Older workers, retirees Florida's biggest economic generators

Call it Florida's hidden economy, one with a grayish tinge. Floridians 50 or older make up just 38 percent of the state's population. Yet, despite being fewer in number, they have a bigger economic impact than younger residents here. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

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Middle class caught in spending squeeze

Squeezed between flat wages and rising prices, many middle-class consumers are feeling poor. The recession forced many people to change their ways as nearly 9 million Americans lost their jobs and home foreclosures hit record highs. [Source: Dallas Morning News]

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Student loan debt hurts housing market

Millennials are expected to provide a significant jolt to the housing recovery in the next few years, as more young families leave their apartment rentals to buy starter homes. At the same time, an enormous burden is already weakening these young Americans’ economic impact: Student loan debt. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

See also:
» Cash gifts from friends, family help fuel housing recovery

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Graphic: Battle for Florida

With less than six weeks to Election Day, Sarasota Herald-Tribune political editor Jeremy Wallace examines the issues facing the campaign for governor between Charlie Crist and Rick Scott. See the complete graphic and see also:

» If Scott's re-elected, who will he be?

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Retirees dump their possessions and hit the road

Some call themselves "senior gypsies." Others prefer "international nomad." They are American retirees who have downsized to the extreme, choosing a life of travel over a life of tending to possessions. And their numbers are rising. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Orlando firms help create theme parks overseas [Orlando Sentinel]
Central Florida companies that work with theme parks are looking far beyond their back yard toward international growth, particularly in Asia.

› Documents show Gov. wanted big deal with tribe [AP]
Florida Gov. Rick Scott's staff nearly reached a multi-billion dollar deal with the Seminole Indian tribe that would have allowed it to add roulette and craps at its South Florida casinos, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

› Brazil's Embraer debuts military plane made in Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft maker than runs U.S. operations from Fort Lauderdale, has rolled out its first military plane made in Florida.

› Orlando's electric utility fights cyberwar [Orlando Sentinel]
A fear at Orlando Utilities Commission and utilities across the U.S. is that a cyberstrike by "bad guys" in Russia, China or even a small American town will put out lights for a long time.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Discount real estate brokerages open in South Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Although other discount firms help sellers list their properties for sale, ByOwner.com in Boca Raton and LevelRE in Fort Lauderdale present themselves as different. They also provide agents to guide the owners through the process.

› Space Florida: We've had big wins, but losses, too [Florida Today]
As a key part of the governor's economic development team for space and aerospace in Florida, Space Florida is laser focused on ensuring the continued growth of aerospace-related businesses on the Space Coast and across the state.
» See also: Succeeding in aerospace: what's on Brevard's want list

› Big projects transforming parts of Gainesville [Gainesville Sun]
Celebration Pointe and Butler Plaza each have cleared more than 100 acres of trees on both sides of Interstate 75 near Archer Road over the past month in preparation for major, multi-year projects that will bring a new Sam's Club, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Bass Pro Shops, hotels, townhomes, offices and dozens of new stores to Gainesville.

› Nice homes popping up in strange places as Tampa Bay economy awakens [Tampa Bay Times]
For a brand-new home in St. Petersburg's Historic Uptown district, $351,220 will buy you four bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen and relative proximity to the city's lively downtown club and restaurant scene. But the two-story house comes with a few drawbacks.