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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› Apprenticeships fill worker void in Southwest Florida trade industry
“Help Wanted” signs are the signs of the time for Southwest Florida’s trades. It’s a challenge for builders to find workers, and the problem is not going to end soon. Builders filed 13,621 building permits for single-family, duplexes and apartments in 2022 in Lee County, according to the economic data from the Federal Reserve in St. Louis. Charlotte County gave 5,676 permits and Collier 5,517. And that’s just new homes; that doesn’t include commercial construction and rebuilding after Hurricane Ian.
› Seminole County eyes equestrian land for possible soccer facility
Seminole County may buy some property in the Sylvan Lake area for a future sports project — an effort that would boost the county's competitive ability to draw more visitors, jobs and economic impact to the region. The county, during a meeting on May 9, identified a 40-acre parcel of land on which it could expand the county's 126-acre multi-sports complex to the north of the property.
› St. Petersburg man accused of stealing endangered tortoises, rare books
A 46-year-old St. Petersburg man has been arrested after authorities say he stole two endangered Galapagos tortoises, rare books and comic books from several locations across Florida. The juvenile Galapagos tortoises had microchips, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials scanned the chips and confirmed they were the same tortoises that had been stolen from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in St. Augustine.
› These Florida spots, one near the Keys, were named the best secret beaches in the U.S.
A family travel guide has just released a list of the best “secret” beaches — and nine Florida beaches made the list, including one near the Keys. Family Destinations Guide, a website that highlights reviews of hotels, resorts, destinations, and other attractions with a family-friendly atmosphere, asked readers to vote for the “secret” beaches they most wanted to visit. Florida and Hawaii beaches turned out to be the most popular on the 100 Best Secret Beaches list.
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