Florida citrus growers pushing Washington hard for dollars

Florida citrus officials this week have mounted a furious lobbying campaign to be included in the latest federal disaster-relief legislation scheduled to be voted on this month. The proposal is the third round of federal disaster assistance this year, and the previous two did not include financial assistance to growers for the crop and tree losses. More from the Lakeland Ledger and the Naples Daily News.

IT jobs swell, salaries rise in South Florida

South Florida’s IT professionals are enjoying more job opportunities and better salary hikes, according to a jobs survey released Thursday to coincide with next week’s ITPalooza conference in Fort Lauderdale. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Some Florida Realtors say bah, humbug to high professional dues

Are Realtor dues too high, especially when Florida agents make an average of just $35,000 a year and many earn far less? Florida Realtors, which collects about $130 every year from each of its 170,000-plus members, had $28.3 million in assets and just $6.4 million in liabilities in 2015. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Lessons for Hollywood's women from female tomato pickers in Florida

Long before the #MeToo campaign, women working the nation’s agriculture farms have been reporting that the fields were not a safe or dignified place for them — rife with sexual harassment and abuse incidents. But now, Florida’s tomato pickers say they’ve ended the problem in their workplace. Full story from PRI here (includes photo gallery and audio report).

Enterprise Florida will fight for funding

Enterprise Florida officials have a message for the organization’s stakeholders across the state: We’re here, we’re effective and we’re going after our funding. The embattled official economic development organization for the state of Florida held its two-day board of directors and stakeholders meeting this week. [Source: Jacksonville Daily Record]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida regulators take over insolvent workers comp insurer [Business Insurance]
Florida insurance regulators took over Fort Lauderdale-based Guarantee Insurance Co. on Monday and have started liquidating its assets, a spokesman for the Department of Financial Services confirmed Thursday.

› Keys residents burn hurricane flags to mark end of season [AP]
Florida Keys residents have doused hurricane flags in rum and burned them to mark the end of the tumultuous 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. The Thursday evening ceremony came after three major hurricanes - Harvey, Irma and Maria - pummeled parts of the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

› How to make the most of Art Basel Week 2017 [Miami Herald]
Miami Art Week was spawned in 2001 when a famous European art fair, Art Basel, made Miami its U.S. home. Now it involves almost two dozen art fairs, exhibits all around town and events, talks and panels.

› Along Gainesville’s "Acupuncture Alley," eastern medicines offer opioid help [WUFT]
Acupuncture has gained a strong foothold in Gainesville, with two schools devoted to it and a number of acupuncturists in “Acupuncture Alley,” a mile-long stretch along and around Northwest Sixth Street where at least 13 acupuncture practices have set up shop.

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› Insurers with stockholders pay out less to Florida drivers, study says [Palm Beach Post]
As car damage from 2017 storms in Florida and Texas threatens to set records, does it matter if your insurance company has to please stockholders and not just policyholders?

› National Forests in Florida seeks feedback on proposal to improve recreation sites, trails and visitor experiences [Tallahassee Democrat]
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking feedback on a proposal to improve recreation sites, trails and visitor experiences on the Apalachicola, Osceola and Ocala National Forests. These improvements would be paid for by changes in fees at some sites on the forests.

› Central Florida among large metros expected to see a rise in home prices and sales [Orlando Business Journal]
t looks like these Central Florida cities are about to get even hotter in the Sunshine State, as their home values and sales are expected to rise next year.

› Florida U.S. Senate race heats up with new ads [Orlando Sentinel]
Gov. Rick Scott hasn’t announced if he’s running against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson yet, but the ads are already up and running. The National Republican Senate Committee and the progressive group For Florida’s Future released dueling digital ads this week.