Tuesday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 10/31/2017

Manafort indictment alleges scheme partially played out in Florida

The indictment of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort underscored a truth all locals know: There’s always a Florida connection. In this case, federal prosecutors allege Manafort laundered money through companies incorporated in Florida and then used some of it to make purchases from Florida businesses. More from the Daily Business Review, the Palm Beach Post, the Miami Herald, and CBS 12.

Florida job growth proposals top $500 million

In the four months since the state created an $85 million pool of money for economic development, more than 160 requests topping $500 million have poured in from local governments, schools and business groups. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Puerto Rico Governor says aid from Florida will be ‘critical’ after Whitefish deal scuttled

Puerto Rico is calling on some old friends in the wake of the Whitefish Energy deal debacle. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló told NBC News on Monday that “mutual aid agreements” with the states of New York and Florida "are going to be critical" in ongoing efforts to restore power to the hurricane-ravaged island. [Source: NBC News]

Lennar to become biggest home builder in the U.S.

The Miami-based Lennar Corp., the second-largest home construction company in the U.S., is set to take over the No. 1 spot. Lennar and Virginia-based CalAtlantic Group announced a $9.3 billion merger that would give the new company a top-three position in 24 of the largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. [Source: Miami Herald]

Gov. Rick Scott seeks $50M to speed up dike construction

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says he will ask the Legislature for $50 million to speed up construction of the dike that's around Lake Okeechobee. Scott said Monday that the money would help complete the joint state and federal project by 2022 instead of 2025. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Sarasota ranks high on Best Small City list [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
WalletHub, the personal-finance website that seems determined to measure everything, rates Sarasota high on its list of “Best Small Cities in America.”

› Who said bookstores are dying? This iconic Florida chain is expanding. Again. [Miami Herald]
Anyone who insists the bricks-and mortar bookshop is dying ought to think again. At least in Miami, of all places. Books & Books, the iconic local indie chain, is expanding yet again — to suburban Pinecrest and, at long last, to Coconut Grove.

› The Villages, Lakewood Ranch among top-selling U.S. master planned communities [Tampa Bay Times]
When it comes to living in a master planned community, Florida is the most popular place to be. The Sunshine State accounted for four of the five top-selling communities as of the middle of 2017, Cushman & Wakefield reports.

› University of Florida study: Consumers drawn to red labels [AG Daily]
Consumers are stopping at the sight of red labels in the grocery store, according to a new study led by a University of Florida researcher. The study showed that red helps maintain consumers’ attention to labels on packages of strawberries.

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