March 28, 2024

Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 7/16/2020

In a week, Florida’s new unemployment claims nearly double

After weeks of steady declines, the number of Floridians filing new unemployment claims last week nearly doubled. The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that new jobless claims in the state jumped from about 67,000 for the week ending July 4 to 129,408 for the week ending July 11. It’s the state’s highest number of new unemployment claims since late May, and more than double the number of new claims coming from the next highest state, Georgia. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.

Two-nation team powers ahead to build Florida-Mexico sea trade

With the US-Mexico-Canada agreement taking effect this month, the newly formed Florida/Mexico Working Group is looking at ways to expand maritime trade between the two economies. The group, which formed as a result of a letter of intent signed in November by the Florida Ports Council and Mexican Coordinadora de Puertos, consists of six members from Florida and six from Mexico. More from Miami Today.

State funding for Florida citrus intact as growers hang on in unpredictable market

Florida’s troubled citrus industry, is seeing some light at the end of the tunnel now there is renewed consumer interest in orange juice. Also, there was more good news this summer, when governor Ron DeSantis’ coronavirus-driven budget cuts left funds for citrus untouched. Florida’s citrus industry, mostly producing oranges, is valued at more than $8 billion, according to the Department of Citrus. More from Fresh Plaza.

Wind turbine scammers used South Florida sales agents to bilk more than $1.9 million from 60 investors, feds say

Using sales agents in South Florida, an Arizona-based wind turbine company scammed at least 60 investors out of more than $1.9 million, according to a lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Executives of Thunderbird Power Corp. employed sales agents in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach and Vero Beach to solicit investments into what they said was a “utility-grade wind turbine for use on wind farms,” the SEC said in a suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Miami. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Tampa franchise consultant discusses what to know before starting a business

People come to Jenny Sutter when they want to become a franchisee but don’t know where to start. As a Tampa-based consultant for FranNet, Sutter helps clients sift through dozens of franchise businesses to pick the best fit. She guides entrepreneurs through mountains of research and helps them set up shop. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Arts and Culture
App turns St. Petersburg’s murals into a drive-in theater

St. Petersburg has gained a reputation for its murals, and now there’s a scavenger hunt of sorts where you can use an app to find the many ways artists have decorated the city’s walls. Since 2015, the St. Petersburg Shine Mural Festival has welcomed artists from around the globe to create world-class murals. Now, an upgrade to the PixelStix app has turned some of the more than 80 murals from the festival into a drive-in theater.

» More from the Tampa Bay Times.

 

Sports Business
SportsEdTV produces training videos for young athletes

floridaFormer University of Miami tennis player John Eagleton and marketer Robert Mazzucchelli have teamed up to create SportsEdTV, a digital media venture that produces training videos for young athletes. The videos, available free on the company’s website, feature coaches and athletes giving instruction on some aspect of their sport, including a lesson from former NBA star Tim Hardaway on the crossover dribble and former professional tennis player Jeff Salzenstein on hitting a kick serve.

» Read more from Florida Trend.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Florida Trend Video Pick

Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction
Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction

USF marine scientist Mark Luther, says dozens of concrete barriers protecting the bridge from collision is just the beginning of an ongoing effort to keep it safe.

 

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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