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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Heading south, but stopping short of Florida
Scott and Cinde Woodcock became part of what officials in the mid-South say has become a trend — those initially thinking they would retire to Florida or the Southwest are instead coming to places like the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia. Census data analyzed by the Brookings Institution show that mid-South locations were showing some of the most rapid increases in 65 and older populations. [Source: New York Times]
Florida tomato growers want U.S. trade decision before election
Florida tomato growers want the Obama administration to approve their request to terminate a 16-year-old tomato trade pact with Mexico before the November 6 presidential election, a lawyer for the group said on Tuesday. Florida growers complain the current agreement is outdated and fails to protect them against Mexican tomatoes sold in the United States well below the cost of production. [Source: Reuters]
Health care trends: Capital gains
Tallahassee-based Capital Health Plan is a rare bird in the health world: An HMO that has both held down costs and kept its customers happy. Intensive use of data and technology to track everything from knee surgeries to colon screenings is one of the hallmarks of Capital Health’s operations. Founded in 1982, the firm is part insurer, part provider. Full Story...
Stage is set for showdown on prison privatization in Florida
A long-running push by the administration of Florida Gov. Rick Scott to privatize thousands of prison jobs could soon be headed back to court, marking yet another constitutional clash for the Republican governor. [AP]
Florida credit unions rebound in auto, mortgage lending
Florida credit unions are posting their first quarterly growth in auto loans since 2007 and their first gain in first mortgage loans since 2009, according to a second-quarter report from the League of Southeastern Credit Unions. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Volunteers honor 9/11 victims through service
To recognize the victims and sacrifice on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, volunteers undertook several work projects to beautify a complex that helps veterans and the homeless.
› Six Florida universities make U.S. News rankings
Six Florida universities are among the nation's top institutions of higher education, according U.S. News & World Report. The University of Miami, a private school, is considered the best in Florida. It tied with the University of California–Irvine for the No. 44 spot nationally.
› Port Canaveral cargo takes new twist: Modular homes
The ship Nils B will leave Port Canaveral Wednesday with an unconventional cargo — eight modular homes destined for an indigenous “first nation” community in Labrador on the Atlantic Coast of Canada.
› IRS unveils ID theft program
The IRS has implemented a new pilot program designed to aid law enforcement in obtaining tax return data to help investigate and prosecute specific cases of identity theft. This program is currently limited to coordinated efforts within the state of Florida.
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