May 19, 2024
Feature
Northwest Florida's economic forecast for 2024
In the fall of 2018, Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City was devastated by a direct hit from Hurricane Michael. The Category 5 storm severely damaged 484 buildings on the base, a major pilot training facility.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Targeting Skin Cancer
If you've ever spent time in a dermatologist's office in Florida, then it may feel as if skin cancer removal is practically routine in the Sunshine State.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
New in Cancer Care
Diffuse midline gliomas, also known as diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, are aggressive tumors that occur in the brainstem and each year affect about 300 children — most of them between the ages of 5 and 9. The tumors are difficult to treat because chemotherapy has a hard time penetrating the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from toxins and pathogens.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Occupational Hazard
Once upon a time, having a dirty firefighting uniform was like a badge of honor. It meant you'd seen some heavy action.
“In the past, the dirtier your gear, the dirtier your helmet, it was like a trophy,” recalls Longboat Key Fire Chief Paul Dezzi. “Now you clean it all up to make sure you're not breathing that stuff in.”
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Diversifying Cancer Research
Black men face a far greater risk of getting prostate cancer than whites, and they suffer higher mortality rates. Yet, clinical trials for new treatments disproportionately involve white men. Similarly, Black women are more susceptible to dying from triple negative breast cancer than whites, but clinical trials do not represent this.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Mind-Body Healing
Memorial Cancer Institute in Pembroke Pines offers yoga, acupuncture and other mind-body techniques to improve the quality of life of patients with cancer.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Pinpoint Accuracy
Baptist Health Care is treating patients with high-energy X-rays that destroy cancer while sparing healthy cells.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Northeast Florida's economic forecast for 2024
“In the nonprofit sector at large, I see a huge demand for financial talent. That's probably explained by the fact that people with financial expertise are in huge demand in the for-profit space, which compensates at a higher level. It also plays out in issues like non-profits not being able to find auditors to carry out financial audits for them, despite being willing to pay market rates, because audit firms simply do not have the people to carry out all the audits being demanded of them."
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Central Florida's economic forecast for 2024
The Orlando Magic's planned sports and entertainment district is moving forward with the addition of two developers experienced in sports-related venues. San Francisco-based JMA Ventures and Houston-based Machete Group have joined the effort to create a downtown Orlando entertainment district next to the Amway Center, home to the NBA franchise.
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Southeast Florida's economic forecast for 2024
“FHG is a service maintenance company specializing in diesel engines for the superyacht industry, commercial shipping industry and government. We basically do inboard engine overhauls. We've built the company as a concierge complete engine service. It's the most expensive piece of equipment on board and the biggest liability. We do wastewater treatment systems, electrical, hydraulic, generators. A lot of it is supporting OEMs."
Read more »
Published on 1/31/2024
Miami's economic forecast for 2024
“As we look ahead to 2024, we believe rates will stabilize and that the Federal Reserve will gradually ease rates to sustain economic growth. We anticipate that Florida's economy will remain strong and that residents, businesses, and domestic and international capital will continue flowing into the state."
Read more »
Published on 1/30/2024
Insurance Burdens
Justine Johnson, 35, moved into her three-bedroom, two-bath home in Vero Beach in 2020 through Habitat for Humanity. A single mother, she works in medical billing and has two children, ages 6 and 1.
Read more »
Published on 1/23/2024
On the Table in Tallahassee
Food insecurity is defined as lacking access to sufficient food for a healthy, active lifestyle. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of food insecurity in Florida had been going down consistently — dropping from 16.2% in 2020 to 10.6% in 2020, according to the state Department of Health.
Read more »
Published on 1/23/2024
Working Toward a Dream
Sharisse Brantley, 29, and her husband, Breun, 32, are the parents of three young children. She is a childcare professional with a college degree, taking care of infants and toddlers at the nonprofit Jack & Jill Early Childhood Learning in Fort Lauderdale, which serves working families earning modest wages. He is an entrepreneur and musician who runs a DJ and entertainment business, Profound Sound Productions, playing parties and events throughout South Florida.
Read more »
Published on 1/22/2024
The Reluctant Developer
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay sometimes feels like he's running “a training ground for police.” Young recruits come to work in the Florida Keys, but too many leave for other jurisdictions after a few years, unable to afford a place to live even with salaries starting at $58,689.
Read more »
Published on 1/22/2024
Barely Getting By
The headlines for Florida's economy have been sunny and bright: Hundreds of people move here every day, drawn by a business-friendly environment and a vibrant lifestyle. The unemployment rate is at historic lows, below 3%. Every hour Florida gains an additional $4.48 million in net income as wealthy people from the Northeast, Midwest and even California arrive, the Internal Revenue Service reports.
Read more »
Published on 1/19/2024
Florida Icon: Annetta Wilson
President of Speak With Ease, a Florida company specializing in communication skills for executives; former prime time television anchor in Central Florida, Lake Mary; age 66.
Read more »
Published on 1/11/2024
Game On
Kyle Morrand's game development studio is using augmented reality, virtual reality and other technologies to solve real world problems across a range of industries.
Read more »
Published on 1/10/2024
Shredding Jobs
Taylor County and city of Perry officials are scrambling to find a buyer for the Georgia-Pacific paper mill that abruptly closed in September eliminating approximately 525 jobs. Known as the Foley Cellulose mill, the paper manufacturer near Perry was the largest single employer in Taylor County.
Read more »
Published on 12/31/2023
Monitoring Indoor Crops
Despite its promise, the vertical farming industry is facing a range of challenges. While indoor farms don't have to contend with weeds, pests and unpredictable weather conditions, the industry lacks the technology needed to maximize smaller footprints because of outsized power demands. That's making it difficult to turn a profit while scaling smaller operations upward.
Read more »
Published on 12/31/2023
Shells for Shorelines
Tampa Bay Watch, a non-profit focused on marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary, is launching Shells for Shorelines, a recycling program that turns discarded oyster shells from restaurants into reefs.
Read more »
Published on 12/31/2023
Branching Out
UF Health ushered in a big change to Northeast Florida health care when it completed its acquisition of Flagler Health+ in early September.
Read more »
Published on 12/31/2023
A Hospital Reborn
This month, Memorial Healthcare, the south Broward public health district, marks significant progress in its $88-million renovation of 70-year-old Memorial Regional Hospital, the system's flagship hospital.
Read more »
Published on 12/31/2023
Historic Expansion
Pensacola-based Baptist Health Care's new $650-million hospital campus opened in late September. It is the largest single capital investment in a health care facility in Northwest Florida history.
Read more »
Published on 12/29/2023
Emergency Upgrade
Emergency departments often serve as something of a front door for a hospital. They represent the first impression and experience that many patients will have with the institution.
Read more »
Published on 12/21/2023
