Incomes keep declining as recovery grinds on

Did you get a raise last year? No? How about the year before that? Or the year before that? Didn't think so. Don't feel lonely. Few of us are seeing our incomes increase, even after five years of recovery from the Great Recession. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

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Stocks hit record highs after good news on economy

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose nine points, or 0.5 percent, to close at a record 2,011 on Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 109 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,265 also a record. The Nasdaq composite jumped 31 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,593. More from the AP and Reuters.

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Boeing's big new rocket contract means jobs for Texas and Florida

NASA chose Boeing and SpaceX Tuesday to build the new capsules that will take American astronauts to and from the International Space Station beginning in 2017. SpaceX will develop a new version of its Dragon capsule with its $2.6 billion piece of the commercial crew deal. More from al.com and the AP.

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Mayor Alvin Brown of Jacksonville [Photo:Florida Times-Union]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Jacksonville's $1.65-billion hole

With an unfunded pension liability that’s one of the largest created by any municipal government, Jacksonville faces a long-term fight to bring its benefit costs under control. Access story here (part of a regional news roundup for Northeast Florida).

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Florida scientists urge state leaders to join climate summit

A group of 42 scientists from Florida universities submitted a joint letter on Thursday urging Governor Rick Scott and other state leaders to participate in a summit this fall to seek solutions for climate change. [Source: Reuters]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Clueless about tech? Orlando Tech Week may be for you [Orlando Sentinel]
Tech startup companies are popping up regularly in Orlando these days, but there’s still a feeling among some entrepreneurs that the broader business community isn’t involved in the effort.

› Floridians push Congress to fund snagged Everglades project [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Republicans joined with Democrats to introduce legislation that would authorize spending on a delayed Central Everglades Planning Project. The bill’s filing reflects bipartisan eagerness to begin the work and is designed to prod the Army Corps of Engineers to clear it for construction.

› Gov. Scott appoints lawmaker to utility board [Miami Herald]
Four years after the state Senate rejected two of former Gov. Charlie Crist’s appointees to the Public Service Commission because they had no industry experience, Gov. Rick Scott has appointed state Rep. Jimmy Patronis to the same board, even though he, too, has no industry experience.

› Court rules Florida virtual school can sue rival [AP]
The state's highest court is ruling that Florida's main online school can sue over trademark infringement. The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state-created Florida Virtual School can sue Virginia-based K12 on its own.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Spreading its wings: Wawa sees Orlando as growth market [Orlando Business Journal]
Just 26 months after planting its proverbial flag into Orlando soil, Wawa is up to 50 stores in Florida and still excited about its opportunities in the region.

› Ringling College building and buying [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
One of the more active buyers of residential properties in north Sarasota this year is not a well-heeled family, a hedge fund with gobs of cash or even a flipper intent on making a quick buck. It's the Ringling College of Art and Design.

› One of Jacksonville's top business officials retires after more than three decades of service [Florida Times-Union]
Many business owners and entrepreneurs had to deal with him eventually for over three decades in Jacksonville. Now Joe Whitaker is retiring. Whitaker, the business development project manager for Jacksonville’s Office of Economic Development, is formally stepping down from the job Friday.

› Florida No. 31 for overall highway conditions [Orlando Business Journal]
Florida ranks 31st in the nation in overall highway performance and cost-effectiveness in the latest Annual Highway Report by Reason Foundation.