Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 11/5/2015

Layoffs down 21 percent in Florida

Florida's employers announced 21 percent fewer layoffs through October this year, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Layoffs totaled 13,426 as of October, down from 17,026 a year ago, the firm said Thursday More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The war for the Senate will be decided in Florida

This year the fight for power in Washington will come down to a magic number: five. That’s how many seats Democrats need to reclaim a majority in the U.S. Senate, whether or not they keep the White House. More at Bloomberg.

Virtual doctor visits offer convenience, lower costs

When you're coming down with a cold, there are a few items you typically reach for to start feeling better: cough drops, herbal tea, maybe an over-the-counter medication. For most of us, though, a smartphone wouldn't top that list. But that may change. More at the AP.

Growth gravitates toward Innovation Square

If you build it, they will come. That’s the idea behind Innovation Square, created by the University of Florida on the former site of the Alachua General Hospital between UF and downtown Gainesville. More at the Gainesville Business Report.

Pay increases at 5-year high in South Florida

Pay is starting to rise more quickly in South Florida. Wages and benefits rose 2.7 percent annually in the third quarter, the most in five years and one of the fastest rates in the country, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Around the State
Disney and the middle class

A report earlier this year in the Washington Post suggested Walt Disney World and other big theme parks have raised prices so steeply over the last 40 years that they have “left the middle class behind.” But reality is much more complicated.

» Access full story.

Luxury Trends
A peek inside the biggest yacht at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

For those who dream big, consider the biggest yacht at this year's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Northern Star stretches nearly 248 feet long. It has six bedrooms to sleep 12 guests, operates with a crew of up to 22 people and carries a price tag of almost $114 million.