Florida insurance commissioner approves 9.5 percent cut in workers' comp rates

Florida regulators are approving a 9.5 percent drop in insurance rates charged to the state's business owners to cover their employees. The Office of Insurance Regulation on Thursday announced it had approved a drop in workers' compensation insurance rates. The new rates are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2018. See the announcement from Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier, here. Also read more at the AP and TBO.com.

Florida Insider Poll on Donald Trump’s first year

Nearly two thirds of the more than 200 Florida lobbyists, political operatives, money raisers and the like surveyed said Trump's performance over the past year has been "terrible" or "poor," with a majority saying terrible. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Green industry blossoms in the Sunshine State

Greener gardens have created greener pockets in Florida. The environmental horticulture industry, or the “green industry,” includes landscaping, nurseries, greenhouses, wholesale and retail distributors and allied manufacturing. “The green industry has rebounded from the recession very well due to growing incomes and consumer demand for plants in other states. Additionally, housing and commercial development in Florida is on the uptick again,”said Alan Hodges, an Extension scientist in the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department. See the story from UF/IFAS, here. Also read more at The Villages.

More hits to Florida citrus as USDA lowers estimate

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cut its estimate for the Florida orange crop to 50 million boxes, down from the 54 million boxes predicted last month. Growers have declared such numbers unrealistic, reporting they expect the crop to be between 30 million and 40 million boxes. Read the full story from the Packer, here. Also read more at Florida Politics.

Florida's Movers & Influencers See some of Florida's top executive moves, board appointments, civic accomplishments, and more at Florida Trend's Movers & Influencers. Each profile appears in three places: in a weekly eNewsletter, online at FloridaTrend.com and in a monthly print issue of Florida Trend. Read more here.

What does La Niña mean for Florida? Another warm, dry winter.

Florida has had six warm winters in a row, and in all likelihood, it’s about to get its seventh. That’s because La Niña conditions have developed, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center announced Thursday morning. See their report here. Also read more at the Tampa Bay Times.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Bike-sharing startup inks exclusive deals with South Florida cities [South Florida Business Journal]
San Francisco startup Spin has inked deals with two South Florida municipalities to bring its bikesharing service to the region for the first time.

› Real estate law: Repurposing undesirable property [Sponsored Report]
Real estate law requires disclosure when a property has been contaminated — understandably so. But opportunities can lie in the most unlikely places.

› Florida readies for more Puerto Rican evacuees [Lakeland Ledger]
Florida stepped up its emergency-operations activities Thursday as the federal government plans to offer short-term relocation to Florida or New York for Puerto Ricans still homeless after Hurricane Maria. On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to activate the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to Level 2. See Gov. Rick Scott's "Updates on state action to assist Puerto Rico" here.

› Florida traffic ticket firm sues over unlicensed law practice claims [AP]
A Florida company that provides a way to resolve traffic tickets using a cellphone or computer filed a lawsuit claiming The Florida Bar and a more traditional ticket firm are conspiring to shut it down by making false allegations against it.
» See also: Florida drivers can now fight traffic tickets from their phones. But that may not last.

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› Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings posts record 3Q profit of $400M despite hit from hurricanes [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Improved ticket pricing and strong onboard purchases by passengers helped Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. sail to a record third quarter, the Miami-based company said Thursday.

› Construction giant hires new Florida market leader [Business Observer]
Michael Brown, formerly of Gilbane Building Co., has been hired by Skanska USA as its executive vice president/general manager and will oversee building operations across Florida.

› Florida legislator resigns to take federal farm service job [AP]
A Florida legislator is resigning to take a job with the administration of President Donald Trump. Rep. Neil Combee on Wednesday turned in a letter that said he was resigning effective Nov. 24.

› South Florida's SCOTUS veterans offer secrets to success [Daily Business Review]
Three attorneys who have argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and two state appellate judges lent their expertise to a Hollywood lawyer who will appear before the justices next month.