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Friday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Why some people aren’t sticking to their jobs in Florida
Florida is quickly growing, and with that comes the demand for jobs. But while there are plenty of places open to hiring this season, many have not been sticking to their jobs. Amir Neto, an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Florida Gulf Coast University, studies the populations living in Southwest Florida who participate in the labor market. He said while there are more people applying or looking for jobs, it’s not a significant amount when compared to the state and nationwide employment numbers. More from WINK News and Gulfshore Business.
Miami Beach plans to send firefighters to Israel and more than 100k in humanitarian aid
The Miami Beach City Commission unanimously voted to send aid to Israel as it wages war against Hamas, including a unit of volunteer firefighters and $115,000 for an ambulance. “This is the least we can do, frankly, given what Israel is facing on its frontlines right now,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said during the Wednesday meeting. “If we can do this...you are going to see other cities do other things.” More from the Miami Herald.
Oviedo’s growth, traffic woes among top issues in city election
Managing Oviedo’s growing traffic woes, which often cause snarls and gridlocks within the city’s corridors, is one of the key topics among the candidates vying for the mayor’s seat in the Nov. 7 election. Mayor Megan Sladek, who is seeking a third term, faces challenges from candidates Judith Dolores Smith, who served on Oviedo’s City Council from 2019 to 2021, and Brady Duke, who sought a Congressional seat in 2022. Oviedo’s mayor is elected at-large and serves two-year terms. The position pays $14,401 a year. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Ameris Bank reaches DOJ agreement over allegations of redlining in Jacksonville
Ameris Bank and the U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement Oct. 19 over allegations the bank engaged in redlining in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Ameris agreed to invest $9 million in the Jacksonville market under the agreement, which resulted from a Combating Redlining Initiative launched by the Justice Department two years ago. More from the Jacksonvile Daily Record.
Fort Lauderdale mayor heads to D.C. to pitch train tunnel
Broward commissioners may say they want a bridge for commuter rail over the New River, but Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis isn’t giving up on his fight to get a tunnel built instead. On Thursday, the mayor was in Washington, D.C. meeting with federal officials to make the pitch for a tunnel. He did the same when he met one-on-one Tuesday with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in Fort Lauderdale. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Business Beat - Week of October 20th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video news brief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Florida Dining
Rolling in dough
Veronica Anderson began offering her cookies for sale to colleagues decades ago while working at BellSouth in Jacksonville. As word of the treats spread beyond her workplace, a business was born. Over the years, she and husband Willis Anderson, a firefighter, were able to use money they made from cookie sales to help put their four children through college. Willis was often called the “Cookie Man” because friends and colleagues knew he’d have cookies to offer.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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