March 29, 2024

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 11/28/2018

Crime rates down across Florida

Across Florida, crime rates are down according to the 2018 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report. According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement representatives, both violent and property crimes were down. They say index crimes of robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft were down while murder and rape increased slightly for the state See the FDLE report here and read more from WJHG and WINK News.

Fort Lauderdale-based Service America canceling contracts, laying off workers as it prepares to close

Fort Lauderdale-based home warranty company Service America is shutting down after 43 years. The decision will result in 161 layoffs and the closure of offices in Fort Lauderdale and Clearwater by Jan. 18, according to a notice filed with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Via Airlines of Central Florida aims to connect with 100 cities across the nation

Irit and Amos Vizer are growing Via from what had been a charter company founded in the late 1990s into a scheduled airline now with a dozen aircraft, nearly 200 employees, major operations at Orlando Sanford International Airport and in Austin, Texas, and 19 routes mainly in the South. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Freshwater may hold key to managing Lake O’s toxic algae, study finds

U.S. Geological Survey scientists tinkering around with freshwater blue-green algae from Lake Okeechobee have made a simple, yet potentially significant discovery: the amount of salty water needed to transform the tiny organisms from benign to toxic as they travel toward busy coasts. More from the Miami Herald.

Perry Ellis founder: ‘It was important to keep the business in Miami’

There are few Miami companies left from the era when George Feldenkreis, who fled Communist Cuba in the 1960s, founded the firm that today is known as Perry Ellis International. What began as an automotive parts import-export business in downtown Miami in 1967 ultimately became a company with nearly $1 billion in revenue and a brand name known the world over. More from the Miami Herald.

Recreation Business
Economic study: Scalloping provides a delicious boost to Hernando County's economy

 In 2017, Hernando County's scalloping business brought a total economic impact of more than $1.1 million, including $413,000 in labor income, $645,800 in sales and 18 jobs, according to the recently released study conducted by several state agencies and programs.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

 

Out of the Box
Publix mosaics from the 1950s see new life

floridaA goddess has been reborn and with her memories of a time when tile artwork adorned the entrances of many Publix stores. Gregory Fancelli, the grandson of Publix Super Markets founder George Jenkins, has unveiled two tile mosaics installed at the entrance to the Polk County Tax Collector’s office — a former Publix building that was one of the first Jenkins designed and built in 1953.

» Read more from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Facial recognition cameras in Florida city spark privacy concerns
Facial recognition cameras in Florida city spark privacy concerns

New security cameras in downtown Lakeland are raising concerns about privacy. The Lakeland Downtown Development Authority has begun installing 13 new security cameras on streets, sidewalks, and alleyways, and there are mixed feelings about them.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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