Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 4/27/2016

Nasa astronauts prepare for flight on commercial spacecraft

Five years after the last NASA astronauts flew from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the International Space Station, a new group is preparing for a trip, this time on a private spacecraft. The cost for a ride on a private, American-operated spacecraft will be $58 million, cheaper than Russia's $76 million per ride, according to NASA. More from the AP.

Home prices rising more slowly

Home prices aren't rising as fast as last year, according to the closely watched S&P/Case Shiller home price index. Housing analysts across the country say the Case-Shiller index is one of the best measures of home values because it tracks the price of the same house over time. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Amazon launches Prime Now two-hour delivery service in Tampa Bay

Amazon has announced that some Tampa Bay residents can now get deliveries shipped for free to their door within two hours through the online retailer's Prime Now service. Tampa is the second market in Florida to get the Prime Now service after Miami. About two dozen other metro areas around the country have the service. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Retiree benefits could strain local government finances

There’s a bill in the mail for many county and city governments for retirees health care benefits, and it is more than $7 billion. According to the LeRoy Collins Institute in Tallahassee, Florida cities and counties have approximately $7.5 billion in unfunded liabilities associated with retiree health care benefits. More from the Tallahassee Democrat and see the full report here.

Zika presence in Americas older than previously thought

The Zika virus was present in Haiti several months before the first Zika cases were identified in Brazil in March last year, new research from the University of Florida has found. “We know that the virus was present in Haiti in December of 2014,” said Dr. Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine and the director of UF’s Emerging Pathogens Institute. “And, based on molecular studies, it may have been present in Haiti even before that date.” See the full story here, also read more at the Business Standard.

Sports Business
New title sponsor for Orlando Citrus Bowl

The Citrus Bowl is getting a new name. Camping World, a Kentucky-based company that specializes in recreational vehicles, has reached a long-term agreement for the naming rights to the venue, which will now be called the Camping World Stadium.

» Full statement is here. Also read more at the Orlando Sentinel.

Business Profile
Lawn and Order

It didn’t take long for Spencer Marble to start his own business in lawn maintenance after moving to North St. Johns County from Brighton, Mich., over a year ago. For the 18-year-old Marble, what many high school students look at as a side hobby that earns a little money was turned into a business operation that now has over 50 customers.