Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 10/24/2018

Florida women inch toward closing pay gap, but still a long way to go

Data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Florida women last year had median weekly earnings of $726, or 87.9 percent of the $826 median weekly earnings of their male counterparts. That’s up less than one percentage point (0.8) from 2016. In Florida, that ratio has ranged from a low of 76.3 percent in 2000 to the current high. More from the Tampa Bay Times. and see the full report from the BLS here.

Slice of South Florida population that lacks a bank account grows

The percentage of South Florida households without a bank account— the so-called unbanked — rose in 2017 even as the national percentage fell last year, a new government survey shows. A full 8 percent of households in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach metropolitan area were unbanked. More from the Miami Herald.

Despite falling sales, Tupperware stock price takes off

Tupperware sales fell 10 percent in the third quarter from a year ago, but investors flocked to the Kissimmee-based company Wednesday after it beat analysts’ expectations for earnings. Tupperware Brands sales dropped 10 percent in U.S. dollars to $485.8 million and 2 percent in local currencies between July and September. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Business owners raise concerns over Venice roadwork delays

Downtown business owners expressed frustration with delays in the reconstruction of Venice, Miami and Tampa avenues Tuesday, as City Engineer Kathleen Weeden updated the Venice City Council on the $8.3 million project’s progress. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Miami-Dade County chases new sponsor for what’s now AmericanAirlines Arena

The home of the Miami Heat may have a new name after more than two decades, as Miami-Dade commissioners Tuesday directed the administration to secure a naming rights sponsor for what in two years may no longer be called AmericanAirlines Arena. More from Miami Today.

Out of the Box
Which candy will Floridians buy the most this Halloween?

Last year, Floridians’ trick-or-treat bowls were leaning toward Skittles. But a more savory — but still sugary — treat has taken over as the Sunshine State’s preferred candy this Halloween. The Snickers bar wins out, according to a recent survey by sweets wholesaler candystore.com. That means the state is expected to buy more than 661,000 pounds of Snickers, according to calculations by the Florida Retail Federation (FRF).

» See the news release from FRFand read more at the Tampa Bay Times.

Natural Resources
Florida pythons never stop eating. That could help them spread to cooler places

Fueled by bountiful swamps that provide a steady supply of marsh rabbits, deer, wading birds and other meals, Burmese pythons in Florida have rapidly adapted to become hardier and more resistant to cold than their Asian cousins, a new study has found. And that supercharged evolution should serve as a warning not just for Florida, but the entire U.S.