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Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Fewer new businesses formed in Florida in 2023
New business applications across Florida fell 3% between December 2022 and December 2023, seasonally adjusted Census Bureau data shows. Business formation rates are an excellent indicator of economic sentiment — few people try to start a company when they foresee bad times ahead. More from Axios.
Average price for gas in Florida is now below $3 a gallon. Will it keep going down?
Gas prices in Florida are on the downswing. The average cost in the state on Monday was $2.98 a gallon, the first dip below $3 in 2024. Will the trend continue? That could depend on the weather. “The state average has plummeted more than 16 cents in the past two weeks,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA - The Auto Club Group. More from the Miami Herald.
Citigroup expected to cut more jobs in Tampa with latest layoff announcement
More jobs will be cut from Citigroup’s Tampa campus in connection to plans announced last week to lay off 20,000 employees from the banking giant’s global workforce. Technology support groups that work within the bank’s various business lines and projects have been affected by the latest downsizing measures, a current employee told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Bigger, heavier vehicles in parts of Palm Beach County? Here’s the reason behind proposal
A semi-truck in your neighbor’s driveway? A ruling by the Palm Beach County Commission could allow just that — in the more rural parts of the county. On Jan. 25, the Palm Beach County Commissioners will again discuss a proposal to allow for commercial vehicles — even semi-trucks and tractor trailers, in some cases — on private properties in parts of the Indian Trail Improvement District and The Acreage Neighborhood Planning Area. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Will Orange County cut Visit Orlando’s share of tourist-tax revenue?
Orange County commissioners are poised to cleave $15 million and possibly more from Visit Orlando’s annual budget Tuesday when they consider rewriting the contract of the tourist-tax-funded, destination marketing agency. The elected board — excluding Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who did not attend — held an unusual discussion Jan. 16 and knocked around possible changes to the county funding agreement with Visit Orlando. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Retail Trends
Two supermarkets in Florida have ditched plastic bags. What does it mean for customers?
Two popular specialty grocers — the discount chain Aldi and the produce-driven Sprouts Farmers Market — vowed to eliminate single-use plastic bags in their stores by the end of 2023. Two weeks into the new year, both grocery chains, with a growing presence in South Florida, say the removal of single-use plastic at checkout counters is now policy. But are plastic bags really single use?
» More from the Miami Herald.
Sports Business
Manatee golf club wins World Champions Cup for 2024, 2025 and 2028
The Concession Golf Club in east Manatee County thought it made a good impression in December when it hosted the first-ever World Champions Cup, a PGA Tour Champions-sanctioned team event, and Team USA took home the trophy over Team Europe and Team International.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
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