Florida gas prices plunge by double digits. Will it last?
Across Florida, gas prices are down by double digits, with most areas below $3 a gallon. Florida drivers are now seeing the lowest gas prices in 17 months. The state average was 17 cents less than a week ago, 22 cents less than a month ago and 54 cents less than this time last year. North Florida remains the cheapest to get gas in the state. Naples and Palm Beach County are among the most expensive areas for gas. More from the Miami Herald and Gulfshore Business.
UNF survey finds Jacksonville manufacturers pessimistic
A monthly University of North Florida survey of Jacksonville area manufacturers found a continued slight contraction in activity in April, while optimism about the next 12 months eroded. The survey by UNF’s Local Economic Indicators Project produced a Purchasing Manager’s Index of 49 in April for the second straight month. A PMI below 50 indicates contraction in the economy while an index above 50 would indicate expansion. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Orlando Dreamers eye county-owned land for potential MLB stadium. Will it work?
A site for utility infrastructure and overflow parking is the centerpiece of a burgeoning effort to attract Major League Baseball to Central Florida, led by the Dreamers, a group that is showing more financial and planning wherewithal than many gave it credit for. The group has assembled a wealthy ownership team they believe could lure the Tampa Bay Rays to move east on I-4, or attract another big-league franchise. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Owner of former Paramount Hotel in Gainesville wants to turn it into affordable housing
The owner of the former Paramount Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in southwest Gainesville is hoping to develop the property into an affordable housing complex. He is also looking for some assurances from local officials and nonprofits, however, that if built the rooms won't sit vacant. More from the Gainesville Sun.
How is immigration policy affecting Miami businesses? A new survey asks
Miami businesses are watching the issue closely, said Alfred Sanchez, CEO of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. He noted “concern” from some of the Chamber’s 1,400 members about what shifting immigration policies mean for their workers and, in turn, their business operations. To measure how local firms are feeling, the Greater Miami Chamber and Florida International University have released a short anonymous survey gauging local business sentiment on the matter. More from the Miami Herald.
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Tech Trends
‘Wood you believe it?’ FAU engineers fortify wood with nano-iron
Scientists and engineers are developing high-performance materials from eco-friendly sources like plant waste. A key component, lignocellulose – found in wood and many plants – can be easily collected and chemically modified to improve its properties. By using these kinds of chemical changes, researchers are creating advanced materials and new ways to design and build sustainably. With about 181.5 billion tons of wood produced globally each year, it’s one of the largest renewable material sources.
» More from Refresh Miami.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Spotlight on ‘SpaceU’
Located in east Orlando less than 50 miles from Kennedy Space Center’s launch complex, the University of Central Florida — also known by the moniker SpaceU — has long been recognized as a top supplier of graduates to the aerospace and defense industries and a hotspot for space research. Nearly 30% of KSC employees are UCF alumni — and over 60-plus years, UCF faculty and students have worked on about 700 NASA projects, with 40 active projects totaling more than $67 million in funding.
» Read more from Florida Trend.