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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Agriculture, natural resources now 13 percent of all Florida jobs
Direct employment in the agriculture and natural resources sectors accounted for 13.8 percent of all jobs statewide in the latest numbers. Agriculture, natural resources and their related industries account for $155 billion in sales revenue and contributed $127 billion to state gross domestic product in 2014. Full story from IFAS News, here. Also read more at Southeast AgNet.
» Full report: Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Food Industries in Florida
Florida home sales up 8.2% in August
Florida's housing market reported more closed sales, higher median prices, more new listings and fewer all-cash closed sales in August, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. [Source: Builder]
See also:
» Tampa Bay home prices jumped 20 percent in August, more than any metro area in Florida
» South Florida home sales improve in August, except for Miami condos
» Central Florida’s housing market: Sales, median prices up in August 2016
» Southwest home sales reverse 8-month decline, rising 3.8%
» Uptick in home sales for Orlando & Florida follows slump month
» Single-family rentals on the rise in South Florida
Seeking your input:
In our December issue, Florida Trend will highlight software entrepreneurs and innovative startups of all kinds around the state. If you know of a Florida company that has successfully launched an innovative product or service within the past two years, we'd like to hear about it. We're looking for companies that have progressed beyond the idea stage and are actively marketing a product. Email associate editor Amy Martinez by Sept. 30.
Gov. Scott authorizes $25 million in state funds for Zika virus vaccine research
Gov. Rick Scott announced that following the inaction of the federal government to allocate funding to fight Zika, $25 million in state funds will be authorized to support research to develop a vaccine against the Zika virus and enhance Zika testing methods. Full statement from Gov. Scott is here.
Florida still leads the country in mortgage fraud risk
Mortgage fraud rose nationwide as Florida continued its reign as the state with the highest overall risk for unscrupulous activity, according to data released by CoreLogic. Fraud rose year-over-year by 3.9% as of the end of the second quarter. [Source: National Mortgage News]
Pythons breeding, spreading in Florida Keys for the first time, biologists say
For the first time, Florida wildlife officials have found Burmese pythons breeding in the Florida Keys, bad news for disappearing Key Largo woodrats, cotton mouses and other small mammals consumed by the voracious snake. [Source: Miami Herald]
› New Miami-to-Bimini ferry set to launch Friday
Resorts World Bimini is partnering with German ferry operator FRS Group to launch a ferry service between Miami and Bimini in The Bahamas, the companies announced this week.
› Publix finally adopts chipped credit card tech
The Lakeland-based supermarket chain adopted the chip-based debit and credit card payment method in August and is rolling out the technology through the 1,128 store chain.
› Naples chamber hosts attorneys for business succession workshop
The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce presents “Planning for Business Succession: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know,” a lunch meeting from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at chamber headquarters, 2390 Tamiami Trail N.
› 'Project Velo' proposes huge distribution center at Jacksonville's Cecil Commerce Center, would employ 1,200
A proposed distribution center for Jacksonville’s Cecil Commerce Center is expected to create 1,200 jobs, according to city documents. Dubbed “Project Velo,” the facility is proposed to require construction of a 1-million-square-foot building that would house a distribution center.
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