SHARE:
Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Rotten tomatoes? U.S. withdraws from pact with Mexico after pressure from Florida lawmakers
The United States intends to withdraw from a six-year-old trade agreement with Mexico on tomatoes to clear the way to impose new duties. The decision stems from complaints from American tomato producers about being undercut by imports. Florida tomato growers and a group of U.S. lawmakers have accused Mexico of unfair trade practices and said the 6-year-old "suspension agreement" wasn't working the way it should. More from Politico and CNBC.
UF research spending reaches record in 2018
University of Florida research spending rose almost 8 percent to a record $865 million in fiscal year 2018, according to a new report to the National Science Foundation. UF’s response to NSF’s Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, Survey showed a $63.6 million increase, or 7.9 percent, in expenditures over 2017’s total of $801.4 million. More from UF News.
Spreading the start-up gospel: Miami missionaries preach entrepreneurship
Two longtime South Florida businessmen are showing not only that faith is alive and well in South Florida, but that it can also motivate entrepreneurship. Their initiatives are a twist on social entrepreneurship, a concept gaining traction in the business world that combines social benefit with business. More from the Miami Herald.
He’s saved Floridians billions. Will lawmakers keep him in the job?
In all, James Ray “J.R.” Kelly and the Office of General Counsel have saved Floridians billions of dollars in potential rate hikes since he took charge of its staff of 15 lawyers and accountants in 2007. But since then, Florida’s House and Senate haven’t reconfirmed him in the job. That could change — or not — this year. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
South Florida animal shelters face shortage of veterinarians
South Florida’s animal shelters, under pressure to stop euthanizing cats and dogs, are facing a new challenge as they save growing numbers of animals: a shortage of veterinarians. Many veterinarians are choosing private practice over the stresses and odd hours of work in a shelter, where they must perform as many as 30 spay-neuters in a day, manage disease outbreaks on limited budgets and take care of society’s most abused and neglected animals. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Business Profile
OCULUS Surgical
Ophthalmic surgical instrument maker OCULUS Surgical, Inc. held an expansion announcement ceremony on February 7 on the future site of the company’s planned $7 million, 55,000- square-foot manufacturing facility in the Tradition Center for Commerce. OCULUS Surgical, a global leader in the medical device industry, is headquartered in the St. Lucie West Commerce Park.
Florida Dining
Florida's restaurant scene and its celebrity chefs
Two Tampa-based James Beard nominated chefs offer up some of the most innovative new street fare in the area. While Winter Haven’s farm-to-table Nutwood features house-made ricotta and porchetta, Jacksonville’s Cowford Chophouse invites guests to dine in a century-old bank. Plus Wolfgang Puck has a new Walt Disney World restaurant.
In case you missed it:
