As Puerto Ricans flock to Florida, parties jockey for advantage

Officials estimate 100,000 or more Puerto Ricans will relocate to Florida, at least temporarily. Many are expected to arrive in the Orlando area, where they have family ties, and an unemployment rate hovering around 4 percent means there’s demand for workers. As U.S. citizens, they can vote in any state. [Source: Bloomberg]

See also:
» Sen. Nelson wants Puerto Ricans newly arrived in Florida to register to vote
» Florida's Senate race shaping up as a clash of titans

Florida Trend Exclusive
Big business in alligator egg poaching

In the alligator business, there's no doubt as to which comes first, the alligator or the egg. It's the egg. The problem is, there aren't enough to go around. In this story from Florida Trend, you will learn about the industries that have sprung from alligator farming, and meet players on all sides - farmers, landowners, biologists, entrepreneurs. Read the full story - with photo gallery - here.

Appeals for hurricane aid pending in Florida since 2004

Florida communities cleaning up and making repairs after Hurricane Irma may expect the U.S. government to reimburse their costs, but an analysis by The Associated Press shows the Federal Emergency Management Agency make take years to pay those bills — if it pays up at all. [Source: AP]

Restaurant hiring gets tougher with low unemployment in Florida

As the economy brightens, the unemployment rate drops and the number of restaurant jobs in Florida swells, restaurant owners are on the hunt for workers of all types. Even when restaurants find new workers, some don’t show up or they are hard to keep because there are so many job openings, restaurateurs said. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

2010 oil spill funds remain elusive for coastal counties

Seven years after the BP oil spill, Bay County — along with others on the Gulf Coast — has yet to receive millions of dollars promised to the Panhandle for projects to restore the region’s economy and environment. [Source: Panama City News Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› New HSN president Mike Fitzharris brings decades of international expertise [Tampa Bay Times]
A long-time QVC veteran with e-commerce experience in Europe and Japan will take over as president of St. Petersburg-based HSN. The Fitzharris promotion was part of a structural reorganzation at QVC to bring together their brands of QVC, HSN, zulily and Cornerstone. See the news release here.

› Large crowds overwhelm officials providing hurricane help [AP]
Officials in South Florida were overwhelmed with the response for food assistance from people affected by Hurricane Irma. Some 50,000 people were already in line when the doors opened Sunday morning at a facility in Miami's Tropical Park.

› Buc-ee’s is bringing a Texas-size convenience store to Northeast Florida [Florida Times-Union]
If convenience store competition in Northeast Florida were a poker game, the stakes are about to get raised. A big Texan is sitting down at the table. Buc-ee’s, a Texas chain is just expanding into Florida.

› Sarasota architect will scale back and focus on design [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
After 40 years in the business, Guy Peterson will scale back and focus on being a design architect and leave the “heavy lifting” to larger firms that will serve as architects of record.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› ‘Boycott Jags’ banner flies above EverBank Field before Jaguars game [Florida Times-Union]
Before the Jaguars took the field Sunday, a plane took to the skies above EverBank Field and Jacksonville’s downtown with a message for fans: “Be American. Boycott the Jags & the NFL.”

› Crops for the season were looking good — until Irma delivered big trouble [Miami Herald]
The loss to agriculture across Florida totals $2.6 billion, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Overcome by almost $800 million in losses from the hurricane, the state’s citrus industry is suddenly facing its lowest orange yield in 75 years.

› 'Florida Project' film portrays life in Kissimmee hotels [Orlando Sentinel]
Central Florida’s latest portrayal on the big screen shows a darker slice of the tourist-centric region — children growing up living at old Kissimmee area hotels in the shadow of theme parks.

› Florida Insider Poll: Jeb handled hurricanes better than Rick Scott [Tampa Bay Times]
Gov. Rick Scott received generally high marks for his handling of the hurricanes hitting Florida and its sister territory, Puerto Rico, but his PR team lately has been working ferociously to push back against assorted reports raising questions about his emergency management record before and after the storms hit.