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Wednesday's Daily Pulse

Florida Trend Exclusive
The year ahead: Business outlook for 2018

Experts in real estate, retail, tourism, health care and the financial sector weigh in on what 2018 has to hold for the Sunshine State. One expert, Allison Turnbull, Orlando Office Managing Shareholder for Gunster, talks about upcoming trends in real estate. "Industrial is as hot as it can possibly be right now. I think the office market will continue to grow in 2018," Turnbull said. Full report here.

Marijuana legalization advocates look to 2020 for referendum in Florida

Ever since 2016, when 71 percent of Florida voters approved legalized medical marijuana, people have waited to see if marijuana proponents would immediately push for legalization of adult-use marijuana. As both California and Massachusetts begin legalized recreational sales this month, Florida looms as the next big market. [Source: Entrepreneur]

Florida Gov. heads to Louisiana on another jobs trip

Rick Scott is heading back to Louisiana for his latest job recruitment effort. Scott is traveling to the Gulf Coast state this week to try to convince business owners that they should leave Louisiana because Gov. John Bel Edwards has pushed for tax hikes to fill a large budget gap. On Tuesday, Scott sent out a press release titled, "Two years of Louisiana tax increases makes Florida better destination for business." [Source: AP]

How drug lords make billions smuggling gold to Miami for your jewelry and phones

The United States depends on Latin American gold to feed ravenous demand from its jewelry, bullion and electronics industries. The amount of gold going through Miami every year is equal to roughly 2 percent of the market value of the vast U.S. stockpile in Fort Knox. [Source: Miami Herald]

Not just Florida: Tourism big in other states opposing coastal drilling

The Trump administration’s decision last week to exempt Florida from its national offshore drilling plan was based in part on the state’s argument that a spill would cripple its crucial tourism industry. But several other states opposed to oil and gas drilling off their coasts are similarly dependent on tourism. [Source: Reuters]

See also:
» Like Florida, Maryland wants to be exempt from offshore drilling

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› AutoNation to use tax-law savings toward employee benefits
Fort Lauderdale-based AutoNation, the nation’s largest auto retailer, announced Tuesday it plans to use savings from the new tax law toward retirement and cancer benefits for employees. Also read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

› New app makes it easier to find family law forms in Florida
A division of the Florida Supreme Court is making it easier for Floridians to download some legal forms. The Florida Court Help app is now live and gives residents access to legal resources and about a hundred and eighty legal forms. More info, and download the app here.

› Florida Hospital implementing new security measures
Florida Hospital will soon deploy its newest security department employees across its Central Florida campuses: effortlessly-adorable gunpowder-sniffing canines. The dogs are part of the health system’s new three-tiered security force.

› A micro-unit hotel company is bringing tiny condos to Miami
Yotel, the British chain of airport and city hotels known for small, affordable rooms decked out with high-tech, luxury features, is getting into the condo-hotel business — and launching one of its new hybrids in Miami.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

The MoneyShow Orlando
Money Show
The MoneyShow Orlando, February 8-11, is the best place to get 100+ stock, fund and ETF picks directly from the pros to fine tune your strategies for 2018. Hear from financial experts including Larry Kudlow, Ed Yardeni, Dan Fuss and dozens more. And be sure to check out the new Women on Wealth, Market Cap Summit, The All-Stars of Options Trading and The Money, Metals and Mining Symposium events. » Details here.

› Florida gas-price trend swing: AAA now predicts 5 to 10 cent rise
The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular in Florida jumped 5 cents overnight — from $2.45 on Monday to $2.50 on Tuesday. Motorists in some areas of South Florida were startled to see prices at their local stations rise as much as 25 cents a gallon overnight.

› Arizona-based AFI Mortgage opens St. Petersburg branch
AFI Mortgage, a subsidiary of an Arizona-based bank, is opening its first Florida locations in St. Petersburg and Lakeland. Its parent company, AmeriFirst Financial Inc., specializes in mortgages.

› Emeril TV producer fighting subpoena from Florida House
A television producer for one of Emeril Lagasse’s cooking shows is fighting a subpoena to turn over financial records to the Florida House of Representatives. Lawmakers are asking for years of records detailing how the show “Emeril’s Florida” spent millions of dollars it received from the state’s tourism agency.

› Free and low-cost flu shot options in Florida
The Florida Department of Health now says the majority of cases of the recent deadly flu epidemic are originating from nursing homes and long-term care facilities, but schools and day cares are topping the list too.