Florida gives payday lenders a boost

Florida eased restrictions on payday lending, allowing companies to make bigger, longer loans in a move aimed at bypassing a federal rule that clamps down on the industry. Gov. Rick Scott signed the change into law Monday after state lawmakers passed legislation earlier this month with bipartisan support, a result attributed in part to intense industry lobbying. More from the Wall Street Journal and the AP.

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Florida Trend Profile
Squeeze Play: Tampa company uses its presses to squeeze marijuana

In the 1930s, the first of Vincent Corp.’s screw presses helped make cattle feed by squeezing liquid from peels left over after making orange juice. The presses today do much the same job — squeezing just about anything nearly dry — but the materials they press have evolved well beyond citrus waste. Full story here (part of a business news roundup for Southwest Florida).

Opinion: CRC proposal is a threat to tobacco prevention in Florida

Florida now has the lowest adult smoking rate the state has ever seen, and one of the lowest high school smoking rates in the nation. But the state’s highly successful tobacco prevention efforts face an imminent threat: Constitution Revision Commission Proposal 94. [Source: Tallahassee Democrat]

Will Brazil become a space exploration hub?

Will fuel savings be enough to convince space companies to shift their business south from Florida to Brazil? Maybe not, if that were the only advantage. But there are other advantages to launching close to the equator on top of simple fuel savings. Aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, along with small-rocket builder Vector, have expressed interest in launching from an old rocket complex on Brazil's Atlantic coast. More from the Motley Fool and CNBC.

Southern District of Florida primed to be first to tackle digital currency issues

After $400 billion vanished, lawsuits quickly filled the void, including two class actions filed in the Southern District of Florida. These cases present the Southern District of Florida with an opportunity to serve as the first federal court to publish decisions on digital currency issues, including whether these currencies are securities, commodities, or an altogether new class of assets. [Source: Daily Business Review]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Sanford coffee shop helps battle human trafficking [Orlando Sentinel]
Palate Coffee, a sunny little space on West Second Street, is a way to raise awareness and money. No one here is paid a salary. Instead, more than $36,000 worth of food, coffee, clothes, hygiene necessities and cash have been donated to victims and at-risk women and children so far.

› Former Savtira CEO Timothy Roberts given 6.5 years in prison [Tampa Bay Times]
The long saga of the now-defunct Savtira Corp. may be finally over. Timothy Roberts, former CEO of the once-Tampa Bay tech darling, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in federal prison Friday.

› Growers optimistic for Florida peach crop [The Packer]
Florida peach growers see interest in their fruit increasing and anticipate a strong crop this spring. The peaches have gotten their recommended chill hours, and quality is looking good.

› ‘Antiques Roadshow’ to film at Ca’ d’Zan in Sarasota [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
“Antiques Roadshow” has announced the filming location for its visit to Sarasota next month. The PBS series, where appraisers judge the value of locals’ antiques, will come to Ca’ d’Zan at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art on April 12. The Sarasota stop is part of a five-city tour that will film at historic locations.

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› UWF touts Gulf Coast's cybersecurity achievements in Washington, DC [Pensacola News-Journal]
The Gulf Coast is becoming one of the country's premier areas for cybersecurity training, and local industry leaders were invited to Washington, D.C., last week to spread the word.

› Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward opens second phase of $50 million fund drive [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County says it is halfway toward reaching a goal of raising $50 million for its Great Futures campaign, after businesses contributed millions toward improvements to existing facilities, the construction of 10 new teen centers and enhancements for an array of programs.

› Southwest Florida credit unions earn top marks [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
One of Southwest Florida’s credit unions was upgraded in the latest ratings by analyst BauerFinancial Inc. Manatee Community Federal Credit Union improved from four stars, or “excellent,” to five stars, or “superior,” in Bauer’s latest report card, which was based on Dec. 31 financial data.

› Vinik-Cascade partnership looking at port-owned lot for another piece of Water Street Tampa [Tampa Bay Times]
A company controlled by the Jeff Vinik-Cascade Investment partnership is poised to gain control of another 3.4 waterfront acres just west of Channelside Bay Plaza for its massive Water Street Tampa redevelopment project.