitutional Revision Commission has come under fire by two of Florida's largest business interest groups.