SHARE:
Monday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida unemployment rate holds steady in February, lower than national rate
Florida’s unemployment rate held at 3.1 percent in February for the third consecutive month, even as job losses were posted in many industry sectors. The unemployment rate held as a growing labor force continues to counter the number of people who are out of work. The national unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in February, up from 3.7 percent in January. More from the News Service of Florida and Florida Politics.
March Madness rush keeps Central Florida businesses packed with customers
March Madness and its steady stream of games means a continuous string of customers for bars and restaurants. Sunday at The Station Bar & Grill means drinks being poured and games being played on pretty much every screen. And in March, those screens are mostly filled with one thing. "Came here for some March Madness," said customer Graham Steskal. He's a regular customer. But the tournament has him coming in multiple times a week. More from WESH.
Port Everglades, PortMiami reviewing cybersecurity for their Chinese-made gantry cranes
Leaders of South Florida’s Port Everglades and PortMiami have met with U.S. Coast Guard officials to review cybersecurity programs aimed at reducing the possibility that giant Chinese-made cranes operating at the region’s ports and others in the U.S. pose a national security threat. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Bradenton sustainable builder makes magazine's global innovation list
Bradenton-based Pearl Homes, working on several environmentally friendly real estate and development projects in the region, has been named to Fast Company magazine’s 2024 World’s Most Innovative Companies list. The magazine evaluated thousands of submissions across multiple industries for the list, according to a statement. Other companies on the list include YouTube, Taco Bell, Taylor Swift Productions and AI chip maker Nvidia. More from the Business Observer.
From school bus to shipping container, Jacksonville nonprofit creates coffee shops
When Ron Armstrong pondered the next step in his nonprofit mission to help Jacksonville's at-risk youth, he came up with an out-of-the-box answer. Armstrong had already created jobs and a faith-based support system for them by opening Grounds for Grace coffee shops in a renovated school bus in 2020 and in a University Boulevard storefront in 2023. His third location will be in a shipping container, which is now being renovated. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Event
MacDill AirFest returns to Tampa Friday, the last one for at least 3 years
The Tampa Bay AirFest returns to MacDill Air Force Base this weekend with the Air Force’s Thunderbirds in the sky and tours of vintage and spanking new aircraft on the ground. Pay attention this year, because it will be a couple more years before another AirFest flies over Tampa.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Entertainment
Surf's up
Surfing in Orlando? That’s the idea behind a surf park that’s being proposed for a landfill site in west Orange County. The $45-million Orlando Surf Park would feature a 15-acre pool with patented wave-making technology. Coral Springs-based Ocean Sports Development has submitted development plans to Orange County for what it calls a “world-class surfing destination” on 44 acres next to the Orange County National Golf Center just inside Orlando’s western beltway in the growing Horizon West area.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
In case you missed it:
