Florida lawmakers enter last stretch of special session

Florida legislators today begin the final week of their three-week special session that was required because they could not settle differences on health care and pass a budget in the regular session that ended April 30. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

See also:
» Weekend budget talks advance on health care, hometown pork
» Florida legislators reach deal on conservation money

Florida Trend Exclusive
Jacksonville's leaders want more clout in Tallahassee

During the 2008 election cycle, six freshmen lawmakers from the Jacksonville area entered the Florida Legislature, creating a prime opportunity to and give northeast Florida its first House Speaker in more than two decades. Jacksonville blew it. Access full story.

Florida's blueberry crop sees a sweet harvest season

Ideal growing conditions this year likely resulted in record production for Florida's young blueberry industry. The Florida blueberry industry, which began in the early 1990s, was built on hitting that sweet spot in a marketing window generally lasting from the last weeks of March to the first week of April. More from the AP.

Opinion: Florida the new high-tech frontier

Silicon Valley is synonymous with global technology, but could Florida be the next frontier? A new high-tech hub being developed outside Orlando will thrust the Sunshine State into the global advanced manufacturing industry, and promises high-skill jobs, new capital and the influence of a multibillion dollar industry. [Source: Florida Today]

How theme parks like Disney World have left the middle class behind

Ballooning costs have not slowed the mouse-eared masses flooding into the world's busiest theme park. Disney's main attraction hosted a record 19 million visitors last year, a number nearly as large as the population of New York state. But rising prices have changed the character of Big Mouse's family-friendly empire in unavoidably glitzy ways. [Source: Washington Post]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Prognosis grim for Florida health care if Supreme Court ruling goes awry [Miami Herald]
There is no official plan. There is no time to execute one, even if there were a plan. And, perhaps most importantly, there appears to be no political leadership in Florida to act if the Supreme Court rules this month that more than 6 million Americans, including about 1.3 million Florida residents, can no longer receive federal subsidies that help pay for their health.

› Subsidies put Miami Worldcenter under a microscope [Miami Herald]
Stretching 10 city blocks of luxury condos, apartments and high-end shops, the nation’s second-largest urban development is perhaps rivaled in size only by its polarizing reputation.

› Teachers remain wary even as Florida eases its stance on evaluations [Tampa Bay Times]
In their effort to tie teachers' job evaluations to student performance, Florida lawmakers acknowledge they initially went too far. This spring, comfortable that the idea of increased accountability for teachers had taken hold, the Legislature eased up.

› Florida officials ponder hunting at state parks [Tampa Bay Times]
To generate more money for the state, Florida's popular state parks could see more than just timber harvesting and cattle-grazing added to the bird-watching, camping, canoeing, kayaking and hiking activities allowed now.

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› Florida No. 1 in 'job hate,' Twitter study says [Fort Myers News-Press]
People who work in Florida hate their jobs more than employees in any other state — and if you want to love your job, you should move west.

› Marijuana Grower Licenses Available in Florida [24/7 Wall Street]
In June of last year Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill that legalizes the use of low-potency marijuana for medical purposes. On Wednesday of this week the state will begin accepting applications from parties interested in being one of five legal regional growing operations in the state.
» See also: Legal low-potency marijuana industry will be an experiment, First Coast state senator says

› Gulftainer launches operations at Port Canaveral, Florida [Gulf News]
Sharjah: Gulftainer’s new Canaveral Cargo Terminal at Port Canaveral in Florida in the US, officially opened for business with a major launch ceremony attended by more than 300 local, state, and national public officials, alongside leaders of business and trade across the Florida region.
» See also: How safe, secure is Port Canaveral cargo?

› Tampa judge becomes chief of one of nation's busiest bankruptcy courts [Tampa Bay Times]
The bankruptcy court for Florida's Middle District, one of the busiest in the nation, is getting a new chief judge. On Oct. 1, Judge Michael G. Williamson of Tampa will begin a four-year term overseeing a district that includes four divisions and spans a 35-county area from Jacksonville to Fort Myers.