Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 5/8/2015

Unemployment at lowest level since May 2008

Payrolls rebounded in April following an even bigger setback a month earlier than previously estimated, a sign companies are confident the U.S. economy will reboot after stagnating early this year. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent. More at Bloomberg, the AP, and NPR.

Providing entrepreneurial guidance for disabled veterans

Disabled U.S. veterans will again descend on the University of Florida’s campus for the second annual Veterans Entrepreneurship Program beginning Saturday. The VEP, sponsored by the Warrington College of Business Administration’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, assists veterans interested in starting a business or who already own one. More at UF News.

SeaWorld has strong first quarter but warns of challenges ahead

Out of the Box
How social media can make sharks seem less scary

Great white shark Mary Lee, tracked off the coast of Maryland Wednesday morning, is one of at least 40 sharks that nonprofit research group OCEARCH tracks.

Their goal is to use technology and social media to both generate better data about sharks, and promote understanding and dispel fear of the ocean predator.

» More at the Christian Science Monitor

SeaWorld Entertainment beat Wall Street's expectations for its first-quarter earnings Thursday but said that challenges remain for the theme-park company as it tries to repair damage from the anti-captivity documentary "Blackfish." More at the Orlando Sentinel.

FPL holds annual hurricane drill

Hurricane Falcon — a computer-simulated, Category 3 hurricane — made landfall in North Miami on Thursday as Florida Power & Light held its annual storm drill. During the drill, the company tested new technology that executives say will lead to a faster and more coordinated responses to emergencies during hurricane season. More at the Miami Herald.

One Spark 2015 crowdfunding generates over $100,000 in contributions for creators

While the six-day festival that ended April 12 drew about 320,500 people downtown, the funding continued until Thursday and those crowds demonstrated their approval with money. Total crowdfunding contributions amounted to $104,096.50, said One Spark spokeswoman Meredith Johnson. More at the Florida Times-Union.

Career Planning
How to Quit Your Job Without Burning Bridges

Who hasn’t fantasized about walking into the boss’s office, saying: “I quit!” and then marching straight out the door? The rational side of you knows, of course, that that’s the wrong way to resign from a job. But what is the right approach? Who should you tell first? How much notice should you give? And how honest should you be about your reasons for leaving?