Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/21/2018

Florida adds 20,500 jobs in August, unemployment rate unchanged at 3.7 percent

Florida’s jobless rate held steady in August at 3.7 percent, unchanged from July, according to state figures released Friday. That makes this the 11th-straight month with an unemployment rate below 4 percent. The state added 20,500 jobs in August and is up 220,200 jobs over the year. See the data here. Also read more at the Tampa Bay Times, Florida Politics, and the AP.

AAA: After blistering summer, Floridians are eager to get out of town

Floridians are eager to get out of town this fall as a hot summer comes to a close. A survey released Thursday by AAA said 73 percent of Florida residents plan to travel between September and November and the biggest reason has been the state’s steamy weather. See the survey from AAA here. Also read more at the Orlando Sentinel.

Phillip Frost steps down as chairman of financial firm

Phillip Frost has stepped down as chairman of Miami-based financial group Ladenburg Thalmann, a role he has held since 2006, the firm announced late Thursday. Earlier this month, Frost was named in a securities fraud complaint brought by the SEC. Frost has denied the allegations. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Miami’s airport tries therapy dogs to soothe stressed-out travelers

The Alliance of Therapy Dogs has partnered with Miami International Airport in a new Miami Hound Machine program to provide volunteer therapy dogs that will visit MIA during peak travel periods to help de-stress and comfort passengers. More from the Miami Herald.

Sarasota prepping for next wave of toxic red tide destruction

The city has formulated an aggressive plan to clean up the carnage left by toxic red tide should the area experience a noxious resurgence of the bloom, which has granted Southwest Florida a slight reprieve in recent days. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Around the State
Florida Trend regional business roundup for Southeast Florida

Business news for Southeast Florida includes a look at Boca Raton-based VuPulse. VuPulse built a marketing platform that analyzes consumer preferences and speeds consumers via “intelligent customer routing” to their preferred place online to shop. CEO Kevin Hill (photo) says, "We dramatically increase the ad effectiveness."

» More from Florida Trend.

Florida 500
Sandy D' Alemberte: A Florida 500 "Living Legend"

D’Alemberte is one of the most important lawyers in Florida history. He served as dean of the Florida State University College of Law from 1984 to 1989 and then president of the university from 1993 to 2003.