Wednesday's Daily Pulse
With $4 gas, drivers start to scrimp
In a recently released AAA gas report, the average price for regular unleaded gas in Florida was $3.936 a gallon. Jessica Brady, AAA spokeswoman, said prices aren't expected to drop anytime soon. In fact, she said, prices are expected to rise with the summer driving season around the corner. Read more:
» With $4 gas, drivers scrimp
» Gas prices force Florida food truck owner to think creatively
» Gas prices inch closer to $4 a gallon, expected to keep rising
» Check gas prices in your city
Blacks in South Florida suffered most during Great Recession
The Great Recession hit South Florida's blacks disproportionately hard, causing some of the worst employment and income drops in the region. In 2010, after the recession ended, 16.3 percent of blacks were looking for work compared with a 10.1 percent overall unemployment rate in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Economic yearbook:
Treasure Coast economic indicators
This year saw the official opening of facilities for two government-supported enterprises on the "Research Coast" that promise to create several hundred jobs — entertainment producer Digital Domain Holdings and life science institute VGTI Florida. Every silver lining has its cloud, and in St. Lucie, which flew highest in the boom, that's home building. Full story...
 Cracker Boy Boat Works, which operates service yards, has added employees. [Photo: Cracker Boy Boat Works] |
Half plan to use tax refund to pay bills, buy "needs"
Half of Americans told pollsters that they plan to spend their income tax refund on bills or other expenses -- and South Florida financial planners say they are on the right track. "You want to pay off debt to get out of debt," said Plantation financial planner Ben Tobias. "That's the first rule." [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Live Chat: Trends in Florida real estate
Florida Trend's web chat on trends in Florida real estate begins this morning at 11:00. This is your chance to discuss all things real estate with Florida Trend's South Florida editor Mike Vogel and two experts:
- Dr. John Tuccillo, Florida Realtors Chief Economist
- Lewis M. Goodkin, Real Estate Analyst, President of Goodkin Consulting
Submit your questions now and come back at 11:00 to participate live or any time after the chat for a full transcript of the discussion.
See Mike Vogel's series on housing in Florida:
» The Rise and Fall of the House on 96th Street
» A return to standard mortgages
» Real Estate Price Points
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Nelson blames speculators for high gas prices [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson blames speculators for driving up gas prices, and he blasted federal regulators on Tuesday for failing to rein in speculation. The price spike has set off a lot of finger-pointing in Congress. Nelson, a Democrat from Florida, is pointing at speculators and Gary Gensler, chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
› Sarasota loses overnight mail delivery under Postal Service plan [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
For the first time in 40 years, the national and local cost-cutting plan would mean customers would lose the overnight delivery they have become accustomed to, delaying for two to three days delivery of things like medications, bill payments and Netflix DVDs.
› WellCare Health Plans whistleblower to receive $21 million [Tampa Bay Times]
Whistleblower Sean Hellein will receive nearly $21 million for triggering a successful federal probe into Medicare and Medicaid fraud at his former Tampa employer, WellCare Health Plans.
› Miami Jai-Alai defaults on expansion loan [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Miami Jai-Alai's operator Florida Gaming Corp has defaulted on the $87 million loan it received to expand Miami Jai-Alai, the company said in its annual report filed with regulators.
The company had net losses for 2011 and 2010 of $21.76 million and $4.84 million, respectively, according to the annual report.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› City of St. Petersburg wins $10.4 million verdict against big bank [Tampa Bay Times]
In a major victory for St. Petersburg, a federal jury ruled Tuesday that Wachovia Global Securities breached its contract and owes the city $10.4 million for failing to notify it sooner of an investment going bad.
› Discovery en Espanol posts strong quarter [Miami Herald]
Spanish network Discovery en Español posted its best quarter on record in prime time among Hispanic households and viewers aged 18-49.
The Miami-based Discovery en Español captured the No. 1 ranking at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. These increases are attributed to top performing series in the 10 p.m. time slot, which drew 2.4 million viewers throughout the quarter.
› Researchers use game to change how scientists study disease outbreaks [UF News]
It may seem like a macabre game of tag, but it’s actually an innovative tool for teaching the fundamentals of epidemiology — the science of how infectious diseases move through a population.
University of Florida biologist Juliet Pulliam is among an international team of scientists who teach a workshop annually in South Africa that helps epidemiologists improve mathematical models they use to study outbreaks of diseases like cholera, AIDS and malaria.
› Florida, other states target retail tax-cheating software [AP]
Cash-strapped state governments that are searching every crevice for money have found a new target: computer programs that enable businesses to keep two sets of books simply by plugging a flash drive into their cash registers.
› Jupiter boy, 13, wins NASCAR driver’s first go-karting scholarship [Palm Beach Post]
A Jupiter boy has been awarded the first AJ Allmendinger Karting Scholarship, created to help propel young racers into motorsports careers.
Kyle Kirkwood, 13, has already won several championships throughout Florida and the United States, and 2012 marks his first year of junior-level competition. He currently competes in the Florida Winter Tour.
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