Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Consumer confidence in Florida falls in March
Consumer confidence among Floridians fell two points in March to 74, repeating a trend seen last year, according to a monthly University of Florida survey. “The pattern of consumer confidence from December to February was exactly the same as last year,” said Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. “In March 2011 confidence among Floridians fell four points to 72, and then kept falling through August coinciding with a pull-back in spending among Floridians. This month the decline was only two points, but still down.” [Source: UF News]
Related:
» Consumer confidence steady nationally, down a bit in Florida
» Gas prices drive down consumer confidence in March
 A $500,000 home in Orlando. |
 $1,000,000 will buy you this view in Merritt Island on Florida's Space Coast. |
What kind of home can you buy in Florida for $200,000, $500,000 or $1,000,000? This week, Florida Trend will be unveiling interactive galleries of homes. For each community listed, representative homes will be shown that demonstrate what different dollar amounts will currently buy.
» View more Price Points around the state.Tampa companies leaning toward business as usual during RNC
What happens when downtown Tampa's 50,000 workers collide with up to 50,000 Republican National Convention visitors in August? Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and area business leaders want the chance to find out. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Southwest Florida tourism is touting one of it's most successful seasons to date. Still, some business owners fear the season won't stretch due to the unseasonably warm weather across the country. [Source: WINK News]
Legislature sends redistricting map to Supreme Court
The Florida Legislature completed a two-week extra-innings session Tuesday by passing a redrawn map of new Senate districts that was hailed as a marked improvement over the last try struck down by the state Supreme Court. The new map appears to perform slightly less favorably for Republicans than the last effort — although the GOP would likely retain a majority in the 40-seat chamber — and creates slightly more consternation for a handful of Central and South Florida incumbents. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
» The Game of Redistricting
» Party Lines in Redistricting Florida
The Redistricting Game: (click the game board to enlarge)
 Click to Enlarge [Illustration: Jeff Papa] |
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› FPL's Port Everglades plant approved [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The Florida Public Service commission on Tuesday gave the green light for Florida Power & Light to move ahead with its $1.2 billion, more energy-efficient plant at Port Everglades.
As a result, the four red-striped, 350-foot tall smokestacks and two boilers will be removed at the Fort Lauderdale oil-burning power plant.
› Union fights Florida's cuts to probation officers' spot checks [Palm Beach Post]
A state decision to stop most visits by probation officers to the homes or businesses of criminals on probation or community control violates state rules and should be reversed, the union representing corrections officers alleged in an administrative complaint filed Tuesday.
› MindTree to locate center in Gainesville, create 400 jobs [Ocala Star-Banner]
India-based software company MindTree Limited has chosen Gainesville for its U.S. development center with plans to create 400 jobs with an average salary of $80,000.
› Palm Beach County's oldest business sold to New York firm [Palm Beach Post]
Palm Beach County's 119-year-old hardware and supply store Lainhart & Potter was headed to the auction block when a New York company offered to buy it out and keep it true to its lumber yard roots.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Florida Board of Education reviews new proposals for school grading formula
[Miami Herald]
The latest proposals follow major criticism last month over how Florida planned to include English language students and students with disabilities in a new grading formula.
› Robotics teams work together [Ocala Star-Banner]
Rivalry games between Forest and Vanguard high schools are among those most anticipated each year by students and alumni. But earlier this month, a potential rivalry became a mentoring opportunity when Forest's seasoned EMIT students shared their hard-earned tips, tricks and secrets with the newbie Vanguard team during the 2012 Florida Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Orlando.
› Hoda Kotb raves about Jupiter’s Food Shack on NBC’s ‘Today’ [Palm Beach Post]
When Hoda Kotb came to town recently, she and friends dropped in at Food Shack, chef/restaurateur Mike Moir’s madly popular fish joint in Jupiter. Long story short: Hoda fell in love with the place. Back on the set last week, she raved about it to country star Josh Turner and her viewers.
› IRSC gets OK to add 2 more bachelor's degree programs [TCPalm]
Indian River State College's bachelor's-degree program will add business administration and criminal justice to its offerings beginning with the fall semester. The Florida Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved the new programs.
› Pumping company hopes for sunny weather [Lakeland Ledger]
For pilots, the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In is a chance to enjoy a week of excitement in the air. For Ken Palmer and his fuel team at Columbia Air Services, the event is filled with 16-hour days, 20 extra employees, massive debt and hopes for sunny days.
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