Brogan: It's time to revamp university system
In a rapidly changing economy, Florida must reinvent its university system by placing a greater emphasis on graduating students in science, technology, engineering and math, State University Chancellor Frank Brogan said Monday. "It's Florida's turn to make certain that the next BlackBerry is invented here and not somewhere else," Brogan told the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches during a luncheon at the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion. "It's our turn to stop exporting some of Florida's best and brightest young people to other states around the country." [Source: Palm Beach Post]
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• FRANK BROGAN
Chancellor, State University System
 [Photo: Ray Stanyard] |
Commentary: Restoring Florida without spending taxpayer money
Despite the bipartisan squabbles that have virtually crippled legislative progress in our nation's capitol, there is remarkable bipartisan agreement on a bill that would invest the fines from last year's BP oil spill on Gulf Coast restoration. In Florida, the economy is the environment, and unemployment remains above the national average. Improving the quality of Florida's environment will help increase tourism. Despite these economic facts, federal, state and local governments have reduced funding for environmental restoration projects because of tight budgets over the last few years. [Source: Palm Beach Post]
Studies point to South Florida "brain drain"
When Christina Caldwell moved back to her native Miami after living out west for six years, she planned to remain. But after two years of dead-end jobs as a bartender and receptionist, she left for California — for good. She now makes more than $100,000 a year at a post-production company in Venice Beach. "I would never, ever move back to Miami," she says. Christina is not alone: South Florida is losing young people in droves, according to recent national and local studies. The area's high unemployment rate, lack of innovative jobs and huge income gaps have created a perfect storm that many young people are unwilling to wait out. [Source: Miami Herald]
All for one
In 1954, business leaders in Ocala established the Committee of 100 to get more aggressive about economic development. The chamber of commerce, around since 1887, was to focus inside the community, offering networking and other assistance for existing businesses. But when the economic downturn whacked Marion County harder than the rest of the state, the collective efforts of the EDC and the chamber weren't enough to help stem double-digit unemployment and other economic maladies. In May, business leaders on the boards of the two organizations formed a task force to try to figure out "new approaches to difficult challenges." They decided the chamber and EDC should merge. Read more...
 Brian O'Connor (left) and Doug Cone took on the task of creating a more efficient economic development structure, part of a national trend of merging EDCs and chambers of commerce. [Photo: Jeffrey Camp] |
Why the GOP Nomination Fight Could All Come Down to Florida
The race for the Republican nomination looks like it's finally turning into a real fight with presumed frontrunner Mitt Romney beating back insurgent Newt Gingrich. The pattern of the early voting states has long been assumed to split pretty evenly: Evangelical-heavy Iowa and South Carolina going to the anti-Romney, these days the former House Speaker, and the former Massachusetts governor winning New Hampshire and Mormon-heavy Nevada. Obviously there are a lot of ifs, ands and buts to these assumptions, and the degree of the wins will make a difference in momentum. But if early voting follows this pattern, Florida is likely to be the tiebreaker, and even more so now that the race is becoming competitive.
[Source: TIME]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› 165 layoffs under way at Tampa Tribune, sister papers
Layoffs that will total 165 people began Monday at The Tampa Tribune and its community and weekly publications, a reduction of 16 percent in the total workforce.
The layoffs also affect TBO.com but not News Channel 8, the Tribune's TV partner at the News Center.
Most of the employees affected were notified Monday, according to a news release from Media General, the Tribune's parent company in Richmond, Va.
› Max Planck's new 3D model helps scientists move closer to understanding the brain
Scientists at Max Planck Florida have created a three-dimensional computer model of part of a rat brain, an achievement they see as an important step toward understanding such disorders as Alzheimer's disease.
The results of the six-year project, led by the lab of Nobel Prize winner Bert Sakmann, were published in the journal Cerebral Cortex. Neuroscientists say the brain and its workings remain shrouded in mystery.
› Genting: Miami casino won't be the largest in the world
The Malaysian company under fire for wanting to build the world's largest casino in Miami says the charge is a "myth." It blames an architect for getting the numbers wrong.
» Related: Genting Gambles on a Family Approach to Casinos
› Orlando firms' hiring plans improve
Metro Orlando employers are heading into 2012 with an improved outlook for hiring, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
Seventeen percent of companies surveyed said they plan to hire more employees during the first quarter of next year, 8 percent expect to reduce staff and 70 percent intend to maintain the status quo.
The difference between hiring and firing — nine percentage points — is a marked improvement from the current quarter.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Coral Gables man leaves historic house to Uncle Sam
The United States government had more than two million reasons to celebrate Saturday.
A longtime Coral Gables resident designated $1 million and his historic home to the federal government in his will to help wipe away the nation's $15 trillion public debt.
Uncle Sam put the home on 1248 Coral Way on the auction block Saturday. The winning bid: $1.175 million.
› Boeing hires former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson
The Boeing Co. today announced it has hired retired Navy captain and former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, commander of the last shuttle mission in July, to help design the company's commercial crew capsule.
A veteran pilot and commander of three shuttle missions, "Fergie" retired from NASA last Friday and will join Boeing this Friday.
› Building-sized advertising banners removed by owners in Miami
The giant, illegal advertising banners draped over a long-vacant hotel along Interstate 95 have finally come down, six months after a state appeals court ordered the building's owners to remove them.
› Tampa gets no takers to redevelop Bayshore Boulevard marina
The city's latest attempt to redevelop its municipal marina at the top of Bayshore Boulevard appears to be dead in the water.
In September, City Hall issued a request for proposals to ask if any developers were interested in demolishing the old marina, rebuilding it and running it.
They weren't.
› Melbourne-based PetroAlgae revises IPO offering
PetroAlgae has filed a massive revision to its S-1 registration for a proposed initial public offering.
Melbourne-based PetroAlgae's planned to raise up to $200 million in an initial public offering last year but was greeted with skepticism by some analysts and by a slow market for IPOs.
» Florida Algae-preneurs - Making Fuel from Algae
› A typical Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year in a Florida community association
Ahhhh...the holidays are finally here. Time to wind-down, kick off your shoes, get in shape, jump in the pool and spend some quality time with your family and friends in your home. Time to put up those decorations that will make you the envy of your neighbors, have a holiday gathering or two and party non-stop until the first week of 2012.
Before you start the celebration though, please read the fine print of your community's documents and all the rules that govern your association, because it may say something like this.