SHARE:
Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida consumers shake off coronavirus fears, so far
Coronavirus fears failed to affect Florida consumers last month. In fact, consumer confidence in the state hit its best mark in more than 19 years, according to the University of Florida’s Consumer Sentiment Index released Tuesday. Confidence among Floridians rose 3.1 points in February to a reading of 102.6, the highest level since November 2000. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida procrastinates more than almost every other state
Having trouble starting your next assignment? Finishing a big project at work? Picking which Netflix show to watch next? Well, you’re not alone — especially if you’re in Florida. According to a survey by Brainley, students in Florida are more likely to procrastinate than every other state in the country other than Louisiana. See the results of the study here and read more from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Italy’s Florida business tied to the environment
Trade between Florida and Italy rose by 5.4% in 2019, bolstered by a rise in technological, mechanical and culinary industries doing business in the Sunshine State. Within those sectors and others is an opportunity to broaden environmental protection efforts, Italian diplomats say. More from Miami Today.
Amazon customers in Orlando can now get orders in hours
Amazon Prime shoppers in Orlando can now have their orders of products like diapers and dog food delivered in hours or even overnight. The same-day delivery service for Prime members is $2.99 for orders that cost less than $35 or free on orders that cost more than that amount, the company said in a Tuesday announcement. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Nestle permit: Florida water district experts recommend ‘no’
The water management board that may next week decide whether to allow Seven Springs Water Co. to renew its water-use permit and allow Nestlé to continue to pump up to 1.152 millions of gallons of water from the springs a day is being told by its own experts to vote no. Katelyn Potter, the Suwannee River Water Management District’s spokeswoman, said Tuesday that the agency’s staff considers Seven Springs’ application incomplete. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Out of the Box
A very Florida problem: Our cows are too hot
Raluca Mateescu studies genetic code that she hopes will one day unlock the perfect breed of cow to handle the Florida heat. A professor in UF’s Department of Animal Sciences, she spends her days running down spreadsheets too unwieldy for Excel to open. In the tens of thousands of zeroes and ones that represent some 250,000 genetic markers, Mateescu knows that this chromosome, at that position, proclaims a certain cow’s eye color. This is the language she speaks.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Trade Trends
Port of Miami specializes in tropical and exotic produce
South Florida is an important gateway for produce from South America arriving into the United States. Both the Port of Miami and Port Everglades have been specializing in handling produce, especially tropical and exotic items. Not only do these ports serve the Southeastern United States, produce gets distributed West, as well as up north, all the way into the Northeast.
» Read more from Fresh Plaza.
In case you missed it:
