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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida retailers expect record breaking Mother’s Day in 2017
According to the Florida Retail Federation (FRF), consumers will spend more than ever on gifts for Mother’s Day this year, reaching $23.6 billion. Mother’s Day shoppers will spend a whopping $186.39 on average this year, up from last year’s $172.22 average. Full story from the Florida Retail Federation, here. Also read more at Florida Politics.
Column: Tourism is working on the Space Coast
In 2016, the Space Coast had a 7 percent increase in room demand and a 15 percent increase in tourist development tax collection. And that momentum has continued into 2017. More from Florida Today.
Orlando tops for first-time home buyers, report says
The Metro Orlando area led the nation as the “best” market for first-time home buyers in March, according to a new report by Zillow. The news flash might come as a surprise to first-timers who have been scouring a market stretched thin on listing. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Jacksonville-based Winn-Dixie quietly closing stores
Winn-Dixie has quietly closed or decided to close 19 stores throughout the Southeast so far this year. The company hasn’t announced the closings, only confirming when asked by the media about a specific store. More from the Florida Times-Union.
UCF breaks ground on downtown Orlando campus
The University of Central Florida and Valencia College broke ground Thursday morning on its downtown Orlando campus in Parramore. The campus is being built in the the city's new Creative Village, a series of projects that will take up several blocks west of Interstate 4 close to where the Amway Arena once stood. Read the story from UCF Today, here. Also read more at from WFTV and UCF Today.
Profile
The Loop
Since debuting more than 35 years ago, The Loop Pizza Grill has grown to include 10 locations across Jacksonville and four in North Carolina. Now, Mike and Terry Schneider, the former husband and wife who opened the San Marco Square restaurant in 1981, are back in expansion mode.
» More from the Florida Times-Union.
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Alex Sink
Former banker and gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink opens up about life without her husband Bill McBride and other topics … “My mother was a perfectionist. Growing up, everything had to be perfect. That's not so good. I didn’t raise my children that way.”
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