The Obama administration repealed a measure granting automatic residency to virtually every Cuban who arrived in the United States, whether or not they had visas, ending a longstanding exception to U.S. immigration policy. News about the end of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy sparked mixed emotions in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. Mario Garcia, a Cuban mechanic in Little Havana, said the change angered him. "It's not like Communism has ended in Cuba, so why stop this that has saved people's lives?" he said. But others are feeling good about the change. Read the full story from Reuters, here. Also see more at the AP and the Miami Herald.

Your turn:
» Do you agree that ending the "wet foot, dry foot" immigration policy for Cubans is the right thing to do? (quick poll)

Chamber backs Gov. Scott's push for incentive money

Saying business incentives are needed in limited situations, the Florida Chamber of Commerce offered support Thursday for Gov. Rick Scott's controversial proposal to set aside $85 million for incentives next year. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

See also:
» State economist: 70 percent of Florida’s economic incentive programs losing money

Florida contractors see transit, education opportunities in the coming year

Florida contractors are betting on transit projects to carry the industry forward this year. Most Florida contractors believe there will be an uptick in transit, rail and airport projects in 2017. Some also see higher education as the next big sector. In the "2017 Construction Outlook Survey Results," Florida contractors answer questions about plans and trends for the year ahead. Survey is here. Also read more at the Daily Business Review.

New secretary ratified for Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

Justin Senior was named secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, after serving as interim secretary for nearly four months. The agency focuses heavily on running the state's Medicaid program. [Source: WLRN]

Audit: Florida paid prison operator $16 million too much

For the last several years, Florida prison officials have used an opaque pricing scheme that inflated payments to a private prison company operating Lake City Correctional Facility, costing taxpayers millions of dollars in excess charges instead of producing promised savings, according to an independent financial audit. [Source: Times/Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Manatee-Sarasota job growth unparalleled in Florida [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The Manatee-Sarasota region is the only metro area in Florida with faster employment growth in 2016 than in 2015. "Every other community did not achieve that," said economist Henry "Hank" Fishkind, noting the addition of 9,600 jobs here in November over the previous year.

› NextEra $18.7 billion takeover of Texas power distributor gets feds’ OK [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Juno Beach-based NextEra Energy's proposed $18.7 billion takeover of Texas-based Oncor Electric Delivery Co. has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but the deal still faces scrutiny by utility regulators in Texas.

› New Epcot festival pushes the arts [Orlando Sentinel]
The new Walt Disney World Epcot festival includes Tarzan, caviar, Mary Blair, a Roy Lichtenstein-inspired drink and a sake-barrel cracking. You could appropriately call the Epcot International Festival of the Arts a stew or a medley or a collage.

› Officials discuss Santa Rosa County's branding problem [Santa Rosa Press Gazette]
The Santa Rosa County Economic Development and Tourist Development offices work to bring business into the county through companies that provide jobs and generate tax dollars and tourists who spend money at local businesses and generate bed tax dollars.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Frost Science Museum pledges spring debut, but no firm date yet [Miami Herald]
The new Frost Science Museum, which pushed back its debut to this spring amid a fiscal crunch that required a public bailout last year, is not yet ready to announce a firm opening date, institution administrators and Miami-Dade County officials say.

› Report ranks Deltona as 'least recovered' small city [Daytona Beach News Journal]
A new national report ranks Deltona as the "least recession-recovered" small city in America. City officials, however, respectively - and strongly - disagree.

› Florida Hospital partners with Walgreens to open express health clinics [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Hospital and Walgreens are partnering to offer health clinic services inside Walgreens stores around Tampa Bay.

› Five South Florida companies to pitch at annual venture capital conference [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Five later stage South Florida companies will give their best business pitches to investors at the annual Florida Venture Forum on Feb. 2 and 3.