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Friday's Afternoon Update

Retailers kick off online holiday deals early

Facing the shortest holiday season in years, retailers are preparing to assail customers with deals and promotions before they have even digested their Halloween candy. This year, because Thanksgiving falls on November 28, there are six fewer shopping days until Christmas, prompting many retailers to jump the gun on incentives. Wal-Mart Stores Inc kicked off their online deals today, a month earlier than usual. More at Reuters.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT


It's surprising the amount of stuff that's being manufactured in the Sunshine State. We found Floridians making everything from bottle caps and handmade knives to fishing reels and personal submarines. Among the profiles:
Triton Submarines’ core market is the superyacht owner in search of the ultimate water toy. The submersibles, which can take a year or more to make, are maneuvered with joysticks and can venture from 1,000 to 5,500 feet beneath the surface... Story continues here.

Fighting chronic absenteeism in some South Florida schools is top priority for officials

Broward County has created a new truancy court to help crack down on parents who aren’t getting their children to school. This year, the battle against chronic absenteeism is a top priority at many schools across south Florida. That’s because nearly 70,000 kids each missed 21 days of class, or more last year. [Source: NBC Miami]

Florida's premature birth rate goes up, earning 'D' from March of Dimes

While the nation's premature birth rate continued to decline last year, Florida's rate rose for the first time since 2008, earning the state a "D" on a new March of Dimes report card. About 13.7 percent of Florida births occurred before the mothers' 37th week of pregnancy, putting those babies at significantly higher risk of disability or death, the report says. The national rate dropped to 11.5 percent, a 15-year low. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

» FRIDAY PREVIEW: Coming next week to FloridaTrend.com:

  • Icon: W. George Allen: Attorney, in 1962 became the first African-American graduate of the University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale; age 77
  • Green Trends in Florida: We look at Florida PACE funding agencies. We also answer the question: How long does it take to break even after installing solar energy devices at your home or business?
  • Lee County Community Portrait: A look at the business communities of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and Sanibel with key companies and people to know.
  • Free Falling: Florida business executives (who also skydive) are profiled.

» You'll find all these stories first on the Daily and Afternoon Pulse e-mails.

Tranquility is a Florida Beach
But which is the "most tranquil?"


"Dr. Beach," aka Stephen Leatherman, professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University, Miami, is assisting USAToday in selecting the most tranquil beach in Florida. The east coast - west coast smackdown is between these two:

East coast: Anastasia State Park
With 1,600 acres, more than four miles of beach, plus a tidal salt marsh, Anastasia State Park is a heavyweight contender.

West coast: Don Pedro Island State Park
At 230 acres Don Pedro Island State Park, part of a chain of barrier islands off the Gulf Coast, has the charms of an off-the-beaten-path challenger. Situated between Knight Island and Little Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro can be reached only by the year-round ferry

» Vote for your fave here